Buddy Beaverhausen's Goodbye to Bobbi Kristina Brown

Variety just announced that Bobbi Kristina Brown has passed away at age 22.

Miss Brown was, of course, the daughter of the late Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. “Bobbi Kristina Brown passed away July, 26 2015, surrounded by her family,” the Houston family said in a statement to People magazine. “She is finally at peace in the arms of God. We want to again thank everyone for their tremendous amount of love and support during these last few months.” The family has endured much heartache over recent years.

On February 11, 2012, Whitney Houston was found dead in her bathtub. The memory of that night is still so vivid to me. I was downstairs, in my friend Kevin's apartment. A small group of us had just carried boxes up full of give-aways from Pottery Barn. I had only moved into my apartment three months earlier. We were celebrating in the living room when the news of Whitney's death came across the tv set. Needless to say, we were all shocked, sharing this together in disbelief.

Like her mother, Bobbi was found (by her partner, Nick Gordon) in her tub. She was unconscious and placed in a medically induced coma. Bobbi is from a long line of recording artists snd divas, starting with grandmother Cissy Houston. Her godmothers are Dionne Warwick and Darlene Love. Ms Love just celebrated her 74th birthday this past Friday.

Wrote Ms Love on Facebook: "Heart broken over the loss of this young, beautiful spirit. Rest in peace, my love."

Boice Will Be Boice: A Q&A with Dj Buddy Beaverhausen

Meet Boice! Boice-Terrel Allen was a roommate, briefly, with my downstairs friend and neighbor in Bay Ridge while hunting for an apartment of his own. We largely saw one another in passing on the staircase or on the street, though we were together (Boice, my friend and I) at a small gathering when news came across CNN, in the background, that Whitney Houston had died. I'll always remember sharing that moment of shock and grief with him among others present that evening in Bay Ridge. This was how we came to know one another.

I mostly thought of Boice as a quiet, unassuming guy; very bright, personable, likely to be a writer, arist, poet. Little did I know! Though Boice is all the things I assumed him to be, he is truly much more; an inspiration as well as an amazing talent you owe it to yourself to experience....

Dj Buddy Beaverhausen: Hi, Boice, and thank you so much for doing this Q&A with me. How did your show at Webster Hall go?
Boice: Thanks Charles, it's my pleasure! The show was exciting. It's funny how much work goes into 10 minutes of stage time. I didn't think it was a perfect performance but I was pleased overall and it made me want to do more shows.

DBB: I feel in the presence of a rising star. Little did I know when we were at that little soiree in Brooklyn and news came via the tv in the background that Whitney had died. What went through your head at that moment?
B: It was one of those surreal moments that you'll always remember where you were in that sense, at least for this generation, both Whitney and Michael Jackson felt like tragic bookends for obvious reasons. It was especially heartbreaking since I grew up listening to their music and watching their videos. I remember saving my allowance money so I could buy Whitney's second album the day it came out. I remember seeing Michael moonwalk on the Motown special and the next day in school every kid trying to imitate him. There was a connection to their passing in a way that wasn't there when Lennon died even though I'm a Beatles fan--I wasn't around to personally experience Beatlemania.

DBB: Fashion Whirled snapped your picture at Aspen Social Club and identified you as "Singer and fashion icon." Have you ever modeled or considered it? Please do tell about your connection with fashion. Also, that blog said you were there to promote your "video release party for his debut album 'Itchy Boys'."The album is entitled How to Be an Adult. Did you change the title? If so, why?

B: Yes, I have modeled and I'm currently signed with an agency. I've enjoyed what I've done and would love to do more although its something that is pursued more casually than my music or books. But as a longtime fan of artists like Bowie, Madonna, Grace Jones--music and fashion for me have always been intertwined. I believe that the music stands alone and works without any of the photo shoots or videos but when added there's a texture that enhances and complements the music. I've naturally intended to combine the two in my work. This goes back to the publication of my books before I started making music. Yes, I'm completely concerned with making the best fiction or the best music but I'm also thinking about the styling for my author photo. I'm thinking about what image I want to project on my website or album cover. I'm always thinking about the creative direction and what's on the inside.

Regarding the Aspen Social Club event, it was the week before my video release party for the "Itchy Boys" song which appeared on my debut, but I also performed a full set with a band playing songs from the album. The title was always going to be How To Be An Adult--which I later discovered was also the name of self-help book. 

DBB: How would you describe your musical style? And who are your musical influences? 

B: With the first album, it seemed easier to describe my style by whom influenced the album--Beatles, Morrissey, Elvis Costello--smart pop, melodic, crafty lyrics. But with the new album being more electronic due to it being primarily created on an iPad. Although it doesn't sound especially EDM. Overall my influences include Bowie, Madonna, Dylan, Kanye, Miles, Joni Mitchell and many more--although you might not hear anything overt in my songs. In particular on GMA1, I was influenced by dance music like Hot Chip and Calvin Harris for the sound since I was intentionally creating an upbeat album.

DBB: How do you feel your sophomore album, Get Me Audio, Vol 1, differs from your debut?

B: I see the albums differently in a few ways and that happened both out of necessity and organically. My debut was recorded in a studio with a full band and has an alternative/rock sound. It came out in 2010 but by the time I was ready to begin writing the follow-up I couldn't fathom another 2-3 years working on it. Between studio time and the cost of paying a band. But around this time Apple released GarageBand for the iPad which is basically a mini-studio and then later in the year Gorillaz released their album The Fall which was recoded on an iPad and was highly influenced and then I saw Bjork perform and she was playing music on an iPad. Together, all these events influenced my decision to record the bulk of the album at home or in coffee shops on my iPad with additional keyboards and my vocals added in the studio.

DBB: From your website: As boice watched the 2012 Summer Olympics his years-long music block shattered when he realized that the winners were “living in dreams,” as he puts it. This phrase became the wellspring for his new indie album, Get Me Audio, Vol 1. Despite all his ideas and intentions up to that point, it took a single moment of effortless inspiration to launch boice into “not only having dreams, but having the courage to pursue them.”  You certainly are living your dreams. Tell us what that's like for you.
B: In a world where most or many people will not live their dreams--it truly feels like an honor or a privilege. To have something like music which I've always been passionate about as a listener to playing trombone in the band in high school and being a drum major to now, it's incredible to see your desires manifested.

DBB: In one of the songs from your debut album, you sing "At 17, I felt like Janis Ian." Is that true? Why?
B: The song you reference, "Everybody Loves A Comeback," is what I consider to be one of my story-songs. An influence of both my idol Dylan and also as a novelist. It's one of those songs I'm attempting to pack in as much information and drama as a novel but within a 3-4 minute song. Which is a great challenge for myself. So this song is much more literary and has a beginning, middle and ending and is very character-driven and written in the first person. The character of this song is a former child actor who was quite famous and then he wasn't until he made a comeback as an adult and he's reflecting on his life or as he says the "rise and fall and rise". He references Janis Ian's song "At Seventeen" because he's noting the irony of being an outcast yet becoming extremely popular despite how he felt on the inside. So although the song isn't autobiographical, I think it's a universal concept for everyone to feel like they don't always fit in somewhere at some time in their life.

DBB: You're also a novelist and writer. Can you tell us more about that and your literary influences?

B: I self-rpublished my first novel, The Daughters of a Mother, in 2000 after receiving dozens of rejections from publishers and agents. Which was painful at the time but definitely was an asset later on since it builds up a thick skin to rejection and not taking it personally. But being the type of person who doesn't easily take no for an answer, it was inevitable that I would eventually publish all of my books myself. Between 2000-2005, I released three books of fiction: The Daughters of a Mother, Janet Hurst and Screwball Comedy/Stories Going Steady. I also edited and published a multicultural anthology of fiction and poetry entitled Coloring Book.

I see this period as a novelist as an old chapter. A chapter that I enjoyed and learned from but what I'm doing now--making music--feels like home, it feels like what I was meant to do.  Yet writing books was a necessary step because I definitely believe I'm the lyricist I am today as a direct result.

My literary influences were Alice Munro, Gayl Jones, Junot Diaz and Truman Capote. I tend to write in the first person so I adore authors who either write in the first person or their work is driven by character more than plot.

DBB:How do you approach your songwriting? Lyrics first or melody? Do you send your music out to other artists to cover?
B:My songwriting has changed between the two albums. With my debut, I would sing the vocal melody to my former guitar teacher who had a home studio and would produce my demos as a result of my never keeping up with learning the guitar--particularly when I learned that I could still write songs without knowing how to play an instrument or read music. Which was life-changing! I discovered that I could come up with melodies in my head wherever I was--on the subway, walking down the street--and then I'd quickly hum the melody into my phone's voice memo before I'd forget it.

For GMA1, I would still come up with music as I just described but then with different music production apps I could create music that didn't require knowing how to play an instrument. Another way these apps expanded my music--like Ikaossilator or Loopy--is that I would combine different sounds to make loops and then that loop of music would now inspire the vocal melodies. The iPad had unexpectedly opened me up as a songwriter. It's funny because I was bemoaning to a musician friend that I should have stuck with learning the guitar and his response was that the iPad is my new instrument.

DBB: Tell us about your growing up in Pittsburgh and what influence that has had on your art.

B: Technically I grew up in a small town about a half hour outside of Pittsburgh. Even though I spent my entire childhood in a small town, I always felt like I belonged in a big city. That sense of knowing but without any evidence of why. As a kid, I would read Rolling Stone magazine and watch MTV and think that there's the world out there and I have to leave to be a part of it. I appreciate where I came from because I wouldn't be the artist I am today and I feel like I've paid tribute to my roots by setting all of my books in a fictional version of Pittsburgh.

DBB: Boice, thank you so much for this opportunity to interview you. Any last words you'd like to leave my readers?

B: And thanks so much for interviewing me! I suppose my final thoughts are for everyone to find the courage to pursue their dreams--which I hope that I can, in some way, be an example. And by courage, I don't mean being unafraid before you take any necessary steps; on the contrary, you move forward even when you're scared. Sometimes we look at someone's life with envy and think: If I had their courage I'd be fill-in-the-blank. Not realizing everyone has fear but that person may have made one more call or sent out one more email or went on more audition. We must do one more act even in the midst of fear. 

You can check out Boice's website for more information on this amazing performer:

/http://www.thisisboice.com/index/

Bob Esty Interview Part 4: Dusty, Lesley, Cher, Barbra

Bob Esty is truly a legend in his own time. A producer, songwriter and arranger who worked with Casablanca Records from 1977 to 1980, he has collaborated alongside major divas like Donna Summer, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Martha Wash, Raquel Welch and many more. It is my sincerest pleasure to have spoken with Bob over the phone when he generously consented to give me the following, exclusive interview. I have divided it into parts for easier reader consumption and digestion because it is such a delicious treat. 

In the 4th and final part of this interview which, again, it was a great privilege for me to conduct, our discussion involves Billy Preston, Whitney Houston, The Weather Girls, Paul Jabara, The Day of the Locusts, Dusty Springfield, Lesley Gore, Cher, Barbra, Michelle Aller, Sally Kellerman, Scott Snapp and more.

Check out Mr Esty's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Disco-Citizens-The-Work-of-Bob-Esty/428987683811992?fref=ts

***

Bob Esty: We [Bob and Paul Jabara] wrote a song for The Weather Girls called "Success" about the fact that even though "It's Raining Men" is a success, it's not really. We used every trick in the book when we did this song and I did the track along with "Hope" [for the 1982 album, Success, that also includes the disco classics, "Dear Santa (Send Me a Man for Christmas)," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" and "Hungry for Love"], a song I previously did with Billy Preston.

In 1981, Paul put out"Hope" and "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls on the Paul Jabara & Friends album. It also had Whitney Houston's breakthrough track on that album ["Eternal Love"].

Dj Buddy Beaverhausen: And to think, throughout the '80s and '90s, people were declaring Disco was dead!

BE: Ha! Exactly! When Paul's album was being made, I also told him that record stores would put it in a "Compilations" bin and nobody would notice "Hope" was on it.

DJBB: I read that, in 1977, you and writing partner Michelle Aller wrote "I Found Love with You" for Dusty Springfield, and that you opened at The Troubadour for Lesley Gore.

BE: Yes, Michelle and I opened for Lesley and we had a band. I don't know how we got that gig! I never saw Lesley Gore perform live before, but I loved her. I didn't know Dusty Springfield was in the audience. Anyhow, her producer of the It Begins Again album, Roy Thomas Baker, contacted us and said, "Dusty really loved your song. Do you want to record it with her?" I got to arrange and orchestrate the whole thing. And I just loved working with Dusty! And Michelle and I sang in the backgrounds with Dusty. And that was the first time we had one of our original songs recorded.

DJBB: The rumors are that Dusty Springfield was often difficult to work with. Not just rumors but it's been reported by others who have worked with her and was dramatized in the play I saw last year in New York, Forever Dusty.

BE: Dusty? Well, not for me. For me, she was great. Incidentally, Michael Childers did the photography for It Begins Again, and was the lover of [director] John Schlesinger. And that's when I met Schlesinger because I did an arrangement of "Hot Voodoo" for the movie, The Day of the Locusts. And that number was performed by Paul Jabara in drag.

DJBB: I love that moment in the movie! And what a great, underrated movie that is!

BE: Right? Yeah, it was, and I went to the filming of Paul's sequence.

DJBB: And sequins?

[Bob laughs.]

BE: Michael Childers now does a self-tribute photography show in Palm Springs called "One Night Only" with many artists from LA and NYC, and this year it included the music of Michael's friends including Paul Jabara. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it.

DJBB: Bob, when Donna Summer died, was that just as much a shock to you as to the general public? Or did you know she was ill at the time?

BE: No, I had no idea. Patti Brooks knew from the nurses in the hospital Donna was in. But it was a shock. It happened so fast! And she kept it secret from everyone.

DJBB: Cher is our new Pier Dance Diva for NYC Pride. You were the one who set her on her disco path, making her the dance diva she is today once you produced her ultra-successful and legendary "Take Me Home." How did that all come about?  Up to that time, she was really not a Disco girl.

BE: I met her in a bungalo with my leg in a cast.  I'd just broke my leg at the New York Disco Convention that year. She was just the "regular" Cher; no make-up. But to really talk about Cher, we'd have to do another blog piece.

DJBB: Streisand. What was it like making the disco smash "The Main Event" with her, and was it intimidating to work with her?

BE: Well, that would be something we'd need to devote another blog piece to, also. I can't go into that quickly.

DJBB: Bob, just one more question before we wrap this up: What would we find on Bob Esty's turntable, iPod or cd player today? What are the songs you most recently listen to?

BE: When you produce and do recordings, there's a tendency to not want to listen to anyone else. And now, especially because of Facebook, in order to post things, I have to re-listen to so many things I've done. Glenn Rivera and Jandry: these guys do such a great job of remixing! And I've helped Jandry on some of his medleys. Also love Jandry's artwork and posters.

DJBB: I love what those guys have done, too, all around.

BE: Yeah, amazing! And now I'm working with Sally Kellerman and Scott Snapp. Sally's been performing in L.A. and Palm Springs and has her book out now, Read My Lips. Plus, I'm working on a remastering of Ava Cherry's Streetcar Named Desire album.

DJBB: Bob, all good things must come to an end, and I just want to thank you a lot for your time and participation. Thanks so much for this interview. It meant so much to me to be able to ask you the questions about your career I've always wanted to know. I'm sure it means a lot to the readers of my blog and others on the Internet.

BE: Yes, certainly. Thank you.

DJBB: And thank you for commenting on my blog and Facebook. Most appreciate it.

BE: Sometimes I can't comment on the blog when I want. Don't know why, but....

DJBB: Believe me, they don't make it user-friendly. Bob, thanks ever so much for everything! And have a good night.

BE: Ah, a night off! Thank you, and to you, too.

***

Below, the disco classic disco hit written by Bob and Michelle Aller takes this interview home. But we'll be hearing more about Cher -- and Babs -- soon. Exclusively from Bob Esty!

R.I.P., Peter Rauhofer

Peter Rauhofer received tribute from his peers in the dance-music industry today after it was announced the famed and acclaimed music producer had died.  It was less than a month ago that I first heard the news he'd been hospitalized with a massive brain tumor, and I hopefully wished the best for him at that time. http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2013/04/peter-rauhofer.html

"Shocked at the death of Peter Rauhofer," producer/ remixer/ dj Chris Cox wrote on Facebook. "We didn't always see eye to eye, but I always respected his music. R.I.P."   

Producer Tony Moran noted: "A short while ago I heard that one of our music heroes past away. I was shocked, hurt and angry that someone who I am certain had so much left to offer is gone. Condolences to his family and friends and I am now moving my energy to all the contributions that Peter has made. I will miss you, Tony."

Diva Kristine W wrote: "I am very sad about the news of Peter Rauhofer, I have meet him several times and enjoyed talking to him at various events and privately in conversation. I will miss this Dance Music Legend and I am sure he has a packed dance floor in heaven. He was a great talent. I will always cherish the amazing remix he did for me on my single 'Some Lovin'." 

And Rolling Stone reported: "Pioneering DJ, producer and remixer Peter Rauhofer died today after a long battle with brain cancer, according to a note from friend and manager Angelo Russo.... He was 48." Rauhofer remixed all the major disco divas of the day (Cher, Madonna, Whitney, Mariah, Yoko, Adele, Toni Braxton) and was a major influence in the dance-music world since the 1990s. He received a Grammy for remixing Cher's "Believe" in 1999.

Peter, thank you for the joy all your music brought us. You are missed in clubs and dance floors around the world. He will be buried in his native Austria.

We Will Always Love Whitney. A Valentine.

Here's a Valentine treat from Dj Buddy Beaverhausen, sending out love and remembering Whitney Houston two days after the anniversary of her untimely death.  A terrific remix by the incomparable Hex Hector.

Disco Legends: Buddy Beaverhausen's Brief Remembrance

2012 was, sadly, a year of major losses in pop music, a large number of whom are associated with classic disco and dance music. Not wanting to be maudlin, but attempting to show my respects to idols, legends, superstars, here is an overview of people we dance-music lovers will seriously miss in 2013.

Remember when weekend-afternoon television could entertain us with dynamic talent? There was a time, you know. Soul Train brought us many of the great artists of the classic disco era, and American Bandstand added disco singers to its roster during the genre's heyday. Host and producer of Soul Train, Don Cornelius, passed away early in the year, with Dick Clark of American Bandstand -- upon which Soul Train was modeled -- leaving this mortal coil just two months later.

There probably is no greater icon of classic disco than Ms Donna Summer who, shockingly, left us in May. Ms Summer, posthumously inducted into the 2013 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, appeared on both Soul Train and Bandstand back in the day. The Queen of Disco continued to have successes in the ensuing decades, always primarily a dance diva (despite her masterful ability to assay other musical genres like jazz or ballads), whether the style of her dance music had then evolved into hiNRG or house.



Another iconic diva, Whitney Houston, passed away in 2012, also sending shock waves throughout the world of pop music. Daughter of  Cissy Houston (who had her own disco hits), she was a second-generation dance diva who energized the dancefloor with the remixes of a string of hits that were often the essence of fabulousness.

2012's other losses from disco days gone by include Jimmy Ellis of The Trammps ("Disco Inferno") and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees ("Stayin' Alive"), while Andy Williams was known to knock out a disco tune or two, and rapper Adam Yauch of The Beastie Boys was not a total  stranger to music for the dancefloor himself ("Shadrach"). The contributions of all these people will genuinely be missed in the new year, but it's through their music that they will continue to live on.

On My Turntables Tonight: August 21, 2012

Often ~~ according to my aesthetics ~~ when it comes to dance music, the less pretentious, the more shallow and the triumph of style over substance and emotion over thought, the better.

For example, I'm a sucker for Kathy Griffin's "I'll Say It," remixes by Razor & Guido and Gustavo Scorpio among others, though I like Majik Boys' work on this best. Catchy, little sing-songy title tune from her Bravo talk show. Bravo! I think of Kathy as wild and edgy but this is surprisingly sweet.

Luvin' up the Almighty remixes of Scissor Sisters' kicky "Let's Have a Kiki," delivered NRG-style from the UK. "So so oui oui, no no kiki" is the bridge that goes on forever in this playful and joyful mix, and it makes me smile. And dance! "Lock the doors!" Absolute style over substance and wallowing in it.

"Celebrate," as remixed by Joel Dickinson, has me wanting to celebrate -- and dance -- the night away, even if it is only Tuesday. Song is from the current remake of Sparkle starring Jordan Sparks and the late Whitney Houston.  (Cine Beaverhausen film review to come very soon.)

Mariah Carey may be furious with American Idol for their announcement. earlier in the day, that Nicki Minaj has been signed as another judge on the same panel for the upcoming season. It could be a dramatic one for the celebrity judges alone, never mind the contestants. But Mariah is undeniably "Triumphant" and in true diva style (when is she not?) on her new club number of that name. I'm siding toward the Danny Verde mix on this one. Solid and exhilarating.

Wideboys' remix of "Winner," the new Pet Shop Boys song featured at the Olympics, begins with a drum machine groove John Philip Sousa would envy before it finally breaks into song. Neal Tennant's voice has become comfortably familiar and the tune, while on the catchy side, is just a mediocre toss-off for the dynamic duo with sub-par lyrics to boot. Sorry. Not one of PSB's best.

"We Got Pride," from Swishcraft featuring Diane Charlemagne, is a much less pretentious effort that truly delivers -- certainly to its target audience.  Anthemic disco, big diva vocals and the repetition of that Pride hook makes this one just pure fun, perfect for losing your inhibitions on the dancefloor. So, shake your booty to any of the mixes available:  Matt Consola & LFB; MG original; DJ Pornstar Club Mix. The melody and lyrics may seem a derivative amalgamation of songs you've heard before, but I think originality is not the goal here; it's production, strong vocals and the admittedly Pavlovian way it manipulates us to move our booties and put our hands up in the air. Woof woof!

Sometimes, less is more (substance). And, sometimes, more is more (style). And that's the way I see -- and feel -- it for dance music tonight. Till we meet again ~~ love, peace & disco! ~~ Dj Buddy Beaverhausen

Star Spangled Whitney

Simply, Whitney's vocal pyrotechnics at Superbowl. Happy 4th of July!

The Wild, Wild World of Whitney

"Grave Robbers Target Whitney!" claims the Globe (US gossip tabloid) and, truly, in these weeks after Ms Houston's death, isn't all the press grave robbing in a sense? It's not just the gossip rags, it's reputable press like Rolling Stone, with its famously discriminating fact checkers.

As far as the Globe headline goes, however, given all the promotion Whitney's family gave to her $500,000 worth of jewelry and designer burial duds, I am not surprised to read this. Globe goes so far to mention that an "insider" reports, "Whitney died owing drug dealers more than $1.5 million," so there is also the alert that her body might be snatched as ransom. Whitney Babylon!

In the article, "Whitney's Shocking Secrets," Globe references Kevin Ammons' blockbuster 1996 tell-all, Good Girl/Bad Girl. Ammons was the boyfriend of Regina Brown, Whitney's publicist. He was probably the first source to detail Whitney's lesbian relationships. Surprisingly, the latest issue of Rolling Stone dabbles in the same behind-the-scenes secrets in its cover article, "The Diva and Her Dark Side."

Afraid a lesbian "scandal" would ruin Whitney's career, her mom, Cissy, pushed her into relationships with men (Darryl Stawberry, Arsenio Hall, Prince). (Arsenio? Prince?) Apparently, this caused a great deal of animosity, on Whitney's part, toward her mother.

However, Whitney may also have had other reasons to resent Mama. Darlene Love says, in the Rolling Stone article, that Cissy brought her teen daughter aboard as a back-up singer and generously gave her a solo spot.

But godmother Darlene continues, "It was 'OK, now, go on back in the background -- this is Mommy's show. Ok, go sit down now. Don't be tryin' to take over.'" (Mama's doin' fine, Mama's gettin' hot!)

The Rolling Stone cover story talks about Whitney's relationship with one Robyn Crawford, since their teenaged years. Robyn became Whitney's assistant. According to Bobby Brown: "I believe [Whitney's] agenda in marrying me was to clean up her image.... The media was accusing Whitney of having a bisexual relationship with her assistant.... That would kill all speculation, whether it was true or not."

Globe says Whitney had at least two other serious, ongoing relationships with women during her lifetime.

In the official video for "I Will Always Love You," a strikingly butch Whitney conveys the song, perhaps with Robyn more in mind than Bobby (or Kevin Costner, whom the Globe says she despised). Note Whitney's look and posture, especially near end, and very much in contrast to her feminine side in the promotional "Bodyguard" clips seen in the video.

A DVD I bought this week, entitled Whitney: Greatest Hits includes 23 music videos and special features like Whitney on Merv Griffin and live at previous Grammy nights. Available from Arista. I hope to exorcise the whole Whitney feeding frenzy through it, and finally blast off Whitney World. At least for this voyage.

Meanwhile, here's a musical rarity for you: 15-year-old Whitney doing the solo diva vocals on Michael Zager Band's disco classic, "Life's a Party."

Mondo Whitney

You learn a lot when you read National Enquirer, like how Adele dissed Jennifer Hudson when the latter diva offered the former her Weight Watchers weight-loss tips backstage at the Grammys. "Jennifer congratulated Adele on her six trophies," the Enquirer said. J-Hud added: "'I used to be heavy JUST LIKE YOU [emphasis added] and, gosh, Weight Watchers saved my life!'" Adele was reportedly outwardly gracious but privately annoyed. "'The nerve of that woman!'" Adele huffed to friends shortly afterwards. Well, it was cheeky if well intended!

But Whitney is the tabloid's main meal, starting with its outrageous, controversial cover picture of Ms Houston laid out in her coffin at what was to be a very private ceremony.

The first article on Whitney I came across in this horrifyingly informative rag was "WHITNEY FUNERAL SHOCKER as Aretha Stays Away: Queen of soul in a WAR OF WORDS with Houston Family." Yep, bad blood! Seems Miss Thing, who has claimed to be an "honorary aunt" and godmother to Whitney is neither! (Whitney's true godmother being Darlene Love.)

Dionne Warwick was stunned when she introduced Miss Ree only to look "about dumbfounded, waiting for her to appear." Well, it seems Aretha had appeared on Today with Al Roker just the day before. Although the frank Franklin spoke well of Whitney, the immediate family became furious about her comments that Whitney may not have gotten the family advice needed. Here's the interview (what's with that wig?):



Aretha's p.r. people said the diva cited "leg spasms" as the reason she couldn't make the church service. But, a few hours later, she went on as scheduled, at her Radio City Music Hall show.

The centerpiece of the Enquirer repeats and enlarges the Whitney-in-a-box photo for bad-taste value with a gratuitous write-up. Not one, but two, articles discuss Whitney's marriage and later relationship with Bobby Brown. "If it hadn't been for you, she'd be alive today," Cissy Houston is said to have accused the singer.

Well, Dj Buddy Beaverhausen confesses he doesn't know what to make of all this, though he was entertained. At least there was no mention, respectfully, of her medication/drug/alcohol abuse.

That comes next week.

My Valentine Countdown 2: Miss Whitney Houston

The late Whitney Houston sings Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" from the film, The Bodyguard, in the official video.

Buddy Beaverhausen's Notes to Divas and other musings on music

Carol Hahn was a delight when she brought her powerful pipes recently to Splash in New York. She is simply a club diva's club diva who came to international attention in the 1980s with a few hiNRG hits. After taking time off reputedly to continue college (for something like 25 years?), she made a comeback a couple of years ago with her songs "Reach Out" and "Come Be My Lover". This year, she recorded and released two more well-crafted songs, full of energy and passion: "I Can Stop the Rain" and "Take Me and Dance," both of which made it up the Billboard Club chart. Buy/download her songs and move and groove to her; in short, take her and dance.

Of course, you've heard that Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga are the new faces of MAC Viva Glam, which benefits the MAC AIDS Fund. Ads will appear in February 2010 and Gaga and Cyndi lipsticks will be available a month later. Can't wait! And have you heard? Cyn met President Obama and he actually told her he thought Gaga was the new her. Well, certainly Gaga has the edginess but, I mean... Cyndi's the Ethel Merman of rock, right? Gaga's voice is pleasant enough in a Gwen Stefani way, but she can't belt it out like our Cyn. But don't get me wrong; I love Lady Gaga and am all set to buy her new "The Fame Monster" cd.

Madonna's latest single -- currently hosting a slew of white label mixes, the best attributed to Mike Danavan -- is "It's So Cool", which isn't. The beat is pumpin' but Madge is in preaching mode again imparting her banalities upon us. "It's so cool to be uncool/It's so right to be unright...." "Unright"? But that's so wrong! (Note to Madonna: run spell check.) Now, the theme of universal love is not such a bad thing, but, frankly, I could do without the holier-than-thou attitude it comes wrapped in.

Note to divas: Enunciate! I love Mia J's electropoppy "Headlights" but, I swear, when she gets to the chorus, it sounds like she's singing "caught in the head lice." Isn't she British? Why does her English sound like Agnetha Faltskog on a bad day? But it's ok; when I first heard Janet Jackson's "Feedback", I thought she was singing, "feed bag." Then, I thought it was "meat rack." No kidding. Enunciate.

Talking about Janet, club mixes of the extremely catchy "Make Me" are out to coincide with the release of her "Number Ones" album. She benefits from top-drawer remixes by Ralphi Rosario, Craig J, Bimbo Jones and Moto Blanco.

Whitney & Britney: Aesthetically diminishing returns from Whitney Houston, guys. She started on a relative high with "I Didn't Know My Own Strength". (Is anyone else feeling Junior Vasquez's sturm und drang mixes are getting a little played out by now? Wake up, Junior, the 90s are ovah! Really.) "Million Dollar Bill" was far less interesting and further showcased how deteriorated Miss Whitney's voice is. The current Johnny Vicious and Giuseppe D mixes of "I Look to You" do just about everything humanly possible to make it relevant but it is, sadly, a rather undistinguished effort. Nonetheless, her fans will love it and I expect it will be her third chart-buster on Billboard.

Far more interesting, surprisingly, is the latest comeback bid by Britney Spears. "3", as mixed by Groove Police, Lenny Bertoldo and (my fave) Rafael Lellis, is a spunky dancefloor tune that'll make you wanna twirl. I'm not sure what Brit's carrying on about (must have written the lyrics all by her lonesome) but she's claiming she's "caught in between" something. (Legs? I can relate.)

One of my favorite Swedish groups is back with a new dance hit that ought to be big internationally with the exception of the United States (a very boring, though huge, dance-music market). Alcazar (now back from a foursome to the original 3 -- oh, maybe this is what Britney's gurgling about!) returns with the snazzy "Burnin'" (and enunciating quite well, mind you, Mia J). Best mix award for this one goes to the stalwart team at Almighty.

Almighty, by the way, has just hired new management, MWR. Expect to see Almighty remixing more high-profile names, names, names as MWR are the folks who represent Jason Nevins, Wideboys, Cahill, Stonebridge and the omnipresent Moto Blanco.

And remixer Pete Hammond ("100 years old", as he claims on his My Space page) has another Billboard dance remix with Plumb's "Hang On" (Pete certainly has hung on in there, baby), which sounds grafted onto the beats and cowbells of his Dead or Alive "You Spin Me Round" production of some generations back. Pass the poppers and the Geritol! Barry Harris, meanwhile -- best remembered as half of Thunderpuss (keep the poppers and Geritol coming) -- resurrects himself with the camp "Drama Queen" featuring the always-welcome voice of Canada's Simone Denny ("All Things Keep Getting Better". The theme for "Queer Eye"? Remember them? So 2003!)

Finally, another note to divas from Buddy Beaverhausen: If you're going to cover a pop classic, you better have something new to bring to it. Hear that, Mariah Carey? I Want to Know What Love Is, that's all I'm saying. Except that, when in Chelsea, make sure you check out Rainbows & Triangles on 8th Ave. between 19th & 20th Sts. for a very choice selection of dance cds. All I'm saying.