On the 50th Anniversary of his death, Programming Guru John Rook recently posted a very moving tribute to his boyhood friend Eddie Cochran ... LOTS of great memories and some incredibly rare photos ... you can check it all out right here:
Eddie Cochran: Fifty Years and we still “Don’t Forget” him.
http://www.johnrook.com/
re: NEW STUFF:
Kent,
Have you heard about the new John Lennon Singles Bag (limited edition): Capitol / EMI
Individually numbered Kraftpak envelope with button & string closure; custom plastic adaptor hub; 24" x 36" poster + three postcards; Three 45 RPM vinyl singles with replicated original artwork:
Single 1: John Lennon "Mother" / Yoko Ono "Why"
Single 2: John Lennon "Imagine" / John Lennon "It's So Hard"
Single 3: John Lennon "Watching the Wheels" / Yoko Ono "Yes, I'm Your Angel"
Dave Beard / Endless Summer Quarterly
Actually, no, I hadn't heard about this .. thanks, Dave!
re: ROCK CON:
Here is an updated list of artists expected to be appearing at the first-ever Rock Con coming up this summer:
Here is an updated list with a few omissions of the "guest rock artists attending WOAHRS". Some of the artists cannot be announced as yet. Ticket information is also included and thanks for your support of the upcoming show.
George Dassinger
ROCK CON: WEEKEND OF A 100 ROCK STARS – TICKETS NOW ON SALE
MEADOWLANDS SHERATON JULY 30 – AUGUST 1, 2010
The three-day fan fest, Rock Con: “Weekend Of A 100 Rock Stars” is turning into one of summer 2010’s most anticipated music events. Tickets for the 3-day show (July 30 – Aug. 1st ) at the Meadowlands Sheraton in E. Rutherford, NJ, are modestly priced on a daily basis and there are special “Silver Record” discounts available now in regards to entire weekend packages – rock@nationalrockcon.com (203-795-4737).
The current “Rock Guest List” includes some of rock’s great voices, instrumentalists, one hit wonders, TV personalities and radio disc jocks.
This is a partial list of confirmed “rock stars” attending “Weekend Of A 100 Rock Stars” in alphabetical order:
Davie Allen & The Arrows – classic instrumentals and soundtracks – “The Wild Angels”
Mary Balin – vocals (along with Grace Slick) in Jefferson Airplane - Jefferson Starship
Sid Bernstein – legendary rock impresario, manager and promoter
Beverly Bremers – hit single “Don’t Say You Don’t Remember Me” 1972
Pete Bremy – Vanilla Fudge – Cactus (bassist) – originally from Paterson, NJ
Glen Burtnik – Electric Light Orchestra – Styx – member of LaBamba And The Hubcaps
Freddie Cannon – hit single “Palisade Park” 1962 (written by Chuck Barris)
Kristen Capolino – 19 year old singer / songwriter / guitarist – “All That I Am”
Peppy Castro – Blues Magoos vocals and guitar wiz
Clay Cole – The Clay Cole Show (1959-68) – the rock and roll studio dance TV show
John Ford Coley – hit single “I’d Really Like To See You Tonight” 1976
Clarence Collins – Little Anthony & The Imperials – 2009 Rock HOF inductee
Gene Cornish – The Rascals (guitarist) -1997 Rock HOF inductee
Ron Dante – The Cuff Links – The Archies lead singer - #1 hit in 1969 with “Sugar”
Dinky Dawson – rock’s most famous sound man – The Beatles, Led Zep, Pink Floyd
Pat Dinizio & The Smithereens – the NJ band posted “Rock Con” on their site recently
Walter Egan – hit single “Magnet And Steel” 1978 – a gold record went to #8
Fanny – original “mothers of chick rock” 1970-75 – WB Records
Dennis Ferrante – recording engineer and Grammy winner 2000
John Ford – The Strawbs – joined in 1970 adding his percussive style to the band
Pete Fornatale – WFMU – WNEW-FM radio personality – “Mixed Bag” radio specials
Robert Gordon – hit singles “My Gal Is Red Hot” – “It’s Only Make Believe” 1976-78
“Little Anthony” Gourdine – Little Anthony & The Imperials – 2009 Rock HOF inductee
Gerrit Graham – “Beef” in “Phantom Of The Paradise” – co-writes with Bob Weir
Barbara Harris – hit single w/The Toys “Lover’s Concerto” 1965 went international
Greg Hawkes – The Cars (keyboards) was the backbone of the quirky group from Boston
Pat Horgan – Thunder Road’s lead singer / guitarist – played with the Talking Heads
John Idan – The Yardbirds – 1992 Rock HOF inductee – rejoined in 1994 as lead vocalist
Tommy James & The Shondells – multiple hits – “Hanky Panky” 1966 (14 Top 10 hits)
Jay & The Americans – multiple hits including “She Cried” 1963 (12 Top 10 hits)
Eddie Kelly – American Bandstand the regular everyone remembers – late ‘50s - ‘60s
Bruce Kulich – Kiss 1984-96 – joined Grand Funk Railroad 2001
Bryan Laye – “Tangerine Lane” 2009 LP – recently recorded with Dave Mason
Ian Lloyd – Stories – “Brother Louie” 1971 - co-founded with Michael Brown / The Left Bank “Walk Away Renee” fame
Vince Martel – Vanilla Fudge’s lead guitarist – born in the Bronx, toured with Hendrix
Spanky McFarlane – Spanky & Our Gang - Mamas & Papas vocalist extraordinaire
Ian Mitchell – Bay City Rollers 1976 – “Saturday Night” 1976
Rick Mullen – Commander Cody – Don McLean – Van Morrison – Savoy Brown
Alannah Myles – hit single “Black Velvet’ 1989 - still a haunting radio song today
David Peel – David Peel And The Lower East Side – legendary New York band
Andy Pratt – hit single “Avenging Annie”1973 and more than a one-hit wonder
Paul Peterson – hit single “My Dad” 1962 - starred in the “Donna Reed Show” 1958-66
Louise Robey – hit single “One Night In Bangkok” 1984 (written by ABBA)
Harriet Schock – wrote the hit single “No Way To Treat A Lady” 1975
Nelson Slater – “Wild Angel” LP produced by Lou Reed is a collaboration to note
Earl Slick – David Bowie – John Lennon (featured guitarist) - journeyman
Ronnie Spector – multiple hits including “Be My Baby” 1963 – 2007 Rock HOF inductee
Tom “T-Bone” Stankus – Dr. Demento – the comedic “Existential Blues” 1980
Kasim Sultan – Utopia – Meat Loaf - bassist and lead singer - journeyman
Terry Sylvester – The Hollies – 2010 Rock HOF inductee – replaced Graham Nash
Livingston Taylor – hit single “I Will Be In Love With You” 1970 – brother of James
The Angels – hit single “My Boyfriend’s Back” 1963 – they’re featured in “Jersey Boys”
The Delicates – “Submarine Race Watcher’s Theme” and grew up in Belleville, NJ
The Fifth Estate – hit single “Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead” 1967 – an international hit
The 1910 Fruitgum Company – “Simon Says” 1968 went to #2 – pre-British invasion
The Human Beinz – hit single “Nobody But Me” 1967 - featured in 2004 “Kill Bill” film
The Rip Chords – hit single “Hey Little Cobra” 1964 - worked with Terry Melcher
The Soul Survivors – “Expressway To Your Heart” 1967 sold a million copies
Jonathan Tiersten – Jonathan Tiersten And The Ten Tiers – Queens-own born and bred, Jonathan is a singer / musician / actor (hint: name “Ricky” mean anything?) now leading his own band, Ten Tiers.
Dean Torrence – Jan And Dean – pre-dated The Beach Boys 1963-64 with hits and tragedy - “Dead Man’s Curve”
Tuff Darts – Tommy Frenzy – John DeSalvo – J, Morrison are back
Hilton Valentine – The Animals (guitarist) – 1994 Rock HOF created a riff copied still
Gary Von Scyoc – Elephant’s Memory – John Lennon’s band – featured on Lennon’s “Live in New York” and The Mike Douglas Show w/John and Yoko
Jane Weidlin – The Go-Go’s – “Our Lips Are Sealed” 1982 – she wrote the song, too
Shaun Weiss – “Elvis” on Pee Wee’s Playhouse – “Greg Goldberg” in Mighty Ducks - his father was the accountant for The Beatles, Nat Weiss
Johnny Winter w/guitarist Paul Nelson – two legendary guitarists – “Live / Johnny Winter And” (1971) is Johnny’s best and Grammy nominated “I’m A Bluesman” which features Paul Nelson, is his best – meet them in person.
PR Contact: George Dassinger gdassinger@yahoo.com 973-890-1008
Sounds like a pretty amazing event ... thanks for keeping us posted, George! (kk)
And, since I see that Walter Egan is going to be there, let's revisit this one one more time!
re: MAGNET AND STEEL:
>>>I thought I still had a snippet of us doing "Magnet And Steel" on the computer but I couldn't find it. (kk)
Attached is Blind Spot's version of Magnet and Steel for you's guys.
Hey, look at that "handsome" drummer ; )
Cookie
Sent in (of course) BY that handsome drummer ... I believe this is a full rehearsal of the song! Thanks, Cookie! (kk)re: THE FLOCK:
Hey Kent,
I finally made it through your series on Chicago band the Flock and have a couple of things to add. First, I have a stock copy of "Tired of Waiting" on a Columbia 45, so it was issued to stores. It also credits the Flock as composers. England and Canada both put it out, as did Holland, Germany, Italy, Malaysia and Spain, the latter five all with picture sleeves. As for singles from the second album, "Dinosaur Swamps," I have a promo copy of "Mermaid" b/w "Crabfoot," both songs written and arranged by the group. Holland had a picture sleeve with their release, as did Germany. "Clown (Parts 1 & 2)" was issued as a single with a picture sleeve in France. All these records were on local Columbia labels.
"Dinosaur Swamps" and "The Flock" were both issued on vinyl and 8-track at the time they were first released. Australia had a vinyl version. Germany and Holland each issued the double LP package which included the first two albums. These were also all on Columbia.
Arnie Roth is currently the music director and conductor for the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra, which calls the Rosemont Theater its home.
By the way, the correct descriptive title for my affiliation with the Illinois Entertainer is former long-time Editor. Ken Voss was the founder and original publisher. Thanks for taking the time to put together a great, informative piece.
Guy Arnston in Algonquin
(Former long-time Editor of The Illinois Entertainer)
Thanks, Guy ... knowing your affiliation with all of our Local Heroes, that means a lot! (kk)
re: OLDIES FAVORITES:
I just got this list from one of our readers ... I just love "fan countdowns" and have done a couple of interesting ones myself over the past few years. (Check out The Forgotten Hits Web Page to see recent tabulations of our readers' All-Time Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides and Instrumental Hits!!!)
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Your Top 200 Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Top 40 Instrumentals, 1955 - 1979
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Top 20 Favorite Psychedelic Songs
Hot on the heels of Rich Appel's Hz So Good / I.R.S. Countdown (It Really Shoulda Been A Top Ten Hit) comes THIS tabulation from Philadelphia's Bruce Scott:
PHILADELPHIA’S MOST-REQUESTED OLDIES
© 1980, 2005 Bruce Scott - May not be stored, forwarded, or retransmitted without express permission
•Most-requested oldies on the Bruce Scott Friday Night Oldies Show which aired on WPWT (FM), Philadelphia, PA from June 1978 through February, 1980
(Tabulated from actual listener requests • [Ties broken by popularity among station staff])
1. IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT - Five Satins
2. A TEENAGER IN LOVE - Dion & The Belmonts
3. MY GIRL - Temptations
4. SINCE I DON’T HAVE YOU - Skyliners
5. THEY’RE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY, HA-HAA! - Napoleon XIV
6. SIXTEEN CANDLES - Crests
7. RUNAROUND SUE - Dion
8. IT’S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE - Conway Twitty
9. BUILD ME UP, BUTTERCUP - Foundations
10. SILHOUETTES - Rays / Herman’s Hermits (combined*)
11. OPUS 17 (DON’T YOU WORRY ‘BOUT ME) - Four Seasons
12. SAD GIRL - Jay Wiggins
13. TEARS ON MY PILLOW - Little Anthony & The Imperials
14. BRISTOL STOMP - Dovells
15. ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK - Bill Haley & His Comets
16. AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH - Diana Ross / Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
(combined*)
17. GLORIA - Cadillacs / Vito & The Salutations / others (combined*)
18. YOU BELONG TO ME - Duprees
19. DUKE OF EARL - Gene Chandler
20. THERE’S A MOON OUT TONIGHT - Capris
21. THE WANDERER - Dion
22. HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN - Animals
23. HOLD ME, THRILL ME, KISS ME - Mel Carter
24. BLUEBERRY HILL - Fats Domino
25. CALIFORNIA GIRLS - Beach Boys
26. JAILHOUSE ROCK - Elvis Presley
27. UP ON THE ROOF - Drifters
28. IT’S A MIRACLE - Barry Manilow
29. CHAPEL OF LOVE - Dixie Cups
30. RUNAWAY - Del Shannon
31. LOUIE, LOUIE - Kingsmen
32. BARBARA ANN - Regents / Beach Boys (combined*)
33. RAG DOLL - Four Seasons
34. YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ - Righteous Brothers
35. TONITE, TONITE - Mello Kings
36. HEY THERE, LONELY GIRL - Eddie Holman
37. I’M A BELIEVER - Monkees
38. PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE - Rascals
39. LOVE ME TENDER - Elvis Presley
40. UNDER THE BOARDWALK - Drifters
41. HE’S SO FINE - Chiffons
42. OH, BOY! - Buddy Holly
43. WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
44. CRIMSON AND CLOVER - Tommy James & The Shondells
45. SURFIN’ U S A - Beach Boys
46. YOU SEND ME - Sam Cooke
47. SOLDIER BOY - Shirelles
48. SEA CRUISE - Frankie Ford
49. (LET ME BE YOUR) TEDDY BEAR - Elvis Presley
50. A LOVER’S CONCERTO - Toys
51. YESTERDAY - Beatles
52. SHERRY - Four Seasons
53. (I CAN’T GET NO) SATISFACTION - Rolling Stones
54. THE TWIST - Chubby Checker
55. THE TEARS OF A CLOWN - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
56. WIPE OUT - Surfaris
57. 96 TEARS - ? (Question Mark) & The Mysterians
58. LEADER OF THE PACK - Shangri-Las
59. SHE LOVES YOU - Beatles
60. CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE - Elvis Presley
61. (YOU’RE MY) SOUL AND INSPIRATION - Righteous Brothers
62. LONG, LONELY NIGHTS - Lee Andrews & The Hearts
63. KICKS - Paul Revere & The Raiders
64. MY WAY - Frank Sinatra
65. HOUND DOG - Elvis Presley
66. MONSTER MASH - Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers
67. GOODNIGHT, SWEETHEART, GOODNIGHT - Spaniels
68. SKY PILOT - Animals
69. BOOK OF LOVE - Monotones
70. IF I FELL - Beatles
71. THAT’LL BE THE DAY - Buddy Holly & The Crickets
72. WORKING MY WAY BACK TO YOU - Four Seasons
73. BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY - Four Seasons
74. DAWN - Four Seasons
75. ALL SHOOK UP - Elvis Presley
76. SURFER GIRL - Beach Boys
77. GOOD VIBRATIONS - Beach Boys
78. OOH, BABY, BABY - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
79. (SITTIN’ ON THE) DOCK OF THE BAY - Otis Redding
80. VALLERI - Monkees
81. BLUE MOON - Marcels
82. DEVIL WITH A BLUE DRESS / GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit
Wheels
83. ANGEL BABY - Rosie & The Originals
84. OH, DONNA - Ritchie Valens
85. BECAUSE (I LOVE YOU) - Dave Clark Five
86. DOWNTOWN - Petula Clark
87. IMAGE OF A GIRL - Safaris
88. A TOWN WITHOUT PITY - Gene Pitney
89. THEME FROM ‘A SUMMER PLACE’ - Percy Faith and His Orchestra
90. ALWAYS AND FOREVER - Heatwave
91. THE GREAT PRETENDER - Platters
92. WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Don and Juan
93. I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW - Tommy James & The Shondells
94. MACK THE KNIFE - Bobby Darin
95. SLOW DANCIN’ (SWAYIN’ TO THE MUSIC) - Johnny Rivers
96. INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS - Strawberry Alarm Clock
97. DAY TRIPPER - Beatles
98. SIXTY-MINUTE MAN - Billy Ward & His Dominoes
99. THE HUSTLE - Van McCoy
100. TURN TO STONE - Four Tops
Honorable Mention: (only barely missed the Top 100 - and way ahead of the rest of the pack): SORRY (I RAN ALL THE WAY HOME) - Impalas
(*combined = callers didn’t differentiate between which version they wanted or didn’t express a preference, i.e., said “either”)
MOST REQUESTED ARTISTS (combines individual songs requested with callers requesting, “Can You Play Anything By _________?”)
1.BEATLES
2.ELVIS PRESLEY
3.FOUR SEASONS
4.BEACH BOYS
5.DION / DION & THE BELMONTS
6.TEMPTATIONS
7.ROLLING STONES
8.SUPREMES / DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES
9.DRIFTERS
10.BUDDY HOLLY / CRICKETS
(Show aired Friday evenings, 6 p.m. - 9:55 p.m., from June, 1978 through February 1, 1980)(Heaviest areas of phoned-in requests, from recollection: South Philadelphia, Center City, Powelton Village / University City / West Philadelphia, Delaware County, South Jersey)Original List © 1980; This updated reprint © 2005, Bruce Scott
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
Killer Comments!
Blossmwrld
Thanks, Folk! We'll be having very limited postings here for a while ... because of a couple of other projects that require the bulk of my attention right now, I'll be taking a bit of a break from the day-to-day postings of Forgotten Hits. Please know that we hope to have some very exciting announcements to make in the near future ... and that we will post what we can, when we can over the next several weeks. In the meantime, watch for email updates as things develop. We encourage you to continue to send your comments and news releases to the forgottenhits@aol.com email address, knowing that we will post whatever we can in a timely fashion ... but I apologize in advance for any delays that my current schedule may cause some of these announcements. Thank you for your continued support and understanding. (kk)
