re: THIS AND THAT:
Here's one we missed in yesterday's radio column ...
I'm counting down the Top 100 of 1972 on Saturday's and Sunday's "The Rest Of The Week With Rich Appel," Saturday from 6 am -1 pm ET and Sunday from 10 am - 3 pm ET. Ranking is based on weekly surveys dated 1/1 - 12/31/72 from stations in all major U.S. markets, courtesy of survey statistician Tom Smith. Thanks!
Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!
- Rich
- Rich
Hopefully most of you will see this in time to still be able to catch at least part of Rich's very special weekend countdown. (kk)
Glad you made the change of plans. We're enjoying the random stuff through the holiday weekend.
Glad you made the change of plans. We're enjoying the random stuff through the holiday weekend.
David Lewis
Congrats to our FH Buddy John Madara, whose 1964 Hit "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore was featured on this week's episode of "American Horror Story" in a key scene. (American Horror Story has been resurrecting a number of songs from 1963-1964 this season, most notably "Dominique" by The Singing Nun, as it plays well into this year's storyline. "You Don't Own Me" ranks as one of my all-time favorites ... it's also being used in a series of NFL Jersey commercials ... and was recently used in a big anti-Mitt Romney political campaign. I just LOVE to see this one being passed to a whole new generation. (kk)
Kent ...
Congrats to our FH Buddy John Madara, whose 1964 Hit "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore was featured on this week's episode of "American Horror Story" in a key scene. (American Horror Story has been resurrecting a number of songs from 1963-1964 this season, most notably "Dominique" by The Singing Nun, as it plays well into this year's storyline. "You Don't Own Me" ranks as one of my all-time favorites ... it's also being used in a series of NFL Jersey commercials ... and was recently used in a big anti-Mitt Romney political campaign. I just LOVE to see this one being passed to a whole new generation. (kk)
Kent ...
Paul McCartney and John Fogerty Perform at Billionaire's 70th Birthday Party in Las Vegas ...
I think you should print this as a public service announcement for your wealthy readers.
Does that include you?
Frank B.
Frank B.
I heard about this last week ... man, what a show that would have been. (I heard Robin Williams was the opening act!!!) Nope, that'll never happen in my world ... unless this Powerball thing swings my way tonight! Since I know I'll never be able to throw a party this big, I'm going to concentrate on something else instead ... like how do you get on the guest list?!?!? (kk)
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Here's a shot of John and Paul (as in "other John") taken in Las Vegas last weekend ... from John Fogerty's Facebook Page. (Jeez, you'd think for a million bucks payday they could have found a better camera!!!) kk
Happiest of HOLIDAY seasons to you and yours ...
peace, health, success,
joyfulness
from TOMMY ROE and the BAND ...
Mike Campbell ... Drums,
vocals
Lee Brovitz ... Bass. vocals
TOMMY ROE ... writer, vocals,
guitar
Rick Levy ... manager, lead guitar,
vocals
Mike Liddy ... keys,
vocals
We watched a new movie last week starring Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley called "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" ... not a box office smash by any stretch of the imagination ... it has much more of an "indie" feel to it ... but it was pleasantly surprising, even if it did take a little bit to get where it was going. The payoff at the end (the last 15-20 minutes turn the whole film around) makes it all worthwhile. The soundtrack is killer for oldies buffs like us ... The Beach Boys, The Hollies, Herb Alpert and THIS great track by The Walker Brothers that brings a whole new meaning to "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" within the context of this film. There's even some intelligent discussion of vinyl as they carry their favorite albums with them on their road trip to say goodbye to all that was meaningful to them. Highly recommended ... but be patient and give it time ... as it's well worth the wait. (kk)
Hi Kent -
I wanted to take a moment to let you know the latest about our films "Wages of Spin" and "Charlie Gracie: Fabulous".
There have been over 500 combined PBS affiliate screenings and both films have been added to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Archives.
By the way, we should be done with the "Wages Of Spin" sequel in 2013.
Happy Holidays and Thanks Again for all your help over the years
Shawn
Entertainment Tonight Clip:
http://www.characterdrivenfilms.com/trailers.html
Charlie Gracie "Fabulous" Special Edition:
http://tinyurl.com/7y2n289
"Wages of Spin":
http://tinyurl.com/4l8sh5p The "Wages of Spin" has already been archived:
http://tinyurl.com/84p23xo
http://www.characterdrivenfilms.com/trailers.html
Charlie Gracie "Fabulous" Special Edition:
http://tinyurl.com/7y2n289
"Wages of Spin":
http://tinyurl.com/4l8sh5p The "Wages of Spin" has already been archived:
http://tinyurl.com/84p23xo
We will performing a 69th B'day Celebration at BB Kings club in NYC on February 7th and 8th 2013. Tix are already on sale and going quickly so enough said.
Al Kooper
Hey Kent,
I just wanted to weigh in your recent radio ranting. While I am in agreement that commercial radio’s refusal to play a variety of the great oldies we all love and hold dear, is incredibly frustrating, I will play devil’s advocate and try to see the glass as half full. Fighting this trend is just futile. The average listener just has no interest in any music that preceded their adolescence. Many of those in our general age group (we’ll call us “aging baby boomers”) just prefer to hear the repetitive, overplayed, small selection of tunes played on the air ad infinitum. (No need to name those songs. We all know them – the usual suspects haven’t changed for years and years.) Of course, a Forgotten Hits subscriber is not an “average listener” and we want more. So why am I so optimistic? We have so many options other than commercial radio today. You can bring up almost any song you can think of on YouTube almost instantaneously. You can purchase virtually any song on I-Tunes from the privacy of your own home. I subscribe to Sirius Radio XM and there are several great stations to choose from, including 50’s on 5 (outstanding), Siriusly Sinatra, Little Steven’s Underground Garage, Elvis Radio, Willie’s Roadhouse and Soultown. There are forums like Forgotten Hits at our fingertips where we can talk to our fellow fanatics from anywhere in the world and hear and read about our fave artists and songs 24/7. Finally, if you’re a completist and want great sounding copies of these songs from back in the day, you can pick up a catalog or check the website of a company like Collector’s Choice Music and order great CD box sets which sound better than they ever have (no ER or scratchy mono like the old days) and usually include booklets with loads of information and photos. The songs are generally in stereo (sometimes glorious mono) and are lovingly remastered by people who love the music the way we do. I say - forget commercial rock radio (I did years ago) and embrace all the options we have today to enjoy the many nearly forgotten artists and songs we still cherish.
Cheers and Happy Holidays!
Greg Favata
New Colony Six (and former Electric Shoe)
Twelve previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix recordings available on March 5th November 20, 2012 9:00 AM ET
On March 5th, a collection of 12 previously unreleased recordings by Jimi Hendrix will see the light. People, Hell and Angels follows Hendrix in 1968 and 1969 as he works on material apart from the Jimi Hendrix Experience and suggests new, experimental directions. The legendary guitarist was considering these new sounds for First Rays of the New Rising Sun, the planned double-album follow-up to Electric Ladyland. Hendrix toys with horns, keyboards, percussion and a second guitar, exploring fresh diversions from his legendary guitarwork. The album artwork is simple, yet as distinct as Hendrix's signature guitar wails. Be experienced yet again.
Can you explain to me WHY I continue to get 'alerts' from Eventful about George Harrison, Davy Jones, and Rob Grill? To find out what they are talking about, I keep pushing the 'link' buttons but never get any answers. What kind of system is this one? And WHY won't they send me John Lennon alerts ... lol
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
You really gotta wonder about that. (Of course years from now if somebody can figure out a way to make money doing it, we'll probably see a "Stuffed Beatles" tour!!!) I've given up on Eventful. Last year when we got a number of FH Readers to write in requesting a Chicagoland appearance by Burton Cummings, Eventful picked it up and ran with it ... and now there isn't a week that goes by when I don't get at least a couple of announcements of Burton Cummings appearances in our area ... except there aren't any!!! Cummings performed here on The 4th of July last year ... and that was it!!! Yet not a week goes by without some brand new "non-announcement"!!! I just don't get it! (kk)
More on Burton Cummings in this link sent in by FH Reader Tom Cuddy ... similar to the one we ran a week or two ago, it sounds like a healthier and happier Burton has no plans for retirement anytime soon.
50TH ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE ON SUPREMES OUT DECEMBER 8 -- EDITED BY BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MARK BEGO
December 8 will see the official release of the full-color magazine “50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION / MY SUPREMES / MARY WILSON” (Event Bookazines / Hudson News). The 128-page publication, edited by best-selling author Mark Bego, is a lavish and exciting remembrance of the top-selling female singing group of all time: The Supremes. The magazine will be available at Barnes & Nobel, Target, Walmart, Hudson News shops and wherever magazines are sold.
The Supremes were an American female singing group and the premiere act of Berry Gordy’s Motown Records during the entire decade of the 1960s. Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan in 1959, The Supremes’ repertoire included pop, soul, rock & roll, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco. They were the most commercially successful of Motown’s acts and are, and to date they are America’s most successful vocal group with 12 Number One singles on the “Billboard” Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown’s main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. At their peak in the mid-1960s, the Supremes rivaled The Beatles in worldwide popularity.
Mary Wilson’s career has continued to prosper with a series of well received solo albums, the most recent being “Life’s Been Good To Me” which is due to be released in early 2013. She also wrote the New York Times best-selling memoir: “Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme” in 1986.
Best-selling author Bego, who this month also releases his 60th book (his first novel called “Murder at Motor City Records”) first came aboard this project due to his 35 year friendship with Wilson; the two have been friends for years and Bego helped her write her two memoirs. Adds Bego, “Mary and I had been talking about doing some sort of retrospective to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the release of the album ‘Meet The Supremes.’ When we received the offer to do this magazine, it seemed like the perfect way for us to celebrate everything Supreme!”
According to Mary Wilson, “Mark and I have worked on several projects together, and I am thrilled to celebrate the entire legacy of The Supremes in one publication. With this magazine we were able to salute every one of The Supremes, our entire history, every one of our albums, and all of the group’s incarnations from the 1960s to the 1970s -- and beyond. We cover several decades of wonderful memories, and of course dozens of our sequined Supremes gowns in this magazine!”
Watching the AMA awards the other night, I've just got to throw down. Taylor Swift is the bomb dot com. I can't get over the whole package, commercial songs, stage routines, and to top it all off, she's super fine. Will she ever slow down? I know I'm an old joker but she does have the goods.
Also I never thought I'd say this, but I have to give Beiber his kudos ... he is pretty good ... goofy but good. It seems like he's on some kind of accelerant but I know it's just youthful energy. There were others as well, but Taylor set it off. Good to see clean kids doing their thing with credibility.
Alex Valdez
Those megalopolis names were floating around in my head for a loooooong time, and NOW I know where they came from! EVERY school in our area used Weekly Readers!
-- BOB FRABLE, Easton, PA
-- BOB FRABLE, Easton, PA
I loved The Weekly Reader and Highlights Magazine when I was a kid. School Teacher Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano tells us that "Weekly Readers" have been replaced by something called "Time For Kids" ...
Kent,
Weekly Reader has actually been replaced in most schools by Time For Kids ... yep, a subsidiary of Time Mag. BUT the kids will certainly relate to this, as the Time For Kids is not only written for kids, but by kids. Just a title change for the elementary school child.
Shelley
FH Reader / Endless Summer Quarterly Publisher / and Beach Boys Examiner Columnist David Beard sends us TWO links to pass along to our readers ...
Happy Thanksgiving & Anniversary!!!!
In the cover story for the new issue of Rolling Stone, Jimmy Page gives his deepest interview ever, speaking to Senior Writer David Fricke for more than eight hours about his post-Zeppelin drinking problem, the death of John Bonham, his life as a Sixties session guitarist, his favorite Led Zeppelin riffs, and much more. Here is an excerpt:
You formed the group and picked the players. Would you say Led Zeppelin was your band?
There was no doubt about that. At that time, absolutely. I’m the one presenting the material and giving the ideas, how these things should be done. But the ruthless efficiency – everybody went into the first album with that. Everybody knew how good we were. And we were strict in that if we were writing something and it sounded like something else we’d done, we’d immediately drop it. There was one tipping of the hat: “Tea for One,” which was like “Since I’ve Been Loving You” [onLed Zeppelin III]. That was intentional, to apply a different feel to that blues.
Were you hurt by the initial, negative critical reaction?
I was hoping you would ask that, writing for Rolling Stone [laughs]. There was a certain amount of acid poured on us. I could see it as venomous then. How I see it now? It went over their heads. I will give the reviewers the benefit of the doubt – each album was so different to the others. After Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II, you get III: “What’s this about? Acoustic guitars?” There were crazy con clusions: “They’re doing a Crosby, Stills and Nash.” That’s because your ears weren’t open to the first album, when there was quite a bit of acoustic guitar too.
Did the reviews make you mad?
It made me more determined. I knew what we had. We obliterated them in San Francisco on the first tour. [Led Zeppelin opened for Country Joe and the Fish at the Fillmore West for three nights in January 1969]. By the time we were moving on, through these other territories, everybody wanted to see what had come from the ashes of the Yardbirds.
-- submitted by Bill Cody
Kent,
Hope this finds you, Frannie and your families well!!
I can't believe it's been this long. I remember the Oldies and Freakin Oldies chat rooms and miss the camaraderie and love of oldies we all shared. Here in Greensboro, NC, we haven't had an Oldies station for years. I just listen to my albums, cd's, cassettes, and youtube to hear the oldies. At least I have passed my love of music onto all six of my kids and so far my oldest grandson.
May you all have a wonderful Holiday!!
Bill McBee
Friday November 23, 2012: Jimmy Page Looks Back on Led Zeppelin’s Epic Ride
Friday November 23, 2012: Jimmy Page Looks Back on Led Zeppelin’s Epic Ride
In the cover story for the new issue of Rolling Stone, Jimmy Page gives his deepest interview ever, speaking to Senior Writer David Fricke for more than eight hours about his post-Zeppelin drinking problem, the death of John Bonham, his life as a Sixties session guitarist, his favorite Led Zeppelin riffs, and much more. Here is an excerpt:
You formed the group and picked the players. Would you say Led Zeppelin was your band?
There was no doubt about that. At that time, absolutely. I’m the one presenting the material and giving the ideas, how these things should be done. But the ruthless efficiency – everybody went into the first album with that. Everybody knew how good we were. And we were strict in that if we were writing something and it sounded like something else we’d done, we’d immediately drop it. There was one tipping of the hat: “Tea for One,” which was like “Since I’ve Been Loving You” [onLed Zeppelin III]. That was intentional, to apply a different feel to that blues.
Were you hurt by the initial, negative critical reaction?
I was hoping you would ask that, writing for Rolling Stone [laughs]. There was a certain amount of acid poured on us. I could see it as venomous then. How I see it now? It went over their heads. I will give the reviewers the benefit of the doubt – each album was so different to the others. After Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II, you get III: “What’s this about? Acoustic guitars?” There were crazy con clusions: “They’re doing a Crosby, Stills and Nash.” That’s because your ears weren’t open to the first album, when there was quite a bit of acoustic guitar too.
Did the reviews make you mad?
It made me more determined. I knew what we had. We obliterated them in San Francisco on the first tour. [Led Zeppelin opened for Country Joe and the Fish at the Fillmore West for three nights in January 1969]. By the time we were moving on, through these other territories, everybody wanted to see what had come from the ashes of the Yardbirds.
-- submitted by Bill Cody
I'm really glad someone noticed there are two versions of ALVIN'S HARMONICA, with different harmonica "riffs." This is partly speculation, but Liberty Records may have gotten into stereo later than some other labels. I understand that Martin Denny's EXOTICA was actually recorded twice; Denny and his group brought back into the studio to re-do the whole album in stereo, to satisfy dealer demands for a stereo version that didn't exist as the original had been recorded in monaural only.
David Seville / Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. recorded the Chipmunks on multiple 35mm magnetic film masters, one each for Alvin, Simon, Theodore, "Dave" and the instrumental backing. Being sprocketed and edge numbered allowed for easy and sure mixing, using a multi-roll "gang" synchronizer common in film editing. Several years ago, all the component parts of "The Chipmunk Song" were found in usable condition in Capitol's warehouses, and allowed the classic Xmas novelty to be mixed in true stereo for the first time.
Anyway, it's likely the stereo mix of ALVIN'S HARMONICA was made a couple years after the original mono single mix, and the track carrying the harmonica riffs was lost or destroyed and had to be re-made. The alternate version first appeared on the stereo LP LET'S ALL SING WITH THE CHIPMUNKS.
Some later pop singles I can think of that differ from the LP versions include Tony Orlando & Dawn's CANDIDA (additional brass on the LP) and STEPPIN' OUT, I'M GONNA BOOGIE TONIGHT (added chorus and strings on 45,) Cher's GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES (gypsy guitar audible on stereo LP. mixed out on mono 45) and the Carpenters' TOP OF THE WORLD (two completely different takes, and the "wrong" one re-issued on the oldies 45.) Collectibles Records and Columbia re-mastered Doris Day's EVERYBODY LOVES A LOVER in stereo, but forgot to over-dub the two tracks so she's no longer "singing with herself" at the end!
Jeff Missinne
While it's true that it was quite common to have completely different mixes for mono and stereo singles back then (most record companies didn't press stereo singles early on because most consumers hadn't upgraded to stereo equipment yet ... for ages it seemed like you had the choice of which format to buy in the stores, with stereo typically being a buck or two more expensive than mono ... there are a number of instances where the record label simply "punched up" the mix for single release. Perhaps it was an album track that was never destined to go any further ... but then radio started playing it so the label decided to release it as a single after all, albeit with some "enhancement" to the mix. Two tracks that immediately come to mind are "Baby Blue" by Badfinger and "Keeping The Faith" by Billy Joel. Dunhill groups like Steppenwolf, The Mamas and the Papas and Three Dog Night ALWAYS seemed to have different versions between their singles and their LP counterparts, which made it VERY frustrating at times because you weren't always getting what you THOUGHT you were buying. (Most notable, perhaps, is the missing guitar solo on Three Dog Night's biggest hit "Joy To The World" on the LP version ... and yet any number of radio stations STILL play the wrong version today!) Then again, Karen Carpenter re-recorded a couple of The Carpenters' early works simply because she hated the way her voice sounded on a particular track and she felt she could do it better ... so any number of reasons come into play. You might not think so much time and effort would be spent on something by The Chipmunks ... but "Alvin's Harmonica" wound up being a #3 Record ... so ANYTHING to help sales would have been considered. Tapes being destroyed (or lost ... or even ERASED! over the years) would certainly be a valid factor as well ... all of which makes "collecting" that much more interesting and challenging sometimes! (kk)
While it's true that it was quite common to have completely different mixes for mono and stereo singles back then (most record companies didn't press stereo singles early on because most consumers hadn't upgraded to stereo equipment yet ... for ages it seemed like you had the choice of which format to buy in the stores, with stereo typically being a buck or two more expensive than mono ... there are a number of instances where the record label simply "punched up" the mix for single release. Perhaps it was an album track that was never destined to go any further ... but then radio started playing it so the label decided to release it as a single after all, albeit with some "enhancement" to the mix. Two tracks that immediately come to mind are "Baby Blue" by Badfinger and "Keeping The Faith" by Billy Joel. Dunhill groups like Steppenwolf, The Mamas and the Papas and Three Dog Night ALWAYS seemed to have different versions between their singles and their LP counterparts, which made it VERY frustrating at times because you weren't always getting what you THOUGHT you were buying. (Most notable, perhaps, is the missing guitar solo on Three Dog Night's biggest hit "Joy To The World" on the LP version ... and yet any number of radio stations STILL play the wrong version today!) Then again, Karen Carpenter re-recorded a couple of The Carpenters' early works simply because she hated the way her voice sounded on a particular track and she felt she could do it better ... so any number of reasons come into play. You might not think so much time and effort would be spent on something by The Chipmunks ... but "Alvin's Harmonica" wound up being a #3 Record ... so ANYTHING to help sales would have been considered. Tapes being destroyed (or lost ... or even ERASED! over the years) would certainly be a valid factor as well ... all of which makes "collecting" that much more interesting and challenging sometimes! (kk)
I KNOW you, and know the picture will spur your interest since we were both raised on WLS and WCFL. It is from a cool website called 45cat and has about 700,000 45s listed, most with pictures and comments. This is only ONE of my contributions.
It is easy to do! You simply check out the listings. Add 45s that are not listed. Add images to those without images. Add your collection to the data base. Indicate which ones you WANT. RATE them 1-10. Check out everyone else's collection. Comment on the records OR just cruise though the site and go back to when you played 45s until you had to put a nickle on top of the arm to get it to play.
There is no record too obscure to list. There is everything listed from the 45 that taught your parakeet how to talk to the five solo 45s I have listed by Ronnie Rice (one he even AUTOGRAPHED.) It will even let you know how to identify first pressings, second pressings, and where the records were MANUFACTURED on the many popular songs. Many of course complete with Youtube.
There is no record too obscure to list. There is everything listed from the 45 that taught your parakeet how to talk to the five solo 45s I have listed by Ronnie Rice (one he even AUTOGRAPHED.) It will even let you know how to identify first pressings, second pressings, and where the records were MANUFACTURED on the many popular songs. Many of course complete with Youtube.
The cool thing is that you finally get to SEE the actual 45 you have been lusting for for all these years! I even posted my 45 of "Rosemary" by Brian Hyland that I hunted for for 45 years before I found it for a quarter at a Goodwill store half a mile from my HOUSE!
Allan
Wow! I'm sure the collectors on our list will LOVE this site! Thanks, Allan! (kk)
Kent ...
Frank B.
P.S. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Frannie & The Saxonettes. (I figure if I'm nice to them now, they'll remember me when they're famous!) I like your "White Christmas" idea. Hope they do it.
The Marvin Gaye bio pic has been on again / off again so many times these past twenty years ... and several actors have been mentioned for the starring role. For me, Lenny Kravitz is one of the LEAST likely guys to pull it off. (I've always been partial to Jesse L. Martin of Law and Order who, from what I've read, has a really smooth singing voice ... and is a dead-ringer for Gaye in the looks department.)
The Saxonettes are scheduled to perform at the High School's Christmas concert ... but first have to learn "The Star Spangled Banner" in four-part harmony for the basketball home opener. I'm hoping they can keep everything going because it sure seems to be fun for them! (kk)
C'mon, kk, who are you kidding? Do you really expect us to believe this is a current photo?
C'mon, tell the truth ... this was taken back in the early 80's, right?
Today, you're actually bald, or balding ... or gray at best. No way this is a recent photo!
'fess up, your fans wanna know!
Just kidding, kk ...
Happy Thanksgiving!
PLQQKER
I just checked ... this photo was taken in November of 2007 ... so five years ago ... when we flew out to the East Coast, met with a bunch of FH Readers and Fans, did the Dave The Rave Radio Show (where we counted down The Top 20 Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides as voted on by our readers ... and had numerous artists call in to talk about their records) and (as this photo indicates) toured the Philadelphia International Recording Studio.
It's true, it's true! (From what I understand, Scott Shannon gets this all the time ... 'cause, as we all know, he's just GOTTA be over a hundred years old now, right?!?!?) WRONG!!!
But just to prove a point, here's a photo of me taken THIS November at something called "Scarecrow Fest" where we went to go see a band called Generation perform their '60's set. Naturally, I seemed to gravitate toward the scarecrow most befitting of a "'60's Chick" crown! (kk)
