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1. Yvonne Elliman
   Hawaii-born singer with the smoothest voice in rock music. Yvonne starred as the original Mary Magdalene in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and was the exotic diva singing on the soundtrack for “Saturday Night Fever.” She sang backup with Eric Clapton for years, and is the female voice in “I Shot The Sheriff.” Back when I sang I used to cover her hits, so needless to say she was my heroine. We finally met a few years ago and she’s a fabulous person who’s also an amazing cook. I wish I saw more of you, Yvonne! Love the cuts off the new EP — it’s about time!

   1. Hello Stranger
   2. I Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind
   3. Love Me
   4. Baby Don’t Let It Mess Your Mind
   5. Love Pains
   6. If I Can’t Have You
   7. I Don’t Know How To Love Him
   8. Moment By Moment

   Comment by NinjaDoll — September 23, 2007 @ 8:26 am

2. Chicago
   I was young, the ballads were oh-so-romantic! Amazingly the music still works today. I have this great memory of attending my first Winter Ball in freshman year and dancing to “Colour My World.” Years later I met the band at the Waikiki Shell when Walter Parazaider was trying to figure out how to convince Tom to part with a vintage 1970’s Chicago poster we’d tacked to the wall.

   1. Happy Man
   2. 25 or 6 to 4
   3. You’re The Inspiration
   4. If You Leave Me Now
   5. Hard Habit To Break
   6. Wishin’ You Were Here
   7. Saturday In The Park
   8. Just You ‘N Me
   9. Colour My World
   10. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is
   11. Will You Still Love Me
   12. Beginnings
   13. Hard To Say I’m Sorry
   14. Love Me Tomorrow
   15. Baby, What A Big Surprise
   16. No Tell Lover
   17. (I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long
   18. Call On Me
   19. I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love
   20. Feelin’ Stronger Every Day
   21. Stay The Night

   Comment by NinjaDoll — September 23, 2007 @ 8:26 am

3. Richard Marx
   I’ve never worked with him but his songwriting style really appeals to me — even the stuff he’s written for ‘N Sync (”Pop Star”). I used to think it was tres keen that he had an older woman for a girlfriend.

   1. Don’t Mean Nothing
   2. Endless Summer Nights
   3. Hold On To The Night
   4. Right Here Waiting
   5. Satisfied
   6. Children Of The Night

   Comment by NinjaDoll — September 23, 2007 @ 8:27 am

4. Random 70’s
   While I consider a lot of 70’s radio to have been a wasteland of one-hit wonders and sappy odes to love (pina coladas? while getting caught in the rain?) there were a few songs that I really enjoyed. So I loaded up the iPod with these today:

   1. Jackie Blue
   2. I’m Not In Love
   3. Baby Come Back
   4. I Just Wanna Stop (mostly cuz Gino Vanelli had great hair)
   5. Drift Away
   6. If I Can’t Have You (cuz I adore Yvonne)
   7. Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)
   8. Lady Marmalade (cuz Patti LaBelle is the ultimate diva)
   9. Come & Get Your Love
   10. Everybody Plays The Fool (no shit)
   11. Rock On
   13. Wildfire
   14. Year Of The Cat
   15. Baker Street
   16. Hooked On A Feeling (Blue Suede version)
   17. Don’t Pull Your Love
   18. I’m Not In Love
   19. Black & White (when 3 Dog Night was really 3)
   20. Will It Go Round In Circles
   21. Signs
   22. I Go Crazy
   23. Cover Of The Rolling Stone
   24. A Horse With No Name
   25. Sunshine (Go Away Today)
   26. Midnight At The Oasis
   27. You’re So Vain
   28. Give Me Just A Little More Time
   29. Summer Breeze
   30. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
   31. I’d Love You To Want Me (Cheap Trick was hawt!)
   32. Just When I Needed You Most
   33. Shannon
   34. Eye In The Sky
   35. I Am A Rock
   36. Go All The Way (Eric Carmen had great hair, too)
   37. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves (must…have…70’s…Cher…)
   38. Bennie And The Jets (another awesome diva =)
   38. Timothy (cuz it was not a love song)

   Comment by NinjaDoll — September 23, 2007 @ 8:43 am

5. Steely Dan
   I considered Steely Dan to be the best band on FM radio back in the day. Those Led Zeppelin dudes were awesome, but Steely Dan was out there…musically and lyrically…with some of the most interesting songs ever written.

   1. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
   2. Black Cow
   3. Aja
   4. Peg
   5. Reelin’ In The Years
   6. Deacon Blues
   7. Home At Last
   8. I Got The News
   9. F.M.
   10. Hey Nineteen

   Comment by NinjaDoll — September 23, 2007 @ 9:31 am

6. Maxi Priest
   I’ve done 3 Hawaii tours with Maxi and I adore the guy. Always down to earth, always a riot. I can listen to him talk for hours because he’s got a very sexy voice with that gorgeous British accent. Ok, so the ganja is not to my liking, but hey - Max and the band are truly fun to have around!

   1. Wild World
   2. Close To You
   3. Just A Little Bit Longer
   4. Some Guys Have All The Luck

   Comment by NinjaDoll — September 23, 2007 @ 9:34 am

7. UB40
   Hawaii has always loved UB40. There have been 4 tours with this band so far. From 1995 until now, they’ve been among our most challenging and wonderful concerts to work. Ask Rick about the 2006 show we did in Kona some time =) It’s a good thing Uncle Shep was there to keep us sane!

   So I’ve watched as Ali and the crew have grown from the ultimate party animals to…well, ok, they still party. We just need to get Astro back into the United States!

   1. (I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You
   2. Reasons
   3. Kiss And Say Goodbye
   4. Bling Bling
   5. Red Red Wine (did you know that Don Ho recorded this first?)
   6. Cherry Oh Baby
   7. Here I Am (Come And Take Me)
   8. I Got You Babe (with Chrissie Hynde, my fav cover)
   9. Higher Ground
   10. Baby Come Back
   11. C’est La Vie

   Comment by NinjaDoll — September 23, 2007 @ 10:13 am

8. Toto
   I’m digging into my dark past, aren’t I? Tom did the first public concert ever with the newly-formed Toto, so our affiliation with them goes back decades. Love these guys! Luke (Steve Lukather) and I have a mutual pal in Nobu Maeda, lead singer of Japan’s “Beach Boys” band, Tube, so we stay in touch on and off through the years. The last time I saw them was probably five years ago, when they played a convention gig in Honolulu. Steve Ozark and I went to the show, watching them from the sound mix, the first time either of us had actually had a chance to watch a full show. Mike was there with his lovely wife and kids, Luke was his usual (but newlywed) self, David also had his family with him. Noticeably absent was Jeff (/sad), though it was great to see Bobby Kimball back with the band.

   They last played a public show in Hawaii in 2004 as guest artists for the Honolulu Symphony. This was the only Toto appearance not promoted by Tom.

   Mike’s recuperating from a serious hand injury and Luke is a new daddy (again). Other than that, Toto is still out there and holdin’ the line.

   1. 99
   2. Hold The Line
   3. Georgy Porgy
   4. Rosanna
   5. Africa
   6. I’ll Be Over You
   7. Pamela
   8. Can You Hear What I’m Saying
   9. Animal
   10. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (love this, Luke!)

   Comment by NinjaDoll — September 23, 2007 @ 10:39 am

9. Duran Duran
   Yeah, I’m a fan. Deal with it. Ken Rosene used to hate us because we always had the Arena booked when he wanted to bring the band in =P

   1. The Reflex
   2. New Moon On Monday
   3. (I’m Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement
   4. Union Of The Snake
   5. Tiger Tiger (instrumental)
   6. The Seventh Stranger
   7. Too Much Information
   8. Ordinary World
   9. Come Undone
   10. Save A Prayer
   11. Is There Something I Should Know?
   12. Notorious
   13. Skin Trade

   As Arcadia
   1. Goodbye Is Forever
   2. Lady Ice

   As Power Station (with Robert Palmer)
   1. Some Like It Hot
   2. Bang A Gong (Get It On)

   Comment by NinjaDoll — September 23, 2007 @ 11:00 am

10. Nickelback
    We’ve been trying for years to get this band to Hawaii. I’m a huge fan - cuz rock rules, even in the midst of all that hip-hop crap. Not the Kanye West or Nelly Furtado or Black Eyed Peas kinda hip-hop, which is totally cool, but those awful remake hip-hop songs that don’t deserve the airtime.

    1. This is How You Remind Me
    2. Photograph

    Comment by NinjaDoll — October 22, 2007 @ 6:51 am

11. Creed
    Loved this band. Hated that we couldn’t get them to Hawaii no matter how hard we tried. Then they broke up. Shit.

    1. Torn
    2. Higher
    3. With Arms Wide Open
    4. One Last Breath
    5. My Sacrifice
    6. Weathered

    Comment by NinjaDoll — October 24, 2007 @ 8:20 pm

12. U2
    What is there to say? Best rock band ever. Plus they keep Benny and Rocko employed =)

    After the final concert in Honolulu in Dec ‘06, Tom and I headed over to the post-tour party on the U.S.S. Missouri. Tom had some Elvis memorabilia to present to Bono, who is a huge fan of The King. Party attendees were treated to a preview of their latest video, Window In The Skies, featuring footage of just about every megastar Tom has ever promoted. It was beyond stellar! And Bono, in person, is a way cool gent =)

    1. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
    2. Where The Streets Have No Name
    3. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
    4. Sunday Bloody Sunday
    5. New Year’s Day
    6. With Or Without You
    7. Desire
    8. One
    9. Beautiful Day
    10. Window In The Skies

    Comment by NinjaDoll — October 24, 2007 @ 8:46 pm

13. Rock On
    This entry is dedicated to a song rather than a band.

    Back in high school (lo, those many decades ago) I had seen a film called “Stardust” while on babysitting duty. I was blown away by the lead actor, who happened to also be a singer, named David Essex. Great voice, total hottie.

    I later learned that he was the dude who sang on one of my favorite songs, “Rock On.” It had one of the best bass lines I’ve ever heard and still holds up extremely well all these years later.

    Michael Damien (remember him?) redid this song but it was too pop and not at all to my liking. A sad use of lung power, if you ask me. And OMG I can’t believe we actually thought Corey Haim hair was chic in the 80’s…

    But then Def Leppard, one of my other all-time fav bands, hit the airwaves with their remake in 2006 and I was completely blown away. They totally vindicated the song.

    Give it a look-hear:
    David Essex version
    Def Leppard version
    Michael Damien version

    I’m going to forgive the Smashing Pumpkins for their utterly stupid rendition, appearing on a YouTube near you, because the drums and bass kicked asz even if the vocal performance stank.

    Comment by NinjaDoll — October 24, 2007 @ 9:15 pm

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