FRIDAY NIGHT: NO EXPIRATION ON VH1 - TOP 40 VIDEOS OF 2010

For the second year in a row, VH1 invited No Expiration to be a "pundit" on their year end video countdown. Full disclosure: I worked at VH1 for years, and they would occasionally ask me to comment on one of their shows, generally when a "real" pundit cancelled at the last minute and they had already paid for a crew. But I got good at being an interviewee (mainly because I was usually the interviewer, and I knew what they were looking for).

Last year, there were lots of rock bands on the countdown, which is why I got the call, but they used my comments on lots of pop artists too.  This year, the list is much more pop-heavy, but I had a great time being interviewed.  Thanks again Rick H and Rob N for thinking of me, and Riley M for two fun interviews.

For some reason, they've posted most of the videos (but not the top five) here, and people who watch VH1's countdowns (or the pop charts) can probably make good guesses of what topped the list. As seen above in a graphic created by VH1, Adam Lambert, Katy Perry, Kid Rock and Bruno Mars have made the cut. There were a lot of questions about Katy Perry's anatomy in the interview.

I was glad that Mumford & Sons' "Little Lion Man" is on the list, I've written about them before.  They are one of my favorite new bands (even though they sound like they're from 1945). Also on the list: Muse, whose "Resistance" is one of he best songs of the past two years. One of the best videos of the year is Jack Johnson's "At Or With Me" which features Saturday Night Live's Andy Sandberg, I'm glad that made the cut.

Not that I only enjoy the more "rock" artists on the list.  I definitely dig P!nk's "Raise Your Glass," which is a great 2010 anthem (despite the lazy lyric "if you're too school for cool"), and also the Lady Gaga/Beyonce duet "Telephone." Also the Jay-Z/Alicia Keys classic "Empire State Of Mind" and both Eminem tracks, "Not Alone" and "Love The Way You Lie" featuring Rihanna. Anyway, tune in and find out what song is #1!

TOMORROW ON OUTQ: POP!

Tomorrow morning on SIRIUS XM OutQ show The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick, I'll be talking about some of the big pop records of the season. And by "pop," I mean big records.  Sonically, these records don't have much in common, but they all feature really catchy songs. 

I've only heard one song, "Well, Well, Well" from Duffy's new album, Endlessly, but I love it. Her album was produced by Questlove and features the guys from The Roots playing on many of the tracks (I'm told). I'm really looking forward to hearing the rest of this album. Larry was one of the first people in America to play Duffy's debut album, and she knows that, which is really cool.

Kings Of Leon just released their latest album, Come Around Sundown. I've never bought into them the way so many others have. I saw them on one of the small stages at the Austin City Limits Music Festival a few years ago (maybe 2003).  They were hyped, and I liked their sound and the way they looked. But their songs didn't stick with me.  A few years later, I saw them open for U2, and I was bored. But on their new album, they're really swinging for the fences, and there are some good songs there.  For my money, I prefer The Drive-By Truckers by a long spell.

Larry kind of told me about The Zac Brown Band last year.  I'd read about them, but on Larry's recommendation, I checked them out.  I think this Zac guy is pretty talented.  He's kind of mainstream country, but also appeals to the jam band crowd.  I think he could end up being like Jimmy Buffett. His new album You Get What You Give could be a really big album.

Bruno Mars is kind of outside my usual arena, but he is a talented kid.  He co-wrote and produced one of the best songs of the year, Cee-Lo Green's "Fuck You," as well as hits for other pop artists including Ke$ha, B.o.B., Flo Rida and Travie McCoy. He just released his own album, Doo-Wops and Hooligans, and I dig a few of the songs, "Grenade," "The Other Side" (which features Cee-Lo and B.o.B.) and "Liquor Store Blues" (featuring Damien Marley).

We may also talk about P!nk's new song "Raise Your Glass," which I didn't like... until I saw the video.  It's really a celebration about people who don't fit in.  Say what you want about P!nk, but she has the spirit of rock and roll in her.

Oh, and also, we'll talk about Mark Ronson's new album Record Collection, which I just wrote about.

TOMORROW ON OUTQ: P!NK, TINA, THE STONES, U2, R.E.M.

Tomorrow on OutQ, I'll be talking about some great reissues and live albums and reissues of live albums and reissues with live tracks. It's that time of year! These are great gift ideas! (for those of you who are new to No Expiration, I do a weekly music news report on Larry Flick's show on the SIRIUSXM channel OutQ every Wednesday morning, as well as occasionally on The Catholic Channel's Busted Halo Show on Thursday nights).


P!nk has a new live album, Funhouse Tour: Live In Australia. It's actually a DVD that comes with a CD I think (I just downloaded a few songs on iTunes). I like P!nk a lot: I interviewed her, and I thought she was really cool. She told me her first two albums were by Mary J. Blige and Bad Religion, and that about tells the story. She's a rocker at heart, and proves it on a pretty powerful cover of Led Zeppelin 's "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You." I think this may have been recorded around the time that she was splitting with her husband (I think they're back together). It's pretty powerful. I know the OutQ audience digs P!nk, and I get it.

Tina Turner also has a live album out, Tina Live. The woman is seventy - seventy! - and still rocks! That said, I don't really like this album, it's a bit smooth and Vegasy, but I don't want to say much more than that. I feel douchey even getting into those kind of criticisms, Tina can do what she wants. I will say that that sound totally works on "Private Dancer."

I much prefer Tina's performance with Ike & Tina Turner that is included on this deluxe reissue of The Rolling Stones ' Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out. Ya-Ya's is a live album recorded on the 1969 Stones tour - this reissue includes some extra tracks, as well as the opening sets by Ike & Tina Turner and B.B. King. Back then Tina was badass, but I'm glad that she has a much better life now. The Stones were maybe at the peak of their game - Mick Taylor was in the band at that point, they were just awesome. And B.B. also kills it. This is a great example of an awesome reissue - something the Stones have really never done. Their reissues tend to have no extras at all.

I've already written about R.E.M.'s Live At The Olympia In Dublin 39 Songs. It features the band trying out songs from last year's Accelerate, which was one of my favorite albums of the year, and the only album I like by R.E.M. since Bill Berry left. They also played lots of classics, and the deluxe version comes with a DVD documenting the five night stand when this was recorded, during a break in the Accelerate sessions. The album also features notes on all the songs by Peter Buck.

Finally, U2's deluxe reissue of 1985's Unforgettable Fire. It includes a bunch of b-sides and outtakes, as well as the 1985 EP Wide Awake In America. There's also "Disappearing Act," a song that they started during the sessions for the album. and only recently finished this year. It also has a DVD that contains a documentary, the music videos from the album, footage from an Amnesty International concert, and their set from Live Aid.I don't know if I'll get to all of this tomorrow, but I hope I do! It's all good stuff that you need to know about.

TOMORROW ON OUTQ

In an attempt to keep Keith Price awake, I'll be taking a break from "rock" and talking about some great female singers (I'll refrain from the term "diva"). Adele, Estelle, P!nk, Nikka Costa, Jennifer Hudson and also the new James Bond theme song by Alicia Keys and Jack White.

But before that, I'll pay tribute to the late Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops.