It seems like every artist today is going back to their roots and drawing inspiration from many great singers from the past. Christina Aguilera went "Back to Basics," and Amy Winehouse went "Back to Black," while singing in the old school style of the original blues, jazz, and r&b artists.
Now, Boyz II Men has released an album called "Motown - A Journey Through Hitsville USA." It's a compilation of Motown covers, and even includes an acapella version of their hit "End of the Road." They include some of my favorites like, "Just My Imagination" (originally by the Temptations), "Mercy Mercy Me" (Marvin Gaye), and "I Was Made To Love Her" (Stevie Wonder).
At a first glance, and strictly judging an album by its cover, the Boyz have successfully channeled some vintage style. They all look positively dapper in their black suits, sitting in what appears to be a quaint little diner. Since they are the most successful R&B male group of all time, and my personal favorite, I have high expectations set for them.
Here is a video with a little more information about the new album:
"¡Viva La Cobra!" is the title of the band Cobra Starship's second album, and I felt just as jubilant as this vivacious title when I looked at their album insert. Cobra Starship is definitely a band that knows how to fuse 80s music and fashion influence with modern day style.
To the far left is an image of their album cover, and next to that is a picture similar to what is inside their album insert (they have the same outfits on, and this is most likely from the same photo shoot). They wonderfully combine bright colors and flashy patterns in a way that stops just short of being offensive. They must have a great stylist, and I think it's brilliant.
Some notable items:
Their large futuristic sunglasses.
Neon tracksuit jackets.
SKINNY pants (a must have), particularly the black and whit checkered pair, and the red and black tiger striped ones.
Their style nicely reflects the upbeat, sometimes comical, and slightly outlandish style of their music. With titles like "Damn You Look Good And I'm Drunk (Scandalous)," and "Prostitution Is The World's Oldest Profession (And I, Dear Madame, Am A Professional)," how can you take yourself too seriously? The entire premise of this band is one serious joke (in a good way), as you can see from the section about the bands beginnings on their webpage. It explains that a cobra from the future came to Gabe (the band's lead singer) and told him the purpose of his life. Fueled By Ramen, the record label they are signed to, has a brief summary of this on their website:
"Gabe Saporta spent days and nights in the deserts of Arizona pondering the nature of being. After being bitten and nearly killed by a venomous snake he awoke to learn his purpose in life from a giant futuristic cobra. His purpose was to create Cobra Starship and make sure the world goes out in style"
They seem to treat the whole concept of celebrity as one big joke, and I can't get mad at them. It's refreshing to see a band embrace music and fashion in such an outrageous way, all while laughing at themselves. Kudos for being different Cobra Starship.
Where can you find it? "Throw your fangs up" high and proud and sport some gear from the Fueled By Ramen web store.
The Spice girls are coming out with a new album, and I just had a scary thought: what if they influence fashion in the same way they did in the '90s? If you don't remember how they changed the world, let me remind you:
Animal print.
7 inch platform shoes, sandals, heels, sneakers...
Everything in a bright and/or offensive color.
Skin tight tube dresses pulled up to give-grandma-a-heart-attack heights.
Little girls must always run around thrusting two fingers in the form of the "peace" symbol in your face, all while screaming "GIRL POWER!" in their best fake British accents.
Babydoll dresses and pigtails.
With baited breath I immediately searched YouTube for the video to their single "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)," to see what they've become. First of all, I was actually happy to see the original line-up return: Geri (Ginger), Emma (Baby), Victoria (Posh), Mel C. (Sporty), and Mel B. (Scary). However, they all seem to have shed their previous Spice-personas for a more sophisticated version of their former selves. With the possible exception of Mrs. Victoria Beckham, who looks as Posh as ever.
Check it out for yourself:
We'll have to wait and see just how successful the girls are with their comeback. I doubt they'll be as successful this time around, but they're getting a pretty good start in the fashion department: Roberto Cavalli has agreed to supply costumes for their upcoming tour, starting December 2 in Vancouver. Apparently he is a good friend of Victoria Beckham's, and was thrilled to get involved in the tour... I wish he was my friend too.
Where can you find it? But their new single now at iTunes, or check out their Greatest Hits record.
The thought of this lounge closing is quite scary to many music enthusiasts, especially since this is a place that calls itself the "home of underground rock." They were in business for nearly 30 years, and housed bands like Talking Heads, the Ramones, and many more.
The full name of the lounge is CBGB & OMFUG. Its recently deceased founder, Hilly Kristal, gave a wonderful history of the location on its official website, and explains its unique name:
"The question most often asked of me is, 'What does CBGB stand for?' I reply, 'It stands for the kind of music I intended to have, but not the kind that we became famous for: COUNTRY BLUEGRASS BLUES.' The next question is always, 'but what does OMFUG stand for?' and I say 'That's more of what we do, It means OTHER MUSIC FOR UPLIFTING GORMANDIZERS.' And what is a gormandizer? It's a voracious eater of, in this case, MUSIC."
For more about the historical venue in New York, RollingStone has a great archive of articles about it and its founder HERE.
What about the designer, John Varvatos, whose boutique is to take over this precious space? His designs are positively snazzy, and completely out of any price range I can ever hope to afford (in the near future anyway). For instance, one model sports an outfit of "wish list" items, including a "Champagne Silk Bow Tie" for $95. Ouch. Nearly $100 for a bow tie? No, thank you. Still, the designer may have some rock cred as RollingStone points out, "Iggy Pop was a model in his fall 2006 ad campaign, and Alice Cooper, Slash and Ryan Adams have donned his designs." Alice Cooper is also featured on the first page of the website, looking rocker-chic with a top hat, cane, eyeliner, and giant snake wrapped around him.
The opening of the Varvatos boutique marks the further upscaling of the Bowery strip. Now, underground rock fans will have to wait and see where and when the promised new location of CBGB will open its doors and pour out the sweet sounds of rebellion.
The Ramones were a CBGB favorite, and fequently performed there. Here is a video of them at the lounge:
Where Can You Find It? Well, you can't visit CBGB & OMFUG since it doesn't really exist right now. You CAN buy their merchandise online though. Also, if you want to buy John Varvatos, you can shop online (although you must be contacted by a "personal shopper" after requesting their merchandise), one of his boutiques, or a retail location. Your best bet to find his merchandise in south Florida would be to visit the Bloomingdale's in Boca Raton, or Aventura.
Music is my life, and fashion is pretty awesome too. I feel like they are two constants in the world that will always evolve, and always be around. No, I'm not an authority on fashion (although I have worked in the wonderful world of retail for nearly 3 years), but I'm pretty proud of my open-minded approach to music. Give me just about anything and I'll try to find the good in it. Don't ask me what my favorite genre is, or what I like, because I'll never be able to finish telling you what or why.
On an irrelevant note, Oscar Wilde is my idol. I too hope to one day rock a full length purple coat in complete confidence.
Enjoy my blog.
"The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last."
