Richard Cheese presents Johnny Aloha: Lavapalooza

This should be pretty funny stuff:

http://www.lavapalooza.com/

Just bumping this up - got this email from Richard Cheese a little while ago:

JOHNNY ALOHA "LAVAPALOOZA" CD PRE-ORDER

The all-new JOHNNY ALOHA "LAVAPALOOZA" CD, produced by RICHARD CHEESE, is available for pre-order at http://www.johnnyaloha.com. Get 2 copies of the CD for just $8.08 each!

This pre-order price ends September 30, then the price goes up! ORDER NOW!

http://www.johnnyaloha.com/

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RICHARD CHEESE PRESENTS
JOHNNY ALOHA: LAVAPALOOZA
TIKI-STYLE HAWAIIAN MUSIC VERSIONS OF ROCK & RAP HITS

Waikiki's lazy laid-back lounge singer Johnny Aloha performs tiki-style Hawaiian music versions of popular rock and rap songs. Imagine Don Ho singing Weezer and you've got the picture.

His debut CD, "LAVAPALOOZA," which was produced by Vegas lounge legend Richard Cheese, will be released on Coverage Records in October 2010. The album includes tiki/exotica/Hawaiian music arrangements of hits like "Paradise City," "Cruel Summer," "Gangsta's Paradise," "Island In The Sun," "Thong Song," "Pocketful Of Sunshine," and "Last Resort."

The CD cover artwork was done by SHAG, and exclusive prints will be available from http://www.johnnyaloha.com in November.

"I discovered Johnny Aloha in Honolulu, he was performing in a resort cocktail bar," says producer Richard Cheese. "He's a great singer. In fact, he is so good, he sounds a lot like me."

From his headlining gigs at Honolulu hotels to his surprise performances at Tiki Bars around the world, Johnny Aloha has become famous for his casual crooning, his stylish Hawaiian shirts, and his perpetual pursuit of the perfect pina colada.

http://www.johnnyaloha.com/

JOHNNY ALOHA "LAVAPALOOZA" CD
TRACK LIST
01 VACATION
(originally by The Go-Go's)
02 CALIFORNIA GURLS
(originally by Katy Perry)
03 PARADISE CITY
(originally by Guns 'N' Roses)
04 STEWARDESS ANNOUNCEMENT
(enjoy your flight!)
05 GANGSTA'S PARADISE
(originally by Coolio)
06 LAST RESORT
(originally by Papa Roach)
07 ROCK LOBSTER
(originally by The B-52's)
08 CLINT EASTWOOD (featuring Taimane Gardner)
(originally by Gorillaz)
09 DRINK TO HAWAII
(original song by Johnny Aloha)
10 THONG SONG (featuring the birds of the Lavapalooza Tiki Room)
(originally by Cisqo)
11 CRUEL SUMMER
(originally by Bananarama)
12 POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE
(originally by Natasha Bedingfield)
13 ALMOST PARADISE (starring Slipknot's Corey
Taylor & Richard Cheese)
(originally by Loverboy)
14 SUMMERTIME (featuring Olena Heu)
(originally by Will Smith)
15 ISLAND IN THE SUN
(originally by Weezer)

Just received my copy today and love it.

I especially love "Drink To Hawaii", an original written by Johnny Aloha himself that could be a Paul Page song. If there ever was to be a Tiki lounger hymn, this is it. Much like the recent Ding Dong Devils release, these lyrics speak OUR language.

I also dig the spoken intros to some of the tunes, the Tiki Room parrot one is spot on. And Olena Heu's voice on "Summertime" has got to be the sexiest sounding leisure recommendation ever committed on record.

A new performer has been added to the Exotica lexicon - Johnny Aloha!
A crooner in the style of Mel Torme or Don Ho or, of course, Richard Cheese.

With a tagline like the following:
TIKI-STYLE HAWAIIAN MUSIC VERSIONS OF ROCK & RAP HITS

I gotta say I was a little apprehensive approaching Johnny Aloha's new release after reading the song selection. There's a wide range of 80s New Wave, rock, and rap/gangsta rap that share only the narrowest connection to Hawaii/Tiki via their titles and/or lyrics about the beach and paradise

In fact I was actually a bit horrified to see songs such as "Gangsta's Paradise","Last Resort" and "Thong Song" on the CD set list as they really have nothing to do with Tiki Style or Polynesian paradise. But I was happy when I heard them offered in Johnny Aloha style. A bird call-and-bongo intro gives way to Yma Sumac voices and tribal chanting with vibraphone lead that make the very un-Tiki Papa Roach song "Last Resort" amusingly Exotic. And "Thong Song" seemed an even more dubious choice but when I heard the rough mix of it I was dazzled by the genius of producer Richard Cheese slipping the Thong Song into the Tiki Room conversation, with appropriate sexual innuendos, between Jose and pals (Richard Cheese as an un-PC Fritz). It was so well done I agreed to be the executive producer to see this song completed and offered to the public!

So I got the CD in the mail a week or so ago
At first listen the Johnny Aloha treatment seemed to be a slightly repetitive formula but every one of these songs has grown on me and each have their own flair and clever gimmicks.
In stark contrast to the original vapid but catchy and super upbeat rap/dance track, "Pocketful of Sunshine" ends up smooth but monotonous in the JA Lounge set. Similarly Rock Lobster is a bit boring save for the cool "Mister Bongos" riff at the end that segues right into Clint Eastwood which nicely includes Hawaiian language chorus. "Island in the Sun" is also a little slow but so is the original Weezer tune.

Don't get me wrong, the first three tracks had me hummin along and chuckling at the same time. I really like the Go Gos and the Katy Perry video for California Gurls w Snoop Dogg is great, so to hear Lounge version of them is even better. And even though I am not big on Guns n Roses, I can dig the crooney version of their hit!

If for nothing else, you should buy this CD for the ukulele and steel guitar version of (gasp) "Almost Paradise." I can't believe I am listening to this song and actually liking it! Slipknot's Corey Taylor & Richard Cheese make cameos in a Cheesey cover of the horrible side of the 80s "Footloose" love theme "Almost Paradise." Ladies and gentlemen, introducing steel guitar hero Jeremy Wakefield!

But wait, that's not all - "Drink to Hawaii" is an instant classic Tiki tune. The only original penned by JA. The lyrics are a simple but witty rhyme, yet when Johnny Aloha croons them they come to life as an ode to Tiki drinks that would make Jimmy Buffet roll over in his grave (is Jimmy Buffet dead yet? Please.). You gotta hear this tune even if you do not like Johnny Aloha or Richard Cheese!!!

"Airplane Announcement" is an obvious nod to new Exotica music heroes Tikiyaki Orchestra. (see "Bachelor #1")

Did I mention it has original artwork by Shag? And uke by Taimane Gardner http://taimane.com/

This CD is going to get lots of play at my monthly Otto's Grotto gig at Forbidden Island

I wish Johnny aloha had a regular gig in Honolulu so we could all fly out there and see him. Everyone who went to Waikiki saw the Don Ho Show. Honolulu needs a new Don Ho. Johnny Aloha is it!
[hello, any Waikiki club owners out there listening to the general public?]

[ Edited by: Otto 2010-11-07 22:05 ]

Echoing Otto...this CD is a blast! It keeps growing on me with every spin. Packaging & liner notes are amazing. Wish I had the $$ to buy one of the Shag cover reproductions.

Well, I really wanted a copy, but the Loungemart website tells me to pay $11.60 for shipping !! That's a lot for just a CD ! And I don't like downloading on iTunes or such, as I like to get the physical and cover art.
And they say it will take more than 4 weeks to ship to Europe.

When I'm sending CDs to US, it costs me $2 and it takes a week !

ooh, it seems we'll get Aloha's tunes in all the major Tiki festivals next year, as seen on his website :

Look for Johnny Aloha at these annual tiki music events:
VIVA LAS VEGAS (April in Las Vegas NV)
TIKI CALIENTE (May in Palm Springs CA)
THE HUKILAU (June in Ft. Lauderdale FL)
LUAU AT THE LAKE (June in St. George NY)
TIKI OASIS (August in San Diego CA)

http://www.honolulupulse.com/tgifinprint/island-mele-lavapalooza-takes-a-turn-on-tiki-sound

I thought Drink to Hawaii was the best song on the album.