I Can See for Isles and Isles

You've probably noticed that I'm back from my (perfect) trip across the pond that saw -- and heard -- the music of my youth transport me back in time.

With the Hotel du Vin in Bristol as our home base (the clawfoot tub made it almost hard for me to leave the room!), we kicked things off with Saint Etienne -- a band I discovered on KROQ while driving on Wilshire Boulevard in my convertible Volkswagen as a 20something trying to find his way in the world -- on their Farewell Tour.

Keep reading BELOW.

Carefree in Caerphilly 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Another fantastic day in the U.K., this time touring Caerphilly Castle -- a sprawling medieval stronghold famed for its vast moat and leaning tower. Tomorrow we’ll visit another celebrated citadel (in Chepstow) -- I’m married to a kastle kween, whereas I pretended my Fisher-Price fortress was my play village’s local theme restaurant -- before heading to Exeter for the Altered Images concert of my (childhood) dreams. 

Fun fact: Following her band’s breakup, singer Clare Grogan attracted what she later called a “crazy bidding war” and signed with London Records. 

She then recorded the solo album “Trash Mad” in New York with former Altered Images bandmate (and later husband) Stephen Lironi. 

The album was produced by Mark Kamins, best known for producing Madonna’s debut single, “Everybody.” But when its lead single, “Love Bomb” (b/w “I Love the Way You Beg”), failed to chart in 1987, London Records canceled the planned follow-up, “Strawberry,” and shelved the LP.  Another album track produced by Kamins, “Reason Is the Slave,” eventually surfaced on London Records’ 1987 various-artists compilation “Giant,” but that was it.

Although Kamins had an impressive résumé -- as an A&R man for Island Records, he signed the wonderful Waitresses and Was (Not Was), and as a remixer put his stamp on records by David Byrne, Bow Wow Wow and KajaGooGoo -- looking back I’m not entirely convinced he was up to the Grogan task.

(She wouldn’t release another album until Altered Images’ “Mascara Streakz” in 2022, which I can’t get enough of.)

The intriguing part is that even Grogan does not currently seem to know where a usable master of “Trash Mad” is. In 2024, she mentioned searching her attic for the album’s digital audio tape (DAT). In a 2025 interview, she said the album definitely exists and that she owns – or once owned – a copy, but thinks it may be at somebody else’s house. She jokingly added: “It couldn’t have been that bad.”  

If anyone has a bootleg, please contact me!

Pop Pilgrimage

Hey, guys! Expect blogging to be lighter than usual the rest of the week as Damian and I travel across the pond for not one but two concerts that aren't slated to make it stateside. First up, we're catching my beloved Saint Etienne on what's being billed as their final tour. (If you haven't heard the goodbye album, "International," give it a listen. First Tennis and now this? Not sure why all my female-fronted indie dance bands are calling it quits so young.) 

From there we're planning to visit Stonehenge and explore Wales, home of the Darling Buds, who sadly just finished a reunion tour. (Is this a good time to mention that I was working at an unnamed newswire service in 1997 when an editor accidentally "replaced all" his way to a "Diana, Princess of Whales Dies in Auto Accident" flash?!)

We're closing out the whirlwind visit by seeing Altered Images perform their debut album, "Happy Birthday," in its entirety to mark its 45th(!) anniversary. I remember my brother Bill bringing the album home from the University of Arizona and being instantly obsessed. (I'd spend hours watching MTV, praying "I Could Be Happy" would come on -- my favorite video of theirs.) Clare Grogan and her band, of course, have never played anywhere in the U.S. near my Michizona childhood, so this has literally been a lifetime in the making.

As big a superfan as I can be, this outing is a bit out of character. But as our idols exit the stage one by one, I decided to capitalize on the moment before they too join the list of "Dead Pop Stars."

This outing started as a birthday trip for my hubby to Edinburgh and Belfast, but work commitments forced us to move it up a bit, so we're running with it. Have a great week, and I will be posting a lot on Instagram before updating things here. xo

Song of the Day: 'Mascara Streakz' by Altered Images

 

What's not to love about there being new music from Altered Images, the first since 1983's "Bite." (If anyone has Clare Grogan's scrapped solo album, 1987's "Trash Mad," please send it over!) "Mascara Streakz" is the title track from the forthcoming LP,  which will be released on Aug. 26. (Pre-order HERE.) "Glitter Ball" is the second release from "Mascara Streakz," and you can hear another album track, "Beautiful Thing," HERE. 

In addition to the new album, the group is set to hit the road in September for a string of headline U.K. tour dates.

Song of the Day: 'Red Red Wine' by UB40

Talk about an '80s debate: Who covered Neil Diamond better, Altered Images ("Song Sung Blue") or UB40?

Song of the Day: 'Happy Birthday' by Altered Images

The only way today could be sweeter is if Harvey could come along with us to Martha's Vineyard! xo

Song of the Day: 'Say What You Want' by Texas

Do Altered Images fans know that former member Johnny McElhone has hit the U.K. singles chart with Altered Images, Hipsway and Texas? (His parents were Scottish Labour Party MPs!)

Song of the Day: 'Happy Birthday' by Altered Images

Took Damian to New Orleans to celebrate his birthday today! (His favorite place -- my first time here.) Feel free to shoot me your suggestions for while we're here (just a few days). xo

Song of the Day: 'Happy Birthday' by Altered Images

I'd be mortified to be 50 today if I weren't so acutely aware how lucky I am to have lived this long. Between the AIDS epidemic, f**king cancer and a fluke case of meningitis, I've lost more people before they even reached the half-century mark than I care to remember. So before this gets too somber, I'll just keep trying to adhere to the adage that is meant to be funny but is so true: Live every day like it's your last, because one day it will be. xo

My Kenyan father planted this in the local paper in case I ever wanted to run for president ...

My grandmother ended it all when she turned the big 5-0 ... I figure I'll just ride it out!

Song of the Day: 'I Could Be Happy' by Altered Images

I remember dying seeing this video with my brother Bill the summer we got MTV and running out to buy "Pinky Blue" and "Happy Birthday" at Hollywood Records near Mesa Community College. Would have loved to have seen Clare Grogan perform a bunch of Altered Images hits in Los Angeles earlier this year, but wasn't able to make it. Damian and I have booked our Wimbledon adventure for this summer to celebrate my 50th birthday, and are still mapping out the rest of the time we'll be over there. Going to Glasgow has suddenly risen to the top in part because a friend tells me it's the country's best city, which makes sense given the fact that such a small place could produce a handful of my all-time favorite bands, including Clare and the boys, the Bluebells, Aztec Camera, Orange Juice and the Questions, as well as the Trash Can Sinatras, Big Country, Belle and Sebastien, Simple Minds, the Cocteau Twins, Shirley Manson (Angelfish) -- not to mention the Bay City Rollers!

If you're in the U.K., be on the lookout for Altered Images on tour soon!

Song of the Day: 'Real Toys' by Altered Images

All those pictures of boy toys from SAGE's annual benefit got this '81 classic stuck in my head!

Song of the Day: 'Song Sung Blue' by Altered Images

Since this bizarre Neil Diamond cover was stuck in my head, I figure it ought to be stuck in yours, too!

Song of the Day: 'Happy Birthday' by Altered Images

Here's wishing my good friend Greg Endries a very happy birthday!

Madge of Courage

There was certainly a lot of snickering about Madonna's appearance on Sunday night's Grammys. Ill-advised grill aside, all I have to say about the topic is:

1. Getting older is not fun (speaking from personal experience);

and

2. She is in a unique position, as we rarely have gotten to witness pop culture icons of her status fully mature. (Even Cher has opted out of the aging process.) We've already lost Whitney and Michael Jackson, so rather than dissing on superstars of a certain age, maybe it's time we embrace them, and remember that they -- and we -- won't be around forever.

Song of the Day: 'Love Bomb' by Clare Grogan

Soldier finds love after having both legs blown off in IED attack

When I read this story about a wounded soldier who found love again -- of course she fell for him, he lost his legs, she didn't lose her eyes! -- my immediate thought for a headline was "Love Bomb." That, of course, made me think of Altered Images singer Clare Grogran's debut solo single of the same name, which bombed, thus convincing the record label to shelve the accompanying album. While nearly everything else in the world has leaked on the Internet, I'm still waiting for said LP, "Trash Mad," to appear one day. If you've got it, give me a holler. I could be (really) happy!

Song of the Day: 'Happy Birthday' by Altered Images

Trying to stay thin by feeding my birthday cake to Skippy.

You say it's your birthday? It's my birthday, too! Found these two photos in an exquisite scrapbook my sister made for my 40th birthday a "few" years ago. They were taken at our home on Tawas Court in Madison Heights, Michigan, in the early 1970s. Don't remember too many details from either party -- that's my "big" brother Terence riding in the back of my Speedy Delivery bike, the coolest gift ever! -- but I do remember kicking my mom in the shins (REALLY HARD!) when we were playing musical chairs in the garage and she informed me that I was the one who was "out" one round!  (Sorry, Mom!) Here's wishing all my fellow June 8th Geminis a great one -- especially my pals Kelly F. and David R.!

That VW bug was not ours -- my GM-employed father drove nothing but gas-saving Japanese imports back then (and a Renault or two) -- way before it was fashionable!

Music Box: Altered Images

In honor of my mom's birthday, I give you the greatest birthday song of the 1980s, the classic "Happy Birthday" by Altered Images. Clare Grogan and the boys deserve a full post one of these days, but I've gotta go take my mom out to celebrate right now!