My A To Z Music Challenge

I recently came across the Blogging From A To Z Challenge on another blog and I loved the idea. Essentially over the course of one month bloggers write about a topic nearly every day. Each new blog is posted using each letter of the alphabet to help focus on a topic. For example, A for artwork, …

Now On Twitter

Shades Of Noir is now on Twitter!  Follow the blog's new Twitter page to see additional posts and content.  You can follow Shades Of Noir on Twitter @ShadesNoir Hope to see you there! Troy T.

Humphrey Bogart, The Movie Gangster

Early in his career film icon Humphrey Bogart found that he was being typecast. In the 1930's, years away from becoming one of Hollywood's biggest leading men, Bogart was frequently cast as a gangster. James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson rose to frame portraying gangsters. The only differences is they were the lead actors in …

Album Spotlight: Reborn by Stryper

Reborn is Stryper's sixth studio album, released in 2005.  It was the first album recorded after the band had reunited. In 1992 Stryper decided to disband and Michael Sweet went on to pursue a solo career. 2003 saw the band reunite to record two brand new songs for a greatest hits album.  A short, but …

Goodbye Powers Boothe

I am saddened by the recent news of the passing of actor Powers Boothe. He had a long and varied acting career appearing on television and the big screen.  His was a face recognized by many, but perhaps his name was not as well known. As a fan of his work I knew his name. …

Ranking The Mike & The Mechanics Albums

Mike & The Mechanics are currently promoting their recently released eighth studio album, Let Me Fly. This seems like a prime opportunity to reflect on and rank the band's eight studio albums. I have been a big Mechanics fan since the release of the band's first single Silent Running, back in 1985. It have been …

Song Spotlight: Through The Night, By Queen + Paul Rodgers

Let me begin by saying that I love The Cosmos Rocks, the sole studio album recorded by Queen + Paul Rodgers. On paper this combination really should not have worked. Queen's eclectic, over the top rock mixed with Paul Rodgers' working man blues. But in hindsight it was a perfect pairing. How do you fill …