Saturday, January 9, 2010

January 10

Today's birthday goes to Brad Roberts, lead singer and anchor of the Crash Test Dummies, a band that fell prey to their own success. I mean, if you were listening to the radio in '94 (back when there was an Alternative-radio format), you couldn't escape "Mmm mmm mmm mmm" and the woofer-rumbling voice of Brad Roberts. The song was so big, it painted the band in a corner they refused to be in; the band's subsequent forays into, respectively, hard rock and falsetto-rich R&B rhythms didn't have much impact at all. But the band's still together (well, Brad and another original member, plus lots of special guests) and getting a new album ready in 2010. Meanwhile. Brad lives in Soho and teaches mantra chanting classes on the side, which is perfect for him, considering that tremolo.
Speaking of that, he revealed the source of his booming baritone on an episode of VH1's "I Love the 90's" - he was born with a third testicle, which was surgically removed when he was 28. I think he was serious; with Brad Roberts, you can't entirely tell...
Here's their career-defining hit:

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