We found ourselves back in overflow mode by the end of the week ...
So here's another Saturday Evening Post treat for you all!
Dash Crofts, one half of the soft rock duo Seals and Crofts, has passed away. He was 85.
Seals and Crofts scored eight Top 40 Hits between 1972 and 1978, starting with “Summer Breeze,” a #6 pop hit in 1972. Two of their other hits also made The National Top Ten: “Diamond Girl” (#6, 1973) and “Get Closer” (#4, 1976).
While Jim Seals handled most of the lead vocals on their best known hits, Dash sang one of my favorite Seals and Crofts tunes, “King Of Nothing” (#50, 1974). Seals passed away back in 2022. (His brother was England Dan Seals, one half of the hit-making soft rock duo England Dan and John Ford Coley. England Dan also went on to enjoy some success on the country charts. Dan passed away in 2009.)
Seals and Crofts first met when they were members of the hit instrumental group The Champs, who scored the eternal #1 Hit “Tequila” back in 1958. Glen Campbell was also briefly a member of that group alongside the future duo. (kk)
>>>Songwriter Chip Taylor has passed away. (March 23rd) He composed the ‘60’s monster hits “Wild Thing” and “Angel Of The Morning.” (Could there be any two more diverse songs on a songwriter’s resume?!?!) kk
I thought the exact same thing! It started me thinking...Was he ADD, OCD, Bi-Polar or just extremely creative in a wide range of inspiration?
Shelley
Earlier this year Paul McCartney hinted that a new album may be coming once he got off the road … and the first track just dropped on Thursday, March 26th.
FH Reader Clark Besch just happened to be listening when Radio Merseyside played it for the very first time (they were honored with the world premier) … and tells us a little bit about it …
Hey all, the new Macca song waxes nostalgic. World Premier was on just now and the link below will put you to the station that just played it. (It sounds like they will be featuring it a lot.)
Paul writing "Secret Code!" Sounds familiar. Funny little bits of Beatles trivia mixed throughout. Indeed, nothing stays the same and nothing can replace the world we left behind, Paul. He mentions Liverpool places, kinda like the way Ringo uses his past in his songs, too. Pretty cool nostalgia! He said a new LP coming, too. He released it here because he wanted the people of Merseyside to hear it first.
The first single, “Days We Left Behind,” had its debut at 2:50 p.m. in the U.K. on BBC Radio Merseyside, because, (as one of the station’s hosts said), “The song is all about Liverpool, all about [McCartney’s] roots, and he wanted the people of Merseyside to hear it before anybody else.”
Radio Merseyside - Listen Live - BBC Sounds
Actually, it sounds pretty good … probably one of the best tracks he’s done in the past ten years or so … and it’s encouraging to hear as a preview to what the rest of the album may sound like. (The version Clark sent me was taped off the air and loaded with massive echo and Paul's voice sounded great! … maybe he should use that effect on ALL of his new songs!!! Hey, why not … Capitol did it for years!) Much cleaner versions are posted below.
The new album is called “The Boys Of Dungeon Lane” and is scheduled for release on May 29th. Once again, much like “McCartney,” “McCartney II” and “McCartney III,” the album features Paul handling most of the vocals and instruments himself. The initial track, “Days We Left Behind,” also acts as the title track to the new LP, thanks to the “Boys Of Dungeon Lane” lyric it contains.
The new LP is produced by Andrew Watt, who also produced The Rolling Stones’ most recent release, “Hackney Diamonds,” on which McCartney appeared. Sessions reportedly date back to 2021 and the album promises to be a stripped down, very nostalgic affair. Based on this first release, I can’t wait … (and I haven’t been looking forward to a new Paul McCartney album in quite some time!) kk
From the promotional information we received on 3/26:
BRAND NEW PAUL McCARTNEY LP - THE BOYS OF DUNGEON LANE - Release Date 5/29/26
A collection of rare and revealing glimpses into memories never-before shared,
along with some newly inspired love songs, from one of the most culturally
significant figures of our time. These extraordinary new songs find Paul
writing with rare openness about his childhood in post-war Liverpool, the
resilience of his parents, and early adventures shared with George Harrison and
John Lennon long before the world had ever heard of Beatlemania. Pressed on
black vinyl. Includes 12-page lyric booklet and embossed cover artwork.
Track Listing:
SIDE A: 1. As You Lie There, 2. Lost Horizon 3. Days We Left Behind, 4. Ripples in a Pond 5. Mountain Top, 6. Down South, 7. We Two.
SIDE B: 8. Come Inside, 9. Never
Know, 10. Home to Us, 11. Life Can Be Hard, 12. First Star of the Night, 13.
Sailsman Saint, 14. Momma Gets By.
Congratulations to WRCO’s Phil Nee who just let us know that his
Saturday Night Oldies Show, “Those Were The Days,” is now in its 40th
Year! Congrats, Phil! (kk)
I’m excited for this weekend. As we all know, my friend Pam Enzweiler-Pulice has been working on her special project for over a decade now. Well, all her hard work is coming to fruition as the Streaming Release and the Red Carpet Premiere of “The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story” have been announced. DJ Dick Biondi was a well known personality in Chicago on radio stations such as WLS-AM & FM, WCFL and WJMK (Magic 104.3) for nearly three generations. In fact, Dick was the first Disc Jockey in America to play The Beatles.
The documentary’s Red Carpet Premiere is this Sunday evening, March 29th at the Des Plaines Theatre and I am excited to be going with “Radio’s Best Friend,” Art Vuolo. As you know from previous posts on this site, tickets are still available. If you cannot make it to the Premiere, you can catch it on streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ … or, of course, you could always buy the DVD!
For nostalgic purposes, here’s an interview I did with Pam and John Records Landecker at WSBT-TV in South Bend several years ago as the project was just getting underway. See link for video.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v4bQQCUZxY
Ted Gorden Smucker
>>>"Chuck's Cherished Chotzkies Collection," are my Personally Designed, Limited Edition "Must Have Souvenirs" honoring the man who once watched a meatball from "On top of a Pizza, roll off the table and onto the floor. And then his poor meatball rolled out of the door!"
But Chuck, they will still roll out the door! And I will have wasted my money! Make them square please.
Shelley
Hmm … I suppose that could explain our less than brisk sales … (kk)
Tom Cuddy sent us this nice profile piece on Russell Thompkins, Jr. of The Stylistics (well, now the NEW Stylistics, as there is a competing band out there with the group’s original name as well)
Hey Kent,
How coincidental is it that you posted a picture of The Smithereens with Tommy James taken at the Chicago airport on Saturday, WHEN we just saw the band in concert the night before here in Largo, Florida? I found it quite interesting that apparently they flew out of Tampa on Saturday morning on their way back home to New Jersey, but yet had a layover in Chicago. Of course, with airplane travel the way it is nowadays, I guess it's not too strange.
That's my cue to tell you about what a great show it was!!! There was no Tommy James playing with them but their lead singer for the show was the great John Cowsill. Ever since their lead singer Pat DiNizio passed in 2017, the Smithereens have used several different artists subbing as the lead vocalist including Marshall Crenshaw and Robin Wilson (of The Gin Blossoms.) Having seen the band many times in all incarnations, I have to admit that John Cowsill (in my opinion) has come the closest to capturing the late Pat DiNizio's sound.
Their great classic rock, power pop sound filled the 400 seat sold out theater that had everybody rockin' and singing along to every song. After playing just a fabulous show of their best songs and a few deep cuts, they ended with guitarist Jim Babjak doing his best Pete Townshend propeller spins on his instrument while playing the Who's classic song from Tommy, "Sparks." Then it was time for their first hit "Blood And Roses," which ended the show proper. But no, here come the encores;
First up, the Beatles song "Please Please Me," then the Badfinger hit "No Matter What" and then finally finishing up with perhaps the bands most well-known song, "A Girl Like You!"
The band looked like they were having a better time than the audience! And to show their appreciation, they did something that almost all artists will not to do nowadays. They came out to the lobby afterwards and sat down and greeted and signed everything that was put in front of them while posing for pictures until every last person was taken care of. Who does that anymore? Can it get any better than that?
Yes, I had seats in the very front row at the total cost of ... just $50! What a great night of rock and roll!! Oh, and one more thing, other than John Cowsill singing, it WAS and STILL IS the original band of Jim Babjak on guitar, Dennis Diken on drums and long-time bassist Severo Jornacion.
The following pics were taken by my longtime girl friend Alice Lima except for the last photo taken by me ‘cause she is in it with the group.
Rich Turner, Largo, Florida
From our long-time FH Buddy Charles Rosenay! …
Here’s an update on this year’s Monkees Convention …
I was in Los Angeles last week, and my priority was to take a photo at The Monkees Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
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With the new Beach Boys Box Set now available … and several new “Pet Sounds” tributes coming in May … and Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band now out on tour … the timing couldn’t be better for a brand new Phil Miglioratti interview with Al Jardine!!!
From Phil:
In our latest episode, hear Phil Miglioratti’s interview with the one and only Al Jardine! We get the scoop on upcoming shows in which Al will perform Pet Sounds for its 60th anniversary, and a new arrangement of "Cottonfields."
Al shares his final conversation with Brian Wilson. Phil reviews Al's recent live show, in which he performs the album The Beach Boys Love You.
Phil also shares the story of a rare Al Beach Boys stage shirt he was gifted back in the 1960s.
Mark Dillon provides a hot take on "Sloop John B." We also talk about Bruce Johnston stepping away from touring, and the recent leak of 400 unreleased Beach Boys / Brian tracks.
This jam-packed episode is available wherever good podcasts are shared, including Amazon Alexa, Apple Podcasts, and all the great platforms:
https://on.soundcloud.com/GUvCqgz2nBG4H8xhVL
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3uYjOUmitNZ88e7cy9FbgK...
https://music.amazon.ca/.../surf's-up-a-beach-boys...
https://www.podbean.com/ew/dir-ubtpy-2c20f18b
Valerie Perrine, Oscar nominated actress for "Superman," passed away at 82. Always liked her work. Would sometimes see her at my local market. Would know she was around by her cars license plate. It said RATS. Backwards that's STAR!
Here is a photo I took of her.
Jim Roup
I liked her, too ... thought she was exceptional in the Lenny Bruce movie, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. (kk)
We interrupt this post to bring you this very important announcement.
Regarding the two recent, and Very Rare, errors appearing in Forgotten Hits . . .
>>>Clearly, our proof-reader has been sleeping on the job as BOTH of these errors should have been caught and corrected immediately before posting. I can’t really fire the guy ‘cause he’s working for free … but as punishment I DID take away his rather worn copy of the “Whipped Cream” album cover and locked it up in a storage space where he won’t have access to it again till the end of the month. Apologies to all for these oversights … we usually run a tighter ship around here! (kk)
Just ask Chuck Buell, the Head of our Forgotten Hits AUDIO Quality Control Department. (kk)
"Before ANY Audio is included in any Forgotten Hits Posting, the Song goes through rigorous research and intensive testing by our Extensive and Highly Trained Audio Staff to find the absolute Pristine Copy for posting."
Meeting the High Standards and Expectations of our Valuable Forgotten Hits Readers is Priority Number One.
With a Bullet.
We now return to our error-free Forgotten Hits post currently in progress.
CB
It is unfortunate when these errors creep through … and a bit depressing as we always strive to put out the best product possible. That’s why we really do appreciate when readers point these things out so we can go back in there and fix them.
On the plus side, I would like to say that (in the absence of my “rather worn” original copy), I was able to find this totally awesome looking picture disc to distract me from my gaffs … and bring me a little pleasure while I licked my wounds. (kk)
HELPING OUT OUR READERS:
A random question …
Looking for a group of Italian-American brothers who played in a band together in Chicago, circa 1965. One played a double bass.
Not a lot to go on.
Jen Ali
Boy, I’ll say!!! But you never know. A good number of ‘60’s Chicago musicians are on our list – so let’s see if anything turns up! (kk)
And one more from Chuck ...
