The year was 1990 and "Turtlemania" was in full swing. The Ninja Turtles had a crazy successful action figure line from Playmates, the Ninja Turtles animated cartoon was must see TV and the comics by Mirage and Archie were fire! The next major hurdle for the boys in green to conquer was the big screen! I remember finding out about this mind blowing movie while reading the BK Kids Club magazine that was given out at Burger King in the 90's. We got our "1st Degree Ninja Badges" in our meals and poured over the single photo featuring one of the Ninja Turtles in all his live action glory!
When the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie dropped on audiences in March of 1990, my Dad took me and my brother to see this cinematic masterpiece and we loved every second of it. That year and many years after we were fully immersed in the Ninja Turtle marketing machine. We played the video games, ate the cereal, slept under the warmth of the bedsheets and of course rocked out to the official motion picture soundtrack!
We never did call that 900 number in the ad above, but we did own the soundtrack on cassette tape. I still have my original copy and the exclusive sticker that was included inside the packaging still holds a special spot in my old sticker album right next to some other radical renderings of the Turtle Boys.
I never did own the CD version of the TMNT soundtrack when I was a kid, but a few years ago I remedied that situation and bought a brand new copy off ebay for around $5 and yes, it came with another copy of the exclusive sticker!
Since you're all here, we might as well take a peak inside the CD booklet and see what's within it's pages. Here we go!
I loved when CDs or cassettes would include the lyrics to songs. It was a great way to sing along and learn the words for yourself. I can still see myself and my brother sitting in what we dubbed as our "Nintendo Room" playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game on our Nintendo Entertainment system as we listened to the Ninja Turtles soundtrack on our Walkman cassette players. We would swap the NES controller back and forth. While one of us was playing, the other was jamming out to tunes by M.C. Hammer, Hi-Tek 3 and Partners In Kryme while reading the soundtrack insert. Those were fantastic times spent with my brother and that is one of the main reasons why I love this soundtrack so much. It is filled with personal nostalgia and it also features some bangin' 90's jams!
Do you have any memories of owning or listening to the TMNT movie soundtrack? Do you have a favorite song on the album? Let us know in the comments below and as always...Thanks For Reading!
It's been a crazy year, so I hope everyone can safely celebrate this amazing American holiday full of block parties, cookouts and breath taking fire works displays. Meet up with family & friends and toss the baseball around the backyard while patriotic music plays on the jam box and the smells of mouth watering barbecue fills the air! Let's make this a 4th of July to remember! God bless America!!!!
It's that time of the week again here at 20 Years Before 2000...It's time for the THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK! These are the jams currently on my trusty Creative ZEN MP3 player and they encompass everything from Motown R&B classics to hip-hop and rap from the 90s! I would like to share them with you in the hopes that they can get you on your feet and bring back some sweet nostalgic memories! So throw on your shades, cut your hair in the fresh fade style and grab some Taco Bell as we take you back! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK...
Artist: Hammer
Song: 2 Legit 2 Quit
Album: Too Legit To Quit(Released 1991) Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 5
Bonus Fun Fact: The music video for this song was over 15 minutes long and still ranks as one of the most expensive to produce of all time and includes cameos by Deion Snaders, Chris Mullin, Eazy-E, Queen Latifah and Tony Danza, just to name a few.
Back in 2010 Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper rode into town for their "Gruesome Twosome" tour. I had set up a chance for our news team to conduct an interview with Rob Zombie, but at the last minute we had breaking news and no one could meet with him. Not wanting to lose this opportunity or any future opportunities for interviews with the concert promoter, I grabbed a photog and we went to the arena to interview Rob Zombie. He was a very nice guy and I am glad I was granted this opportunity to sit down and chat with Rob Zombie before his performance with Alice Cooper that night. Below are a few excerpts from this interview:
Question: In 1996 you recorded "Hands of Death" with Alice Cooper for an X-Files compilation album. Did that kick off you musical relationship?
Rob Zombie: Before that I had met [Alice Cooper] in '94. I presented an award to him and then I believe in '95 he came on stage one time and played with us, with White Zombie. That's when we first did anything.
Question: You've toured with Ozzy Osbourne and now Alice Cooper, which has been the wildest for you?
Rob Zombie: Alice is everything to me. I like Ozzy, but Alice was the person I grew up loving and he set the standard for live shows. So, I think that I would give Alice everything over Ozzy on that front. Everything about him is the best.
Question: Did Alice get you to golf yet?
Rob Zombie: No, Alice goes golfing all the time, but I don't go with him 'cause I don't golf. You know? I'm not gonna go there and goof around.
Question: What can we expect from the Gruesome Twosome?
Rob Zombie: We've decided in a very humble manor that this will be the greatest rock and roll show you will ever see! EVER! And if you think you'll ever see a better one, you are sadly mistaken.
After the interview Rob Zombie gave me a signed picture and then went on his way to prepare for the show. I brought a few friends to the Gruesome Twosome tour that night and Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper really did put on an amazing show! If you ever get the chance to see these guys perform, go for it! It's not even my type of music, but I could appreciate the show they put on for their fans. It really is worth the price of admission. Here is a clip from the interview where Zombie talks about his Halloween movies and why he enjoys making comics, enjoy!
The Guys Next Door was a sketch comedy show that ran on NBC Saturday mornings from 1990-1991. The cast included Patrick J. Dancy, Bobby Leslie, Damon Sharpe, Chris Wolf and Eddie Garcia. The Guys were an actual band that was signed to SBK/EMI Records. Their song "I've Been Waiting For You" made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 list and they released 1 self titled studio album. The NBC program lasted only 13 episodes, but was nominated for a Young Artist Award for "Best Youth Variety or Game Show". They ultimately ended up losing to The All New Mickey Mouse Club, which is one more reason to dislike Justin Timberlake. I always felt it was NBCs attempt to cash in on the New Kids on the Block craze that was sweeping the United States around this time. Take a look at this episode and decide for yourself.
Even though the series was short lived, it did have a pretty big fan following (including my 2 sisters) and they did have some catchy tunes! But, these manufactured boy band pop groups usually have a pretty quick shelf life and The Guys Next Door were no exception.
But what happened to The Guys Next Door after NBC evicted them from their Saturday morning lineup and the record label kicked them to the curb? I did some digging and this is what I could find!
Eddie Garcia
Eddie had been acting for a few years before becoming a Guy Next Door and appeared in the films Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984) and Lambada (1990). After The Guys Next Door series ended in 1991 Garcia continued to act in various television and movie roles. Most notably in Boogie Nights (1997), Bringing Down The House (2003) and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)! He also took his dance talents on the road and danced for Michael & Janet Jackson and choreographed routines for the Dirty Dancing TV series and Jennifer Lopez: Live In Concert!
Patrick J. Dancy
Like Garcia, Dancy continued to act in television for a few decades after leaving The Guys Next Door in 1991. He appeared in a recurring role on the hit sitcom Family Matters as Ted and appeared as a guest star on the shows Living Single, In The House, The Pretender and NYPD Blue. His last acting gig was in 2004 on the TV series She Spies. In 1993 he was nominated for a Young Artist Award for "Best Young Actor Recurring In A Television Series". He lost to Aeryk Egan & Bumper Robinson. They tied for the award.
Chris Wolf
Wolf had been an actor for several years before becoming a part of The Guys Next Door and some might argue that it was his best work. He acted in the films Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989) and Tango & Cash (1989). After The Guys Next Door his most high profile role may have been his turn as the Swamp Creature on the television show Big Bad Beetleborgs!
Bobby Leslie
After the cancellation of their TV show, Bobby Leslie has never acted again and I really can't find much info on what he has been up to since! The Guys have reunited a few times recently, but Bobby has been nowhere to be found.
Damon Sharpe
Probably the most famous of all The Guys Next Door alumni, Sharpe has created an amazing producing and songwriting career for himself. Over the years he has worked with such A-list talent as Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull and Nelly just to name a few. He did act on few television shows after Guys. You may have seen him as a Male Student in the Buffy The Vampire Slayer episode "I Robot...You Jane". But his biggest on screen contribution was probably his role as a vocal coach on the hit television series The X Factor.
So there it is, a brief update on where the Guys went after they left next door. It was a short period of time where their star shone bright, but damn it was a hell of a ride. They even had their own board game for cryin' out loud! If that doesn't count as AWESOME, I don't know what does?
Just like every other boy band of the early 90s they left us too soon, but at least they left us with some freakin hot jams!!! Thank you Guys Next Door and may God bless you wherever you are!
For more investigative reporting on some of your favorite icons from the 80s & 90s, check out the posts below!
It's that time of the week again here at 20 Years Before 2000...It's time for the Throwback Jam of the Week! These are the jams currently on my trusty Creative ZEN MP3 player and they encompass everything from Motown R&B classics to hip-hop & rap from the 80s & 90s! I would like to share them with you in the hopes that they get you off your feet and bring back some sweet nostalgic memories! So throw on your Pelle Pelle Jeans, get your hair cut in the fresh Baldie style and slip on your Tims as we take you back! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 Throwback Jam of the week...
Artist: ONYX
Song: React
Album: Shut 'Em Down (Released 1998)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 45
Bonus Fun Fact: This track features 50 Cent in his first official appearance in a song!
In 1993 the NBA was on the top of the sports world! Michael Jordan and The Chicago Bulls were on their way to their first three-peat, the Dream Team had dominated the globe in the Barcelona Olympics the summer before and the slam dunk was the most exciting play in sports! Not one to pass on a golden opportunity the NBA created the Jam Session brand.
The first item I remember from this marketing initiative was the "NBA JAM SESSION" VHS tape! It had highlights from the best players in the league at the time. Everyone from Karl Malone to Harold Miner to Alonzo Mourning was featured on this mixtape. I remember going to our local mom & pop rental store, "Video Sights & Sounds" just so we could rent this tape! Now as an adult, I own my own copy. I found this baby at Goodwill for about a quarter. If you ever see one out in the wild for a cheap price, I highly recommend you pick it up! Another thing came from this brand that cemented the world of hip-hop culture with the NBA. This informal partnership led to the next item on my list...
The freakin' "NBA JAM SESSION" album!!! I used to listen to this on my Walkman all the time, especially on trips to basketball practice or basketball camps. There are some pretty big names for the time on here and some pretty fresh cuts!
The talent roster included Bell Biv DeVoe, Heavy D, Notorious B.I.G., Bobby Brown and Wreckx-N-Effect! Not too shabby for an NBA mix tape. I bought this CD online for about $1 and put it on in the house from time to time so I can relive those athletic golden years when my team in NJ went on to win 2 championships in 3 years. Over that span, we only lost one game and got to go to the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford to watch the Nets play as a reward for our hard work. Because of this I was able to see some of the "JAM SESSION" stars in person like Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson.
The only thing cooler than the soundtrack album quite possibly was the "NBA JAM SESSION" cards that were randomly inserted into the '92-'93 Fleer Ultra packs. I loved checking out the stats on the back and seeing how many jams the top players in the league had amassed over the years. Who knew the Admiral had 155 dunks during the '91-'92 season? Recently and sadly though the dunk has fallen out of flavor in the NBA. The All-Star Dunk Contest has become mediocre and thanks to the Golden State Warriors, the 3-pointer has become the shot of choice around the league. One day the dunk will again reign supreme, but until that day comes you can relive the glory days of the 90s NBA by watching the "NBA JAM SESSION" highlight tape in all it's glory in the video below!!!
This past week while looking for something to watch on Netflix I spotted the 1988 Corey Haim/Corey Feldman classic "License to Drive"! I made some comment to my wife about possibly watching this movie tonight and she replied "I have never seen that before". WHAT! That "possibly watching" turned into a "DEFINATELY WATCHING" License to Drive!
If you haven't seen the movie yet, I won't spoil too much for you, but in a nutshell Corey Haim's character fails his driving test, tells his friend Corey Feldman he passed, they take the family car out and craziness ensues! At the end Haim gets the girl played by a young Heather Graham and they drive away to the sweet & soulful sounds of Billy Ocean.
Billy Ocean? I hadn't thought about him in a long time, but as luck would have it I was recently sorting through a box of old toys, cards, etc. and I uncovered this "Greatest Hits" tape of his that I had bought at Goodwill for $0.50 over a year ago.
If you're anything like me, right now you're asking yourself "Whatever happened to Billy Ocean?". Why doesn't Billy Ocean get the same respect as other R&B singers from the 80s? He was a hit maker on par with Lionel Richie, Terence Trent D'Arby and Keith Sweat at the time. So, what has he been up to since the early 90s? I mean this guy had multiple #1 hits won Grammy Awards and performed the theme song from the film The Jewel of the Nile! He was on top of the world and then nothing.
I did some digging and it turns out Billy Ocean has been quite busy since we last heard him on the airwaves. In 2002 the University of Westminster awarded him an honorary doctorate of music. In 2010 he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Music of Black Origins Awards. Then in 2011 Ocean became a Companion of theLiverpool Institute for Performing Arts and in his spare time he released the albums "Because I Love You" (2009) & "Here You Are" (2013). Finally, he just wrapped his 2017 Spring Tour last month! In honor of rediscovering Billy here is my favorite song of his, "Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)". Have fun trying to get that out of your head! What is your favorite Billy Ocean song?
Just a few days ago I commented on a Twitter post that I had never seen the 1986 movie RAD before. It had always been on my list of 80s flicks to watch, but I was never able to find it. To my knowledge it has never been on Netflix and was never officially released on DVD. The only way I could find it was on VHS, but the prices were a little steep.
Well, my comments on Twitter got a lot of traction on the interweb and thanks to Shawn Robare, who runs the excellent retro site Branded in the 80s, I was able to get my hands on a copy and rectify 31 years of RADlessness! Here are my 5 favorite parts of the high octane BMX action adventure of Cru Jones as he strives to overtake the Hell Track!
1. The Bicycle Boogie
Back in the day who wouldn't have wanted to boogie with the future Mrs. Jessie Katsopolis, Lori Loughlin? This dance scene was crazy from the sweet BMX "Dance" moves to the song "Send Me An Angel" by Real Life playing at the local teen hot spot. I can honestly say this is something I had never seen before on film! Just looked up some recent pictures of Lori online and DAMN does she still look fine!
2. Lumber Yard chase with the Police
This is possibly my most favorite scene of the movie. The cops roll up, Cru and his gang roll out on their sweet BMX bikes and challenge the local 5-0 to a game of cat and mouse in a lumber yard. Some of the stuff Cru pulls off is insane! He manages to outsmart and outride Sgt. Smith and in the end everything ends with an admiring salute from the law. I wish the cops were like this where I grew up. All we had was officer Allen telling us not to "Piss in his cornflakes"!
3. Mr. Timmer flips off Duke!
I was pleasantly surprised to see Ray Walston aka My Favorite Martian in this movie as Burton Timmer. Mr. Timmer stood to make a lot of money if the #1 seed in the HellTrack race, Bart Taylor won. But when the villain of the film, Duke Best kept changing the rules to keep Cru Jones out of the race, Mr. Timmer stepped up and fronted $27,000 of his money to help out the local boy. When confronted about this choice Mr. Timmer responded to Duke with an enthusiastic middle finger to the face! AMAZING!!!!
4. The Final Race
After proving himself to be a top rider in the qualifying races and overcoming the sponsor and money rules put in place by Duke at the last minute, Cru Jones gets his chance at HellTrack! He starts out in the lead and avoids attempts by the rival Mongoose team to take him out and in the final lap he is overtaken by Bart Taylor who has a strong lead. But in a turn of sportsmanship and cockiness Bart waits for Cru to catch up with him and they race head to head to the finish! [SPOILER ALERT] In the end Cru pulls of a fantastic spin move to beat Bart at the checkered line to win! Cru gets the title, the respect and the girl! The movie ends and we are treated to a highlight reel of BMX tricks, which leads me to my final fave moment....
5. THE SOUNDTRACK!
WOW! If this isn't one of the top ten 80s soundtracks, I don't know what is! It is pure 80s synth greatness and fits the tone of RAD to perfection. Days later and I am still singing "Cause there's thunder in your heart! Every move is like lightning!" If you want to hear more songs from RAD you can check them out on the YouTube RAD playlist by clickingHERE!
There are so many other AWESOME moments from this movie that I may have to do a second round of "My Top 5 Moments from RAD"! Like the team trading homework for t-shirts, Duke drinking what looks like Jack Daniels in the Mongoose tent, Ass Sliding and the epic dance seen with twins Rod & Rex in space suits that were borrowed from the movie "V"! There is so much to like here. If you are an 80s movie fan, I highly recommend finding and watching RAD! I finished the movie and was left wanting more Cru Jones shenanigans, so now I am on the lookout for my own VHS copy of the movie, the soundtrack and possibly even a copy of the book "My Rad Career" by Bill Allen. The hunt starts now!
This movie has such a cult following that it makes me wonder why it was never released on DVD or BluRay? A new BluRay would be sweet! Just think of all the extras that could be included. A doc on the popularity boom of BMX racing in the 80s, a where are they now look at the stars, a look behind the scenes at the making of RAD and maybe even music videos? I know I am dreaming, but that would be cool, right?
