You Might As Well Jump!

Flashback

This week in 1984 Jump by “Van Halen” was the number one song in the USA.

Although “Jump” is a fairly lighthearted rock single, in January 2010 a DJ who played it at an “inappropriate time” found himself in hot water. The song was requested by a driver stuck in traffic on the M60 motorway, and played by the DJ, who came under fire because the delay in traffic had been caused by police closing several lanes of the motorway while attempting to talk down a woman who was threatening to jump from a bridge. After nearly nine hours, she did indeed jump, shortly after the song was played. Amazingly she survived, albeit with serious leg injuries.

Manfred’s Man turns 75

Flashback

Singer and guitarist Chris Thompson celebrates his birthday today. Chris was born in England but raised in New Zealand and is known both for his work with Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, specifically for his lead vocal on the classic hit Blinded By the Light and for his solo accomplishments.

Blinded By the Light was written by Bruce Springsteen for his album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. but it was Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s cover that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in February 1977 and was also a top ten hit in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada.

Lyrre Brings New Polish Metal

New Music

Formed by ex-Eluveitie Hurdy-gurdy player, Michalina Malisz, and her husband Piotr Martuś, “LYRRE” is a new four piece metal band from Poland. The band attempt to merge the organic sound of the hurdy-gurdy, dark guitar riffs and just the right amount of electronic inspirations.

Their single, Call in the Wind is new this week on RadiJohan and is a treat for fans of the Hurdy-gurdy and atmospheric metal.

Rock That (Disco) Boat

Flashback

The Hues Corporation were an American pop and soul trio formed in California in 1969. They are best known for their 1974 hit Rock the Boat. The song was first featured on their 1973 debut studio album Freedom For The Stallion. A later re-mix version of that recording became one of the first Disco hits in 1974 and reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. It also topped the chart in Canada and made the top ten in a number of other countries including The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The hit version was included on The Hues Corporation’s second album, Rockin’ Soul.

What Kind of Hype Is This?

New Music

“Bloodhype” is a Berlin-based quartet who have just released their very first album, Modern Eyes. Their single, On & On, is an energetic 80’s soaked new-wave tune full of nostalgic riffs, melancholy-drenched synths and even a sax-solo courtesy of Sofia Salvo, a saxophonist from Buenos Aires.

On & On by Bloodhype is new this week on RadiJohan

RadiJohan Top 10 on 04 March 2023

Top 10
TWLWArtistTitle
10NewCat BurnsPeople Pleaser
9NewBelle and SebastianI Don’t Know What You See In Me
89Those Damn CrowsThis Time I’m Ready
74Visions of AtlantisClocks
610Noel Gallagher’s High Flying BirdsEasy Now
58DMA’sFading Like a Picture
45KrezipIn The Water
33RouletteReady For Friday Night
22Six60Never Been Tonight
11TenThe Tidal Wave

Watch this week’s Top 10 by clicking the play button below.

New Melodic Rock From Sweden

New Music

“Creye” are a rock band formed in 2015 by guitarist “Andreas Gullstrand.” They deliver a brand of melodic rock that takes you right back to the mid-eighties. After their self-titled debut album in 2018 a few line up changes followed and included new lead singer “August Rauer.” Their second album, Creye II, was released in 2021 and now the Swedish rockers have returned with Creye III (Weightless), an album with which their evolution as a premiere band in the Swedish melodic rock scene appears to continue unabated.

Creye’s single, Spreading Fire, is new this week on RadiJohan.

Inhaler return with Tribute to Greats

New Music

“Inhaler” are an Irish rock band formed in 2012. Their debut album, It Won’t Always Be Like This, released in 2021, topped the Album Chart in Ireland and the UK and made the Top 20 in the Netherlands and Germany. Their second album, Cuts and Bruises, has just been released.

According to the band, their new single is a tribute to great American songwriters Bob Dylan, “The Band” and Bruce Springsteen, stating that listening to these artists while travelling on big open highways resonated with them and helped shape the song into making them sound more like a live band than before.

If You’re Gonna Break My Heart by “Inhaler” is new this week on RadiJohan.

Controversial Concert Causes Contradictory Claims

Flashback

On the 1st of March 1969 Jim Morrison of “The Doors” allegedly dropped his trousers and exposed a bit too much of himself to the nearly 12,000 fans at a concert. Whether or not Morrison really exposed himself is unclear. His band-mate, Ray Manzarek, claimed that he just took his shirt off and waved it in front of his crotch to taunt the audience. A number of conflicting stories about the exact details of this incident exist. Morrison was eventually charged and convicted. He died while the case was under appeal.

In 2010 the governor of Florida granted Morrison a posthumous pardon.

An Introduction to ZZ Ward

New Music

ZZ Ward (Zsuzsanna Ward) is an American singer, musician and songwriter born in Pennsylvania and raised in Oregon, USA, in a small town called Roseburg. She grew up listening to her Dad sing the blues and started performing with him in his blues bands when she was 12 years old. She released her debut album, Til the Casket Drops, in 2012. A second album, The Storm, followed in 2017.

Her success so far has largely been confined to the USA with a number of singles featuring on the Billboard “Adult Alternative Airplay” chart. It’s about time that changed.

ZZ Ward’s self-penned Break Her Heart is new this week on RadiJohan.