Top 10 Tortured Artists

July 1, 2009 · Filed in List All, Literature, Music, People · 5 Comments 

These writers, musicians, and painters created masterpieces in the realms of literature, music, and art. At different stages of their lives, every person on this list suffered from severe hardships, mental illness and feelings of loneliness and despair. All of them suffered for their art in order to create legacies of great imagination and epic beauty.

10. Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec, Artist

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This French artist was born into a noble family in 1864, but he was doomed to suffer the ill effects of generations of inbreeding. His parents were first cousins, in keeping with the family tradition of marrying relatives, and as a result of this he was born with congenital defects that made his life challenging. After he fractured a bone, which failed to heal properly, he was diagnosed with a disease that would stunt his growth forever. His torso continued to develop normally, but he had the legs of a child. He grew to only five feet in height, and his genitals were rumored to be malformed.

Because normal physical activity was impossible for him, he used art as solace. He submerged himself in the process of drawing and painting, creating Post-Impressionist and Art Nouveau works that depicted the wild, and sometimes very sad, life of the bohemians who lived in Paris. His favorite subjects were the cabarets of the city and the characters that haunted them. He presented them in such a way that they were both tawdry and sympathetic.

The stunning work of Toulouse-Lautrec grew in depth and beauty as the man himself grew closer to self-destruction. He suffered from syphilis, and he was an alcoholic who imbibed a potent cocktail known as absinthe. He died at the young age of only 36 due to the ill effects of his addiction to the “green fairy” (absinthe) with its high alcohol content and drug-like effects. Absinthe was banned in 1915.

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10 Slow Jams of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s

June 19, 2009 · Filed in List All, Music · 7 Comments 

Let’s take a trip back to the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s, a musical time when we didn’t need the internet, iPods, or even cell phones to function.  MTV was growing and music was changing, from disco, to electro-phonic, to 80’s rock, and grunge.  We are all in search of those few songs where everything is aligned.  When the artists have perfected the lyrics, rhythm and sound, and brought us something special.  As you can imagine, it is hard to identify the best soft jams from this era because there are so many great tunes.  I’m sure that your opinion might differ, but these songs call out perfection to me.  It would be great to get your feedback for future lists that I create.  Sit back, relax and enjoy the top 10 slow jams from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.

10. Heart - Alone

Heart is a Rock ‘N’ Roll band that achieved fame in the 1980’s.  The only constant members of the group are sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson.  They have sold over 30 million records world wide and were rated #57 on VH1’s “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.”  This song was originally recorded by John Stamos in 1984, but was made a hit by Heart in 1987.  Heart’s version of “Alone” is considered a power ballad and shows off Ann Wilson’s amazing vocals.  It is Heart’s biggest hit and it spent three weeks as the #1 single in America and hit #3 in the UK.

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Top 10 Alter Egos

June 16, 2009 · Filed in List All, Bizarre, Literature, Music · 16 Comments 

Human beings are not one-dimensional and sometimes we need another persona to express different facets of our personality. They also make terrific drama! Some are comic; some are terrifying. Some are misguided. There are things that only the alter ego could get away with. In some cases it is hard to distinguish which character is really the alter ego. In no order, we present the top 10 most famous alter egos.

Hannah Montana / Miley Cyrus/Stewart

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Young teenagers, or tweenies, as they’ve come to be known need a role model to hang their fantasies on and most parents prefer one that isn’t a pierced, tattoo wearing rock god. Hence, the Disney Hannah Montana show is a hit with all the family. Miley Cyrus plays ordinary schoolgirl, Miley Stewart, who transforms into her alter ego, Hannah Montana, the famous pop star. Only her family and best friends know about her secret double life. Real life Dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, plays Miley’s TV Dad, Robby Ray Stewart.  It’s not an old school nuclear family as Robby Ray is a single parent, though a widower and not a divorcee. The franchise has produced a range of merchandise and Hannah Montana: The Movie.

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10 Great Live Performances of the 1960’s and 70’s

June 4, 2009 · Filed in List All, Music · 7 Comments 

The evolution of the music industry has been astounding, traveling from the time of Elvis to Beatlemania, The Supremes, the British Invasion, and The Rolling Stones–Michael Jackson, Run DMC, Nirvana, Enya, Justin Timberlake and Linkin Park.  Yes, Linkin Park has sold more albums then any other band during the last ten years.  Unfortunately, in modern times we have had an expansion of lip-syncing and poor live performances, including some recent gems from Jessica Simpson, Kanye West, anything with T-Pain, and The Pussycat Dolls to name a few.  Back in the 1960’s and 70’s record executives seemed to look for that true talent, not just looks and sex appeal.  I have compiled a list of some of the best performances of the 1960’s and 70’s and the stories behind them.  This list focuses on folk rock and some easy listening tunes from this era.  You won’t find recording legends such as The Doors, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, or The Clash on this list; that is for another day.  Feel free to comment on the selections and contribute for future endeavors.

10. The Beach Boys - Little Deuce Coupe

The Beach Boys were labeled “America’s Band” in a musical decade that was dominated by British talent.  Formed in 1961, this band jumped on the scene creating music that astounded the masses.  The group has had thirty-six U.S. Top 40 hits, including four that reached the top spot.  This live footage was taken from a Beach Boys concert filmed March 14, 1964 at NBC Television Studios.  The performance has been released on DVD titled The Lost Concert and features some of the band’s greatest hits.  “Little Deuce Coupe” was released on the b-side of the hit record Surfer Girl in 1963.  It reached #15 on the U.S. charts and might be the greatest car song ever created.  The lyrics are specifically written around the 1932 Ford Model B.  It is a favorite of the band members who are frequently quoted saying that they loved to perform this tune.  In 1963, the group came up with the idea to use instrumental segments of the song as a way to introduce themselves before performing.  This can be seen in the video as they begin their set.

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Top 10 Strangest Musical Instruments

May 29, 2009 · Filed in List All, Bizarre, Music · 6 Comments 

When most of us think of a musical instrument, we might think of a guitar, a piano or even a set of drums. All normal enough instruments to be sure, but there are stranger musical instruments out there. These strange instruments may not produce a melodious quality we would expect, but certainly they will make you look, if not listen, twice.

10. Nano Guitar

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Musical instruments don’t get any smaller than this.  Coming in at a whopping 10 micrometers long, this little guitar, created by researchers at Cornell University, is no larger than a human cell.  The nano guitar has six strings, each only about one hundred atoms wide, which can be played only by an atomic force microscope.  You won’t be hearing any new music groups claiming nano guitar fame, however, as the sound produced by the nano guitar’s silicon strings would be much too slight to be heard by human ears.  Also, tuning can be a pain.

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Top 10 Singer Songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s

May 22, 2009 · Filed in List Advertising, Music · 15 Comments 

Why do we love singer songwriters? There is something special about listening to a good singer, singing his or her own words. Often, it is a bearing of the soul. The romantic image is that of a tortured being, hunched over an acoustic guitar, lamenting a doomed love affair or the state of the world. Of course, singer songwriters come in all forms, and arguments as to the best of them, could last for hours. Here is a list, to be debated and pored over.

10. Kate Bush


Unique is an overused word but can be applied to Bush for her voice, lyrics and dramatic persona. Her debut single, ‘Wuthering Heights’, was a UK Number 1 in 1978. Many of her other compositions are inspired by films and literature and have often drawn on her Gothic sensibility. Other tracks from ‘The Kick Inside’ album include ‘The Man with the Child in His Eyes’ and ‘Them Heavy People’. The follow up album was titled ‘Lionheart’ and includes the songs, ‘Symphony in Blue’, ‘Wow’, and ‘Hammer Horror’, a tribute to the horror movies of Hammer Studios. Four more albums were released in the 1980s, one in 1993, and a comeback record in 2005.
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Top 10 Wacky Band Names

May 13, 2009 · Filed in List All, Bizarre, Music · 22 Comments 

Have you ever wondered, why on earth did they call themselves that? When a journalist asked John Lennon why the Beatles were so called, he replied that a man on a flaming pie appeared in a vision and told him what to name the band; an example of John’s surreal humor there. At least an unusual name gets you noticed. Half Man Half Biscuit and Alien Sex Fiend narrowly missed the cut.

10. Gay for Johnny Depp

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No deep reason for this band name. They are self-confessed fans of Depp and who can blame them. The hardcore metal outfit from New York City are controversial due to explicit homoerotic lyrics, which often refer to Depp. Their first full length album is titled ‘The Politics of Cruelty’. They are certainly inventive when it comes to titles for their EP records, such as ‘Erotically Charged Dance Songs for the Desperate’ and ‘Blood: The Natural Lubricant (An Apocalyptic Adventure Beyond Sodom and Gomorrah)’. One wonders what Johnny thinks of all the attention.

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Top 10 Protest Songs from the 1960s

March 11, 2009 · Filed in List All, Music, Politics · 19 Comments 

People have sung protest songs throughout human history. Wherever people are oppressed or united in a common struggle, someone will voice strong feelings in song. The 1960s came to be known as the decade for protest with the twin causes of the Vietnam War and the lack of civil rights for African Americans. Some of these songs became anthems and still resonate today. They were the inspiration in countless demonstrations and marches. I make no apologies for including three Dylan songs. They were also commercial hits for the artists involved. So, what makes a good protest song? Take a catchy melody, lyrics with a ring of truth, sincerity and passion, and the times will do the rest. It would be wonderful if these songs were no longer needed one day. In the meantime, play on.

10. Turn! Turn! Turn!

From the album, ‘The Bitter and the Sweet’

Pete Seeger wrote this song, adapting the lyrics from passages in the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible. He recorded it in 1962, helping to cement his place as one of the greatest exponents of the protest song. The words state that there is a time for everything, including peace. The folk rock band, The Byrds, enjoyed the most commercial success with their cover version in 1965.
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10 Sad Songs

March 9, 2009 · Filed in List All, Music · 29 Comments 

Let’s get one thing straight: I’m a man. A tough-as-nails manly man who lifts weights and watches Sportcenter and kills spiders with my bare hands – unless, of course, I’ve just gotten my nails done. And I am secure enough in my manhood to publicly acknowledge that the following songs can make me sob like a jilted prom queen (but, you know, a manly prom queen). What other songs would you add to this list?

Way to Blue (Nick Drake)

“Have you seen the land living by the breeze?”

English acoustic brooder Nick Drake lived the kind of short, sad life that seemed designed to produce tear-jerking anthems, and Way to Blue brings on the waterworks like no other in his tragically slim body of work. With a less gifted singer at the helm, the results would have been a strings-laden sap-fest, tailor-made for early 70’s am pop; Drake takes us on a deeper journey – one that doesn’t spare us the scenic route of his broken soul.

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Top 10 Weird Musical Collaborations

February 18, 2009 · Filed in List All, Music, People · 9 Comments 

She’s a fickle mistress, show business, so when your agent suggests collaborating with another musical artist, it’s best to agree. Even if the resulting tunes aren’t a success, at least you’ll go down in history by making musical magic with your stylistic opposite. You won’t find the predictable parings of Sonny and Cher, Hall and Oates or even Britney and Madonna in this list – it’s reserved strictly for duets that had the public saying “wha?!”

10. Ted Nugent and Meat Loaf – Free For All

One is a larger-than-life singer named after a popular dinner-time meal. One is a Detroit-born hard-rock guitarist. Together, they collaborated on a whole album, with Meat singing lead vocals. Stepping away from the glam-rock, high-powered chart hits, “Free For All” was a distinctly more technical and instrument-based experiment from the “Bat Out of Hell” singer. Nugent remained pleased as punch with his decision after the album went Platinum from rave reviews.

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