Simpsons Sabbatical, Deftones

Hi all and welcome to another Simpsons On Sundays post. On the death front, Donald Sutherland (who voiced Hollis Hurlbut in the episode Lisa The Iconoclast) had passed away on Thursday, aged 88. He leaves behind children including his son Kiefer Sutherland and a body of work with movies and TV appearances. He was also an anti-war activist. Thank you Donald for being a good Canadian and one who is all for peace. Rest in peace. https://youtu.be/4v_w64cfDi4?si=2LVCoaYjf5k2ZOtF

Here is another video on the man. Why? Why not? https://youtu.be/Yrue8yuH1nY?si=w1WSoKPqMTkZnJ9o

On the birthday front, Sir Paul McCartney turned 82 on Tuesday. I will not repeat his contribution to The Simpsons as there is no need. I will tell you that Paul is working on new music with producer Andrew Watt, the same dude who has produced Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones and Ozzy Ozbourne in the past few years.

This week we are going on another Simpsons Sabbatical to the world of the experimental rock of Deftones. Formed in Sacramento California, the lineup consisted of: singer and sometimes guitarist Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, bassist Chi Cheng and drummer Abe Cunningham. They would enhance the lineup with Frank Delgado on turntables and later on, bassist Sergio Vega, standing in and that is coming later.

Deftones signed with Maverick records, which is run by Madonna and were signed to the label, by the same man, who currently manages U2. His name is Guy Oseary and he was an Artists and Repertoire man for the label and he signed Deftones when he was either 21 or 22 years old. Come to think of it, Chino was 22 when the debut album Adrenaline was released October 3 1995, between Home Sweet Homediddly-dum-doodily and Bart Sells His Soul. They had toured their asses off and before signing, they had become friendly with Korn and Chino and singer Jonathan Davis had become friends. However, Deftones didn’t want to simply be looked at as a clone and so, they have carved out their place in nü metal and have stayed away from the term, as much as they could.

The second album Around the Fur was released on October 28th 1997 between The Cartridge Family and Bart Star and had 2 big songs which have become classics: My Own Summer (Shove It) and Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away). The last track MX, includes a hidden track called Damone and a short non-musical hidden track called Bong Hit, which starts with the sound of what could be an internet connection, or a fax machine. Either way, this is the longest track Deftones has recorded clocking in at 37 minutes and 18 seconds.

They toured and toured and toured, having gone through such hardships as having been stolen from and this had included letters from friends and family, along with video footage for a music video for the title track. The band were also unfortunately dealing with more bad luck, with their bus stalling in the middle of the highway somewhere in Europe and it was in the middle of winter. Imagine being on a bus which had died, it’s below freezing and we are not in the days of smart phones yet, but we did have cell phones at the time, so I guess they weren’t that unlucky except for freezing their asses off. I hope they had walkie-talkie radios so they could at least put out a call on some frequency and probably simplex as I imagine there are not that many repeaters outside of ham radio.

The band also got on some big tours like Warped Tour in 1998 and Ozzfest in 1999. Chino also found time to help out Max Cavalera, after he had helped the band out on Around The Fur on the track Headup. Chino did a guest vocal on the Soulfly track First Commandment, which is actually kinda cool to hear contrasting vocal styles from both Max and Chino. Chino also returned to do a guest vocal on the Primitive album in 2000, on the track called Pain. I will include videos for nearly all songs mentioned at the end of the post by the way.

On June 20th 2000 (Chino’s 27th birthday and 18 days after my 27th) Deftones had released the 3rd album White Pony and I remember purchasing it on the same day and enjoying it then, as I do now. What struck me when hearing the single Change (In the House of Flies) was that each album had guitars tuned a half-step lower and this would continue on future albums. I enjoy this album because of it being well rounded and diverse, with not just sneaky brute force, but including songs which have more of a Radiohead feel. An example of this is Digital Bath and it became a favourite before it was released as a single. The song which got me the most was Passenger, which also features Maynard from Tool and A Perfect Circle on vocals. This was also the song I had heard in a dream in August 2017, as a part of a nonexistent episode of The Simpsons. It included Bart doing the rhythmic breathing, used as a percussion instrument and you will understand, if you have watched Colonel Homer and have heard this song. I will include the video (among others) at the end of the post and pay attention to when the song kicks in before Chino and Maynard start to sing.

On May 20 2003, Deftones had released their fourth and self titled album, which has songs which are tuned even lower on guitar, making it heavier. Yet, it is still good with songs like Minerva and Hexagram as singles and getting to tour with: Metallica, Limp Bizkit, LINKIN PARK and Mudvayne. The album did well, but not as much radio action as with White Pony. Deftones was released 2 days after the Season 14 finale Moe Baby Blues had aired.

In 2006, the band worked with producer Bob Ezrin on their fifth album Saturday Night Wrist and this was a turning point, in that the album did not shift as many units and hardly any radio play. There were less metal shows with foreground programming and it was also different, in that it was somewhat scattered musically. There were songs in all kinds of guitar tunings and that was fun for me and others who pay attention to those things, but things weren’t exactly Rosie. In fact, the band almost broke up, but thankfully they stayed together long enough to record the new album and tour. By the way, Saturday Night Wrist was released on October 31 2006, between Please Homer, Don’t Hammer ’em and Treehouse of Horror XVII.

In 2008, Deftones went into the studio with old producer Terry Date to record the next album called Eros. Terry had worked with Deftones on the first 4 albums and has also worked with Soundgarden, Pantera, Buckcherry and their self titled debut album in 1999, along with Limp Bizkit and Soulfly, among others. Unfortunately, that was not to be, as bassist Chi Cheng got into a nasty car accident in November 2008, which had left him in a coma. Unfortunately, he would pass away on April 13 2013, at the age of 43. He had made a partial recovery and returned home, but he was never to play with Deftones again. So, old friend Sergio Vega from a band called Quicksand, stood in for Chi before and after his passing and was no longer playing with Deftones in 2022. Quicksand were a post-hard-core band who had possibly influenced the development of emo. If you have no idea what that is, think of a popular group like My Chemical Romance as a starting point. Think of this genre as emotional hard-core. Here is an example of them doing a cover of a classic Smiths track. https://youtu.be/cqsMY1PMGFU?si=6iAwgD1b9HAl9kSN

Deftones had decided not to release the material from Eros and move on to something new, with producer Nick Raskulinecz and it is another fine album, which shifts from one style of music to the other and Diamond Eyes was released on May 4, 2010, between The Surveil with Love and Moe Letter Blues.

The next album entitled Koi No Yokan would be released on November 12 2012, between Gone Abie Gone and Penny-Wiseguys. This album included some 8 string guitar action and again, it continues to be interesting for musicians in terms of pitch and keys, as well as guitar tunings.

Next we have the 2016 album Gore, which was released April 8 between The Burns Cage and How Lisa Got Her Marge Back. They used Matt Hyde as producer, who is better known for more extreme bands like Soulfly, Hatebreed and others.

In 2020, Deftones returned to Terry Date as producer and put out the album Ohms, 2 days before the episode Undercover Burns had aired. This was interesting in that it had nine string guitars and when we get to the title track, check out the guitar sound and how the guitar is played. I don’t know how else to explain it, but there it is.

Let’s go through other activities and issues the band has gone through, ever since 1988. First of all, guitarist Stephen Carpenter was hit by a car as a teenager (while skateboarding) obviously years before the episode where Bart also gets hit by Mr. Burns’s car while tearing up Springfield on his board. This had resulted in him deciding to learn to play guitar, while using a wheelchair for a few months as a result of the accident. Chino apparently also was into skateboarding and he had a day job in the shipping department at Tower Records, before forming the band. Chino’s birth name is Camillo Wong Moreno and the nickname Chino was given to him by his uncle, because he looked predominantly Asian. All members have other projects outside of the band to keep the creative juices flowing such as: Crosses, Team Sleep, Palms, Kush and others. Chino had been a frequent smoker until 2007 when he quit. Because of this, he had to go to a vocal coach around 2001 in order to help better prepare his voice for live performances, where he would sing and scream, shifting between the two vocal styles depending on the song. A member of the band believes that the earth is flat and is against vaccination. I am not going to get into whom, so if you wish to know more you can read up on the band through Wikipedia.

Before we hear Deftones music, I am going to mention here that Chino likes many albums and bands outside of metal and this includes The Smashing Pumpkins and their 1993 album Siamese Dream. Why not? Also, he is a big fan of a band called HUM and they had released their 1995 album You’d Prefer An Astronaut, which includes the single Stars. Here it is. https://youtu.be/gMEB4HNNZ2I?si=C19W2PKifbd6kmIi

Now, let’s get to the music and before we do, I encourage you to consider purchasing the albums as a whole, from iTunes or on CD or vinyl (if available) rather than just streaming. Let’s start with track 1 from the debut album and my favourite song off of it, with that chugging guitar riff. https://youtu.be/-WdYo3WlETY?si=AZX9n5nmF4EeANTE

Let’s start going around the fur, with the lead track and the first full song I had heard in late 1997. https://youtu.be/XOzs1FehYOA?si=sReiywwvrcDIsZB_

Next, the other song off of the album which received more radio play, because of its melody. https://youtu.be/KvknOXGPzCQ?si=c3falR8RU_NS7Fvi

On Thursday afternoon, I had listened to White Pony and was reminded of how much I loved this album back in 2000. For those who may be reading this and who either listened to, o worked in rock radio back then, you know that this album was huge for the band and listening to it again after almost 4 years of the 20th anniversary coming out digitally, I was refreshed on what June 20th 2000 was like outside. I was in St Catharines in the morning and in the afternoon, I went out and bought it on CD, as the first of 2 copies I would buy of that format after returning to Toronto. Now, I have it from iTunes and I am glad that I do. Here we go with some change in 2000. https://youtu.be/WPpDyIJdasg?si=mI-NGgYOCfAMKx81

Now, the song which was part of a Simpsons dream in August 2017, with Bart doing the percussive breathing in the dream and not on the song I and other Deftones fans know and you may hear for the first time. https://youtu.be/IjainiB8mk4?si=ZTqU8BbUt3geZuEA

Here is my favourite song from White Pony, as it reminds me of Radiohead. https://youtu.be/O_IIAYZL1R4?si=CJR6V-__wDAlCRIA

One more song for you and this is a bit different in that there are no electric guitars and no screaming vocals. https://youtu.be/PSjgG1S6bQc?si=2pxi9NpE784GYl8k

Let’s move on to 2003 and the first single off of the self titled album. https://youtu.be/mLa0-sQg1YM?si=zouFOOJNE3gmgoU4

This is the other single off of the 2003 album, which is also the lead track. https://youtu.be/yP4dFHSd-iw?si=QQPIPIYJHAZPII_Q

Here is a song which is different from the rest of the album and a similar type of track was on White Pony too, called Teenager. This one is not as melodic as the previous one, but I like it anyway. https://youtu.be/Ija2-DQz38g?si=G1-W5Ow02n1achaB

Moving on to 2006’s Saturday Night Wrist and this is track 1 and single 1 off of it. Is it me, or does this remind you of The Smiths at times? I mean, Deftones has covered a Smiths B-side, but this is the clincher that Chino is into more than just hard rock and metal. https://youtu.be/LnI_QIXU058?si=8keLDgu_s4ihl4hP

Here is another weird one and featuring female vocals and spoken parts from Annie Hardy, whom I have never heard of. However, I like the mischievous nature of what she is saying and especially at the end. https://youtu.be/iEJ20NRwJ-Y?si=3LSG2AkXGvDXKGcs

Moving on to 2010’s Diamond Eyes and I have chosen 4 songs I wish to share with you here. First, the first single for radio. https://youtu.be/qksTlo_1Tpw?si=JCZSFoxzcCL2Acc_

Here is a song with a guitar tuned so low, it sounds like a fuzzed out bass. It isn’t and it has a lot of melody in it too. https://youtu.be/woAcXSMyCEw?si=K2kisBTr0tgbZwLg

I think that this was the first song made available and no matter what, I like it. https://youtu.be/woR6ohiFeYE?si=p_EN0NH2NftsgpjV

This is the last song I will share from this album and the last track on the album too. Despite the title, it is yet another melodic masterpiece for the band. https://youtu.be/0UoXaSYIDjM?si=r8nEQIN6tXjNnIjy

For the last 3 albums, I will share one song each off of them. This is the only song I had heard on the radio from Koi No Yokan in rotation during late 2012 and early 2013. https://youtu.be/YImIvmtuHAE?si=odg4vwujFfi2dyfA

Here is the first single off of Gore. https://youtu.be/JAmt6zN9vOk?si=Q8r6iV90PpG8P1Yi

We are finally up to the latest album Ohms and the title track is the first single and the last track, ending off the album. https://youtu.be/KUDbj0oeAj0?si=7Gmf_YnotewCensq

Let’s explore covers the band has done over the years and we begin with Drive by The Cars. I like both the original and this cover by Chino and company. https://youtu.be/cHiP3_-N0Vc?si=5ug-AdF3fYBhtJRo

Next a track originally by Duran Duran. https://youtu.be/EON3DnBbflQ?si=XOf9quZpXjNXAwa6

Finally, let’s get to that fucking Smiths track I had mentioned earlier. https://youtu.be/EQose8uGj5o?si=M2xEppTVNhLFXFxU

The band has been on late night talk shows with guest stars Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, which is their connection to The Simpsons for me. That is partly why I had decided to do a post here, but also that dream I had mentioned during August 2017 during a time when I had a problem with pests in my apartment. Before I forget, I should share the Soulfly tracks where Chino had done vocals and even this track from Around The Fur with Max Cavalera. https://youtu.be/ZzzcFWOqTY0?si=WxcG4SAGJa2I4rSh

Moving on to Soulfly. https://youtu.be/2270AXjO8eU?si=zAvC1PEJNnm7VEkl

One final track I almost forgot about is another cover, by Chino and Korn. https://youtu.be/dG3uPqEdGik?si=oymSoOAwrBcnSO6k

That was fun and I hope that some day, we hear Deftones on The Simpsons despite any opposition. I want the show to be infected by heavy music and less by hip-hop. Anyway, that is it for this post and please, consider purchasing the music I share in these posts, rather than just streaming.

Simpsons Sabbatical, Velvet Revolver

Hi all and welcome to another Simpsons On Sundays post. First of all, happy Father’s Day to all the men out there who are proud dads, or a tired papa depending on the age of your children. On the birthday front, former Simpsons writer Greg Daniels turned another year older on Thursday. He had a hand in writing Treehouse of Horror IV, along with others including Conan O’Brien. Greg Daniels also collaborated with Mike Judge on another TV show, called King of the Hill. Cool!

This week it is another Simpsons Sabbatical post on a band whose debut album came out 20 years ago. If you are into hard rock and (I guess) alternative rock) you hav heard of Velvet Revolver. Right? If the name doesn’t ring a bell, how about Guns N’ Roses? Okay, how about Stone Temple Pilots? You should know them both, because both bands make up nearly all of Velvet Revolver and they had put out 2 albums. The members were: Scott Weiland, Duff McKagan, Slash, Matt Sorum and Dave Kushner, a childhood friend of Slash who also plays guitar. The supergroup released only 2 albums: Contraband in 2004 and Libertad in 2007. The debut album did the best out of the two, with hits like: Slither and Fall To Pieces as the biggest for rock radio and it also sold well. Libertad had a couple of radio songs with She Builds Quick Machines as the first single and The Last Fight being another. Unfortunately, brawling egos got in the way and especially with Scott, who had his own problems with drugs, being arrested and going to rehab again and again and again. Then there was the matter of a possible reunion with Stone Temple Pilots in 2008, which had happened and then, even they got sick of his shit and fired him in 2013. Then Chester Bennington joined and left, with both singers passing away within almost 2 years of each other.

I mention Velvet Revolver because on at least one or two occasions, a song by Guns N’ Roses was played on The Simpsons. Welcome to the Jungle was played during the Season 5 episode Marge On the Lam and Season 12’s Skinner’s Sense of Snow. I think you can hear it more likely than not, on the former episode, as it is played when Ruth Powers takes Marge for a drive in her car on their girls night out, to go shoot antique cans and go on a car chase. Jungle was also the first song by the Gunners I had heard in July 1987. When the band broke wide open in 1988, I was happy, that rock had finally arrived back and gave top 40 radio a kick in the ass it had needed. These days, Slash and the rest of Velvet Revolver are active with either Guns, or their own solo projects and obviously, Scott is no longer with us. The band had tried to move on with at least one other singer, namely Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour in 2010, but it didn’t happen. It would have been cool if it did and it would be interesting to see if Corey would either stay down in the lower range, or occasionally scream like he does in Slipknot on a regular basis, as well as clean vocals. Then again, there would have been another label to deal with and so, it would be quite weird.

These days, Slash is putting out music with Myles Kennedy on lead vocals and has just released a blues album as his latest solo album. To tell the truth, I haven’t heard any of it yet and at some point, I may try and give it a listen, before deciding whether I wish to own it from iTunes. Everyone else is also active, both inside and outside of Guns N’ Roses and I wonder if one day, there could be a one-off reunion like there was with Scott before he died. It would be cool if it could happen and as for any VR songs on The Simpsons, I don’t expect any to appear in episodes. However, stranger things have happened and we shall see what music from rock and metal bands will be heard, if any during Season 36 and beyond.

To end off the post, let’s remember the music of Velvet Revolver with the best known and some of my personal favourites from both albums and even a non-album track. Let’s start with the first song which had appeared in the 2003 movie Hulk, from Marvel Comics. https://youtu.be/lyu8ri7kHVw?si=rWJXEUh9vKT4wN9w

Set Me Free was the first single, but Slither was the true first single from the debut album. https://youtu.be/BKz2U4fvA4U?si=f4ApkLLwNfm85Wvw

Next, the second single which has a bit of a Gunners feel to it, with Slash’s guitar melody and the fact that it is in tuned down half a step, from E standard. https://youtu.be/9JhsUFuqbCM?si=PiqnZaqEuHkqiu6j

Next, the lead track which opens with a siren. https://youtu.be/KLvZUKBS1HA?si=41VvaOfoCQgaudCQ

Next, not the David Bowie song of the same name, but a Stonesy type ballad. https://youtu.be/9TrHZNGKLr4?si=r4sG9jgWVy_V5K0V

In 2005, this track came out around the time of the London terrorist attack and I don’t know what else to say after that. https://youtu.be/sFXZ8T4klyc?si=HP5MUUaTBb59M6BO

Now we get to the second and final album, witha cool lead single. https://youtu.be/4Hqe3jMHhvA?si=Zi3JJx46BOchrL4B

To be honest with you, I never had Libertad in any form so I can’t really speak to it as much. Also, I didn’t like what I heard other than the song I just gave you and I could tell that something was wrong and that the band was about to fall apart. Put in this post together reminds me (in a way) of what happened with Audioslave and Chris Cornell. In this case, they put out three albums before Chris decided to bail and go back to his solo career and then Soundgarden and keep both the band and his solo career going at the same time. Both great bands with great singers, with both great main bands from the 90s and it’s sad that neither Chris or Scott are alive today. Anyway, that’s it for this weeks post. Next week, abandon who will probably never be heard on The Simpsons, but I like them anyway.

Simpsons Sabbatical, Billy And Bon Jovi

Hi all and welcome to another Simpsons On Sundays post. On the birthday front, Irish actor Liam Neeson turned another year older on Friday, as he had guest starred in the episode The Father, The Son And The Holy Guest Star, as Father Shon, The kindly Priest who has Bart’s back while in Catholic school.

This week it’s Simpsons Sabbatical season again and for this week, I am going to be talking about two famous people, with one being a group and the other, a comedian and awards show host. First, Bon Jovi and just in time for the release of the new album called Forever. A few weeks ago, I had inserted a video of singer John Bon Jovi covering Elton John so, why not? I am a fan, but I had been left behind after a change in direction in the 2000s, which I will get to further down. I want to talk about how I got into Bon Jovi too so, here we go.

I had discovered Bon Jovi in 1984, when the single Runaway was played on some radio stations, but things began to start to move, with the release of the second album 7800º Fahrenheit in 1985. The singles 恋の切り札 – In And Out Of Love, Only Lonely and Silent Night got my attention, as they were played either on the radio, on Much Music in Canada, or in the air. Actually, it is more from media than anything else at the time as nobody at school owned any albums by Jon Bon Jovi and Company, as I didn’t either. I first heard John speak for the first time on Rockline in early 1986 before they went on tour with Rat. Remember them?

Of course, the big break open was in 1986 with Slippery When Wet, with the three classics: You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin’ On A Prayer and Wanted Dead Or Alive, still being played on classic rock, active rock and mainstream rock radio to this day. Why not? I was lucky enough to see Bon Jovi in July 1987 and it was a great show, even with the hot weather we had at the time. Unfortunately, I had to answer the call of nature during the guitar solo, but I was able to hear it anyway.

Then, New Jersey came out in 1988 and what can I say? Bad Medicine, Born To Be My Baby and I’ll Be There For You are all songs I still love. Then, we have John going solo with Blaze Of Glory in 1990 and then, Bon Jovi came back as a group with Keep The Faith in 1992, with its many hits crossing over from rock and top 40 to adult contemporary. That irritated me a little bit, but the transition wasn’t over by a long shot. We had Always from a Greatest Hits package called Crossroads in 1994 and another studio album in 1995, focusing less on hard rock and more on ballads.

John got into acting with the Young Guns II movie in 1990 and did more movie and soundtrack work in the mid 90s. Then in 2000, It’s My Life from the album Crush was a welcome return to hard rock and even Bounce in 2002, kept it going. Then John and the boys went back to adult contemporary and even country, which totally lost me to this day. Well, he had to grow as an artist and I except that, but I wish that bands would try harder to stick to what brought them here, while expanding their range. Either way, I will always remember the days I would eagerly wait for the next single, the next album and the next interview John, or guitarist Richie Sambora would do on Radio over the phone, or as an album premiere. I hope that John’s issues with his voice are over for good and speaking of that, his speaking voice sounds different from when he was younger. I remember hearing him on Rockline, Mettalshop and Off The Record with Mary Turner and both his singing and speaking voices sounded much different, than they do now in voice timbre. Just look for interviews with John on Youtube today and back in the 80s, 90s and the 2000s and there is a noticeable difference to his sound. Anyway, I am glad that he is still active and the rest of the surviving members of the classic lineup of Bon Jovi two. I have yet to listen to the new album, but judging from the first single it sounds like contemporary Bon Jovi so, I may get around to listening to it, or I may not in coming days. Anyway, here is an interview with John conducted by Kelly Clarkson on her TV show. https://youtu.be/0vogzLVB0Mk?si=YhnaC_-JpRpdE81y

Next, I am going to talk about Billy Crystal, a comedian and alumnus of Saturday Night Live, who had put out his only album in 1985 called Mahvelous. He was just as delightful as Bart Simpson says at the end of the Season 4 episode The Front and not just as a host of the Oscars either. He even does voices including: teenagers, the late Sammy Davis, Jr., Howard Cosell and a character called The Face, which I believe may be based on the great jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. I don’t know, but it sounds that way to me when I hear the voice and this guy is a saxophonist and a 75-year-old guy at that. No, Billy Crystal was actually 37 when this album had come out and I got my dad to buy it for me on cassette, in the fall of 1985. I wanted it mainly for the first single called You Look Marvelous, which was actually played on the rock radio station I listened to at the time, despite being more of a contemporary 80s dance type song, complete with female backing vocals, synthesizers and drum machine. It features the character Fernando and if you haven’t heard it, I have this. https://youtu.be/hXydX9p_ZxA?si=jJXJh89cSmA9tmZZ

By the way, the single had no audience on it, unlike the album version and for the record, this album was recorded live at The Bottom Line in New York, with the album being based on mainly New York characters and even talking about his own struggles as a dad. I mean, just listen to the routines called A Mind of Its Own and Now!, where he does a really deep voice way down below his speaking voice register. To this day, I have no idea what that is called when you do that using you’re breathing, in order to make sounds which are audible and may or may not be a vocal pitch. Then, there’s the Frank Welker technique of what he did with Dr. Klaw on Inspector Gadget, which is quite deep in vocal pitch and timbre. Again, I have no idea what that is called, but I know what they are doing. One moere thing about the album, is that both Billy Crystal and Paul Shaffer wrote the single and they both appear in the movie This Is Spinal Tap. I will do a post on the movie, closer to Season 36.

Billy Crystal also gets into his days as a child and living with his grandfather, who woke him up by farting. I admit to still giggling like a child when I hear that sound, obviously knowing what it is and where it comes from. The routine I am talking about is called Godammit, You…Bastard and you have to hear it, in order to get the full affect of why the text of the title is as such.

Anyway, I never had a problem with the man and I wonder why he didn’t ask to guest star on The Simpsons or if he did, why he hasn’t been able to do so as yet? Is it me, or does Billy Crystal and Dan Castellaneta sound similar in their natural speaking voices? I know there is a difference, but to me they sound so similar and because Billy Crystal did voices in his act, why not have him do a character on The Simpsons? The man is funny, charming and delightful and I hope that one day he will be allowed to stop by Springfield. After all, him and Harry Shearer did work together on that movie 40 years ago. Right?

I should also point out that I chose both Billy Crystal and Bon Jovi because of where they are from. Billy is from New York and Bon Jovi from New Jersey, two neighbouring states with a vibrant music history. After all, you have Bruce Springsteen and his other friends with their own careers such as Southside Johnny, Stephen Van Zandt and of course, John Bon Jovi. No, I haven’t forgotten about the great Frank Sinatra, as he is from Hoboken and Bruce is from asbury Park New Jersey. After all, why do you think the first album was called Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.? Also, radio show host Eddie Trunk is also a New Jersey native and I will do a post on him, on the week of his birthday.

For New York we have plenty of talent to go around and if you have had a chance to watch the Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways HBO documentary series and the episode on New York, you know that it has its own rich history of music and comedy. There are even record labels with head offices in New York, including metal label Roadrunner Records. If you haven’t heard of the label, you can just google it and you will be surprised at how many bands you know of, who were on the label at one time or another in more recent years. Not many, but there were some classic bands who managed to get on the label for a brief time.

Of course, The Simpsons has been to New Yokrk a couple of times and representing New Jersey, we have the character Leon Kompowsky, voiced by Hank Azaria, a native of New York as Leon is from Patterson New Jersey. Then again, Hank is going back (in a way) as he is doing Bruce Springsteen in his tribute band as I mentioned last week so, that could explain how I came up with this weeks post. Then again, it could all be a coincidence and I was thinking of this when finishing off the post, but not so much when I started on Thursday.

One more thing before I end this post, do you remember Billy Crystal taking on The Christmas Song, as made famous by the late Mel Tormé? Well, he did just in time for Christmas in 1985, using all of his character voices including ones I have not mentioned so far. I know it’s a few months away, but I want you to hear this now because it’s so goddamn funny. Bookmark the YouTube video for a playlist which you can create for Christmas and if people ask, tell them where you got it. Besides, this is one way for me to promote the blog if everyone works together. https://youtu.be/-aLtNQ0_SYY?si=UcdIi2-BJWJ6HwJV

Not to leave out Bon Jovi, here is a Christmas song that John had written in the 90s and again, save it for a Christmas playlist as it could come in handy. https://youtu.be/2qLql7S9oro?si=aeq3vjWtoKRX3cRf

I’m A 51-Year-Old Kid

Hi all and welcome to another Simpsons On Sundays post. It’s my 51st birthday, but more on that below. First, I did not expect Hank Azaria to be doing something like singing Bruce Springsteen tunes in a tribute band. However, he is. https://boingboing.net/2024/05/24/simpsons-hank-azaria-has-a-bruce-springsteen-tribute-band.html

On the birthday front (besides me) the great Danny Elfman turned another year older on Thursday and we know why he is mentioned. However, most may not know that he is also a huge fan of nü metal and to find out that he was a part of the Sick New World festival in April, along with a band like Slipknot is really cool. If you are a long time reader, you know how much I love the masked 9 man wrecking crew from Des Moines Iowa and how I wish they would relent and allow themselves to stop by Springfield, or even an individual member to do the same. Next, B-Real of Cypresshill, turns 54 today,as well as Stacy Keach turning 84.

This week, since I am turning 51 today, I thought I would talk about a book by a main cast member, which came out during the cOVID-19 pandemic. Before I do, I wanna make it clear that I am heterosexual and you will know why further down.

Nancy Cartwright now has two similarly titled books about her being a 10-year-old-boy and her latest is called I’m Still a 10-Year-Old Boy, which is a follow up to her 2000 book My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy. Nancy narrates both audiobooks and does her Simpsons voices, tells stories about her life as a person, a Simpsons voice actor and the writer of an episode in recent years. Here is a good chunk of what Apple Books has to say.

“Nancy Cartwright, the ultimate Simpsons insider, gives voice to the boy immediately recognizable as none other than Bart Simpson. In this memoir, Nancy traces The Simpsons’ rapid rise to wild popularity, offers hilarious anecdotes about cast members and guest stars, and reveals what it’s like to be at the center of an American institution – one that reinvented the sitcom, rocked the TV networks to the core, and forever changed the face of television.”

“This new and updated audio edition represents a substantial revision of Cartwright’s 2000 book, My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy. Now enhanced with multiple audio clips featuring celebrity cameos from the The Simpsons, I’m Still a 10-Year-Old Boy is uniquely suited to the audio experience. Audio cameos included are by Danny DeVito, Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Meryl Streep, Kirk Douglas, J.K. Simmons, and Beverly D’Angelo as well as Simpsons main characters.”

“Since its debut on the Fox Network in 1989, Matt Groening’s series The Simpsons has become the long-running (more than 30 years strong, sitcom on television. It is a beloved and often prescient satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, consisting of Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie, and – of course – mischievous, rebellious, irreverent Bart. It continues to offer a biting parody of American culture, society, and television as well as the human condition itself.”

One thing Apple Books forgot to mention is that we also get to hear the late great Daws Butler, the man who had trained Nancy and as I had mentioned before, worked with Stan Freberg on some of his records. For example: Green Christmas with Stan Freberg as Scrooge and Mr. Butler as Bob Cratchit. We get to hear a recording Daws had done for Nancy back then and we also get a treat, to hear a young Nancy Cartwright as she sounded when she was about 20, replying to Daws on tape. Nancy still sounds about 20 to me, or rather 25 to 30 years old even though she is 66 going on 67 years-old in October.

Nancy also revealed that she was a premature baby, as I also was. I was in the hospital for three months, while Nancy said she was in there for about two months after she was born, but she said she wasn’t quite sure how long. Either way, Nancy was luckier than me in that she has sight and I was born blind, after being in an incubator. According to the book, Nancy says she was about 5 pounds at birth, while I was 2 pounds and 6 ounces. Either way, we are both short and I am also slender.

Both books are the same story, namely about Nancy’s life in and outside of The Simpsons. Altho, she goes into more detail on some matters I will get into below. Nancy talks about everything from how episodes are made and now, how they are written. Don’t forget that Nancy had written the Season 30 episode Girl’s in the Band and Nancy reminds us in this book (like her previous one) how the writing of an episode is credited to her, but is actually a collaborative effort between Nancy and a bunch of other writers in the writers room. It’s fascinating to hear it from Nancy herself, as she is honest and forthright, telling us things an insider would already know.

Nancy also goes through the same guest stars as she did in 2000, from Mickey Rooney, Ernest Borgnine, Meryl Streep and others. Yes, she also reviews how Elizabeth Taylor came to Guest Star twice during Season 4. Nancy also dedicated a full chapter to meeting Phill Hartmann and finding out about his death in 1998 after arriving record for The Simpsons that day.

Nancy also went further into her mother passing away and touching her mother, before the funeral. Her mother felt like a fish? I guess that Nancy touched her mother’s hand and that’s the only way what she had said to another of her siblings could make sense to me. Then again, before Nancy’s mother died she revealed that her mother’s hands were soft like a baby. Mine are also soft and I like to keep them that way. If you are a woman and you like a man with soft hands and who is short and thin, that’s me. I also love being silly too.

Something else Nancy had talked about was being in a car accident in 2009 and finding out that her back was broken because of it. I don’t want to even know what being in a vehicular accident is like, let alone having a broken back. When I was younger, I thought that a broken bakk or a broken neck were both death sentences. Thankfully, they aren’t and you can apparently hurt yourself in both of those areas and not kill yourself. No, I don’t wish to die like that and I hope that nobody I know meets their end that way either. When I had heard that chapter, I had no idea what she was talking about, when going into detail about where she was in her car and what had happened, until she decided to wiggle her ankles, then trying to sit up from being slumped over. Hearing her say “ow” repeatedly and louder each time in the audiobook made what she had gone through clearer, along with her being told what had happened to her by the doctor. First of all, how do you crap with a broken back when you can’t sit to shit? I’m just asking……..

There is more and I hope that her engineer Kyle had as much fun recording Nancy, as it was for us listening to her talk, doing her voices and telling stories through both her own words and samples of Simpsons characters and other people, including her younger self. Anyway, I hope that you get a chance to hear Nancy’s book, as well as read it. I have both books on my phone and I can listen to them any time I wish, provided they are both downloaded as they are to my iPhone.

I am now 51 and despite my age, I am still a kid at heart. I like being silly and I like talking like a four-year-old, complete with not pronouncing the letter R. Of course, I do it with people who are understanding that I don’t speak that way all the time and this does not include family members. Most of all, I love making people laugh by doing voices, including the voice of a child. I find it always gets a kick out of people who don’t expect to hear a squeaky high voice coming out of a grown man who talks in a baritone voice, but there it is. Even making sounds with my mouth and my vocal cords is not out of the question, in order to get a rise of people and make them laugh. I also like hugs and I haven’t had a hug in quite a while.

So, what else do I want for my birthday this year? A Sharp Talking Calculator from the 1980s, a ride on a school bus, a chance to meet a cast member, or all cast members of The Simpsons at some point in person. I have many wishes that will not come true right away and I don’t mind that. The calculator is probably the most practical one of the bunch, as I’ve had one before and I know how to use it and install the batteries. It has a clock and calendar, along with an alarm and a timer. The best example of what the device sounds like is in this song by a classic 80s synthpop band. Unfortunately, this particular model of talking calculator can only be purchased on sites like eBay and honestly, that sucks. https://youtu.be/VWiC_DiGQGA?si=BmQPrKBFpCc7mi19

Anyway, I hope to have a happy birthday and I hope you all have a great day, where ever you are reading this post. It would be nice if Nancy Cartwright also can see this post too.