Top 10 Moments of 2011

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Plenty of sights brag about their amazing accomplishments. It’s pretty damn easy to kiss your own ass. Almost weekly I come across a post that states something to the effect of “We are celebrating a bajillion hits! YAY FOR US!” The Sexy Armpit does indeed celebrate it’s yearly birthday, but other than that we try to keep the boasting to a minimum because it gets annoying. On the other hand though, I do toot my own horn because blogging doesn’t yield many benefits. Aside from a degree of personal satisfaction, and the occasional media review copy, blogging is simply a lot of work. With that said, allow me to repay myself for all that hard work as I steal a few minutes of your time exploiting the BEST Sexy Armpit moments of 2011! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

10. Showered With Deb and Hilly! – OK So I didn’t actually take a shower with them, it was more like I showered them…with my adoration. The Chiller Theatre Convention in Spring 2011 featured Judie Aronson and Suzanne Snyder (the girls from Weird Science) and as I stood sandwiched in between these ladies, for the first time in my life I didn’t feel like a total dick.

9. My Kick Buttowski Halloween Costume! – Every year for Halloween I have to feel some sort of inspiration or else I won’t dress up. This year I became my favorite child daredevil from the Disney XD cartoon Kick Buttowski.

8. The Sexy Armpit Turns 8 Years Old! – It sounds like a really long time to be blogging but I’ve actually been running websites since the year 2000 which at one time would sound futuristic, but now just makes me a relic! Can you say Geocities?

7. Appeared On The Nerd Lunch Podcast! – It was definitely cool to be a guest on Nerd Lunch. Being on their podcast was a lot different than my former career in rock radio and then doing some podcasting of my own, but it was still a blast!

6. Interviewed By Geof At The Man Cave! – I was able to hang with my friends Geof and Dan at Monster Mania this year and they filmed an interview with me for The Man Cave. I had a lot of fun and it was very cool that they asked me to be on!

5. Oh Yeah, I Wrote Some More Articles – If you liked The Wrestler you should read this. If you were a fan of Macho Man Randy Savage you should read this. If you bought tickets to see Sammi Curr back in the day, read this. Fans of Transformers should read this while fans of G.I Joe might want to read this and this. Finally, if you’re going to take part in the All-Valley Karate tournament, then you might be interested in this.

4. New and Improved Sexy Armpit T-Shirts! – I bought a few for myself! They are available now on Red Bubble right HERE!

3. Interviewed on Star Ledger Live on NJ.com! – Brian Donohue’s online video show is part of The Star Ledger and NJ.com and he invited me on to talk about my article Gotham City, NJ? to coincide with the filming of The Dark Knight Rises in Newark.

2. Premiered Two Sexy Armpit Shorts For Our YouTube Channel! Watch Get Sludgey to The Starland and The Sexy Armpit Halloween Special 2011.

1. The Sexy Armpit Got Its Own Theme Song! – Our friends, NJ’s retro inspired rockers Lipstick and Cigarettes whipped up the perfect theme song for our upcoming YouTube series! This list has a lot of cool entries, but like my friend Lori said, “…there’s nothing cooler than having your own theme song!” Click the link to watch the band perform it live!

www.SexyArmpit.com

The Sexy Armpit Theme Song Is Soooo Sexy!

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dRQklumuRI?rel=0]
Lipstick and Cigarettes Premiered The Sexy Armpit Theme Song LIVE on 11/4!

If asking a band to write a theme song for you sounds like an egotistical stunt, it probably is. But in the case of The Sexy Armpit, we needed an original theme for the intro of our upcoming YouTube show.  I had a very specific sound in mind and when I approached one of our favorite NJ bands, Lipstick and Cigarettes, during one of their rehearsals (wearing a ski mask and a gun in hand), first they were alarmed, but they grew very receptive to my scheme.

Lipstick and Cigarettes played a show at Frankensound Studios in North Brunswick on Friday night November 4th and they mentioned that they would have a little surprise in store for us. As a little preview to the final recording, L and C premiered The Sexy Armpit Theme Song LIVE! Check out the video above!

www.SexyArmpit.com

Lipstick and Cigarettes’ Sexy Armpit Surprise!

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Lipstick and Cigarettes

No plans tonight? C’mon, it’s Friday! My typical Friday night usually involves eating pizza and passing out on the couch, but tonight will be different. Sexy Armpit favorites Lipstick and Cigarettes are performing at Frankensound Studios in North Brunswick tonight. There’s a rumor that the band has a special surprise for The Sexy Armpit! I wonder what it could be? Be there tonight to find out!

The fresh retro/new wave inspired Lipstick and Cigarettes have an EP available on iTunes and they’re presently working on new material. Also performing tonight are The Amboys, Red Wolf Forest, Indiana Bones, and Elevator Art.

Frankensound Studios
832 Ridgewood Ave.
North Brunswick NJ 08902

www.SexyArmpit.com

NJ T-Shirt Tuesday 75: Lipstick and Cigarettes

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY2272Ch_qY?rel=0]
Lipstick and Cigarettes covering Duran Duran’s “Rio”

Lipstick and Cigarettes performed last Friday night at The Saint in Asbury Park and The Sexy Armpit was in attendance. L&C are quickly becoming a fixture to the NJ pop rock scene which is awesome. The band’s music (which is available on iTunes and elswhere) is a modern take on the ’80s new wave pop rock style. Their hard work is paying off since they’ve been in rotation at local college radio stations and they’re playing some great gigs in the coming months. I recorded their cover of Duran Duran’s “Rio” which was chosen by the winner of their T-Shirt contest they held at their Facebook page. You can see them live at The Court Tavern in New Brunswick on Saturday, April 16th.

Their first official T-shirt is now available at ALL Lipstick and Cigarettes shows!
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Lipstick and Cigarettes are also featured in:
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Lipstick and Cigarettes at The Crossroads in Garwood NJ

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXcEkm1aCwA?rel=0]

On Saturday night February 18th, The Sexy Armpit along with our featured writer Nick “NJ” Holden inhaled some delicious pop rock that was coated in a sweet new wave glaze and dusted with crunchy grooves. Sound good? Well, I’m lying. Dessert wasn’t a priority for us at The Crossroads in Garwood that night, it was actually Lipstick and Cigarettes, the new wave inspired pop rock band.

Surprisingly, out of all the music venues I’ve been to throughout NJ, this was my first time at The Crossroads. I discovered that they serve a TALL, ice cold, Red Bull and vodka. If you’re like me and get tired when you stay up passed 10pm, that’s the drink for you. “It’s 10 pm, do you know where your children are?” MY MOM: “Why yes I do, my son The Sexy Armpit is at The Crossroads in Garwood passed out at a table but not from alcohol, it’s just because he gets sleepy.” Once the band hit the stage at around 10:45, I no longer needed the liquid crack because tunes like “White Tie Affair,”and “Automatic” energized the heck out of me and so did their shout out to The Sexy Armpit! Thanks guys!

This was the band’s last show of the winter and I’m glad I got to check them out once again. Clad in an outfit straight out of GQ, frontman Chris Orsi’s lively mood was contagious. Erik’s drum beats kept me well stimulated. Also elevating the crowd was bassist Sara who was having a blast on stage and could not stop smiling in between songs. Maybe it’s because of the rumors I’ve heard about a keytar being incorporated into their repertoire very soon? Hopefully one day we’ll see Lipstick and Cigarettes “play the keytar on the MTV!”

@LipsNCigs on Twitter or Like them on Facebook
Also check out iTunes to download Lipstick and Cigarettes brand new EP!

www.SexyArmpit.com

The Sexy Armpit’s Top 10 Bands of 2010

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One of The Sexy Armpit’s favorite things to do is to check out local bands since they are usually more interesting and put on a better show than the majority of bands who just sit on their mounds and mounds of cash and feel like they can go out and play the same show and same setlist that they’ve been doing for 10 years. People pay for tickets to concerts so they deserve a KICK-ASS show in return. The following bands were chosen by The Sexy Armpit under 2 conditions: 1) they hail from NJ or NY 2) their music is not boring 3) the band puts on an awesome show. This begins our annual NYE countdown of The Sexy Armpit’s Top 10 Bands of the Year!


10. Rapid Fire – F*cking METAL. That is all. They will permanently freeze your fingers into devil horns. Now for the kicker – these dudes are in high school. I was still playing with action figures in high school.

9. The Sexy Heroes – A fun pop-punk type band out of Saddle River, NJ who wears neon firefighter pants at all of their energetic shows. Almost a shoe-in to be the next band that you’re teen daughter will be obsessed with.

8. Natasha Komis – My iPod is chock full of chick rock and Natasha Komis is a nice addition to the playlist. This young Jersey girl has left her appearance on Paris Hilton’s My New BFF behind and is rocking like Joan Jett for the 2k generation. You can get her stuff on iTunes.

7.  The Deafening – Raw hard rock out of New York City. Lead singer Coco Caine’s vocal range soars into the stratosphere while the band gives you a bad case of rock neck. Also on iTunes.

6. The Fletchers – Infectious indie rock out of Highland Park, NJ. Read our review HERE.

5. Those Mockingbirds – I saw them open for the now defunct God Loves a Challenge at Maxwell’s in Hoboken. I picked up their CD after the show and dug it. I see them gaining national attention in the future. This year, make sure you check out one of their lively shows around NJ and PA.

4. Lipstick and Cigarettes – Still considered new on the scene, L and C sounds like they’ve been around for a while…ohhh, say since 1983? This NJ rock band combines modern elements of bands like The Killers, with the classic new wave sounds of The Cars. After my first L and C show I knew most of the songs by heart and I was singing them for the rest of the night. Their album is available on iTunes.

3. Star Killer – Their hard, industrial brand of rock may not be for housewives or Tony Bennett fans, but Star Killer has landed and brought with them a very fresh and exciting sound that combines elements of Nine Inch Nails, Korn, Marilyn Manson, and P.O.D. Lead singer Jasin Cadic grew up in Edison, NJ and has also starred in The Perfect Age of Rock and Roll. Their EP is available for FREE for a limited time so get your ass to their website.

2. Scarlet Carson – It’s been a long time since our state has had it’s own rockers. I’m not talking about, Bruce, Bon Jovi, or Gaslight Anthem…I’m talking about the glory days of metal, hair bands, and excessive rock, i.e. Motley Crue. It was all about living the rock and roll lifestyle, drinking, and playing shows that made the audience want to fist pump – NOT Jersey Shore style, but because the music simply ROCKED. That’s what these guys are all about and they sum it up as “Dirty Jersey Rock and Roll.”

1. The Dirty Pearls – It’s already been several years since I first saw The Dirty Pearls live and I knew from that moment that they were the only band in recent times, perhaps since Buckcherry, to grasp what rock and roll is all about. If you’ve never heard of the reigning kings of New York City rock and roll, you will when they release their first official full length album, Whether You Like It Or Not in Spring 2011. All you silly-ass Nickelbacky bands and Daughtry soundalikes should go crawl into a hole because there’s about to be a gigantic, sleazy, sexy, hard rock explosion so get the f*ck out of the way!

www.SexyArmpit.com

NJ T-Shirt Tuesday 50: The Saint in Asbury Park

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new jersey,asbury park,the saint,t-shirt

The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ is one of the best venues to discover new bands in the Tri-State area. Since 1994, the stage at this corner bar has been graced by major label acts, local up and coming bands, and artists hailing literally from around the globe.

On a recent visit to Asbury Park, I stopped into The Saint for a beer. As I sat on a stool at the bar, I absorbed the atmosphere. The multicolored lights saturated the various concert posters, memorabilia, and other quirky decor hanging on the walls. To the right, I noticed a band setting up their equipment on the stage, and even though I was curious to stay and check them out, my eyelids were already involuntarily shutting on me. I just can’t hang anymore, especially since I was up at 5:00 am that morning. As my girlfriend and I were about to call it a night and hop back on the GSP, Lipstick and Cigarettes, were plugged in and ready to rock the crowd. I peered around at people’s faces in the bar and everyone was waiting patiently, so I figured this band must be pretty good. One girl standing not too far from my stool who said her name was Stephanie, seemed like a fan, so I asked her if she saw this band before: “Yeah I did, and this is only their 2nd show actually,” ahh, thanks for the info Steph. Normally “only their 2nd show” would be a surefire signal for me to hightail it out of there, but after hearing merely 20 seconds of their opening song “Burn This City,” I knew they were my type of band.

lipstick and cigarettes,band,the saint,asbury park

Almost all the songs this trio performed were instantly memorable. I was sold on their bouncy, energized, retro rock vibe. Chris, the lead singer and guitarist of Lipstick and Cigarettes, could have been yanked out of a video from the early days of MTV with his skinny tie and black button down shirt. His voice matched the visual, creating a sound similar to many new wave bands with the prefix “The” in their names like The Cars, The Fixx, and The Knack. Their drummer, Erik, provided killer beats throughout the show, especially on the intro to “Alibi.” He infuses the songs with a rhythm that made me feel like they could have been on an ’80s movie soundtrack. But providing the key female element in the band is their bassist, Sarah, who probably gets so sick of hearing all the Cassandra from Wayne’s World references, so unless you want to get punched in the mouth, you better think twice about asking her if Crucial Taunt is playing The Gasworks this week. Sarah provided backing vocals on a few of the songs, such as “White Tie Affair,” but the band would benefit from making Sarah and Erik’s backing vocals more prominent in every song, which would provide a fuller, more distinct sound.

During the concert, I admired how meticulously constructed their pop rock songs were. For instance, “Taking it Slow’s” big “Whoa-Oh” chorus was fun, less sugary than the sweet power pop of Tinted Windows, and way less effeminate than Franz Ferdinand. Accentuating their set was a fresh cover of The Romantics’ “Talking in Your Sleep,” while some of their best tracks followed such as “Sleight of Hand” and “Dangerous Eyes.” As they brought it home, the crowd wanted more. Although unsure of what song they would do, Lipstick and Cigarettes delivered an encore. After some back and forth, Sarah was elected to sing. She enticed all the guys in the crowd with her alluring vocals on Blondie’s “Call Me,” and of course, she slapped some bass as well.

The show was over and I wasn’t tired at all after seeing Lipstick and Cigarettes. The second the show ended I basically interrogated the drummer Erik and tried to shake him down for a CD, but he claimed they didn’t have one made yet. That got me more than a little pissed considering that I could totally picture myself cruising around this summer with the windows down blasting their music. I thought he was just joking around and didn’t want to give me a copy, but then he mentioned that this would be their last live show for a while since they are working on writing and recording their debut album. Damn, I was glad that we decided to hang out! I admit that I was unsure if I wanted to stick around for a band I knew nothing about and whose music I have never heard, but that is the type of unexpected magic a place like The Saint offers. All the classic bands started somewhere, and if I’m lucky I may have witnessed one in the making.

LIKE Lipstick and Cigarettes on Facebook
and
visit http://thesaintnj.com to check out their event schedule

www.SexyArmpit.com