Don’t Quit Your Day Job: Super Bowl “Singers” Please Take Note

By Laura L.

Ah, football. (That would be American football for most of the world.) What do you think of when you think of football? Touchdowns? Sure. Tailgating? Perhaps. Rap? Are you serious? Sadly, I am afraid I am. And YouTube has reminded me of this dark moment in not just National Football League history, but rap history as well. And with the 2011 Super Bowl upon us, what better time is there to open that vault?

It all started back in 1985. The Chicago Bears, under the leadership of legendary coach Mike Ditka, were having an incredible run, losing only once in the regular season. They would eventually win the Super Bowl that season. But that legacy may not be completely untainted. Three words: Super Bowl Shuffle.
(more…)

The Corin Tucker Band, 1,000 Years

By Laura L.

If there’s one word to describe Corin Tucker, that’s punk rock. OK, that’s two words.

A few more words to describe Corin Tucker—post-riot grrrl. For those familiar with Tucker from her late, great band, Sleater-Kinney, one might expect a more guttural sound from her new band on its debut album, 1,000 Years. While there’s a definite punk edge on some of the tracks, this album often showcases the softer side of Corin Tucker. Those accustomed to Corin Tucker’s vocal trademarks will likely be surprised, and hopefully pleased, by the songs on this album.
(more…)

Stewart Copeland, Strange Things Happen

By Laura L.

Ever since I watched The Police’s episode of Behind The Music, I’ve had a thing for Stewart Copeland. (That would be the drummer of the Police for those of you who were born after 1984, when they broke up.) He’s an awesome drummer, he’s quick-witted, and—gosh, darn it!—he’s cute. Yes, a man my father’s age, cute! A man who’s a grandfather, cute! So when I went to my local library recently and found his autobiography, Strange Things Happen, on display, I had to check it out.
(more…)

Words, Guitar, and Passion: The Music of Sleater-Kinney

By Laura L.

I remember where I heard about Sleater-Kinney for the first time.

It was in the unlikeliest of places: Seventeen magazine. This was in 1997, when they were promoting what’s now my favorite Sleater-Kinney album, Dig Me Out. I wanted to know more about them, but for some reason, I was afraid. I was so self-conscious at the time about listening to a band I’m sure none of my friends would have heard of.

Photo from The Sleater-Kinney Archives

Fast forward three years later. I was in college, and it was the height of Napster’s heyday. Sleater-Kinney had another album out, All Hands On the Bad One, and, after sampling a few tracks on Napster, I decided to finally buy the album. I was hooked from “Ballad of a Ladyman” all the way to the last track, “The Swimmer.” As soon as I could, I bought all the other Sleater-Kinney albums.
(more…)

Review: Hot Tub Time Machine

By Laura L.

The moment I saw the commercials for the new movie Hot Tub Time Machine starring Rob Corddry, John Cusack, and. . . two other guys, my friends and I jumped at the chance to see it. Not because it looked to be a fine piece of cinema, but as fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000, we love making fun of craptastic movies. For the record, we have all also been to public showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a movie I cannot watch on my own because, let’s face it, it’s not that great on its own. [Blasphemy!—Ed.]
(more…)

The Remakening: Movies That Should Be Remade

Intro by Less Lee Moore

A February article on Horrornews.net proposed a list of 13 movies that need to be remade. While I didn’t agree with all of the films listed, it got me thinking.
(more…)

Lost And Never Found Again: My Class Ring

My high school has a very unique-looking ring design: a green jewel in the middle with the school logo, surrounded by gold (regular or white—your choice). I cherished my high school ring when I got it, but nonetheless I lost it in 1998 during rehearsals of a community theater production of Narnia.
(more…)

Top Five Holiday Tunes: By Laura L.

1. “Last Christmas,” Wham!

Yes, it’s full of ’80s cheesiness, but that’s what makes it so great. You can just picture George Michael and Andrew Ridgely performing this song in sweaters that would make even Bill Cosby blush.
(more…)

Whip It

By Laura L.

For the past few years, I’ve been a member of a roller derby league in St. Louis, MO: the Arch Rival Roller Girls. When I heard Whip It was in the works, I hoped they would do the sport some justice. It had previously been portrayed in the Raquel Welch film Kansas City Bomber and the short-lived A&E reality series Rollergirls, in addition to an episode here and there on a number of other shows. Yet rarely did I come away from any of these with a good feeling in the pit of my stomach. While not perfect in its portrayal of modern-day roller derby, Whip It left me with that good feeling.
(more…)

My So-Called Teen Movies: Five Fave John Hughes Moments

By Laura L.

Recently, the world lost a talented writer/director in John Hughes, who died of a heart attack at the age of 59. Hughes defined 1980s adolescent teen angst, writing and directing such movies as Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Yes, it’s true that the quality of his work eventually went downhill (Maid in Manhattan. No, seriously!), but those of us brought up in the ’80s—or, in my case, afterward—his high-school-era films really seemed to strike a chord. Here are my five favorite scenes from five John Hughes movies.
(more…)