Guilty Pleasures 13

This latest entry in my list of guilty pleasures is the very epitome of what of what I mean by phrase. It's a song which, let's face it, was always a bit naff. But it also has the ability to fill dancefloors when the mobile DJ plays it at weddings and birthdays. It was a staple at Edinburgh's Tackno and is more cheesy that Cheese Strings Spaghetti...

...here is Mr Chesney Hawkes explaining why he is the One and Only:

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 12

Once upon a time there was a car show - a reasonably standard magazine format show dispensing consumer advice on the one hand whilst also featuring aspirational super-cars on the other. But all was not well behind the scenes and most of the presenters walked out of the show and (pretty much) straight into a new show on Channel 5, imaginatively entitled 5th Gear.

I say "imaginatively titled" as the show from which they had walked out was Top Gear... 

From the ashes of that show, a new show was born. A new show, also called Top Gear. But this show was not a car show. This show did not dispense consumer advice on one hand although it did feature lots of aspirational super-cars on the other.

This was an entertainment show. Built with a mix of super-cars, "races" in which the presenters take on bizarre challenges, guest stars who get to drive a reasonably-priced car (currently a Kia Cee'd), an unidentified tame racing driver and, most of all, Banter.

And so this new show became a staple of (eventually) Sunday evenings. And every week during each series, I guiltily lay my Liberalism to one side and prepare to laugh, snigger and wince at the pronouncements of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.

It's all kicked off each week with "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers:

Andrew

Note for American readers: The US version of Top Gear, although a close copy of the original, hasn't quite managed to get the right dynamic between the presenters right yet and lacks the banter that holds the UK show together.

(Not So) Guilty Pleasures 11

This week's Guilty Pleasure is from "An Audience with Kylie", broadcast in 2001 which saw her do a number of numbers and a sketch with erstwhile co-star and boyfriend, Jason Donovan... but it is more memorable to me for this VERY special version of Especially For You (although the surprise duetist works better when, well, when it's a surprise!)

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 10

This week's guilty pleasure is as cheesy as they came: Atomic Kitten's Whole Again.

Aside from being a slab of pure pop, it has the audacity to start with the same first line as one of the best songs ever written; Bacharach and David's Walk On By! Any song which can do that and pull it off deserves plaudits in my book!

Enjoy, even if you don't want to admit it!

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 9

The other day - for no apparent reason - a certain Sophie Ellis-Bextor popped into my head. Naturally my second thought - after wondering where she had come from - was to ear-mark the song in question for this blog-spot.

So, without further ado, here is the lady in question:

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 8

1,2,3,4 Come on baby, say you'll love me

5,6,7 times 

8,9,10,11, I'm just going to keep on counting

Until you are mine

Yes, the subject of this weeks Guilty Pleasure is Gloria Estefan whom I really liked back in 1989/1990. As I remember, she was one of the few artists that both I and my elder little sister liked. As a general rule, if she liked an artist (and here you can read Michael Jackson as well as New Kids on the Block). 

There were many tracks that I could have chosen but I decided to stick with my original choice. No, not 1,2,3,4 - that was just there as a bonus - but Rhythm is Gonna Get You. Oh yes, it is:

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 7

This week we're going back in time and featuring X Factor USA and former American Idol judge Paula Abdul's first UK hit - 1989's No.3 hit "Straight Up"... Oh yes, it's cheese but oh such good cheese...

I take no responsibility for this getting stuck in your head.


Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 6

You may notice a recurring theme in this series - a number of the tracks featured are (and will continue to be) from the late eighties. There's no difference this week with this from Martika - even after twenty-three years, I still really enjoy this without even the excuse of youth on my side!

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 5 - The Steps Edition

Once upon a time, I was very sniffy about pop - and, indeed, about this weeks act. Gradually, though, I decided to embrace the cheesiness and fun of acts such as Steps. Now they're back at number one in the album charts - and reformed to boot - I feel able to admit in public to being a sucker for their bubblegum pop. 

Here they are with One For Sorrow:

Now, stop dancing and get back on with what you were doing.

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 4

OK, so depending on your point of view, this may not qualify as a Guilty Pleasure (which could be said for a lot of the posts in this series, I imagine). Last night I was listening to iTunes with shuffle on when it served me up some Destiny's Child with Bootylicious and, well, I just had to post it. Indeed, I'm posting it twice! First, the original, pop version:

Next, here's the version I prefer and which inspired this post, the Rockwilder remix featuring Missy Elliott:

Enjoy. x2

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 3

I'm not sure whether this feature will remain a Saturday fixture but, for the time being at least, it seems to have settled here.

This week I've chosen a track by Ms Belinda Carlisle. But which? After all, pretty much any of her hits would qualify as a Guilty Pleasure. First choice would have been Heaven is a Place on Earth but that, and Leave A Light On For Me, sadly had the dreaded "Embedding disabled by request" message. 

Here, then, is Circle in the Sand:

Enjoy!

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 2 - The Strictly Edition

Last night, Strictly Come Sequins started again and my fellow bloggers Stephen and Caron would have been glued to their screens. (Although I suspect Stephen also had his Cuban heels on and was practising his Salsa moves...)

Of course, as usual with these "Celebrity" things, I barely know who a number of the contestants are. There are a few singers, though, and one in particular qualifies for addition in my new series of Guilty Pleasures. Here's the lovely Holly Valance:

Enjoy!

Andrew

Guilty Pleasures 1

This is the first in a new series of musical posts in which I share some guilty pleasures... and they don't come much more guilt-laden or pleasurable than this:

Andrew