29 Leaps To TabuLate The Island Party

[Yngve J. Chapleen]

Day 4
Dear Diary

     DING DING DING. That's the sound of Scott finally guessing a clue correctly. Yes, KISS - Lick It Up was the answer I was looking for in the Hard Rock section. I thought RJhog will get that, but I don't think he ventures into my posts, anymore. So, the current standing is:
Scott 200 pts
Everyone Else 0 pts
Don't despair. New day brings new clues and a chance to turn the game around (or to increase the lead).

     Now a word about my glow in the dark playlist and why was it practical. You see, during the day everything is fine here on the Island, but as soon as the night wraps the jungle in it's dark veil, you better be prepared for when you got to go. Because, when you go to go, you got to go and when you got to go, then glow in the dark is what you want... That and a roll of toilet paper. Note to myself: Next time I'm in exile, I should bring me a glow in the dark bathroom tissue. It's kind of hard to put the non glowing type to good use, when you also have to juggle a playlist in your hand.

     For some reason I thought Gary Moore's Wild Frontier was featured here, but looks like I was wrong, which means I should have played a song or two from the album, but I didn't. Oh well, you just have to take my word, that it's an awesome album and seek it out for yourself. I know Mark Wood has lots of violins and some of them might be green, but the description Jon gave me is too vague (really? Jon? vague? You got to be kidding me) to figure it out whether that was Mark he saw in the commercial or not.

     Speaking of Jon. His predictions for today were quite peculiar. By the looks of it, he is on a mission to stretch the boundaries of the music genres. For ROCK entry, his conjecture was Cool & The Gang and for Hard Rock, it was TALKING HEADS?? And then there is his Raven answer for the Yugoslavian clue. On second thought, this doesn't sound that surprising to me. I used to know couple lads from Yugoslavia, who constantly needed a reminder that Britain is NOT in Yugoslavia. You know what they said? "Not... Yet." Well, we all know how that country ended up on the same list with Roman Empire, Mesopotamia, Maya, Angkor and Gomorrah. I never pegged Jon for one of THOSE guys, but it's time for you to let it go, man. It'll never happen... Sheesh!

And here is what ya'll been waiting for:

click on the cover to hear samples
1. STATUS QUO - Ain't Complaining
2. STATUS QUO - Don't Mind If I Do
3. STATUS QUO - Burning Bridges (On And Off And On Again)
from "Ain't Complaining" CD ℗ 1988/2010

I have 4 Status Quo CDs. Three of them were candidates for this honor, but after much thought was given, I choose Ain't Complaining, because it's the album where Status Quo's Boogie Rock meets the fresh ideas brought forth by the new members. On any other day, it could have been another CD. This indecision, yet attachment to the bands sound could be observed elsewhere, as well. For example, I never knew anybody who would swear that Status Quo was their favorite band, yet their music was a standard request at each Party, I attended. They are a long running band from Europe, yet strangely enough, their status is much less prominent on this side of the pond. Although, Rick Parfitt died last year, the band led by Francis Rossi, is still active.

KISS - Lick It Up
CD ℗ 1983/1998

Which Kiss CD should I take with me? It wasn't easy to decide, however at the end it was Vinnie Vincent who won. I still think, his guitar playing was better and certainly more technical, than any other guitarist who joined the Army of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Also, his songwriting skills were more advanced than most of his comrades from the band and since I had to have him on this list, it was practical to kill two birds, with one stone. The band finally unmasked for the Lick It Up album and we got to witness first hand just how ugly they really are. That mattered not, since the strength of the album brought them back to the spotlight and I used to drive my neighbors up the wall, with "Fits Like A Glove". He-He.

4. GORDI - Strašna Riba Izdaleka (A Looker From Afar)
5. GORDI - Ona Je Žena (She's A Woman)
from "Pakleni Trio (Trio From Hell)" CD ℗ 1981/2005

Once upon a time... There was a proud (Gordi) band in the faraway land of Yugoslavia. The band wasn't in particular Heavy nor were they Hard, for that matter, but they played from the bottom of their hearts Rock 'N' Roll, Prog Rock, Ballads and even borderline Country music, just to please the masses. However, they weren't very good at it, since fame and groupies constantly eluded them. So much so, that after their third attempt failed to be the charming one, most of the members scattered around the kingdom, in search for fame and fortune, elsewhere. They all left the poor, "bald" guy to rebuild the bands miser reputation, with nothing else, but a broken heart and an old mandolin. God knows, looks wasn't his strongest attribute, so he had to get creative... In other ways. Some suspect he found the long believed to be lost, book of black magic, while others were convinced he sold his soul to the devil himself, but rebuild the band he did. He brought on board not one, but two Heavy Metal looking dudes, who were savagely running around the bushes (well, frankly that's all Yugoslavia had to offer, at the time) and told them; "Here is your drum. And here is your bass... Now, Play!" And play they did, out of sight in the deepest corner of the secret, underground dungeon, until they were ready to face the peasants who previously shun them and the three headed critics, who didn't see them coming. And come they did, dragging behind the seven pits of Hell and everybody was like; WHAAAAT???
The crowd never heard so much noise before or everafter. Many eardrums bled to death. Many hearings were lost that day. But of what little their tiny brain could manage to absorb, they did liked the racket... And they liked it... A LOT! Words spread around the kingdom about these fine entertainers and one day a noble Sir from the respected Gillan Band invited Gordi to open their festivities. When the noble Gillan heard the hullabaloo these athletes of Heavy pandemonium could summon from a small budget warfare, he was swept off his feet, requested their presence behind the curtain to show them his jaw... Still bouncing on the floor. Words spread further and further yet and suddenly they were famous across the whole Balkans, securing a cult status and loyal followers who flocked in numbers to their gatherings. The good word finally reached the historians traveling the country on Metal Donkeys, collecting legendary tales from which they eternalize Gordi in The International Encyclopedia Of Hard Rock & Heavy Metal. Somebody was diligent enough to post the whole scripture online, so follow THIS link and scroll down to witness the scribble. From there on, they lived happily ever after.

The End.

Well, they did put out one more album; "Queen Of Death" and then they quit to rest on their laurels.
Now... It's The End.

Well not really, the bald guy did marry the best looking girl from a dancing troupe... on The End.

Well, then he played guitar for the famous Italian troubadour, Eros Ramazzotti, as well as for some lesser known side attractions, like Tina Turner, Natalie Cole and Phil Collins.
The End? Not quite.

He forced his skills into a small moving picture deal you might have heard of... Indiana Jones? Or something like that.
And here is The End.

Unless you count his name change and solo works, but then it's... Still not The End.

Well, his hair didn't grow an inch... So, that was The End of that.

INDEX (To keep track of things. Also, the clues for the next weeks selection are here. Do you know; What's Coming To You?)

ROCK
500 pt
300 pt - 1979 - STYX - Cornerstone
800 pt
200 pt
600 pt
1000pt
100 pt
400 pt - 1988 - STATUS QUO - Ain't Complaining

HARD ROCK
300 pt
100 pt - 1975 - BIJELO DUGME - Sta Bi Dao Da Si Na Mom Mjestu
500 pt
800 pt
600 pt
200 pt - 1983 -  KISS - Lick It Up
1000pt
400 pt

AOR
200 pt
600 pt
300 pt
800 pt
100 pt - 1987 - ANDY TAYLOR - Thunder
500 pt
1000pt
400 pt

MELODIC ROCK
400 pt
100 pt (It was Melodic Rock at their Maiden Voyage, now they are country, so it's Bon Voyage)
800 pt
200 pt
300 pt
1000pt
500 pt - 1992 - DAMN YANKEES - Don't Tread
600 pt

METAL
300 pt
400 pt
800 pt
200 pt - 1981 - GIRLSCHOOL - Hit & Run
500 pt
600 pt - 1981 - GORDI - Pakleni Trio
100 pt
1000pt

SINGERS GONE SOLO
300 pt
1000pt
800 pt - 1983 - DIO - Holy Diver
100 pt - 1985 - REVESZ SANDOR - Revesz Sandor 
600 pt
500 pt
400 pt
200 pt (Cowbells are square in Cubism)

GUITARISTS GONE SOLO
100 pt
300 pt
400 pt - 1987 - GARY MOORE - Wild Frontier
800 pt
200 pt
600 pt
1000pt
500 pt (I'm almost him, but he's definitely not me. If I'm lucky, I'll get a nod)

+BONUS
1000pt
500 pt
600 pt - 1991 - MARK WOOD - Voodoo Violince
800 pt

[Scott]

Jon's on a mission alight...  but not like what you're thinking.  See, we've already established that Jon is a Mormon (a recent revelation indeed but old enough to establish as fact), and so he is definitely on a mission.  That said be forewarned, you must never post David Archuleta on here, the consequences would be severe!

Status Quo - this band would have never crossed my mind, never...  ever...  except maybe that one time someone posted them and then I forgot about them again, for a long time ... until, sadly, one of their band members passed, and then *poof* gone again.  Totally loss of memory when it comes to this band for what seems like weeks...  months even! And then this!  And I still got nothing.

KISS - I loved Lick It Up when it came, sat in front of the old telly waiting for the unmasking and exclusive video premiere!  And I was only disappointed in how ugly Gene really is...  But there was renewed energy in the music and it was cool to like Kiss again!

Gordi...  eh...  the mastering is terrible, the sound is so thin, but the riffs are nice and there's no chance I'll be singing along anytime soon.

Next Weeks guesses...

• OMG!!!!  Please don't say there is a Bon Jovi post coming! Please no!!!!!!!!!!
• No other ideas...

PS:  I'm winning! I think I could sit on this lead and still win, just sayin'...  Even when I'm not winning, I'm still winning!

[Jon]

Yea, no kidding. I saw what could be a Bon Jovi clue and threw up in my mouth. Not a little, either. A LOT.

Hopefully it isn't and my guesses are:

1. Donna Summer

2. The Tubes

3. Zamfir with Noddy Holder.

[Jon]

Status Quo was pretty big in England when I was over there but, except for a few songs, they really didn't do much for me.  Some of the songs here sound like ELO.

Sorry, but if this is the Kiss album you're bringing, I hope you're never rescued. As anyone knows the ONLY Kiss album that should be brought is MFTE.

You could have went with Goddo instead of Gordi. The both have two syllables and start with "G".

Still sticking with my guesses because they are brilliant, as usual.