Posted 27 November 2007 - 07:26 AM
Oh yeah, that song.
Thanks for the suggestion, chlorinated one---ya know, maybe I will bring this one back---specially when you mention the magic word--handclaps---hmmmmm. Infinitely better to record the clap then catch it, of course.
"Good Girls"----heh.
Now you've unleashed the fookin fury---of anecdotes.
1979 was a very svinging year for Mister Coolrock: parties with Clint Eastwood, shows at Eddie Nash's club (nee Adel Nasralluh---see "Wonderland"), coke, motorcycle accident, courting the major labels, coke, (lower case) pussy galore, coke----and then this. Rock song in a gay-disco fueled soundtrack for an Irwin Yablans ("Halloween") movie exploiting the current roller disco craze. Recorded at Richard Perry's Studio 55, where I once waited to be buzzed in the door and shared a brief conversation with a rather paranoid Cher. She was doing Gene Simmons at the time, so I was one of the first private citizens to see Gene without make-up. Like the half-Chinese, half Indian guy: Ugh-Lee. I also missed by minutes having a look through Gene's world famous box of Polaroids---one of the engineers was quite impressed.
Wow. I got to be label-mates with the Village People, Kiss, Donna Summer, and, most importantly, Angel.
The lead guitarist on this tune is Steve Schiff, who shortly after this, co-wrote "The Breakfast Club" soundtrack with Keith Forsey (Billy Idol's producer). I remember going to Steve's house and he was telling me about the film. "It's about a bunch of kids serving a detention", he says.
"The whole movie?" I says.
"Yeah."
"Geez," I sarcastically think to myself. "That's going to be huge."
Steve was later replaced by saxophonist Doug Wieselmann, who was the musical director for the Flying Karamazov Brothers, and then he was replaced by saxophonist Steve Berlin, who is presently with Los Lobos.
I played "Good Girls" at a show at Madame Wong's. The drummer for the Knack was sitting in the front row. A few months later, the Knack had a song called "Good Girls Don't" .
Hella co-incidence, I thought to myself, but so was Alee Willis ("Boogie Wonderland", "The Color Purple"), who was always hanging around the studio, writing "Neutron Dance" for the Pointless Sisters a few months after we recorded my rockabilly end-of-the-world song called "Neutron Rock". Aww, whatcha gonna do? There's nothing new under the sun, as they say.
Anyway, that was a grand old time, and a pretty shitty movie. Linda Blair was a little chunky at the time, but she was cute(There's a great moment near the end when protagonist Jim Bray lifts her over his head, grimacing like he's hoisting a side of beef.) My song is the second one in the movie, after Cher baritones her way through "Hell on Wheels", in the scene where Linda is getting dressed to go out . I'm amazed how many people have seen this turkey. One of my wife's co-workers says it was her favorite movie when she was a teenager. It's showing on syndicated and cable TV now and then, which throws a little $ my way, so keep watching.
Good opportunity for this soap-box.. Here is my personal angle for hating file-sharing and other music piracy, which ultimately led to the present pervasive attitude where music has the approximate value of tap water:
I just got a check from BMI.
$252.42
Not a lot, but a nice little surprise. (Probably split it between my wife and my drug habit.)
And these checks show up four times a year. (Usually they are under a hundred, though.)
From a song I wrote thirty years ago, no less. Now, how many of these schmucks who are throwing their songs out there for free in mp3s and such are going to be able to open a check in thirty years?
And for you who contend that, well, musicians can make money touring and merchandising---yeah, that's all fine and dandy, but when the tour is over, that's over.
And---what if you don't want to tour? What if you can't? What if you get ill, old, or just plain don't feel like it? Does that mean you shouldn't get paid? How many of you are willing to work for free, and have absolutely zero for retirement?
Royalties are what people live on, believe it or not, when music was their living. Some people didn't have other income sources like me, all they had was their songs. And if they don't get royalties, they and their heirs get nothing. And they die in poverty. And it's all your fault, you selfish assholes.
Now----let's ROLLER SKATE!!!!!!
Oh yeah---good plug opportunity.
Current line-up is playing The Note December 14th with Bitchy.
I'm inviting Linda Blair....
As the psychiatrist said to the man wearing nothing but Saran-Wrap,
"I can clearly see you're nuts."
