Here's what we got after our Double Dose of Weekend Comments ran ...
re: SLOW DOWN!!!:
whew ... you're on fire lately ... hard to keep up on the reading ...
slow down!
renfield
lol ... you're not kidding!!! I'm having a hard time keeping up myself!!! In fact, I had to schedule a couple days off this week just to sort through everything that's left ... and I'm STILL not done! The volume of comments have been unreal lately ... always a good thing, but unfortunately it makes it impossible to work on NEW stuff when I spend every night sorting through the OLD stuff!!! However, I've always felt that if people take the time to write (which we ABSOLUTELY encourage you guys to do ... after all, that's what Forgotten Hits is all about!), the least we can do is run the best of the comments we receive. So we're doing the best we can (without completely overwhelming you guys, of course!) kk
yeah ...and i need time to absorb the knowledge for the finals ... so that when you hand out degrees ... i'm on the graduation line ...
renfield
re: THIS WEEKEND:
Stars of Broadway's BEATLEMANIA LIVE! to Perform Saturday, Oct. 23 in St. Charles
Event Set for 8 pm at Historic Arcada Theatre
ST. Charles, IL - October 18, 2010 - The stars of Broadway's BEATLEMANIA LIVE will perform this Saturday, October 23rd, at the historic Arcada Theatre. The show begins at 8 p.m. at 105 E. Main Street in downtown St. Charles. Tickets start at $29.
"Every era of the Beatles' career will be represented with larger than life Broadway lights and sound, bringing full orchestration to capture their greatest hits from the Ed Sullivan, Shea Stadium, Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road eras," said Ron Onesti, president of Onesti Entertainment and owner of Arcada Theatre. "'Yesterday,' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' 'Penny Lane,' 'Let It Be,' and 'Something,' are just a few in this amazing 2-hour multimedia show."
With four complete, authentic costume changes, and four extraordinarily talented tribute artists performing with the original model guitars and drums as used by the Beatles, BEATLEMANIA LIVE blends intricate stage choreography with powerful visual effects that recreate the experience of a live Beatles concert, Onesti added.
Tickets start at $29 and are available NOW online at www.oshows.com or by calling the Arcada Theatre ticket line at 630.962.7000. Box office hours for in-person ticket support at Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main Street, St. Charles, are Thursdays, 2-7 pm.
And, speaking of Ron Onesti ...
Brock And Abrams is performing Friday, 10/22 at 8 pm at Onesti Italian Steakhouse & Supper Club, 18 N. 4th Street, St. Charles, IL. Call and make your Reservation Now! 630-584-1888
Thank you ; )
- Bob
Also performing this Saturday Night at The Star Plaza in Merrillville, Indiana ... Micky Dolenz and Peter Noone in what should prove to be one HELL of an oldies show!
Click here: Herman's Hermits feat. Peter Noone & Micky Dolenz of The Monkees
Janis Johnson of Chicago will be joining us at the concert ... she won tickets (courtesy of Peter Noone!) in our Forgotten Hits Give-Away ... and we can't WAIT to see the show! ALWAYS a great time ... if you're in the area (and free Saturday Night), give it a Whirl (as Peter might say!) kk
... and, speaking of Forgotten Hits Contest Winners ...
re: CONGRATULATIONS!!!:
Congratulations to our "Best Of Apple" CD Give-Away Winner, Chris Glutsch of Bluffton, South Carolina! A copy of the brand new CD (signed by Lon Van Eaton) is yours and will be on its way to you shortly! Thanks again to everybody who entered our little give-away (and special thanks, too, to Lon Van Eaton and David Salidor for donating the autographed CD!!!) kk
re: PIG LIGHT SHOW:
Thanks for mentioning the Pig Light Show - they were a big part of the late 60s at the Fillmore East. I know that Marc and the Pig Light Show really appreciate it.
Also Marc works with the Electric Prunes and Blues Magoos and has been friends with Howard Kaylan for many years.
Thanks again!
Billy
re: THE LATEST ON THE BUDDY HOLLY FOUNDATION:
Kent,
Here's an update on the "Buddy Holly" event for next year (some interesting additions):
http://www.buddyhollyguitarfoundation.org/Davie Allan
Some VERY cool, big names are attached to this thing ... thanks for keeping us posted, Davie! (kk)
re: JUMA SULTAN:
Hey Kent ...
I had the pleasure and the honor of meeting and talking with Juma Sultan this past August when I was at The National RockCon with The Rip Chords.
He is a really amazing person.
Before we took a photo together, he said to me, "Since you are in The Rip Chords, I won't charge you for this photo".
We both got a big laugh out of it as this photo was taken.
I really felt like I was standing alongside history.
Here's the photo....
Mitch Schecter / The Rip Chords
Now that's an EXCELLENT idea! Thanks, Mitch!
If you'd like to see a copy of this photo, simply send $5 to Forgotten Hits and we'll email you a copy! (Just kidding ... maybe! Hey, we've got to figure out SOME way to make a buck doing this after all these years!!!) kk
re: BLACK COUNTRY STARS:
>>>Country music audiences have been very kind to Rucker, embracing him in a field that typically doesn't see a lot of Black break-out stars. (Name two other than Charley Pride!) kk
Saw the above passage on your comments page, and while I can't name two black country stars other than Charley Pride, I can name one: harmonica player De Ford Bailey, the first black star of the Grand Ol' Opry (Sun Records owner Sam Phillips: "Hell yes, I remember De Ford Bailey!")
His entire recorded output consists of only eleven titles recorded between 1927 and 1928 but he was amazing. Got all eleven on a Document CD entitled, appropriately enough, 'Harp Blowers: 1925-1936'.
Sorry if I took the discussion in another direction but I had to share.
Ed
OK, so I should have been more specific (lol) ... successful black country SINGERS from the past 25 years ... but you're right, if De Ford Bailey was the very first Black artist to join The Grand Ole Opry, his honor SHOULD be noted. Thanks, Ed ... you ALWAYS enlighten us with your knowledge of musical history! (kk)
re: WAKING UP IS HARD TO DO:
Kent,
Great comments package today -- and glad to see you mentioned "Waking Up Is Hard to Do" by ... The Laryngospasms. Ronnie Allen features their song on his site, too.
They're a group of Twin Cities anesthesiologists who have gained "fame" in the national medical community, of all places, by doing parodies of pop songs. They add "medical terms" and themes to a whole bunch of songs, far beyond their Neil Sedaka tribute (which has gotten an incredible 6.3 million hits on YouTube). They include: "Mr. Gasman," "The Little Old Lady With Her Fractured Femur" and "Ring of Fire" (which deals with hemorrhoids).
And they sing really well.
Here's their story of how they got started -- http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/style/93798834.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU Don Effenberger
Very cool! This was my first exposure to them and I thought it was GREAT! Made it our Pick Clip Of The Week! Now I'll have to check out some of these others. Thanks, Don! (kk)
re: STEVE GOODMAN:
Kent:
Great to see your post with the Sun-Times clip about the Steve Goodman post-office dedication that invokes his "Go, Cubs, Go." Goodman often doesn't get his due.
You might be interested in my 800-page biography, "Steve Goodman: Facing the Music." The book delves deeply into the genesis, context and effects of "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" and its semi-sequel, "Go, Cubs, Go."
You can find out more at my Internet site (below). Amazingly, the book's first printing sold out in just eight months, all 5,000 copies, and a second printing of 5,000 is available now.
It won a 2008 IPPY (Independent Publishers Association) silver medal for biography.
If you're not already familiar with the book, I hope you find it of interest. 'Nuff said.
Clay Eals
Seattle, WA
http://www.clayeals.com/
Wouldn't it be cool if Bob Stroud would feature Steve Goodman's "Go Cubs Go" on the next Rock And Roll Roots CD?!?!? And that's coming from a lifelong SOX fan!!! (kk)
re: REEL-TO-REEL:
>>>For those of us who recorded reel to reels and cassettes in the 60's, maybe we are the ones with the lasting product? See site: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2010/10-194.html Wouldn't be a shame if all those digital rap songs went away someday. :) (WLSClark)
Kent ... You had a mention of US reel-to-reel tapers from the olden days. YEP, I WAS A TAPER MOST OF MY LIFE! I go all the way back to the 'toy' battery operated recorders that used 3 inch reels. I went thru a dozen of them over the years, moving to state of the art when I was older. Horrible quality by today's standards, but it was like magic in the 2nd grade! I got out of reels very late ... but was still able to sell off my collection for use as blanks (before they turned to oxide dust) for a pittance. AND I had the 'smarts' to pay a place to convert some 'special' tapes to high quality cassettes. These were 'talking' tapes ... me and the guys getting stoned in high school, me and the guys getting stoned in college, me and the guys getting stoned at the AXP frat house. YOU MAY NOTICE A THEME. I have tons of hilarious taped material, blackmail material? for former 'stoners' now pillars of society and industry ... (yeah, I'm a prick for salvaging and saving them) ... BUT IF I DIDN'T CONVERT THEM THEN, THEY'D PROBABLY BE LOST! Seems transistors don't age well and tapes played poorly on my old tape deck. AND the biggie? REEL-to-REEL went digital a long time ago ... I don't know where I could go now for ANALOG conversion of tapes ... IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING TO SAVE FOR POSTERITY, DO IT QUICKLY ... You may still have time...(gary) RENFIELD
www.RIPRenfield.com
re: JIM PETERIK:
Hey Kent,
Just got back from Port Edward Restaurant in Algonquin, where Jim Peterik and Lisa McClowry performed a handful of tunes live on 87.7 radio for Rick O'Dell's Sunday Brunch show.
Drawing mainly from Lisa's album Time Signatures, which was beautifully produced by Jim, Peterik played jazzy acoustic guitar behind Lisa's expressive vocals on the Peterik-penned title track, plus single "Waiting for You," and the Ides of March's "Come Dancing" from their recent album, Still 19. The McClowry / Peterik co-write "Roses for No Reason" falls squarely in Streisand territory and Lisa acquitted herself with confidence and emotion on the Broadway-style ballad. Peterik, purple hair intact, trotted out "Vehicle" with the usual festival accoutrements, standard intro and crowd-supplied horn section, but McClowry's verses added a touch of Brasil 66 to the proceedings. Finishing up with "Eye of the Tiger," the two singers were regaled by the standing-room-only audience with a big ovation and a long line of well-wishers. This was a special opportunity to see these talented and personable singers up close and personal, and they delivered as the true professionals they are.
Guy Arnston in Algonquin
re: NEIL DIAMOND:
I was reading "Forgotten Hits" and played "Delirious" by Neil Diamond and Brian Wilson and was struck by the sheer beauty of Brian's layered backround vocals. The contrast between Diamond's rough lead and Brian's backup was striking and beautiful. Dolph
The contrast in their vocal styles actually play very well off each other ... not a hit, but a track we figured our readers would want to know about. (kk)
re: CHEESECAKE:
Should Barbra Streisand's butt cheeks be considered cheescake?
http://barbra-archives.com/record/albums/superman_streisand.html
>>>Maybe you did run Herb Alpert's Whipped Cream album cover a bit much. But I will never stop enjoying the My Sharona picture sleeve! (The Great and Wonderful Malcolm)
>>>It IS quite titillating, isn't it??? (kk)
You bet your sweet bippy it is! ;-)
John
re: ON THE RADIO:
Hi Kent,
I'm pleased to announce my latest radio interview show. It's with Billy Vera.
For years I have been mispronouncing his last name. Being a big fan of the wonderful Dame Vera Lynn, it's probably understandable that I always pronounced it "Billy VEERA." Many other deejays pronounced it that way as well.
But it's actually pronounced "VERRA" (rhyming with "Yogi Berra"!
Billy is an incredibly talented singer, songwriter, actor and music historian. As a recording artist he has had national hits as a member of a duo, a solo singer and the leader of a group.
Billy initially achieved success by writing hits for Barbara Lewis and Rick Nelson. But it wasn't until late 1967, when he recorded a groundbreaking duet with Judy Clay (he was white and she was black) called "Storybook Children," that most of the record-buying public began knowing him by name; he co-wrote that song with Chip Taylor and it became a duet classic. The following year his recording of Bobby Goldsboro's poignant "With Pen And Hand" became the first of several pop hit versions of that song.
But it wasn't until the 80s when Billy achieved his biggest success. He was the leader of a horn-based R&B-styled group called Billy Vera and The Beaters. In 1981 he and his group had a top-40 hit with "I Can Take Care Of Myself" and followed-up with the less-successful "At This Moment" which stalled at #79. But five years later that original recording of "At This Moment" (he did NOT re-record it) amazingly zoomed to #1 on the chart. It didn't "just happen" though: there was a good reason for it, and of course we cover that during the interview.
He has many other accomplishments, including writing a #1 country hit for Dolly Parton, acting in movies and on TV and being involved in the production of over 200 CD compilations!
To say he has had quite a career is putting it mildly!
He's an amazingly versatile talent and one heckuva nice guy as well. You can check out his Facebook page and send him a personal message. (Don't be shy about telling him how much you loved this interview!) Most likely -- unless he's out-of-town -- he will quickly send you a personal reply.
Following is a list of the tracks in sequence, including the two bonus tracks.
1 Opening (looped excerpt from a recognizable recording under my introduction)
2 Mean Old World -- Rick Nelson
3 Make Me Belong To You -- Barbara Lewis
4 Make Me Belong To You (excerpt) -- Fats Domino
5 Don't Look Back -- The Remains
6 Storybook Children -- Billy Vera and Judy Clay
7 Country Girl - City Man -- Billy Vera and Judy Clay
8 With Pen In Hand -- Billy Vera
9 I Really Got The Feeling -- Dolly Parton
10 I Can Take Care Of Myself -- Billy Vera and the Beaters
11 [his minor hit follow-up] (excerpt) -- Billy Vera and the Beaters
12 At This Moment -- Billy Vera and the Beaters
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS TRACKS:
The Bible Salesman -- Billy Vera
Peanut Butter -- Billy Vera and the Beaters
My Billy Vera radio interview show, recorded exclusively for the Jersey Girls Sing website is on this page: Ronnie's Radio Page
Ronnie Allen
re: OH YEAH!!! ... JUST KIDDING!:
We wouldn't REALLY do that, would we?!?!?
Here's a picture of Mitch Schecter of The Rip Chords with Juma Sultan at RockCon ... followed by one of Michele and Bob Abrams with Juma ... and one of Bob with Vince Martell of Vanilla Fudge ... Juma has been playing a lot with Vince recently in the New York and New Jersey Area.
MITCH SCHECTER and JUMA SULTAN
(at ROCKCON 2010)
http://www.soundunwound.com/music/juma-sultan/19980625?ref=IO
