Comments on: Cutouts Gone Wild!: Howard Jones, “In the Running” http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/ your daily dose of pop culture Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:24:47 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Philomath http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-39775 Philomath Sun, 20 Jan 2008 05:38:42 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-39775 I have to confess that I was among those who thought HoJo was an unparalleled musical genius back in the mid-1980s. I saw the video to "New Song" on MTV back in 1984 at the tender age of 13 and ran out to buy the single. I loved Human's Lib and Dream Into Action but thought Howard started to decline with One To One. By the time In The Running was released, I had lost interest.<br><br>I will say that for being essentially a one-man band, Howard put on a pretty good live show. I saw him live in Park City, UT back in 1987 with Frozen Ghost as the opening act. There's nothing better than a HoJo/FroGho combo! How about featuring that band on Cutouts Gone Wild? I have to confess that I was among those who thought HoJo was an unparalleled musical genius back in the mid-1980s. I saw the video to “New Song” on MTV back in 1984 at the tender age of 13 and ran out to buy the single. I loved Human's Lib and Dream Into Action but thought Howard started to decline with One To One. By the time In The Running was released, I had lost interest.

I will say that for being essentially a one-man band, Howard put on a pretty good live show. I saw him live in Park City, UT back in 1987 with Frozen Ghost as the opening act. There's nothing better than a HoJo/FroGho combo! How about featuring that band on Cutouts Gone Wild?

]]> By: Philomath http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-22142 Philomath Sun, 20 Jan 2008 04:38:42 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-22142 I have to confess that I was among those who thought HoJo was an unparalleled musical genius back in the mid-1980s. I saw the video to "New Song" on MTV back in 1984 at the tender age of 13 and ran out to buy the single. I loved Human's Lib and Dream Into Action but thought Howard started to decline with One To One. By the time In The Running was released, I had lost interest.<br><br>I will say that for being essentially a one-man band, Howard put on a pretty good live show. I saw him live in Park City, UT back in 1987 with Frozen Ghost as the opening act. There's nothing better than a HoJo/FroGho combo! How about featuring that band on Cutouts Gone Wild? I have to confess that I was among those who thought HoJo was an unparalleled musical genius back in the mid-1980s. I saw the video to “New Song” on MTV back in 1984 at the tender age of 13 and ran out to buy the single. I loved Human's Lib and Dream Into Action but thought Howard started to decline with One To One. By the time In The Running was released, I had lost interest.

I will say that for being essentially a one-man band, Howard put on a pretty good live show. I saw him live in Park City, UT back in 1987 with Frozen Ghost as the opening act. There's nothing better than a HoJo/FroGho combo! How about featuring that band on Cutouts Gone Wild?

]]> By: JonCummings http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-22134 JonCummings Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:57:16 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-22134 Each episode featured five has-beens, each singing their biggest hit as well as a contemporary song. The studio audience (and maybe a phone-in poll, I don't remember) chose a "winner" each week. Howard competed--and lost--on both the UK and US versions of "Hit Me Baby." In the Brit version he lost to Tiffany (!), in the US he lost to Irene Cara.<br><br>Reality is a harsh mistress.<br><br>Check out the very-complete Wikipedia page (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_Me_Baby_One_More_Time" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_Me_Baby_One_Mo...</a>), which lists all the artists and songs from each episode in both countries. From the look of it, you wouldn't think it would be the train wreck it turned out to be... Each episode featured five has-beens, each singing their biggest hit as well as a contemporary song. The studio audience (and maybe a phone-in poll, I don't remember) chose a “winner” each week. Howard competed–and lost–on both the UK and US versions of “Hit Me Baby.” In the Brit version he lost to Tiffany (!), in the US he lost to Irene Cara.

Reality is a harsh mistress.

Check out the very-complete Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_Me_Baby_One_Mo...), which lists all the artists and songs from each episode in both countries. From the look of it, you wouldn't think it would be the train wreck it turned out to be…

]]> By: Michael Wo http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-22141 Michael Wo Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:59:52 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-22141 In the Running was pretty much my favorite record in 1992, when I was 14 and started liking sad music. In retrospect, I think I was stubbornly giving it too much credit, as Howard Jones was one of the first musicians I got into when I discovered pop music at age 8. Those guitar licks are pret-ty embarrassing.<br><br>Saw him live once, on the 1996 acoustic tour, and it was amazing. These days, I think only "Things Can Only Get Better" and "No One is to Blame" (my first "favorite" song ever) are still on my hard drive.<br><br>Oh, and "The Prisoner." That should have been a top 10 hit. In the Running was pretty much my favorite record in 1992, when I was 14 and started liking sad music. In retrospect, I think I was stubbornly giving it too much credit, as Howard Jones was one of the first musicians I got into when I discovered pop music at age 8. Those guitar licks are pret-ty embarrassing.

Saw him live once, on the 1996 acoustic tour, and it was amazing. These days, I think only “Things Can Only Get Better” and “No One is to Blame” (my first “favorite” song ever) are still on my hard drive.

Oh, and “The Prisoner.” That should have been a top 10 hit.

]]> By: Elaine http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-22133 Elaine Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:59:34 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-22133 Was there a winner of "Hit Me Baby?"<br><br>Howard Jones was and is a musical madman. Was there a winner of “Hit Me Baby?”

Howard Jones was and is a musical madman.

]]> By: DavidMedsker http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-22140 DavidMedsker Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:42:53 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-22140 I'd be willing to bet that Elektra's first thought about dropping HoJo came after the release of <i>One on One</i> in 1986 -- its one hit is one of his worst singles, like a drunken remake of the <i>Humans Lib</i> track "Pearl in the Shell" -- but he earned a stay of execution when his next album notched two Top 40 singles. It probably didn't hurt that 10,000 Maniacs weren't yet ready for the spotlight. <br><br>I loved Howard Jones back in the day, but by the time this album came out, I was getting my wuss on with E, Deacon Blue, Prefab Sprout, Seal and Everything but the Girl. Sorry, HoJo. I'd be willing to bet that Elektra's first thought about dropping HoJo came after the release of One on One in 1986 — its one hit is one of his worst singles, like a drunken remake of the Humans Lib track “Pearl in the Shell” — but he earned a stay of execution when his next album notched two Top 40 singles. It probably didn't hurt that 10,000 Maniacs weren't yet ready for the spotlight.

I loved Howard Jones back in the day, but by the time this album came out, I was getting my wuss on with E, Deacon Blue, Prefab Sprout, Seal and Everything but the Girl. Sorry, HoJo.

]]> By: Malchus http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-22139 Malchus Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:06:13 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-22139 One the most memorable concerts I ever went to was Howard Jones in 1987. Lots of high energy, very positive (and Jed the Mime!). I, too, suffered through "Hit Me Baby..." and felt that Hojo was the finest performer they had on. He has aged gracefully and sounded pitch perfect (unlike, say, Mike Reno of Loverboy). One the most memorable concerts I ever went to was Howard Jones in 1987. Lots of high energy, very positive (and Jed the Mime!). I, too, suffered through “Hit Me Baby…” and felt that Hojo was the finest performer they had on. He has aged gracefully and sounded pitch perfect (unlike, say, Mike Reno of Loverboy).

]]> By: Jerry http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-22136 Jerry Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:42:38 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-22136 I agree. That song is up there with the best of his 80s work. I agree. That song is up there with the best of his 80s work.

]]> By: Jerry http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-22138 Jerry Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:41:36 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-22138 "... you may scoff at the notion of a Top 10 artist who got his start backing up a mime..."<br><br>To be fair, I'm pretty sure it was the other way around. HoJo's gimmick when he started was to perform as a one-man band, surrounded by about a thousand synthesizers. He said he got lonely on stage, and that's why he hired Jed the Mime to accompany him.<br><br>I even remember Jed performing with him on American Bandstand. It was a pretty good schtick. “… you may scoff at the notion of a Top 10 artist who got his start backing up a mime…”

To be fair, I'm pretty sure it was the other way around. HoJo's gimmick when he started was to perform as a one-man band, surrounded by about a thousand synthesizers. He said he got lonely on stage, and that's why he hired Jed the Mime to accompany him.

I even remember Jed performing with him on American Bandstand. It was a pretty good schtick.

]]> By: Bastard No. 1 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/comment-page-1/#comment-22137 Bastard No. 1 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:25:08 +0000 http://popdose.com/cutouts-gone-wild-howard-jones-in-the-running/#comment-22137 I loved "Hit Me Baby One More Time" <br><br>Wang Chung's version of Nelly's "Hot in Herrreee" is hilarious! I loved “Hit Me Baby One More Time”

Wang Chung's version of Nelly's “Hot in Herrreee” is hilarious!

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