We're all music fans here in the OnMilwaukee.com music office and most of us are passionate about what we like. Yes, that's one way of describing us. Another might be "musical snobs." But like everyone, we have our dirty little musical secrets.
Share yours using the talkback feature below.
Molly Snyder Edler
Staff Writer
I have loved Journey since I was 12 years old. I own the double-CD "Journey's Greatest Hits" and much to my husband's dismay, play it frequently. If forced to pick a favorite Journey song, I would probably go with "Don't Stop Believin'," although "Wheel In the Sky" is a close second. Oddly, I cannot stand Steve Perry unless he is fronting Journey. His solo work blows and I find him extremely unattractive. However, when he's center stage, sweaty and crooning "Faithfully," I'm ready to sway with a lit Bic in my hand.
Truth be told, Journey is not my only guilty pleasure. I secretly -- well, not so secretly now -- love the first Counting Crows album, Madonna and, occasionally, I still work out to select cuts from the first Matchbox 20 album. Now THAT'S embarrassing.
Julie Lawrence
Staff Writer
I should clarify this guilty pleasure pick; when I say I like "Faith," I really only mean side A of the record. We're talking about a powerhouse lineup of songs here: "Faith," "Father Figure," "I Want Your Sex (Parts I & II)" and "One More Try." I was only seven when George Michael released his debut but it has somehow made it into my current LP collection (OK, fine, it's on my iPod too) 20 years later. Don't give me Wham! or any of his ‘90s releases - don't even give me the rather boring and nondescript side B of "Faith." I just like side A and I am not ashamed. Guilty as charged.
Drew Olson
Senior Editor
With a child in my house approaching the "tween" years, I get exposed to a lot of bubble-gummy pop schlock from Radio Disney and various TV outlets. Much of it is overprocessed drivel with virtually no redeeming qualities. Once in awhile, though, something catches my ear. I confess to liking Rhianna's "Umbrella," the first two times I heard it. When I heard it 500 times after that, well, let's just say that fatigue set in. I also will admit to liking a couple of songs from the Jonas Brothers' catalog. But, I've always been a sucker for power pop, which brings me to another guilty pleasure -- I love The Romantics' song, "What I Like About You," even though I've heard it butchered by close to 100 cover bands over the years. I remember stumbling onto that tune at some point in junior high or high school and liking the fun vibe, the harmonica -- everything except their red leather suits! I figured it was like the "Louie Louie" of my generation, but few people agreed with me -- then or now.
Maureen Post
Staff writer
This isn't exactly a specific band or musician but I possess a secret love for the entire genre of Christmas music. Yep, that's right. But, let me explain. I have some restraint; I'm not a proponent of Christmas music mid-October and I certainly don't listen to it 24 hours a day. But in the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I can certainly flip to any given radio station for a taste of Christmas classics. Growing up, I'd listen to old Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Judy Garland records all holiday long. Personal favorites include "Do they Know it's Christmas?" of the famous Band Aid concert, the "Little Drummer Boy" collaboration between David Bowie and Bing Crosby and yes, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You."
Bobby Tanzilo
Managing Editor
I've always liked a good pop song, so I am only mildly blushing as I admit I liked Natalie Imbruglia's records. Sure, they weren't "Revolver" or "London Calling," but they were fun to listen to in the car or at the gym. Perhaps a little more embarrassing is that when her third record wasn't released in the U.S., I bought an imported copy at the Virgin Megastore in Chicago. But I didn't listen to it nearly as much as its predecessors and I honestly couldn't name you a song - or even the title of the disc ("Counting Down the Days") - without the help of Google. But I listened to "Left of the Middle" and "White Lillies Island" quite a bit and I'm thinking I just might give "Counting Down" another chance. After all, it was the Australian Imbruglia's first No. 1 album in the U.K., or so says Wikipedia. Some newspaper reports claim that Imbruglia has collaborated with Coldplay's Chris Martin on a number of songs for a new record.
Andy Tarnoff
Publisher
Though my wife teases me incessantly, I still have a soft-spot in my heart for Huey Lewis and the News. I know it's ridiculous and embarrassing, and it's not like I own any of Huey's material. But if I hear "The Power of Love" on the radio, I crank it up every time. I'm not sure if "The Heart of Rock & Roll" just takes me "Back to the Future" or what, but the blue-eyed soul that combines power chords, harmonica and '80s synthesizer remains my top musical guilty pleasure. While I'm coming clean on my favorite bad bands, I'll also admit that as a college freshman I bought the Spin Doctors' first CD. Again, I know it's hippy jam band crap, but it reminds me of a fun time in my life. I don't have the CD anymore, but "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" still puts a smile on my face.
