Follow on TwitterWatch: Orange Juice ‘Rip It Up’ Video From 1983
Formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1979, Orange Juice released many memorable songs inspired by the sounds of the Velvet Underground, Chic, and the Talking Heads. After the band’s demise, singer/songwriter Edwyn Collins went on to enjoy critical acclaim as a solo artist. Most of you are probably familiar with his amazing single ‘A Girl Like You’ from the album ‘Gorgeous George’. But I’m guessing few of our American readers will recall his earlier efforts with the band, Orange Juice.
Take a listen to Orange Juice’s unique sounds and style underlined by superb songwriting, and you will instantly be reminded of all the exciting independent music that was coming out in the early 80s. Fabulous song! Fabulous band!
From the album of the same name, here’s Orange Juice’s first Top 10 Hit — the funky and soulful ‘Rip It Up’:
ENJOY:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESy-Z8vqMrE[/youtube]
You can download Orange Juice’s ‘Rip It Up’ here: 
Watch: Curtis Mayfield Performs ‘Move On Up’ Live @ The Hague, 1987
‘Move On Up’ is one of the best songs ever written. Curtis Mayfield was the master of socially-aware, inspirational music, and his live performances were as tight and emotional as his studio recordings. His music was and still is loved and covered by artists from all over the world. Here he was in 1987 playing in The Hague, Netherlands. Enjoy!:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4OtMIymlI0&feature=related[/youtube]
‘Move On Up’ or the full length album, Future Shock, can be downloaded here: 
Watch: Paul Weller Covers Sister Sledge’s “Thinking of You”
Probably no artist has left as big a mark on my adolescent years as Paul Weller. From huge Jam fan / Style Council fan — to playing in bands heavily influenced by his writing. There’s probably millions of those who share similar stories as mine across the Atlantic, but over here in America, I’d guess there’s maybe a baker’s dozen of us — tops.
He didn’t seem to feel compelled to make the effort over here. Very few tours — and as a result he was generally relegated to alternative radio stations and his vinyl got stocked mostly just in the big urban areas.
As a college student studying abroad, I was fortunate enough to see him perform twice in London as The Paul Weller Movement (this was the period in 1991 after the Style Council split, when he’d released the ‘Into Tomorrow’ EP on his own indie label — Freedom High Records). Fabulous shows: one in a small venue off of Portobello Road (Morrissey was rumored in the tabloids that week to have been in the audience, but I didn’t see him — and seriously — who’s going to miss seeing Morrissey wallowing around 🙂 ), and at Brixton Academy — a show which I believe is or was available on DVD in the UK.
I saw him play again when I was living in New York City — probably in 1992 or 1993. Any fond memories of your own seeing Paul Weller live in one of his various incarnations? Please share …
Anyways, here’s an amazing cover of a Nile Rodgers song (Sister Sledge/Chic) that Paul did on his 2004 album Studio 150. The single is entitled, “Thinking of You”. If you have a pulse, you will love this.
ENJOY!:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHjCWVEd7C4[/youtube]
If you’d like to download “Thinking of You,” you can find the single here:
Note: It appears Paul didn’t bother to make his excellent Studio 150 — an album of covers — available for download on iTunes. Paul, Paul, Paul … technology has finally made it easy for you to get your music to Americans — unlike in the old vinyl days when I’d have to make pilgrimages to find your stuff. Get with the program already …
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