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Earworms of the Week

"Aces High" - Iron Maiden

Coincidentally, on a week when Bruce Dickinson gave the press a few easy headlines by flying the Liverpool Football team to Italy for a match, this song was already resident inside my head.  Classic Maiden, of course, with that fog horn voice, the military theme and the wailing guitars.  It's from 1984 but I reckon it's barely dated... well, perhaps that's because Iron Maiden have basically ALWAYS sounded like this.  As long as they have Bruce Dickinson on board, I imagine they always will - assuming he can find the time from his other job as the Marketing Director for the airline Astraeus.  Brilliantly, the press release announcing the appointment didn't even mention his other job: he was just Bruce Dickinson, experienced pilot. Yeah, like that's how he's known to his MILLIONS OF ADORING ADMIRERS.

"Knights of Cydonia" - Muse

This song is no stranger to this list, but I just can't resist its sheer ridiculousness.  The solo is worth the price of entry alone.

"Up The Junction" - Squeeze

After many years of abstractly liking the band, I finally got around to buying a greatest hits album for a couple of quid last weekend.  It's a bit patchy, to be honest, on first listen (perhaps the reason that they weren't more successful than they were).  When they're good, though, they're really very good indeed.  This record is brilliant.  It doesn't have a chorus as such, but it does have absolutely fantastic lyrics, including one of my favourite lines in a record ever"
"The devil came and took me from bar to street to bookie"
On the strength of this song, I think I can afford to be patient and give the album a decent listen, no?

Theme Tune from "Hawaii 5-0"

Probably no explanation necessary.

"Enter Sandman" - Metallica

BOH!

"Manhattan Skyline" - A-ha

A-ha are finally saying goodbye: they're on their farewell tour, and once that's complete, that's it.  Most people probably think that they disappeared years ago and haven't done anything of note since the 1980s, but actually they've been astonishingly consistent and their recent material has mostly sounded really good: "Celice", "Lifelines", "Foot of the Mountain".... all excellent songs.  I was listening to their Greatest Hits the other day, and was reflecting on what a damn good band they are.  Their sound was never overly 80s, instead sounding pure and crisp and relying on Morten Harkett's amazingly clear voice.  As a result, it sounds pretty timeless.  There are so many classics here, of course, but this one is rapidly becoming my absolute favourite.  It starts off quietly and reflectively before launching into that soaring chorus with the loud, almost discordant bit.  Lovely.  Yearning.  Angry.  Sad.  Beautiful.  Nice dot-to-dot video too.

"The Chain" - Fleetwood Mac

0:00  C. > "I don't really know all that much Fleetwood Mac"
0:01  T. > "Yeah you do.  I bet you know this one"
0:28  C. > "Nope.  Nothing so far"
1:15  C. > "Oh, hang on.  I suppose it sounds a bit familiar."
2:06  C. > "No, look I really don't think I know this."
2:24  T. > 'Trust me, you know this.  Just wait a minute...."
3:04  C. > "OH YES! I KNOW IT!"

"Sweet Jane" - Velvet Underground
"Metal Mickey" - Suede

Suede again, but this time nothing much to do with that fake realbanderson Twitter account (which, by the way, it turns out that the REAL Brett Anderson finds amusing. Thanks for the link Ben).  Suede are apparently reforming -- not with Bernard Butler, but with the line up from "Coming Up", when Suede actually had most of their commercial success.  Exciting news.  Coincidentally, I was listening to the VU on the way into work the other day, and I was moved to listen to "Sweet Jane" twice in a row.  It's an amazing record, the way it rolls along with Lou Reed's uncharacteristic whoops and "just watch me nows".  Awesome song.  The two in close juxtaposition remind me, of course, of one of my more eccentric gig selections at Glastonbury, when in 1993 I elected to go and see Suede in preference to seeing the reformed Velvet Underground.  In my defence, I was a huge NME reader at the time, and this was just before the Suede debut album came out.  It remains the only time I saw Suede live, and I was able to watch a bit of the VU as I walked back up to my tent somewhere near the farmhouse.  Of course, now it looks like I'm going to have another chance to see Suede, whilst Sterling Morrison is now dead and Moe Tucker is a supporter of the Tea Party movement in the USA.  Say it ain't so, Mo.

I'd make the same decision again, I tell you!  In an instant!

No.  I wouldn't.  I really wouldn't.

"I Was Made For Lovin' You" - Kiss
"Crazy, Crazy Nights" - Kiss

Stupid band, obviously.  Dumb.  Sexist.  Ridiculous.  Also: AWESOME.  The talky bit on "God Gave Rock and Roll to You"; Gene Simmons calling himself "Doctor Love"; "Strutter" in all its guitar hero awesomeness...... and then there's these two songs.  "Crazy Nights" actually brings tears to my eyes, for goodness sake.

I may be beyond help. (also, bonus points for the first person to post a link to that AWESOME picture of one of Kiss, in full makeup and a dressing gown, stepping out of a backstage festival portaloo.  Funniest photo ever).

Have a good weekend, y'all.