Posted on 04/10/2020 11:24:04 AM PDT by nickcarraway
In this installment, Alexandra Patsavas, a Hollywood music supervisor for shows like Grey's Anatomy and Mad Men, argues on behalf of Wall of Voodoo. Fans of MTV in its earliest days might remember "Mexican Radio," which became an underground hit in 1983 for being one of the first music videos played in heavy rotation. Read Patsavas in her own words below, and hear the radio version at the audio link.
One of the great '80s bands, Wall of Voodoo, came out of the punk/alternative scene in Los Angeles in the [late '70s].
Stan Ridgway founded Wall of Voodoo. His company [Acme] was originally conceived as a soundtrack company for low-budget sci-fi and horror films and their offices were right across the street from the storied Masque Club in LA. Out of that club came The Germs and X and The Go-Go's.
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And you can really hear that score and soundtrack influence in his music. I think "Mexican Radio" is one of the most compelling, memorable sing-alongs ever. It is just such a wonderfully weird song. Stan Ridgway's delivery is so unique.
The way that he weaved such interesting cultural references like noir, like Spaghetti Western and his tip-of-the-hat to Ennio Morricone. And once you understand that, you hear it right away. But as a casual fan, what you come away with on "Mexican Radio" is this glorious pop hit that you sing along to. When you deconstruct it, you can feel all those influences. And to me, that that's what makes an interesting all-time artist.
YouTube As a music supervisor, I'm always obsessed with different versions of songs. I must have discovered "Ring of Fire" after "Mexican Radio." I think it's one of the great covers [of] one of the best country songs of all time [by] the great Johnny Cash. "Ring of Fire" was actually written by June Carter Cash [and Merle Kilgore]. I think it's difficult to do a song that is so storied and well-known, but [on] the Wall of Voodoo version, which actually pre-dates "Mexican Radio," you can really hear the score influence. The second half of the song actually includes the theme from Our Man Flint, which of course was composed by Jerry Goldsmith.
Stan Ridgway not only thought in terms of writing a great pop hit, but also considered and used his scoring background. And perhaps that's part of the reason I love ["Ring of Fire"] so much. I can see it set to picture. It is minimalist and outrageously, wonderfully large all at the same time.
I wish I was in Tia-juana
Eating barbequed iguana
Great lyrics!
The entire album Call of the West is really good. Also other stuff he did solo very good as well. Music was so much better then.
Beat me to it. I always remember that lyric, and the singer’s head emerging from the bowl of beans in the video.
No comprendo, just what does he say?
Camouflage is a great song.
He also worked with Stewart Copeland on some tracks.
Social Distortion did the best cover of “Ring of Fire”, ever.
Camouflage and Don’t Fence Me In were awesome!
Sorry, all the songs they mentioned are OK, but the undiscovered masterpiece is “Don’t Spill My Courage.”
“prove to your viewers what a man can lose,
you got the wrath of God and reason confused
Drive, She Said, is another great song.
I thought of him kind of as a new wave Harry Chapin.
ridgeway (wall of voodoo), elfman, (oingo boingo) and mothersbaugh (devo)
especially when you are in the desert listening to it on real mexican radio!
WoV was a fantastic band. They were even good after Stan left. And Stan has remained brilliant throughout. Great music. Nice guy too. Likes to hang out after his shows.
Love social D
"You gotta watch the ones who always keep their hands clean..."
from the rock world, very haunting film score..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM3Vw0-I0BA&feature=emb_logo
Also not one hit wonders:
Wang Chung
Kajagoogoo
Thomas Dolby
Modern English
Musical Youth
Flock of Seagulls
A-ha
Naked Eyes
and ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
The Big Heat is one of my go-to favorite long drive albums
Seven Days in Sammystown beats seven weeks in quarantine, anyone who says otherwise is on the far side of crazy...
Just don’t eat those pop rocks with Coke or you’ll explode.
[saw wall of voodoo back in 1980. They opened for either Adam and the Ants or Gang of Four, can’t remember which. I Had their first ep - the one with Ring of Fire.]
Man, there were so many good bands doing original, totally different stuff back then - it was like the wild west of music
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