Anything by Michael Been and The Call

The Fixx

and that one REO Speedwagon song...

"hey mickey" as done by toni basil. i love that sound of the percussion. i like the video too. that weird dancing she does blows my mind.

I remember reading one of Tortoise being interviewed - I think it may have been MacIntyre - and he was asked about any embarrassing records he was willing to admit to owning.

He replied, "Records aren't embarrassing," and I liked that.

I bought a Ricky Martin cd single once, of my own free will, and with my own money. It was 'Private Emotion', the duet with Meja (the one with the video where the hotel room was on fire). I sense that I should be embarrassed about this, but I ain't. I like the harmonies.

Occasionally I hear a song or record that I used to be well into when I was at school or something, and I feel a wince come on. But I'm pretty much okay with my record collection.

I tend to agree with Steve & Heather in that I don't feel "guilty," necessarily, for indulging myself with things that I know full well to be utter crap. I mean, Reese's cups still taste great (especially refrigerated) even though they're probably comprised of nuclear material. That said, here is some crap that I take a certain amount of pleasure in hearing, from time to time:

1. Nick Gilder's "Hot Child in the City"

2. any of Tennessee Ernie Ford's "boogie" numbers

3. Meatloaf's first record

4. Amii Stewart's cover of "Knock on Wood" (the disco version)

5. Red Sovine's lachrymose story-songs like "Teddy Bear," "Phantom 309," and "Giddy-up Go"

6. "Thunder Island" by Jay Ferguson

7. that Amazing Rhythm Aces song the refrain of which goes "third rate romance, low-rent rendezvous"

8. early REO, especially "Keep Pushin'," and most Midwestern 70's populist rock music

9. "Emotional Rescue"

10. the "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack

Appendix: Stuff I liked as a kid that I disavow entirely now and that no amount of misguided nostalgia can redeem--

Triumph

The Boomtown Rats

The Charlie Daniels Band

The Cars

The Who

Steely Dan.
I get crap about this from everyone (except my parents).

~~ CprlCoffee

Kiss
Gary Glitter
The Blue Nile
Various 1960s Bubblegum Pop (1910 Fruitgum Company, Ohio Express, Archies, etc) and girl group stuff
ABBA
The first two Danzig LPs (I think they're funny, but there are some good songs there...)
Alice Cooper
The Doors (though I really really hate the bluesy crap and Jim Morrison's trite "poetry")
I have a few video game soundtracks (predominantly 8- and 16-bit). This is sad.
First two Duran Duran LPs

I'm sure there's a lot of other stuff I'm not remembering...

My most obvious guilty pleasure... as most of you may be aware of if you read my posts is RUSH. Love it, all of it. I listen to these guys still. The first album I ever owned (not including the Great Muppet Caper) was Moving Pictures.

I absolutely love Rush. My favorite stuff is the 80's stuff. My two favorites are Signals and Grace under Pressure. I still love these Canuks.

The Cure would have to be other one. I even like the new album. I feel that Wish has some of the finest most underrated guitar playing ever.
Long live the Fender Bass VI!!!

My current guilty pleasure is "Absolute Affirmation" by Radio 4.

Does this band understand that this song sounds exactly like an INXS song?

oh god...all through highschool i loved the rollins band. i listened to 'em recently. there was no reason for me to like them so much. as a bandmate said, "they didn't age well."