Crash Davis loves the Tampa Bay Rays

No worries that Kevin Costner will ever star in a musical remake of Bull Durham or Field of Dreams. Because as a singer, Costner makes for a really great actor.

Costner and his band Modern West have just recorded a song for the Tampa Bay Rays to celebrate their AL East division title.

Called It's All Up To You, the song sounds like a typical honky-tonk rocker and features lyrics that begin, "You got to swing for the fence. Give a hundred percent. Dust yourself off. Get up and do it again."

Click here to listen to the complete song. Modern West and Costner played a live show in St. Petersburg back in November 2007 when the Rays unveiled their redesigned uniforms.

TOP 5 BASEBALL MOVIES LINES FROM KEVIN COSTNER:

5. "Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic." (Bull Durham)

4. "I can't think of a better reason not to be a Yankee." (For Love of the Game)

3. "God, I always said I would never bother you about baseball, lord knows you have bigger things to worry about. But if you could make this pain in my shoulder stop for ten minutes, I would really appreciate it." (For Love of the Game)

2. "Well, #$%& this #$%&ing game!" (Bull Durham)

1. "Dad ... you wanna have a catch?" (Field of Dreams)

Whole lotta AC/DC on the way

The good news is that AC/DC has finally booked a Tampa gig on their upcoming world tour. (It's Dec. 21 at the St. Pete Times Forum. The better news? Chances are that no matter how good or bad their new album Black Ice is, the concert will basically be a greatest-hits show.

Word out there on the fan blogs is that concertgoers should expect one or two new songs and then a slew of the classics. Here's the set list from their last world tour back in 2001, according to Australia's Undercover.com Web site:

• You Shook Me All Night Long (from Back In Black, 1980)
• Stiff Upper Lip (from Stiff Upper Lip, 2000)
• Shot Down in Flames (from Highway To Hell, 1979)
• Thunderstruck (from The Razor’s Edge, 1990)
• Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be (from Let There Be Rock, 1977)
• Hard as a Rock (from Ballbreaker, 1995)
• Shoot to Thrill (from Back In Black, 1980)
• Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution (from Back In Black, 1980)
• Sin City (from Powerage, 1978)
• Bad Boy Boogie (from Let There Be Rock, 1977)
• Hells Bells (from Back In Black, 1980)
• Get it Hot (from Highway To Hell, 1979)
• The Jack (from TNT, 1975)
• Back in Black (from Back In Black, 1980)
• Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (from Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, 1976)
• Highway to Hell (from Highway To Hell, 1979)
• Whole Lotta Rosie (from Let There Be Rock, 1977)
• Let There Be Rock (from Let There Be Rock, 1977)
• TNT (from TNT, 1975)
• For Those About to Rock (from For Those About To Rock, 1981)

[AP photo]

Her birthday wish: Name of a good lawyer

Oh, this isn't good. Heather Locklear was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of driving under the influence in Montecito, Calif., according to the Los Angeles Times.

Locklear, who turned 47 years old last week, was arrested by the California Highway Patrol -- hey, CHiPs! -- after someone called 911 to report a woman driving "erratically."

Define "erratic"? Locklear reportedly drove "back and forth over a pair of sunglasses on the pavement and revving her engine. After leaving the parking lot, she stopped her car on the street and stumbled into the traffic lane, according to the caller, who followed Locklear out of concern," the Times reports.

Locklear was tested for alcohol consumption, but the tests were negative. Results are pending on other drug tests.

[Booking photo via Associated Press]

The Boss finally will play a Super Bowl

This just in: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have been booked to play the halftime show of Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa on Feb. 1, 2009.

Springsteen, who has never before played a Super Bowl event, follows a string of '80s-friendly acts in recent years including Prince in 2007 and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 2008. The New Jersey-bred bard of the blue collar just finished a 100-show tour with a show at Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary celebration in Milwaukee. (Click here to see his recent set lists.)

The last time a Super Bowl played in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, Aerosmith and Britney Spears were the big halftime attractions, while Styx and Sting were part of the pregame entertainment.

Assuming the Boss gets three or four songs to play during his halftime set, here are the ones we'd pick from his '80s catalog:

HUNGRY HEART (1980): A favorite at the skating rink back in the old days, this tune doesn't get nearly enough playtime anymore. (Watch a live performance.)

GLORY DAYS (1984): This song should be a warning to the next NFL spotlight hound who tries some lame celebration stunt after a routine touchdown: Someday, you'll be at home on the couch just like the rest of us. So cool it. (Video)

THE RIVER (1981): Sad and brooding. Just like the losers' locker room after the game. Or my digestive system after the fourth plate of meatless nachos. (Live performance)

DANCING IN THE DARK (1984): Even better if Springsteen pulls some fan up on the stage to dance at the ending. If he pulls up Courteney Cox again, it'd only be because she's got to have some new show premiering on whatever network is showing the game. (Video)

Oh sure, we know Born To Run will make it on the list. And personally, I'd be happy hearing Thunder Road, easily my favorite Springsteen tune.

What other songs need to be on Springsteen's short-list for the Super Bowl show?

[Photo from brucespringsteen.net]

Remakes & sequels: 'Now is the season of evil'

Vigo the Carpathian - most evil-looking dude of the '80s? Or just a man very upset that his legacy in Ghostbusters 2 is about to be upstaged by the sequel 20 years later? You be the judge.

The good news is that a new Ghostbusters installment will probably include Bill Murray, who told a crowd at Fanastic Fest this week that he "would definitely be into doing another Ghostbusters movie, stating that the first 40 minutes of the original film is some of the best stuff he's been associated with and the whole shoot was an amazing amount of fun," according to Moviehole.com.

"He also went on to say that his enthusiasm for Ghostbusters was heightened after recording the voice of Peter Venkman for the video game over the summer," Moviehole.com says. "In fact, he said he found himself walking down the street singing the Ghostbusters theme song and then thought people walking around him were going to start yelling at him to 'get over yourself, Bill,' so he stopped ... But the enthusiasm was there."

Though Ghostbusters 3 seems like it's headed in the right direction, what about all the other '80s movies that are slated for remakes and sequels? That's the topic of this week's Stuck in the '80s podcast, featuring guest co-host Steve Persall, the film critic -- film genius dare I say? -- from the St. Petersburg Times.

Click here to download the show. Or click here to get all our shows for free via iTunes.

Paul Newman: 1925-2008

Is it okay if the Stuck in the '80s nation claims Paul Newman as our own -- just for this day?

The legendary actor died Friday after a battle with cancer at his home near Westport, Conn., according to the Associated Press.

Newman had major roles in more than 50 movies and was nominated for an Oscar 10 times. In 1986, he won an honorary Oscar "in recognition of his many and memorable compelling screen performances and for his personal integrity and dedication to his craft."

And, of course, he left a significant stamp on several '80s classics.

TOP FIVE '80s FILMS BY MR. PAUL NEWMAN:

5. BLAZE (1989): "The three best friends the poor people have ever had are Jesus Christ, Sears & Roebuck and Earl K. Long."

4. FORT APACHE THE BRONX (1981): "It don't make no difference how many guns you got. You only got two hands."

3. ABSENCE OF MALICE (1981): "She picked up a newspaper, for Christ's sake! And there it is, for everybody to see! She must have felt like ... just raped!"

2. THE COLOR OF MONEY (1986): "You gotta have two things to win. You gotta have brains and you gotta have balls. Now, you got too much of one and not enough of the other."

1. THE VERDICT (1982): "If we are to have faith in justice, we need only to believe in ourselves. And ACT with justice. See, I believe there is justice in our hearts."

Olivia Newton-John is 60 years old

Even in a place where nobody knows her name, Olivia Newton-John is one of the sexiest 60-year-olds of all time. Sorry, but since today is her birthday, all her hard-core fans will be humming Xanadu in their heads.

Say what you want about the campy qualities of the 1980 flick, which starred ONJ as a roller-skating muse who sprang to life from a street mural. But it does have one of the most treasured and original soundtracks of the '80s.

Plus it co-stars -- hello? -- Michael Beck straight from his role as "Swan" in 1979's The Warriors. (Best non-'80s movie of the '80s? Could be.) And of course, everyone's favorite '80s idol, Gene Kelly -- only because he looked 80 years old at the time. (He was actually 68.)

Though she's no longer the golden ticket at the box office that she was between 1978 and 1982, ONJ's legacy is assured. Even our beloved Xanadu is now a long-running Broadway musical. The lesson in all this: Embrace the cheese, people. It's our best hope for the future.

Top 5 Olivia Newton-John songs

[Getty Images]

'I ain't missing you at all'

Here's a long-distance dedication to my vacationing Stuck in the '80s podcast co-host, Sean Daly:

Oh, who am I kidding? Sean, come back! All is forgiven.

Actually, I catch a lot of grief around here when Sean is gone. Everyone assumes I'm sulking around here, sort of in post-Las Vegas melancholy or something. I'm stopped by co-workers about once an hour and asked, "So, are you doing okay with Sean gone? Has he called? Has he e-mailed? Has he sent flowers?"

Time to clear up some issues...

TOP 5 MYTHS ABOUT THE POWER COUPLE OF SPEARSY AND DALY:

5. WE'RE IN LOVE: Though we're often called each other's "work wife," normally we've very competitive and combative when talking to each other in person. We're known to curse loudly and slam the phone down after our chats. ("Dude, you just NOT just diss the Hoodoo Gurus. That's it!")

4. DALY ISN'T STUCK IN THE '80s: Oh, the hell he isn't. Just stop by his desk, and the '80s CDs vastly outnumber his beloved Amy Winehouse and other crackhead music discs.

3. WE ALWAYS PARTY TOGETHER: Nope. It's rare actually. But when we do throw down, things get broken (and what isn't broken usually needs a trip to the dry cleaners).

2. WE'RE SOCIAL BUTTERFLIES: He's the one who gets invited to work parties and TV appearances. I sit home, play Asteroids and M-Network Baseball on my Atari 2600 and go to sleep alone with my Ione Skye blowup doll.

1. WE ALWAYS LUNCH TOGETHER: Sean usually can't take seeing me eat that super-healthy veggie diet (you know, mac and cheese, french fries) at lunch very often. We do, however, usually find ourselves in the restroom at the same time and have loud, echoing conversations in there, which as we all know is against male protocol.

So until Sean returns on Monday, everyone enjoy a nice meat-free weekend. And keep your voice down in the restroom!

Which Heather Locklear reigns supreme?

Heather Locklear might have the most perfect '80s name of any star from our favorite decade. Sassy, yet razor-sharp. Of course, the rest of her ain't bad either.

Heather never gets her due for her work in the '80s, mainly because it was spread out over nearly every iconic TV show of the decade. She appeared on CHiPs, Eight Is Enough, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island ... even The Fall Guy. Not a bad resume for someone who turns 47 years old today.

But here's the thing: If you had to pick just one Heather Locklear of the '80s, and you had to pick between her two longest gigs, which would it be: Heather from T.J. Hooker ... or Heather from Dynasty? Let's break it down.

THE SHOWS:
T.J. HOOKER: It had William Shatner ... and Adrian Zmed, thus giving it instant Hall of Fame status as an '80s guilty pleasure.
DYNASTY: Oil barons! Sex! Deceit! Greed! More sex! How come an unrated version was never released on DVD?!?
ADVANTAGE: Dynasty ... I don't want to turn my back on Shatner, but man cannot live on Kirk alone.

THE CHARACTERS:
OFFICER STACY SHERIDAN: Sounds so close to Officer Stacy Spears. That would have worked out nicely.
SAMANTHA JOSEPHINE DEAN REECE CARRINGTON FALLMONT: With so many name changes, she sounds like a former Mrs. Spears. So just call her "Sammy Jo," because that almost makes her unsexy, though physics professors at MIT have already proved that's impossible.
ADVANTAGE: T.J. Hooker ... because who can say no to a woman who knows how to use handcuffs.

THE LOOK:
T.J. HOOKER: Hair parted right down the middle, feathered back. An innocent smile. Will you go to the prom with me, Officer Sheridan?
DYNASTY: It's like she walked straight in from her audition for Daisy Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard. Well, cut-off jeans work in Texas too. God bless the Lone Star State.
ADVANTAGE: Oh come on now, did you really think I was going to make a stand on this one?

[Publicity photo courtesy of Fox]

'Name is Run my son ... Number one for fun'

This is a big one: If all goes according to plan, Rev. Run (a.k.a. Joseph Simmons) from Run-DMC will be this week's guest on the Stuck in the '80s podcast.

Run is coming through the Tampa Bay area on Monday, Sept. 29, for a book-signing appearance at the Borders Book Store at 909 N Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. According to Borders, Run will take a few questions, sign his new book -- Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents -- and pose for photos. The event begins at 7 p.m.

But on Friday, we're hoping to chat with Run on the podcast. Among the first things out of our gaping mouths: Congrats on this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination!

With so many things to ask one of the pioneers of hip-hop, it's going to be tough to prioritize questions. So please let me know what burning questions YOU would ask Rev. Run. And then cross your fingers while I await final confirmation.

"Who's house? Run's house!"

[Getty Images]

Welcome back, Michael Knight!

Rarely do '80s icons improve over time. Our favorite rockers find their knees and voices creaking. Those teen heartthrobs now more closely resemble the pasty and pudgy physique of the Pillsbury Doughboy. And the TV shows and movies we worshiped are remade, but usually only with the heart and funny bone as key missing ingredients.

So savor the total cheestacular satisfaction that you'll find if you decide to check out the new Knight Rider series on NBC, debuting tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

Here are some observations after checking out the season premiere in advance:

FIRST SOME HOMEWORK: If you missed the made-for-TV movie back in February, you can still catch it for free on Hulu.com. Watch it before the show to figure out the origin of the new K.I.T.T. and its new driver, "Michael Traceur" (Justin Bruening).

THE FEEL: The new show is like Mission: Impossible meets Beverly Hills Cop meets James Bond. Throw in a lot of sexy skin shots and you have "Baywatch in a car." But we're shallow ... so it works.

THE STORY: "Mike Traceur" is a former Special Forces soldier who served in Iraq. He's chosen by the car's inventor, "Charles Graiman" (Bruce Davison), to protect his daughter "Sarah" (Deanna Russo), who -- wouldn't you know it -- happens to be his ex-girlfriend. Why Mike? Because he's the son of "Michael Knight," who drove the original K.I.T.T. 20 years ago! (Didn't see THAT coming, did you?) Teamed up with the FBI, Traceur sheds his name and identity (taking on the "Michael Knight" moniker) and joins a secret organization to fight the bad guys. (Oh, my heart is beating so fast now. And not from all the Pudding Pops I ate while watching the show!)

SPEAKING OF K.I.T.T.: No longer a Pontiac Trans-Am, the new Knight Industries Three Thousand is a Mustang (a promotional courtesy of Ford Motors, naturally). With computer screens that magically pop into the windshield and an exterior skin that can repair itself through some bizarre bio-technology, it's the car we should have been dreaming about back in the '80s while we were sleeping in geometry class with our faces planted in our Trapper Keepers.

THE VOICE: I prefer Val Kilmer as the voice of K.I.T.T to the '80s version powered by William Daniels. Kilmer is smart without being smarmy, still getting an occasional zinger ("Michael, why are you speaking Pig Latin ... incorrectly?") but with a reassuring and comforting warmth that fits the tone of the made-over show. Kilmer hasn't sounded so human since 1985's Real Genius.

THE INTRIGUE: There are plenty of backstories here that will develop over time. Michael can't remember large portions of his service in Iraq, and his allies in the super-secret SSC organization might not be the friends he thinks they are. Just enough to keep viewers on their toes.

THE LAUGHS: The show leans on the supporting cast to provide the comic relief. Look for Knight Industries' back-office nerds -- played by Smith Cho and Paul Campbell -- to get most of the laughs.

THE HOFF: Oh yes, David Hasselhoff -- can't forget about him. The Hoff makes a short cameo in the pilot movie, a beautiful entrance framed by rays of sunshine and chirping birds and angelic harps. Will we see of him during the series? As Hoff tells son Michael, "I hope so."

[AP Photo/NBC, Mitchell Haaseth]

Wonder what 'The Hoff' is doing tonight...

The series premiere of the new "Knight Rider" hits NBC tonight at 8 p.m. (Eastern time). My guess is that David Hasselhoff will be throwing a nice little soiree at his luxury compound on Pluto or wherever the Hoff lives these days.

Hasselhoff played "Michael Knight" in the original TV series, which lasted 90 episodes from 1982 to 1986. He made a short but fabulously cheesy cameo in the TV movie in February 2008 that introduced the show's new characters. (His son will now drive KITT.)

Want to know if the new series is worth watching? Keep watching the blog for an advance review of the show later this morning once I get a chance to sit down in my REO Speedwagon concert jersey, blue corduroys and pocket comb and let the goodness sweep over me.

'Raising Hell' with the Hall of Fame

Run-DMC and Metallica are the latest '80s acts to win nominations for the 2009 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, according to the latest news reports.

Other artists nominated include Bobby Womack, Jeff Beck, R&B band Chic, Wanda Jackson, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Stooges and the California funk band War.

Not to take anything away from the latest nominees, but this means another year goes by without honoring Journey, Heart, Duran Duran and Kiss. What's going on up there in Cleveland anyway?

List time again: Favorite movie songs

After a weekend of overdosing on Jazz Singer and Purple Rain on cable (imagine the combination of tunes swirling in my head), I'm left with this perplexing question: What was the ultimate movie song of the '80s?

Could it be Survivor's Eye of the Tiger? Maybe On The Dark Side from Eddie and the Cruisers? Or my dark horse to win the top spot -- Rick Springfield's Love Somebody from Hard to Hold.

So here's the drill. Help me compile the ultimate list of great movie songs from the '80s. The top candidates will be original songs written for the movie in which it appears. It should conjure up visions of the movie from the second you hear the song come on the radio or iPod. No extra points for songs that have the same title as the movie. And of course, it should kick a little arse.

I'll compile the list and reveal the final Top 10 list during our podcast featuring Survivor. And a complete list will run here on the blog. Here are some real contenders.

Great movie songs of the 80s

[Photo from Purple Rain]

Sure looks like he needed a restroom

You can't turn your back on George Michael for a minute, can you?

George today issued the usual public apology after his arrest (again) in a public bathroom (again) for possession of drugs (AGAIN).

"I want to apologise to my fans for screwing up again, and to promise them I'll sort myself out," he said in a statement. "And to say sorry to everybody else, just for boring them."

We're not bored, George. But we'll be horrified if you did this latest stunt to drum up publicity for any upcoming appearances on TV's Eli Stone.

In the meantime, please feel free to add your suggested caption to today's George Michael photo.

[Getty Images]

'Just a man and his will to survive'

Guess who we're talking to next week -- Survivor!

There's something so totally pure and '80s-ish about this Chicago-born band. And I mean that in a good way. Sorta the same way that I believe this is the week that Lea Thompson won't send back the mix CD I mailed her. (Starts with Power of Love by Frankie. Was I wrong?)

Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan will be our guest on the Stuck in the '80s podcast, once Sean Daly returns from "vacation." You can bet we'll be asking about Eye of the Tiger and their other four top 20 hits from the '80s. And of course we'll be asking about the infamous Starbucks commercial. Drop us a comment if you have your own questions for Survivor.

Want to form your own SIT80s chapter?

Stuck in the '80s correspondent and former co-host Chase Squires has a couple of cool ideas for the SIT80s Nation. Here's his latest dispatch:

"Hey Steve and Sean, great podcast on Andy Taylor. I've never liked Duran Duran, skipped a chance to see them back in high school when they were hot, I just don't like their music. But your interview was great, despite Sean. (Just kidding, Sean's great, we love him, now man up and marry the Forever Fiancee once and for all.) When Andy admitted he didn't know what half the songs were about, I laughed out loud, which was tough because I was running up a mountain at the time."

"Anyway, first, you must send a message to Denver listener Gabrielle, we'll have to meet up. Me and my wife, we'll call her 'Saralee,' are going to see a Denver band, Dressy Bessy, at the Bluebird on the 18th, here in Denver. Tell Gabrielle and anyone else from the Mile High City to go to the show."

"I bring this up because, one, it would be fun to start up a Stuck in the '80s chapter in every cool city, which would start with Denver. It's just a freak of nature that Stuck in the '80s started in St. Petersburg, the uncoolest city on the planet, located so close to that hillbilly metropolis known as Tampa."

"And second, because Dressy Bessy is, I swear, an '80s band. They just never played in the '80s, nor was anyone in the band old enough to play in the '80s. They are a current band (yes, Sean, new bands are formed every day, music didn't end with Mellencamp and Dylan) ... But they have a real '80s sound. Lead singer Tammy Ealom at times seems to channel the late Patty Donahue from the Waitresses, she's flirty and fun and just a little cynical, everything you want from the greatest decade ever. Besides all that, tickets are just $10 and the Bluebird is a great little joint - you can get right up to the stage."

"You check them out at their myspace page."

"Say, it would be interesting if others knew of new bands that carry that '80s vibe in other cities. What am I missing out there? It's cool to see these new acts because they don't screw you with the ticket prices, like, say ... AC/DC. Angus, you forgot about the people, man."

"By the way, our cat's name is Dingus. That's kind of like Angus."

"Cheers, Chase"

(Find Chase's excellent blog here.)

Are you ready for the 'Wild Boy'?

Do you have plenty of free time today? Because you'll need it for this week's Stuck in the '80s podcast: an interview with former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor.

This episode clocks in at an hour and 15 minutes -- our longest show ever -- but it's worth it. Andy's a great interview, and you're going to want to run out and buy his new book, Wild Boys: My Life in Duran Duran, immediately after you're done listening. Seriously, we only scratch the surface of the drama and craziness behind the scenes of the signature band of the '80s.

The highlight: Andy retells the drama and surprise ending to Duran Duran's performance before Princess Diana back in '83. (Another great moment: Andy's imitation of Nick Rhodes' and John Lennon's "brummie" accents.)

But wait, there's so much more:

• Two more surprise guest calls!
• Our official top 5 list of Most Underrated Duran Duran Songs!
• The best reader e-mail ever (someone has a crush on my co-host)!
• Pop music critic Sean Daly's woefully inept sucking-up!

How will your day end? Probably spending 50 bucks on iTunes downloading a ton of Duran Duran songs, like I'm doing now. (Man, why did I give up on them in the '90s!?!)

Click here to download the show. Or click here to get all our shows for free via iTunes. Drop us a comment afterward and let us know what you think!

[Publicity photo]

'This town is coming like a ghost town'

Don't you miss the Specials? Thankfully, my digital cable "Retro-Active" music channel plays Ghost Town about every hour on the hour. So I have sustenance.

The band formed in 1977 in Conventry, England. Perhaps more than any other band of the era, the Specials got some expert help from fellow musicians. The Clash's Joe Strummer and Elvis Costello provided guidance and producing help. And Chrissie Hynde, Belinda Carlisle and Jane Wiedlin sometimes pitched in to provide backing vocals.

Alas, lineup and name changes finally did them in, and the band broke up in 1991.

But here's the good news: The Specials are back. The band announced earlier this year that they were reuniting, performing again and working on new material. Click here to check out their official Web site for the latest info.

Thunderstruck by AC/DC ticket prices

So you're thinking you'd like to buy tickets to AC/DC's upcoming world tour? Hope you're setting aside some cash. Here's a report from Stuck in the '80s correspondent Chase Squires out in Denver:

"So tomorrow tix go on sale for AC/DC here in Denver. It's at the big arena in town -- the Pepsi Center, about 20,000 seats, three decks, including nosebleeds where you can't even see the stage ..."

"They want $93.50 per ticket -- every ticket! Seriously, no way! Ripoff! Tickets to the Mile High Music Fest, with tons of national bands -- including Tom Petty, were way WAY less than that."

"What an outrage! For those about to get screwed, we salute you ... but I won't be one of you."

[AP photo]

Who made who? Duran Duran vs. MTV

Among casual fans of the boys from Birmingham, there's an ongoing debate: Did MTV make Duran Duran into New Romantic superstars? Or was it vice versa?

DD came on strong right at the beginning of the MTV Revolution, and their videos for Hungry Like the Wolf, Rio and Save a Prayer set records for production budgets. Finally, MTV could stop running cheesy old concert videos of REO Speedwagon and Styx and have original content.

At the same time, you can argue that MTV helped Duran Duran too. After all, in the '80s, the better looking you were, the more you appeared on Music Television. And just mutter the words "John Taylor" to any red-blooded female between the ages of 30 and 45 today and watch them swoon.

In 2003, the band and the network were finally joined in holy wedlock when MTV surprised the band with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

As we prepare to record today's Stuck in the '80s podcast, which features an interview with former guitarist Andy Taylor (who will share his opinion on the matter in question), the debate rages on. But one voice out in the sunny Caribbean cries out. Yes, "Jeff in Cuba" is back with another killer pre-podcast commentary.

Click here to download and listen. Because he's "Jeff in Cuba" ... and he's right.

[Image from MTV presentation]

Ricky Gervais was in an '80s pop band

Before you ask the obvious question: YES, that's really British comedian Ricky Gervais, fronting his '80s pop-synth band, Seona Dancing.

It's hard to get beyond the obvious Depeche Mode feeling to the video and really study his face, but that's Gervais circa 1984. Sure, he's obviously still a few helpings of bangers and mash short of his look today, but wow, the guy could sing!

Seona Dancing even has a really nice fan site on the Web. Click here to check it out. According to the fan site, the band was formed in 1982 by Gervais and Bill Macrae. Their best-known single, More to Lose, was released in 1983, but it wasn't exactly a chart-climber. The band called it quits in '84.

[Photo from seonadancing.com]

A new supergroup ... featuring a-ha?

Just when you thought the concept of "supergroups" faded with your acid-washed jeans and feathered hair, here comes some unexpected news.

According to the U.K.'s Sun, Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman has joined with a-ha's Magne Furuholmen to form a new collective, tentatively named The Apparatjik.

The group's first project: composing a theme song for a new BBC television show called Amazon.

"Everyone asks what inspired us, what we've been trying to steal and what we listened to as we were growing up," Berryman told the Sun. "The first band I loved was a-ha."

Speaking of a-ha, the latest word out there is that the band has been in and out of the studio, but a new album won't come out until next year at the earliest.

[Publicity photo]

Fair warning: 1981's horrible hits on the way

After the great debacle surrounding the official Stuck in the '80s list of "Horrible Hits of 1980," we're going to give you a head's up this time: We've begun working on the list for 1981.

No more faux surprise that your beloved Pink Floyd made the list. We want nary a peep about why some lame-o Neil Diamond hit gets played.

Here's a list of songs from the top 100 hits of 1981 that we're considering for the podcast. Feel free to suggest others. Or cry out loud about the ones already listed. It's fair and just -- exactly like ''Thunderdome,'' only it's not two men go in, one comes out. It's 100 songs get considered, and 10 get played. Okay, so it's nothing like ''Thunderdome.'' Just get to work, Bud Fox.

• BETTE DAVIS EYES, Kim Carnes (video)
• MORNING TRAIN (Nine To Five), Sheena Easton (video)
• RAPTURE, Blondie (video)
• ANGEL OF THE MORNING, Juice Newton (video)
• LOVE ON THE ROCKS, Neil Diamond (video)
• EVERY WOMAN IN THE WORLD, Air Supply (video)
• ELVIRA, Oak Ridge Boys (video)
• BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY, Manhattan Transfer (video)
• URGENT, Foreigner (video)
• SOMEBODY'S KNOCKIN', Terri Gibbs (video)
• DE DO DO DO, DE DA DA DA, The Police (video)
• IT'S NOW OR NEVER, John Schneider
• YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING, Daryl Hall and John Oates (video)

[Photo from "The Jazz Singer"]

John Ritter's glow-in-the-dark legacy

Sometimes you truly don't see the genius until they're gone. At least that's not the case with the late John Ritter, who would have turned 60 today.

Ritter died on Sept. 11, 2003, but he left behind some real gems on TV and the silver screen, especially during the '80s.

TELEVISION: Wow, don't make me have to throw the words Three's Company at you. A totally unwatchable show, except for his role as Jack Tripper. You want to get obscure though ... can you name the spin-off? (Yes, Three's a Crowd in 1984-85.) But he also starred in Hooperman and ... three episodes of The Love Boat!

FILMS: I cherish Ritter in 1992's Stay Tuned, but if you haven't seen him as the reluctant CIA agent in Real Men (with James Belushi at his near zenith) or 1980's Wholly Moses (he was "Satan" for crying out loud!), then you really should visit your Netflix queue a little more often.

THE ULTIMATE HIGHLIGHT: Just the mention of 1989's Skin Deep usually triggers an outburst of childish laughter from anyone who has seen it. Think back. Way back. Think glow-in-dark. Think safe sex. Okay, just click here for the movie clip. (Slightly adult in nature, but still SFW I think.)

[AP photo]

Can there ever be enough Duran lists?

By now, most regular Stuck in the '80s bloggers know the infamous Vegas Girlfriend, my John Taylor-crazed companion and the only woman who can finally put my Ione Skye fetish to rest. Are you ready for a new character on the non-stop carousel of fun here?

Introducing Gainesville Classmate. Yes, an old friend from the University of Florida daze ("We've been through death and life together," as Kirk once said) has his own take on today's list of underrated Duran Duran songs.

I'm basically forced to print his top 5 list -- which leans more toward the '80s -- or face the shame of having him spill the beans on our nocturnal drive through a flower garden before the 1991 UF-LSU game, where a bottle of Polo cologne was crushed on the truck's floorboards, causing us to nearly pass out from the fragrant fumes. (Well, I guess I spilled first. But I'm printing his list anyway.)

This makes us even for the Popeye's Fried Chicken incident, Gainesville Classmate!

THE OFFICIAL GAINESVILLE CLASSMATE LIST OF UNDERRATED DURAN DURAN TUNES (along with his comments, of course):

5. SAVE A PRAYER: "Nick Rhodes asserts himself as the synth lord with lots of crazy Casio and Synclavier effects. Andy Taylor hears this song when he wakes up in a sweat from detox." [Video]

4. NOTORIOUS: "DD in full intoxication from their Nile Rodgers narcosis. Way funkier than a bunch of British boys needed to be, the song was so catchy, it overcame the Tower of Power-style horn arrangement and the stuttering of its title in the chorus." [Video]

3. THE CHAUFFEUR: "Matched in creepiness in the era only by the Police's Be My Girl (Sally), this song's raindrop notes and 10x Le Bon whining still works. Go figure." [Live version]

2. NEW RELIGION: "One of the only B-side DD songs to find the perfect balance of white-boy funk, electronica, guitar slices, groove drumming and Le Bon tenor droning. They wouldn't find it again until Ordinary World." [Live version]

1. SKIN TRADE: "There was always a little something after-hours Cinemax about DD. This one is sleek and skanky cool." [Video]

[AP photo]

Can you underrate Duran Duran?

Let's all agree on this: When it comes to Duran Duran in the '80s, there ARE no underrated songs. Each is a pop moment captured in time. From Planet Earth in 1981 all the way through Burning the Ground from 1989.

But when it came to choosing the top 5 little-known classics from there on, in preparation for this week's Andy Taylor podcast, I had to turn to the expert: "Vegas Girlfriend."

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to be a hard-core Duranie after Live Aid? Having to constantly deny rumors of breakups?" she cried out last night via e-mail. (Obligatory male response: "Yes, yes, of course, you're right. Here, I'm uploading a virtual dozen roses for you to look at.")

Here are her picks, with links to videos, along with her reasoning verbatim:

BREATH AFTER BREATH (1993, The Wedding Album): "Beautiful song, about how precious life is. Milton Nascimento is the guest vocalist on this song, he is apparently huge in Brazil, friend of Warren Cucurillo's." [Watch it]

SOMEONE ELSE NOT ME (2000, Pop Trash): "First video ever done entirely in Flash, very sad song, but a lovely song nonetheless." [Watch it]

ELECTRIC BARBARELLA (1997, Medazzaland): "I frickin' love this song - fun, sexy, great beat, hot censored video, everything that DD stands for. Plus, it's a nod to the roots of the band's name, and it's a song about a sex doll, which I'm sure is somewhat of a tribute to In Every Dream Home a Heartache by Roxy Music. First single to be sold online.'' [Watch it]

LAND (1988, Big Thing]: "I like this one because it's about being separated from the person you love. Plus it reminds me of Simon out sailing on his boat." [Watch it]

ALL ALONG THE WATER (1990, Liberty): "Totally lusty song, completely danceable, classic DD." [Listen]

Honorable mentions: 

UMF (1993, The Wedding Album): "You're all over this one." [Watch it]

FALLING DOWN (2007, Red Carpet Massacre): "You know I am obsessed with this song, not sure why, something about it." [Watch it]

BEAUTIFUL COLOURS: "It was supposed to be on Astronaut (2004), but never made it. DD donated it to FIFA, the organization that runs the World Cup - they had this big Centennial event and played this song at the ceremony - fun catchy song.'' [Watch it]

[AP photo]

This particular week? 'Straight to Hell'

The genesis of the idea is somewhat unclear. Between watching too many YouTube videos and listening to my review copy of The Clash: Live at Shea Stadium, it just came to me.

What song by the Clash best sums up the workweek?

I posted my quandary on my Facebook page, and suddenly people who have never messaged me were sounding off. Should I Stay or Should I Go is the obvious front-runner, but don't dismiss the utter futility of Straight to Hell or the beautiful confusion of Lost in the Supermarket.
 

(Ah yes, my glory years working as a bag-boy at Publix in Dunedin, Fla. In those days, we had to wear ties and couldn't take tips for helping old ladies load their trunks with paper bags -- never plastic -- full of prune juice and corn pads. I still have scars on my hand from breaking a glass bottle of Old Spice during one night of lazy bagging.)

In a rare lightening of Stuck in the '80s tradition, you may pick a Clash song from ANY year -- inside the '80s or not!

Here are my current favorites. Surely you can do better.

Clash songs that remind you of work

[Photo of "London Calling"]

The unexpected Journey of Jeff Scott Soto

Few people have seen the ultimate highs and disappointing lows in the rock business as Jeff Scott Soto.

Soto had served as the lead vocalist for Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums before taking over lead vocals for Journey in January 2007. Six months later, the band announced Soto was out.

Oddly enough, it's not an entirely unfamiliar story for Soto. The Los Angeles-based rocker (who has band members living in Tampa Bay) was hired to handle the singing duties for the fictional "Bobby Beers" of "Steel Dragon" in the 2001 movie Rock Star, the story of how a tribute-band singer (Mark Wahlberg) took over the lead vocals job from a legendary but aging rocker.

Six years after the movie, Soto firsthand felt the incredible rush (and later the disappointment) when he took over the singing duties for a band once fronted by the legendary Steve Perry.

Still, Soto doesn't seem to hold any lingering resentments about his unexpected dismissal from the band.

These days, Arnel Pineda does the fronting for Journey, and Soto has returned to a solo career, complete with a new album. He recently chatted via e-mail with Stuck in the '80s about the ups and downs of life with Journey.

How did you land the gig fronting Journey?

"It's pretty widely known by now, the predecessor to Steve Perry, Steve Augeri, had some throat problems right as they were beginning a huge tour with Def Leppard in the U.S. I had already worked with Neal Schon in a band called Soul SirkUS and he knew not only was I heavily influenced and weaned on Journey's legacy but that he could count on me in a huff."

How much time did you get to prepare?

"I got a day's notice. I met them in D.C. on a day off, met them at the lobby to say hello. We got on the bus with a setlist to discuss how some songs go into others or are extended from the studio versions. We basically got a 10-minute sound check and an hour later, I was onstage in front of 20,000 people!"

How did the crowd react to you?

"It was a dream mixed with a nightmare actually. Some people didn't even pay attention, know or realize Steve Perry wasn't in the band anymore -- this after 10 years since his departure, 20 years since his last show with them!''

"So out comes this tall Puerto Rican dude belting out the hits! The pressure of knowing you are being judged, compared or rated against one of the greatest singers of all time while doing HIS songs, is not an easy thing. I am pretty bulletproof to criticism or people just not getting it, but it can be hurtful to not be accepted by die-hards who simply don't want to know about it."

Did Steve Perry influence you as a singer when you were getting started?

"It was more than words can describe to do all these songs I had done in previous high school bands or simply singing in the car for so many years. Perry helped shape much of my early years as a singer mainly because we were both influenced by so many of the same singers: Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, the whole Motown thing."

Did you get to witness any crazy rock star moments?

"There really aren't any crazy stories to tell. These guys are up there in their years so they play it safe when it comes to activity off the stage. They're all pretty mellow and family oriented so it was a chill environment, almost too chill for me."

So what's your side of the breakup story?

"It's difficult to truly tell my side as we do have confidentiality agreements with each other, so I don't know just how much of my departure/side sounds negative or explanatory.''

"All I can say is I put my whole life and dedication to continuing with them after I was officially deemed a permanent member of the band. I had no idea there were any issues, concerns, discussions or plans otherwise nor was there any given to me prior to my dismissal. I wish I could say it was amicable but I can't."

Have you heard Arnel Pineda's vocal work with the band yet?

"Of course I paid attention to their next move, how could I not? It's like looking to see who your ex is dating next after she dumps you. I love his voice -- it's organic, natural and sounds like he does it with ease most of the time.''

"My opinion about him being a Perry clone is a bit different than others'. He emulates the songs very well, but there's a sense of the 'feeling' that is missing for me, which is a good thing because it helps him retain his own identity. Perry had this very soulful swagger to his singing that is something more felt than emulated."

"Perry is a master, often imitated, never duplicated. I don't want this to sound negative in ANY way, Arnel is an AMAZING singer and I give him much respect for his position now!"

So what's next for you? I hear there's a new album in the works.

"The best way to get through a course of JSS 101 is to visit www.jeffscottsoto.com or even www.myspace.com/sewtoe."

"My new album, Beautiful Mess, was just released on iTunes and many other digital outlets two weeks ago and the video for the first single, 21st Century (shot entirely in Tampa!), launches (Sept. 15) on, well you guessed it, YouTube! (Click here to see it.) I'm also touring with the world-renowned Trans-Siberian Orchestra this winter as well so between album releases and touring on my own, I keep quite busy."

[Publicity photo]

No, not THAT Asia...

Here's a bit of weird news for Tampa Bay area fans of '80s music: The previous announcement that St. Petersburg's annual Ribfest had booked Asia to play the festival in November is only partly true.

It will actually be "Asia featuring John Payne" playing Ribfest on Nov. 16, not the original lineup of Asia (John Wetton, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and Geoff Downes.)

Payne was Asia's lead singer and bassist from 1992 to 2006. Though the band released more than a dozen albums during his tenure, he was not invited to participate when the original members reunited in 2006. Payne's version of the group does play songs from the entire history of Asia though.