Thursday, June 30, 2022

June 2022 Set List


1.  Take Me Out To The Ballgame
2.  Go Cubs Go
3.  Don't Stop Believin'
4.  Boys Of Summer
5.  Rumour Has It
6.  Midnight Sun
7.  Music
8.  The Stroke (record version)
9.  Back in the Saddle
10.  I'll Wait

And there you have it.  June 2022 Set List.
 

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Pinterest Music & Fashion

In this edition of Pinterest Music & Fashion, I am highlighting Duran Duran's Red Carpet Massacre album - from fashion and camera to inspire going to a concert in fan style to still music video shot of "Falling Down" to track list to album cover and that is about it.

Although the "Falling Down" song would make the most sense to air in this part fashion post with recovering models admitted in a hospital as the theme, I am opting for "The Valley" with the bass being an intriguing emphasis in the song.  The most noted and popular part of "The Valley" is the hint of silence before Simon drives the song back to life.  

In this post, let's explore "The Valley."

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Set List Special Edition

Where Mondays are Guess the Album and Tuesdays are Answer to the Album, I accidentally answered what was meant for today on Monday - yesterday.  And so this Set List post is a special edition dating back years to a hit theme - commercial jingle.

The jingle offers a musical backdrop for the latest Instacart commercial.  Instacart is a grocery delivery service found online and is brought to you directly from a personal shopper.

The two line lyrics in the commercial jingle are "I like the way you work it.  I've got to bag it up."  Bag it up could be in reference to bagging the groceries.  I like the way you work it could be seen as the shopper excelling at his or her job.  Both references are speculative though and may miss the mark entirely.

The group is Blackstreet.  The song (to which I am too embarrassed to share) is suggestive of adult content.  Ironically, there is an emphasis on certain and sustained piano notes every few lyrics which adds interest to the chorus.

Blackstreet is an American group in the R&B genre.  Based on the song, I would guess more like rap.

In the long ago past, I enjoyed not only writing about a given commercial jingle but also sharing the song's YouTube video.  The official video in this case is not appropriate for the family friendly nature of Set List.  

With all said, I am intrigued by the two line lyrics for the beat and groove to dance.  Outside of that, I would pass on the Blackstreet song.

Monday, June 27, 2022

Violator


As the band's seventh album, Violator launched Depeche Mode onto an international stage.

Notes -
No. 2 on UK Albums Chart
No. 7 on Billboard 200

Violator Track List
1.  World in My Eyes
2.  Sweetest Perfection
3.  Personal Jesus
4.  Halo
5.  Waiting for the Night
6.  Enjoy the Silence
7.  Policy of Truth
8.  Blue Dress
9.  Clean

Certifications -

Gold in Austria, Italy*, Sweden, and the UK
*1990 sales

Platinum in France, Germany, Italy*, Spain
Switzerland ... *Sales as of 2009

2x Platinum in Canada

3x Platinum in the U.S.


Follow the Wikipedia link above for a full background about Violator.

Personal Jesus - Violator

"Personal Jesus" is the lead single from Depeche Mode's 1990 album, Violator.  The song was released in 1989.


Notes -
No. 13 on UK Singles Chart
No. 28 on Billboard Hot 100
No. 366 on Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2004)
Covered by Johnny Cash, Marilyn Manson, and others

Certifications -
Gold in Denmark, Portugal, and the U.S.
Silver in the UK
Platinum in Italy



Guess the Album

In this edition of Guess the Album, I am featuring "Personal Jesus" original to Depeche Mode and as found on YouTube.  The challenge to Guess the Album is finding the record "Personal Jesus" is on as a track.

First consider the song on YouTube -  

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Set List Reader's Choice

In this week's edition of Set List Reader's Choice, your top favorite is:

John Taylor's Birthday Celebration

As a refresher, I continued John Taylor's birthday bash by sharing a bass tutorial about "Rio" by John.

In this post, I thought I would continue John's tutorial lessons with my favorite - "Planet Earth."

Side note - The Duran Duran wild boys never seem to age and yet they are all in their 60s and Simon is a grandfather.  Does music keep them young at heart?  Does touring keep them sharp and active?  Does Roger's dj skills keep him in a groove generally reserved for younger generations?

John's bass tutorials are intriguing and unique in explaining and breaking down iconic DD songs, such as the one below.

With that said, enjoy "Planet Earth" from John Taylor's perspective.

Saturday, June 25, 2022

At Gibson's Expense

Due disclaimer - This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made at no cost to you.

Some time long ago, I considered the most expensive Gibson electric guitar models on zZounds.  There was interest among readers but, as the old saying goes, no cigar.  

So I thought I would revisit the past to check the present and hope for a future.

If you gotta get a Gibson, will you consider a Gibson?

Gibson

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/cat--Gibson--3549

Samples

Gibson Custom '64 ES-335 Reissue VOS Electric Guitar

(with Case) ... 60s Cherry finish ... $5,999

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/item--GIB64ES335VO?siid=279539


Gibson Custom '57 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty
Electric Guitar (with Case) ... Ebony finish ... $6,899


Gibson Custom 1958 Korina Explorer Electric Guitar
(with Case) ... Black Pickguard finish ... $9,999

Friday, June 24, 2022

Cover Up Friday

In this edition of Cover Up Friday, I am featuring Astronaut2005 Drummer's cover of "Personal Jesus" not by Depeche Mode but by Def Leppard.

How would you compare the two versions?

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Platinum Bash

Although the royal Platinum Jubilee celebration is over, on Set List the party continues.  On a side note, anything royal never goes out of style - from fashion to service to helping pave the way to a hopeful future for so many causes.

With that said, Duran Duran was one of many musicians to perform.  As a fan, I enjoyed watching the performance.  I do not know how Prince William felt about Duran Duran, given his mother's passion.  Kate looked rather concerned for the adults only appreciation when her three young children sat between their parents.  Nonetheless, the party went on.

The YouTube video below highlights Duran Duran at their finest - playing live in the most spectacular of ways.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Girls On Film - Tama Drums & Gibson Guitar

Due disclaimer - This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made at no cost to you.

"Girls on Film" - Live from London

Original Lineup

When Roger talked to Andy, drums to guitar, Roger spoke through a Tama drum kit.

Consider, then, Tama drums -

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/cat--Tama--3590


When Andy talked to Roger, guitar to drums, Andy spoke through a Gibson guitar.

Consider, then, Gibson guitars -


Gibson Exclusive

Gibson Custom

Gibson Original

...In due fairness...

The question now, then, is who are you listening to?







Girls On Film - ShopLook Style


Photograph trendy and couture fashion

What is the girl on film wearing -

Saint Laurent Silk Satin-Trimmed Wool Mini Dress

Giuseppe Zanotti Over The Knee Boots

(Amazon) Black Hoop Earrings

OPI Nail Lacquer

Aviator Sunglasses

The professional camera caught her picture.

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

John Taylor's Birthday Celebration

On this day after John Taylor's birthday, I thought I would continue the celebration with a tutorial video aired once before on Set List and viewed countless times on YouTube -

The making of "Rio" from the bass perspective.

John spoke so passionately about "Rio," finding his role in the song, and realizing the potential for success with just the one song alone.

With that said,

Monday, June 20, 2022

Duran Duran - Girls on Film (Live from London)

Best wishes to John Taylor on his most Happy Birthday!

Set List Reader's Choice - Achtung Baby

In today's edition of Set List Reader's Ch0ice, your top favorite is actually a tie -

Mysterious Ways - Achtung Baby

Achtung Baby

While "Mysterious Ways" was the hit on Set List, there is one other single from Achtung Baby worth noting - "One."

"One" is the third track from Achtung  Baby and the third single to be released in February 1992.  

The primary reflections behind "One" are the band's intense friction and German reunification after the wall came down and effectively ending the Cold War.  These notions have been subject to other interpretations.

Honors -

No. 1 on Irish Singles Charts

No. 1 on Canadian RPM Top Singles Chart

No. 1 on Billboard Album Rock Tracks

No. 1 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks

No. 3 in New Zealand 

No. 4 in Australia

No. 7 in UK Singles Chart

No. 10 on Billboard Hot 100

No. 36 on Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2004 & 2010)

No. 62 on Rolling Stone's 2021 update

Included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll

Certificiations -

Gold in Germany, Italy, and Sweden

Silver in the UK

(Wikipedia)

Where fractures nearly caused a split, "One" brought the band back together.  I cannot imagine a more perfect band lasting then, now, and in the future.

Saturday, June 18, 2022

zZounds Music Shop - Elite Electric

Due disclaimer - This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made at no cost to you.

If you explore zZounds without a budget in mind, your taste in instrumentals and gear are quite wealthy.  For example, consider the electric guitar - best meant for pros and collectors.  What does zZounds offer elite guitarists?

Samples

Gibson Custom 1958 Korina Explorer Electric Guitar

(with Case) ... $9,999

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/item--GIB58KEX?siid=306699


Gibson Custom '57 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty
Electric Guitar (with Case) ... $6,899


Gibson Custom '64 ES-335 Reissue VOS 
Electric Guitar (with Case) ... $5,999



Friday, June 17, 2022

Cover Up Friday

In this edition of Cover Up Friday, I am featuring Astronaut2005 Drummer's cover of "Virginia Plain" by Roxy Music.

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Pinterest Music & Fashion

My pins on Pinterest are fairly consistent to current interest but eclectic just the same, such as on Set List.

In this launch edition of Pinterest Music & Fashion, I am highlighting a trending pin shared from Set List long ago.  The pin is a still image shot of "Rio" as performed live from London.

Let's bring the image to life with Duran Duran's concluding song to a magical night a long time ago -

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Is There Something i Should Know?

Dear readers and passersby,

As you can tell, I have been rather MIA in the past week.  Although I did not intend to neglect Set List - of course I would not - my physical health got the better of me and I was hospitalized for six days with a serious strain of pneumonia and respiratory scare.  I am home now but am on temporary oxygen care.  Luckily, this will not prevent me from working...which means back to Set List!

With that said, play it now and I will catch you tomorrow!  :)

- Lauren

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Honor Nick Rhodes on zZounds - Korg

Due disclaimer - This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made at no cost to you.

Korg

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/cat--Korg--3556

- Categories -

Keyboards and Synthesizers

Digital Pianos

Mixers

Effects

Drum Machines

Percussion   

Tuners

Metronomes

PA Systems

Accessories

- Trending -





Duran Duran - Girls on Film (Live from London)

Best wishes to Nick Rhodes on his most Happy Birthday!

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Achtung Baby

Achtung Baby is U2's seventh album, released in November 1991.


As with any other band, arguments, friction, and the real possibility of disbanding are bound to happen.  Yet U2 is not a band foreseen as potentially breaking up.  They are one of the strongest musical groups meant to be.

"One" brought U2 back together.

18 million copies sold worldwide

Reissued in October 2011 for the album's 20th anniversary
Reissued in November 2021 for the album's 3oth anniversary

Notes -
No. 1 on Billboard 200 Top Albums
Best Single - "One"
Artist of the Year
Best Album
Best Songwriter - Bono
Best Album Cover
Comeback of the Year

Honors -
1993 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal

Achtung Baby Track List 
1.  Zoo Station
2.  Even Better Than the Real Thing
3.  One
4.  Until the End of the World
5.  Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
6.  So Cruel
7.  The Fly
8.  Mysterious Ways
9.  Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World
10.  Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
11.  Acrobat
12.  Love Is Blindness

Certifications -

- Gold in Brazil, Italy, Japan,  and Switzerland

- Platinum in Argentina, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the U.S.*
*The music video was certified Platinum in the U.S.

- 2x Platinum in Dnmark and France

- 4x Platinum in the UK

- 5x Platinum in Australia and New Zealand

- 8x Platinum in the U.S.*
*The album itself was certified 8x Platinum.

- Diamond in Canada


Follow the Wikipedia link above for the full background of Achtung Baby.

Mysterious Ways - Achtung Baby

"Mysterious Ways" is the eighth track on U2's 1991 album, Achtung Baby, and was the second single released in late 1991.


Notes -
No. 1 in Ireland
No. 1 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
No. 1 on Billboard Album Rock Tracks
No. 9 on Billboard Hot 100
No. 13 in UK Singles Chart

Certified Gold in New Zealand

Point of intrigue - "Mysterious Ways" has not been performed since The Joshua Tree Tour 2017.

Monday, June 6, 2022

Guess the Album

In this edition of Guess the Album, I am featuring "Mysterious Ways" by U2 on YouTube.  The challenge is to name the album with "Mysterious Ways" as a track.

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Set List Reader's Choice - Taps

Honor those who served and lost to protect the United States.  

Thank you for choosing "Taps" as this week's Set List Reader's Choice.

Saturday, June 4, 2022

zZounds Music Shop - DJ Goodies

Due disclaimer - This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made at no cost to you.

Whether seasoned and performing at a packed club well into the night or novice learning the ropes, a DJ goes beyond a musician or band in concert.  A synth may add a layer of music to enhance its worth but bold lighting and a full set up of DJ equipment can be as exciting as the loud beat of the drums on stage (not to mention the electricity of the electric guitar and deep bass of the bass guitar).

In this edition of zZounds Music Shop, enjoy dj goodies.

Overall

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/cat--DJ--2447

Categories

DJ Lighting & Stage Lighting

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/cat--DJ-Lighting--2457

Example brands include - JMAZ Lighting, ColorKey Lighting, Eliminator Lighting, Blizzard Lighting, Chauvet Lighting, etc.  Follow the link just above to explore individual products.

Consider the Lighting Buying Guide -

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/lp/dj-lighting-buying-guide/103


DJ Equipment

Example brands include - Pioneer DJ, Roland Boutique Series, etc.  All star studio monitor gear is also included in the equipment category.




With DJ equipment at the ready, light up any night!

Friday, June 3, 2022

Cover Up Friday

In this edition of Cover Up Friday, I am featuring Astronaut2005 Drummer's cover of "Mysterious Ways" by U2.

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Set List Journal Entry #16 - zZounds Launch Retrospective

Due disclaimer - This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made at no cost to you.

When I launched zZounds on Set List so many years ago, I remember being nervous to type in the coding as required by zZounds.  Minutes went by before I began typing the code.  For every product I promoted, I apologized for the promise of getting the process correctly.  I soon got the hang of what I was doing and began to enjoy what I was doing.  

My first promotion was for the electric guitar.  Random brands were shown along with sample images of both the front and back of a given guitar.  I felt impressive for quite some time.

I eventually dropped the image shares and focused on text links.

In this zZounds Launch retrospective, I thought I would return to what I once did before Set List readers desired just text.

Electric Guitar

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/cat--Electric-Guitars--2640

Samples

Side note - The samples to be shown below are Gibson guitars.  Although Gibson has been featured time and time again, the brand will never get old - whether purchased for a beginner, a professional, or a collector.  And so enjoy the samples below.

Side note - Follow the link above to explore 6 String, 7 String, 8 String, and 12 String.

1.  Exclusive Gibson Les Paul 

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/lp/gibson-exclusive-guitars/447

Gibson Exclusive Flying V Tribute Electric Guitar 

(with Case) ... $1,499 

(Follow the link below for Payment Plans.)

Color - Olive Drab



Gibson Exclusive Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar
(with Soft Case) ... $1,699 
(Follow the link below for Payme nt Plans.)
Color - Ebony with Gold Hardware







2.  Left-Handed Electric Guitars

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/cat--Left-Handed-Electric-Guitars--2645

EVH Eddie Van Halen Wolfgang Special Electric Guitar
Left-Handed ... $1,199.99 
(Follow tbe link below for Payment Plans.)
Color - Stealth Black



The overall Electric Guitar link has more to offer in terms of category type and brands beyond Gibson.

I hope my old school shares found yourself intrigued and/or interested.

As always,
Play it!


Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Rock It Fashion Sense


The only concert I have ever been to was in 2008 with Duran Duran's Red Carpet Massacre tour stop in Rosemont, Illinois.

The outfit in the look book above is a general replica of the outfit I wore that night. 

The Duran Duran image is, of course, a DVD/CD package from their Astronaut tour in 2004.  (Currently available on Amazon)

May 14, 2008 
Fashion Sense

Mini button-up cropped ruffled cotton T-shirt (Frame)
Bootcut jeans (Frame)
Thunder Blue Running Sneakers (New Balance)
Mother of Pearl Blue Leather Watch (Skagen)
Embroidered Denim Jacket (Gucci)

While the original outfit I wore was not luxury based, the colors and designs here were fairly similar to then.

And there you have it - rockin' it fashion style.