Before we move to the newest installment of Shop Music, I'd like to address a difficult topic. Huckleberry Bicycles lost a dear friend this past Friday -- don't worry, Jonas is just fine. The 1986 Sony Trinitron was the backbone of Huckleberry Bicycles. A loyal friend, confidant, and trusted source of entertainment, our faux-wooden box will surely be missed. We are back to using our original, much smaller set. Every Nintendo session is now a reminder that life is fragile and every milestone must be cherished. Rest in Landfill, old pal.
Now, back to the matter at hand. Music is an integral part of the filmmaking process. One wrong choice and that seemingly perfect scene becomes a nightmare. Lucky for us, here at the shop we make sure our soundtrack collection hits all the right notes. Uplifting and transcendent? We have that. Mellow and smooth? Sure thing. We take pride in the soundtracks we have in the shop. Here are some highlights.
I need to start off with a quick confession. Many of the movie soundtracks we have at work were initially quite foreign to me. The collection is firmly rooted in the 80's, and being that I was born in 1984, the ship had long sailed for some of these works by the time I was of an age to appreciate them. It is quite strange watching a movie for the first time, only to find myself humming along to background muzak that no one in their right mind should find hummable.
This needs to be clear: Harold Faltermeyer is the master of the movie score. Thief of Hearts, Â Beverly Hills Cop, and Fletch are all masterpieces, but it is the Top Gun Anthem that is Faltermeyer's crowning jewel. With Steve Stevens by his side divebombing and arpreggiating his way across his guitar's fretboard, Faltermeyer's piano composition takes off. Here is the official video for the tune (with a healthy dose of Tom Cruise).
[embed width="500" height="400"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCTJmXrgsFg[/embed]
Billy Ocean (Bill, to friends) is a regular on our turntable. Suddenly is a fine pop album. Caribbean Queen, the title track, and Mystery Lady are all wonderful tunes. How many other bike shops can lay claim to owning multiple copies of Tear Down These Walls? I would assume not many (and if any do, they probably aren't admitting to it in print). One of our favorite Bill Ocean numbers is from The Jewel of the Nile soundtrack. The bouncy bass line, catchy chorus, and a Danny DeVito  background vocal (in the video, at least)  make this song an instant hit.
[embed width="500" height="400"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIxUKbV0UEM[/embed]
Bonnie Tyler. I have to admit it, I did not know much about her. She had a huge hit with a really sappy, awful ballad. That's about all I knew. I need to thank Footloose director Herbert Ross for introducing Bonnie Tyler into my life. "Holding Out For a Hero" is a monster of a song. It is a tour de force. Electronic percussion booms over rigid, hard as nails synthesizer lines. When the background vocalists are introduced, the intensity is palpable. Only the video can match the potency of the song. There are explosions, frenetic dancing, majestic white horses, and aerial shots of Tyler belting out the lyrics atop the Grand Canyon. They do not make them like they used to...
[embed width="500" height="400"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f_HsjpSVaI[/embed]
Not much has to be said about the following video. Oakland's Pointer Sisters had it all - voices, moves, and hits. The group wore many hats, but 1983's Break Out is our go-to record. Neutron Dance, the first song on the second side, also appears on The Beverly Hills Cop OST- arguably our most played soundtrack. Luckily the sisters did not let us down with the following video.
[embed width="500" height="400"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-jdhorGtQI[/embed]
Our last selection was also the most difficult. How can you pick only one Kenny Loggins song? The master of the soundtrack song has so many hits, it feels like an injustice picking only one. "Footloose," "Double or Nothing," "Playing With the Boys," and "Danger Zone" are all staples. Although those are great tunes, one stands above them all. "I'm Alright," the theme song for what is quite possibly the greatest film ever made, Caddyshack, Â needs to be on this list. No official videos were released, but check out this live rendition from 1981. Amazing performance of this classic Logjam.
[embed width="500" height="400"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WQNMWBSGUQ[/embed]
