In Memoriam: The Beloved Actor "Dennis Haskins" Best Known For His Role As "Mr. Belding" Has Died Aged 75

 

Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for his role as principal Richard Belding on the high school comedy series "Saved by the Bell," has died, his agent said Monday. Haskins was 75. The cause and manner of death were unavailable.

He made his network television debut in 1979 on "The Dukes of Hazzard." Haskins also appeared on "Archie Bunker's Place," Magnum, P.I.," "7th Heaven," "Hot in Cleveland" and nearly 100 other shows as an actor and voiceover artist.

 

His death was confirmed by his longtime friend and caretaker in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. No cause of death has been announced. Some reports say Haskins was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. 

 

Haskins was honored with The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Most Distinguished Alumni of 2000 award and has a regional high school academic decathlon named after him, The Dennis Haskins Open.

 

In recent years, Haskins traveled the country, visiting many Minor League Baseball stadiums in the summer, greeting fans, signing autographs and taking pictures. 

 

Haskins first played Mr. Belding in "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" on the Disney Channel in 1988. The show was renamed "Saved by the Bell" the following year and became a defining sitcom of the 1990s. His greeting of “hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?” became one of the sitcom’s most recognizable running bits and remains instantly associated with the character decades later.

 

Haskins’ role on the show, which aired from 1989 to 1993, would come to define him for millions of fans. "Everyone loved Mr. Belding and those of us who got to know Dennis, loved him even more.

 

Haskins was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he reported for the student newspaper, acted in campus productions and was a founding member of the community theater group known as the Harlequins, according to his university biography. As a young man, he worked as a music manager, agent and concert promoter and boasted Tom Jones and Gregg Allman among his clients.

 

His acting career was boosted by his portrayal of Mr. Belding on Disney Channel's "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" in 1988, according to the university bio. The next year, NBC aired the show as "Saved by the Bell"; it ran until 1993. He reprised the role on "Saved by the Bell: The New Class," which aired Saturday mornings from 1993 to 2000 on NBC. After the show’s end, he found work in several movies and television shows, including "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

New Music: Helen Keller

           

Placebo shares a surprising new single "Helen Keller. The track takes its cue from hidden 1996 instrumental "H.K. Farewell", while the band begin their 30th anniversary tour today. The new track was a hidden instrumental from the era of their self-titled 1996 debut, using its eerie keyboard melody as the foundation for an otherwise entirely new song. Recorded in London earlier this year, "Helen Keller" was produced by Placebo and Adam Noble, with the latter also handling mixing. It retains the spectral atmosphere of "H.K. Farewell" but pushes the idea into a heavier, more anguished rock setting. This is a new rock song inspired by the piano melody from "H.K. Farewell" and named after one of my favourite people from history, Brian Molko said of the track. Keller was the American author, disability rights advocate and political activist who became deafblind as a young child and went on to become an internationally renowned writer and campaigner. Describing the project as a director’s cut, the band said it allowed them to bring three decades of performing the material back into the recordings while maintaining the spirit of the originals.

New Music: Stone Fruit

           

Sabrina Teitelbaum aka Blondshell shares a new single "Stone Fruit" the fourth single taken from her latest 3rd., studio album "Violins" released last 25 September via Partisan Records. The track was written by Sabrina Teitelbaum and Sam Stewart and produced by Yves Rothman. The accompanying music video was directed by Sabra Binder. The artist commented about the song: This song is supposed to rip. So the one thing is just I hope you like the main guitar riff. That's kind of it, and the groove. That's one of those songs that I didn't set out to write. I just was kind of like I need to say all of this. I wrote it when I was on tour last summer. We were in Slovakia when I wrote it. And I think I just felt like, I don't know. I bring a small 'baby tailor' (small acoustic guitar) with me everywhere I go, and I don't usually use it, but I have it in case I feel the need to write. I brought that with me, and I felt like, 'Okay, I have something to say,.' And I didn't expect the song. And I think that's why it feels lived in because it was just unintentional.”

New Music: Waiting For Fisher

           

The Dublin post-punk band Gurriers released a new single and the video for "Waiting For Fisher" to land the same day as their second album, Nobody’s Coming To Save You, is out now. The title nods to two reference points at once — Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and the late cultural critic Mark Fisher, whose writing on capitalist realism has become something close to a touchstone for a certain strain of UK and Irish post-punk. Frontman Dan Hoff has said the song grew out of his friends’ frustrations with the working-day grind, and that context is audible in every bar of it: the guitars from Ben O'Neill and Mark MacCormack don't so much build as clock in and out, distorted and repetitive in a way that mirrors the routine it's complaining about, while Pierce Callaghan's drums keep pushing the tempo like a shift that won't end. The video has been shot by Director Thomas James who portrait a visceral, surreal, grenade of a satire.

New Music: Broken Heart

           

The Dutch iconic darkwave/goth band Clan Of Xymox has just released a brand new double AA "Broken Heart"/"Fire". it is the first new music by the group since the release of their "Exodus" album in mid-2024. Clan of Xymox co-founder and frontman Ronny Moorings describes "Broken Heart" as "a journey through heartbreak, desire and emotional combustion." Driven by haunting synths, a hypnotic pulse and melancholic vocals, his aim with the song was to capture the tension between losing someone and still being consumed by them. 

New Music: The Centre Of My Everything

           

Shed Seven have released "The Centre Of My Everything", their latest single from their upcoming 7th., studio album. The eponymous LP, arrives on January 8, and it serves as the follow-up to their 2024 chart-topping albums "A Matter Of Time" and "Liquid Gold". On the track, lead singer Rick Witter says: That feeling when love is all there is, when two are entwined as one, when nothing else matters apart from the other, when you can’t imagine a life lived alone, when you truly think of someone as being ‘The Centre of My Everything'". The band also said in a separate statement: "We are excited to announce the imminent arrival of our seventh studio album which is eponymously titled Shed Seven to honour the fact. We have taken great care in making this album what we believe to be our best yet, and we hope these songs are taken to people’s hearts."

Rocktrospectiva: The Game-Changer "Nevermind" Turns 35

 

Released on 24 September 24, 1991, "Nevermind"—the second studio album by the US alternative rock band Nirvana—shook up the music industry and defied the status quo; this release signaled the end of pop music's dominance, as the album managed to knock Michael Jackson's Dangerous—no small feat—out of the number one spot on the Billboard 200. The album spawned four singles, the widespread hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Come As You Are", "Lithium" & "In Bloom."

Two years earlier, the band had released "Bleach" on the independent label Sub Pop, achieving some success in the United Kingdom and catching the eye of DGC, a more powerful multinational label. It was at this point that Butch Vig—a man to whom the album owes much of its massive success—entered the picture. Suggested by Sub Pop co-founder Bruce Pavitt, the idea appealed to Nirvana, as they were familiar with the work Vig had done with the band Killdozer. 

Consequently, in April 1990, the band traveled to Smart Studios—owned by Vig in Madison, Wisconsin. Although the song structures were already complete, Cobain constantly tweaked his lyrics, and the band struggled with self-doubt until they recorded the first eight tracks: "Immodium" (later retitled "Breed"), "Dive" (which became the B-side to "Sliver"), "In Bloom," "Pay to Play" (later renamed "Stay Away" with new lyrics), "Sappy," "Lithium," "Here She Comes Now," and "Polly."

Unfortunately, Cobain's voice had deteriorated after recording "Lithium," forcing them to halt the recording sessions. Things stalled for a while after that, as the band drifted away—despite having told Vig they would return—and he heard nothing from them for quite some time. Meanwhile, the band circulated a demo to major labels, sparking interest from producers like Scott Litt and David Briggs; ultimately, however, the band chose Vig because they felt more comfortable with him than with other producers who made more demanding requests. A budget of $65,000 was set, and the band headed to Sound City Studios in Los Angeles, California, between May and June of 1991. 

One anecdote recounts that, to pay for gas for the trip to Los Angeles, the band played a show where they performed "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for the first time; that song, along with "Come As You Are," appeared on the demo they had sent Vig to prepare for the sessions. After all that, the band finally threw themselves fully into the work, spending eight to ten hours a day in the studio. 

Having rehearsed the songs extensively, the process was smooth and required few takes; Novoselic and Grohl finished their bass and drum parts in a matter of days. Cobain, however, had a heavier workload due to guitar and vocal overdubs, as well as lyrics that were often still being tweaked in the studio. Indeed, his performance style was so consistent that Vig decided to layer takes to create overdubs—a process Cobain didn't always enjoy. Vig often had to use a bit of trickery to keep Cobain’s spirits up, particularly given his temperament, which could swing wildly from immense joy to withdrawing into sullen silence.  

Eventually, the album was finished and the mixing stage began; after a few days, neither Vig nor the band was happy with the results, so someone else was brought in to oversee the mix. After reviewing a list of potential candidates, Kurt chose Andy Wallace—who had worked on Slayer's 1990 album Seasons in the Abyss—and since the band wanted a heavy sound, they agreed to the choice. 

Wallace applied his own touch, adding various effects and tweaking the drum sound; the result satisfied both the band and Vig. However, years later—and before his death—Cobain expressed embarrassment over the polished sound given to Nevermind during mixing, noting that it sounded more like a Mötley Crüe record than a punk album.  

The album was mastered on August 2nd at The Mastering Lab in Hollywood by Howie Weinberg. It is recalled that Weinberg ended up doing much of the mastering work himself, as neither the band nor Wallace and Gersh showed up at the scheduled time. This explains why the unreleased track "Endless, Nameless"—which followed "Something in the Way"—was left off the first twenty thousand copies of the album. When the band realized the mistake, Cobain called Weinberg to fix it; Weinberg complied, but the track ended up being ten minutes long instead of three. 

Following these peculiar anecdotes, the album was released with limited stock in the United States and a slightly larger shipment for England, where Bleach had enjoyed greater success. Expectations were that the band would sell a total of 250,000 copies—matching the performance of the album Goo—and perhaps achieve gold record status the following year. Such were the hopes for success, but everything was about to change when the single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was released on September 10th, but the decisive boost came when the Samuel Bayer-directed video premiered on the MTV's legendary show 120 Minutes. From there, the network began airing it during the day—a move that proved crucial to the success of both the song and the album. 

It was an unusual, dark album—yet one possessing a power and charm that left its mark on an entire generation. It became a pop-culture icon, significant not only for the grunge genre but for alternative rock, effectively ending the dominance of "hair bands" and, of course, pop music. Yet, it also ushered in the darkest period of Cobain's life, marked by drug abuse, depression, and other troubles that would ultimately lead to the band's demise and the lead singer's suicide. 

Cobain himself quoted that "Nevermind" was a misunderstood record; he felt the public never grasped its message. The people who made the album a hit—teenagers and college students influenced by MTV—sadly failed to understand his critique of the "youth spirit." Despite this, and despite Cobain's own complaints, the album became a massive commercial and cultural phenomenon, eventually dethroning Michael Jackson's Dangerous in early 1992. 

MTV capitalized on the phenomenon by putting subsequent singles like "Come As You Are," "Lithium," and "In Bloom" into heavy rotation, making the band more popular than ever. This did not sit well with Cobain; he had become exactly what he had always hated—a massive, commercially successful artist—and things had spiraled out of control. Despite this, the 13-track album was and it is undoubtedly a gem; it may be overproduced, but the songs are incredibly sincere and beautiful, and its furious message—filled with hatred, sadness, and disillusionment with the status quo—still resonates and remains more relevant than ever, thirty years after its official release.

Nevermind Track List:

 

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit

2. In Bloom

3. Come As You Are

4. Breed

5. Lithium

6. Polly

7. Territorial Pissings

8. Drain you

9. Lounge Act

10. Stay Away

11. On A Plain

12. Something In The Way

13. Endless, Nameless

Rocktrospectiva: The Widespread Acclaimed "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" Turns 35

 

Released on 24 September 1991, yes the same day as iconic "Nevermind", "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", was the 5th studio album by the US rock band Red Hot Chilli Peppers its success was a key factor in the revolution on alternative music that took everyone by surprised in the early 90s. Produced by Rick Rubin, the album introduced a notable changes of their previous "Mother's Milk" where the use of heavy metal riffs was reduced, giving way to accented melodies, funk, rap and of course alternative rock sound, to cover themes that were about sexual concepts and references to drugs and death, lust and exuberance. 

Five singles were released from the album, among them the hits that today are all classics such as "Under The Bridge", Give It Away", "Breaking The Girl" and "Suck My Kiss", which helped propel the band's popularity to the rock stratosphere. Curiously, this did not please guitarist John Frusciante since for him, this was overwhelming, contrasting with Kiedis' opinion that he had always sought success for the band and was now having it. 

In the end, Frusciante resigned to the band the following year, but would return in 1998.  After the band's release of thei fabulous "Mother's Milk" in 1989, they band gained some success, managing to perform and developped that sound between hard rock and funk, so what they needed was a hit, and they would come with this album, for which they were ready, Kiedis was clean of drugs and they had achieved Rick Rubin as its producer. Legend has it that Rubin convinced them to move to his mansion, they said it was haunted and that was why Smith did not stay, although he later said it was because he lived 20 minutes from the place, the thing is that there was a good vibe, so good that Frusciante stood out in style in terms of compositions, Kiedis opened up much more and wrote much better and more intimate lyrics, which talked about his old drug addiction and love relationships. 

Then, Rubin decides to choose a poem that talked about the times when Kiedis narrated his turbulent time of drug abuse wandering the streets and hiding under a bridge, he gives it to Frusciante who decides to compose the incredible intro of the song, and then move on to something a little more moving until reaching the climax, and which would be the guilty song of the 7 million copies that the album would sell and eventually his own frustration. Another good song was "I Could Have Lied" where Frusciante stood out with a great guitar solo, and which narrated the curious and brief relationship of Kiedis with Sinead O'Connor, there were also the two tributes to the fallen Hailel Slovak in "Suck My Kiss", and "My Lonely Man", aggressive and liberating, another incredible song was "Breaking The Girl", seasoned with a 12-string acoustic and with a beautiful psychedelic tone Let's not say the video, in addition to the fact that the song was accentuated with the use of the mellotron, the song "Soul To Squeeze" is mentioned where Kiedis narrates his fight with drugs, another great and incredible song but that in the end was left out, and would be used until 1993 as part of the soundtrack of the film "Coneheads" and it is true because the song is not only good but it keeps a lot of the sound of that time, and that would change from 1995 onwards with Dave Navarro on guitar. 

Another highlight was the hybrid between rock and rap in the bizarre but great "Give It Away" and also "If You Have To Ask", or "Sir Psycho Sex", not to mention "Funky Monks", or the song that opened the album as intensely as "The Power Of Equality" where they winked at the legendary Public Enemy, and that was how they gave shape to an album that not even in their strangest dreams imagined would go on to sell millions of copies, making them one of the most important bands on the planet, and as part of the alternative rock revolution that was changing the musical landscape of that time.  

The critics acclaimed the album and received widespread critical acclaim and propelled the band into worldwide popularity, definitely Rick Rubin's cold precision was evident on the record across the 17-track featured a clinical but writhing state-of-the-art fusion of funk, rap and metal scrapings. The album has been considered "The Red Hot Chili Peppers' best album for many reasons: John Frusciante's guitar was less overpoweringly noisy, leaving room for differing textures and clearer lines, while the band overall is more focused and less indulgent, and the variety that helped to expanded the group's musical and emotional range.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik Track List:

1. The Power Of Equality

2. If You Have To Ask

3. Breaking The Girl

4. Funky Monks

5. Suck My Kiss

6. I Could Have Lied

7. Mellowship Slinsky In B Major

8. The Righteous & The Wicked 

9. Give It Away

10. Blood Sugar Sex Magik

11. Under The Bridge

12. Naked In The Rain

13. Apache Rose Peacock

14. The Greeting Song

15. My Lonely Man

16. Sir Psycho Sex

17. They're Red Hot

Rocktrospectiva: The Uncomprenhend But Finest "Don't Get Weird On Me Babe" Turns 35

 

Released on September 24, 1991—though some sources cite on September 16—"Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe" was the second solo offering from the iconic Lloyd Cole. It is regarded by critics and fans with such sophisticated taste as one of the best albums of the 1990s, filled with smooth melodies, sophisticated lyrics, and refined arrangements. For many, the album was perhaps a decade and a half ahead of its time; and if it would had it been released in 1996, it would might have enjoyed greater commercial success across the boards, the album spawned the singles "Butterfly", "Weeping Wine" & "She's A Girl And I'm A Man."

 

Another great recording arrived on the same magical day as other major albums like, "Nevermind", and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". It was considered one of the artist's finest works, divided into two parts—the first dedicated to the United States and the second to the rest of the world. 

 

Its sound wandered between rock tunes featuring jangly pop guitars—highlighted by tracks like "Tell Your Sister" and the rocker "She's A Girl And I'm A Man"—and the orchestral, jazz-infused atmosphere of "Margo's Waltz." Indeed, that was the essence of the album: a rock side and an orchestral side, both seasoned with refined pop. The orchestra was conducted by Paul Buckmaster, and the project featured other excellent collaborators—such as Suzie Katayama, Matthew Sweet, Robert Quine, Fred Maher, and Blair Cowan—who helped make the album a bold, solid release in that impeccable 1991. 

 

The style changed from the modern indie-rock sound of "Tell Your Sister" which reached No. 6 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and the 60s-influenced "Weeping Wine"—along with "The One You Never Had" and the raw "To The Lions"—to the mellower "Pay For It." Then it was the hit "She's A Girl And I'm A Man," which hit No. 7 on the Modern Rock chart, paving the way for orchestral songs like the friendly-sounding "Butterfly"; "There For Her," another track that could have been a radio hit; the exquisite "Margo's Waltz" (soft and delicate); and "Half Of Everything," with its fine string arrangements, before moving on to "Man..." ...Enough"—which many consider the album's weakest track—and finally the melancholic "What He Doesn't Know," bringing to a close a great album—the kind that doesn't come along often—but one that was unfortunately misunderstood and, consequently, underrated at the time.

 

Critics were mixed at the time, by some considered the album as a rare album that somewhat surprisingly offered some Cole's sharpest, smartest-writing since Rattlesnakes. Others called the album as a great pop record featuring Lloyd's perennial concerns all set to great, big-screen arrangements" One of the most genuinely nervy and idiosyncratic major-label rock albums of the year, and therefore it was considered as a masterpiece" and "a breathtaking record full of inspired writing, smooth melodies and eloquent instrumentation. It was clearly one of Lloyd Cole's finest albums so far. 

 

Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe Track List:

1. Tell Your Sister

2. Weeping Wine

3. To The Lions

4. Pay For It

5. The One You Never Had

6. She's A Girl And I'm A Man

7. Butterfly 

8. There For Her

9. Margo's Waltz

10. Half Of Everything

11. Man Enough

12. What He Doesn't Know

Rocktrospectiva: The Top-Seller "Waking Up The Neighbours" Turns 35

 

Released on 24 September 1991, yes the same day such as "Nevermind", or "Blood Sugar Sex Magik." "Waking Up the Neighbours" was the sixth studio album by Canadian artist Bryan Adams, the album was a global succesful, which was already guaranteed by the success of the ballad/single "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" which had become a global hit, this significantly boost the album's performance and making it the second best-selling record of his career, following the success of 1984's "Reckless". But the album also spawned the singles "Can't Stop This Thing We Started", "Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven", "All I Want Is You", "There Will Never Be Another Tonight", "& "Do I Have To Say The Words?."

Produced by the legendary Robert "Mutt" Lange—who helped Adams write and refine the songs—the album featured the standout track originally composed by Michael Kamen in the 1960s. Lange assisted with the lyrics, and they added a distinctive touch using medieval instruments, as the song served as the theme for the Kevin Costner film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves".  

However, there were other great tracks as well, such as the second single, "Can't Stop This Thing We Started"—a more upbeat, rock-oriented song that reached No. 2 and received heavy rotation on MTV. Next came "There Will Never Be Another Tonight" which didn't get much airplay althought it was originated from a late-80s collaboration between Adams and Jim Vallance, followed by the power ballad "Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven," which was the fourth single and another Top 20 hit. Later came "All I Want Is You," "Touch the Hand," and the brilliant "Do I Have To Say The Words?"; the latter received heavy MTV rotation and was a genuine hit worldwide. 

The album was a massive global success, driven by the famous Robin Hood's  theme song—which ranked in the top five tracks of 1991 in many countries worldwide—and cemented Adams's status as an international global star. 

However, it also sparked controversy in his home country due to Canadian content regulations; despite being Canada's biggest album, it was produced and created with non-Canadians, meaning it did not qualify as a "Canadian" record. Adams boycotted the Juno Awards as a result, a move that ultimately led to a review of the policy. 

The album likely marked the end of Adams's era of massive commercial dominance, as he never again achieved success on the same scale. Unlike the alternative acts at the time, Adams was already an established artist, so his trajectory—and the reach of this album—followed a completely different path.

 

Waking Up The Neighbours Track List:  

 

1. Is Your Mama Gonna Miss Ya?

2. Hey Honey, I'm Packin' You In!

3. Can't Stop This Thing We Started

4. Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven

5. Not Guilty

6. Vanishing

7. House Arrest

8. Do I Have To Say The Words?

9. There Will Never Be Another Tonight

10. All I Want Is You

11. Depend On Me

12. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You

13. If You Wanna Leave Me (Can I Come Too?) 

14. Touch The Hand

15. Don't Drop That Bomb On Me 

In Memoriam: Naked Eyes' "Peter Byrne" Dies Aged 74

Peter Byrne, the remain part of the new wave British band Naked Eyes has died on 14 September in Los Angeles, he was 74. Jim Merlis, a spokesperson for the group, confirmed Byrne’s death, adding that he died “peacefully … after a brief illness.” A specific cause of death was not immediately available.

Byrne and Rob Fisher, college friends from Bath, England, were first members of the band Neon, which included future Tears for Fears members Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Byrne and Fisher went on to become a duo, launching Naked Eyes in 1982, the year they also signed to EMI Records.

Their debut studio album, which was self-titled in the U.S. and Canada and called Burning Bridges elsewhere, arrived in 1983. The album rose up the charts, reaching Number 32 on the Billboard 200 on the strength of two of the album's hits: a cover of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Always Something There to Remind Me," which peaked at Number Eight on the Billboard 100, and "Promises, Promises," which reached Number 11 and imbued their signature synth-pop sound. The album’s "When the Lights Go Out" also became a Top 40 hi t and had heavy rotation on the early days of MTV.

The New Wave band recorded a sophomore album, Fuel for the Fire, in 1984. That, too, spawned a Top 40 hit with "(What) In The Name Of Love," and the album peaked at Number 83 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. They disbanded after its release.

In 1985, Byrne lent his vocals to back Stevie Wonder’s hit "Part-Time Lover" and went into songwriting for television, film, and for the Olsen Twins.

After Rob Fisher died in 1999 at the age of 42, Byrne continued to make music and toured the U.S. and internationally. In 2001, he release solo album, The Real Illusion. Additional Naked Eyes releases followed, including 2007’s Fumbling With the Covers, 2021’s Disguise the Limit, and a remaster of their self-titled debut arrived last year

Rocktrospectiva: The Danceable And Innovative "Screamadelica" Turns 35

 

Released on 23 September 1991, "Screamadelica" was the third studio album by the Scottish band Primal Scream. It was considered the most significant album in the band's discography due to its impact at the time of release, showcasing their evolution from indie rock to a group that inspired the early 90s house and dance scene. The album spawned the singles "Loaded", "Come Together", "Higher Than The Sun", "Don't Fight It, Feel It", "Movin' On Up", "Damaged" & "Slip Inside This House."

This shift was largely due to the production work of the legendary Andrew Weatherall and sound engineer Hugo Nicolson, who helped remix the original recordings to give them a dance-oriented sound. It was the band's first album to achieve both commercial and critical success, though this milestone was preceded by a series of events; the band had previously released two albums filled with abrasive sounds that failed to make much of an impact. 

In the late 80s and early 90s, the "Madchester" scene started to give up to the acid house movement—a genre often associated with drugs like LSD and MDMA. While they weren't the first to explore this direction—bands like The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays had already taken initial steps—Primal Scream approached it differently. 

Their background sound based on indie rock and combined with the producers' work, helped to create a sound that shattered the barriers existing at the time; suddenly, those of us who listened to indie rock felt the urge to hit the dance floor without reserves, thanks to "Screamadelica. Bobby Gillespie stated that although Primal Scream was a rock band with diverse tastes, they were interested in other genres and open to change; notably, they cited The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, the legendary Nico and her album The Marble Index, as well as plenty of 1960s sounds and 1970s reggae and dub. 

Consequently, Andrew Weatherall—a friend of the band—decided to experiment with one of their tracks, "I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have." The result was something entirely different and overwhelming, which they dubbed "Loaded"; it was packed with new sounds and samples from the Jane Fonda film "The Wild Angels". The next track was the brilliant "Come Together," setting the direction for the rest of the album alongside Weatherall, though the band's producer, Jimmy Miller, added a rock edge by producing "Movin' On Up" and "Damaged." 

Things were going so well that The Orb took on "Higher Than The Sun," while the production team Hypnotone put their stamp on "Slip Inside This House," featuring an incredible bassline. "Loaded" was the first single released—about 18 months before the album itself—followed by five others, most notably "Come Together" and "Higher Than The Sun." By then, the domino effect was already in motion; the collaborations undoubtedly did justice to the band's work, proving that rock and dance music could coexist. It is worth remembering, however, that this was also the era when groups like EMF and Jesus Jones emerged with the "alternative dance" sound that dominated the early 1990s. 

The album cover was another fascinating aspect of the early 90s art—instantly recognizable wherever you happen to be. Artist Paul Canell saw those peculiar shapes in a puddle after taking LSD outside the Creation Records offices; it’s no wonder NME dubbed it the most drug-fueled album in history. 

Primal Scream made it all sound far too easy on Screamadelica, whose combination of classic songwriting and electronic production left an early high-water mark for forward-thinking rock music in the 90s., the album was very well received by critics, and called it a "totally mind-blowing" record whose best songs were "almost unclassifiable", it was an album that transcends its time and influence.

 

Screamadelica Track List:  

 

1. Movin' On Up

2. Slip Inside This House

3. Don't Fight It, Feel It

4. Higher Than The Sun

5. Inner Flight

6. Come Together

7. Loaded

8. Damaged

9. I'm Comin' Down

10. Higher Than The Sun (A Dub Symphony In Two Parts)

11. Shine Like Stars 

Rocktrospectiva: The Underrated Odd Gem "Trompe Le Monde" Turns 35

 

Released on 23 September 1991—just a day before the iconic "Nevermind" and other sonic gems at the time—"Trompe Le Monde" was the fourth studio album by the US alternative rock band Pixies. Produced by Gil Norton, it was the band's final album before their breakup two years later and the last to feature the talents of founding bassist Kim Deal. Four magnificent singles were released from the album: "Planet of Sound," "Alec Eiffel," the incredible "Head On," and finally "Letter to Memphis"—with the Jesus & Mary Chain cover reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

The story of this album—often underrated and arguably forgotten for various reasons—was complex; perhaps its sound was somewhat eccentric, or internal band tensions played a role (Kim Deal had simply had enough). Vocalist Francis sent a fax to everyone except Joey Santiago announcing the decision to end the band at that time—though, as we know, they later returned stronger than ever over the last decade and remain active, albeit without Deal. 

 

Another plausible reason for its obscurity is that it was released just a day before albums such like "Nevermind" or "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"; althought those records were also slow burners, they became inonic and effectively swallowing "Trompe Le Monde's" legacy and consigning it to oblivion. Very few people were familiar with "Trompe le Monde", and perhaps only in recent years the album finally received its due; while the band's earlier releases were monumental, this record holds its own against its illustrious predecessors. 

 

The band still sounded great here, experimenting with keyboards and leaning into a raw rock sound—albeit one somewhat hampered by Deal’s lack of creative input. Nevertheless, the album delivered rhythm, great guitar work, distortion, energy, vibe, and plenty of emotion. Standout tracks include those reflecting a fascination with ufology and science fiction—such as the aggressive, strident, hardcore-tinged "Space (I Believe In)"; the quirky "The Sad Punk," featuring a vocal performance where Black Francis sounds like a screaming asylum patient; and the vibrant "Alec Eiffel," reportedly written in honor of the Eiffel Tower's creator. Yet, the undisputed gem is their cover of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s "Head On"—a version that improved upon the original and was accompanied by an incredible music video that saw heavy rotation on MTV. 

 

There was also the obscene "U-Mass," where Francis unleashed his raunchiest side; the guitar-driven "Letter to Memphis"; "Motorway to Roswell," another track touching on the UFO phenomenon; and "The Navajo Know," which addressed the social issue of the mistreatment of the Navajo people. These tracks rounded out a great album that few understood at the time. 

 

While one might be tempted to blame Nirvana, Soundgarden, or the Red Hot Chili Peppers—who released their own albums around the same time—for overshadowing it, we must remember that the grunge phenomenon didn't happen overnight. However, once it exploded, it literally caused many things to be forgotten, and this album was undoubtedly one of them. 

 

Now, thirty five years later, we are rescuing it from obscurity and give it the honored place it deserves—regardless of whether it is considered the first album... ...Francis’s solo work due to Deal’s limited involvement in songwriting; however, one must not forget that the band was undoubtedly ahead of its time and laid the groundwork for the indie sound that would dominate the 90s—including "Nevermind", where one of the standout tracks, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," was in every sense a song clearly influenced by the Pixies.

 

Trompe Le Monde Track List: 

 

1. Trompe Le Monde

2. Alec Eiffel

3. Planet Sound

4. The Sad Punk

5. Head On

6. U-Mass

7. Palace Of The Brine

8. Letter To Memphis

9. Bird Dream Of The Olympus Mons

10. Space (I Believe In)

11. Subbacultcha

12. Distance Equals Rates Times Time

13. Lovely Day

14. Motorway To Roswell

15. The Navajo Know

The Anniversary/Television Personalities: The Unlikely And Unusual TV Show "ALF" Turns 40

 

Premiered on NBC on 22 September 1986, "ALF (Alien Life Form)" the furry alien named Gordon Shumway who crash-landed his spaceship into a suburban garage, then moved in with the Tanner family for the next 4 years. At the time, critics weren't sure what NBC was doing with its upcoming sitcom. Some medias described the new series as "ridiculous" and predicted it would fail, also targeted the lead character "ALF" as not cute enough to sustain the comedy.

ALF was a cretainly an unusual choice: a live-action sitcom about an ordinary family suddenly visited by an alien. He wasn't kindly or even cute, indeed, he was a crabby, cranky, and furry monster who was sarcastic, selfish, always scheming, and stuck in a suburban house with people who could not get rid of himbut in 1986, there was little else on television quite like it.

Making its eventual success even more remarkable was the difficult production. To accommodate the puppet, the set had to be raised four feet above the ground with trap doors cut into the stage. ALF was voiced and operated by puppeteer Paul Fusco, while 33-inch-tall actor Michu Meszaros wore a costume for full-body shots. The elaborate setup made "ALF" unusually time-consuming and expensive to produce, meaning the strange new sitcom needed viewers to embrace it quickly. Max Wright, who played family Father, Willie, was able to appreciate the series more fully years after it ended. "It doesn't matter what I felt or what the days were like," he said. "'ALF' brought people a lot of joy. They adored it."

But not everything seemed to work perfectly at the time, it was an exhausting show to produce, a 30-minute episode regularly took 20 to 25 hours to shoot. The cast spent entire days waiting while the puppet was repositioned, and the atmosphere on set reflected it. In a 2000 People magazine interview, the cast confirmed the set ran on constant, high tension. Max Wright, who played Willie Tanner, said of the show's end: "I was hugely eager to have it over with." For the shots that needed ALF’s full body on screen, walking or standing, the production used Michu Meszaros, a 33-inch-tall former Ringling Bros. circus performer from Hungary, uncredited in the role. Meszaros died in 2016 at 76. "It was a technical nightmare," Anne Schedeen, who played Kate and passed away in June 2026, told People in a 2000 interview. "Extremely slow, hot, and tedious. If you had a scene with ALF, it took centuries." 

The production was a grind unlike anything else on network television in the 1980s. ALF was an elaborate puppet operated primarily by creator Paul Fusco from beneath the set. Fusco controlled the mouth and right arm, Lisa Buckley operated the left arm, and Bob Fappiano ran the facial movements by radio control. The set itself was built on a platform raised four feet off the ground, with trap doors cut at many points so ALF could pop up almost anywhere.

Curiously, "ALF" became a hit, with NBC adding two extra episodes to Season 1 and quickly renewing it for a second season. Although the character was popular with kids, puppeteer Paul Fusco told The Tampa Tribune that the show's appeal extended to all ages. "Sure, children like the character, but there are jokes that go right over their heads," he said. Fusco added of ALF, "He says things we're all thinking but never have the nerve to say. He can get away with it because he's an alien." 

Co-created by Fusco and Tom Patchett, debuted to strong numbers and climbed from there. By its second season it was the 10th most-watched show on US television. It won the 1987 People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy Program and Favorite Show at the 1988 Kids' Choice Awards. The franchise machine followed immediately: a Saturday morning cartoon, ALF: The Animated Series, then a second animated spin-off, ALF Tales, and ALF's face on seemingly everything a store could stock. For about three years he was everywhere. 

The fourth season's final episode, "Consider Me Gone," originally aired on March 24, 1990. In it, the Alien Task Force, the military unit that spent four seasons hunting him, finally closes in. The series ends with ALF captured and the story unresolved. Fade to black. It was supposed to be continuation, not an ending, NBC had given the continuation for a fifth season, but then, the network withdrew its support, and the show was canceled with ALF in the hands of the government and no explanation coming. Six years later, ABC produced a TV movie called Project: ALF that seemed to be the continuation we expected but none of the original Tanner family cast appeared in it. 

The franchise kept trying. In 2004, TV Land gave the character his own talk show, ALF’s Hit Talk Show, with Ed McMahon as his sidekick, which is exactly what it sounds like. In August 2018, Warner Bros. announced a reboot but it was canceled three months later. The original four seasons have quietly migrated across every streaming platform that will have them just like any other sitcom has done so far, and believe it or not, the show still as popular as it was 40 years ago, thanks to streaming on different platforms such as Prime Video and Peacock, and free on Tubi, Plex, and The Roku Channel.

In summary, ALF was a weirdo, expensive, exhausting production that ran on the talent of one puppeteer and the patience of a cast that did not always have much patience left. It turn a furry creature into a stardom pop culture icon, despite the convivence on the set was awful, someway somehow the rating were high and real, but 40 years later we still watch the re-runs and keep talking about it.

Especial mention to the original cast we lost, John LaMotta & Liz Sheridan who played the nosy neighbours the Ochmonek both already died, Max Wright, who played Willie Tanner for all four seasons, died on June 26, 2019, at 75, of lymphoma. Anne Schedeen who played Kate Tanner for all four seasons, died on June 14, 2026 at 77.  Benji Gregory, who played the youngest Tanner, Brian, died on June 13, 2024, at 46, in Peoria, Arizona. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner ruled the death accidental, caused by hepatic cirrhosis and heat exposure. He was found with his service dog. And finally Michu Meszaros, the man inside the suit, died on June 12, 2016, at 76.

Film: David Lynch's Masterpiece "Blue Velvet" Turns 40

 

Released on 12 September in Toronto and then on 19 September in the USA in 1986, "Blue Velvet" the legendary neo-noir mystery thriller film written and directed by David Lynch is turning 40. The film stars Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, and Laura Dern, and is named after the 1951 song of the same name. The film follows a college student (MacLachlan) who returns to his hometown and discovers a severed human ear in a field, which leads him to uncover a criminal conspiracy involving a troubled nightclub singer (Rossellini).

Lynch's screenplay of Blue Velvet had been passed around multiple times in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with several major studios declining it due to its strong sexual and violent content. After the failure of his 1984 film Dune, Lynch made attempts at developing a more "personal story", somewhat characteristic of the surrealist style displayed in his first film Eraserhead (1977). The independent studio De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, owned at the time by Italian film producer Dino De Laurentiis, agreed to finance and produce the film.

The film cemented David Lynch's status as a visionary modern filmmaker and earned him his second Oscar nomination. The film achieved cult classic status, marked Dennis Hopper's return to the screen, and revitalized Isabella Rossellini's career as a dramatic actress, moving her beyond her work as a model and cosmetics spokesperson. 

Initially, however, expectations were low; Lynch was still reeling from the failure of the epic fantasy "Dune" (which, incidentally, is currently being remade). Producer De Laurentiis was reluctant to finance another Lynch film, but after reading the script, he decided to give the director another chance, setting in motion the complex, labyrinthine production of this cult classic. 

The film begins on a sweet, innocent note: elegant opening credits set against a blue velvet curtain, accompanied by the music of the great Angelo Badalamenti, followed by a shot of a blue sky and the first images—firefighters waving and a man suffering a seizure while watering his garden. The plot kicks off one morning when Jeffrey Beaumont—played by Kyle MacLachlan, one of Lynch's regular collaborators—makes a gruesome discovery after visiting his hospitalized father. He finds a human ear in the bushes and places it in a paper bag to take to the police station for analysis. 

This sets off a chain of events revealing a series of bizarre occurrences in Lumberton, a rural North Carolina town—a setting that perhaps served as inspiration for Lynch's later work on the series "Twin Peaks". The film is brilliant; it blends elements of 1950s film noir, exploits the femme fatale archetype, presents a powerful and sinister villain, offers Lynch's twisted vision, and provides a voyeuristic perspective. The scene where Vallens is raped by Frank Booth is deeply disturbing—not to mention the wild, macabre joyride where Jeffrey is forcibly taken along by Frank. Just before that sequence, they perform "In Dreams"—an iconic Orbison track that found a new lease on life through the film. 

Ultimately, the movie became so essential to the 1980s that it is a staple of any discussion regarding influential films of that era. Its strangeness is matched only by the curiosity of my first viewing experience: a Thursday night back in 1992 on broadcast television, completely uncensored—something that would be very hard to find today, especially given the lackluster state of broadcast TV now. 

Blue Velvet initially received a divided critical response,with many stating that its explicit content served little artistic purpose. Nevertheless, the film earned Lynch his second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director, and received the year's Best Film and Best Director prizes from the National Society of Film Critics. It came to achieve cult status. As an example of a director casting against the norm, it was credited for revitalizing Hopper's career and for providing Rossellini with a dramatic outlet beyond her previous work as a fashion model and a cosmetics spokeswoman.

In the years since, the film has been re-evaluated, and is widely regarded as one of Lynch's masterpieces. and is frequently cited as one of the greatest films of the 1980s. Publications including Sight and Sound, Time, Entertainment Weekly and BBC Magazine have ranked it among the greatest American films of all time. In 2008, it was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of the ten greatest American mystery films.

Rocktrospectiva: Pet Shop Boys' Top Ten Single "Suburbia" Turns 40

Released on 22 September 1986 "Suburbia" was a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their debut album, Please. It was re-recorded with producer Julian Mendelsohn for release as the fourth single from the album. Peaking at number eight on the UK Singles Chart, "Suburbia" was the band's second top 10 hit after "West End Girls", and in their view it saved them from becoming a one-hit wonder.

The song's primary inspiration was the 1983 Penelope Spheeris film Suburbia, and its depiction of violence and squalor in the suburbs of Los Angeles. The recent events of the Brixton riots of 1981 and of 1985 were another influence. The lyrics convey the boredom of suburbia ("I only wanted something else to do but hang around") and the underlying tension among disaffected youth. The music is punctuated by sounds of suburban violence, riots, and smashing glass, along with barking dogs—a motif derived from scenes in Spheeris's film.

"Suburbia" was written in 1985 at Terminal Studios in London. Chris Lowe composed the music; according to him, the bassline was inspired by Madonna's hit song of that time, "Into the Groove". Neil Tennant wrote the lyrics afterwards. They added car crash samples from an Emulator and riot noises from a film. The duo did not have time to rework the track during the 10-week recording session for Please, and the album version is essentially a polished version of their demo.

A completely new version was made for the single, using barking dogs recorded at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, audio of riots obtained from the BBC, and real breaking glass. Julian Mendelsohn brought in Fairlight programmer Andy Richards, who created a horn section sound with the synth line. Gary Barnacle played saxophone on the track. The single version is an edit of a longer piece called "Suburbia (The Full Horror)", which includes a spoken word segment with the refrain, "Suburbia, where the suburbs met utopia…", and ends in a series of explosions.

Pet Shop Boys had thought that their career might be on a downward trajectory when "Love Comes Quickly", the follow-up single to their number one hit "West End Girls", only reached 19 on the UK Singles Chart, but "Suburbia" alleviated those concerns. 

"Suburbia" was released on 22 September 1986. It spent four weeks in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart, with two weeks at its peak position of number eight. The duo promoted the single heavily in Europe, where it received widespread radio airplay. In West Germany, "Suburbia" was in the top 10 for nine weeks from 10 November 1986 to 12 January 1987; its peak position was number two, which it held for four weeks. The song was also a top 10 hit in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Switzerland, New Zealand, Sweden, and Austria.

The B-side of the 7-inch single had Lowe's first lead vocal appearance, "Paninaro". A 7-inch EP in a double pack sleeve, limited to 25,000 copies, came with the standard single on one disc and a Shep Pettibone remix of "Love Comes Quickly" backed with "Jack the Lad" and the short edit "Suburbia Part 2" on the other. "Suburbia (The Full Horror)" was released as a 12-inch single and is also on Disco and the reissue Please: Further Listening 1984–1986.

The 7-inch version of "Suburbia" has been included on the compilation albums Discography: The Complete Singles Collection, Ultimate, and Smash: The Singles 1985–2020. PopArt: The Hits includes the "Video Mix" from the music video, which has an intro featuring the spoken word refrain.

Two remixes of "Suburbia" by Arthur Baker, the "Club Vocal Mix" and the "Dub Mix", were originally used on a promotional 12-inch EP. In 2023, both remixes were released by Pet Shop Boys as digital downloads, and the "Club Vocal Mix" was included on Arthur Baker: The Classic Dance Remixes from Baker's Dance Masters series.

The sleeves for the single were designed by Mark Farrow with photos by Eric Watson. The standard 7-inch single (pictured) has a motion-blurred image of Tennant holding Lowe in a headlock. The main 12-inch single has a selenium-toned portrait of Lowe wearing a striped Poshboy shirt and a pair of Issey Miyake shutter sunglasses. Farrow won a Design and Art Direction silver award for the 12-inch sleeve, and Watson's portrait of Lowe is in the Photographs Collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London.

The video was directed by Eric Watson and features footage of the duo in a Los Angeles suburb, while they were there for that year's MTV Video Music Awards, and a contrasting image of British suburbia, filmed in Kingston-upon-Thames, a suburb of south-west London. It opens with the barking dog motif in an extended "Video Mix" of the song, and dogs appear throughout. Tennant and Lowe are shown walking in the streets among the residents and sitting on a sofa in a house full of unpacked boxes, which represent sudden wealth and the acquisition of things that haven't been used, according to Watson.

Suburbia Track List: 

7-inch: Parlophone / R 6140 (UK)

 

1. Suburbia

2. Paninaro

  

2×7-inch: Parlophone / RD 6140 (UK)

 

1. "Suburbia" 

2.  "Paninaro" 

3.  "Love Comes Quickly" [Shep Pettibone Mastermix] (Early Fade) 

4.  "Jack the Lad" 

5.  "Suburbia Pt. Two" 

 

MC: Parlophone / TC R 6140 (UK)

 

1. "Suburbia" 

2.  "Paninaro" 

3.  "Jack the Lad" 

4.  "Love Comes Quickly" [Shep Pettibone Mastermix]

 

MC: Parlophone / TR 6140 (UK)

 

1. "Suburbia" (The Full Horror) 

2.  "Paninaro"

3.  "Jack the Lad" 

4.  "Love Comes Quickly" [Shep Pettibone Mastermix] (Even Earlier Fade) 

 

12-inch: Parlophone / 12 R 6140 (UK)

 

1. "Suburbia" (The Full Horror) 

2.  "Paninaro" 

3.  "Jack the Lad" 

 

12-inch: EMI America / V-19226 (US)

 

1.  "Suburbia" (The Full Horror)

2.  "Suburbia" (7-inch version) 

3.  "Jack the Lad"