B-Sides: The Most Rad B-Side Ever
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This weekend’s B-Sides song makes me feel like I can accomplish something. What exactly, I’m not sure. But damnit, listening to “Break the Ice” from the motion picture Rad makes me want to do something, anything, and the power of John Farham’s stirring vocals makes me believe I can do it – whatever “it” is.
Rad was Hal Needham’s 1986 Karate Kid on BMX bikes. You know how you see a movie as a kid and grow up thinking it’s the greatest thing ever but others keep telling you it’s just childhood nostalgia clouding your judgment? That’s not the case here. Rad truly is one of the greatest movies ever made, and I will punch any man or woman that dares to disagree. Okay, physical violence might be going too far, but if you’ve got a problem with Rad, then go get your BMX and meet me at Helltrack because I’m gonna take you down Cru Jones-style.
The first rule of Karate Kid rip-offs is there must be a bullied teenager.
The second rule of Karate Kid rip-offs is an older mentor must take the teen under his wing and school him in a particular physical activity with which to school the bully.
The third rule of Karate Kid rip-offs is that there must be at least one montage-ready pop song with motivational lyrics that must be sung with the utmost of inspiration.
One of the reasons Rad is arguably the greatest of the Karate Kid rip-offs is that it has at least three or four such stimulating power ballads. John Farham’s “Break the Ice”, which opens the film amid a montage of real-life BMX riders performing stunts, is neck-and-neck with his other Rad soundtrack offering, “Thunder in Your Heart” (heard during the closing credits amid a montage of more actual BMX riders performing even more tricks) for the most inspiring Rad song. But since I stumbled upon a genuine MTV music video for “Break the Ice” (I had no idea such a video even existed!), I’m presenting it here to you to hopefully inspire you to do something great with your life this New Year just like the character in the motion picture who accomplishes his dream of making a career out of doing flips on a bicycle.
Footnote: Rad is still unavailable on DVD or Blu-ray. This is a travesty.
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Categorized:B-Sides
