Hey, guys, thanks for tuning in to the site. I just thought that, since there’s this Kung Fu action movie starring Will Smith’s kid and Jackie Chan releasing in theaters across the US tomorrow, I’d better prepare you with a new ringtone. Attached is Joe Esposito’s hit song from the original The Karate Kid movie, “You’re the Best!”

While I can’t help you install these things on your phone (each phone is different), I can at least offer you the MP3 or M4R versions of the files so you can add them to your iPhone or BlackBerry or Sidekick or whatever phone you have. Please enjoy them, and let me know if the new film is any good.

mp3 | m4r

Welcome to My Music Mondays, the basic premise is that each week I will be delving into my music collection and looking at it somewhat randomly. This week I’m going to look at some of my favorite Summer related music.

Summer may not officially be here but after five straight days of over 90 degrees, I think most people in Philly will agree its summer time (as much as I hate to admit that, winter FTW). With that said I thought it time to look at some of my favorite summer related music, you know the kind you listen to when it is 100 degrees outside and you have to stand next to a flaming grill making barbeque chicken for all the assholes you call friends while drinking warm beer. Yeah, that music.

Favorite Summer Songs (in no particular order)

Summer Of ’69 – Bryan Adams
The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
The Heat Is On – Glenn Frey
You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates
Back To Paradise – .38 Special
Two Tickets To Paradise – Eddie Money
Summer – Sum 41
Summer of ’69 – Bowling for Soup
The Boys Of Summer – The Ataris
Only Wanna Be With You – Hootie & The Blowfish
Come Around – Sister Hazel
Smile – Flickerstick
Saturday In The Park – Chicago
Endless Summer Nights – Richard Marx
American Pie – Don McLean
Kokomo – The Beach Boys
American Dream – The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett
Sail Away – Sister Hazel
Beautiful Day – U2
Mexico – Sammy Hagar and the Wabos
Stone in Love – Journey
The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy
Life Is a Highway – Tom Cochrane
Smooth – Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
Brown Eyed Girl = Van Morrison
Centerfield – John Fogerty
Glory Days – Bruce Springsteen
Dancing In The Moonlight – King Harvest
Cruel Summer – Bananarama
Walking On Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves
Vacation – The Go-Go’s
Banditos – The Refreshments
My Own Worst Enemy – Lit
Mas Tequila – Sammy Hagar
Life Is a Highway – Rascal Flatts
Feel It – Sister Hazel

What are some of your favorite summer music tracks?

Back by popular demand (OK like two people asked for it) for the first time in a long time the entire Perfectly Sane Show cast is here. The crew sits down in Jon’s living room to discuss some games and movies, we even had an outline and attempted (for about 30 seconds) to stay on topic. In this episode we talk about Kirstie Alley being a Hutt, PAX East, Sony’s motion controller, Greek gods, talk in Indian accents, Jon plays deer hunter while stroking a shaft, the new Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Modern Warfare 2′s map packs, Canadian Kangaroo’s, Hot Tub Time Machine, Andy wants to watch Miley Cyrus, River Phoenix, how to have sex with a monkey, the Bestiality handbook, the new Barenaked Ladies and Scorpions albums, and the 80s were awesome and Jon hates Nintendo (again).

Music in this episode:
Closer – Nine Inch Nails
Animal – Def Leppard

E-mail comments (or questions) to pefectlysaneshow@gmail.com or friend us on the IGN Blogs. And as always check out my work on Hooked Gamers and Kariyanine Online and check out Reid’s work on Resume Play or friend him on the IGN Blogs (where he still has yet to post anything).

Welcome to My Music Mondays, the basic premise is that each week I will be delving into my music collection and looking at a new artist going somewhat randomly currently but eventually (probably not) from A to Z. I’ll examine why I first started listening to them, my favorite album and my top 10 songs for the artist. As my music collection is pretty extensive and I have a lot of one offs, I have set a qualification to be featured here. That is that I have to have at least two albums of the artist’s music before they can be considered. This week things are once again getting mixed up. This month is Script Frenzy month and as such this week will be devoted to the soundtrack to my unwritten script.

Have you ever been listening to music somewhere and you begin to place a scene in your head based on the music?

No?

Well screw you then. I have, in fact I have outlined an entire script based on the below soundtrack.

Script Frenzy Soundtrack for My Untitled and Unwritten Script

1. Come on Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
2. Your Love by The Outfield
3. You Make My Dreams by Hall & Oates
4. And We Danced by the Hooters
5. Don’t Change by INXS
6. Hold on Loosely by .38 Special
7. Change by John Waite
8. She’s A Beauty by The Tubes
9. Think I’m In Love by Eddie Money
10. Got a Hold on Me by Christine McVie
11. Put A Little Love in Your Heart by Al Green and Annie Lennox
12. Working for the Weekend by Loverboy
13. Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol
14. I Touch Myself by The Divinyls
15. Wild, Wild West by the Escape Club
16. 3 Small Words by Josie & The Pussycats
17. Let My Love Open the Door by Pete Townshend
18. The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades by Timbuk 3
19. Winning it All by The Outfield

And yes, I know that actually using these songs in anything would require tons of legal work but still, it would be cool wouldn’t it?

Welcome to My Music Mondays, the basic premise is that each week I will be delving into my music collection and looking at a new artist going somewhat randomly currently but eventually (probably not) from A to Z. I’ll examine why I first started listening to them, my favorite album and my top 10 songs for the artist. As my music collection is pretty extensive and I have a lot of one offs, I have set a qualification to be featured here. That is that I have to have at least two albums of the artist’s music before they can be considered. This week however, in honor of Final Fantasy XIII releasing tomorrow I am going a little off the trail by doing a full on Final Fantasy Edition.

One of the things, quite possibly my favorite thing in fact, about the Final Fantasy series has always been its music. Composer Nobuo Uematsu is one of my gaming heroes and whenever he is involved in a game I am generally not to far behind salivating like a dog. His music was/is the music of my gaming life and hearing certain pieces brings me back to a simpler time where life was just me and my NES.

As time progressed his music got more and more complex, presenting me with some of the most memorable pieces in my library of music games. Final Fantasy VII was the first game soundtrack I tracked down, not an easy feat for a North American fan at the time it was released and it was well worth it. Uematsu left Square Enix in 2004 and has had limited input on the series since his departure only contributing the main theme for Final Fantasy XII and having no input on the soundtrack for XIII at all. I am actually slightly worried about XIII as Masashi Hamauzu is the main composer and I am not a huge fan of his contributions to the Final Fantasy X score. However this isn’t a My Music Monday: Nobuo Uematsu, it is My Music Monday: Final Fantasy. So…

Ah screw it, Uematsu’s music is the heart and soul of the series. And while I think Hitoshi Sakimoto did a fine job with the Final Fantasy XII soundtrack, that game was set in Ivalice where Sakimoto is king (having scored Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story). Uematsu’s scores are the most iconic and memorable of the series and I am quite happy to hear that he is returning to it, even if it is for the online only Final Fantasy XIV.

Favorite Soundtrack: Final Fantasy VII

I am not going to argue that the VII soundtrack is the best. In fact it does not hold many of my favorite Final Fantasy pieces but it was my first game soundtrack and for that it holds a special place in my heart.

10 Favorite Songs

10. Behind the Door (FF IX)
9. One-Winged Angel (FF VII)
8. Liberi Fatali (FF VIII)
7. Battle Scene (FF I)
6. Ami (FF VIII)
5. Aerith’s Theme (FF VII)
4. Zanarkand (FF X)
3. Matoya’s Cave (FF I)
2. Final Fantasy (FF V)
1. Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy: Scene III (FF I)

What are some of your favorite Final Fantasy tracks?

Welcome to My Music Mondays, the basic premise is that each week I will be delving into my music collection and looking at a new artist going somewhat randomly currently but eventually (probably not) from A to Z. I’ll examine why I first started listening to them, my favorite album and my top 10 songs for the artist. As my music collection is pretty extensive and I have a lot of one offs, I have set a qualification to be featured here. That is that I have to have at least two albums of the artist’s music before they can be considered. This week I break from the ordinary scheme though and explore my favorite 80s/90s party music.

I’m a rather reserved dude and I am certainly not a dancer. When tasked with dancing I move like a 95 year old grandma with a walker but when pushed (and really, really intoxicated) I have been known to embarrass myself on a dance floor. The problem with me getting drunk is that while I am a rather reserved gentleman most of the time, once alcohol hits my system I become an entirely different person. I love everyone, think I can dance and often times proclaim myself to be a long dead French dictator, in an awful French accent. I’m serious get me drunk and ask me to say Fantastik (as in the household cleaner).

At one point in my past, the city of Philadelphia had a night club called Polyesters that was a frequent hang out for me. I mostly went there because I liked the fact that the club had three floors and one of them was an 80s / 90s floor where all they played was music I enjoyed. Everything from AC/DC to Young MC hit the turntable and after a six pack of Cranberry and Vodka and a Lemon Drops I would “hit” the dance floor (sometimes face first depending upon how much I had to drink) because I felt the groove. Looking back, those were some great times but sadly they are long gone (like Polyesters) but the music remains. This past Friday I was in a weird mood and I started listening to “Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm…” By C + C Music Factory, which spiraled into “Bust a Move” by Young M.C. and thus the below list was born.

10 Favorite Songs

10. Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby”
9. Tone Loc’s “Wild Thing”
8. Digital Underground’s “The Humpty Dance”
7. DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Boom! Shake the Room”
6. DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat”
5. MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This”
4. C + C Music Factory’s “Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm”
3. Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back”
2. Run DMC and Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way”
1. Young MC’s “Bust a Move”

What are some of your favorite tracks for partying?

Welcome to My Music Mondays. I haven’t done one of these in a while but the basic premise is that each week I will be delving into my music collection and looking at a new artist going somewhat randomly currently but eventually from A to Z. I’ll examine why I first started listening to them, my favorite album and my top 10 songs for the artist. As my music collection is pretty extensive and I have a lot of one offs, I have set a qualification to be featured here. That is that I have to have at least two albums of the artist’s music before they can be considered. This week I look at Journey.

I remember the first time I heard Journey, I mean really heard them and paid attention. It was Memorial Day weekend 1989 and the local rock station was running down a top 300 (or 500) countdown of the greatest songs of all time as voted on by its listeners. I was in a daze as it was early morning (OK not so early, maybe 9AM or 10AM) and I’m not sure what the exact number was but it was pretty high (top 10 maybe because the countdown ended shortly thereafter with “American Pie” topping out over “Free Bird” and “Stairway to Heaven”) but the Jon Cain’s piano intro to “Don’t Stop Believin’” started and I perked up a bit and then Steve Perry’s voice kicked in followed by Neal Schon’s guitar and I was enraptured. At the time I did not know who they were but I quickly found out, followed by picking up a cassette of their recently released Greatest Hits album and for the last 20 years I have been a fan.

I’ve seen the band live four times, although sadly never with Perry on the stage. When I saw them their lead singer was Steve Augeri, who replace Perry after he left the band for a second time in 1997. Augeri was a dead ringer vocally for Perry and he had a wonderful stage presence. The 2001 album with Augeri, Arrival, is my second favorite Journey album and my top 20 list is littered with a few choice cuts from that album. Unfortunately, after nearly a decade with the band, Augeri became ill and parted ways with the band, who brought on the former vocalist for Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Jeff Scott Soto, to replace him. Soto was with the band very shortly though, despite having a fantastic voice and wonderful range, arguably better than Augeri’s, and the band replaced him with Filipino vocalist Arnel Pineda. I have yet to see the band since Pineda took over the vocal reigns but I have heard him sing and vocally he is spot on for the band. In anycase, Perry is still my favorite of the Journey vocalists and I still view him to be the true singer of Journey. And yes I know about original vocalist Greg Rollie and no I have never really been a fan of band’s work before Perry took over in 1977.

Overall I love the fact that Journey has such a strong presence of my two favorite instruments, piano and guitar (Schon is probably one of my five favorite guitarists), and that their songs are just so much fun.

Favorite Album: Escape

If I had to pick only five albums that were not greatest hits compilations “Escape” would be on that short list. It is a solid album from top to bottom that really showcases the band when they were at the top of their game. It also includes more than a few of my favorite Journey songs.

20 Favorite Songs (I couldn’t decide on just 10)

20. Loved By You
19. Open Arms
18. Higher Place
17. Precious Time
16. Still They Ride
15. Only the Young
14. Girl Can’t Help It
13. Message of Love
12. Raised on Radio
11. Who’s Crying Now
10. Ask the Lonely
9. Be Good to Yourself
8. Send Her My Love
7. Nothin’ Comes Close
6. To Be Alive Again
5. Faithfully
4. Any Way You Want It
3. Don’t Stop Believin’
2. Stone In Love
1. Separate Ways (World’s Apart)

Welcome to My Music Mondays. I haven’t done one of these in a while but the basic premise is that each week I will be delving into my music collection and looking at a new artist going somewhat randomly currently but eventually from A to Z. I’ll examine why I first started listening to them, my favorite album and my top 10 songs for the artist. As my music collection is pretty extensive and I have a lot of one offs, I have set a qualification to be featured here. That is that I have to have at least two albums of the artist’s music before they can be considered. This week I look at Tantric.

A lot of people will make the argument that music after the grunge movement (post-grunge) is a joke. I am not going to get into the semantic argument of modern day music versus old music as it is all a matter of taste but I for one latched onto a few bands after the grunge era and one of those was Tantric. Formed from the remnants of the rock outfit, Days of the New, along with vocalist Hugo Ferreira, the band enjoyed moderate success over the next six years. The Days of the New guys left the band in 2007 but Ferreira continued the band and hardly a beat was missed, if anything Tantric is actually a better band today than they were when they formed a decade ago.

Favorite Album: Tantric

While I think the band has become better over time my favorite album is still their debut.

10 Favorite Songs

10. What Are You Waiting For
9. Hey Now
8. Fall to the Ground
7. The Chain
6. Paranoid
5. The One
4. Breakdown
3. Regret
2. Mourning
1. Astounded

Welcome to My Music Mondays. I haven’t done one of these in a while but the basic premise is that each week I will be delving into my music collection and looking at a new artist going somewhat randomly currently but eventually from A to Z. I’ll examine why I first started listening to them, my favorite album and my top 10 songs for the artist. As my music collection is pretty extensive and I have a lot of one offs, I have set a qualification to be featured here. That is that I have to have at least two albums of the artist’s music before they can be considered. This week I look at Hootie & The Blowfish.

It may come as a big surprise to those of you who have come to know my music tastes as 70s / 80s / 90s hard rock but one of my favorite bands is the Charleston based Hootie & The Blowfish. Like many people in 1994 I was swept up by Hootie & The Blowfish’s smash hit debut “Cracked Rear View”. By the time their sophomore album “Fairweather Johnson” was released many fans had moved onto other bands and by 1998s “Music Chairs” was released Hootie fans were few and far between. However Hootie continued to tour and release new music over the last ten years for those that stuck with them.

In mid 2008 the band took a break while lead singer / songwriter Darius Rucker embarked on a country career but everyone has promised that Hootie is not dead and will get back together in a few years to produce some new music and bring their music out on the road. Having seen them twice live, I can’t wait until they get back on the road.

Favorite Album: Cracked Rear View

Cracked Rear View is still one of the best debut albums ever produced. It is one of the few albums that I will listen to from top to bottom on a regular basis and holds three of my all time favorite songs, including one song whose video featured my favorite NFL player ever, Dan Marino.

10 Favorite Songs

10. Old Man & Me
9. I Will Wait
8. Innocence
7. Time
6. Space
5. Get Out of My Mind
4. One Love
3. Hold My Hand
2. Let Her Cry
1. Only Wanna Be With You

Welcome to My Music Mondays. I haven’t done one of these in a while but the basic premise is that each week I will be delving into my music collection and looking at a new artist going somewhat randomly currently but eventually from A to Z. I’ll examine why I first started listening to them, my favorite album and my top 10 songs for the artist. As my music collection is pretty extensive and I have a lot of one offs, I have set a qualification to be featured here. That is that I have to have at least two albums of the artist’s music before they can be considered. This week I look at The Outfield.

A week ago, because of The Beatles: Rock Band, I was on a big Beatles kick. Sticking with the British themed pop/rock groups I unnaturally morphed into an Outfield kick. I can’t really explain it but at least it explains this post in some way.

While I am sure that I first heard The Outfield in the 1980s, most likely from their biggest hit “Your Love”, I don’t particularly remember buying anything by them until roughly 1993. In 1993, the Philadelphia Phillies made it to the World Series and a local news station used The Outfield’s song “Winning It All” as part of a highlight montage and shortly thereafter I bought their album Rockeye and have been a fan ever since.

Favorite Album: Rockeye

The album doesn’t contain my favorite song by them but it does contain the most I like by them and it is responsible for me owning their work outside of 80s compilation discs.

10 Favorite Songs

10. Give It All You Got
9. Tonight You’re Mine
8. Every Time You Cry
7. Say It Isn’t So
6. Take Me Home
5. Young Love
4. My Paradise
3. Closer to Me
2. Winning It All
1. Your Love