Conference mr1pst::music

    New album?  Label, title, please?  
    
    Yeah, I like them.  They definitely are the smooth face of reggae, but
    they have great singers and I was a convert after catching them live
    about ten years ago in a sweaty show at the Channel in Boston.
    
    It's too bad they keep having hits with cover tunes, because their
    originals are even better IMHO.
    
    							Brian

    .1:
    
    The title of the CD is "Promises and Lies", and is on the Virgin
    (Capital) label.  It was just released today.  Strawberries, Tower
    Records, and Newbury Comics have stocked up on it.
    
    All the songs except for "Can't Help Falling in Love" are written by
    UB40.  I agree with you that their songs, are much better.  I'm hoping
    one of their songs will be released as a new single.  Unfortunately
    they are not as big over here as they are in Europe.
    
    Some of the song titles are:
    
    Promises and Lies
    Now and Then
    Higher Ground
    Reggae Music
    Desert Sand
    Bring Me Your Cup
    C'est La Vie
    
    I can't remember the others.  I believe there are 10 all together.
    
    In concert they sing 8 songs from this CD and all the others are from
    past CD's.  The show is about 2 hours long and well worth it.
    
    Nancy

    
    
    	I think the way UB40 hacked apart "Can't Help Falling in Love"
    	is a disgrace.  It is a poor example of a remake and is an insult
    	to anyone who even remotely likes Elvis.  What's next, "Burnin -
    	Love"?  Disgusting.
    
    	/andy

    
    
    I hope they do "Viva Las Vegas" next.  I liked Elvis' version, I really
    liked ZZ Top's version.  Why not give UB40 a shot?
    
    

    .4:
    
    Apparently a lot of people disagree with you.  It's been the Number 1
    single in the country for 3 weeks now.
    
    I usually don't like remakes, but I do like this one.  Although, nobody
    sings a song like Elvis.
    
    Nancy

    
	>Although, nobody sings a song like Elvis.
    
    
    	Some of us consider this a plus.  8^)
    
    							GTI
    

    re .7, no kidding!  :-)
    
    My thoughts exactly.
    
    Lorna
    

    
    
    
    		Yes, I realize I am out numbered as far as the pimple
    		faced lollypop sucking adolescents go.  It's just too
    		bad  they follow this type of band that has so little
    		talent that they have to do remakes of Elvis.  Whether
    		anyone likes it or not, Elvis *is* the King of Rock and
    		Roll and was a very talented person.  Unfortunately the
    		society that we live in today doesn't appreciate where
    		they came from, thus producing bands like UB40.
    
    		I may be out numbered, but I the company is good. ;-)
    
    
    		/andy

As long as we're in an Elvis rathole...

Actually, Elvis was a damn good singer.  He was even innovative in his 
early days.  My primary problem with Elvis is the god-worship cult that
has developed around him.  Well, that and the bad movies... :-)

-Hal

    re .10, and that tacky white outfit in Vegas...
    
    Lorna
    

    
    
     I kinda like the cover of "I can't help..." that UB40 has done. 
    Its not as bad as .9 makes it sound. As far as Elvis goes, his time
    is long gone. Elvis = Jurasic Rock. Even Dwight Yokum's Elvis cover,
    which I can't remember the name of, is not too bad. I kinda like it
    too.
           IMO of course
    
                          mike
    

    
    Notice how nobody complains when UB40 covers Marley, Jimmy Cliff or any
    of the early SKA bands in their Labour Of Love albums.
    
    Dem bwais mek I an I wanna dance!
    
    -Ed
    

    
    
    	Yes, the UB40 cover does kind of grow on you, like a fungus.
    	I agree that all the hype and cult type BS that Elvis' fans
    	generated was out of hand.  Regardless, Elvis is responsible 
    	for a lot of todays music.
    
    	As far as his white outfit, not quite as bad a Libaracci (?sp)
    	but it was the seventies, bell bottoms and such.
    
    	His time long gone?  In one sense yes, in another his songs are
    	timeless, UB40's version (and I use the term loosely) is an
    	example.  Elvis' classics will be around long after UB40 is back
    	on the street panhandling.  Some peoples taste are limited to 
    	their mouth, that's my "Opinion".  
    	
    	Jurrasic Rock?  Ahhhh, that's the problem with the world today.
    	The quality of yesterday's music is long gone, I agree.  But who
    	are the losers?  Take television today, it used to be Hogan's
    	Hero, I Love Lucy, Beverly Hillbillies, Happy Days.  Now? 
    	Simpsons,  90210, Beavis and Butthed, Ren and Stimpy. Pathetic.
    	
    
    	My point is, and has been, Elvis was a very talented individual
    	with a great voice.  And, IMO, the remaking his classic, as this
    	band did is like painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa.
    
    	Take Madonna for instance, she is the biggest SLUT I've ever seen
    	in my life, but who can argue that she too, is very talented?
    	
    	Actually I'm sure someone can but that's a rathole for another day. 
    	;-)
    
    	Regards,
    
    	/Andy

    re: -1..i dont' think madonna' s all that talented..but she does do a
    couple of catchy tunes...and she's got an incredible marketing machine
    that is apparently very successful and proves that she has a pretty
    good working brain under that hair...and given that 'sex sells' she has
    used that gimmick to her advantage....to label someone a 'slut'
    because you believe her 'marketing' ...bugs me....just because you
    bought that, doesn't mean i do and so unless you have first hand
    knowledege of her as a 'slut' "a slovenly or whorish woman..."
    and last time i checked slovenly meant "untidy or messy or slipshod"..
    ..first hand knowledge at least warranting the character assault
    ... then might i ask that you keep such derisive comments to yourself 
    lest someone in here start calling you names like 'judgemental pinhead' 
    for instance, for simply not liking your opinions and your way of sharing 
    them........and to -2 responses..ok, i'll join in ..i dont' like any of 
    UB40's reggae covers either, in fact i can't figure out what's so special 
    about them at all...but no matter, if others like 'em ....great!....
                        .........................../k..........

    
    
    Well K,
    
    Well written but.............obviously you didn't "read" and I use
    that term loosely (how appropriate), "SEX".  Any woman who poses 
    in and participates in the EXPLICIT photos, narrating them with filthy 
    comments on specific sexual (including sodomistic) acts is a SLUT pain 
    and clear.  Piercing genitals, transvestism, bizzare and unnatural
    acts is just plain gross.  
    
    My derrisive comments are my opinion, which I am free to express at any 
    given moment.  As far as name calling, call me what you will, I shall
    consider the source.  If I express a little too much morality, please
    don't excuse me.
        
    I'm not writing my comments here to start a argument, I enjoy healthy
    a debate.  I appreciate and respect everyones opinion, even if they
    differ from mine.
    
    IMO, UB40 has little or no talent, and Madonna is a SLUT.  If your 
    opinion differs, fine.
    
    Have a Nice Day!
    
    ;-)
    
    /andy
    

    
    Fact is that Jamaican artists have done reggae and Ska versions of
    of American Top-40 hits for decades.  UB40 is simply carrying on what
    is considered an established tradition in the reggae world.
    
    I'd venture to say theirs is not the first Elvis cover ever done "inna
    Earthman stylee"  Difference is that it gets airplay where a bunch of
    Elvis-worshippers living in trailer parks and decanting Jim Beam in
    containers shaped like their idol can complain about their defacing a
    national treasure.
    
    Sheesh! get a life! It's only Rock-n-Roll!!
    
    -Ed
     

    ..yeah you're right...i didn't *read* "SEX"..in fact, i had to read
    your note twice to figure out that was the name of madonna's sex
    book..i don't read stuff that i know will offend me...i wonder why you
    do?....interesting how that marketing machine of hers is making a ton'
    o' money off of the proper moral outrage of people such as yourself...
    i'll bet no one who didn't want to look at those pictures would buy the
    thing if it wasn't for the huge controversy, not to mention news and
    t.v. time given over to those who were morally outraged....does this
    woman know how to tweek the public to make a buck or what??....in
    anycase..you are entitled to your opinion and so am i...i just have a
    real problem with labels and don't think people are as black and white
    as the labels used to describe them...even you 'judgemental pinheads'
    aren't all of one variety.....;'))....................../k 
                                        

    
    
    I love reading stuff that I know will offend you...unless it offends
    me, too!
    
    

    Re: Elvis

    Elvis was a wee (just a few years) bit before my time but as years past
    and I listened to music without without prejudice, I concluded that he
    did indeed earn his place in the history of music. His vocal work was
    excellent on many of his hits. My favorite examples are:

        Hound Dog
        Return To Sender
        Don't Be Cruel

    In his vocals he had an excellent sense of melody, timing and phrasing,
    his band really rocked and he put on a helluva show. But like I said
    elsewhere, I suppose it's politically correct to trash Elvis but not,
    say, Leadbelly.
    
    Too bad about the seventies, though.

    --Ron

    re Madonna, a good business woman, with a lot of guts, and
    self-confidence, but not extremely talented, and probably not much a
    slut either.
    
    Lorna
    

The name "UB40" comes from the name of a form which is given
to unemployed people in the UK, so that they can claim unemployment
benefit (Unemployment Benefit 40). Apparently, most of the band
were unemployed when the bad was formed. Hence the name.

I sometimes wish they were still unemployed when I here things like;
"Red Red Wine" and "Can't Help Fallin'....." coming from the radio.



Chris.

    
    
    	RE: .18
    
    			How do you know it would offend you prior to my
    			explanation of it's context?  I didn't either.
    		        I happen to be browsing through it, my velvet 
    		        Elvis painting upon the wall behing me, drinking 
    			JD out of my  Elvis decanter, watching my video 
    			tape of "Desperately Seeking Susan" while humming 
    			"Don't be Cruel" over and over. Until my relatives
    			who live in the trailer park in Memphis called.
    
    			  ;-)
    
    			I agree she has one hell of a marketing machine but
    			IMO Sean Penn should have left her tied up in the
    			cellar.  I *do* like her music, and have seen her
    			three times, the last when she did that extensive
    			masturbation scene on stage while her cronies felt
    			her up all "Over and Over".  That is when I felt
    			she was getting out of hand.  I'm not "Morally
    			Outraged" over her, she is just giving society
    			what they want.  A friend of mine had the book....
    			I'd never drop $50. it.
    
    			Me a "Judgemental Pinhead"?  Well, someone has to
    			disagree with these bleeding hearts who would say
    			that Ted Bundy was misunderstood.  I call 'em as
    			I see 'em.  Make the world go round. ;^)
    
    
    			Best Regards,
    
    			/andy
    

             
    I wish there were a UB40 note in here somewhere. ;')
    
    Could we please get off this Madonna and Elvis thing.  I started this
    note for UB40.  I don't mind your opinions whether they are likes or
    dislikes, but I wish we could stick with the subject of this note.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Nancy
    
    P.S.  I don't care what anyone else says - I like UB40 and I think they
    are very talented.  But it's a free world and you can dislike whoever
    you want.

    I only have the UB40 album "Signing Off," which I love. 
    I haven't seen this one on CD. Does anyone know if it's
    available? I have the LP, which I think is an import.
    
    I saw them live once on the Boston Common with Midnight
    Oil opening. Great show. I haven't kept up with UB40 for the
    last 10 years, but "Signing Off" is a brilliant record. I've
    sort of been turned off by their covers of popular songs,
    but they can pump out some good reggae when they put their 
    minds to it.
    
    -Tom 

    Tom,
    
    As far as I know "Signing Off" hasn't been released to CD.  I have a
    listing of all their Cd's and that is not listed.  I've never even
    heard of it before.  What date is it from?
    
    I'm in the process of trying to get some of their older stuff, which
    IMHO is the best.  I like their cover versions OK, but THEIR stuff is
    so much better.  One of my favorite CD's is "Rat in the Kitchen".
    
    The critics really like the new CD, and so do I.
    
    I recently purchased a video from one of the concerts and it has some
    really old clips, from clubs they played and also clips from when they
    opened for The Pretenders.  It's a really interesting.
    
    Nancy

    Nancy,
    
    I'll have to check on the year "Signing Off" came out. I'm
    guessing early eighties. It was on some weird label, which 
    probably explains why it's not out on CD. The LP came with 
    an extra disc that had only two songs on it (played at 45 
    rpm, I think). The cover was the unemployment benefits form 
    UB40 from which they took their name (which everyone who 
    bought the album filled in:-)). 
    
    -Tom

    
    UB40 has the #1 single in the country for the 4th week straight, according
    to Billboard.
    
    Their CD "Promises and Lies" also hit the top 200 at #7 and is called
    "The Hot Shot Debut".  I believe this is the best any of their albums
    ever did in this country.  Also, "Labour of Love I and II" have both
    hit the top 200 once again.
    
    Nancy
    
    P.S.  Tom, "Signing Off" IS on CD, but I believe it's an import.  A
    friend of mine got hers in Dublin.

    Nancy,
    
    That's interesting. At least it's out there somewhere. The 
    LP version of "Signing Off" that I have came out in 1980 
    on Graduate records. You should be able to find it in used 
    record stores with some effort.
    
    -Tom