October 1

So, milady asked what the point of this blog was. "What's the point of going to a birthday site to read about a bunch of people you've never heard of?" The point is, to learn about a bunch of people they should have heard about, and especially, the people you didn't know you knew.

Like Mariska Veres, lead singer of Shocking Blue: did you know about her? Okay, you mat not even know Shocking Blue, but do you remember the song "Venus"? Now you got a reason to notice. When "Venus" became a global number 1 hit in 1969, Mariska was garnering comparisons with Grace Slick and Cher, in both vocal range and beauty. For the most part, they were big in the Netherlands, and lasted until 1974. Mariska got into Jazz, and kept singing until she passed in 2006.

You're one of those people that thought this was a Bananarama song, didn't you?

Imagine you were in a bar, and there's Jim Carrey, his face stuck in a "Fire Marshall Bill" expression like his mother always said it would. He's pissed off, downing bourbon and cussing up his family, his girl, the world- and you don't stop him, because his ranting is so funny...
That's what Chrsitopher Titus is like.

Kill Titus - These bloopers are hilarious


I didn't know I'd heard Youssou N'Dour before. I heard the name in college, but who listens to college radio? To me, he was one of the luminaries of afro-beat and world music in the last twenty years (so good luck finding his CDs at Wal-Mart...)
Turns out one of his songs did mske it to American radio, just barely: a duet with Neneh Cherry, called "Seven Seconds." Got that chilled electro-music sound...



Finally, today's a good day to spotlight Jerry Martini, saxophonist for Sly and the Family Stone. He's the one that convinced Sylvester and Freddie Stone to combine their bands together into a psychedelic melting pot. To celebrate, here's a televised performance of "Dance to the Music," the most egalitarian song in their discography. Remember, it wasn't Sly's Family Stone; it was "...and the Family Stone."