The first time I ever saw a Winger video I said, "Hey, the singer looks like my friend's brother!" Now that's not why I took a liking to Winger, but it is what initially grabbed my attention. The video in question was their trademark power ballad "Headed for a Heartbreak". Granted, this song broke zero new ground and wouldn't even be in my top ten best power ballads of all time. But it did get me started down the path of Winger fandom.
Now most people laugh when I mention Winger as a band I like. I'm guessing they gave far too much credit to Beavis & Butt-Head's lovable loser, Stuart for making Winger seem lame. That however is far from the truth. Yes, singing a song about sex with an underage girl broke zero new ground as KISS, Motley Crue and Bon Jovi have all done that before. What sets Winger apart from other bands of this era is singer, Kip Winger.
Kip was not the typical hair band singer. He didn't have the higher octave voice commonly possessed by hair band singers (Vince Neil, Axl Rose, Tom Keifer, Taime Downe, Dee Snider, etc). Granted, Jon Bon Jovi and Brett Michaels weren't higher octave singers either, but I will get to them later. Kip had a deeper voice and when necessary, it was gutteral and gravelly. This is very noticeable on the band's hit song, "Can't Get Enuff". It also shows up on songs such as "Junkyard Dog" and "Down Incognito". His deeper voice also worked well on ballads such as "Miles Away" and the previously mentioned "Headed for a Heartbreak". Kip rarely receives credit for being a good vocalist and that is truly unfair.
"Can't Get Enuff" is may favorite Winger video. It's sexy, just dirty enough and fun. Most videos from that era weren't able to capture all three. In fact, most couldn't capture two. Winger pulled this video off perfectly.
Another area where Kip receives zero credit is charisma. Jon Bon Jovi and Bret Michaels steal the entire category here. I can't say that is entirely unreasonable. They were the two most charismatic singers of the era. And even now in the 21st century, Bret Michaels has become a TV darling and Jon Bon Jovi as his own line in Avon. So obviously, the still got it. I think Kip was looked over because his charisma wasn't the charming kind of charisma. Kip had an animalistic kind of charisma. It was actually a "let's-fuck-in-the-alley-during-a-thunderstorm" kind of charisma. It was that different kind of vibe Kip gave that made Winger's more sexually fueled songs believable. Much more so than when Jon Bon Jovi sang "Lay Your Hands on Me". He was just having fun. When Kip sang a sexual song, you could tell he meant every word, even with a song as cheesy as "Seventeen".
Winger's third album, Pull, was by far their best. It was released in 1993, right around the grunge explosion and was not a huge commercial success but has well received critically and is also widely considered to be the favorite of the fans. It also showed the band exploring some socio-political themes in songs such as "Who's the One" and "Blind Revolution Mad". It is also the album which contains my favorite Winger song, "Down Incognito". That song also appears on my musical biography.
Winger is also a good band to see in concert. The band sounds great live and yes, Kip really can play the harmonica. I saw them when the were a support act for Poison along with Faster Pussycat and Cinderella.
I don't expect to change the minds of any haters but if I even influence you to YouTube a couple Winger videos, I'll say it's a job well done.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
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Monday, July 15, 2013
Where is the support for Antonio's family?
Where is the public support for this child's family? Why has President Obama not made a public statement about how sad he is this happened? Where are all the messages of sympathy from celebrities? America, land of hypocrisy.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
WWE Dream Matches: The Brawls
This is the second entry in a series of my WWE dream matches. As with the first one, consider all participants to be in the prime of their career.
TRIPLE H VS. BRUNO SAMMARTINO -- STEEL CAGE MATCH
Bruno Sammartino is one of professional wrestling's toughest ever competitors. He sold out Madison Square Garden an unbelievable 187 times. It is believed he only lost one steel cage match throughout his entire career. So if you are going to put together a dream match inside a steel cage, who better to have as one of the participants than Bruno? Sammartino also produced two very long title reigns, one just under eight years and another of 40 months. He battled some of the most legendary superstars of all time, including George "The Animal" Steele, Ivan Koloff, Super Star Billy Graham, Freddie Blassie, Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski. Bruno wasn't specifically a brawler, he could mat wrestle with the best of them. But inside a cage, he was damn near unstoppable.
Like Bruno, Triple H has enjoyed headlining many events. Trips has been in the main event of Wrestlemania multiple times as well as other top of the card feuds with big-time superstars such as Stone Cold, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Undertaker, John Cena, Mick Foley and Ric Flair. Triple H also puts on a show inside a steel cage. He can take a beating and can hand out an equally nasty beating. So putting he and Sammartino inside a cage and letting them beat the hell out of each other would be a no-brainer. I imagine it would sell out Madison Square Garden once again.
Triple H would have a height advantage standing 6'4" with Sammartino checking in at 5'10". However, Bruno tipped the scales during the prime of his career at 265 pounds with Triple H at 255 pounds. These two inside a cage would be brutal and intense with the opportunity to be the best steel cage match of all time.
EDGE VS. JIMMY SNUKA -- LADDER MATCH
I know ladder matches weren't really big during most of Snuka's career, but this is a guy who was known as "Superfly" and did dive off the top of a steel cage so if anyone could adapt and go all-out in a match he's unfamiliar with, it would be Snuka. Superfly has been involved in some very high profile matches including a steel cage title match against Bob Backlund for the WWF Title as and was the first victim in the Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak. This is a guy who knows how to put on a show, as does his opponent.
Edge is one of the greatest ladder match competitors of all time. He, along with Christian and the Hardyz, elevated this type of match to heights no wrestling fan ever thought possible. Throughout his run in WWE, Edge was fearless in his matches and took more risks than nearly anyone else. He not only knew how to entertain, but also how to sell a match and make sure his opponent looked good as well. I'm not saying Snuka would need that kind of help in a match, but Edge knowing this type of match would be a benefit.
STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN VS. ROWDY RODDY PIPER -- STREET FIGHT
Now, if you want to see two men who know how to throw down in a street fight, it would be Austin and Piper. These guys were rule-breakers and brawlers and have been involved in many rough matches throughout their careers. Keep in mind Piper is a Golden Gloves winner and holds a black belt in Judo, and you can see how he is a perfect choice for a street fight type match.
Stone Cold Steve Austin is WWE's most legendary rule breaker and brawler and has gone toe-to-toe with the toughest in the wrestling industry. A street fight with Piper would be nothing short of iconic. Both Piper and Austin fought every match with a chip on their shoulder and a never-say-day attitude. You would expect these guys to use anything they could get their hands on as a weapon in an effort to win. I also have no doubt the announcer's table would need some repairs by the end of the match. Whatever the result of the match, you can guaran-damn-tee it would be, to steal a term from JR, a slobberknocker.
There you have it, my choices for the WWE dream matches brawl edition. There will be one left in this series and that will be the tag team matches. Until next time, if you cannot be a poet, be the poem.
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TRIPLE H VS. BRUNO SAMMARTINO -- STEEL CAGE MATCH
Bruno Sammartino is one of professional wrestling's toughest ever competitors. He sold out Madison Square Garden an unbelievable 187 times. It is believed he only lost one steel cage match throughout his entire career. So if you are going to put together a dream match inside a steel cage, who better to have as one of the participants than Bruno? Sammartino also produced two very long title reigns, one just under eight years and another of 40 months. He battled some of the most legendary superstars of all time, including George "The Animal" Steele, Ivan Koloff, Super Star Billy Graham, Freddie Blassie, Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski. Bruno wasn't specifically a brawler, he could mat wrestle with the best of them. But inside a cage, he was damn near unstoppable.
Like Bruno, Triple H has enjoyed headlining many events. Trips has been in the main event of Wrestlemania multiple times as well as other top of the card feuds with big-time superstars such as Stone Cold, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Undertaker, John Cena, Mick Foley and Ric Flair. Triple H also puts on a show inside a steel cage. He can take a beating and can hand out an equally nasty beating. So putting he and Sammartino inside a cage and letting them beat the hell out of each other would be a no-brainer. I imagine it would sell out Madison Square Garden once again.
Triple H would have a height advantage standing 6'4" with Sammartino checking in at 5'10". However, Bruno tipped the scales during the prime of his career at 265 pounds with Triple H at 255 pounds. These two inside a cage would be brutal and intense with the opportunity to be the best steel cage match of all time.
EDGE VS. JIMMY SNUKA -- LADDER MATCH
I know ladder matches weren't really big during most of Snuka's career, but this is a guy who was known as "Superfly" and did dive off the top of a steel cage so if anyone could adapt and go all-out in a match he's unfamiliar with, it would be Snuka. Superfly has been involved in some very high profile matches including a steel cage title match against Bob Backlund for the WWF Title as and was the first victim in the Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak. This is a guy who knows how to put on a show, as does his opponent.
Edge is one of the greatest ladder match competitors of all time. He, along with Christian and the Hardyz, elevated this type of match to heights no wrestling fan ever thought possible. Throughout his run in WWE, Edge was fearless in his matches and took more risks than nearly anyone else. He not only knew how to entertain, but also how to sell a match and make sure his opponent looked good as well. I'm not saying Snuka would need that kind of help in a match, but Edge knowing this type of match would be a benefit.
STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN VS. ROWDY RODDY PIPER -- STREET FIGHT
Now, if you want to see two men who know how to throw down in a street fight, it would be Austin and Piper. These guys were rule-breakers and brawlers and have been involved in many rough matches throughout their careers. Keep in mind Piper is a Golden Gloves winner and holds a black belt in Judo, and you can see how he is a perfect choice for a street fight type match.
Stone Cold Steve Austin is WWE's most legendary rule breaker and brawler and has gone toe-to-toe with the toughest in the wrestling industry. A street fight with Piper would be nothing short of iconic. Both Piper and Austin fought every match with a chip on their shoulder and a never-say-day attitude. You would expect these guys to use anything they could get their hands on as a weapon in an effort to win. I also have no doubt the announcer's table would need some repairs by the end of the match. Whatever the result of the match, you can guaran-damn-tee it would be, to steal a term from JR, a slobberknocker.
There you have it, my choices for the WWE dream matches brawl edition. There will be one left in this series and that will be the tag team matches. Until next time, if you cannot be a poet, be the poem.
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