LOTS of catching up to do after running a week of Kenny Rogers and the First Edition ... and then no Sunday Comments so that we could tell you about our "Forever Dusty" ticket give-away. (Have you answered our two-part trivia questions yet??? We've already got about two dozen correct answers ... and one of those lucky folks will win a pair of tickets to see "Forever Dusty" during its Off Broadway run! We'll pick the winner by the end of the week ... so if you HAVEN'T entered yet ... and want a shot at the tickets (you must be able to attend a performance between March 1st and April 7th in New York City), then scroll down below to Saturday, February 16th, for all the details! (kk)
Meanwhile, let's get down to it ...
re: THIS AND THAT:
OK, THIS one takes the cake!!! Next time someone mentions Chubby Checker, you might want to ask them WHICH Chubby Checker they're talking about!!! Check this out!
Chubby Checker, Legendary Singer, Sues Hewlett-Packard Over Their Penis-Measuring App With The Same Name ...
Click here: Chubby Checker, Legendary Singer, Sues Over Penis-Measuring App With Same Name
Meanwhile, let's get down to it ...
re: THIS AND THAT:
OK, THIS one takes the cake!!! Next time someone mentions Chubby Checker, you might want to ask them WHICH Chubby Checker they're talking about!!! Check this out!
Chubby Checker, Legendary Singer, Sues Hewlett-Packard Over Their Penis-Measuring App With The Same Name ...
Click here: Chubby Checker, Legendary Singer, Sues Over Penis-Measuring App With Same Name
Kent ...
Check out Wild Wayne's Clip of the week. I think you'll like it.
Frank B.
Yep, sure do ... I've seen this one before ... but posted below for others to enjoy, too! (kk)
Hi Kent -
Love the newsletter as always.
Someone mentioned Gilbert O'Sullivan. He is alive and well and on my radio show. Attached is a "voice drop".
Regards
Geoff Dorsett
Love the newsletter as always.
Someone mentioned Gilbert O'Sullivan. He is alive and well and on my radio show. Attached is a "voice drop".
Regards
Geoff Dorsett
Here's one you might enjoy. If you've been watching any of those Pawn Stars and/or Antique Road Show programs on the History Channel (where you find out just how much some of your "worthless" junk is really worth), then I think you'll love this brand new show starting on VH-1 Classic next week on February 21st. With a musical slant, it'll showcase rock and roll and other pop culture memorabilia, vintage albums and much, much more. Cleverly titled "For What It's Worth", this show is bound to be a hit with all the collectors on our list who have made places like eBay and Gemm regular stops during the course of their average week.
More details here:
Click here: For What It’s Worth To Premiere On VH1 Classic On February 21st – | VH1 Blog
Kent,
Have you and Gary considered collaborating to write the penultimate multi-volume encyclopedia of music of the rock era? Seriously, both of your contributions to the DC5 story Monday are very well-written and informative. In fact, Monday's FH was jam-packed with great music and info despite covering the deaths of several important participants in the greatest era of music.
David
PS: Need a copy editor? (peddled)
Gary's already done the ultimate history of rock and roll ... meanwhile, I guess I've dabbled in it, too ... I've just spread mine out over 4800 chapters and the past 13 1/2 years!!! But thanks for the kind words. (Honestly, I'd love to work with Gary on a project ... and have been kicking around a few ideas in my head for quite some time now ... it's just tough to devote an enormous amount of time to something that doesn't offer a financial payback of some sort ... but we'll see what develops!!!) kk
By the way, you'll find info on Gary's latest project below ...
COMING IN MARCH: The audiobook version of Wes Smith's
THE PIED PIPERS OF ROCK 'N' ROLL -- the 225-page inside
stories of rock's most legendary DJs of the '50s and '60s --
everyone from Alan Freed and Jocko Henderson to Dick
Biondi, Wolfman Jack and many, many more. Narrator Gary
Theroux knew and worked with a lot of them. The
audiobook version will be available through Audible.com,
Amazon.com and iTunes.
The Library Journal on THE PIED PIPERS OF ROCK 'N'
ROLL: More than a collective biography of famous radio
disc jockeys, this occupational history traces the influence
of the profession on postwar music, the rise of the
advertising industry and the governmental and social
regulation of broadcasting. DJs were instrumental in
launching the rock 'n' roll movement by acting as
middlemen between record company execs and a bourgeois
post-World War II record-buying public. They also played a
role in the integration of U.S. society by attracting white
teens to black rhythm and blues. Smith's work is as
anecdotal as the patter of the profession he documents.
Author WES SMITH: WES SMITH is the author and
collaborator on more than 45 published books, many of
them best-sellers spanning the spiritual, motivational,
health, medical, business, sports and current events
categories.
Narrator GARY THEROUX: Telly Award winner and Emmy
nominee GARY THEROUX started in radio at age 11. As a
local and national DJ, programmer and music historian,
Gary got to know and work with many of the broadcast
legends featured in “The Pied Pipers of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The
longtime Music & Entertainment Editor of Reader’s Digest
and author of books himself (“The Top Ten,” etc.),
Theroux has not only interviewed several thousand
hitmakers but compiled and annotated more than 300 CD
box sets with cumulative sales topping 39 million copies.
He’s also created, written and produced programming for
Disney, PBS, CBS and syndication, including the Billboard
award-winning 52 hour “History of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Gary is
available for interviews at (203) 847-3085.
Congratulations to Jimi Hendrix, who just scored his first #1 Single! (What?!?!?)
Hi Kent,
I was a bit surprised about the stats for the Kenny Rogers
posts.
I loved the First Eddition and thought you did a great job. I
was one of the folks that did read it every day. <grin>
Nice job once again.
Bill
Thanks, Bill ... I think that makes eight of us!!! (lol) kkKent,
Have you and Gary considered collaborating to write the penultimate multi-volume encyclopedia of music of the rock era? Seriously, both of your contributions to the DC5 story Monday are very well-written and informative. In fact, Monday's FH was jam-packed with great music and info despite covering the deaths of several important participants in the greatest era of music.
David
PS: Need a copy editor? (peddled)
Gary's already done the ultimate history of rock and roll ... meanwhile, I guess I've dabbled in it, too ... I've just spread mine out over 4800 chapters and the past 13 1/2 years!!! But thanks for the kind words. (Honestly, I'd love to work with Gary on a project ... and have been kicking around a few ideas in my head for quite some time now ... it's just tough to devote an enormous amount of time to something that doesn't offer a financial payback of some sort ... but we'll see what develops!!!) kk
By the way, you'll find info on Gary's latest project below ...
COMING IN MARCH: The audiobook version of Wes Smith's
THE PIED PIPERS OF ROCK 'N' ROLL -- the 225-page inside
stories of rock's most legendary DJs of the '50s and '60s --
everyone from Alan Freed and Jocko Henderson to Dick
Biondi, Wolfman Jack and many, many more. Narrator Gary
Theroux knew and worked with a lot of them. The
audiobook version will be available through Audible.com,
Amazon.com and iTunes.
The Library Journal on THE PIED PIPERS OF ROCK 'N'
ROLL: More than a collective biography of famous radio
disc jockeys, this occupational history traces the influence
of the profession on postwar music, the rise of the
advertising industry and the governmental and social
regulation of broadcasting. DJs were instrumental in
launching the rock 'n' roll movement by acting as
middlemen between record company execs and a bourgeois
post-World War II record-buying public. They also played a
role in the integration of U.S. society by attracting white
teens to black rhythm and blues. Smith's work is as
anecdotal as the patter of the profession he documents.
Author WES SMITH: WES SMITH is the author and
collaborator on more than 45 published books, many of
them best-sellers spanning the spiritual, motivational,
health, medical, business, sports and current events
categories.
Narrator GARY THEROUX: Telly Award winner and Emmy
nominee GARY THEROUX started in radio at age 11. As a
local and national DJ, programmer and music historian,
Gary got to know and work with many of the broadcast
legends featured in “The Pied Pipers of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The
longtime Music & Entertainment Editor of Reader’s Digest
and author of books himself (“The Top Ten,” etc.),
Theroux has not only interviewed several thousand
hitmakers but compiled and annotated more than 300 CD
box sets with cumulative sales topping 39 million copies.
He’s also created, written and produced programming for
Disney, PBS, CBS and syndication, including the Billboard
award-winning 52 hour “History of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Gary is
available for interviews at (203) 847-3085.
Congratulations to Jimi Hendrix, who just scored his first #1 Single! (What?!?!?)
It's true, it's true! Check this out (from FH Reader Bob Merlis):
Just a quick note to let you know that "Somewhere," the new single from the forthcoming Jimi Hendrix album People, Hell and Angels (out 3/5), has just gone to #1 on Billboard's Hot Singles Sales Chart.
Just a quick note to let you know that "Somewhere," the new single from the forthcoming Jimi Hendrix album People, Hell and Angels (out 3/5), has just gone to #1 on Billboard's Hot Singles Sales Chart.
We've pasted the credits below and you'll find John McDermott's liner notes about the track that are included in the People, Hell and Angels package below the cover art.
Somewhere 4:06
Recorded At: Sound Center, NY, March 13, 1968 Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Engineer: Vincent Gagliano, Tom Mucchio, Lenny Stea, Angel Sandoval
Mixed By Eddie Kramer
Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA
Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Stephen Stills
Drums: Buddy Miles
Somewhere 4:06
Recorded At: Sound Center, NY, March 13, 1968 Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Engineer: Vincent Gagliano, Tom Mucchio, Lenny Stea, Angel Sandoval
Mixed By Eddie Kramer
Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA
Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Stephen Stills
Drums: Buddy Miles
“Somewhere” was created during Hendrix’s first session in America where he assumed the dual role of artist and producer outside the direct control of Chas Chandler — his co-manager and producer of both Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold As Love. Jimi seized an opportunity in March 1968, squeezing in time at New York’s Sound Center Studios between performance dates on the extensive North American tour that the Experience had undertaken. Hendrix called upon friends Stephen Stills and Buddy Miles for this recording. This would not be a Jimi Hendrix Experience session, but instead an opportunity to explore new creative possibilities.
Work on “Somewhere” began with just Hendrix and Miles and no bass guitar. Stills, normally a guitarist, accepted Jimi’s request to play bass. The trio ran through the song numerous times in an effort to perfect the arrangement and tempo Hendrix desired. This effort led to more structured takes and an exceptional song began to take shape. Jimi then separately overdubbed lead guitar and vocals before work concluded.
Despite its obvious promise, “Somewhere” was not put forward for inclusion as part of Electric Ladyland when sessions for that album resumed at the newly opened Record Plant in April 1968. The master reels created at Sound Center [which would also include “My Friend,” later featured as part of Cry Of Love and more recently, First Rays Of The New Rising Sun] were simply tucked away within the guitarist’s fast expanding tape library.
After Hendrix’s death in September 1970, Eddie Kramer, Mitch Mitchell and assistant engineer John Jansen began to comb through the hundreds of multi-track reels the guitarist had recorded. The first two posthumously issued studio albums — 1971’s Cry Of Love and Rainbow Bridge — drew largely on material Hendrix had been working on at Electric Lady Studios prior to his death. “Somewhere” was instead considered for War Heroes, the planned third album of studio recordings by Hendrix slated for release in 1972. Alerted to the song by Jansen, Mitchell overdubbed new drum parts at Electric Lady Studios onto take three from reel one in an effort to upgrade the master. Mitchell’s endeavor was hampered by a loping bass guitar part by Stills on that particular take that struggled to maintain time consistently throughout the song. Mitchell and Jansen ultimately abandoned the effort and set the overdubbed master aside. Mitchell’s effort remained unreleased for nearly two decades until it was included as part of the Jimi Hendrix Experience box set in 2000.
Producer Alan Douglas assumed control of the Hendrix tape library in 1974. His first project was the controversial compilation Crash Landing. For that album, Douglas removed nearly all of the original performances by Hendrix’s band members in favor of new overdubs from session musicians. Douglas located the third take of “Somewhere” that featured Mitchell’s overdubs and assumed this to be the working master. Douglas stripped the recording of everything from the original session save for Hendrix’s guitar and lead vocal and added all new instrumentation. This overhauled version of take three from reel one was then issued as part of Crash Landing in 1975.
The master of “Somewhere” presented here is wholly different than either of these previous versions. This is the sixth and final take from reel two. One of the most distinctive aspects of this particular recording would be Hendrix’s wah-wah drenched guitar tone and the assured rhythmic foundation established by Miles. The bass part by Stills is more precise and the playing by both Hendrix and Miles is more forcefully delivered than on any of the preceding takes.
And congratulations to our FH Buddy Billy Hinsche, too ... he's now one of the counselors at the Rock And Roll Fantasy Camp! More details here:
And congratulations to our FH Buddy Billy Hinsche, too ... he's now one of the counselors at the Rock And Roll Fantasy Camp! More details here:
Click here: Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp / Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp - YOU on Stage with Rock Stars
Here's a very cool piece on Paul McCartney, Carl Perkins
and John Lennon that FH Reader Frank B. found on Ron
Smith's OldiesMusic.com website: Click here: loveall.
And, after you read the article, you'll surely want to watch
Here's a very cool piece on Paul McCartney, Carl Perkins
and John Lennon that FH Reader Frank B. found on Ron
Smith's OldiesMusic.com website: Click here: loveall.
And, after you read the article, you'll surely want to watch
Here's an update on the Sparkletones.
My bass player for Liberty Street Blues Band, Randall Lark, is now in the Sparkletones playing guitar and singing.
Mickey
http://www.goupstate.com/article/20130214/ENT/302141007/1098/ent05?Title=Sparkletones-Welcome-to-the-Spartanburg-Music-Trail
http://www.goupstate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?category=PHOTOS06 http://soundobservations.blogs.goupstate.com/11043/the-sparkletones-of-black-slacks-fame-on-spartanburgs-wealth-of-homegrown-talent/
Kent,
While perusing the comments made today ( Tuesday), the group Baja Marimba Band was mentioned. It reminded me once again of their version of GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY which incidentally peaked at number 11 here in OKC back in December of 1966. Always did like their version though it was not my favorite version of that song.
Larry
Got this from Tom Cuddy ... here's a recent interview with David Clayton-Thomas, talking about what it was like to step into the lead singer role in Blood, Sweat and Tears after the elimination of Al Kooper: http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2013/02/01/the-replacement-singer-interview-with-david-clayton-thomas/
http://www.goupstate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?category=PHOTOS06 http://soundobservations.blogs.goupstate.com/11043/the-sparkletones-of-black-slacks-fame-on-spartanburgs-wealth-of-homegrown-talent/
Kent,
While perusing the comments made today ( Tuesday), the group Baja Marimba Band was mentioned. It reminded me once again of their version of GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY which incidentally peaked at number 11 here in OKC back in December of 1966. Always did like their version though it was not my favorite version of that song.
Larry
Got this from Tom Cuddy ... here's a recent interview with David Clayton-Thomas, talking about what it was like to step into the lead singer role in Blood, Sweat and Tears after the elimination of Al Kooper: http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2013/02/01/the-replacement-singer-interview-with-david-clayton-thomas/
And, speaking of Al Kooper ...
re: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY:
Stuffed full of wrapped chocolates, kisses, and trying to come down from Viagra?
It must be February 15th then, eh?
By the way, I have added a Mike Bloomfield Tribute Concert featuring Jimmy Vivino on March 16th, at The Egg in Albany, NY. Tix are on sale at: http://www.theegg.org/events/music
Al Kooper
re: ANOTHER REASON WHY YOU NEED TO READ FORGOTTEN HITS EVERY SINGLE DAY!:
re: ANOTHER REASON WHY YOU NEED TO READ FORGOTTEN HITS EVERY SINGLE DAY!:
I have NO idea what prompted it ... but this weekend I got at least four emails announcing the death of songwriter Tandyn Almer ... what happened?!?!? Did the rest of the world just catch up?!?!? We first reported this news back on January 16th ... and even that was a week after his passing!!! Yet I received several links to a Washington Post article that covered his death this weekend! Not quite sure what's up with that but ... to paraphrase Chevy Chase ... Tandyn Almer is still dead. Almer had a hand in writing two rock and roll classics ... "Along Comes Mary", a hit for The Association, and "Sail On Sailor", a Beach Boys classic. (We also reported that he wrote "Marcella", another one of my Beach Boys favorites ... and even featured the track that day.) Anyway, for the benefit of any of you who may have previously missed it, there's the news again ... along with a bit of The Washington Post article that everybody seems so fond of!!!
Tandyn Almer, enigmatic composer of ‘Along Comes Mary,’ dies at 70
By Matt Schudel,
When Tandyn Almer was 23, he wrote a catchy pop song that topped out at No. 7 on the Billboard charts. Great things were expected of him as a songwriter, and some thought he might even become a star in his own right. But in all the decades that followed, there were few triumphs, and certainly nothing like the acclaim he received for composing the words and music of “Along Comes Mary.”
In 1966, the bouncy, enigmatic song became the first hit for the Association, one of the most popular bands of the era. Mr. Almer was praised as a musical mastermind who brought a fresh sophistication to the sun-dappled pop-rock of the time.
He was interviewed on national television by Leonard Bernstein, the conductor of the New York Philharmonic, and recorded an album of his own music. He became a close friend of Brian Wilson, the troubled creative force of the Beach Boys, with whom he collaborated on a couple of tunes in the 1970s.
And then he disappeared.
When vague desire is the fire in the eyes of chicks
When vague desire is the fire in the eyes of chicks
Whose sickness is the games they play ...
And when the morning of the warning’s passed, the gassed
And flaccid kids are flung across the stars.
Was the song about a girl named Mary, the Virgin Mary or, as many thought, the effects of smoking marijuana? Even today, Jim Yester, who sang “Along Comes Mary” on the Association’s original recording, occasionally reads the lyrics to audiences before singing the song.
“It is mind-blowing when spoken, as opposed to being sung,” Yester wrote in an e-mail. “An amazing set of lyrics. What it is saying . . . your guess is as good as mine.”
If anyone asked Mr. Almer, he wasn’t coy about the meaning: Yes, of course, it was about marijuana.
You'll find the complete Washington Post article here ... a full six weeks after his passing! (Incredibly, they presented this as "news" on February 16th ... Almer passed away back on January 8th!)
Click here: Tandyn Almer, enigmatic composer of ‘Along Comes Mary,’ dies at 70 - The Washington Post
You'll find the complete Washington Post article here ... a full six weeks after his passing! (Incredibly, they presented this as "news" on February 16th ... Almer passed away back on January 8th!)
Click here: Tandyn Almer, enigmatic composer of ‘Along Comes Mary,’ dies at 70 - The Washington Post
re: TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT:
We lucked out again here in Chicago weatherwise last week. Although at one point we probably had somewhere in the neighborhood of 8 or 9 inches of snow on the ground, it virtually all disappeared on one very rainy, 50-degree day.
And believe me ... NOBODY in the entire city was happier than our dog Cha Cha to see the GREEN GRASS again!!!
Let's just say that no matter what Frank Zappa may have taught us way back when, Cha Cha just never really "warmed" to the idea of peeing in the snow!!! (Let's just say we have several "Clean Up On Aisle Nine" moments in the house as a result of this inconvenience!!! lol)
But this whole experience DOES allow us the chance to feature a GREAT Gary Lewis and the Playboys track that's been missing from the radio for far too long.
Yet another legitimate Top Ten Hit that has all but disappeared from the airwaves.
