"Countryside" by Yes

from Tormato

Sometimes bands go backward to look forward. In this case, "Countryside" is almost a throwback to Yes' first album with a folkish twist.

As a Yes fan, I had to do a double-take when I found out this was from sometime around the Tormato sessions. Definitely wouldn't have fit on the album, but still a noteworthy effort.

"Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" by Steam

from Some lame "Super-Hits" compilation

Ok, this song's been made ultra-annoying by the "Sports Jams" collections of the last 10 years, and its many unnecessary arena PA system appearances. Ironically, also originally a throwaway B-side like the dreaded "Rock & Roll, Part 2".

However, it's fun for 2 reasons:
1.)the studio track has some really interesting stereo panning. It's cool to hear what's going on in the guts of a accidentally well-crafted pop single.

2.)the breakbeat in the middle is priceless, easily the best part of the song.

As far as the video goes...this has to be not only one of the worst lip-sync/instrument-sync performances in history, but these guys are so non-photogenic, they make the Scorpions & Badfinger look sexy. (Coincidentally...NONE of them actually played on the studio version they're syncing to.)

"Bring Me Edelweiss" by Edelweiss

from The Wonderful World of Edelweiss

Austrians hijack and smash up "S.O.S." by ABBA and things like this happen.

on an unrelated note...The famous Intel jingle that accompanies the advertising for their products was written by Walter Werzowa from Edelweiss.

Bring me Edelweiss already.

"Wunderbar" by Tenpole Tudor

from Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary

Hard to beat a band that used to perform onstage in full chain mail armor. One of my fave old-school MTV videos, surprisingly absent from YouTube.

It's ok if you shout along to the chorus when it shuffles up on your Ipod. Eddie Tudor-Pole, still doing cameo roles on British TV, playing pubs around the UK by night.

WUNDERBAR!

"Romeo & Juliet" by Emerson Lake & Palmer

from Black Moon

Selection from ELP's kinda-forgotten 1993 "comeback" album. Lake's voice is shot, so the best track was easily the instrumental "Romeo & Juliet", a pretty sharp take on the Prokofiev melody...got stuck in my head this morning.

""Hurricane 2000"" by Scorpions

from Moment of Glory

Here I Am...

Yes, the pride of Germany, the Scorpions, cashing in on the "Songs with 2000 in the Title" mania, performing the most over the top, obnoxious, orchestral arrangement of their AOR uber-smash "Rock You Like A Hurricane".

"Spiral Architect" by Black Sabbath

from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

It's '73 Sabbath playing the role of the "Dark Moody Blues", basically evoking the song "Question", if the question were to be asked of someone evil. Time has served both the Ozzy & Dio versions of Sabbath well.

"2wice" by Mission of Burma

from The Obliterati

Reunited since 2002, this track encapsulates what "the other" Roger Miller has been up to with his band lately. " 2wice " kicks off their most recent album, The Obliterati.

"You Fool No One" by Deep Purple

from Burn

Killer '74 DP track where men were men, and cowbells were cowbells. I've had this Ian Paice drum pattern in my head for a couple days now. It's the first album with Coverdale & Hughes pinch-hitting for Gillan & Glover, and it starts the band down a brief "funky" era.

"Oomalama" by Eugenius

from Oomalama

Eugene Kelly's next project after the Vaselines had about a 4-5 year run, and this was probably their only real radio track...be careful, it gets stuck in your head.

The Scottish band was originally named "Captain America", but as you guessed, Marvel Comics threatened to sue the daylights out of them. Also made me decide to cross "Silver Surfer" off my list of band names pretty quickly.