TONIGHT, Sunday, though there will be much else to focus our eyeballs on, I’m on @axstv’s #TopTenRevealed again, ranking the best 60’s folk songs, all still especially relevant now. Set your DVR starting at 8:30/7:30c. #folksongs #top10folkies #protestsongs #axstv #songwriter#badeya
Girls lunch with two of my oldest, greatest friends, the esteemed Ms’s Pamela Des Barres and Cassandra Peterson a.k.a. Elvira, Mistress Of the Dark. None of us have make-up on and photos weren’t meant to be taken, but as an avid archivist I could not let this moment of supreme friendship pass without capturing it.
I wrote my very first song in 1972. The music was SO GOOD that year that despite not knowing how to play an instrument I just started writing because I was so inspired. My very first song was written to the melody of “Alone Again Naturally” by Gilbert O’Sullivan, one of the biggest records of the year and easily one of my all time favorite records ever. Then I called a friend who could play piano and he brought over the sheet music to “Never Can Say Goodbye” and played the chords backwards, from the end of the song to the beginning. I always could sing a melody to anything, the clock ticking, birds singing, anything that forms a rhythmic pattern. And so my first song, “Ain’t No Man Worth It” was born. Which got me a record deal on Epic for my one and only album, Childstar, the title of the second song I ever wrote. This Sunday on AXS TV‘s show The Top Ten Revealed we’re ranking the most epic songs of ’72! It’s an all-new episode starting at 8:30/7:30c.
More from Tuesday night’s Season 3 premiere of Pamela Adlon’s FX show Better Things. First photo’s with Prudence Fenton and our great friends, Monica and Phil Rosenthal. Phil was the creator, writer, and executive producer of Everybody Loves Raymond and Monica played Amy, Robert Barone a.k.a. Brad Garrett’s on again-off again girlfriend on Raymond. Phil’s also been instrumental in Pamela’s TV career, including coaching her on making this season of Better Things. which is BRILLIANT. And if you haven’t caught Phil’s PBS show I’ll have what Phil’s having, it’s one of the warmest, funniest and most charming food-themed shows ever. Second photo is me and Diva Zappa holding our name cards for photographers as we are about to alight the red carpet.
Last night at the premiere of Season 3 of Better Things, Pamela Adlon’s BRILLIANT show on FX that she writes, directs and stars in and has been Emmy-nominated twice for as Best Actress In A Comedy. We’ve been incredible friends for 35 years, even before she started schlepping paint cans behind me as my art assistant in the late 80’s. Also here Alysia Reiner, who was one of the only cast members of Orange Is the New Black who wasn’t at the opening of my musical, The Color Purple Musical, when it reopened on Broadway in 2015, featuring my fave Danielle Brooks a.k.a. Tastee on OITNB starring as Sofia. I really wanted to meet Alysia as her portrayal of Assistant Warden Natalie “Fig” Figueroa was insanity inspired. So I was thrilled when I got on the plane back to LA a few days later and there she was seated directly in front of me. We became friends and I’m so happy I have an in with the warden now! Alysia also plays Sunny on Better Things. Me and the lovely Prudence Fenton fill out the photo. I can’t even tell you how UNBELIEVABLE season 3 of Better Things is. Reviews have been staggering. It starts tomorrow night, Thursday, so set your devices now!
Tonight, on AXS TV‘s show #TheTopTenRevealed, I’m amongst several music notables ranking the songs that remind you of the movie. For example, I would choose The Pointer Sisters – Official ‘“Neutron Dance” and Patti LaBelle’s “Stir It Up” because they remind me of Beverly Hills Cop. Of course the fact that I wrote them and they got me a Grammy for Best Soundtrack back in the day does influence my opinion somewhat! Find out which jams make the list Sunday at 8:30/7:30c.
Tonight on AXS TV The Top Ten Revealed me and a whole bunch of other music notables weigh in on the Best 70’s Break Up Songs ever. An incredible decade for that sad but soothing genre! Will your favorite heartbreak record make the list? Tune in to the new episode of The Top Ten Revealed to find out! Set your DVR for Sunday starting at 8:30/7:30c.
One of my favorite people on the planet is Pamela Adlon. Not only is she a brilliant actress, writer, director, producer as evidenced by her hit FX show, Better Things, for which she’s been Emmy nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy the last two years, and not only is she my favorite animated voice of all time, Bobby Hill on King of the Hill, she practically grew up in my house. She was my art assistant when she was 18, schlepping cans of paint behind me while I did tons of music videos. We’ve palled around throughout the years and she’s one of my favorite friends ever, to the point where when I get tired while hosting my parties – my favorite thing that I do – she takes over on mic and runs them for me. Anyway, there’s a great piece on her in this week‘s New Yorker, with a couple quotes by me, so check it out:
I’m on AXS TV‘s The Top Ten Revealed again tonight, Sunday, ranking the best crooners, which covers a wide body of tuneful mouths! You can set your DVR starting at 8:30/7:30c with this link: https://vupulse.com/c/2991 Be-de-ya and la-la-la.
Just remembered I’m on the new episode of The Top Ten Revealed AXS TV! Tonight! This Sunday, we’re ranking the best songs of ’79, which was QUITE a year for me with almost 100 songs released, including “Lead Me On” by Maxine Nightengale, “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire – those two chased each other up the charts finally getting to #2 and 3 – and all but two songs on EWF’s I Am album. The show tonight is a full examination of all sorts of hit singles that came out that glorious year. So set your DVR starting at 8:30/7:30c with this link: https://vupulse.com/c/2991 and see you soon!
