We enter Angelina’s (and my) birthday month with a shot outside the Friends stage at Warner Brothers Studios from our trip to California in December 2018.
Tag / Friends
Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 18
20 years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I put together the first of what would become a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD. We last looked back at all 20 volumes three years ago to see which of my “favorite” songs still resonated in today’s digital world. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how, or if, things have changed in the past 3 years.
Volume 18 covers the summer of 1995, my first working at the bank, and the lead up to the first of my two senior years of college.
Side A
Stone Temple Pilots – Dancing Days
A radio hit despite never being officially released as a single, the Led Zeppelin cover more than doubled its impressive total over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 plays | 13 plays | 27 plays, most recently on 8/28/2018 |
PJ Harvey – Down By The Water
The surprise mainstream hit for the indie darling, which hit #2 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart, added a mere 3 listens in the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 plays | 13 plays | 16 plays, most recently on 10/9/2018 |
REM – Strange Currencies
Nearly left off the Monster album due to its rhythmic similarities to Everybody Hurts, the song more than tripled its number of plays over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 0 plays | 2 plays | 7 plays, most recently on 7/18/2018 |
Live – All Over You
Hitting #4 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart despite never being released as a single in the US, Live’s latest has doubled its plays in the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 plays | 5 plays | 10 plays, most recently on 6/24/2018 |
Soul Asylum – Misery
Originally recorded off of Q101, the debut single from Soul Asylum’s follow-up to their breakthrough album nearly tripled its listens over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 plays | 4 plays | 11 plays, most recently on 12/15/2018 |
Collective Soul – December
Peaking at #20 on the Billboard charts, the second single from the band’s second album nearly tripled its output over the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 plays | 3 plays | 8 plays, most recently on 10/9/2018 |
Elastica – Connection
The first US hit from Elastica, peaking at #53 on the Billboard charts, added 6 listens in the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 plays | 11 plays | 17 plays, most recently on 12/17/2018 |
Juliana Hatfield – Universal Heart-Beat
Hitting #5 on the Modern Rock Tracks charts, the solo release from Juliana Hatfield garnered 5 additional listens in the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 plays | 8 plays | 13 plays, most recently on 1/2/2019 |
Side B
Post Mortem – Episodes
After 5 seasons, Episodes drew to a close last October. The fictionalized tale of Matt LeBlanc’s post-Friends career was a joint production of Showtime and the BBC.
While the show had a ridiculous premise, it was mostly entertaining. It probably could have hung on for a few more seasons, but if those Brits are good at anything, it is getting off the air before they overstay their welcome.
Top 200 Albums – #129 – 140
Nearly 4 years ago, we first counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2018.
We continue things with the next batch of 10 albums that rank between #129 and 140, including 7 studio recordings and 3 soundtracks.
#140: Tegan and Sara – Sainthood
iTunes stats: 55 plays
Previous Ranking: 67
A big drop here, despite 11 of the 13 tracks on this album make up the total.
#136: Various Artists – Friends – Music From The T.V. Series
iTunes stats: 56 plays
Previous Ranking: 149
This soundtrack compilation, released following the smash first season of the television show, has 7 songs, from the likes of Joni Mitchell, The Pretenders, and, of course, The Rembrandts, to make up its total.
#136: Pearl Jam – Vitalogy
iTunes stats: 56 plays
Previous Ranking: 131
The 3rd studio album from the Seattle grunge band, and the last that I purchased, uses the totals from 4 different tracks.
#136: Various Artists – More Music From Romy And Michelle’s High School Reunion
iTunes stats: 56 plays
Previous Ranking: N/A
A strong debut, thanks to 6 80s hits from the likes of Tiffany and Rick Astley, for the second soundtrack album from the semi-hit film.
#136: Various Artists – Reality Bites
iTunes stats: 56 plays
Previous Ranking: 141
The soundtrack to the early 90s alternative movie hit uses 3 songs to make up this total.
Book 8 (of 52) – TV (The Book)
TV (The Book): Two Experts Pick The Greatest American Shows Of All Time – Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz
Lamenting the lack of serious television criticism in book form, like there has been for years for film, former newspapermen Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz team up to rank the 100 greatest American television shows of all time, giving their explanation on why each one deserves its spot in the American cultural landscape. Aside from The Simpsons, which has been on the air for 50 years or so and took home the top spot after much deliberation, currently airing shows were not eligible for consideration.
Separated into 4 categories, The Inner Circle, No-Doubt-About-It Classics, Groundbreakers and Workhorses, and Outlier Classics, the list runs the gamut from television’s earliest days, with classics like I Love Lucy and The Honeymooners, to today’s (well, yesterday’s) biggest hits. As we are living in the golden age of Peak TV, the majority of the list is certainly from the past 20 years or so.
My television watching has had me watch all or a good portion of 24 of these classic series, either in first run or syndication. Those shows are:
The Simpsons
Cheers
Seinfeld
MASH
Louie
The X-Files
Lost
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
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Most Watched Actors – The Late 1990s
Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime. The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since. So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at the most prolific actors that have starred in the movies that I have seen in the last half of the decade of the 1990s, corresponding with the end of college and the transition into adulthood and real life.
1996
| Name | Films |
|---|---|
| Gil Bellows | 3 |
| Alyssa Milano | 3 |
| Bill Pullman | 3 |
| Liv Tyler | 3 |
A four way tie that covers a lot of bad movies, most of which I don’t even remember. Gil Bellows starts things off with Miami Rhapsody, Love And A .45, and Black Day Blue Night. Alyssa Milano made her case by doffing her top in Poison Ivy II: Lily, Deadly Sins, and the cult classic Embrace of the Vampire. Bill Pullman shows up thanks to legitimate big screen blockbusters in Independence Day, Sibling Rivalry, and While You Were Sleeping. Rounding things out is Liv Tyler, who appeared in That Thing You Do!, Stealing Beauty, and Heavy.
1997
| Name | Films |
|---|---|
| Patricia Arquette | 3 |
| John Cusack | 3 |
The number of leaders is cut in half, as Patricia Arquette appeared in the classics Daddy, Lost Highway, and Flirting With Disaster. John Cusack plied his wares in City Hall, the tremendous Grosse Pointe Blank, and The Grifters.
1998
| Name | Films |
|---|---|
| Jennifer Aniston | 3 |
The Friends star makes her move to the big screen with starring roles in The Object Of My Affection, Picture Perfect, and Dream For An Insomniac.
1999
| Name | Films |
|---|---|
| Janeane Garofalo | 4 |
| Gwyneth Paltrow | 4 |
A strange pairing, with comic Janeane Garofalo starring in Sweethearts, Mystery Men, Larger Than Life, and The Matchmaker. Meanwhile, the glamorous Gwyneth Paltrow appeared in A Perfect Murder, Shakespeare In Love, Great Expectations, and Hush.
2000
| Name | Films |
|---|---|
| Maria Ford | 5 |
| Tori Spelling | 5 |
As we wrap things up, your first question is probably who the hell is Maria Ford? If you were perusing the late night offerings on Cinemax back at the turn of the century, you might be very familiar with her body of work. Tori Spelling, however, was a constant presence on Lifetime, appearing in Death Of A Cheeleader, Coed Call Girl, Deadly Pursuits, Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?, and Perpetrators Of The Crime.
CBS Upfronts
For the first time this century, CBS announced a new fall schedule this week without a version of CSI in the mix. Instead, the Tiffany network looked to other familiar properties, and stars, to fill the holes in their lineup. With the network again airing football on Thursday nights for the first 2 months of the season, there will be much juggling going on, starting on Monday, where The Big Bang Theory returns until football ends. It will be followed by Kevin Can Wait, a new show featuring former CBS star Kevin James. Once football ends, James moves up a half hour and will be followed by Man With A Plan, starring former Friend Matt LeBlanc. 2 Broke Girls, The Odd Couple, and Scorpion round out the night.
Tuesday wraps two versions of NCIS around Bull, a new drama starring former NCIS star Michael Weatherly as, and you can’t make this up, a young version of Dr. Phil. No changes on Wednesday night, where Criminal Minds returns for its 12th season. Thursday, starting in November, starts with The Big Bang Theory, followed by the new Joel McHale-helmed The Great Indoors. The night finishes with Pure Genius, a new drama from the creator of Parenthood.
Friday sees a new version of MacGuyver, followed by the returning Hawaii Five-O and Blue Bloods. Sunday adds another version of NCIS to fill the hole left by The Good Wife.
Gone and never to be seen again are The Good Wife and summer staple Under The Dome. Gone and destined to be seen again is Supergirl, which is moving to the CW. Gone and maybe seen again is Limitless, which didn’t make the schedule but is not officially cancelled and is looking for a new home.
Post Mortem – Cougar Town
After 6 seasons, split evenly between ABC and TBS, the poorly-named Cougar Town drew to a close this spring. Originally featuring Courteney Cox as a divorced cougar (hence the name) trying to navigate the dating world, the show quickly pivoted to focus on Cox and her family and friends, far surpassing any juice in the original premise.
After 6 years, the show was starting to show its age. Brian Van Holt had left the show as a regular during the last season, and the rest of the cast also seemed ready to move on. At the end of the day, Cougar Town was the most successful post-Friends attempt by any of the Friends and certainly brought an audience to TBS, along with Conan, that might not have gone there otherwise.
Mix Tape Monday Revisited – Volume 18
Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD. Three years ago, we looked back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listened to. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.
Volume 18 covers the summer of 1995 and the lead up to the first of my two senior years of college.
Side A
Stone Temple Pilots – Dancing Days
The Led Zeppelin cover nearly doubled its impressive total over the past 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 6/28/2015
PJ Harvey – Down By The Water
The surprise mainstream hit for the indie darling also nearly doubled its total in the last 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 2/4/2015
REM – Strange Currencies
I finally listened to this tune from the Athens, GA boys.
2012 iTunes stats: Never played
2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 7/12/2015
Live – All Over You
Live’s latest has gone unheard in nearly 4 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 5 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 8/15/2011
Soul Asylum – Misery
Only one new listen for the follow-up from Soul Asylum over the past 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 1/2/2013
Collective Soul – December
A slight increase for Collective Soul’s latest, which hasn’t been heard in nearly 2 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 9/10/2013
Elastica – Connection
The debut hit from Elastica added 4 listens in the last 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 6/17/2015
Juliana Hatfield – Universal Heart-Beat
The first solo release from Juliana Hatfield more than doubled its number of listens in the last 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 7/12/2015
Side B
Top 200 Albums – #149 – 157
My latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.
Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue climbing up the list, looking at the 6 albums tied for 152nd with 27 listens and the 3 albums tied for 149th with 28 listens.
#149: Def Leppard – Vault: Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits
iTunes stats: 28 plays
This collection of the Sheffield band’s greatest hits used 4 tunes to score this high on the list.
#149: Various Artists – Friends-Music From The T.V. Series
iTunes stats: 28 plays
This soundtrack compilation, released following the smash first season of the television show, has 7 songs, from the likes of Joni Mitchell, The Pretenders, and, of course, The Rembrandts, to make up its total.
#149: Various Artists – Monster Ballads, Vol. 2
iTunes stats: 28 plays
5 songs from this collection of ballads, performed by rock bands like Warrant and Cinderella, place it on the chart.
#152: George Carlin – Life Is Worth Losing
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Another comedy album by George Carlin takes its place on this list.
#152: Cracker – Cracker
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Only 2 songs from Cracker’s debut album make up this total.
#152: Various Artists – Rock N’ Roll Era: 1961
iTunes stats: 27 plays
7 tunes, from artists like Del Shannon, Dion & The Belmonts, and Ben E. King, are part of this Time Life compilation.
#152: Various Artists – Mallrats
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