Karaoke therapy

I stumbled across an article in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research that piqued my interest. I remember years ago when the medical community was rocked with research that red wine is good for your heart. The first reaction of the medical community was to get legislation passed that prohibited anyone from ever implying that more than one glass of wine was good for you.

The next thing the medical community did was to go looking for the chemical in red wine that prevented heart attacks, provided one never ever drank more than one glass of wine. Resveratrol was one of the early suggestions. Later, they found that one would need to drink hundreds of bottles of wine a day for the resveratrol to have any effect. Since it is illegal to imply that more than one glass of wine might be good for you, this part of the research was quickly hushed up.

Right from the start, I knew that the search for a chemical component to wine that promoted health was ill conceived. Yes, there probably are some components of wine that are healthful, but (my opinion) the silly researchers were missing the forest for the trees. Alcohol relaxes you. And reducing stress will do all kinds of good chemical stuff in your body, and so, will promote good health. And further, the socializing we often do when we drink also helps relax us. The picture below relaxes me even without even having a sip of beer.

What about the ill effects of too much drink? Again, maybe stress is the operative force. Anyone who has had a hangover or been in a drunken bar fight will attest to the fact that too much alcohol can raise your stress level.

My thesis is that a large part of the health benefit from drinking (no more than one drink) is from relaxation and socialization. The article I found shows that the medical community has finally heard my message. The conclusion to the paper:

Conclusions:  Social support may enhance the beneficial effect of light-to-moderate alcohol consumption on risk of cardiovascular disease.

But the paper really caught my attention when the subject of karaoke was brought up. Here is a comment from one person who commented on the article: 

Tanigawa [the author] also recommended karaoke bars as one way for business persons to cope with stress.' Singers use deep breathing, which is good for the parasympathetic nervous system. After singing, they usually receive applause. It is a good kind of social support, and helps in the face of adverse occasions or stressful events.'

YES!!!!  They finally get it!! Thank you Dr. Tanigawa.

Intrigued, I went on a search through Pubmed to find other research that said karaoke can promote good health. I found two research papers on the benefits of karaoke therapy.

Karaoke therapy in the rehabilitation of mental patients
CONCLUSION: Karaoke therapy may be more effective [for treating chronic schizophrenic patients] than simple singing in improving social interaction. There is preliminary evidence that it may be anxiety-provoking for unstable schizophrenic patients. More research is required for further elucidation of the characteristics of favourable candidates, optimal schedule and active components of the therapy.

Karaoke for quads: a new application of an old recreation with potential therapeutic benefits  for people with disabilities
CONCLUSION: This article examines theoretical considerations and proposes a research agenda. Empirical research would be valuable to confirm the potential benefits of karaoke for people with disabilities.


But just like vino, there can be too much of a good thing. I found an article that warns of the dangers of too much karaoke.

Effect of hydration and vocal rest on the vocal fatigue in amateur karaoke singersThese results suggest that hydration and vocal rests are useful strategies to preserve voice function and quality during karaoke singing. This information is useful educational information for karaoke singers.

Just how valuable is karaoke?

I read the following new story from Huntington, W. Virginia:

A 48-year-old Chesapeake area woman reported last week that someone entered her home in Union Township and stole jewelry and a karaoke machine. The items were valued at $2,350.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/briefs/x784149180/Lawrence-blotter-Jewelry-karaoke-machine-stolen-in-home-break-in

I am imagining the thief wandering around the house. "Now where would they hide that karaoke machine. Gotta find it... Oh! Quick stuff some of this jewelry in my pocket. ... Now where is that karaoke machine!??!?!"

Please contact the police if you happen to live near Huntington and a guy in a trench coat tries to sell you a karaoke machine. And everyone else?  Make sure you chain your karaoke machine down!

Motown karaoke at MJ Cafe on Brown Deer Rd

Some interesting connections between John the Revelator and Motown ...

My second eight-track tape was The Temptations Greatest Hits. (I am just a little bit embarrassed to say that my first eight track was John Denver. John Denver, by the way, is not generally considered to be part of the Motown sound.)

Michael Jackson was two months old when I was born. Two months after that, Barry Gordy started the Tamla Records, the first Motown label.

One of the highlights of my 2009 trip to New Orleans was singing some Motown and doo wop with Jay-Ray & Gee in front of the Hotel Monteleone.

photo by Michael Middleton

And now the most important fact...  Sven (in conjunction with John the Revelator) will be hosting Motown Karaoke at MJ Cafe, every Sunday night, starting Dec. 5. Karaoke starts at 7:30 PM.

MJ Cafe
A relaxed eatery and martini bar
6901 W. Brown Deer Rd
Milwaukee
(414) 377-2524

Finally some real research on karaoke!

Dr. Kevin Brown (associate prof at the University of Missouri) earned his doctorate from the University of Colorado doing an ethnographic study of karaoke. Finally, a university with a KhD program! Here we have an excerpt from his thesis.

Brown speaks of the "karaoke dream", which he defines as: "the fantasy that one will be 'discovered' singing karaoke and go on to make their mark on the 'big time' entertainment industry." Brown discusses a karaoke singer by the name of Roger who had demo CDs made, and was talking with people who had contacts in Vegas.

Obviously, a lot of karaoke singers  have something of that fantasy. I personally have a fantasy of singing just once to a huge crowd with a great band behind me. Just once, though. I certainly don't want to have to spend a year or two of voice training. And I definitely have no interest whatsoever in spending the years and years of singing every weekend in every dive in Hoboken in order to pay my dues!! 

But karaoke is not the way to actually reach the karaoke dream. My research ("getting discovered through karaoke", and "update on getting discovered") shows that nobody made it to the big time by jumping up on stage at a karaoke bar. Well... maybe someone did. I just haven't found them yet.

If a large percentage of karaoke singers were doing karaoke in the hope of becoming a star, then they would all get disappointed and just stay home and watch Glee. Since karaoke appears to still be popular, I am guessing that people are not actually trying to reach that dream, but rather they are singing karaoke in order to experience a facsimile of that dream, if only for a brief moment.

In a previous blog I asserted that karaoke was an opportunity for people to sing in groups. I submit this blog as reason #2 - karaoke is an opportunity to sample what it feels like to be a rock star.

This is just darn silly!

I am sorry that I missed another important Texan contribution to the silly places to sing karaoke hall of fame.          Karaoke in a taxi??!?!  That's just darn silly!

Francisco E. Loaiza, formerly of New Orleans, runs a taxi in Dallas. Same rates as the other taxis, but there is an added feature. Karaoke.

Damn! what a silly idea.  Why didn't I think of it first?!?!?!

Odd places for karaoke

Sydney Australia is a pretty happening place when it comes to karaoke. Not only can you go on a karaoke ghost tour, but you can also hire the karaoke bus to get you there. Yes, they do have a stripper pole.

Texas is another unexpected hotbed of unexpected places to sing karaoke. How about singing at the
Houston airport? Or, you could visit Super H Mart Korean grocery store in Carrolton, TX which offers 232 types of noodles, and (naturally) karaoke.

I regret that  Mable Peabody's Beauty Parlor and Chainsaw Repair in Denton, Texas is apparently no longer open. It was a great place to drop off your chainsaw for sharpening, get your nails done, and sing a little "Boot Scootin' Boogie". They had karaoke every night.

New Orleans Karaoke Cam

This just in...

The live KaraokeCam at Cat's Meow in New Orleans is temporarily out of service. I will stay on top of this breaking story and post updates as they come in.

Getting caught singing karaoke

My wife, the lovely Gypsy Songstress, has often told me that I can flirt as much as I like, but I better not be singing any duets with other women. Of course, I know she's kidding. She really doesn't like me to flirt much, either!

Maury Povich featured a case of 'til karaoke do us part. Raven and Kenny were karaoke sweethearts. But when Raven caught Kevin singing "their song" with another woman at the karaoke bar, she began to suspect...

Cheating by means of karaoke wasn't evidently hot enough for Maury's show, so Kenny was seduced backstage by a very sexy actress. She gave him another chance, but Kenny and Raven are now divorced.

Debra Rowley of Ocali, FL was incensed when she found her ex-husband singing karaoke with another woman. She should have listened to her lawyer's advice and taken him to the highest court, where Judge Maury could pass sentence.

Instead, Rowley took justice into her own hands. She will serve at least seven years for driving her car through the porch where her ex-husband was sitting.

Her lawyer must not be worth his salt. I mean, couldn't he get her off on justifiable attempted murder? I mean... it was her ex-husband, for goodness sake!  And he was singing a duet!! I mean really, what more justification does she need to try to murder the guy?

Love does not enter into all of today's stories of cheating karaoke. A woman in England was caught cheating the government out of disability payments when she was seen singing karaoke at a pub. Anita Todd is suffering from multiple ailments, and supposedly is not able to even walk more than a few steps, let alone belt out some karaoke.

Oh what a tangled web we weave....

Half naked karaoke that I have missed

I found out that I missed the lingerie karaoke party at "Supperclub" in San Francisco. Evidently this is an annual thing.


I was in Johannesburg and Cape Town last spring, but I missed Bikini Karaoke at Glendore Arms in Port Elizabeth. I couldn't even find any pics of the ladies in bikinis, even thought I found their FaceBook page.

Here is a clip from another karaoke performance that I missed. Maybe this one wouldn't have been worth the trip to Tokyo? I don't know. I missed it.

I also missed this karaoke show:
Oct. 27 — DJ Free Beer & Naked Karaoke, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., T.G.I. Fridays, 9430 Hwy. 16, Onalaska, free.
And here I am only a four hour drive from Onalaska! I don't recall what I was doing on the 27th, but how could it have been as much fun as Naked Karaoke. I mean really?



So much half-naked karaoke. And so much of it that I have missed. Sigh. I will have to address this when New Year's resolutions come around again.

Pet karaoke...

By now I am sure you have seen the videos of Mishka the husky who says "I Love You", and who sings Justin Beiber.

It should come as no surprise that pet karaoke is on it's way. If you just happen to be near Pensacola, FL on Saturday, Check out American Pet Idol at Pet Fest 2010: Paws & Applause for Your Pets.

If pets like to ham it up, they can enter Dancing with the Dogs and American Pet Idol, the search to find the best singing pet. Dancing with the Dogs is new," said [Meg] Peltier [Chamber of Commerce]. "It will be set up like American Bandstand. The last dog standing wins."

Also new is American Pet Idol, which is pet karaoke. "A lot of animals sing when their owners sing," said Peltier.

The Gypsy Songstress

Just to clarify... There were some photos that appeared on the internet, labeled "Gyspy Songstress". This is a soprano, apparently from Liverpool, who wears too much makeup (for my taste) and sings in the street, apparently giving away leaflets.

Do not be fooled. This Gypsy Songstress is not my Gypsy Songstress. Mine very rarely wears red. Below is a pic of the real Gypsy Songstress in all her plumage

I had to do a bit of research to find out who had stolen the name of my little songbird. I seems that the woman in the first picture is actually a woman named "Gypsy" - no songstress. Whoever took the picture had affixed the "Songstress " part.

Her original name was Sarah Watkins. She is an opera singer. Another mark against her in my book. I'm not maligning opera, or any of its aficionados. I personally just don't care for it. Or for heavy makeup.

Here is a video of Gypsy Watkins, opera singer from Birkdale, England.

I dunno... her voice sounds OK, for an opera singer. I really don't consider myself a seasoned critic of opera. I just know that I would much rather wake up listening to the warbling of my own Gypsy Songstress.

BTW... When Sarah Watkins had her name legally changed to Gypsy, she asked her husband to change his name to "Purple". He complied. I guess I could put up with changing my name from Revelator to Purple. John the Purplator? Purple the Revelator?  The makeup, the opera, though? I don't think I could deal with that.

Being replaced by a karaoke machine

Willie Jolley left showbiz when his gig as a nightclub singer was replaced by a karaoke machine. Rather than becoming demoralized, he has become a motivational speaker.

Tony Hampton was also replaced by a karaoke machine. Up until recently, he was the organist for a crematorium in Northampton, England. Yes, that's right. Karaoke hymns at a funeral. And evidently, there are some people who are not happy about this. People who are upset are invited to read Karaoke Funeral by Tania Rochelle. I have no idea whether the book of poetry would be helpful. But just in case.

 
Even the World Cup is not immune to the infiltration of karaoke. Due to recent drops in ratings, the penalty shoot outs will be replaced by karaoke contests.

Celebrity karaoke - Gerard Butler

Gerard Butler (from Phantom of the Opera, and 300) is apparently an old hand at karaoke. Here is a clip of him from July singing at a karaoke spot in Detroit. Demi Moore and Michelle Monaghan also hit the tiny stage that night.



Butler celebrated his 41st birthday in New York by singing Wonderwall and Mustang Sally with John Mayer.
http://www.examiner.com/celebrity-headlines-in-los-angeles/gerard-butler-s-awesome-karaoke-birthday-party
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1599137.php/Gerard-Butler-does-karaoke

The very model of a modern US president

Ok, so this is not karaoke, but it is musical. Those who are familiar with Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance will get a kick out of this.



Are there any karaoke fans who are Gilbert and Sullivan fans? I mean, other than my darling wife?

An online interview with the Revelator

I am proud to say that my fame is starting to catch up with my over-inflated ego! There is an online interview of me posted at Karaoke HQ.

Thank you, Kat!

Gwenyth Paltrow on Glee!

Gwenyth Paltrow has been a long time advocate of karaoke. She has never (to my knowledge) turned down a request to lend her star power to an event for one of the karaoke charities, such as KOUGH Karaoke Opportunities for Unkempt Geeks and the Homeless, or ERK (Equal Rights for Karaokephiles). Many will recall that it was her sheer determination that brought together KK (Karaokeholic Konfidentialous) that has does so much to turn around the lives of karaoke addicts everywhere.

Gwenyth has appeared in two of my previous blogs. The first was for appearing in the greatest karaoke flick ever produced, Crusin'. Just recently, I published a blog where I quoted some bloviator who had the unmitigated audacity to say that Crusin' is a movie that only a karaoke fanatic could love.

Gwenyth finds her way to my blog a third time. My sources tell me that she will be appearing on Glee, which has been voted an Emmy in 2010 in the category "TV show that is most like karaoke in it's hokeyness, but which isn't quite as bad as American Idol". She will be singing the original words to Cee-Lo's recent hit song: "Forget You".

Porn star karaoke

I found out about Porn Star Karaoke from NPR. No, really. National Public Radio.

The NPR story was about Alex Jablonski and Michael Totten, who decided to do a documentary once a month for a year. Almost like a certain karaoke blogger who has written a karaoke blog every day for over a week now!

Jablonski and Totten called the project Sparrow Songs. You can see all twelve of the short documentaries at their website, or on vimeo. The first documentary is about the fellow who inspired them, a song writer who has put together an album every month for a year. Documentary #5 is assembled from a twelve hour visit to a donut shop. Documentary #8 is about a circus family.

And documentary #3 is about the karaoke bar Sardo's of Burbank. You can go sing there pretty much every night, but on Tuesday night, they offer something with a twist. There are porn stars there.

Here it's a relaxed environment where people can get together, have some drinks, enjoy themselves and see your favorite performer do something ... out of the ordinary, which is, get up on stage and sing rather than go on stage and have sex.

Sardo's put together their own video of Pornstar Karaoke. I dunno. Somehow they missed out on the seedy and pathetic parts of the Jablonski / Totten documentary.

By the way, Sardo's has family night on Fridays. I am John the Revelator Seymour, and I am no relation to Seymour Satin, owner of Sardo's.

Karaoke movie premieres Nov 26

Finally!  They are doing a movie about karaoke, scheduled to open on November 26!! It's been a long dry spell since Duets. We did get that quick little snippet in everybody's favorite movie Sex and the City II. Finally karaoke will be taken as serious mainstream stuff.

That's what I was thinking when I first heard about Freak Out. Then I started digging for more details.

The movie stars 18 year old Jillian Clare, who plays on Days Of Our Lives. What? Sandra Bullock wasn't available?

The movie is being produced by the folks who bring you the teen soap Victorious on Nickelodeon. Uh-oh. Second warning sign. I don't spend a whole lot of time watching teenie-bopper shows on Nickelodeon.



The movie is about a karaoke competition. The winner gets to go out with Jade's boyfriend, Beck. OMG!  How can they defile something as sacred as a karaoke competition?!?!?   Oh well. I guess I need to wait longer for that Great American Karaoke Movie.

Time to karaoke with Barbie!

I saw a Facebook post saying that Mattel has come out with a line of three Barbie ladies of the 80s.

The news is a bit dated, since the dolls were introduced almost a year ago. But still, Mattel has immortalized three great ladies of rock in the 80s: Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, and Debbie Harry. And there is at least one more lady of rock from the 80s who has become a Barbie Girl: Cher. Note that the Cher doll is wearing her uber-sexy outfit from her 1989 If I Could Turn Back Time video. Wow. That still gives me chills. (Honey... my birthday is coming up...)

These Barbie dolls tie back to a recent post of mine, where I reported spending literally hours of time painstakingly compiling an almost infinite number of lists into the definitive list of best songs of the 80s. Naturally, it makes sense to wonder how Mattel did at picking their dolls? Did they pick the best of the best?

Actually, Mattel didn't do too bad. Three of the four ladies are on my definitive list. Here are the most popular songs from these three ladies and where they ranked.

Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun   (#18)
Joan Jett - I Love Rock 'N Roll   (#19)
Debbie Harry - Call Me   (#58)

Cher, surprisingly enough didn't make it on my best of the 80s list. Evidently, none of the ten websites I looked at knew that If I Could Turn Back Time was recorded in 1989. That's too bad.

Cher and Joan Jett did make it on my list of crowd pleasing karaoke songs. I am guessing Cher might be embarrassed about this, but I Got You Babe is her only entry in the best of karaoke. It is the #2 duet. Joan Jett's I Love Rock 'N Roll was a well deserved #9 on the list of best karaoke.

I think Mattel missed an important female artist from the 80s, though. Madonna had two hits that were high on my list:

Madonna - Like a Virgin (#4), Material Girl (#21).


Incidentally, Mattel also sells a karaoke Barbie. Well... actually it is an American Idol Barbie. But, you can certainly pretend that she is singing karaoke.

OMG is that bad PR!

On June 22, Hilton Worldwide got some of the worst PR imaginable. I quote from USA Today:

Chinese authorities shut down one of Hilton's flagship hotels in the country indefinitely as they investigate an alleged brothel operating in the hotel's independently run karaoke club, reports say.

OMG... they run karaoke at that hotel?!?!?!?  Stay away from that place! 

This is too much....

Come on guys... enough maligning of karaoke!!!

http://www.buyawardsandtrophies.com/resin-karaoke-toilet-trophy-p-2476.html?PID=4010397&refid=cj

Good website for karaoke articles

I found a Facebook page that is posting links to a lot of good karaoke articles. The Facebook page is called "MySpace Karaoke".  (I wonder how Facebook feels about that!??!)

I just took a little stroll through recent postings... they have a couple videos of folks in the Sugarland karaoke contest, a link to an article with karaoke tips for guys who can't sing, another link with tips on how to avoid karaoke embarrassment, and a link to a list of good karaoke tunes for Halloween.

I'm liking it. Thanks Kat!!

BTW... for information about the MySpace karaoke contest, visit a previous blog of mine, or have a look at their site.