LISTEN TO THE FULL MIX HERE

This is the time of the year when graduates go through the ritual where they transition from one stage of life to another. It’s certainly an emotional time for all involved, and it does mark endings and beginnings. I don’t know about you, but when I graduated from high school, it was really strange to think that I was finished; that I wasn’t coming back in the fall. But I got over it, and quickly moved on. When I finished college, I was just excited to finally complete a degree that took far-too-long to get. I was ready to start my “adult life” and enter the world of careers, maybe marriage, kids, mortgages, and all that grown-up stuff. But what did I do? Um, I dove right back into school after a year of working at some crappy jobs. Ah, I guess I wasn’t quite ready to leave the womb. But enough about me. Here’s to you! The class of 2008. Go forth and kick some ass.

“I’m Coming Out,” Diana Ross

It seems this song has become a huge graduation song among “the kids.” I’m surprised it’s survived this long, but I suppose it’s a classic — even if it’s a classic performed by a really, really, really, really, bad person. (more…)

Robert: In my best Paul Stanley impression, minus the made-in-Brooklyn falsetto: “Ya know something, people, we have been given a gift. More specifically, you have been given a gift — the gift of this attached MP3!”

Classic Kiss is back! Ace and Peter are back! The makeup and costumes are back! … Unfortunately, the melodies aren’t, at least not on this song. I like a lot of Kiss’s tracks from the ’70s, and 1982’s “I Love It Loud” is great, but “Psycho Circus” is forgettable. Didn’t the Psycho Circus album bomb? And is it still Kiss’s most recent studio album? Gee, I hope Paul and Gene have found a way to make money aside from album sales. Good luck, fellas. You can do it. I just know you can.

Jeff: I want to rock and roll all night — and party every day. I do not, however, want to hear this song ever again.

Beau: The line between Kiss and Spinal Tap, never designed to be a full-scale wall in the first place, has never seemed so blurry.

Darren: Crikey, somebody got a sweet deal on a green-screen room. Also, just taking a swing in the dark, did Desmond Child cowrite this? If not, he was certainly there in spirit. Paul Stanley and Child in the same room, each taking their stab at the lyrics, could actually create a cheese-flavored cliche vortex the likes of which Chester Cheetah has never seen.

Ken: I’m not a Kiss fan. They made a total of one song that I really like (”Tears Are Falling”). That said, I have to say … no, I don’t like this, either. The video has flashes of humor, though.

Will: “Psycho Circus” was the title track to the band’s reunion album — trumpeted as the first featuring all four original members in two decades — and it was everything you possibly could’ve hoped for. It sounded like old-school KISS, offering a catchy chorus and plenty of rock goodness, and it was the perfect concert opener, with Paul bidding you “welcome to the show.” And, hey, I saw the band on their reunion tour, and it fucking rocked. (Paul’s best patter for the evening: “Hey, everybody, it’s Wednesday night … but let’s pretend it’s Friday night! All right!”)

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DOWNLOAD THE FULL MIX HERE

It’s almost June, and time for people to completely lose it when it comes to locking in all the elements that goes into a wedding. If you’re a regular to this feature, you know that I logged in quite a few years as a mobile DJ. Weddings were my bread and butter, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played the following songs in this mix, but I can tell you that even at the most stressful weddings, these songs have the most soothing effect over Bridezillas, Fatherzillas, Motherzillas, Groomzillas, and every other “Zilla” you’ve ever met at a wedding reception.

Nat King Cole/Natalie Cole, “Unforgettable”

When I first heard this single, I really thought it would have a limited shelf life. But it’s 17 years later, and it’s still a top “first dance” song. I haven’t heard this song in years (because I don’t do the mobile DJ thing anymore), but it’s clear that this had “classic” written all over it and I was just too cynical to think that anything could equal the original. (more…)