Sherman & Ski - Talk You Into It

Have you been to the land Down Under? Us either, but that doesn't mean we are scared to flip hemispheres. This episode of Sherman and Ski lauds the songwriting and pop sensibility of lead singer Colin Hay, and the whole Aussie gang. Men At Work were clearly a new wave phenomenon, but incorporate a wide variety of instruments, EXTREMELY high melodic notes, and tons of ska/reggae influence which tends to get overlooked. In terms of albums, Business As Usual went supernova of course (Best New Artist Grammy), but both Sherman and Ski agree that Cargo is the underappreciated gem. They streaked like a comet across the outback, then the States, and of course, Ski digs deep into the catalog for his picks. Sherman throws in a fun personal interaction with Mr. Hay (who is hilarious, btw) backstage at Bonnaroo one year, and we all climb back into the cassette tape time capsule. It's beyond time to reassess Men At Work. Crikey!

Just when you think that we wouldn’t dare do it, we invite you to KEEP IT COMIN’ LOVE - Sherman and Ski are vouching for disco (and Latin FUNK) superstars and underrated heroes, KC and THE SUNSHINE BAND. Literally, there are nothing but hits from Miami native Harry Wayne Casey. In fact, a person can drive from Washington DC to Carlisle PA, and you are NOT out of hits, not by a longshot. Sherman and Ski DO get to a couple of extremely deep cuts from the catalog, specifically from their earlier funk records which has some serious bass and horn action.

Ski reminds us that there’s not too much of the string section of traditional disco.  However, Sherman informs us that there is plenty of Booty and Boogie references that remain. Sherman can’t get enough of their fourth album, the oddly titled KC & The Sunshine Band Part III, which is jam-packed with earworms and rump-shakers. Ski pulls from the stellar 1974 debut album Do It Good, and boy is Ski ready to party and Sound Your Funky Horn. Sherman is floored that Please Don’t Go was originally penned by KC as he only knows the KWS 90’s club cover, but of course Ski knew it. We both DO agree that the premium KC material leans towards the earliest work, and one should probably avoid the 2000’s album Yummy, with a bizarre Peter Gabriel cover…yeah, let’s stick with the Latin funk and disco stuff. We also reconnect briefly on the Rock & Roll HOF class of 2022, and see how we did…have a listen!

Happy New Year!! Sherman and Ski are BACK from a small hiatus to bring you some fresh NINETIES era content - we are talking you into another listen of the legendary Luscious Jackson. Founded by Jill Cunniff, Gabby Glaser, Vivian Trimble and joined by ex-Beastie Boys original drummer Kate Schellenbach, this incredible foursome produced some of the most unique sounds of the early to mid 90's. Best known for their 1996 chart hit, the mega-catchy track "Naked Eye", it's hard to overstate how overlooked their catalog has wound up, as they were true alt-rock pioneers with a true blend of hip hop rhythms, speak singing, harmonies, synth flavors...just damn fine work, really.

As usual, Ski discovered this record during his year in Bologna, and reminds us of their later catalogue which is a kids record, while Sherman stumps about the In Search of Manny EP and the debut record Natural Ingredients, and realizes that he may enjoy their…jazz influences? But let’s just say the deep dive we go into is absolutely worth the plunge…as Luscious Jackson’s entire oeuvre has been criminally overlooked. Thanks for jumping back on board with Sherman & Ski!

When David Lee Roth left (or was fired from?) Van Halen following their massive album “1984” the Van Halen brothers considered several possible replacements, from Patty Smythe from Scandal (“I am the WARRIOR!!) to, yes, Phil Collins and, are you sitting down, Daryl Hall from Hall and Oates. Ultimately, they wanted to stay true to the concept of a four-piece band and followed the lead of AC/DC who went from Bon Scott to Brian Johnson. They landed on Sammy Hagar, who first gained notoriety as lead singer of the criminally underrated and overlooked Montrose and then as a solo artist (“I can’t drive……55!!”). Unburdened by trying to land a record deal or establish a name for themselves, Van Hagar could simply focus on being arena rock heroes.

And who can argue with the results? Four US Number 1 multi-platinum albums, MTV video staples (“Right Now” and “Top of the World”), and sold-out tours. So confident that their fans would come along for the ride, Van Halen barely touched on those Roth-era albums during their tours, incorporating a bit of Sammy solo but nothing besides “Jump” from their formative years. The turn to synths and pop on “1984” paved the way for Van Hagar power-pop gems like “Why Can’t This Be Love” “When It’s Love” “Dreams” and “Love Walks In.” But fear not fans of rock and roll, they could still knock you over the head with the first power-drill hit (“Poundcake”) and “Best of Both Worlds” and tap into the blues with “Finish What Ya Started.” Sammy was a more traditional hard rock lead singer with a top-heavy range only surpassed by Anthony’s background vocals that seamlessly transitioned from Roth to Hagar.  Despite Van Hagar’s success, the Van Halen brothers had yet another falling out with a lead singer and Sammy was out by 1996. After trying to catch lightning in a bottle a third time with Gary Cherone from Extreme on “Van Halen III” (note to listeners: there will NOT be a podcast on Van Cherone), and a brief reunion with Sammy for a tour in the mid-2000s, Van Halen went back to Roth in 2007 as you always kind of knew they would. When Eddie died, we lost a chance to hear those Van Hagar songs just one more time. But the music lives on. Just get your best pair of board shorts and Hawaiian shirt, head down to the beach on a sunny summer day, pour yourself a margarita and crank up “5150.” Long live Van Hagar.

Van Halen is one of the most influential bands in rock-n-roll history. Period. And their story simply cannot be told in one chapter (or podcast).

Chapter 1: DIAMOND DAVE, BABY.  The first four Van Halen albums – Van Halen, Van Halen II, Women and Children First, Fair Warning – are iconic, unparalleled in the annals of hard rock and heavy metal. Lead singer: David Lee Roth: master showman and the ultimate frontman. What he might lack in vocal chops, he more than makes up with charisma, hoots and howls, leg-kicks and “I WILL ENTERTAIN YOU UNTIL YOU ARE ENTERTAINED” determination. And, yes, he probably invented LSD: Lead Singer Disease. On guitar: Edward Van Halen. EVH. I mean, c’mon. It’s Hendrix, Clapton, Page, and Eddie Van Halen. Bruce Springsteen once said “If you sound like them, you play like them.” And how many guitarists in the 80s and 90s tried to sound like Eddie Van Halen? Every single one of them. And not just the usual suspects from the Sunset Strip, but Billy Corgan and Mike McCready from Sherman and Ski’s sweet spot of 90s alternative too. Everything was held down by the ultimate rhythm section of Michael Anthony on bass and Alex Van Halen on drums. Unlike Eddie, you might not find them on any top ten lists of their craft, but they laid the foundation and powered the band forward, especially live. And not to be overlooked, Anthony’s backing vocals reached incredible heights and are almost foundational to the sound of the band, unlike anything you might here this side of Mike Mills from R.E.M.

They became arena rock heroes when rock bands were still able to break through relentless touring and FM radio. And then there was the birth of MTV and music videos. The album “1984” was their swan song with Roth and their most commercial album to date, layered with synths and pop gems like their first number 1 hit, “Jump” and videos that defined the time like “Hot for Teacher.” Much to the chagrin of their longtime fans and rock guitar absolutists, Van Halen was suddenly climbing the pop charts and rubbing shoulders with Madonna and Michael Jackson (Eddie of course added his signature sound to “Beat It”). Yet at the height of their success, Roth left to pursue a solo career and it seemed Van Halen had reached the end of the line. How many bands in rock history get a second act when they replace the lead singer? Well, Sherman and Ski have a story to tell you about the birth and success of Van Hagar. But we’ll leave that to the next installment!