RIP: Jim Steinman

Mangione is tremendous. Another similar guy is Bob James (played "Angela," which is the theme from "Taxi").

 

Mangione and James worked the same genre ... one on the flugelhorn, the other on a keyboard.

And "Angela" is quite good.

 

Right on, Bob James. Some of his later stuff is/was quite flowery and Yanni-ish (at least, from what I've heard on XM; I'll hear the first five seconds of something from the 80s and beyond and change it), but his stuff from the 70s was the bomb.

Late in 1979 he did a series of shows at the Bottom Line in New York (if you haven't checked it out already, look up Wolfgang's Vault (concertvault.com) and think about a subscription. Thousands of live concerts, from Bill Graham, the Capitol Theatre, King Biscuit Flower Hour, etc.). I found this one on YouTube, though it (and some other shows from here) are available at Wolfgang's. This one is some funky goodness, especially "Night Crawler," "Heads" and "Westchester Lady." And, of course, "Angela."

 

It’s not called Yacht Jazz.

That is all.

 

Saw him open for Clapton when I was in HS. It was either 1986 or 1987. He was fantastic.

 

I got way too drunk at a Concrete Blonde concert in 1993. My GF at the time was not pleased. And I still have Bloodletting on a cassette.

 

Oh Swingline, I'm not angry anymooooore

 

And from what I've heard, Concrete Blonde's singer now gets way too drunk at Concrete Blonde concerts.

 

This is a wild, all over the place in a good way interview w/her.

Concrete Blonde singer to keep her land unpaved forever

 

Wondered why this thread was still poppin' - good stuff. Curious if they hire actual musicians to fake like they're playing when lip syncing and singing or if there is a specialized talent agency for actors. Watching Star Search in the '80s you'd see "bands" perform (not sing or play) songs when it was just the lead singer. Some of the other talk gave me an idea for a thread...

 

As far back as I was a kid I wondered where the band was as well as the backup singers.

I don't know if Top of the Pops is still a thing in Britain, but they distilled it down to a diamond nugget.