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DECEMBER
10,
2018  n
my last trip to the grocery store, I made a point of asking the cashier
how he was holding up with the constant bombardment of Christmas music.
He said he was fine. He pointed out to me that this year, management
made a point of piping the music down to where it was no longer
intrusive. From a retail perspective, that made all of the sense in the
world to me. Come Holiday Season, all I've ever wanted for Christmas
was for Mariah Carey to pipe it down a few thousand fucking notches. Now, don't think I'm a grinch just because I believe that joyousness shouldn't be forced on anyone. I actually think that the yuletide season truly is the most wonderful time of the year. It is a chance to make merry during this cold, dark season with Christmas lights, spiked drinks and partying. I'm a grinch because Christmas comes with a lot of baggage as well. It can mean tense moments at the family dinner table, not having enough money in the bank account while everyone around you is buying a flatscreen and not being able to keep up with the joneses or the fervor. Who needs Christmas music to constantly remind you that everyone is happy except you? This
year, things are different. We all could use a little Christmas cheer
given the news of the MUELLER investigation, migrant caravans and an
incoming Democratic congressional house. What's not to fight about at
the family dinner table? Ever-present Holiday music doesn't seem like
such an intrusion. Hell, radio stations are now banning the DEAN MARTIN
Christmas standard BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE because some SJWs went
looking for something to complain about and found it. And I guess there
was something wrong with IT'S CHRISTMAS CHARLIE BROWN and RUDOLPH THE
RED NOSED REINDEER. I'm already looking forward to a neverending
anti-SJW rant from my creepy uncle ROBERT.
This
year, two Holiday-themed albums have come our way. Both feature
original music, which is always refreshing. One is from the heavy metal
band CORNERS OF SANCTUARY and the other is a collection of songs
performed and written by various indie artists for RADIO KSCR's latest
Holiday compilation SCREW THE HOLIDAYS VOLUME THREE. Our petty cash
here at ROCKWIRED is looking a little light and we've got a bunch of
interviews to catch up on, but these two albums are keeping the coals
of our Christmas spirit burning.
   hen
I spoke with RADIO KSCR founder JOWANNA LEWIS about the the
then-upcoming SCREW THE HOLIDAYS VOLUME THREE, she had this
to say: "I'm
calling this the adult version.
We've grown up now! This is a sexier version of SCREW THE
HOLIDAYS. There are some really fun songs that we've got on
this
particular volume." I most certainly agree that there is great deal of
fun to be had in listening to the third volume of SCREW THE HOLIDAYS.
After a two year break since the release of VOLUME TWO, it's nice have
this RADIO KSCR tradition return for the Holiday Season. But in terms
of
sexiness, only the duo MIKKEL CLOUD's STOCKINGS fits the bill. The
playful romp
eschews the usual Holiday fare and obligations in favor of getting
"cozy"
with the significant other.  According
to WHITTNEY MIKKEL of MIKKEL CLOUD, the inspiration to write and
produce the track had litle to do with inspiration. It was more of a
request."JOWANNA (of RADIO KSCR) told us about this compilation she was
putting together and asked us if we would write an original song for
it. One day, JAREN and I were driving, trying to think about how this
song was going to come together. I thoguht it would be funny to start
the song off in a very traditional type of way and then, for the
chorus, have something that says "All I want for Christmas is to have
sex with you!" As far as the title goes, STOCKINGS can have a double
meaning. It could be the kind of stocking that you hang on the wall or
it can be a fishnet stocking." Of course I had to ask MIKKEL what she thought of Christmas music in general: "Ussually, Christmas music drives me crazy! Especially if it's the contemporary, bubblegum, R&B type Christmas music that you always hear being played in stores. That stuff drives me crazy, but the classic stuff is always really nice." Surprisingly, the duo of MIKKEL and JAREN CLOUD have only been together for less than a year. They are continuing to refine their electro jazz hybrid sound and are looking to release a series of EPs in the coming year called TRANSISTOR, which will feature covers of RADIOHEAD songs. Being big-hearted is what the season is all about about and we get that with PETER, THOMAS AND JOSEPH'S "MERRY CHRISTMAS SANTA CLAUS". The jangly tune wishes the jolly, fat one all of the best but asks him to consider the disenfranchised this year. The first track is a thin slice of bouncey, electro pop heaven called CHRISTMAS DAY, credited to TOMER AVIRAM, yet the voice we hear is a soft female voice cooing the sentiment that if we all share the love this Season, good things will come back to you. On any other song, this saccharine approach would fall flat, but this is Christmas, damnit! The airy track is a most welcome opener to a collection of songs that succeed in going further thematically than your usual Holiday fair. Another stand out track is the rock-a-billy swagger of JASON DAY's "CHRISTMAS PRESENT" - a gritty, yuletide foot-tapper that will have BRIAN SETZER and his orchestra standing off in a corner somewhere. This is an inspired collection of original holiday tunes that will succeed at putting a smile on the face of all of the hardened cynics that come out of the woodwork this time of year. CHECK OUT STOCKINGS BY MiKKEL CLOUD
FROM SCREW THE HOLIDAYS VOLUME THREE!!!    ANHEIM
STEAM ROLLER were instrumental in adding electric guitars to Holiday
music, but I must admit that their music grows overbearing with
repeated listens. I only know this because I shared an office with
someone who insisted on blasting the overindulgent sounds of MANHEIM
STEAM
ROLLER over and over again. But I'm not hear to write about that band.
CORNERS'OF SANCTUARY has long been a ROCKWIRED favorite with their
sonic embrace of a more joyous, eighties metal sound. You would think
that in these oh-so-politically correct times that this band's efforts
would go unnoticed but they've won ROCKWIRED.COM's ARTIST OF THE MONTH
competition everytime they've been nominated. Now, after the release of
their long awaited album THE GALLOPING HORDES, the band turns
celebratory with an EP of original holiday tunes called COUNTING THE
DAYS...A MERRY METAL XMAS V. I seem to remember interviewing the band
one year regarding a Holiday release of theirs. It looks like they've
made this a yearly thing if they're just now releasing number five.
Where MANHEIM STEAM ROLLER is stuffy and extravagant, CORNERS OF
SANCTUARY is like a snowmobile ripping through the
snow like in DIE
HARD 2. You want a celebration this Holiday season? You've got it on
this CD with songs such as the electrifying single COUNTING DOWN THE
DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS COMES. CHECK
OUT COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TIL
CHRISTMAS COMES FROM CORNERS
OF SANCTUARY!!!
***
  oliday
or Christmas-themed music has traditionally gotten a bruising by those
who don't want to deal with the stress that comes with a Season marked
by family obligation, materialism, spending money and - at times -
depression. There I go being a gloomy Gus again! Because we're a music
publication, we thought we would take the time to make another list
that people can agree with or disagree with. I wasn't so sure that I
could come up with a sizable list of Christmas songs that I love, but
I've surprised myself here. Here is a list of Christmas songs. Some of
them are classics and some of them are recent, but all of them are most
definitely ROCKWIRED approved.   his song
went on to become a LATE
NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN tradition. Now that he's gone and
replaced by what's his name, I don't know if that tradition has
continued or not. I'm too old to be up that late anymore. But before it
became a LETTERMAN favorite, it was yet another jewel in the crown of
the now-maligned PHIL SPECTOR and his legendary WALL OF SOUND
orchestra, but of course, the big, brassy, gospel-honed voice of
DARLENE LOVE
wasn't going to be lost in the recording session.  here
is no doubt that this tune takes
it's queue from PHIL SPECTOR. Released three years ago, ROCKWIRED was
actually one of the publications to give the song one if it's first
spins. We even introduced the producers to RADIO KSCR who was
putting together the second volume of their SCREW THE HOLIDAYS music
compilation. With backing by a joyous sounding band and orchestra,
BRADLEY GILLIS' charred vocals add a touch of heartfelt sincerity to
the proceedings. I wasn't sure of how the song was received in this
country, but I did notice over a million views for the video and folks
posting that they are still listening in 2018. This one is definitely a
modern day classic and I'm pleased to have been there at the beginning.
 his
is one Christmas standard that
gets more standardized the more it gets covered. In 1987, EURYTHMICS
got a hold of it. They didn't make drastic changes. The melody was the
same as it has always been, but the bouncey synth sound made it stand
out by a mile. Oh and there was the presence of ANNIE LENNOX's one-of-a
kind contralto adding warmth to the fittingly icy instrumentation.
Despite the synths, this take on WINTER WONDERLAND feels natural. This
will not be LENNOX's last time on this list.   verything
that I mentioned in this article in regard to why Christmas can become
a hassle is brought up on this stomping new wave classic. "Merry
Christmas! Merry Christmas! But I'll think I'll miss this one this
year!" chides the late-lead singer PATTY DONAHUE in the same snide
fashion as she did on the band's other "hit" I KNOW WHAT BOYS LIKE. The
bass line is sensuous, the groove is undeniable and that mean sax riff
just launches the whole thing into orbit. This is what makes a
Christmas
classic in our minds. MARIAH can get the hell off the stage.   adly, you
have those in your family that always want to fight and I am forever
grateful to THE RAMONES for this most punchy (no pun intended)
Christmas song. I wonder why no other "punk" bands have covered this
one. On second thought, there was only one band like THE RAMONES and
that's good enough for me. With most of the band gone now, punk as a
genre has lost it's spirit. Isn't that JOHNNY ROTTEN selling butter
now?  HE
PRETENDERS never get the credit they deserve for being the full
throttle rockers that they were. All anyone remembers these days is
I'LL STAND BY YOU, but for their first two albums, they were one of
rock's most important bands thanks to JAMES HONEYMAN SCOTT's lethal yet
melodic guitar playing and CHRISSIE HYNDE's tough-but-tender
songwriting and delivery that could issue anything from a tender ballad
to one hell of a rock n roll war whoop. After the release of
their second album PRETENDERS II, HONEYMAN-SCOTT and bassist PETE
FARNDON both died of much publicized drug overdoses and THE PRETENDERS
carried on, in name only, with HYNDE taking the lead. Why were we
surprised that she put out a Christmas song that barely mentions the
fact that Christmas is coming? This simple strum-a-long will have you
swaying side to side and hoping all goes well when her man comes back
into the picture. A dedication to her departed bandmates? Possibly.   LONDIE has
been reunited for twenty-two years now, which is three times the length
of their initial run which earned them the reputation as one of pop's
most dynamic entities, ably issuing punk rock, pop, disco, reggae and
rap. At the forefront of all of this was the undeniable allure of
DEBORAH HARRY. In the winter of 2009, the band was in the midst of
working on an album but decided to give people something to munch on
with a punked up rendition of WE THREE KINGS. When BILL O'REILLY still
had some pull at FOX NEWS, he pointed out this song as a means of
questioning the band's "patriotism". I'm so glad that blowhard is gone!  'll be the
first to admit that religion is completely out of the picture for me
when it comes to Christmas. I enjoy the more pagan aspects like
lighting up a tree and partying. Because of that, it feels like THE
STAPLE SINGERS are singing this soul stomper directly to me. I don't
know who took the merry out of Christmas, but if I had to guess, it was
probably AMAZON. You can always rely on MAVIS to make a point and let
you figure the rest out for yourself. Isn't that what gospel-honed soul
is all about?  h the early
days of MTV! In a time when you can watch any music video you want, at
anytime, for nothing, it's funny to me that people want to eulogize the
network that has long foresaken music. I miss the year 1981
as well. Rock n roll wasn't the rarity that it is now and one of the
standouts was BILLY SQUIER and his album DON'T SAY NO. The guy's guitar
chops were on point and he had the finest wail this side of ROBERT
PLANT and both aspects were put to fine use on this rocking yuletide
treat, featuring the entire staff of the then-fledgling music network.
 his is
ANNIE LENNOX's second appearance on this list. What is it about this
woman that makes her a voice I want to hear this time of year? Maybe
it's the fact that ANN GRISELDA RUTH LENNOX (not kidding) was born in
Aberdeen, Scotland on Christmas day. As I said before, this will not be
her last appearance on this list. In 2010, LENNOX did what most
time-tested performers do - release a Christmas album. A CHRISTMAS
CORNUCOPIA could've been the usual hammy excercise that these rock star
Christmas albums are a'la BILLY IDOL but instead, LENNOX's take on time
honored hymns comes off as inspired instead of insipid. GOD REST YE
MERRY GENTLEMEN was the first single from the album, and LENNOX gave
the proceedings the pagan treatment. The single also came with one of
her best music videos in years.  his song
goes out anyone who's heart is ten sizes too small. It doesn't have to
be limited to Christmas, but because the song is attached to the 1965
animatd special HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, it belongs on this
list. The menacing bass vocals of THURL RAVENSCROFT (the voice of TONY
THE TIGER! I had no idea!) are aptly used in painting the portraiture
of the special's angry, bitter antagonist.  think
I speak for a lot of peole when I say that the notion that Christmas
can cause nothing but pain was first taught to us by CHARLIE BROWN. The
long suffering, round-headed kid - often called a blockhead - was
attuned to the fact that the Christmas season made him
depressed and the haunting jazz piano ballad CHRISTMAS TIME
IS HERE, perfectly summed up BROWN's apathy. The lyrics tell of
constant, long haul happiness and cheer but the melody of the song
contrasts all of that. For the purposes of this list, I simply went
with the instrumental version by the VINCE GUARALDI TRIO. Even without
words, the music gets the point across.  ere is the
second selection from HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS and it
often gets overlooked by YOU'RE A MEAN ONE, MR.
GRINCH. Throughout the course of the 1965 animated special,
we learn that the absense of presents and decorations does nothing to
deter the whos of Whoville from celebrating Christmas. The GRINCH also
learns that all of his efforts to stamp out Christmas cheer was for
naught, and has no choice but to surrender to the joy of the season by
returning everything he stole from the whos. It's strange that the
singing voices for this special were never credited.  his is the
third and final time we will be seeing ANNIE LENNOX on this list. Here,
she teamed up with AL GREENE for a remake of a JACKIE DESHANNON hit for
a BILL MURRAY comedic remake of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Even though it was
produced by DAVID STEWART during the lifespan of EURYTHMICS, PUT A
LITTLE LOVE... is in fact, the first ANNIE LENNOX solo outing. It's not
necessarily a Christmas song, but the sentiment and it's presence on a
Christmas-themed film has turned it into one. Despite singing with each
other on this track, LENNOX and GREENE never met.
 e went
ahead and saved the saddest Christmas song for last. The first few bars
sound like a dour take on JINGLE BELLS being plinked out on the piano
and immediately, you know that JONI MITCHELL's got the blues. Inspired
by living in California at Christmas time, MITCHELL wants desperately
to skate off to some winter wonderland and has considerable regret
about kissing some boyfriend of hers off. It's a gentle piano ballad
that doesn't get all torchy. A true introspective classic!   rian Lush is a music
industry
professional and entrepreneur. In 2005 he launched the
online music
site Rockwired.com to help promote new music artists in conjunction
with the weekly radio show Rockwired Live which aired on KTSTFM.COM
from 2005 - 2009. In 2010 He launched the daily podcast series
Rockwired Radio Profiles which features exclusive interviews and music.
He has also developed and produced the online radio shows Jazzed and
Blue - Profiles in Blues and Jazz, Aboriginal Sounds - A Celebration of
American Indian and First Nations Music, The Rockwired Rock N Roll
Mixtape Show and The Rockwired Artist of the Month Showcase. In 2012,
Brian Lush and his company Rockwired Media LLC launched the monthly
digital online publication Rockwired Magazine. The magazine attracts
over 75,000 readers a month and shows
no signs of stopping. Rockwired Magazine also bares the distinction
of being the first American Indian-owned rock magazine. Brian Lush is
an enrolled member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe. Brian Lush's background
in music journalism, radio and podcast hosting, podcast production, web
design, publicity, advertising sales, social media and online
marketing, strategic editorial planning and branding have all made
Rockwired a name that is trusted and respected throughout the
independent music industry.CONTACT BRiAN LUSH AT:
djlush@rockwired.com
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