Cage Match: Xmas Edition Vol. 3 – Run DMC vs. The Waitresses
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
The big man is just around the corner, with his everpresent bag of toys and goodies, so we need to say goodbye for now, with our final Cage Match of 2009.
We've got two more holiday classics for you this week!
Perhaps you'd prefer to hear it on vinyl?
Lots of covers of this one, including The Donnas, Save Ferris, and the Spice Girls!
Run DMC or The Waitresses - what's your pick?
View CommentsCage Match: Xmas Edition Vol. 2: Tom Petty vs. John Cougar Mellencamp
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Ho! Ho! Ho! The first installment of last week's holiday Cage Match is here if you missed it. There was a surprising amount of love for Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" - more than I expected, with all of the people that I know that despise it.
For this week's Cage Match, we're rolling out two more holiday classics for your discussion, including one from Tom Petty, who already has given the very best holiday gift with the release of The Live Anthology.
View CommentsCage Match: Xmas Edition Vol. 1: Paul McCartney vs. Billy Squier
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
While discussing recent Cage Match activities, my co-worker Rebecca suggested a battle between a couple of Christmas tunes. Suddenly, an additional idea sprung into my head - a holiday themed Cage Match each week leading up to Christmas! It was so simple.....and why hadn't I thought of this easy cop-out great idea sooner!
We'd been talking about Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime," and Rebecca was wondering if McCartney regrets recording it. Though the love/hate factor on this particular holiday chestnut is split 50/50, I'd say that with the amount of bank that Macca makes off of "Wonderful," it seems very likely that there are no regrets on his side. In fact, when discussing his overseas tour happening this month, he even seemed open to the possibility of playing it live!
Unfortunately, from this recent setlist, it doesn't look like McCartney has made good on that thought.
View CommentsCage Match: Genesis vs. Ozzy Osbourne
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
This week's Cage Match is a unique battle featuring a drummer that can no longer drum vs. a singer that can no longer sing. It should be a well-known fact that Genesis is one of our favorite bands here at ATV HQ. I spent parts of the past week insanely jealous of Popdose pal Jason Hare, as he dug deep into the new video box set from Mssrs. Collins, Rutherford, and Banks. Attempts to persuade the ATV board of directors to authorize funds for the purchase of this hallowed box set of video goodness have been fruitless to date, and we are left to hold out hope that perhaps the video gods will shine down upon us. Or specifically, I'm hoping they'll shine down on me.
View CommentsCage Match: Tom Petty vs. Tom Petty
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Since it's the week of Thanksgiving, filled with special family time and nightmarish visits from relatives, I've been reflecting on the things that I'm thankful for. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, for instance.
I know this seems like an odd thing to mention right off the bat, but has any one of your family members given you a really cool Thanksgiving gift this year, like Tom did? I didn't think so. I'm sitting here looking at my copy of the deluxe edition version of The Live Anthology - filled with CDs, DVDs, vinyl, Blu-ray....seriously Tom, you shouldn't have.
A feeling of wonder creeps across my mind - wondering if it will be okay for me to sit at Thanksgiving dinner with headphones on, listening to The Live Anthology? Because that's probably the only way that I'll have time to soak in all of the cool stuff inside this set in a timely fashion.
Dear family, I ask for your patience and understanding in this time of musical confusion, and perhaps we can watch 400 Days, the included Petty documentary about the making of Wildflowers after dinner if you're up for it.
It's times like these that really make you appreciate all that you've been given in life - things like all of the wonderfully catchy songs that Tom and his Heartbreakers have shared with us over the years. I could really pick any two Petty songs for this week's Cage Match, but how about these two monster hits?
We got somethin', we both know it, we don't talk too much about it
Ain't no real big secret, all the same, somehow we get around it
Now, there's not a single one of us reading this that hasn't sung this next part in unison with friends - in the car, at a Petty concert...wherever you were, you've done it!
Listen, it don't really matter to me baby
You believe what you want to believe, you see
You don't have to live like a refugee
(Don't have to live like a refugee)
And then you've got the other song in today's Cage Match - a song which has one of the greatest opening riffs known to man.
Refugee or Runnin' Down A Dream - What's your favorite?
View CommentsCage Match: J. Geils Band vs. Don Henley
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
You love her
But she loves him
And he loves somebody else
You just can't win...
And so it happens that you discover the above complicated mathematical equation of love that plagues all of us eventually. Coming from J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf, you couldn't help but think that it was very possible that Mr. Wolf probably did something additional not disclosed in the lyrics to arrive at his expressed viewpoint about love. Think about it: Would you let your daughter go home with Peter Wolf without a chap-e-rone?
View CommentsCage Match: Bruce Springsteen vs. Bruce Springsteen
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
By now, you probably know that I got some results out of my recent "open letter" to Bruce Springsteen. Kind of.
I was pulling for full album performances of Born To Run in St. Louis, and Darkness On The Edge of Town in Cleveland.
Announcements were made on Monday morning that both Cleveland and St. Louis will get Born to Run. So, yours truly will get to see Born to Run twice.
It's a tough life, but someone has to live it!
View CommentsCage Match: Kenny Loggins vs. Cinderella
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
I got an email recently, which led to the following discussion:
Dear Matt,
Remember when you used to do those funny Cage Matches every week, featuring a battle between two bands, presenting the opportunity for people to comment and make fun of your musical taste?
Sure do.
What happened? It's been two weeks!
I dunno. I got busy, had out-of-town visitors, left the house and did stuff in the real world - that's good, right?
I guess so. Any plans to get back to those Cage Matches?
Funny you should mention that - I think you're going to like the following post!
I know, I know - we've been slacking here at ATV - sure there have been posts about this and that, but what about the Cage Match, man?
Let's get back to it, and start with a bit of congrats to Cage Match board member D.X. Ferris from Scene Magazine!
D.X. recently picked up a shit-ton of awards from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists - five of them to be exact, including top placement in the category of "media criticism," and "best rock and roll feature reporting."
Hopefully you got a chance to check out the Monday Mix that D.X. served up last week, and if you didn't, you're in luck because we've decided to hold the mix over for an extra week, to recognize D.X.'s tremendous journalistic accomplishments!
Congrats!!
In honor of the above, we also decided to let D.X. pick this week's Cage Match, and he happily sent Kenny Loggins and Cinderella over as contenders!
View CommentsCage Match: Ace Frehley vs. Vinnie Vincent Invasion
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Today, we welcome special guest/uber-KISS fan Corey Rotic for a memorable Cage Match that was proposed by Cage Match board member D.X. Ferris.
Vinnie Vincent Invasion “Boys Are Gonna Rock” vs. Ace Frehley/Frehley’s Comet “Rock Soldiers”
That’s a whole lot of alleged “rocking.”
I think, to begin with, this is an unevenly-matched cage match because I’ve been an Ace Frehley disciple since childhood, but sometimes facts are facts.
I’m so torn – Vinnie Vincent is clearly a better guitarist than Ace Frehley, but…that hair. *shudders*
Likewise, Ace is no virtuoso but he does have a sweet Les Paul that belches smoke and flies. And as generous as I possibly can be, neither one of these are great songs. But when has Kiss ever had anything to do with music?
View CommentsCage Match: Heart vs. The Bangles
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
On Saturday morning, we're packing up the ATV concert mobile for what might end up being the final road trip of the summer.
Destination: The Illinois State Fair in Springfield, IL
Possible Food & Grub While We're There: D & J Cafe, which captured the hearts of many in Springfield as the "best place to grab weekend breakfast." Since we're going there over the weekend, it sounds like we're going to have to hit this one up. Also, I'd like to hit Fritz's Wagon Wheel Restaurant, which allegedly is THE joint to grab some fried chicken in those parts.
I just checked with my arteries, and it seems that there is still room for at least a few pieces of Fritz's best cluck-cluck-yum before the ol' heart shuts down for a short vacation. As long as we're doing permanent cholesterol-related damage, there will also be some munching of fried veggies at the fair, and perhaps a funnel cake too.
It's been nice knowing you.
What about shopping? You can bet your ass I am going to try to pack in a record store visit while I'm in Springfield. Recycled Records looks like the place to be, with one minor issue: They're apparently closed on most Sundays. Fingers are crossed that perhaps they might deem the Illinois State Fair as a worthy reason to open up on Sunday.
Entertainment: Heart and The Bangles are performing on Saturday night at the Illinois State Fair.
Hell yeah. Say it with me one more time, HELL YEAH.
Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson is one of the most underrated guitar players in the classic rock genre (in our opinion.) She also remains one of the foxiest looking women of rock and roll, in addition to being married to Cameron Crowe. We love Cameron, and dude, now that we think about it, we're sorry for looking at your wife like that. Damn, I feel bad about that.
Susanna Hoffs. Oh man. Also pretty damn hot, especially when she's wearing those fishnets accessorized with that cool ass Rickenbacker that she plays. That Rickenbacker is nearly twice as big as Susanna is, but she totally rocks it like the female version of Iron Man.
I'm not even sure what that means. I should probably mention that Susanna is married to Jay Roach, director of the franchise of Austin Powers films, and like Cameron Crowe, Roach is a film dude with great taste in women.
Heart and The Bangles are two of my favorite groups of the 80s, and I've seen both within the past couple of years. Both groups are still rock solid live performers, and this show has potential to be one of my favorite double bills of the summer.
For today's Cage Match, we'll put Heart up against those Bangles ladies, choosing a popular ballad from each. Both were #1 charting Billboard singles.
The question for you is simple: Which one is your favorite?
P.S. - How about a live performance of "Eternal Flame?" We found THREE of 'em!
You're welcome.
Watch 'em here, here, and here.
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