Reality - Sin Of The City

I once dedicated myself to the 4 o'clock hour news broadcast.  The theme with each headline was a reality check - life in select neighborhoods was not fair and guns fired to kill was a common Monday subject.  

Chicago, Illinois, U.S. truly is the murder capital of the Midwest and mayor to mayor cannot help because there is no way to help at this point.

Michigan Avenue is to Chicago as Rodeo Drive is to Beverly Hills and 5th Avenue is to Manhattan, New York.  Michigan Avenue however has become the latest scar of violence with Louis Vuitton especially as the target.  Chanel has boarded up.  The well known tourist attraction - Water Tower Place - has since become a shell to a once flourishing metropolitan mall.

Somehow the pandemic did not curb violence.

Duran Duran's song, "Sin Of The City," best defines my point.

Pop Music Recognition - Beyonce

Beyonce

"...an influential figure in contemporary popular music..."

Destiny's Child - one of the best-selling girl groups of all time (formed in the late 1990s & broke up in 2006)

First solo artist to have first seven studio albums reach No. 1 on Billboard 200

200 million records sold worldwide - one of the world's best-selling recording artists

32 Grammy Awards

26 MTV Video Music Awards

24 NAACP Image Awards

31 BET Awards

17 Soul Train Music Awards

- All more than any other artist

31 Top 10 singles on Billboard Hot 100 ... 8 No. 1

Highest-earning black musician of all time (Billboard, 2014)

Most successful black touring act in history

8th greatest singer of all time (Rolling Stone, 2023)

Point of intrigue - Beyonce and her husband, Jay Z, have sold a combined 300 million records (as of April 2014)

Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Prince, Shakira, and others are influencers

Founded Parkwood Entertainment in 2010

Launched the fashion label, House of Dereon in 2005

Discography - 

7 studio albums

5 albums with Destiny's Child

1 album with Jay Z

1 soundtrack album (The Lion King: The Gift)

(Wikipedia)

Bey9once's full background, from early years to career and beyond, is lengthy to write here so follow the Wikipedia link above.  

On September 4th, Beyonce will be 42 years old.  She is in the prime of her life.  Her successes are in the prime of her musical life.

Precious

In the whole of May, I honored the 13th anniversary of Set List launch.  Prior to, I spent time reminiscing songs, bands, and post style l0ops...such as Astronaut2005 Drummer drum covers.  The edition below this entry is his take on Depeche Mode's "Precious."  In this post, let's learn more.

Lead single from Playing the Angel (2006)

Released in October 2005

No. 4 on UK Singles Chart

No. 12  on Irish Singles Chart

No. 71 on Billboard Hot 100

No. 23 on U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart

No. 6 on Adult Alternative Songs chart

No. 32 on Adult Top 40

No. 2 on Canadian Singles Chart

No. 1 in Denmark, Italy, Spain, Hungary, and Sweden

Top 10 in Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Greece, and Norway

Certified Gold in Germany 

Depeche Mode generally does not share backgrounds to their songs but "Precious" had an impactful meaning worth noting by Martin Gore -

He was going through a divorce at the time and his children watched first hand the process unfold.  Devastated by their "fragile" state, Gore sympathized with them but also held out hope for them and their parents.

(Wikipedia)

Depeche Mode - Precious [drum cover] Roland HD-3

Official Videos Reader Poll

The official music video for "Girl Panic!" was set in the most opulent of London locations.  For a band at their strongest time and unaware of their eventual RRHOF induction, luxury is natural.  Supermodel portrayals of each member was unique and intriguing in terms of who would best act as who.  

The official extended music video for "Falling Down" was set in the most unfortunate of locations - Linda Vista Hospital - known for intense paranormal activity and being in a sketchy part of Los Angeles, California.  The paradox, then, is having women with model bodies being admitted for whatever reasons.

My reader poll to you is -

Are the models in both videos a desired justification of what women should look like or are they an unrealistic vision of women?

Consider the point - thin if not entirely skinny v. society inclusive.

Which do you choose to believe?

Girls On Film

"Girl Panic"

Official Video

"Falling Down"

Official Extended Video

Favorite Instrumental - B.B. King Lucille

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

B.B. King's iconic electric guitar, Lucille, is a staple instrument fitting the blues genre when played by the one and only.  For this reason, the Lucille is this edition's Favorite Instrumental.

Epiphone B.B. King Lucille Electric Guitar 

(with EpiLite case) ... $949

https://www.zzounds.com/a--3960264/item--EPIIGBBK?siid=306275

What catches your attention - the blues, B.B. King, the electric guitar, Lucille, musical treasure?  

Follow the link above to explore instrumental interest.