Red Hot Chili Peppers... Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Released: September 24, 1991
Recorded: May–June 1991 at The Mansion in Los Angeles
Length: 73:55
Label: Warner Bros.
Producer: Rick Rubin
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Without a doubt I can say that The Red Hot Chili Peppers album Blood Sugar Sex Magik, is one of my all time favorite albums of all time. Straight out of the gate they start strong with "The Power of Equality". I can still remember all the lyrics from all the songs and this one is one of the greats. And when my Uncle Octavious found his old tape from 20 years ago, it was cued up to this song when I put it into the tape deck of my car.

Every time I hear the title track "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", I'm always taken back to my first day of High School. Because this was the first CD I had ever bought, and it was only a week before school started when I bought it at Music Plus, before it was Blockbuster Music.

OK, so some people are probably asking why aren't I highlighting the singles, well the reason being that the album has soo many good songs aren't ever heard on the radio and such. So that's why my third pick is gonna be another song that brings me back and gets me hyped up is "Naked In the Rain". Just listening to Flea tear it up on this song just makes me hyper, like I was the skinny 14 year old again jumping off of walls with wild hair... wait I still have wild hair, but no more jumping off of walls anymore... lol.

Having said all that I have to say what I always say PASS IT ON because there's soo much good music out there and not just on the radio

Doesn't look like there's a new flyer yet for Lee's show just yet, but enjoy this one and remember to check out his show The Pinata Hour





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1.The Power of Equality 4:03
2.If You Have to Ask 3:37
3.Breaking the Girl 4:55
4.Funky Monks 5:23
5.Suck My Kiss 3:37
6.I Could Have Lied 4:04
7.Mellowship Slinky in B Major 4:00
8.The Righteous & The Wicked 4:08
9.Give It Away 4:43
10.Blood Sugar Sex Magik 4:31
11.Under the Bridge 4:24
12.Naked in the Rain 4:26
13.Apache Rose Peacock 4:42
14.The Greeting Song 3:13
15.My Lovely Man 4:39
16.Sir Psycho Sexy 8:17
17.They're Red Hot 1:12

Ralfi Pagan... Legend

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This week's pick Ralfi Pagan, really hits a special note with me. And I'd assume it does with most Chicano's that grew up in the 80's and 90's. I remember riding around with my Dad and him playing a beat up old tape with some random Ralfi Pagan songs, I remember thinking the tape was gonna die at any point, because it sounded like it barely survived from the 70's. It wasn't till I heard a CD version of "Make it with you" that I realized that it wasn't the tape that had bad quality but the original recording and that made me laugh.

And it wasn't till I was an adult that I could really appreciate the lyrics of "Look at Her". I just always knew it was soulful and had a great melody, but now I really feel those words of loss. We all go through it at some point in our lives, where things don't always end up the way we want them to in relationships, either by taking it for granted or something else. It when your on the outside looking do you want it back and that's what this song means to me now.

Yeah it seem like I'm picking sad songs to highlight, but a majority of Ralfi Pagan's songs were pretty sad, he was a crooner, and that's what he's know for. "I Never thought you'd leave me" sounds like a lonely rainy day with all the lights off and this song playing on repeat. I love it in spite of that, and when he starts singing in Spanish near the end of the song, it just gets deeper.

This is one that I know many people have already but there are some people who didn't get to appreciate it growing up so with that I must say PASS IT ON


Also don't forget about LEE @ The Pinata Hour this Wednesday






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1. No Soy De Ti
2. Ooo Baby
3. Make It With You
4. To Say I Love You
5. Don't Stop Now
6. Look at Her
7. Hijo de Mama, El
8. Negrita
9. I'd Have You Anytime
10.I Never Thought You'd Leave Me
11.Didn't Want To Have To Do It
12.What a Wonderful Thing We Have
13.Just For A Little While
14.I Could Never Hurt You Girl
15.Just One of Your Kisses (Un Besito)
16.Who Is the Girl for Me

Charles Mingus... The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

Released: 1963
Recorded: January 20, 1963 in New York City

Length: 39:25
Label: Impulse!, A-35
Producer: Bob Thiele
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One of the Sexiest and Sleaziest sounds that I've ever has got to be "Track A – Solo Dance". It almost sounds like it could be the intro song to Taxi Driver. There is true grit in this song, like walking in the hot sun hung over as hell, looking for an ice cold drink. It really feels like a soundtrack to me in this track, its very blunt and sharp at the same if that makes any sense.

All that aggression of the first track is taken down a bit with "Track B– Duet Solo Dancers". To me this one is more of a closer that ends the night, you know maybe at an after party with a someone over a few drinks, a night cap you know what I mean. Yeah it picks up around the middle but it still feels like an epic that eases the night away.

Jazz has an affect on me, the music has a way to shape my emotion and I think most peoples perception on most subjects(that's probably why its used in movies allot). "Track C - Group Dancers" sounds like getting up in the morning and rushing through the hustle of life. There's always a story in these songs

"Mode D – Trio and Group Dancers" has a good mix in it, the horns blaze and set a mood of action like a big climatic scene in a movie and the guitar gives a real sense of tense. At 18:39 long a whole story could be told in the time it takes to listen to this one playing the background its just that good, it hits all the point in the band that lend to the imagination.

Before I let you go this week I want to say what I always say because there is soo much good music out there that have to listen to it and share it so I say it again PASS IT ON

Remember kiddos to listen to the Pinata Hour Wednesday's @ 7pm to 9PM on Skidrow Studios... you'll enjoy it

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1.Track A– Solo Dancer
"Stop! Look! And Listen, Sinner Jim Whitney!" 6:39
2.Track B– Duet Solo Dancers
"Hearts' Beat and Shades in Physical Embraces" 6:45
3.Track C – Group Dancers
"(Soul Fusion) Freewoman and Oh, This Freedom's Slave Cries" 7:22
4.Mode D – Trio and Group Dancers
"Mode E – Single Solos and Group Dance"
"Mode F – Group and Solo Dance"
"Stop! Look! And Sing Songs of Revolutions!"
"Saint and Sinner Join in Merriment on Battle Front"
"Of Love, Pain, and Passioned Revolt, then Farewell, My Beloved, 'til It's Freedom Day" 18:39

Ninja Academy... Ninja Acedemy

Released:March 1, 2012
Recorded: at Satellite Park Studios, Malibu, CA.
Produced, Engineered: Paul Roessler and Geza X
Cover photo:Mher Vahakn.
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Sometimes I write about a band more than once, its not like I haven't noticed that. It just shows how much a band has to offer. This is one such story in Ninja Academy's new release NINJA ACADEMY that came out last week. I didn't get much time with it Thursday and Friday as I was working, but having my car breakdown Friday night. It gave me time on Saturday, while searching car parts online to give it more attention, and was basically kicked in the teeth with the song Stanky. The crazy flowing at the end just tripped me out and made me want to play it again just have more time to groove.

That song really tripped me out, till I heard their cover of Radiohead's Idiotech. I love that song to begin with but to hear it in a different way, was really a trip. It also shows that Ninja Academy can grow and do new stuff, and not be afraid.

The Place Where Nothing Meets continues to show where this band is evolving their sound. The Female vocalizing at the beginning is different, but it works. And violin when it kicks in is awesome, violin is one of my favorite classical instruments.

As you maybe wondering why there are no videos this week, its because the band has been generous enough to release the album free online if you click on the words NINJA ACADEMY  anywhere on this page you can be directed to your digital download.

This Wednesday don't forget to listen to the PINATA HOUR my buddy LEE has a kickass guest this week... so you should check it and remember to PASS IT ON (I mean both the album and the PINATA HOUR)

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All compositions by Ninja Academy, except "Blue Rondo a la Ninja" written by Dave Brubeck and "Idiotech" written by Radiohead.

1. Blue Rondo a la Ninja 04:04
2. March 03:03
3. Revenge of Iron Puppy 03:55
4. Stanky 02:46
5. Breaker 03:14
6. Last Action Hero 03:11
7. Choices 03:38
8. Wound Up 01:28
9. What's Behind Door #3 03:39
10.Pshat Pshat Pshat 03:50
11.Idiotech 04:00
12.The Place Where Nothing Meets 05:41