It’s Been A While, Eh?

Greetings and salutations, perverts.  Haven’t seen you since last year FFS.  Miss me yet?  Yeah, I thought not.  But if you’ve been reading along faithfully on Fridays recently, then you already know I stepped away from the controls here for the past few weeks.

First and foremost, sincere and heartfelt thanks to BallsofSteelandFury  and Senor Weaselo  (and then BallsofSteelandFury again) for filling in for me on short notice.  Those guys are awesome and did an awesome job.  I can’t say enough nice things about them and how much I appreciate it.  Although I may never be able to watch Futurama  again without getting an erection.

But I digress…

The reasons I stepped back for a bit are many and varied and it would take too long to explain them all.  But it mostly boils down to the fact that I felt like I’d hit a rut with TGISF I couldn’t get out of unless I stepped back and looked from a more detached perspective.  It had become much like a chore, or at least it was beginning to feel like it.  Therefore I felt as if I was no longer doing a very good job with it, creatively speaking, and was thus shorting you, the reader.

Plus, it just wasn’t fun anymore.

So, how am I going to make it worth your while to read going forward?  While also making it fun for me to write again?  I dunno, exactly.  It’ll be different from week to week more than likely.  Some weeks we might do the Sexy Princess themes as I’ve done in the past where only a single lovely lady is featured.  Other weeks, of course current events will shape the themes.  There might even be weeks where I decide to tell a story (fictional or otherwise) in which I illustrate with photos.

But starting this week, I’m introducing a theme which will be semi-recurring from time to time.  And it’s loosely based on this…

Remember those albums?  They used to be advertised on the crappy cable channels and local independent TV stations late at night when they first started.  And probably still are I guess.  The first one came out in the US in October of ’98 (wow I’m old).  They had already been being made in the UK for 15 years by that point.  They’re up to #98 over there.  No shit.

Would it surprise you to know that they’re still being made?  The most recent US version being #64, which was released this past November.  #65 is due to be released next month.  And that doesn’t include the specialty versions they’ve released along the way aimed at specific musical genres or with holiday or other themes.

But that’s what this week (and some future weeks) will be based upon.  A mixture of different types of music.

I love music.  Lotsa different kinds.  I’ve occasionally been told I have very eclectic musical tastes.  I’ve more often been told that my taste in music sucks.  Both are probably true, I suppose.  But the point is that while I don’t necessarily like all pieces of music, I do like just about all musical genres if they’re done well.  And for me, “done well” is simple to define.  If I like it, I think it’s done well.  Just like if you  like it, then you  think it’s done well.

But getting hung up on what someone else likes, or whether someone else will like what I like?  Well, that only closes doors for oneself.  That’s no way to live.

You see contrary to what some folks might think, it doesn’t bother me when people tell me my taste in music sucks.  I actually find it rather funny.  I find it even funnier when those same people later compliment my taste in music merely because we suddenly agree on an artist/song.  It always amazes me how much smarter I get when people suddenly agree with me about something.

My point being that you very well might not like every artist or every song I feature in this space on the weeks I do this.  Hell, I may not like them either.  Some of the artists/songs shared here I very well might be featuring only because  I know some or most of you won’t care for them.  I mean let’s face it… even though I’ve been away, and regardless of whatever TGISF may or may not become going forward…?  Well, I’m still the same old jerk who occasionally likes to stir things up and see how people react.

So react away.  Feel free to tell me exactly how you feel about any of the music and/or artists, or how much my taste in music sucks.  It will nourish my black heart and fill the void where my soul is supposed to be.  And maybe, just maybe, you’ll find that you like something you thought you didn’t/wouldn’t.  That’s OK too.

But as always, the Sexy will be featured prominently.  Even during these shitty music weeks.  Although the connections between the music and the Sexy might vary at times.  For this week though, it will be about the sexy artists themselves.  We’ll see what happens the next time I decide to do this.

(And some artists are likely to be featured during multiple weeks.  Sorry, but like I already said…I like what I like.)

Enjoy….

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Joss Stone

For a white girl from the UK, she’s a pretty damned impressive Soul/R&B artist IMHO (Nawt Raycess).

She’s earned much commercial success as well as critical acclaim, including multiple Grammy nominations and one win (’07, Best R&B Performance Duo or Group).

In recent years, she has also entered into the world of acting.

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Nope, not who you think…

Kelly Rowland

Always overshadowed in Destiny’s Child  by “that other girl”, Rowland is actually my favorite from that lineup.  Since that group disbanded she’s had some solo success, but these days she’s more into other things like acting, etc.  As well as being a mom.

Oh, she’s also really into physical fitness….as you can see below.

Ooooof.

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Sara Bareilles

One of my biggest celebrity crushes if I’m being honest.  She just has a way about her which appeals to me.  Plus she’s a really great pianist, which gets me every time.

She’s not the most commercially successful artist here tonight, to be sure.  But she has managed to earn six Grammy nominations over the years.  A very versatile performer, it’s difficult to pin down exactly what her musical genre is.  In the past, she’s self-described it as “piano based pop soul”, and that seems close enough.

Lately, she’s been doing some Broadway stuff, including acting.  And was even nominated for a Tony Award in ’16 for Best Original Score, which she wrote for the show Waitress .

Be nice to her…or I’ll kill ya.

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Alicia Keys

Another awesome pianist, who happens to be so much more.  It would take too long to list her achievments in the music industry, but it includes 15 Grammys.  Not bad.  Often referred to as the current Queen of R&B.  And she very well might be.

She is also a very vocal activist and philanthropist regarding many issues.  During the Women’s March on Washington in January of ’17, a protest event which was a de facto disapproval of the current POTUS’ viewpoints on certain issues, she had this to say…

“…we want the best for all Americans. No hate, no bigotry, no Muslim registry. We value education, health care, equality.”

Just an overall awesome lady, IMHO.  And she’s also kinda purrty.

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Selena

No, not Gomez.  This is THE Selena (though I might feature Selena Gomez at some point just annoy some of you and titillate others).  But this Selena…THE Selena…. was a wonderful and multifaceted entertainer who was much too trusting.  Sadly, it lead to her being taken from the world much too soon.  Her last name was Quintanilla if you must know, but she didn’t need it.  Before she died much too young nearly 23 years ago, the mononymous name “Selena” meant one and only  one person.  If you’re unfamiliar with her or her life story, then shame on you.

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Michelle Phillips

Probably best known for her role as the “pretty one who can’t sing” in 60s folk group The Mamas and the Papas, she actually can sing.  Quite well.  She also happened to have been one of the main creative forces in the group having co-written much of their music, including the song above.  She can also act…sort of well.  But at least well enough that she has a fairly extensive filmography, and was even one of the stars of Knots Landing  for six years.  She was also once even nominated for a Golden Globe (Best Newcomer, 1973).

She was once arrested for marijuana possession in Amarillo, Texas, giving me a bizarro connection with her.  While not arrested for it, I have  technically been guilty of marijuana possession in Amarillo, Texas.

She was also once married to Dennis Hopper.  She divorced him after only 8 days.  I’m not sure which end of that one I’m more impressed by, quite honestly.

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OK…we gotz room for one moar this week  Decisions, decisions….

Hayley Williams

She’s just all kinds of awesome and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise.  And have before…sort of.  But that’s another story.

The very definition of petite but sturdy, and full of creativity, energy and humour, IMHO.  I would do evil things to for this young lady if asked (please do ask Hayley…we can get past the restraining order…bygones, etc., etc.).

One more from Paramore?  You bet your ass…

Nicely done, Hayley.  Please take a bow…

Close enough.  Ooooof.

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So, I can’t say I’m educated enough to judge across the board what it is that the ladies think is sexy in a singer/musical artist.  But I’m going to give it a shot anyway.  Mostly this is based on feedback from a former lady friend who still calls Arizona home as far as I know.  If I’m wrong, then screw it.  You can take it up with her I guess…

(meh…for some reason she thought I was kinda hot too, so take it for what it’s worth.  What Imma do…argue with her????  Yeah, no…not gonna pull that thread, K thx.)

Adam Levine

I actually do like a lot of Maroon V.  I have oft been made fun of for it.  As I alluded to above…

DON’T CARE!!!!!!!!!

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John Legend

Another pianist.  Dude is amazing.  And that’s me saying that, not her.

Plus he landed Chrissy Teigen, so he’s doing something right.  I guess sometimes the good guy does win after all.

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Welp, that’s it foar teh Sexy.  But I am going to add one moar song just to annoy some of you.  But sorry dude.  If you let your wife (now ex wife) name your kids Apple and Moses, then you don’t deserve any sexy recognition.  Still a good song tho…

OK folks, let me have it.  Let’s have some fun with this.

That’s the whole point here after all.

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And if you think you hated this one, just wait until 80s week.  Hehehehehehe.

Love ya’s!!!!!!!

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Do you have a “request” or an idea for a future TGISF theme?  Drop me a line…

[email protected]

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