re: NEW RELEASES:
The brand new Rolling Stones Documentary premiers on HBO on November 15th ...
This past week they released a one minute trailer for the film ...
You can catch it here:
SO much Stones stuff coming out now in celebration of their 50th Anniversary ... the new HBO Documentary, the brand new DVD "Charlie Is My Darling" ... and even a 4-CD Box Set featuring 80 of their greatest hits. 1962 was a VERY big year, apparently ... making 2012 so much more fun! (kk)
re: THE ROUTE 66 RADIO TOUR:
VERY positive response so far to our mention of the upcoming Route 66 Radio Tour ... with about nine months to go until the big event takes off, watch for more updates as they become available. And, with about 200 deejays on our list, here's hoping that many will take part ... as well as pass the information along through their own network of contacts and fellow jocks.
WOW!! So, I have until next summer to drag Connecticut across country to Route 66?
Shelley | ||||||||||||||||
re: CANADIANS IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME:
A while ago somebody wrote about a bias against Canadians getting into the Rock-n-Roll Hall Of Fame.
I'd like to add The Four Lads and The Diamonds to the list.
Frank B.
I don't know that too many folks out there would agree about The Four Lads' place in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... the recently mentioned Pop Music Hall of Fame or Hit Parade Hall Of Fame perhaps ... but probably NOT The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame ... they just don't seem to fit. The Diamonds, on the other hand, were one of the very first early rock groups on the scene, so I'll go along with that one. (In fact, I said as much when we last covered this topic.) But with SO many early artists continually denied, their spot is probably WAY down in the lower regions of the "consideration ballot" (if they're listed at all.)
Here was our original Canadian ballot:
Leading the list ... The Guess Who ... for a period of about four years, The Guess Who outsold ALL of the other Canadian recording acts COMBINED!!! Honorable mention should also be made for Burton Cummings (for his solo career) and Randy Bachman's post-Guess Who band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive. And how about Paul Anka, one of the most prolific songwriters and successful singers of the early rock era? How is it possible that THIS Canadian hasn't been recognized by The Hall? What about Bryan Adams ... or Jack Scott ... or Gordon Lightfoot? Andy Kim ... or the "roots of rock" sounds of The Diamonds and The Crew Cuts? Other than Neil Young (who's been inducted twice), Canadian artists are NOT very well represented in The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. And this isn't just my opinion ... it's a documented fact. There seems to be some unrecognized bias toward artists north of our border. (kk)
re: NOW THAT'S COOL!:
Micky Dolenz has placed a link to our Forgotten Hits website on his Facebook Page ... that's pretty cool! You can check it out here (along with all of his latest goings-on) ...
and check this out ... sounds like there's talk about having Jimmy Fallon come up on stage during The Monkees reunion to sing "Daydream Believer" in L.A. and New York City! (kk)
re: ANOTHER GREAT READ:
Legendary guitarist Jimmy Page has his brand new autobiography coming out this month ... check out the details here ...
And, speaking of legendary British guitarists, don't forget about London Studio Session Whiz Vic Flick's book, "Guitarman: From James Bond To The Beatles And Beyond". You can pick it up here:
And, speaking of Vic Flick ...
re: VIC FLICK:
Kent ...
I just read the letter from Vic Flick. Vic is a Master of the Guitar. I was listening to him way before I ever knew who he was! Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to get to know Vic on a personal level, and have even had the honor of being onstage with him once, at a Rip Chords show in Las Vegas a few years ago. Dr. Bob was with us on that one as well. As a matter of fact, Vic has two videos of that posted on the homepage of his website! www.vicflick.com Vic has been a great source of inspiration to me, and has offered some guitar playing suggestions to me that have made me a better player. I believe that in another 50 years, not only will the public be watching those classic James Bond films, they will also be talking about Vic along with Clapton, Page and a few others ... and they will still be listening to those great British Invasion hits that Vic played on and made his own. Congratulations on 50 years of The James Bond Theme ... and more, Vic!
Mitch Schecter / The Rip Chords
re: CATHY RICHARDSON:
Cathy Richardson's YouTube channel is worth checking out. Here's a neat video of her and Jim Peterik rehearsing the Jefferson Starship hit "Miracles":
Click here: "Miracles" rehearsal -- Jim Peterik and Cathy Richardson - YouTube
Click here: "Miracles" rehearsal -- Jim Peterik and Cathy Richardson - YouTube
David Lewis
>>>Bill may have had the word "survivor" in mind only referring to Paul Kantner ... He likely really intended to state the band was instead the current edition of Jefferson Starship ... These things happen.
BTW, the multitalented Cathy Richardson has been adamant that she be referred to as Cathy with a "C" and not a "K"... (John B. Krug)
Bill responds:
You are right, old wise one... It was Jefferson Starship not Survivor. Must have been the meds I am on. As for Cathy / Kathy Richardson's spelling, I was not sure how to spell it so I Googled it and cut and pasted the name from some web site. Hey everything on the Internet is true isn't it??
Bill
re: SOUNDS LIKE:
>>>I never noticed any similarity between "Yellow Balloon" and "Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter" before ... and just played them back-to-back right now and still don't really hear it. (kk)
Not so much the melody but the chord structure is essentially the same. Right after "Lovely" start with "It's like a jello balloon." When I'm playing it, I go into "Mrs. Brown" immediately after the word "balloon."
Alex Valdez
The Yellow Balloon
Well, I would never have made a connection if it had not been suggested. I took the 'test'. Just listening to 'Mrs. Brown' for tonality and melody, and then the same with 'Yellow Balloon'. My description is that 'Mrs. Brown' was converted into a happy song by giving upsweeps of notes instead of downsweeps.
IF you choose to connect them at all. Maybe.....? Is the suggestion that this was done on purpose? BTW, I think Peter would do a rocking rendition of 'Yellow Balloon'.
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
I've always loved both of these songs ... but would never have made the connection either, had Alex Valdez not pointed it out. Funny how certain songs inspire other songs. I learned just a few years ago that Bobby Goldsboro, a one-time member of Roy Orbison's touring band, took the opening guitar riff to "Oh, Pretty Woman", turned it around and, in the process, turned it into the opening guitar riff to his own hit "Little Things". John Lennon took Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" (which he heard Yoko playing on the piano), asked her to place those same notes in reverse ... and walla ... the beautiful ballad "Because" (from their "Abbey Road" album) was born! You just never know where or how the inspiration is going to hit you! (kk)
re: JERRY COLLINS:
Kent,
Many thanks for reaching out to some guys who were associated with Chase. I've noticed Jerry's absence from the lineup on the Chase LPs, but am still comfortable there's a connection that may never be clarified. Seeing Jerry's name alongside Bill Chase's on the liner notes for some 1960s jazz LPs - most notably some Woody Herman material - assures us these two guys had worked together at some point. We know for sure that Jerry was away from home a good bit during '72 - '74 when he was out touring, so I'm thinking he was perhaps part of Chase's touring band but didn't play on the studio material. As for the trombone being absent from Chase, I concur: although Jerry was primarily a trombonist, he, like many horn guys, most likely played trumpet as well. We're still digging around to try and locate some family members, and again thank you for checking with people who knew Bill Chase.
David
Many thanks for reaching out to some guys who were associated with Chase. I've noticed Jerry's absence from the lineup on the Chase LPs, but am still comfortable there's a connection that may never be clarified. Seeing Jerry's name alongside Bill Chase's on the liner notes for some 1960s jazz LPs - most notably some Woody Herman material - assures us these two guys had worked together at some point. We know for sure that Jerry was away from home a good bit during '72 - '74 when he was out touring, so I'm thinking he was perhaps part of Chase's touring band but didn't play on the studio material. As for the trombone being absent from Chase, I concur: although Jerry was primarily a trombonist, he, like many horn guys, most likely played trumpet as well. We're still digging around to try and locate some family members, and again thank you for checking with people who knew Bill Chase.
David
re: THE WALK:
Hi Kent,
Well I'm over thirty for sure now.
Maybe its the tension in the world from all the terrorism, but I for one did not appreciate "The Walk" video. Too much emphasis on guns and killing ... maybe ok in a movie but I want music to be fun.
I guess I'm just an old fuddy duddy now.
Charlie
Honestly, I didn't quite get the concept of that video either ... the song is SO much stronger when not played against those images. (But then again, look at the new Bob Dylan video posted here a few weeks ago!) kk
The new "The Walk" was pretty good. I like the Beatles' bootlegged "Get Back album" era version of Jimmy McCracklin's "The Walk" still the best.
It's not the greatest song the Beatles ever recorded, but IS the greatest record Jimmy McCracklin wrote and recorded in 1958 which went to #7 in Billboard's Hot 100. HEY, this showed up on a 1970 Beatles bootleg and I was enamored with it just because it was something NEW to play from the disbanded gang. McCracklin could not follow it up (Hey, "The Stroll" was already taken!) until he had six chart hits from 65-68! Another great St Louis blues artist. He is still alive and 91 now. Speaking of such, I was on vacation in St. Louis last week. They have a walk of fame with stars on sidewalk just like Cally. I would guess Jimmy is there, but I did not "walk" the whole row. Can you believe Chuck Berry still plays once a month at "Blueberry Hill" restaurant / bar in their college section of town? He's 85 and still duckwalking. Lots of pics of him in the place. Did you ever wonder where Chuck learned his guitar licks. Photos don't lie! It was not from McFly in Back to the Future!! Anyway, here's "The Walk" circa the "Get Back" sessions from the Beatles.
Clark
I never understood why this GREAT little Beatles snippet wasn't included on the official "Let It Be" release. It's a short-but-sweet little ditty that shows the guys just warming up in the studio ... and would have been a nice little segue cut. (Your version plays MUCH slower than mine does ... taken from the "Kum Back" bootleg, released at least six months before the REAL "Let It Be" album came out.)
It was SO cool to be familiar with these songs before the rest of the world ... even Paul McCartney's "Teddy Boy", which appeared on his first solo "McCartney" album in early 1970, was first done by The Beatles on what was SUPPOSED to be their "Get Back" album. I'll never forget picking up the McCartney LP three days before its official release date thanks to a VERY generous clerk at Rose Records in Downtown Chicago, who allowed me to purchase their window display. I called up my best friend, the oft-mentioned Brad Gould, and made him come over to hear it. We had already memorized the "Get Back" tracks by heart ... and were even playing some of them as unreleased Beatles tracks in our band!!! When I showed him that the ridiculously long and boring "Teddy Boy" was on McCartney's solo album, he couldn't believe it! (kk)
re: THIS AND THAT:
I watched the season premier of The Middle on ABC ... at the end of the show they played "A Summer Song". I forgot how much I liked this song. I looked it up on youtube ... I guess I also forgot how cute Chad and Jeremy were.
Stacee
Although we've never watched an episode of "The Middle", we just happened to catch that clip, too, switching the channel over early for "Modern Family". Yes, it's a great song ... and it always places near the top of our Top 20 Favorite Summer Songs Countdown. (This year it came in at #12 ...
Click here: True Oldies Channel ... and on our "Master List" it placed at #2
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Your All-Time Summer Favorites ... not bad (for a song you almost never hear on the radio!!!) kk
Hi there,
In your interview with Al Kooper he mentions a website which has a few of his "Kapusta Kristmas" albums online. Now I just want you to know, that you've put the wrong link. It's not http://www.badazzled.com, which has apparently nothing to do with music at all, but
http://bedazzled.blogs.com/bedazzled or even more exact
http://bedazzled.blogs.com/bedazzled/al-koopers-kapusta-kristmas.
Well, the mishearing (?) is easy to understand. ;-)
And by the way, I came to your site via Al's very own column "New Music for Old People", where he points to this interview.
Greetings from Germany
Paul
And by the way, I came to your site via Al's very own column "New Music for Old People", where he points to this interview.
Greetings from Germany
Paul
Thanks for the correction ... now other interested fans can find it, too! And welcome to Fogotten Hits ... hope you're enjoying what we do here. (Sounds like several of our readers have joined Al's "New Music For Old People" mailing list ... and we've picked up a few of his fans, too! Now how cool is that?!?!?) kk
Kent,
Interesting that your Friday's edition mentioned both Moon River and James Bond (Vic Flick).
Did you realize that the opening three notes of Moon River and and the opening three notes of Goldinger are the same? I believe Moon River is sung over a major chord and Goldfinger is sung over a minor chord. Strange isn't it.
Dave
Hoffman Estates
Kent,
Robert Black wrote you that of all Gene Pitney's songs, "the ONLY song I dug was 'Mecca'." I think it was one of Gene's best, too, and here's a brief tale:
Gene, of course, came from Connecticut, and I interviewed him a few times for the newspaper for which I worked (I also went to his wake, where the line stretched literally around the block). I once mentioned to him that I much admired "Mecca." He laughed and said that while he thought it was a good song, he himself didn't like singing it because the high notes were just too hard to reach!
In the late 1970s. he told me he was going on a European tour and was looking for suitable clothing ... I suggested a boutique retailer in Hartford who might be worth a shot (Gene was not familiar with the store). A few weeks later, I got a letter from the shop's owner thanking me for sending Gene to him! Apparently he ended up providing his whole wardrobe.
Henry McNulty
Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Robert Black wrote you that of all Gene Pitney's songs, "the ONLY song I dug was 'Mecca'." I think it was one of Gene's best, too, and here's a brief tale:
Gene, of course, came from Connecticut, and I interviewed him a few times for the newspaper for which I worked (I also went to his wake, where the line stretched literally around the block). I once mentioned to him that I much admired "Mecca." He laughed and said that while he thought it was a good song, he himself didn't like singing it because the high notes were just too hard to reach!
In the late 1970s. he told me he was going on a European tour and was looking for suitable clothing ... I suggested a boutique retailer in Hartford who might be worth a shot (Gene was not familiar with the store). A few weeks later, I got a letter from the shop's owner thanking me for sending Gene to him! Apparently he ended up providing his whole wardrobe.
Henry McNulty
Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Listened to the Randy Newman song and tho it IS the way Randy writes and sings, the song lyrics are not one of his better efforts, so I guess we can put him on one side of the political spectrum and Clint Eastwood on the other?
I don't know if you like the Mumford and Sons group that played here (Lincoln) last month, but I caught them on Saturday Night Live. I did not care for their new songs, but they dressed up like the Beatles in one skit and performed "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" during the pretty disgusting skit (aren't they all?) it was in. The band's drum set showed the band's name was "Hey Dude" -- pretty funny I thought. Did not find a clip of the skit itself, but if you load the show here:http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/september-22-joseph-gordon-levitt/1418198/
You can watch the "performance" if you wish at the 40 minute mark which is the middle white dot at bottom of video that allows you to go right to the skit. Pretty subliminal in choosing the performed song going along with what the spoken lines in the skit are about.
Have you received the new Record World chart book yet? I have not, but been on vacation, so maybe it will arrive today.
Great to read all the Ides of march stuff!!
I don't know if you like the Mumford and Sons group that played here (Lincoln) last month, but I caught them on Saturday Night Live. I did not care for their new songs, but they dressed up like the Beatles in one skit and performed "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" during the pretty disgusting skit (aren't they all?) it was in. The band's drum set showed the band's name was "Hey Dude" -- pretty funny I thought. Did not find a clip of the skit itself, but if you load the show here:http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/september-22-joseph-gordon-levitt/1418198/
You can watch the "performance" if you wish at the 40 minute mark which is the middle white dot at bottom of video that allows you to go right to the skit. Pretty subliminal in choosing the performed song going along with what the spoken lines in the skit are about.
Have you received the new Record World chart book yet? I have not, but been on vacation, so maybe it will arrive today.
Great to read all the Ides of march stuff!!
WLSClark
After reading so much press about the new Randy Newman track, I couldn't wait to hear it ... and was then equally disappointed.
Lots of press this past week about the Mumford and Sons rendition of The Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" ... I had not seen it ... but the GOOD news is, it prompted several radio stations to play the original version.
The Record World book is outstanding ... SO cool to have all this new information available ... redoing my personal chart stats now to accommodate some of these new national chart peaks. According to Joel Whitburn, it's the best response he's ever received on one of his Record Research books ... a good number of us out there thought that the Record World Chart Recaps would never see the light of day ... so thanks to Joel, we now have these available to us ... with a Cash Box Book reportedly also on the way (hopefully next year!)
I'm really pleased by all of the positive Ides Of March responses we've been receiving ... and SO cool that Jim Peterik has commented on much of this stuff himself ... really gives us a unique edge when stuff like this happens. (See following email)
Meanwhile, we're still trying to help Jim collect some cool Ides memorabilia for his upcoming autobiography ... and several readers have already made submissions. If anybody else out there thinks they may have something of interest to share, please let us know and we'll pass it along. (kk)
re: THE IDES OF MARCH:
Kent,
Wow!! Where else on the whole internet can you listen to and talk about some obscure song that Jim Peterik wrote and recorded 36 years ago and then have him respond personally!! I love this place!!
Dave
Hoffman Estates
Wow!! Where else on the whole internet can you listen to and talk about some obscure song that Jim Peterik wrote and recorded 36 years ago and then have him respond personally!! I love this place!!
Dave
Hoffman Estates
Thanks, Dave. It's this kind of stuff that makes Forgotten Hits stand head and shoulders above the rest of the oldies music sites out there ... and we couldn't be more pleased. As I keep saying, I'd love to get two or three hundred more artists on the list to share some of these incredible memories with our readers and their fans. (kk)
Kent,
I recall playing a gig with the Ides way back in 1970. My band was Faustus. It was fabulous 9-piece horn band replete with lead singer and 2-4 back up vocalists, me among them, so we were especially interested in seeing / hearing the Ides. They were very good, but I remember being disappointed because, as I recall, there was only one horn - a trumpet - and I think he was one of the guitarists. There we were with an excellent 4-piece brass section so we expected the same thing from the Ides. It was a music festival on a nice size stage on the side of a shopping center ... had to be 5,000 in the audience ... one of my favorite gigs of all time
Best,
Bob
I recall playing a gig with the Ides way back in 1970. My band was Faustus. It was fabulous 9-piece horn band replete with lead singer and 2-4 back up vocalists, me among them, so we were especially interested in seeing / hearing the Ides. They were very good, but I remember being disappointed because, as I recall, there was only one horn - a trumpet - and I think he was one of the guitarists. There we were with an excellent 4-piece brass section so we expected the same thing from the Ides. It was a music festival on a nice size stage on the side of a shopping center ... had to be 5,000 in the audience ... one of my favorite gigs of all time
Best,
Bob
I'm surprised to hear that as The Ides toured regularly with a full horn section at this time. I've probably seen them 25 times and NEVER been disappointed by a show. If you get the chance, check 'em out today ... every bit as good or better than they were back in the day. (kk)
If anyone is interested, there's a Ebay sale on the Ides "Extended Versions" live in Glen Ellyn 4/20/2002 for $2.54. Brand new. Still sealed. Released by Sony in 2006 (Sony A682505)
Ken Voss
re: FIRST 45's:
The first 45 I ever had was not really "mine"-- it was my parents'. I was only 5 at the time. But I know my dad bought it for my sake because I loved the song-- "Poison Ivy" by the Coasters. It probably wasn't a record my suburban parents would have wanted. I remember bopping around in the back seat of the car and singing along whenever they played it. So I know it was purchased for that reason.
The first 45 I ever bought with my own money was "Wonderful World"-- not Sam Cooke but Herman's Hermits. KRLA in Los Angeles was plugging the hell out of Herman's Hermits that summer. My mom, my little brother and I were in a TG&Y store in the San Fernando Valley and my mom bought something. We went back out to the car, but I yelled, "Just a minute!" as I made up my mind to spend the money to buy that record. I ran back and got it, making my mom and brother wait in a broiling hot car while I did so.
They've both been gone now for quite a while, but I still feel bad about that.
--Mike Devich
My first 45 was "Last Train to Clarksville" and I won it at a friend's birthday party. I still have it!
Lynn Roberts Grice
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
Hi Kent -
Thanks for diggin' "The Saturday Night Party" show on 94.7 WLS! It's a blast! Can't believe the show will be turning 5 yrs old in a few months.
Keep up the great work Kent -- Forgotten Hits is must reading every weekend for me! Love it!
Danny Lake
"The Saturday Night Party"
7-12 midnight
Sundays -- 7-12 midnight
94-7 WLS
Thanks for diggin' "The Saturday Night Party" show on 94.7 WLS! It's a blast! Can't believe the show will be turning 5 yrs old in a few months.
Keep up the great work Kent -- Forgotten Hits is must reading every weekend for me! Love it!
Danny Lake
"The Saturday Night Party"
7-12 midnight
Sundays -- 7-12 midnight
94-7 WLS
Love the Friday Flash!
Thanks for all the Beach Boys content!
Phil
