Josh — The Suite 16

Got the Rainy Day Blues?

May 18, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

"I can't stand the rain against my window."

Over here in good ole Brooklyn, it’s currently raining cats & dogs & lions & tigers & bears etc…I’m all for Spring showers and rejevenating our flora friends with an occasional rainfall, but the seemingly non-stop rain we’ve been experiencing since Friday is really starting to take its toll on me!

And since my personal ~~shore fire~~ sure fire cure for a case of the rainy day blues is to blast some Missy Elliott, I thought I’d kick it old school and blast away these nasty storm clouds with some ’90s hip-hop.

What are some of your favorite rainy day songs?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: missy elliott, Rainy day

Lets Get Physical

May 6, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

As wonderful as it is to freeze to death and have to shovel your way out of feet of snow and ice (sarcasm overload), I must say that I am mighty glad that the seasons have changed and that gradually the temperature is rising.

I know that I’ve been counting down the days until it’s warmth enough to go jogging outside and enjoy the fresh warmer weather. For me, few things can rival the feeling of stretching out and going for a long run in the park. And of course, my favorite part of jogging is creating the perfect running mix to blast and daydream to as I exercise!

A truly effective running playlist needs to include a mix of high-energy music (that you can run in-beat with) that mesh a plethora of genres together to keep your running experience varied and exciting! So last night, in preparation for the weekend, I put together my personal “2011 Springtime Outdoor Extravaganza Jogging Mania” Playlist!:

1. “Kings and Queens” – 30 Seconds to Mars
2. “We Are Golden” – Mika
3. “Do It” – Nelly Furtado
4. “Holiday” – The Get Up Kids
5. “Backstabber” – Ke$ha
6. “Go Your Own Way” – Fleetwood Mac
7. “Sweetness” – Jimmy Eat World
8. “Bionic” – Christina Aguilera
9. “Hurricane J” – The Hold Steady
10. “Earth Intruders” – Björk
11. “Don’t Stop Me Now” – Queen
12. “Bug a Boo” – Destiny’s Child
13. “Emma Discovery” – The Anniversary
14. “Roman’s Revenge” – Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem
15. “Better Open the Door” – Motion City Soundtrack

Like it? Give it a play during your next outdoor jaunt! Hate it? Tell me what would be on your playlist!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: exercise, playlist, spring

The Set List Showdown

April 15, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

Of course I love going to concerts. What isn’t there to love about going to see an artist you adore and respect perform in the flesh? Singing along to every single word and being surrounded by like-minded people who share your epic enthusiasm…it can be an other worldly experience. And while I do love myself a huge stadium-sized spectacular, I tend to find that the more intimate the venue, the more I get out of the concert.

And back on July 15, 2006 when I was still a rambunctious college student, I got the chance to see my favorite singer, P!nk, perform at the legendary Philadelphia Electric Factory. Now, as anyone that spends any significant amount of time around me can tell you, I could very well be labeled P!nk’s #1 crazy loco fan, so obviously I had an absolute ball during the show.

But I got to really show my true fan-dom colors right after she finished her encore. I watched as she put her mic onto the stand. She waved to the screaming audience (I was the loudest, I’m sure of it). She then bent over and proceeded to peel a piece of paper off the stage.

THE. SET. LIST. You could see the audience freeze. Our mouths all gaping, we watched as she balled the piece of paper up and launched it into the air over our heads. Our hands ejected from our sockets and shot above us. And by some miracle of the world, I was one of two hands to grab it.

The other belonged to someone I will fondly refer to as MY ARCH ENEMY. And as my eyes fell and met those of MY ARCH ENEMY, a battle of strength and wits was underway. Fire burned in both of our pupils and our hands clenched hard enough to nearly rip the very precious prize we were fighting over. But no one will get between me and any P!nk memorabilia, so with a twist of my wrist and a quick jerk, MY ARCH ENEMY relinquished her cursed grasp and I clasped onto my winnings with the strength of an eagle’s talons…Please share my glorious moment with me and observe the fruits of my labor…

"My Precious"

I know I’m not the only person out there who has been in this position! Have you ever scored some awesome live concert bounty? Do you have it hung up on your wall all music nerdy like I do?!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: concerts, live show, p!nk, Philadelphia Electric Factory, set lists

This is Transcendental on Another Level

March 31, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

As I’ve mentioned before, I am a huge Billboard nerd. And quite possibly the only thing that could surpass my music chart g33kdom is my unashamed and dedicated obsession with pop music. Don’t throw your judgment stones just yet…I do listen to a lot more than just what’s on the Top 40, but I refuse to shun and do anything other than fully embrace the fun and infectious world of pop music. Sometimes it’s just the boost you need and I feel that it can often get written off without actually being appreciated for what it is.

And that’s why, with my two aforementioned musical addictions noted, I am on cloud nine today after hearing the news that Katy Perry’s latest single “E.T.” has topped the Billboard Hot 100, logging her FOURTH #1 single from her latest Grammy-nominated album ‘Teenage Dream.’ FOUR #1s from ONE album?! Wowza. It got me wondering what other albums have had similar single chart success…

…and it’s only a handful! Whitney Houston, George Michael, Paula Abdul, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson & Usher each scored four #1s from one singular album, as well as the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever.

However the king of this record is also known as the King of Pop. Michael Jackson’s album ‘Bad’ is the only album in history to clock FIVE chart-topping singles! Could Katy release another single from ‘Teenage Dream’ and tie MJ’s record? Who knows…only time will tell! I know I am waiting with baited breath!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: #1s, billboard, katy perry

How to…how to succeeeeeeeed!

March 25, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

As is the case with many New Yorkers, I have a special place in my heart for the wonderful world of Broadway. That’s why I try and get myself over to a musical/play every few months. There’s something just incredibly invigorating about seeing a story come to life right before your eyes on stage. And I have to say, seeing the legendary Frank Loesser’s How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying was definitely the adrenaline boost I needed to get myself out of this cold weather rut I’ve felt stuck in lately!

I assume that nearly every high school in the world has put on a production of this show, so most theater audiences are well aware of the story and the music. But let’s just say that my high school’s version of the show (though noble) didn’t come close to holding a candle to the real Broadway deal. The acting was phenomenal (it starred ~~Harry Potter~~ Daniel Radcliffe in the lead role as a wannabe business upstart who climbs his way up the proverbial success ladder) and the production is unparalleled by anything else I’ve seen on the “big stage.” The sets were ever-changing and incredibly in-depth, the dancing was expertly choreographed/executed and the punch lines hit with all the force of a freight train.

Like the theater? Then you definitely need to check out this brilliant interpretation of a modern day classic. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: broadway, Daniel Radcliffe, frank loesser, how to succeed in business without really trying

Time to dance!

March 22, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

Since we here at Shore Fire first started working with the innovative and star-packed traveling dance workshop, The PULSE on Tour, I’ve had dance on the brain.

Maybe it’s because The PULSE on Tour boasts some of the top choreographers in the pop culture world, or because I not-so-secretly want to attend one of the weekend workshops, but I can not stop thinking about it! To try and quell this obsession, I thought I’d post some tunage below from artists who also seemed to have dancing on the brain:

Whitney Houston‘ “I Wanna Dance With Somebody“:

Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing In the Dark“:

Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own“:

…and last but definitely not least…

Paula Abdul’s “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow“:

When you hear the word DANCE, what songs immediately jump into your head?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: dance, the PULSE on Tour

When you were young, you shone like the sun.

March 4, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

Babies are adorable. Everyone loves them. They have the mysterious power to take an otherwise grumpy and cold scrooge and turn them into a lovable teddy bear. And thanks largely to recent Shore Fire Media client Sing to Your Baby, I’ve been getting all nostalgic and such thinking about what it was like when I was younger.

And Sing to Your Baby creators Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer would probably be very proud of my parents! I distinctly remember when I was nothing more that a wee tot, that my parents would constantly be playing music to me and singing along. I can’t think of a time when there wasn’t a record/tape/CD spinning in my house.

And what were my parent’s favorite songs to sing to me? My mom would serenade me with the ever adorable Loggins & Messina’s “Danny’s Song” while my dad would sing “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” by Pink Floyd (yeah, yeah…I know the song is actually kind of dark, but I was an infant and didn’t know who Syd Barrett was).

Both of those songs (along with many more) will be forever ingrained in my mind, thanks to the never ending musical that was my childhood. What about you? Are there any songs you remember your parents singing to you as a child? If you have kids, what songs do you sing to them?

My dad (feat. awesome mustache) & me

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: loggins & messina, pink floyd, sing to your baby

1,000 Number 1s

February 17, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

I’m a gigantic Billboard charts junkie. I check the site every day and when I was 14 years-old, instead of having a subscription to Sports Illustrated, I read Billboard religiously. So it makes me mighty excited to share that with the release of Lady Gaga’s new pride anthem, “Born This Way,” the Billboard Hot 100 has logged it’s 1,000 #1 single!

Regardless of your opinion of Gaga’s new jam, this is quite a monumental day indeed. 53 years in the making to be exact! From Ricky Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool” to Gaga’s latest hit, Billboard has come a loooooong way!

CLICK HERE to check out the complete 1,000-song list of every #1 in the Billboard Hot 100’s history.

Personally, I am glad to see Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee” (arguably my favorite song of all time) on there as well as my favorite singer P!nk who has clocked in 3 #1s herself. But what are some of YOUR favorite #1s in the history of music?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: billboard, charts, history

If it’s Not Like the Movies, That’s How it Should Be

February 16, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

What with the intense snow we’ve been having here in the Northeast the past month, I’ve been spending a lot of time curled up on my couch and exhausting the bejeebus out of my Netflix account. Comedy, drama, horror, sci-fi, serious, silly, stupid…I’ve seen a lot of films recently, and one of my favorite movies that I’ve seen so far in 2011 definitely has to be…

Away We Go is an excellent and subtle comedy that stars Maya Rudolph & John Krasinski who play an expecting couple who are hunting the perfect location in the United States to settle down and raise their new baby. Its style and sense of humor definitely make it feel like a distant cousin to Juno, which to me is a good thing.

And while the film was fantastic, funny & touching, the main thing I took away from it was the soundtrack! An acoustic guitar would gently pluck throughout many of the scenes often times followed by a hearty crooner’s soft vocals. After the film I did some research and discovered that the man behind the movie’s music is named Alexi Murdoch, and I haven’t stopped listening to him since! I kind of wish he would compose the soundtrack to my life. Click here to check my favorite song from the movie, “All My Days“.

Next time you watch a movie, pay special attention to the use of music throughout. Sometimes, it can truly be a scene-stealer! Any of you out there reading this have a similar experience? Ever feel so moved by a film’s soundtrack that you just had to find out about the artist(s) responsible?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: alexi murdoch, away we go, movies, soundtrack

And the Oscar will go to…

February 8, 2011 By Josh Leave a Comment

I’m a HUGE award show fan. Emmys, Tonys, Grammys, Golden Globes, the Oscars, People’s Choice Award etc…it’s actually an addiction. So much that I am desperately trying to see each of the 10 nominees for the Academy Award for Best Picture before the award show later this month. I am 6 going on 7 and thought it would be fun for any readers out there to share what they think will take the top prize. Here are my thoughts:

Black Swan? Saw it and LOVED it. Dark, twisted & artsy psycho-drama…yes please!

The Fighter? I was afraid it would be piggybacking off of The Wrestler but I’ve heard enough good things that I’m trying to catch it one night this week.

The Kids Are All Right? Saw it and thought the cast was incredible. Julianne Moore & Annette Benning made a convincing & deeply moving couple.

The King’s Speech? Saw it and was left speechless (haha). Colin Firth & Geoffrey Rush were sensational and Helena Bonham Carter is one of my favorite actresses, so bonus points there.

Inception? Saw it. Enjoyed it well enough. Just didn’t really get the hype around it.

127 Hours Heard it was great, albeit quite disturbing in some parts.

The Social Network? Saw it and enjoyed it. A great time-stamp on our modern day culture.

Toy Story 3? Saw it and cried for days. I wonder how many other third-part sequels have been nominated for Best Picture in the past. Not many, I’m sure.

True Grit? Haven’t yet seen it, but since I loved Fargo & No Country for Old Men, I’m sure the Coen Bros. didn’t disappoint.

Winter’s Bone? I don’t know a single person who has seen it (or even heard of it for that matter). Netflix is sending it my way as I type.

Burlesque? Saw it opening day and could not stop smiling the whole way through! Yay for Christina Aguilera!

My prediction? Based on the other award shows and general hype, I think it’s going to come down to Black Swan, The Social Network & The King’s Speech duking it out. I’d be okay with any of them winning, though I am secretly rooting for The King’s Speech to sweep all the awards it’s nominated for.

So there are my opinions…but what about yours???

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: award shows, movies, oscars