10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....

The Happy New Year's Playlist!!!

I stopped looking forward to drunken, vomitious revelry on Dec. 31 approximately 4 years, 20 days ago. Which is not to say I won't raise a pint or six this evening. I'll just do it while watching The Jungle Book with the FF and Kid Lulu, my 4-year-and-20-days-old daughter.

As I've hyped recently, my big night is this Friday. I wish I could blog on the go, as I traverse Tampa Bay, searching for adult beverages and related bad habits. Those would be cool blog entries, especially the one at 2:15 a.m. when I beg Marissa for bail money.

Anyway, here's a gaggle of tunes for tonight, New Year's Eve songs that work thematically and besottedly. Have a good one, boys and girls!

10.) Rockin' at Midnight-- the Honeydrippers
9.) Party Up (Up in Here) -- DMX
8.) New Year's Day -- U2
7.) The Final Countdown -- Europe
6.) Through the Years -- Kenny Rogers
5.) Happy -- the Rolling Stones
4.) Eve of Destruction -- Barry McGuire
3.) The New Year -- Death Cab for Cutie
2.) Living After Midnight -- Judas Priest
1.) Happy New Year -- ABBA

Up "All Night" With the Marleys

How hot is this? Damian Marley and Stephen Marley's "All Night." I musta listened to this thrusty slice of goodness 10 times today. It was hiding on my iPod, waiting for just the right moment to reveal itself. So good, so toasty. I'm gonna use this sucker to anchor my Friday party playlist.

My advice to you is to just let it play. Just let it fuse itself to your hips. From Damian's 2005 album "Welcome to Jamrock." You can thank me later...

HELP WANTED: The 4-Hour Party Mix

So as I was telling the ladies last night...

A good friend (and editor) is leaving the paper, and I'm in charge of iPod DJing the going-away shindig this upcoming Friday. I need four to five hours of music. Maybe dancing will break out, maybe not. I'd guess it's gonna be a nod-your-head, drink-and-flirt kinda party. However, there's gotta be a good beat and a cool vibe to the tunes.

I put together a rough cut last night: Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Moby, Stan Getz, Madonna, Rihanna, Tom Jones, Elvis Costello, Kanye West, James Addiction, Beck...

I figure I'll load up the dancier stuff toward the middle and end, when everyone's properly lubed up.

NOW GIVE ME MORE!!!!

Best Soft Hits From the '70s

Would you look at that hot 1979 action! The Captain looks like he has something stern in mind for Tennille, doesn't he? Dude looks angry, focused, mustachioed. She looks pretty heated up as well, probably because he's not wearing that stupid hat.

If you're wondering why we're talking Captain & Tennille today, it's because the Grammy Awards are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year (Feb. 10, 2008 to be exact). And they just released a 7-CD series highlighting such Grammy winners as the above couple.

The Recording Academy is the very organization that ignored Jimi Hendrix and embraced Milli Vanilli. So yes, the Grammys are remarkably, infamously uncool. However, in an ironic twist, that uncoolness gave them a sublime eye for soft, cheesy hits of the '70s. This includes Janis Ian's At Seventeen, the Bee Gees How Deep Is Your Love and the Doobie Brother's What a Fool Believes -- all on one magical CD!

I'm an unabashed fan of cheesy '70s goodness. Okay, maybe not that unabashed. When I croon along to, say, 10cc's I'm Not in Love, I usually have the car windows rolled up. And yet, here I am today, admitting as much in front of God, Bassnote and everyone.

This stuff is like a drug for me. I love it! So off the top of my pretty little head, here are Sean's 10 Fave Soft Hits From the '70s:

10.) The Things We Do for Love -- 10cc
9.) Dance With Me -- Orleans
8.) It Don't Matter to Me -- Bread
7.) Here You Come Again -- Dolly Parton
6.) At Seventeen -- Janis Ian (SOB ALONG)
5.) Time Passages -- Al Stewart
4.) Lonely Boy -- Andrew Gold (LISTEN)
3.) I Just Want to Be Your Everything -- Andy Gibb
2.) I'm Not in Love -- 10cc
1.) Love Will Keep Us Together -- Captain & Tennille (WATCH IN HORROR)

Can't Get THIS Out of My Head

I had a very Slashy year. Not in a Jame Gumm way, mind you. But a Saul Hudson way. Not only did I get to interview the former Guns N' Roses guitar god, but I dressed up like Slash for Halloween.

Lately, I've been mainlining Slash's tremendous solo on this cover of ELO's Can't Get It Out of My Head. Here's the song and an unintentionally humorous (and pretty lame) Velvet Revolver slideshow. The solo kicks in at the 2:11 mark. It's a monster (even if Scott Weiland's vocal is a bit cloying). Wait for it...wait for it...

PODCAST TIME! A New Year's Eve Sextacular!

Okay, maybe "sextacular" is overselling it a bit. But on a very special episode of Stuck in the '80s, the podcast crew of Steve Spears, Sean Daly and special sassy guest Stephanie Hayes (pictured, left, with Dick Clark) invites listeners to call in with their fave New Year's Eve party tunes from that decadent decade.

You'll hear everyone's favorite '80s siren Marissa (click here for her blog) talk openly about her "concealed weapons." Jeff in Cuba breaks free from his military constraints and offers up the Party Song to Top All Party Songs (WATCH THAT). It's a regular who's-who of Stuck in the '80s fans.

Anyway, you can listen to the show RIGHT HERE. Or you can go to iTunes and search for "Stuck in the '80s." I'm gonna give this one an R rating (profanity, adult situations, brief nudity), so listen responsibly.

Mother Knows Best

This marks the 5th day of my mother's visit to Florida. I love her dearly, of course. And Kid Lulu is crazy about her grandma, who in turn dutifully spoils Lu as if she's a royal princess. My mom had a tricky year, but she's a tough cookie and is now lookin' and feelin' good. I'm immensely proud of the unsinkable M. Daly.

That said -- ahem -- THIS IS THE 5TH DAY OF MY MOTHER'S VISIT TO FLORIDA. All of you folks hosting moms for the holidays, this playlist is for you...

Mother -- John Lennon
Mama Said Knock You Out -- LL Cool J
Mama Tried -- Merle Haggard
Hey Mama -- Kanye West
Mother and Child Reunion -- Paul Simon
Mother Nature's Son -- the Beatles
Mother, Father -- Journey
Mother's Little Helper -- the Rolling Stones
Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys -- Willie Nelson
Parents Just Don't Understand -- DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince

Vancouver Man Boards Crazy Train

THIS JUST IN! On Christmas Eve, a Vancouver, Wash., man claiming to be Ozzy Osbourne was arrested after barging into a convenience store and waving a gun around. You can see the video HERE.

To the dude's credit, he kinda looks like Ozzy. Plus he lives in Vancouver, Wash. I wouldn't mind defending this guy in court. After a lonely day of drinking, with no one to spend a cold Christmas with, it's understandable that this lunatic would look in the mirror and see the Blizzard of Ozz. It was his only defense.

He should sue God for $1.3 million. While he's at it, he should also slap a suit on the folks at MD 20/20 just for good measure.

A friend once described me as a morphing of Tom Hanks and John Candy. I didn't mind that. Hell, I love Splash. That said, Volunteers sucks.

Because this blog is wandering aimlessly, let's finish with the FIVE BEST OZZY SOLO TUNES...
5. Over the Mountain
4. I Don't Know
3. Bark at the Moon
2. Crazy Train
1. Flying High Again

Holiday hugs from Isaac

Hey Pop Lifers. It’s Stephanie, invading the blog for a nanosecond to spread some holiday cheer.  Isaac Hayes has once again warmed me to the core with another Shaft-tastic greeting. And what good are the holidays if not for sharing?  So while little Billy pummels his unwieldy new Air Hog into your fine china hutch, enjoy this e-card from the Hayes family.  It's OK to cry.

The Greatest Gift of All

In typical Sean Daly, only-child, fat-brat fashion, I totally raked in the goods this Christmas. I was rolling around in luxurious piles of iTunes and Best Buy cards like a corpulent Demi Moore. Howeva, for all the sweet Santa scores, the gift that really made me go "Holy sh--!" was courtesy of my best pal (and loyal blogger) Guy.

After hearing our Stuck in the '80s interview with John Waite -- which you can listen to right here -- Guy knew just what to get me. You see, I've been obsessing about John Waite's 1984 No Brakes album ever since I lost my vinyl copy way back when. It's been out of print for years. Not only is Missing You on there, but so are the equally faboo Tears (WATCH) and Restless Heart. I even begged Waite himself for a copy when Steve Spears and I chatted him up.

Anyway, I never saw it coming. But I opened the Christmas package, and there was the CD. Pretty damn cool. So thanks, Guy. And rest assured, I've been playing that sucker ever since.

Merry Christmas, Boys and Girls

So I dropped a "Heat Miser" reference at work the other day, and a 24-year-old colleague had no idea what I was talking about. She even hit me with a withering "Musta been before my time" dig. Out of desperation, I tried to sing some of it. But that just made me appear both old AND creepy. So this clip is for her -- and for the rest of us graybeards raised on wicked awesome television.

Yule Log Madness (The Playlist!!!)

Keep it together, Daly. Don’t let the log win. Just hang in there...

When you stare into a yule log, the yule log stares back at you. Especially when said log is crackling maniacally on a Sony 46-inch high-def TV squatting majestically in your living room.

Tampa Bay's Bay News 9 is once again televising four consecutive hours of its notably dormant yule log on Christmas Eve. From 8 to midnight, this made-for-TV timber will be prime time entertainment for thousands of people who will watch it and watch it and watch it burn...and then be carted off to padded rooms.

I recently tuned in to this seemingly benign piece of wood on Bright House Network’s free “on demand” channel. (Indeed, you can watch the yule log whenever you want on Ch. 340.) In fact, I gawked for one straight hour. Just stared right into it.

For me, the madness descended almost immediately.

The initial scene is of a posh suburban fireplace. Very nice, very Westchase. There are a Christmas tree and presents on the left. Five stockings hang from the mantel. Bing Crosby croons in the background. And of course there's that ominous log ablaze in the hearth. You are instantly seduced by its mighty power — especially if you have an enormous TV that your fiancee hates.

You’re watching...you’re watching...you’re getting lightheaded...you’re drooling a little...and then your mind starts to go:

Wait a minute, you think. Where is everybody? Why is there a roaring fire in a million-dollar home and no one’s around? And why isn’t there a screen in front of the fireplace? Could these people be more careless? What if they have a cat? What if kitty gets curious? Stay away from the light, Whiskers!

I wonder what’s in those presents. I bet it’s something naughty, something from Frederick’s of Hollywood. C’mon, let’s look! We won’t get caught. It’s just us and Whiskers. The cat won’t rat!

I feel like a burglar. It feels a little wrong. Like I’m an intruder, a thief, a criminal. I wouldn’t be able to handle jail. I’m soft, cute, chubby. I’ve seen Caged Heat. They’d eat me alive in the pokey.

That's when the yule-log scene shifts to a closeup of the fire, which is now roaring like an outtake from The Towering Inferno. The Christmas music has become intense; it’s that fiendish, crescendoing Carol of the Bells, which always reminds me of The Exorcist. The yule log is playing serious mind games now.

Look at those sparks! Duck and cover, Whiskers, duck and cover! The log is raging like a Roman candle. I know what’s going on here. It’s angry! It’s furious! The log knows its time is up! Hahahaha! You’ll never win yule log! I AM THE LOG KING!

And just like that, the hour is up.

I’m not sure what happened during my psychic staring contest with the yule log. But I quickly wrote down a musical playlist to chronicle the events. When you visit the log, you best have the following songs handy, just to be on the safe side.

So Merry Christmas, everybody...and respect the log!

The Yule Log Playlist
1. The Christmas Song, Mel Torme
2. Big Log, Robert Plant
3. Rockin' the Suburbs, Ben Folds
4. Blaze It, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
5. Disco Inferno, the Trammps
6. Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield
7. Losing It, Rush
8. Where Is My Mind, the Pixies
9. Go Insane, Lindsey Buckingham
10. Changing Channels, Jimmy Buffett

Questions for Jack Blades?

Where are my Night Ranger fans? Damn Yankees dudes? Shaw-Blades supporters?

My devastatingly handsome Stuck in the '80s pal Steve Spears just reminded me that Night Ranger and touring pal Dennis DeYoung are coming to Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall on Jan. 19.

I used to rock the Ranger pretty good when I was a kid. (Wow, that sounds dirty.) So I said, sure, what the hell, I'm up for an interview with Mr. Blades. I saw Night Ranger a few years ago on St. Pete's gorgeous waterfront -- it was highly entertaining, all the hits front and center: When You Close Your Eyes, Sentimental Street, Sister Christian. Fun stuff.

So now Jack's back! Who has a question for him?

Let's Do It: SD's 10 Best Albums of '07

10. Alicia Keys, As I Am: This isn’t the masterpiece she’ll one day deliver. But the R&B star continues to take her prodigious skills to soul-kissed extremes.

9. Kanye West, Graduation: School’s out, suckas. And despite the vainglorious tantrums, 'Ye is nothing less than hip-hop’s envelope-pushing valedictorian. (That's right, Stephanie Hayes. I said "vainglorious." You got a problem with that?)

8. Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Bad: This year’s "Off the Wall." A smart, crazy-fun dance disc. Best gams in the biz, too...um, if you're into that sort of thing.

7. Rufus Wainwright, Release the Stars: I’m not sure which is bigger: my crush on Keys or Wainwright, whose lazy-river malaise is a thoroughly unique pop instrument.

6. Lily Allen, Alright, Still...: The Brit brat and MySpace pixie blends ska and Piccadilly pop to make a snotty charmer. When Lily smiles, watch your back.

5. Mark Ronson, Version: Producer of the year, Ronson is the throwback guy who made stars out of Allen and Winehouse. Here he calls on his pals to flirt over funky horns, hip-hop beats and L.A.-cool soundscapes.

4. Amy Winehouse, Back to Black: She looks like Dorothy’s house just dropped on her head. But before witchy Winehouse skidded out on drugs, the neo-girl-grouper earned those honors as breakout artist of ’07.

3. Miranda Lambert, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Save your sugar and spice: This proudly psychotic outlaw is all parts gunpowder and lead. Looks like a pinup, bites like a pitbull.

2. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Raising Sand: Buy your ticket and hop aboard this Southern Gothic tunnel of love. A lesson in chemistry that mixes twang, voodoo and 1,000 haunted, hopeful hearts.

1. M.I.A., Kala: Daughter of a freedom fighter, mother of invention: When Maya Arulpragasam was banned from the U.S.A., the hip-hop rebel scavenged exotic sounds and beats from the rest of the world. "Don’t order me about," she barks at men trying to control her. "I'm an outlaw from the badland." You go, girl.

How Badass Is This?

Saw this snapshot in the year-end ish of Rolling Stone. It's just about the coolest picture of all time. Look at her, sparking a ciggie off the candles of her 100th birthday cake. If that's not a giant "up yours" to the Grim Reaper, I dunno what is. Now kids, I'm not condoning tobacco products. However, if you make it to 100, smoke 'em if you got 'em, I say.

To read more about this young lady, go here.

SD's Best Of '07: Honorable Mentions

Hey Superstars,

On Friday, I'll hit you with my Top 10 Albums of 2007 (seven of which are courtesy of women, including the No. 1 spot).

Today, you get the honorable mentions. If you ask me tomorrow (or the next day or the next), I'd no doubt swap a few of the following into the Top 10 (including Shawn Carter's killer comeback disc.) In other words, it was a helluva year to be a pop music critic.

Here ya go...

Feist, The Reminder
Nicole Atkins, Neptune City (REVIEW)
Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight (REVIEW)
Patty Griffin, Children Running Through
Shooter Jennings, The Wolf
Bruce Springsteen, Magic (REVIEW)
John Fogerty, Revival
Eddie Vedder, Into the Wild
The Hives, The Black and White Album (REVIEW)
Mark Knopfler, Kill to Get Crimson
White Stripes, Icky Thump
Jay-Z, American Gangster

John Mellencamp, Freedom’s Road
Arcade Fire, Neon Bible

Call Me Stoltzfus (The Beard Playlist)

So when I was up north last week, I tried to grow a beard. Actually, "tried" isn't the right word. I forgot to bring a razor, and I was too cheap to buy one at CVS. So I just didn't shave.

Wow, it looked really bad. As many of you know, the Daly men are unable to generate body hair in several strategic places. (No, not that place. We're painfully normal there.) Our legs and arms are porpoiselike in their smoothness; sure, we're easy targets, but we're also fabulous swimmers.

Anyway, last week, I had one half of a mustache that was kinda growing -- but the other half, well, it failed to get the memo. I could only muster a smattering of random hair on my Baby Huey cheeks. And yet, under my chin it grew rather wolfishly. Unfortunately, this curious pattern both (1) accentuated my myriad chins and (2) made me look Amish. And with all due respect, a fat Amish farmer is not the look I was going for.

Anyway, if you don't mind, I'd now like to mourn my since-shaved beard with a few appropriate tunes...

Why Did You Grow a Beard -- They Might Be Giants
Pencil Thin Mustache -- Jimmy Buffett
Smell My Beard -- Frank Zappa
Peachfuzz -- KMD
Burma Shave -- Tom Waits
Smooth Operator -- Sade
Let It Grow -- Eric Clapton
Cocksoldiers and Their Postwar Stubble -- Guided by Voices
Dizzy's Goatee -- Joe Strummer
Ode to Chin -- Switchfoot
Razor -- Foo Fighters
Rough Boy -- ZZ Top

Dedicate a Song to Jamie Lynn Spears

I really don't care about Jamie Lynn Spears. But she's 16. She's preggers. And she's Britney's sister. So people are talking about her today, and lord knows I'm needy for attention.

So have at it. Here's a few tender dedications to get us started...

Stupid Girl -- Garbage
Respect Yourself -- Staples Singers
Knocked Up -- Kings of Leon
Baby, What a Big Surprise -- Chicago
All in the Family -- Korn

Darren McGavin Was Robbed!!!

Every Christmas, for the past 17 years, the Forever Fiancee has patiently sat through my impassioned speech about how Darren McGavin should have won an Oscar -- or at least been nominated, fer crissakes! -- for his role as the Old Man in 1983's A Christmas Story. Granted, a fine performance ultimately won the Academy Award for best supporting actor that year -- Jack Nicholson in Terms of Endearment -- but McGavin was better.

Trust me on this. Because I'm vaingloriously shallow, I feel strongly about very few topics. It's basically Funyuns (as the greatest snack), surly Red Sox power hitter Jim Rice (for the Hall of Fame)...and Darren McGavin (who gave one of the greatest comedic performances in film history).

Nicholson is so beloved in Terms because he's essentially the comic relief as horny astronaut Garrett Breedlove; the movie is so gut-wrenching, you crave his presence just so you can stop your sobbing. But in the end, Jack was basically being Jack, the beginning of a string of self-parody.

McGavin, otherwise famous for his role as Kolchak, the Night Stalker, has to compete with dozens of hilarious performances in A Christmas Story -- and yet without him, the movie would be a bust. And although his lines are hilarious ("Not a finger!") his quiet facial expressions are worth the best-supporting-actor trophy alone. Just watch him at the dinner table, or driving his family around. The mix of weary regret and pride and whimsy and resolute Dad-ness -- all pitch perfect. Has there ever been a more honest "Dad" portrayal than this?

Long story short, you can hear me wax poetic on McGavin in the latest Stuck in the '80s podcast dedicated to A Christmas Story. You can find the link on the right side of this page. Happy holidays!

LIVE PODCASTING! Give Us a Call!

WHO WANTS TO BE ON iTUNES?

Hey kids, this Thursday, Dec. 20, at Noon ET, the Stuck in the '80s podcast crew -- Steve Spears, Sean Daly and special guest Stephanie "America's Sweetheart" Hayes -- will be recording a podcast about the best '80s songs to play at your New Year's Eve Party.

We're gonna do it in a "live" format, which means if you call us between 12 and 1 P.M. this Thursday --  the number is (727) 892-2655 -- there's a great chance we'll put you on the show. Then, when the show launches a few days later, you can download yourself on iTunes.

When you call -- (727) 892-2655 -- you can either:
(1) Recommend a great New Year's Eve '80s song
(2) Try to stump us with a trivia question
(3) Tell us we suck and/or wish us a Happy New Year
(4) Explain why our female fans find Steve so unbearably sexy

If the phone is busy, keep trying. I'll make sure Steve orders his daily allotment of meat lover's pizzas early so he won't clog up the phone.

Don't be shy! Give us a call!

New Nose or Same Schnoz?

A few weeks ago, I snarked about Disney cutie Ashley Tisdale getting deviated septum surgery. I didn't buy her "health reasons" excuse for a second. A nose job is a career-killer, I lamented, pointing out Ashlee Simpson and Jennifer Grey as examples. Tisdale, who's the legal age of 22, is popular because of her flaws, lousy singing voice included. She's different from the other princesses.

Well, the post-op pix courtesy of US are now coming in. (Here's another one.) If you'll please consult the before and after snaps on the left, you'll see her shooter has indeed decreased in size. Same basic shape, mind you, just a little smaller. But what's really disturbing is that she looks like she also had an eye job -- and a lousy one at that. One eye looks droopier than the other, like she was left in the microwave too long.

Something went down, and it wasn't good. I can already feel my stalker urges subsiding. That's too bad. I really had a good time being obsessed with Ashley.

A Very Daly Christmas

Last week, a colleague asked if I would make his girlfriend a Christmas mix. He's Jewish, she's not -- the man needed some help. I'm a freak for Christmas music and have an epic number of albums that are only good for 25 days a year. So of course I said yes.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a ton of time to make the mix, so I threw a bunch of stuff together and hoped it worked. In retrospect, I give it a B. No Darlene Love -- an omission that would get you shot in the North Pole. And the abundance of Guaraldi slows the pace in spots. But there's some good stuff on there.

(By the way, I had a hot picture of the Hawaiian Tropics girls in strategically placed wreaths to go with this post. But out of respect for my female readers -- and my beloved Forever Fiancee -- here's a picture of Yoda in awkward Santa gear instead.)

Anyway, here's the playlist for A Very Daly Christmas...(plus for the ladies, a CLIP from the Star Wars Holiday Special)

1. Santa Claus Is Back In Town -- Elvis Presley
2. Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer -- Chris Isaak
3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) --  Death Cab For Cutie (WATCH a homemade video)
4. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? -- Rufus Wainwright
5. Merry Christmas Baby -- Otis Redding
6. O Tannenbaum -- Vince Guaraldi
7. Sleigh Ride -- Los Straitjackets
8. Frosty The Snowman -- The Ronettes
9. Run Rudolph Run -- Chuck Berry
10. Linus And Lucy -- Vince Guaraldi
11. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town -- Bruce Springsteen
12. The Christmas Song -- The Raveonettes
13. The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) -- Nat King Cole (WATCH)
14. Carol of the Bells -- The Bird And The Bee
15. Blue Christmas -- Elvis Presley
16. Christmastime Is Here (Instrumental) -- Vince Guaraldi
17. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -- Chris Isaak
18. Christmas Is Coming -- Vince Guaraldi
19. Spotlight On Christmas -- Rufus Wainwright
20. Skating -- Vince Guaraldi
21. Jingle Bell Rock -- The Ventures
22. The Man With All The Toys -- The Beach Boys
23. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus -- John Mellencamp
24. Christmastime Is Here (Vocal) -- Vince Guaraldi
25. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) -- U2 (WATCH)

Doing the Bull Dance (Feelin' the Flow)

So...I'm helpless in a vintage barber chair being threatened with my own belt by a bethonged blond bartender with severe anger issues.

Where did it all go wrong? I'll tell you...

Much like the amateur zookeeper who releases exotic amphibians into the Everglades under the cover of night -- thus disrupting and polluting a glorious ecosystem -- I absent-mindedly got my best friends in the swell city of Harrisburg, Pa., addicted to Red Bull & vodka, the official cracklike concoction of Tampa Bay.

"I feel so awake!" said my friends Becks -- weary father of two, dog-tired power lawyer -- as he double-fisted tumblers of that dastardly drink. Before we knew it, five hours of dreaded Red led us to a Coyote Ugly-esque joint where all hell broke loose. Thongs, belts, barber chairs -- X-rated acrimony, I tell you.

Anyway, the less said the better. But I would like to issue a blanket apology to all those folks in Capital City who were offended by our actions -- including the downright surly whipped-cream girl with the ill-fitting bra. Please accept the following playlist as a token of our deep regret:

Herewith, THE RED BULL PLAYLIST:

All Fired Up -- Pat Benatar
Power to the People -- John Lennon
Bull in the Heather -- Sonic Youth
Hyperactive -- Thomas Dolby
Energy Drink -- Ugly Duckling
I Saw Red -- Warrant
Pump It Up -- Elvis Costello
Jump Around -- House of Pain
Freakin' Out -- Graham Coxon
Bounce -- Timbaland
BONUS CUT: Thong Song -- Sisqo

Hayes Praise (or: Daly's Back!)

Hey Young Lovers!

Before I start telling tawdry travel tales of being belt-whipped by a blond bartender in Harrisburg or introducing Red Bull & vodka to an unsuspecting populace or trying to grow an Amish beard, allow me to gush aplenty about my very special guest blogger.

Let's hear some chatter for Stephanie Hayes!!!

Not only is she a world-champion bowler, but she's funny as hell and a whipcrack writing talent. I only had one chance to check out the blog while I was away -- at a hospital, no less -- but it was sublime. She even kicked Spears' ample butt in an ol-fashioned blog battle!!!

Maybe now that she's cozied up to such Pop Life pals as Marissa and Carla and Al, Stephanie will visit us on a regular basis. One can only hope. For now, you can visit Stephanie here and here.

Ooooh... shiny!

Siiiigh.

A pot of silver glitter leftover from Halloween burst in my makeup bag. It's all over EVERYTHING. Powder, shadow, eyelash curler. It reached the deepest corner of the Bag of Shadows, wherein lies the unfortunate fuchsia "Dessert by Jessica Simpson" lipstick, the purchase of which weighs heavy on my soul.

I didn't know the severity of the Bay of Glitter Invasion until I started putting on products this morning. And anyone who has ever had a run-in with glitter knows the pain involved in removal. It's like Easter grass. I'll be finding it for years. So, although it's Saturday afternoon and I look hobo-fabulous, if you catch my face in the right light, I am Dee Snider.

Instead of pointing and laughing, help me out with a glitter playlist.

Glitter - Motley Crue
Gold Dust Woman - Fleetwood Mac
Glamour and Glitz - A Tribe Called Quest
Shimmer - System Of A Down
All That Glitters - Le Tigre
Sparkle - Phish
Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star - Merle Haggard
Glitter Girl - Kidney Thieves
Glow Worm - Mills Brothers
Imma Shine - YoungBloodZ

BLOG BATTLE: 80s Christmas songs

OK, people, Steve Spears from Stuck in the 80s has challenged me to a blog battle! He's waxing poetic on Xmas tunes over on his blog, so check it out and see who you like(coughpleasepickmecough). I know I'm new around these parts, but don’t hold back. I can take your shots. Plus, there’s a really nice place to cry in the third stall of the ladies room.  Here we go!

The top five Christmas Songs of the 80s

5. Santa Baby – Madonna
I’m going to get crap for this, I know.  She sings the whole song in a squeaky Jersey accent. But shortly after releasing this, she squeezed into crushed velvet and got FIERCE as Breathless Mahoney in Dick Tracy. Santa Baby reminds me of the platinum pin-up Madonna, and helps me forget the heavily biceped track suit yogi we have now. And if you can’t have a little fun with, essentially, PROPOSITIONING SANTA to sweep your chimney, you have a stick somewhere indelicate.

4. Winter Wonderland – Eurythmics
Annie Lennox is like no other, and her pipes make this song endure. Listen next time you’re getting fat in the food court or slaving over which dancing snowman to pick in Hallmark. You may hear it. The nice thing about this song is, she holds back. It’s like a tease. And you get the feeling she just doesn’t care, cuz dang it, she’s mellow and has cocoa is not leaving this f-n fireplace. It’s singable, it’s fun, and it’s full of echos and synth and clapping and clanking that make it expressly 80s-tastic.

3. Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer – Elmo & Patsy
You hate this song. You’ve heard it a million times. But for me, this song is special. This marks the moment, as a wee small lass freezing my towhead off in Ohio, that I realized I could say things that were weird and twisted and dark, and PEOPLE WOULD LAUGH! It was a stunning discovery. Grandma getting roadkilled by a renegade beast? Sick! I love it!  This song led me down a very snarky path, folks, and for that, I’m grateful.

2. Last Christmas – Wham!
I heart Wham! I love to do the kick-snap dance and sing Wake Me Up Before You Go Go at karaoke. Wham! is cheesy and stupid, and George Michael looked surfer boy hot in the 80s. And I love the bratty lyrics in this song. “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away. This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special.”  It’s all, NANNY NANNY BOO BOO, pptbbtthh!  Plus, two of my favorite artists remade this song later – Jimmy Eat World, and my one-time crush, Darren Hayes from Savage Garden (who, incidentally, also turned out to like boys. Dang.)

1. Please Come Home For Christmas – Pat Benatar
I love Pat, so much. Her voice is one of my all-time favorites. In 2005, I went to see her and Neil Giraldo in concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall. They looked ready to pick up the kids from soccer. She wore a navy blazer, a permed bob and sensible shoes. Her husband donned track pants and some hot New Balances. But as much as I missed the green eyeliner and lace, Pat came through on the vocals. Her voice is still nearly perfect, and this song is a shining example. You can hear the passion, people! Love IS a battlefield!

BONUS! The worst Christmas song of the 80s

Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid
Look, I’m all about raising money for starving kids in Ethiopia, or whatever. And no doubt, Bob Geldof assembled some crack artists to wail on this Frankenstein creation. But have you seen the lyrics? This is perhaps the most smug, entitled song ever. “Do they know it’s Christmas?” Around half of Ethiopia practices Islam, so, like, they might not care. “There won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime.” YAY! SNOW BLOWS! And then for the kicker: “And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom. Tonight, thank God it’s them instead of you.”  Wow.  That’s the holiday spirit.

This person has too much money

Someone in London paid $48,000 for a lock of John Lennon's hair!!

Holy split ends, Batman!  Who has that kind of dough to blow on hair?  It makes me wonder, though... was John's hair greasy? Shiny? Full of body and natural wave? Was there dandruff? And wouldn't it be a fantasy buzzkill if your idol turned out to be kinda dirty and raunchy smelling? I don't care if you're a musical genius and you feed blind babies in your free time, if you smell like feet, you're OUTTA THERE!

Anyway, suppose you had unlimited bucks and a creepy hair fetish. Which celeb's locks would you bid on?

Here's my top three:
1. Sinead O'Connor, whatever her hair used to look like. Come on. How much would THAT be worth?
2. The fluffy top half of Jon Bon Jovi's 80s mullet. Business in the front, party in the back, and more bang for your buck.
3. Amy Winehouse's beehive. Whatever, ahem, "items" are stashed inside might be worth more than the hair - depending on the street corner.

Let's hear it!

Shaft is a bad mother...

Isaac Hayes is the best part of my day.

You see, isaachayes.net mysteriously sends me e-mail updates at work.  I assume this is related to my last name also being “Hayes,” because I have never actually visited said website.

I could remove myself, but I’ve come to enjoy these peeks into the life of everyone’s favorite singer of, um, Shaftandsomeotherstuff. My heart skips when “Isaac Hayes News” sails into my inbox! (And that’s not a dirty euphemism).

Fun Facts: When Issac played at Harrah’s in Kansas City, he “sounded best during the old-school testifying of I Stand Accused.”  Also, Chef was honored at VH1’s recent Movie’s Rock thingamadohickey, where LL Cool J sang the theme from Shaft.

Did you know these things? I did. Because we’re super close now, me and Isaac.  Here’s a Sean Daly style playlist for Issac and Steph's hot e-mail showmance.

Digital Getdown - *Nsync
E-mail My Heart - Britney Spears
Send Me An E-mail - J-Shin ft. T-Pain
Take a Message  - Remy Shand
The Update - Beastie Boys
Write Me A Letter - Aerosmith
Ayo Technology - 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake
I Love My Computer - Bad Religion
It's All About The Pentiums - Weird Al
Raw Update - Technotronic

Got more?

Merry Awkward Christmas

Did anyone see "Christmas in Washington" on TNT last night?

I only caught the end, when they made American Idol siren Kat McPhee sing RIGHT AFTER superhuman Andrea Bocelli. I mean, who did she peeve off, right? Did a disgruntled wardrobe stylist play switcherooni on the lineup? Did she slice Kat's iron Spanx down the bank and pelt freshwater pearls onstage? Hmm… maybe I’m thinking of Showgirls. But there are two bigger problems here.

Problem one: DR. PHIL’S TEETH

They looked like a row of unchewed Chiclets. A beacon of hope for those without electricity. Star of wonder, start of night! Star with royal beauty bright!  I can’t prove anything, but it looks like he “GOT REAL” about his dental situation and popped into the ZOOM chair pre-show. Come on, Phil baby. Fess up. Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining.

Problem two: The FREAKING WEIRD LINEUP

- Andrea Bocelli
- Katharine McPhee
- Vanessa “Naked is Nice” Hudgens
- Alan Jackson (who not only towers above everyone at 6-foot-one trillion, he also wears SPARKLES! You know. To blend in.)
- Colbie Caillat
- Ne-Yo
- Dr. Phil and wifey
- President Bush and wifey

It’s like… 10th grade economics class, There’s a big mock stock purchasing project, and the students all HATE each other. So, the perky first-year teacher, in effort to forge world peace among sophomores, assembles really random work groups.

Alan props his BeDazzled boots on the desk. Vanessa giggles and plays with Alan’s saffron curls, while a jealous Zac Efron peers over from his own exiled group. Katharine puts on glitter lip gloss for the 12th time this hour. Colbie, who wears no shoes, plays "You Were Meant For Me" on acoustic guitar. And Ne-Yo, who has had enough, because NO ONE is purchasing stocks, just walks out.  Also, there’s a children’s choir.

Merry Christmas from Washington, folks. You all still hate each other.

Hannah's coming back

Look out parents, your daughter may be adding a new item to the top of her Christmas wish list: Hannah Montana is returning to Florida. She won't be in Tampa, but a road trip isn't too much to ask for when it comes to Miley Cyrus, right?

She's added 14 dates to her Best of Both Worlds tour, three of them Florida venues.  She'll perform in Orlando Jan. 28 and 29, in Jacksonville on Jan. 30 and in Miami on Jan. 31.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

Get your credit cards ready.

Goodbye Ike, hello Spock

Ike Turner died today.

Ike was a man of highly questionable behavior. He makes the feminist chunks gurgle in my stomach. But there's no denying that he and Tina had some FANTASTIC songs.

So, instead of plain-ol' vilifying a man who just died, let's let the following artists do it the old fashioned way. ALL TIME WORST TURNER REMAKES!

River Deep, Mountain High (Private Dance Mix) – Erasure

OK. The original lyrics are a little sad: “I’m going to be faithful as that puppy.” I would add, “Then I’m going to leap up and lunch on your nose if you twist my floppy ear one more time, jerkface. Now give me a Beggin’ Strip.” Nonetheless, the original is shakeworthy. This cover from Erasure’s 1988 album The Innocents is worthy of a one-piece jewel-toned leotard, Reeboks, leg warmers and JAZZERCISE! Plus, it’s like seven minutes. I have things to do, people.

Nutbush City Limits – Melinda Doolittle

Look, I loved Melinda on American Idol last season. I wanted her to win. And she did a good job with this song. But anyone who has EVER glimpsed Simon’s bulging pectorals in an inappropriate Dri-Fit top KNOWS that there are certain artists you just don’t touch. Mariah. Aretha. Celine. Chaka. Tina. If Melinda had lowered the bar and covered, oh, say, Stars are Blind by the enigmatic Paris Hilton, she’d be the one with the mediocre CD hanging LIGHTING HOT on the charts at number kindadisappointing. Boy, she learned her lesson.

Proud Mary – Leonard Nimoy

Ike and Tina remade John Fogerty’s song, and it became awesome in an entirely new and exciting way. Leonard Nimoy, who I’m sure had the best of intentions, remade it first in 1970, and, well... He's probably a very nice man, and he certainly has spunk. He's a music fan, no doubt, and... HE’S SPOCK, OK?  Frick. Further explanation seems redundant. 

Other nominees?

Clooney Brush-O-Matic 5000!

Greetings, Sean Daly fans! He totally bailed on you guys. I'm Stephanie, and I'll attempt to fill in while he gorges on crustaceans and murky Pilsner in a seedy Maryland pub.  You miss him, true, but don't be shy with comments. I'm nice!

Vitals: I'm a blogger at the Snack Pack. I write for the St. Pete Times. I have a great shoe collection. And most importantly, I'm a chick who plans to finally get some pics of dudes on this horndoggley blog!

But to ease in, we'll start with Sean's fave, Ashley Tisdale. Her mug graces this money pit product: TOOTH TUNES - the toothbrush that sings for two minutes while you scrub your nasty yellows. Listen. I am NOT-YOUR-FRIEND in the morning. I need gentleness. Low lighting.  I need, only briefly... adult contemporary. In the arms of the angel. Far away from here.

Not, "SHALALALALA DON'T STOP NOW, DON'T TRY TO HIDE IT HOW, YOU WANT TO KISS THE GIRL."  No, Ash. I'm not making out with anyone at 0-dark-thirty. I need Diet Coke first, and something chocolate. Then we can talk.

Other Tooth Tunes varieties:

Jesse McCartney - Beautiful Soul (Because your face looks fug without makeup)
Beach Boys - Fun Fun Fun (WHATEVER)
Destiny's Child - Survivor (Of chronic tooth decay, after you quit brushing altogether)
Vanessa Hudgens - Come Back to Me (In about three hours when the sun is up)
Corbin Bleu - Push it to the Limit (Or heave it off the balcony in a fit of rage)
KISS - Rock and Roll All Night (Instead of brushing and going to bed. Dance on bars! Kiss the girl!)

NO. I want... I want George Clooney in my toothbrush, whispering sweet nothings: "Morning, Steph. You look radiant. I really think that blemish went down overnight. You may not need the concealer today. Don't brush your hair. Just tousle it a little. You need to love YOU, flaws and all. I do. Now go make it a Clooney kinda day! Kisses, babe. Talk at PJ time!"

That, I would buy.

Welcome Back, Hon

So a family affair is bringing me back to Baltimore Wednesday. I'm expecting a lotta warmth from Mom, Dad and the bustling Daly brood -- and a lotta butt-chapping cold from Mother Nature. Might try to grab a crabcake at the crustaceous valhalla of G&M -- might even zip into PA and see my buddies from back home. (Peace out, H'burg!)

With the FF and Lulu keeping the home fires burning, this will be a solo flight, much like the episode of Magnum when he gets lost at sea on a kayak and has to outsmart a shark. (Peace out, Mag fans!)

While I'm gone, my colleague Stephanie Hayes will be entertaining you. She's fiendishly funny and decidedly twisted. Ask her about her job as a literary embalmer. Creepy.

Anyway, I get back Sunday -- Stephanie takes over as soon as my tuchus touches down in Charm City. But before I go, here's a Baltimore-inspired playlist to play over the montage of me falling ass-over-teacups on patches of ice. Oh, the hijinks...

Baltimore -- Nina Simone
Good Morning Baltimore -- Nikki Blonsky
Crab -- Weezer
Tomorrow Night in Baltimore -- Waylon Jennings
Streets of Baltimore -- Coldplay
Raining in Baltimore -- Counting Crows
A Baltimore Love Thing -- 50 Cent
Nasty Crab -- Adina Howard
Baltimore -- Randy Newman
Hungry Heart -- Bruce Springsteen

NEW MUSIC: Rufus & Rivers

Rufus Wainwright
Album: Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall (Geffen)
In stores: Now
Why we care: Despite the crap I'm gonna catch from my buddies, I'm a total sucker for Wainwright, the showbiz kid with the murky past and yowza voice. On this live album, the 34-year-old re-creates Judy Garland's famed ’61 show at the same NYC venue. Depending on your tolerance level, this is either a lush seance that swings -- or the equivalent of being trapped in a closet with Rip Taylor.
Why we like it: With his full-throated lazy-river phrasing — a muddled way of annunciating that turns some listeners off — Wainwright tackles the Great American Songbook with high volume and modern gravitas. Me? I think it's amazing performance. No matter how many times it’s been done, the climactic Over the Rainbow is pretty damn good.
Reminds us of: Rufus' other 2007 album, Release the Stars, is even better.
Download these: The Man That Got Away and Over the Rainbow
Grade: A-

Rivers Cuomo
Album: Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo (Geffen)
In stores: Now
Why we care: Bespectacled misfit leader of power-pop band Weezer, Cuomo is as melodically gifted as he is socially messed-in-the-head. When he’s not obsessing over the perfect hook, he’s hiding in a closet for days on end. These shoddy, crackly demos play like diary entries: creepy, self-indulgent but peppered with catchy genius. For Weezer completists only.
Why we like it: The liner notes (dark, brooding, naive) are more interesting than the music. But there are some interesting tunes, including a bizarro rock opera that's kinda fun before it gets tired. As for legit hits, Crazy One, a tribute to Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound style, is the rare keeper. The jangly rumbler was inspired by an ex with an “extraordinarily unsavory” life. But he falls in love anyway. "You can actually hear my whimpering," Rivers writes about the recording.
Reminds us of: Cuomo reveals that the original lyric for Buddy Holly was "Oo-wee-oo, you look just like Ginger Rogers. Oh-oh, I move just like Fred Astaire."
Album grade: C-

Happy Birthday, Kid Lulu!

The love of my life, my wee daughter, turns 4 years old on Tuesday. She's very excited about this. In fact, Kid Lulu started celebrating early the other day, unveiling her birthday suit in front of the Quiet Neighbor Boy.

Oh yeah. It was quite the moment. The Forever Fiancee walked into the room and an innocent game of Legos had gone full-frontal. My dear FF calmly corrected the situation -- and then calmly told me.

Anyway, the kicker was that the Quiet Neighbor Boy, a kid who never makes a peep, started singing at the top of his lungs. Seriously, my daughter's clothing-optional policy had instantly broken this little guy out of his shell. The formerly silent kid was suddenly hitting all the notes: "HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS! HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS! RIGHT DOWN SANTA CLAUS LANE!" I think he even did a little jig.

Anyway, happy birthday, Kid Lulu. Go on, open Daddy's present first. It's a robe.

The Monopoly Playlist

Imagine how low the divorce rate would plummet if every first date started with a game of Monopoly.

After all, you may think your latest boy toy is smart, funny, cuter than Clooney. But once you see him OCD'ing his play money into tight, meticulous piles, constantly trading in smaller bills for bigger ones, unwilling to shell out for Baltic (it's only $60, dude!), you can cancel those reservations at the Ivy. He's a cheap-o.

Or perhaps your new girlfriend keeps her Monopoly cash in a slovenly pile, allowing those golden-hued $500s to flutter willy-nilly to the linoleum. When it comes Community Chest time to collect $50 from every player, she squeezes your thigh and flirts, "You know I'm good for it, right baby?" Watch out, bub. By the time you hit Marvin Gardens, she’ll be suing you for palimony.

You can tell a lot about a person (and yourself) from the way they play Monopoly. That's why I was horrified to see those TV ads for a version of Monopoly that doesn’t use any bills.

Can you imagine? All those white ones, pink fives, lemon tens, NyQuil twenties, blue fifties, sepia 100s, deep-fried 500s — gone, gone, gone. Instead, the "Electronic Banking" edition comes with a plastic debit card. Swiping? That’s what we’ve come to? Swiping?! Wow, that’s lamer than getting stuck with the thimble.

Sure, Monopoly has spawned dozens of different versions since its inception in 1935. But switching locations, tokens, real estate is one thing. Ditching the funny money is another.

Forget about learning how to count, to barter, to dance in a rainbow rainfall of toy cash after dodging a minefield of hotels (St. James! Tennessee! New York!) and landing on a cash-fat Free Parking. Forget about the joy of sliming the last person to join the game with the task of being banker. Or the thrill of finding your last dang dollar under the board to avoid bankruptcy — and coming back to win the game.

In the name of ATM convenience, the iconic currency of board game lore has been nudged out. Ugh. How thoroughly, pathetically modern. Somewhere, the Monopoly guy is wiping a tear off of his wee monocle.

So my advice to you is to dust off your classic Monopoly set (you’ll find it in the closet behind the Lincoln Logs and Hungry Hungry Hippos). Then cue up the following playlist and start rolling the dice. Oh, and make sure to buy everything you land on. Even Electric Company. The math isn’t as hard as it looks.

THE MONOPOLY PLAYLIST
1. Go -- Asia
2. Atlantic City -- Bruce Springsteen
3. In the Jailhouse Now -- the Soggy Bottom Boys
4. One More Time Around -- Alabama
5. $100 Dollar Bill Ya’ll -- Ice Cube
6. I’ve Been Working on the Railroad -- Pete Seeger
7. Pay Me My Money Down -- the Kingston Trio
8. Under the Boardwalk -- the Drifters
9. Money Talks -- AC/DC
10. Heartbreak Hotel -- Elvis Presley

PODCAST TIME! Your Broken Hearts

A few weeks ago, the fantastically fleshy Stuck in the '80s podcast team of Spears and Daly asked listeners for their worst (or, for that matter, best) breakup stories. Almost immediately, well-penned tales of heartache and sad-sackery started filling up our email.

Because we like to exploit the romantic dismay of others, we've dedicated an entire show to your letters, read with dramatic gravitas by Sean, Steve and special guest Jill Holcombe, previously a PR guru at Ruth Eckerd Hall, now a proud member of the St. Petersburg Times family. The show is very funny, rather gut-wrenching and littered with R-rated content, so please listen with a grownup.

You'll find the link to the show on the right side of this page. (You'll also find us on iTunes.) Enjoy!

It's Been 27 Years

Today marks the 27th anniversary of the shooting death of John Lennon. After working in the studio, he was supposed to go out to dinner. Instead, he came home to the Dakota to kiss his 5-year-old son Sean good night.

Go here for the original news story from the BBC archives.

Go here to hang out with Yoko.

Or better yet, go play Rubber Soul or Double Fantasy and sing as loud as you can.

Melissa McGhee: Dog Lover

With all the negative talk about American Idol flameout Jessica Sierra -- her arrest, her disrespect of authority, HER SEX TAPE!!! (go on, click here) -- I'd like to remind you about Tampa Bay's other AI star, the delightful and talented Melissa McGhee.

McGhee (who was a Top 12er on the show in 2006) and I judged Tampa Bay Idol together, and I found her to be smart, sassy and, most importantly, well-balanced.

She's also incredibly hot. But she's using her attractiveness for good, not evil. McGhee posed for the Little Pet Project's 2008 charity calendar, which raises money for homeless animals (click here for the calendar -- fair warning: some of the