Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Guilty Pleasures....

Audio and/or Video.....

I think Buffy the Vampire Slayer has great writing and giood Character Development and, I admit it... I like it!

I think Karen Carpenter had a great voice and once in awhile, I listen to the Carpenters.

Lying here exposed....

Buffy the Vampire Slayer shouldn't be a guilty pleasure...no shame in enjoying that show.

The Carpenters on the other hand...

My guilty pleasure? I really enjoyed the musical Chicago, I love Kenny Rogers, Neil Diamond, and Tom Jones. (I still say Neil Diamond and Tom Jones need to tour together!)

TMI! TMI! TMI!








Just kidding.
I still listen to the Monkeys.........OFTEN.

Mark, just my opinion, but I think Karen Carpenter had one of the finest voices ever. When I hear her sing, it breaks my heart to think of all the wonderful music we lost with her death. Over the years, I've grown to appreciate her brothers arranging ability as well. There are a lot of their songs that I'm not fond of, but there are some that are knock down, drag out, fabulous. I have one of their CDs and I love it.

On the other hand, I've never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and have no desire to do so.

Oh...this is gonna be a good thread. I can tell already! I've got all kinds of guilty pleasures, but right off the top of my head I won't apologize for thinking Cyndi Lauper's She's So Unusual is amazing.

Mike
Wow you do have a few "guilty pleasures."
Pat Benatar???

Spending so much time on this forum!

Bon Jovi-Slippery When Wet.

Wadow waaaaw wa dow dow Wadaw waaaw wa dow...

Oh yeah, and spending so much time on this forum.

Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell

...

'nuff said

Bren R.

Alice Cooper- Feed My Frankenstein

Golden Earring- Radar Love

Along the Bon Jovi line....how about most of that "Hair Band" music from the 80's. I don't get to hear it much, but I still like most of that stuff.

OK, I've got another (I think):

Notting Hill.

I am sure that it's a "pleasure", but I'm not sure if it's a "guilty" one or not. At first glance, it's all chick-movie. A love story with High Grant?

But taking it further, what guy has not had the fantasy to be with a beautiful movie star? And, like Buffy, I have to say that the character development is first-rate. I love the whole scene at his sister's for dinner. So, despite the obligatory "walking through the city with the sad music bed after being rejected scene", I think the movie is a pleasure. Excellent soundtrack, too, and good location scenes.

Guilty? I dunno... maybe if someone else admitted to liking it I'd feel less guilty!

Rock You like a Hurricane would fall firmly into that category... whatever the song's real name is.

Just listen to any Rock station from Clear Channel's lineup; you'll hear it. The example in the Bay Area is The Bone 107.7.

You'll hear it over and over and over and over and over again! Often at exactly the same times on the same days. I got really sick of John Lee Hooker that way. 'Course, I wasn't really a fan to start out, but...

Yeah, I liked that one. Romantic comedies.... especially with Hugh Grant and/or Julia Roberts. That's definitely a guilty pleasure for me. Love...Actually was also great.

Whew. Thanks Ken. I felt I was opening myself up to ridicule by posting the Notting Hill "pleasure". I guess I would have received less teasing if I had bothered to mention that Julia Roberts is opposite Hugh Grant!

At least now, you might get 50% of the teasing I would have received!

Love...Actually is one of mine too. Great movie!

Sorry WID, but ABBA is not a guilty pleasure

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Sorry WID, but ABBA is not a guilty pleasure

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Says who............... At least I can admit it

I knew that would get your attention .
I'll be honest, I like Mariah Carey (her older stuff. There I did it.
I also watch Ren and Stimpy, SpongeBob Squarepants and Beavis & Butthead all of which are a total waste of time.

I like all those "chick" movies. I have a strong feminine side (NO CRACKS!), of which I've become very proud. Love, Actually; Notting Hill; Shakespeare In Love; and from the long ago past Random Harvest. Shoot I just like a good love story.

I gotta admit I was not an ABBA fan, but I certainly respect their success. I should have such a successful musical career. Sheesh! Unlike a William Hung or Tiny Tim, whose success is based on novelty, ABBA's was based on talent, as was The Carpenters.

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ABBA's was based on talent

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There ya go Jack,It takes a man that is in touch with his feminie side to admit this................like me .

No I didn't say a man that touchs himself so don't even go there.I know how you boys think .

You said it . I know what you're thinking .

Jack:
I have the best of Abba... Hey, it's fun!

You should really try an episode or two of Buffy. You can't say you're not interested if you haven't watched it!

Musically, I am a sucker for strong voices and/or good harmony. Therefore ABBA, John Denver, The Irish Tenors, Richard Marx.

Movies - Notting Hill, American President, Mr. Holland's Opus, Brian's Song (the original), A League of Their Own, The Natural, Pride of the Yankees, Return To Me, Serendipity.

well.... Enya....

This isint the kind of music you play when your bros are comin over for a bachelor party but i will admit that i like it. Its soothing and has good melodies and stuff lik'e dat.

Ok, I've got the worst one - but I have a disclaimer! I heard Native Love by Divine for the first time when I was 18 at a club. It just so happens that I was drunk for the first time as well. (This may have something to do with it.) Man it's a bad song, but that incessant beat and cow bell takes me back everytime. I usually only pull it out about once a year.

Here are some others I listen to with more frequency, that aren't nearly as bad (well maybe):

Conway Twitty - I'd Just Love To Lay You Down
Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart
Destiny's Child - Bootylicious
Tokens - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Thelma Houston - Don't Leave Me This Way
Otis Redding - These Arms of Mine
Little River Band - Lonesome Loser
Robert John - Sad Eyes
Grease Sound Track - You're the One that I want
Sister Sledge-We are Family

Obviously, these are when I'm in my "Cheezy Nostalgia" mood.

LOST on ABC. Boy that show sucks, but I watch it every week.

My favorite line from 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert" is when Terrance Stamp's character finally gets fed up with all the Abba that's been playing and says "NO MORE F%#@ING ABBA."

I couldn't agree more.

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Boy that show sucks

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I humbly disagree. Yeah, the acting isn't world-class (and neither is the dialogue), and I'm not learning anything relevatory about the human condition or anything like that. But it's worse than a @#$! crack habit. I can't NOT watch the show. I've gotta see what happens next. I've gotta talk about it with my buddy at work the next day. 7pm on Wednesdays, my ass is glued in front of the set. And if you can do that to millions of viewers, I don't think your show sucks. I do know what you meant, though. I just don't think you should consider it a guilty pleasure.

I've always found it interesting how people can get so sucked into a TV show that they cannot stop themselves from watching it. That hasn't happened to me since Star Trek TNG and Deep Space 9 were on. And I even sat through commercials for those shows.

My current lack of TV show addiction kinda leaves me without much to say to other people trying to make small talk.

"So, did you see Survivor last night?"
"Uh, nope."
"How about LOST?"
"Nope."
"Desperate Housewives?"
"Nuh-uh."
"I thought you had a TV!"

-- you get the picture.

Oh Peter, you're so uncool! Until HDTV, I didn't watch any primetime network TV, other than sports, movies, and news. NONE! ZIP! ZERO! NADA! And, I still don't watch any of the reality shows, except an occasional "Extreme Makeover, Home Edition." I have to admit I'm being "Jerry Bruckheimer"ed ad nauseum.

Mike I gotta agree with Spiff on this one. Both, on the quality of the show, and with the fact that I watch it every week. It's the old soap opera thing. Gotta find out what the monster really is; Who is the French woman and what's she all about; etc. If each week's show was an entire episode, with all questions resolved at it's conclusion, I wonder what the ratings would be.

Anybody but me adore "Boston Legal" (Oh good! It's on tonight). I think James Spader and William Shatner (especially Shatner) are a hoot. I love the end of each show where they sit in someone's office, share a drink and cigar, and talk. I enjoy the banter, and admire the witty repartee. The episode where Shatner has always wanted to have sex with a one legged woman had me on the floor. Hard to explain, but the show just pushes all my buttons in the right way. I'd understand completely if no one else liked it at all.

You know, I thought I would dislike "Lost" because of what I saw as gimmicks.... the unseen "monster", etc....(sorry Noel).

When I had first heard about the show, I thought "What a great idea"... imagine a group of people stranded on an island. (with writing, not a reality show). How will they learn to iron out differences? How will they use their strengths? How will they deal with the loss of others? What a great opportunity for deep drama!"

Then I heard about the "unseen monster, the weird "happenings" and I thought "They blew it. As usual, they had to dangle shiney trinkets in the American Audiences' eyes. What a shame; they had a good basic plot to deal with the human condition and they had to sweeten it."

But, I admit, I'm hooked too.

The series better not just "end" though (ala "Boston Public", another past guilty pleasure) without some damn answers!

I'm getting better, but I am a real sucker for a High Def show on my TV. I'll watch just about anything. The first night I had it hooked up, I watched 2 hours of the Air Force Academey graduation ceremony. It was colorful and outside. I felt like an idiot later. I have also seen every Hi Def show known to man concerning insects. The key message is that I would REALLY like to see more channels available in High Def.

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If each week's show was an entire episode, with all questions resolved at it's conclusion, I wonder what the ratings would be.

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Point well taken. You're absolutely right. So really, the show is manipulative at its core. And if the final episode is some "it was all a dream" cliché, I'm going to take a hostage. But until then, my butt will be parked on the couch every Wednesday from 7 to 8 (and then quickly jumping to NBC for my "West Wing" fix).

I know what you mean. I think I've seen every golf escape on the Discovery channel too (in Hi Def).

Haven't you guys ever heard of TiVo?

That said, I've still got almost 60 episodes of West Wing on the drive waiting for me to watch them... And the last 3 episodes of Angel, and (oh good, this is the Guilty Pleasures thread....) almost all of this season of Gilmore Girls, and the last couple weeks of the CSIs...

Man, that CSI:Miami is a guilty pleasure. Well, more just... guilty. {whips of glasses} ....guilty.

I've really just identified the only two shows I watch with any regularity. The rest I can live without. I've got basic cable, no HD and an old Panasonic VCR that gets used about 3 times a year, usually to record "Austin City Limits" if there's someone really good playing. TiVo intrigues me, but I can't rationalize it at all.

I love "Austin City Limits" and don't forget The Yankee Workshop.

I love all of the 'building' shows. Even the ones with bob 'clueless' villa. No guilt at all.
Buffy, Angel, Firefly are all really well done shows and I love them. Though I suppose loving "Once More with Feeling", the musical buffy episode would count as a guilty pleasure.
That's it. I love musicals.

jr

Yeah, that'd do it. I love the old ones (Music Man, The King and I, etc) but not anything to do with Andrew Lloyd Weber.

You guys REALLY CRACK ME UP.
Thanks

guilty pleasures? hhmmmm

OK.. no carpenters, ABBA, buffy, or star trek.

but, i cant miss survivor.. and the king of queens is awful dang funny. plus, the antique road show.. man, love that program.

as far as music. still love the heavy metal i grew up listening to(iron maiden, dio, van halen, scorpions, motorhead, judas priest, ratt). and the whole grunge movement from the early 90's.

oh, and pistachios.. i could eat me about 14 pounds of those!!

bigjohn

Ben and Jerrys
1."Oatmeal Cookie Chunk"

2."Half Baked"

3."Everything But The"

Until you hit a bad one. Uck!

Reminds me of a very odd dream I had the other day: I was in a park somewhere with this girl from the finance department in my company. We were sitting on a bench and she was making me rub her feet while we ate pistachio ice cream and discussed old episodes of David Carradine's "Kung Fu".

Needless to say, I haven't discussed any of this with my girlfriend.

No sh!t! One bad one can kill the whole buzz.

In general, I stick to those three.
I did try "Chunky Monkey" the other day, and hated it.

The talk was shows you get hooked on and you just have to watch every week. Well, along that line, it all starts again tonight. Even if you haven't seen the past 3 seasons, watch 24 tonight! It is the only show I will watch with regularity. I actually know a guy that was in a couple episodes of season 2, which is what got me hooked originally. I had to go back and watch season 1 on DVD after season 2 was over, that's how good it is.

Zarak, how right you are! 24 is the only drama i can stand to watch on TV, it's got a great "continual movie" feel to it. And now that the Vikes have finished dismantling the Pack I can check out the premiere.

To add to the list, Party of Five and Dawson's Creek were always guilty pleasures of mine (though that may have had something to do with Katie Holmes and Jennifer Love-Hewitt)

you didnt like 'chunky monkey'?? dude, that one is awesome..

but, best one ever, IMO, is 'new york super fudge chunk'. but you REALLY gotta like chocolate for that one.. it is loaded!!!

bigjohn

To me it had that overly sweet fake banana taste, so I watered it down with some milk and made a milkshake from it.
New York Super Fudge Chunk is great too, but you do have to like chocolate. #4 on my list should be "Brownie Batter"but if you havent tried Oatmeal Cookie Chunk, your cheating yourself.

How about the TV show Trailer Park Boys.......

i have not tried the oatmeal chunk, so maybe i will give it a shot.

they used to make on that my wife really liked called 'chubby hubby'.. it had caramel flavored ice cream, with chunks of peanut butter filled, chocolate covered pretzels. she really liked that mix of sweet and salty. i havent seen that one around for a few years, so i reckon they have discontinued it?

oh- and i forgot.. i love that tv show called 'dog: the bounty hunter'. its just this red-neck hippie, who along with his wife and sons, tracks down bail jumpers. if you got 30 minutes to waste, watch it sometime.. its hilarious. plus, the wife has the most bodacious set of ta-ta's you have ever seen!!

bigjohn

Absolutely! Dog is...well, Dog is something else entirely. I first remember hearing his name associated with this case. And the show is a hoot to watch. The fact is that he seems like a genuinely decent human being and it's tough not to respect him (even though he's a convicted murderer).

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they used to make on that my wife really liked called 'chubby hubby'... i havent seen that one around for a few years, so i reckon they have discontinued it?

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I just had it two weeks or so ago..... it's one of my favorites.

Dude, you gotta move closer to Vermont!

I think Chubby Hubby like Oatmeal Cookie Chunk are somewhat seasonal, but I'm not sure. Oatmeal Cookie Chunk is hard to find.

Mark - Great thread.

After reading this thread this morning, I started compiling a list:

TV Shows: X Files (back when was on), Quantum Leap, Boston Legal (Spader & Shatner both have great roles & Dialog), & Desparate Housewives....Yes, I admit that I watch it.

Movies: Field of Dreams (cannot flip the channel if stumble across), Dangerous Liaisons - Chick flick at passing glance, but has amazing acting and dialog, John Hughes and/or John Cusack movies (all those 80s flicks).

Music: Shania Twain (loath country music, but like her), Phantom of the Opera, Beastie Boys (don't like hip-hop), Pavarotti (incl 3 tenors), Stone Roses (self-titled), Bob Mould (Workbook), & Depeche Mode (Violator)

Misc:
1. Memories of childhood love affair w/ Wonder Woman (Linda Carter)
2. High heels on women
3. Axiom and AVS forums
4. Bailey's (chilled or not)
5. Kissing my 5 month old daughter

BigJohn:
Keep the little woman happy; suprise her with Chubby Hubby ice cream for no reason whatsoever.

Yeah, I know. You owe me one!

TurboDog1 wrote:

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John Hughes and/or John Cusack movies (all those 80s flicks).

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I've searched for, and never found, a music compilation from those John Hughes and brat pack movies. Am I the only one who thinks that would be a great compilation disc?

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Dangerous Liaisons - Chick flick at passing glance, but has amazing acting and dialog

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Unbelievable flick. Malkovich and Close play two of the most truly evil, f!ed up characters I've ever seen on screen. Glenn Close in particular is chilling - her role in Fatal Attraction doesn't even come close for me.

i have/had the album soundtrack to the breakfast club. i havent seen it in a few years, so it might have got lost or thrown away in the many moves and record genocides i have gone thru. if i remember correctly, it only had like 2-3 good songs on it. but, like you said, if you take the best songs from his movies, you would have one HELL of a compilition disc.

john hughes movies with great tunes.
-ferris bueller
-breakfast club
-16 candles
-pretty in pink
-some kind of wonderful
-weird science

hughes also wrote two of my most favorite comedies of all time, 'planes, trains, and automobiles' and 'uncle buck', but i dont remember those having great soundtracks?

i miss john candy.....

bigjohn

I like this thread

That velveeta-with-chile flavor, chile-con-queso, pasteurized-process-cheese-food-product in a jar stuff purveyed by Ortega or Tostitos? I love it. And I feel bad about it. Of course, I think chips, salsa and beer is a complete meal, especially if you can sneak some cheese or sour cream in there. It's ironic, because I love food and cooking, and know the difference between good food and bad food, but I just can't help myself on that cheese goop.

On the entertainment side, I never seem to tire of jazz standards (Gershwin, Rogers and Hart, et. al.).

I've seen Bull Durham about 100 times.

Your right Tom .......Cheese goop is GOOOOOD!

Mmmmmmm....Cheese goop. I'm especially fond of the simple white queso w/ Jalepenos that you get at the cheapo mex places. That and either a big beer or a big Texas style margarita and I'm a happy camper.

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I never seem to tire of jazz standards (Gershwin, Rogers and Hart, et. al.).

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AH! Another kindred spirit. This was the music of my parents generation, and it was always present in our home. I, like all youngsters, rejected it as "elevator music" and embraced the music of my generation starting with the folk explosion of the early 60s.

I was a musician, and started in that genre, worked my way through folk rock, country rock, country, finally to rock. But, what I didn't realize is that all the music I listened to as a child had infected my brain. The last professional performing I did, was performing the standards of the 30s and 40s. I came to appreciate the real musicianship it took to write this music. Gershwin is my all time favorite.

My guilty pleasure is that I often listen to one of the music channels provided by my cable company. Which one, you ask? Singers and Standards. Oh the ignominy of it all!

tom- do you do just the pre-made goop in the jar? try making it yourself for your next party, and you will be the absolute hit.

get 16oz stick of plain velveeta, i can of rotel(diced tomatoes and peppers), and one chub of any hot breakfast sausage. cube the velveeta and put in crock pot with can of rotel(open it first). break apart the sausage and cook it in a separate pan, drain the grease, and throw it in the crock pot. stir every once and a while, and serve. its great in the crock pot, cause if the party is at someone elses house, you can unplug and go.. then plug in at their house. and if you really wanna blow them out, dice up a few fresh jalapenos in it.. make sure to leave in the seeds, you can weed out all the suckas that way

bigjohn

College-era guilty pleasure: I'm going to see Camper Van Beethoven for the umpteenth-zillionth time Friday night. I'll report back after I've taken the skinheads bowling.

....not ready to let this one fall off of the page.

Guilty Pleasure: Stiff Tanquerray & Tonic w/ lime wedge (tall)..mmmmmm

It's a guilty pleasure because I'm probably allergic to quinine. Anything w/ tonic usually gives me a migrane-grade headache the next day, regardless of quantity. Dad has same problem. Problem is....T&T is just too damn good!!!!

to me, gin tastes like a pine tree. yuck...

but, different strokes for different folks. i still cant stand it when i see people put V8 tomato juice in beer..? tried it once, NO WAY!!! or, milk based mixed drinks.. bulldogs, bailey runners.. ugh..

my alcoholic guilty pleasure is knob creek whiskey with coke. and anniversario rum, w/coke. dr pepper will do in a pinch.

bigjohn

I love T&T w/lime!!! Not a guilty pleasure though. Maybe it is when I get sacreligious and add a splash of cran.

V8 mixed with beer? EEEWWWWW. I've never heard of such a thing. Must be a Texas thing or something. The only thing I will mix with beer is:

1. Ammaretto (tastes like Dr. Pepper)
2. Only with Corona, I will mix the lime flavored Bacardi. Why just add a lime when you can add this stuff instead

nope, not just a Texan thing (i actually always thought it was a Canadian thing). Here it's usually "beer and clam" as in Clamato juice. People swear on it as a cure for a hangover. I just can't imagine people needing to water-down a coors light!

Red beer (using simple tomato juice) has been a life saver for me over the years. Takes the sour taste out of the beer and let's you drink enormous quantities without getting hammered/sick.

If you overachieved the night before and are in the midst of enjoying a well-earned, head-banging hangover, red beer lets you hit the ground (bar?) running. Wonderful stuff.

I've always heard it called "Red Beer" and can stand it (barely) if it has extra spicy tomato juice or a bunch of tabasco. Its one of those hair of the dog things.

Yep. If I'm not drinking a tastey Belgian White or Hefe Weizen, T&T with lime is what I drink. I'm told it's an old man drink. My reply is usually something along the lines of "Back in my day....."

jr

In that case, I've been an old man since I was 19.
First "hard" drink I ever had, and still one of my favorites.

I have fond memories of senior year of high school drinking T&Ts while in my buddy's pool. So, I guess I was an old man early too.

i got one for y'all. IRISH CAR BOMB shot of Bailey's, shot of Jameson, shake the [censored] out of it, put it in a shot glass (goes two ways) drop in a pint of Guiness and chug. tastes just like chocolate milk!

Sounds interesting. For a second there I thought you were going to describe a cement mixer.....baileys and lime juice shaken and shot. Lime juice reacts w/ the baileys and creates a thick chunky funky mix....an interesting experience.

The way a cement mixer was first 'administered' to me, I was told,

"Here. Take this shot of Bailey's but don't swallow. Now take this shot of lime juice and don't swallow. OK? Now swish everything around in your mouth and then swallow."

I believe that's the proper way to do one, as your mouth is then the cement mixer.

Peter - I believe you are correct. I hadn't see or done that in a really long time, so I didn't give it much thought. Doing it the right way allows you to experience that transformation in your mouth.....again, an interesting experience.

yeah, ive had that one too. kind of a bizarre experience when your not expectin it!

Its kinda like a "curdled milk" sensation isnt it?
Not sure if that sounds good.

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Not sure if that sounds good

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not good at all!!!

bigjohn

Yep....not good....just a bad use of a good alcohol. Still, it's a novel experience.

It's quite possibly one of the foulest concoctions you'll ever taste. It's good for a laugh if you've got an unsuspecting friend you'd like to abuse. Beyond that, it's a waste of perfectly good alcohol.

Hell, it's a waste of perfectly good lime juice!

Ughh.. our friend who got us to try it claimed to acutally like the stuff. She's kind of weird anyway, though.

This is not to say that I don't like her. She's weird in a good way!

I'm a classic old schooler. As a matter of fact, to a fault, I don't seem to like anything until it has proven itself over time. I like old movies and old music. I have to force myself to try new things. I am a sucker for 60's doo wop, early 60's tv shows and cinema. And French movies, I really like French movies. And even Italian ones. Sophia Loren, yummy.

Bruce - you should check out the Time Life Doo Wop DVD series. They have about 10 of them. Jerry Butler hosted a number of PBS shows from Pittsburgh over the last few years. They went out and scoured the country looking for the groups from the late 50s/early 60s. Wherever they found them, they grabbed the ones that were still alive (at least I think they were all alive), dried them out, dressed them up & turned them loose on the stage. The whole thing turned out great and most of the groups had filled in the dead guys with replacements. I was amazed at how well they did their old songs.

The Diamonds (Little Darlin'), The Drifters, The Tokens (Lion Sleeps Tonight), Jay and the Americans, The Shirelles - the list goes on. Lotsa balding or gray haired folks who were clearly of retirement age, but they could still get it done. Check it out. My wife and I still watch the things on a regular basis.