Singer's ex-girlfriend speaks out

The former girlfriend of the late Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot has issued a statement about the death of DuBrow. Lori Lee Samson, a former actress and TV personality now mainly working in the beauty field, apparently was with DuBrow as recently as his birthday (Oct. 29).

"Our relationship was a beautiful and very special one, who no one can ever replace or belittle," Samson said in a statement released this evening. "Our feelings were genuine, filled with love, respect and admiration for one another. Our last weeks together were filled with laughter, happiness and intimate moments."

Samson's statement then gets a little interesting:

"Celebrating his birthday in New Orleans, enjoying a wonderful meal at K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen, which I will never forget the mean snapping turtle soup. Then we continued our celebration in Vegas at the Palms where there was the incident with the lobster. He had everyone laughing, with his great sense of humor."

Turtle soup? The lobster incident? OK. Samson concludes:

"It hurts to think he will not be at my door picking me up to sweep me away to yet another adventure. It saddens my heart to know he will never be there for me when I feel sad to make me laugh. It brings me to tears that we can not share our lives together anymore, but our love will never die.  His memory will live on with me close to my heart."

According to her press release, Samson "leaves an everlasting impression, [with] her positive kindhearted nature that conveys her true sincerity to each person she meets."

The Blow Monkeys are back!

Hey, Blow Monkeys fans! (All three dozen of you ... just kidding! I love those squirrelly little guys.) Eighteen years after their last album, the band is reforming and recording a new studio album. A tour is expected to follow.

The reunion includes all four original members of the band -- Dr. Robert, Mick Anker, Neville Henry and Tony Kiley. The British "sophisti-pop" band was best known for its 1986 hit "Digging Your Scene." The band originally broke up in 1990.

But here's the odd twist: According to the band's new website, fans are being asked to buy the record in advance so the Blow Monkeys can offset the production costs. In return, fans get a signed, numbered edition of the disc, a thank-you letter from the Monkeys and entry into a drawing for free concert tickets.

"We want to make an album free of record company executives and PR spin," the band writes on its blog. "An album for the fans. Raw and funky. Essential Blow Monkey music. Simian Soul. Primate Punk. Delicious melodic Glam Jazz that only Blow Monkeys know how ... but this time with your input and backing."

Interesting strategy. Anyone out there a fanatic enough to pony up the money in advance for a Blow Monkey disc? Come on, I know you're out there.

Bo knows ... that he's getting old

Two-way sports icon Bo Jackson turns 45 years old today. The 1985 Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn University made a name in both baseball and football in the 80s. He was the first athlete to play in all-star games for two sports.

But it might be his commercials for which he's best remembered by casual 80s fans. His "Bo Knows" campaign for Nike in 1989 featured Jackson prevailing in golf, tennis, car racing, even luge with each sports star saying "Bo knows ...."

All except two notable names. Wayne Gretzky simply shakes his head and says "no" after Bo is featured on ice skates. (Actually, the commercial was filmed on a wooden floor, with Bo wearing socks. And Gretzky's simplified answer came after the commercial's director rejected The Great One's take on "Bo knows hockey.")

And blues master Bo Diddley gets the other laugh with "Bo don't know Diddley" after Jackson failed to master the guitar.

A hip replacement ended Jackson's sports career in the mid '90s, but he took the early retirement as a chance to return to Auburn and finish his college degree.

"God has his way of opening up our eyes to see reality," Jackson told ESPN during a SportsCentury profile. "The way He opened my eyes is to allow me to have this hip injury. That is a rough way to go, but I had to accept the fact."

What happened, Kevin?

Details are finally beginning to leak out on the circumstances of the death of Kevin DuBrow, the Quiet Riot lead singer who was found dead at his Vegas home earlier this week.

The band's former bassist, Kelly Garni, said he was alerted by DuBrow's security company on Sunday about a possible problem at the home, MTV.com is reporting. Also, DuBrow's voice-mailbox was full. "That was the first sign of trouble to me," Garni said.

Garni reportedly contact Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali, but Banali told him he hadn't heard from DuBrow in about 10 days. In addition, a girlfriend of DuBrow's told Garni that the singer missed a planned Thanksgiving dinner date with her. (One of two Thanksgiving dates DuBrow had that night, according to reports.)

When a paramedic was finally able to break into the house, DuBrow was found dead in his bed, MTV.com reports. There were no signs of foul play, but toxicology reports are pending.

Meanwhile, his peers in the metal world -- including Nikki Sixx, Billy Morris and Glenn Hughes are stepping forward to pay their respects. (Click here to read many of their statements on MTV.com)

"Quiet Riot put metal on the radio in the early 80's in spite of the vanilla New Wave surge of Duran Duran clones at the time," Rikki Rocket, Poison's drummer, wrote on his MySpace blog. "However he died or why, let's just remember the colossal contributions that he made."

Two possible singers for Journey?

Journey has been without a lead singer so long that fans are running out of Steve Perry jokes.

It's been about six months since the band bid goodbye to Jeff Scott Soto (who replaced Steve Augeri, who stepped in after Perry called it quits). Keyboardist Jonathan Cain told ShowBuzz the move was to protect the band's legacy.

"We just wanted to move in a different direction sonically," Cain sad. "We're interested in our legacy right now. We want to sound like our records and we want to sound like the 65 million units that are out there."

So any word on a new lead singer? The band's press representative says official word could come soon. However the buzz on the Web is that the new lead singer could be ...

A FEMALE! (Queue the explosion sound from "Line of Fire").

Several websites are reporting that Patty Smyth of Scandal is being considered for the job. Smyth was once invited to join Van Halen as their singer, so it's not the biggest stretch of the imagination.

However, the smart money is on Arnel Pineda of The Zoo, who is supposedly No. 1 on the wish list to front the band, according to a variety of Web sources. Melodic.net says, "Listen to Arnel sing 'Faithfully' and you can close your eyes believing it's Perry himself."

Click here to see Pineda's version of "Faithfully" on YouTube.com. You will indeed be in awe how closely he sounds like Steve Perry.

Blue-collar bards: Bon Jovi vs. Bruce

When it comes to 80s rock, give it to us loud, hard and hirsute. That's my motto. And that's why I challenged Times pop music critic and podcast co-host Sean Daly to another blog battle that will surely shake him to the base of his plastic-lacquered wig.

This week's challenge: Who's the ultimate 80s East Coast rocker -- Bon Jovi or Bruce Springsteen? Truth be told, Daly wanted to blog battle over best Spandau Ballet song -- he goes crazy for "Gold" -- but I talked him out of it. Instead, it's the Melee at the Meadowlands.

Sadly, this one isn't going to be a contest. But with both acts coming to Tampa Bay next year (Bruce on April 21 and Bon Jovi on April 27), I consider it a public service to mop up the St. Pete Times Forum with Sean's hairless rump. He'll still be fighting with drunken, sullen townies after that over-testosteroned 'Steen show while I'm celebrating Jersey style as Ritchie Sambora brings me on stage to play guitar on Bad Medicine. ("I got all the symptoms count 'em 1,2,3!")

Read Sean's argument here. (Warning: He'll promise you heaven but put you through hell. So just take my hand, we'll make it, I swear...)

TOP 5 REASONS BON JOVI PREVAILS OVER SPRINGSTEEN:

5. I CAN UNDERSTAND JON BON JOVI: He sings a song, I hear the words, my head auto-bobs and if I've had enough alcohol, I might even sing along. When a Springsteen tune comes on, I immediately have to look up the lyrics so I can read along. Come on, Boss! Articulate! It's okay to look like a car mechanic. Just don't sing like one.

4. SPRINGSTEEN SONGS ARE DEPRESSING: Dude, we get it. Being broke sucks. Same with being a washed-up baseball pitcher. Or, say, being the former husband of a supermodel (ouch!). With that level of constant depression, it occurs to me that the Boss was "grunge" -- right down to his ratty flannel-wear -- long before the whole Seattle scene popped up like a cold sore on the music industry. And the only cool thing about grunge is that it's been dead and buried since the early 90s.

3. JON IS A MAN OF THE PEOPLE: He owns an Arena Football team. He hangs out on American Idol. He shows up to play a tune or two before the start of a Nascar race. He shaves. He's NOT doing a cover of "Froggie Went A-Courtin'." And unlike Springsteen, nobody confuses Bon Jovi with John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. (Brruuuuce! Sing "On The Dark Side!")

2. CHICKS DIG BON JOVI: Part of being a rock star is looking the part. Jon Bon Jovi could sing about a herpes sore and the ladies would swoon. He winks and the first 10 rows of the crowd pass out, including Mr. Daly (if he's not in between bites of his fish burrito). Jon's so good-looking that I'm pretty sure Springsteen dresses as Bon Jovi for Halloween. (Or at least Patti Scialfa asks him to.)

1. A BON JOVI SHOW IS ALL ABOUT FUN: Sean can talk all he wants about surviving a steamy afternoon in New Orleans, listening to Springsteen with Katrina survivors. (Did you know Bon Jovi donated $1-million to build Habitat for Humanity homes in Louisiana? That's class.) Bottom line: I don't like a heaping serving of depression at concerts. Give me an audience of Aqua-Net-soused, blue eye-shadowed sweeties in torn-up jeans jumping up and down for two hours and flashing their ta-ta's. Two hours later, they're racing home next to you, ready to fantasize about Jon during some post-concert nookie.

And I'm totally cool with that.

So who wins the blog battle? Sean with his sullen Springsteen? Or Jon Bon Jovi, hot sex and the American way?

Most quotable movie lines: The top 20

They're lines you've said a million times -- and will say a million times more. Repeated so often that -- admit it -- you sometimes forget what movie they came from.

Welcome to the final 20 quotes from our epic 80 Most Quotable Movie Lines of the 80s list. They're not the greatest lines from 80s movies -- just the ones that you've quoted the most over the years.

(Click here to see Nos. 21-40, 41-60, 61-80.)

Today's big winner: Fan favorites "Caddyshack" and "Top Gun" -- easily two of the most quoted movies of the last 27 years.

But there are some mind-benders in here as well, including everyone's favorite line from one of John Cusack's most obscure movies.

Enjoy the list. Leave some feedback at the end. Check out the other 60 lines linked above, and always remember ... well, "I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you."

80 MOST QUOTABLE MOVIE LINES OF THE 80s: The Top 20

20. "Take me to bed or lose me forever." (Top Gun)

19. "Corn dog!" (Night Shift)

18. "Khhaaaaan!" (Star Trek 2)

17. "Demented and sad, but social." (Breakfast Club)

16. "I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you." (Top Gun)

15. "Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac... It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!" (Caddyshack)

14. "I pity the fool." (Rocky 3)

13. "Bueller?...Bueller?" (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)

12."Heeeerrrre's Johnny!" (The Shining)

11. "Go ahead, make my day." (Sudden Impact)

10. "Wax on, wax off." (Karate Kid)

9. "I'll be back" (The Terminator)

8. "Shall we play a game?" (War Games)

7. They're heeere." (Poltergeist)

6. "I must break you!" (Rocky 4)

And the top 5...

5. "Game over, man, game over!" (Aliens): Bill Paxton's bit role in a largely forgettable movie gives him a line for the ages. (And surely a great sound clip for shutting down your computer.)

4. "Be the ball" (Caddyshack): Chevy Chase could have a top 80 list of his very own. But his "Be the ball" advice to Danny in Caddyshack now is a standard piece of advice during any friendly sporting event. ("Where did it land?" "Right in the lumberyard.")

3.  "Yippee Ki-yay, motherf@#$%!!" (Die Hard): Bruce Willis, you dirty dog -- this line can't enjoy its full impact on a family-friendly blog. And I nearly cried when he resurrected it for "Live Free or Die Hard."

2.  "I want my two dollars!" (Better Off Dead): You remember the line, but probably not the character's or actor's full name. (It was "Johnny Gasparini" played by Demian Slade, whose only other memorable role was Frankie Avalon's son in 1987's "Back to the Beach.)

1. "Say hello to my little friend!" (Scarface): The "f-word" is repeated more than 200 times in the 1983 movie, but it's this "little" line by Al Pacino that people always imitate. Why? Because it can be used a hundred different ways -- including as a punchline on a popular gnome t-shirt.

There we are. Let the debate start. What lines are over-hyped? What lines did we leave out?

Big Country is back

The words would have once seemed impossible to put together, but here it is: Big Country is back together and making new music.

The Scottish band so big in the 80s with hits including "In a Big Country" and "Fields of Fire" had been considered retired for good after the 2001 death of lead singer Stuart Adamson. But the band has reformed with founding members Bruce Watson, Tony Butler and Mark Brzezicki reuniting. (Butler takes on the lead vocal chores now.)

A new live album -- "Twenty Five Live" -- has been released, and the band has toured the U.K. to support the new disc. A new single -- "You Lift Me Up" -- also has been released. (Go to the band's MySpace page to listen.)

What could be next ... a new studio album? A world tour? Keep a close eye on the band's official website for developments.

Most quotable movie lines: Nos. 21-40

Like it or not, the list of the 80 most quotable movie lines of the 80s is nearing the home stretch. Remember, reader suggestions are important, but so is the ability to use the quotes in everyday conversation.

(Click here to see Nos. 41-60 and 61-80.)

Today's big winners: Asian-American actor Gedde Watanabe ("Long Duk Dong" from Sixteen Candles) and The Empire Strikes Back. (Believe it or not, Watanabe -- who also played foreign-tongued Asians in "Volunteers" and "Gung Ho" -- can't actually speak Japanese.)

MOST QUOTABLE LINES OF THE 80s: Nos. 21-40

40. "No more yanky my wanky, the Donger need food!" (Sixteen Candles)

39. "So I got that goin' for me, which is nice."  (Caddyshack)

38. "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses." (The Blues Brothers)

37. "Hello? ... McFly!" (Back to the Future)

36. "I'd rather kiss a Wookie." (Empire Strikes Back)

35. "There can BE only one." (Highlander)

34. You MUST chill! You MUST chill! (Say Anything)

33. "These go to 11." (Spinal Tap)

32. "Wolverines!" (Red Dawn)

31. "Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue." (Airplane)

30. "If I wasn't on such heavy medication I'd be more upset." (Spinal Tap)

29. "I love my dead gay son." (Heathers)

28. "I will not be ignored!" (Fatal Attraction)

27. "So, what would you little maniacs like to do first?" (Weird Science)

26. "You'll shoot your eye out!" (A Christmas Story)

25. "I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way." (Roger the Rabbit)

24. "I'll have what she's having." (When Harry Met Sally)

23. "Judge me by my size, do you?" (The Empire Strikes Back)

22. "I feel the need. The need for speed." (Top Gun)

21. "What's happenin', hot stuff?" (Sixteen Candles)

Sneak peak at tomorrow's list: More Top Gun, a little Mr. T and the top Caddyshack quote of the list.

Van Halen & Son coming to town

Van Halen has finally announced a Tampa date in their reunion tour. They're set to play the St. Pete Times Forum on Feb. 18, according to Pollstar.com. A Monday night. Oh man. Why did it have to be a Monday night?

It also means that in the first half of 2008, fans of 80s music here in Tampa Bay will have to decide between a slew of high profile acts: Besides VH, Bruce Springsteen visits on April 21, Bon Jovi on April 27 and The Cure on June 11. And that's just the Forum. Dennis DeYoung and Night Ranger are hitting Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall on Jan. 19. And Queensryche plans the Tampa Theatre on Feb. 12.

So where does Van Halen fall into that mix? To be honest, I want to read more reviews first. If David Lee Roth is just going to prance around the stage, singing along Vegas style while being backed up by the Van Halen family, I'm not sure I'm interested.

I would have KILLED to have seen Van Halen back in the glorious drunken days of yore. With DLR humping the microphone stand, Michael Anthony playing that Jack Daniels bass guitar and Eddie squinting out at the crowd with bloodshot eyes. Long before Wolfgang Van Halen was a glimmer in the eye of Valerie Bertinelli. Today though?

So you tell me, dear 80s nation: Of those acts, which are must-see's and which are catch-me-next-timers?