February 2012
20 posts
EPISODE 46 - MARSHALL CRENSHAW
It’s rare for us...
30 Days In The Hole - Day 20
DAY 20 – FEB. 20, 2012
ALBUM – Greatest Hits 1982-1989
FORMAT LISTENED: Album
The 1989 greatest hits compilation sees one last giant album sales peak before settling in to a career that sees fewer studio releases and many more compilation configurations. This hits album covers the era from 16 to 19 and is a pop-ballad fans’ wet dream. Not so much for the rest of us.
VERDICT: Again, this...
EPISODE 45 - FOON SMU
On this week’s SMU...
30 DAYS IN THE HOLE: The Chicago Project - Mega...
DAY 15 – FEB. 15, 2012
ALBUM – Greatest Hits Volume II
FORMAT LISTENED: Digital - Album
After the less-than-stellar performance of XIV Columbia Records was ready to cut Chicago loose, even though they had recently signed a multi-million dollar contract with the band. The band was bought out of their contract and Columbia released a no-frills greatest hits record that came and went with little...
30 Days In The Hole - The Chicago Project - UPDATE
It’s been a couple of days since I’ve posted my progress listening to nothing but the band Chicago from album #1 to #34, one album per day for 34 days. I’m still on track and listening but production duties call and I’ve had no time to post my thoughts.
Monday will see a HUGE update with my ramblings on Chicago 15 thru 19.
Until then, feel free read the postings from...
30 Days In The Hole - Day 14
DAY 14 – FEB. 14, 2012
ALBUM – Chicago XIV
FORMAT LISTENED: Digital - Spotify
The train wreck dance machine vibe of Chicago 13 did an effective job of running off a majority of the Chicago fan base. 1980’s XIV saw the band’s fortunes in total free fall. Only reaching #71 on the album charts with nary a single cracking the Top 40 charts. XIV shook the disco vibe but at this point New Wave was...
EPISODE 44 - JOHN CORABI
This week FOON goes on...
30 Days In The Hole - Day 13
DAY 13 – FEB. 13, 2012
ALBUM – Chicago 13
FORMAT LISTENED: Vinyl
Remember the early 80’s act Stars on 45? They were a Dutch act that did medley versions of the hit songs from the 70’s and 80’s. They were a brief flash in the pan here in America. Their covers of past Top 40 and Beatles hits were completely soulless recordings made by session musicians. Sonically, they sounded like creepy...
30 DAYS IN THE HOLE: The Chicago Project -...
DAY 9 – FEB. 9, 2012
ALBUM – CHICAGO IX: Chicago’s Greatest Hits
FORMAT LISTENED: iPod
At the end of 1975, Columbia released a greatest hits compilation, which is normally a stopgap measure to give a band a breather for a year or two. Not the case here as it was released only a few months after VIII and the band still ended up releasing their 10th studio album in 1976, little more than a year...
30 DAYS IN THE HOLE: The Chicago Project - Day 8
DAY 8 – FEB. 8, 2012
ALBUM – CHICAGO VIII
FORMAT LISTENED: VINYL
1975. Another year, another Chicago album, another #1 on the Billboard charts, another platinum award. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Eight albums since 1969 and majority of them double album sets. The cracks started to show with VII’s jazz excursion, yearly albums plus constant touring had them trying to branch out to keep the...
30 DAYS IN THE HOLE: The Chicago Project - Day 7
DAY 7 – FEB. 7, 2012
ALBUM – CHICAGO VII
**SCROLL BELOW FOR EARLIER POSTS**
FORMAT LISTENED: VINYL
1974. Just when I think Chicago is settling down into the radio-safe pop confines of single LP Top 40 records, they sneak a twist in on me. VII returns to the double album format with of all things a jazz-influenced album. I have to say I’m pretty surprised that the band would venture in this...
Accept No Substitutes-Van Halen is Back
Imagine a world where David Lee Roth never left Van Halen and we were never subjected to Sammy Hagar penned lyrics like “only time will tell if we stand the test of time.” Feels good doesn’t it? One listen to A Different Kind of Truth, the first VH record with David Lee Roth in 28 years (and Van Halen’s first release with any singer in 14 years. Poor Gary Cherone, he’s the George Lazenby of the...
EPISODE 43 - CRAIG MARKS CO-AUTHOR OF I WANT MY...
30 DAYS IN THE HOLE: The Chicago Project - Day 6
DAY 6 – FEB. 6, 2012
ALBUM – CHICAGO VI
FORMAT LISTENED: VINYL
1973 sees the release of another #1 charting Record, Chicago VI. Chicago is now in the mode of writing shorter songs with an eye on radio airplay. The long extended jams are nowhere to be found on this one, with the longest song clocking in at 4:58. Terry Kath only contributed one song with James Pankow scoring the hit singles...
30 DAYS IN THE HOLE: The Chicago Project - Days 4...
**SCROLL DOWN FOR EARLIER ENTRIES**
DAY 4 – FEB. 4, 2012
ALBUM – CHICAGO AT CARNEGIE HALL
UNRELEASED RARITIES FROM CHICAGO AT CARNEGIE HALL
LIVE IN JAPAN 1972
FORMAT LISTENED: VINYL/DIGITAL
Today I stick my head into the mouth that is the beast called Chicago Live. The year is still 1971 and finds Chicago hell bent on releasing as many multi-LP sets as...
30 Days In The Hole: The Chicago Project - Weekend...
WEEKEND UPDATE
Here is Rob’s listening schedule for the weekend:
SATURDAY
Vinyl: Live at Carnegie Hall - A 4 LP, 31 song set
Digital: Unreleased Rarities from Carnegie Hall - Bonus CD from Rhino reissue - 8 tracks
Digital: Live In Japan 1972 - Originally a Japan-only release, now available digitally - 21 tracks
That’s 60 tracks of Chicago weighing in at over 6.5 hours.
SUNDAY
...
30 DAYS IN THE HOLE: The Chicago Project - Day 3
DAY 3 – FEB. 3, 2012
ALBUM – CHICAGO III
**SCROLL DOWN FOR EARLIER 30 DAYS… POSTS**
FORMAT PLAYED: VINYL
I want first point something out in case anyone is confused about this project. I have forsaken all other music except that of Chicago for 34 days. There will be no cranking of AC/DC or Motorhead to cleanse the pallet. It’s all Chicago, all the time for the duration of the...
30 DAYS IN THE HOLE - Day 2
30 DAYS IN THE HOLE - THE CHICAGO PROJECT - DAY 2
DAY 2 – FEB. 2, 2012
ALBUM – CHICAGO II
FORMAT LISTENED: VINYL
Made the switch to vinyl and it looks like I’m in that format until Chicago 20, then I make the leap back to digital. By the time # 20 hits, it probably won’t matter to me if you played them on wax cylinder, I’ll either be a raving loony or my hair will frosted and I’ll be sporting...
RIP Don Cornelius
Growing up in the 70’s, Soul Train was the last cool show on Saturday mornings/early afternoon. Once that week’s show ended, the airwaves were filled with PBA Bowling, Lawrence Welk and movies starring people that had been dead longer than I’d been alive. Thanks for the memories Don, RIP.
30 Days In The Hole - Day 1
DAY 1 – FEB. 1 2012
CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY
**SCROLL DOWN THE BLOG FOR THE INTRODUCTORY POST**
FORMAT LISTENED TO: iPod – headphones
My goal is to keep with the vinyl spirit of 70’s Chicago and stick with LP’s as often as I can. I’ve been talking about doing this for some time, so over the past couple of years I’ve hit the buck vinyl bins and amassed pretty much the first 19...
January 2012
7 posts
30 Days In The Hole: T-minus One
30 DAYS IN THE WHAT?
Premise: FOONie Rob Kern enters a month-long musical deprivation tank, listening to a single artist, one album per day, chronologically, until he reaches the end of that artist’s catalog.
Who: Chicago
Why? That seems to be the 64-dollar question. Why are you doing this? What the hell is the point? It seems like a chore, not only for you but the reader…
Tomorrow...
EPISODE 42 - FIFTH ON THE FLOOR - SMU
...
EPISODE 41 - BLAINE CARTWRIGHT
This...
EPISODE 40 - SPECIAL MUSIC UNIT
This week on...
EPISODE 39 - JASON McMASTER
One of the busiest...
EPISODE 38 - SPECIAL MYSTERY GUEST!
Eric and...
EPISODE 37 - SPECIAL MUSIC UNIT
By (computer)...
December 2011
6 posts
Eric's Predictions for 2012
Just a reminder-We do not have the power. We are merely an antenna for the lord.
Celebrity Deaths for 2012:
Morley Safer, George Michael (have you seen him lately?), Jimmy Carter, Mike Wallace (the 60 minutes guy not the Steelers player), Scott Weiland (one of these days it’s bound to happen), Steven Adler, Adam Sandler (career death only), Jack Russell, Charlie Watts, Mary Kate Olson.
...
EPISODE 36
We’re wrapping up the year...
EPISODE 35 - SPECIAL MUSIC UNIT
This week on FOON...
EPISODE 34 - FOON CLIP SHOW YEAR 1
Eric and Rob...
EPISODE 33 - HOLIDAY FUN WITH DAWNOWAR!
This...
EPISODE 32 - FOON SPECIAL MUSIC UNIT
After a...
November 2011
3 posts
EPISODE 31 - FOON SPECIAL MUSIC UNIT
This week...
EPISODE 30 - STACIE COLLINS
The gender barrier...
EPISODE 29 - WARNER E. HODGES
This week we sit...
October 2011
7 posts
Back Pages for October
As always our intrepid reporters Lou and Lou scour the back alleys and leave no stone unturned to bring you, the reader, rock news well before any other outlet hears of it.
Sirius-XM rolled out Coldplay Radio this month. Company CEO Landers Van der Smirtz says with any luck Coldplay Radio will drive the satellite radio provider out of business for good.
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler suffered...
EPISODE 28 - FOON SMU
It’s time for our...
EPISODE 27 - ROSS THE BOSS
Some may remember...
EPISODE 26 - RAWK!
Get your Friday started...
Win a pair of tickets to see Anthony Bourdain!
Here at the From Out Of Nowhere headquarters we’re big fans of our vices. Drinking, smoking, cursing and the occasional snarky crack are endearing characteristics of behavior in our eyes. That being said, the From Out Of Nowhere team regards chef/author/television personality Anthony Bourdain as a true renaissance man.
Thanks to Anthony Bourdain, Jam Theatricals and From Out Of Nowhere, you...
EPISODE 25 - ERIC SMASH! ROB SMASH!
A long...
EPISODE 24 - BLACK SABBATH TALK WITH JOE SIEGLER...
September 2011
15 posts
Episode 23 - Crank It Up!
This week’s music...
Back Pages Has Returned!
Lou and Lou have been MIA for the past few weeks on what they told us was a “spiritual retreat”. It turns out that the Lou’s were seeking treatment for chronic foot fetishism. They claim to be cured and back on the job, we’re not wearing sandals around them just to be safe. Here are the latest scoops from our intrepid reporters.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of...
EPISODE 22 - BLACK SABBATH DISCUSSION WITH JOE...
Liner Notes
Happy Wednesday FOONies! We have a great show coming up for you tomorrow. Joe Siegler has run Black Sabbath Online since the early days of the Internet and we have a great talk with him on all things Black Sabbath. Joe’s site is the ultimate resource for Black Sabbath fans. We’ve lost many an hour there just reading the section on the various lineups the band has had over the...
Screw the RNRHOF Nominees, Rob & Eric Reveal the...
Ok, we’ve now all had time to digest this year’s nominees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here at From Out of Nowhere we have our own rock and roll hall of shame. It’s a little thing we like to call Rock & Roll Damnation. This concept made its debut way back in episode 7 when the show was only airing on shortwave radio (Kidding, you can get that episode here on the site or on iTunes). Rob...
The Rock Hall Does It Again or Eric & Rob Rank the...
Excuse us if we’re once again underwhelmed with the nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Let’s take a look at the nominees:
THE SLAM DUNK, NO BRAINERS THAT SHOULD GO IN NO QUESTIONS ASKED
Guns ‘N Roses- Appetite for Destruction is one of the greatest records of all time. Every track is a keeper and 25 years after its release it still sounds fresh. As for the records that came after...
Thankyouforlettingmeliveinavanandotherrandomcrap
Before I ramble about anything, let me apologize for the lack of site updates. Rob is back in school finishing up his degree and suffers from temporary bouts of insanity brought on by algebra. To make matters worse, the algebra class prevents him from his doctor prescribed dosage of beer which causes him to have sudden mood swings as well as delusions. Last night he called me in a panic and asked...