Saturday, September 13, 2014

The Saturday Surveys (09-13)

We've got some GREAT '60's Charts to share this week, courtesy of FH Reader Clark Besch!

First up, this KIX Chart from 1968 with The Queen Of Soul on top with her remake of the recent Dionne Warwick Hit "I Say A Little Prayer", coming in just ahead of the latest Beatles two-sided hit "Hey Jude" / "Revolution".

Surprises in The Top Ten?  Yep, we've got a few.  How about "Naturally Stoned" by Avant Garde at #5 ... or that big Chicagoland favorite "Run To Me" by The Montanas at #10.  (This one's another long-forgotten Tony Hatch gem that certainly deserves another spin ... and a bit of attention ... today!)

Also on this week's chart ... the original Patti Drew version of "Workin' On A Groovy Thing" ... and the Hugo Montenegro / soundtrack version of "Hang 'Em High".  (The HIT version belonged to Booker T. and the MG's.)

One more I've just GOT to feature ... one of my all-time favorite Box Tops songs ... "I Met Her In Church", holding down the #34 spot this week on KIX.













Jumping ahead a year we find our buddies The Lettermen topping this Boss 30 KHJ Chart from 1969 with their killer remake of the Little Anthony and the Imperials Hit "Hurt So Bad".  (It only climbed as high as #12 in Billboard.)

And my all-time favorite Dells song is at #2 ... the re-release of "Oh What A Night" (it first hit Billboard's R&B Chart in 1956!) was about as out-of-sync as a record could be in 1969 ... yet it fit right in ... and sounded SO good coming out of your radio back then ... just as it does today (if somebody would just get up the gumption to play it!!!)

Looks like everything old was new again back in September of '69 ... even Elvis was back on the charts again!

And our FH Buddy Ron Dante has TWO hits on this week's chart ... "Sugar Sugar" by The Archies falls from #5 to #10 while "Tracy" by The Cuff Links climbs from #21 to #19.

Soulster Al Wilson is charting with his version of the Creedence Clearwater Revival track "Lodi" ... while CCR are enjoying their own tenth week on the chart with their latest, "Green River". 













And, at Clark's suggestion, we're featuring BOTH sides of this KFXM Chart from 1965 ...

The Beatles top the list with their two-sided hit "Help!" / "I'm Down" ... and on the OTHER side of the survey you'll see the brand new marquee going up at the Arlington and Crest Theater for the premier of the film from which "Help!" is the title track!  (Cool to see the KXFM Tiger DeeJays getting in on the fun!)



I like their special chart features, too ... showing last year's Top Ten Hits on this date ... as well as the current Top 12 Records in Great Britain, showing that The British Invasion was still a force to contend with in September of 1965!  (In fact, nearly a dozen British acts are represented in this week's Top 40 U.S. Hits!)



Friday, September 12, 2014

50 Years Ago This Weekend

9/11, 9/12, 9/13, 9/14 - 

THE ANIMALS hold on to the #1 Spot with THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN while THE DAVE CLARK FIVE slide up a notch to #3 with BECAUSE.  A HARD DAY'S NIGHT holds steady at #8 but that's it for British Acts in The Top Ten this week on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart. 

Other British Hits in The Top 40 include AND I LOVE HER by THE BEATLES (#12), HOW DO YOU DO IT by GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS (down from #9 to #18), IT'S ALL OVER NOW by THE ROLLING STONES (#27), WISHIN' AND HOPIN' by DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (#30), DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY by MANFRED MANN (making a HUGE leap from #58 to #31 … and on its way to #1), back-to-back hits by THE BEATLES (I'LL CRY INSTEAD, #36 and AIN'T SWEET, #37) and SOME DAY WE'RE GONNA LOVE AGAIN by THE SEARCHERS (#38). That keeps The Brits at right around 30% of The Top 40 Chart. 

Other records of note:  MATCHBOX by THE BEATLES (up nearly 40 places from #81 to #42), A SUMMER SONG by CHAD AND JEREMY (#44), FROM A WINDOW by BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS (#51), RINGO'S THEME by GEORGE MARTIN (#53), IF I FELL by THE BEATLES (#59), SLOW DOWN by THE BEATLES (up over 30 places from #99 to #67), GONNA SEND YOU BACK TO WALKER (new for THE ANIMALS at #72), THE BACHELORS at #88 with I WOULDN'T TRADE YOU FOR THE WORLD, TOBACCO ROAD, brand new at #90 for THE NASHVILLE TEENS and SOMEONE SOMEONE by BRIAN POOLE (of THE TREMELOES … the group Decca Records signed instead of THE BEATLES), premiering at #99. 







Back up to a full strength, 40 position chart this week, The WLS Silver Dollar Survey shows THE ANIMALS at #1 with THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN.  Also in The Top Ten this week are BECAUSE by THE DAVE CLARK FIVE (#5), DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY by MANFRED MANN (#7) and A SUMMER SONG by CHAD AND JEREMY (#10).  

Rounding out the rest of the chart, we find A HARD DAY'S NIGHT by THE BEATLES at #14, IT'S ALL OVER NOW by THE ROLLING STONES at #16, SOME DAY WE'RE GONNA LOVE AGAIN by THE SEARCHERS at #31, FROM A WINDOW by BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS at #34 and a brand new two-sided hit by THE BEATLES, MATCHBOX / SLOW DOWN, premiering at #35.  

Another record of note … one of those novelty "break in" records that DICKIE GOODMAN was so good at doing.  Only this time, the record is by his former partner BILL BUCHANAN and HOWIE GREENFIELD (one of NEIL SEDAKA's best known song-writing partners.)  They called the record THE INVASION and it talked about The Four Mop Tops invading our country.  It premiers at #22 this week on The WLS Silver Dollar Survey, despite never charting at all on any of the national charts.  (It did "bubble under" in Billboard at #120.)




A couple of weeks ago we told you about the 50th Anniversary of Roy Orbison's monster hit record "Oh, Pretty Woman".

This week FH Reader Bob Merlis sent us this piece celebrating Roy's rise to the #1 Spot on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart ... a tad premature to my mind (but issue dates, chart dates and mail dates were never accurately consistent back then so we'll cut him some slack on this one since it's such a cool piece ... and such a cool anniversary!)

Officially, Orbison topped the chart on the chart dated "Week Ending September 26th" (which would make it the chart for the week OF September 20th, still eight days away.)  But the inevitable was coming regardless as one of our "very own" knocked The Animals out of the top spot to claim the crown with a song that EVERYBODY knew at the time was going to be a #1 Record.

Here's Bob's full report:

The record went to #1 in the Billboard issue dated Sept. 26, 1964 which was actually on stands and in the mail one week prior so we figured we’d share this now.  Scroll down for a recent piece about “Oh, Pretty Woman” from the Telegraph in the UK where the record also went to #1 50 years ago. Click on the video towards the end of the article to see the Black & White Night performance of the song with  Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, kd lang, T Bone Burnett, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Jackson Browne on stage with “The Big O.”   


http://www.billkassel.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Telegraph-UK-Logo.jpg

Roy Orbison: 50 years of Oh, Pretty Woman

On the 50th anniversary of Roy Orbison's rock and roll classic, we take a look at the song's origin and legacy

 


Roy Orbison's classic single Oh, Pretty Woman is 50 years old this month Photo: Alamy
A driving beat. A twanging guitar. A jarring 3/4 time signature. Roy Orbison’s iconic breakthrough hit secures its classic status in the space of 10 seconds, before he’s even begun singing.
Orbison co-wrote Oh, Pretty Woman with Bill Dees in 1964 in tribute to Orbison’s first wife, Claudette, after the two had separated, divorced and then reunited.
Speaking about the song’s genesis on NPR in 2008, Dees said: “[Claudette] came bopping down the stairs and said, ‘Give me some money’. ‘What do you need money for?’ [Roy] said. She said ‘Well, I’ve got to go to the store’, and as she walked away they were whispering and kissing bye bye, away from me. I stood up at the table, and he came back to the table, and I said ‘Does this sound funny? [singing] Pretty woman, don’t need no money’. He laughed, and he said ‘There’s nothing funny about pretty woman’. He right away started, [singing] ‘Pretty woman, walking down the street’. By the time she got back, we had it written.”
The song marked somewhat of a departure from Orbison’s typical subject matter of heartbreak. As Bruce Springsteen said in his keynote speech at SXSW 2012: “He was the true master of the romantic apocalypse you dreaded and knew was coming after the first night you whispered ‘I love you’ to your new girlfriend.” Rather, Oh, Pretty Woman sees the man actually get the girl after a fleeting encounter on the street – a moment, a look, a plea, a disappointment... and suddenly: “but wait, what do I see? Is she walking back to me?”
Though Orbison is most associated with the Gibson ES-335 guitar, he wrote Oh, Pretty Woman on an Epiphone Bard 12-string acoustic, which was reproduced by Epiphone in 2009 and released as Orbison’s signature guitar.    
The recorded single was released on Monument Records, based in Nashville, Tennessee, and featured Billy Sanford on guitar, who went on to play in session with Elvis, Willie Nelson and Kenny Rogers. It proved to be Orbison’s biggest hit – Oh, Pretty Woman topped the US Billboard chart for three weeks, and was at #1 in 22 countries simultaneously. The single sold 680 thousand copies in the UK, and over a million copies in the US.     
The song was given a further boost when it inspired the title and featured on the soundtrack for Garry Marshall’s 1990 film Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. 




Orbison received a posthumous Grammy in 1991 for the live version of Oh, Pretty Woman from his 1987 Black & White Night concert, which was aired as an HBO television special in January 1988. Featuring an star-powered backing band including Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, kd lang, T Bone Burnett and Bruce Springsteen, it’s a mark of Orbison’s presence and status on stage that the focus always remains on him.
Fifty years on from release, Orbison’s best-known song and defining classic still sounds fresh. Mercy, indeed.   
-- Bob Merlis/M.F.H.
Los Angeles, CA 90004

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Thursday This And That

re:  DAVID GATES AND BREAD:  
Totally loved the David Gates medley from Scott Shannon's radio program. Just a man and a guitar ... what a beautiful voice. I immediately broke out my "Retrospective" double CD set that I haven't listened to for quite a while. Kent, sometimes we just need you to remind us of the amazing music we already own ... thanks.  
Stacee  
The music of David Gates and Bread have ALWAYS been amongst my favorites ... I've got 'em all. I, too, have been listening to a lot of Bread music lately ... and I've never grown tired of it!  (kk)   

Loved that David Gates medley that you featured.  We sometimes forget just how much great music this man gave us.  
Tim   

I remember inviting David Gates to appear on WPLJ to perform on Scott Shannon's show when he released his last album.  He was a great story teller. He even sang his Mermaids hit.   
Tom Cuddy  
Which, of course, would be "Popsicles And Icicles", #1 in Record World in early 1964 ... and released six years before Bread would have their first #1 Hit of their own!  (kk)

I wish I'd known about the Bread book being in development.  Among the more than 3,000 audio interviews in my archive are several with David Gates, including a very in-depth 90 minute one I conducted in 1978.  Only about two minutes of it has ever been broadcast or printed (in one of my own books).  
Gary Theroux  
"The History of Rock 'n' Roll"

re:  BEATLES-RELATED:  
George Harrison was always my favorite Beatle. I love the picture on the boxed set ... beautiful face.   
The music of George Harrison seems to command considerably more respect now than it ever did while he was a Beatle ... this new concert event is just one of many that has taken place since his passing.  (kk)  

Got this from a couple of FH Readers ... but perhaps Frank B says it best ...  
Kent ...  
I'm glad they're recording this covers album.  Sir Paul really needs the money.  
Frank B.  

The Paul McCartney tribute album is ready for release. Titled The Art of McCartney, it contains over 40 Beatles, Wings and McCartney solo songs done by the likes of Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Billy Joel, Alice Cooper, Roger Daltrey, Paul Rodgers, Barry Gibb, Cat Stevens, Def Leppard, KISS, Cheap Trick and many others. McCartney gave his complete support to the project and had his touring band back many of the artists.   
It will be out on November 18th on both CD and vinyl including a deluxe box set limited to one-thousand copies and packed with lots of extras including a DVD on the making of the album.   
    1Maybe I’m Amazed - Billy Joel 
      2.  Things We Said Today - Bob Dylan
     3.  Band on the Run - Heart
     4.  Junior’s Farm - Steve Miller
     5.  The Long and Winding Road - Cat Stevens
     6.  My Love - Harry Connick, Jr.
     7.  Wanderlust - Brian Wilson
     8. Bluebird - Corinne Bailey Rae
     9.  Yesterday – Willie Nelson
    10.  Junk – Jeff Lynne
    11.  When I’m 64 – Barry Gibb
    12.  Every Night – Jamie Cullum
    13.  Venus and Mars / Rock Show – KISS
    14.  Let Me Roll It – Paul Rodgers
    15.  Helter Skelter – Roger Daltrey
    16.  Helen Wheels – Def Leppard
    17.  Hello Goodbye – The Cure featuring Paul's son, James McCartney
    18.  Live and Let Die – Billy Joel
    19.  Let It Be – Chrissie Hynde
    20.  Jet - Robin Zander & Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick
    21.  Hi Hi Hi - Joe Elliott
    22.  Letting Go - Heart
    23.  Hey Jude - Steve Miller
    24.  Listen to What the Man Said - Owl City
    25.  Got to Get You Into My Life - Perry Farrell
    26.  Drive My Car - Dion
    27.  Lady Madonna - Allen Toussaint
    28.  Let ‘Em In - Dr. John
    29.  So Bad - Smokey Robinson
    30.  No More Lonely Nights - The Airborne Toxic Event
    31.  Eleanor Rigby - Alice Cooper
    32.  Come and Get It - Toots Hibbert with Sly & Robbie
    33.  On the Way - B. B. King
    34.  Birthday - Sammy Hagar
The limited edition vinyl boxset and deluxe boxset features the following eight extra tracks:
     1.  C Moon - Robert Smith
     2.  Can’t Buy Me Love - Booker T. Jones
     3.  P.S. I Love You - Ronnie Spector
     4.  All My Loving - Darlene Love
     5.  For No One - Ian McCulloch
     6.  Put It There - Peter, Bjorn & John
     7.  Run Devil Run - Wanda Jackson
     8.  Smile Away - Alice Cooper    

Beatles Photo Collection Coming to Walnut Ridge Festival   
A huge collection of Beatles photographs and images is set for display at the Beatles at the Ridge music festival Sept. 19 and 20.  The Argenta Collection will be unveiled at the annual festival in downtown Walnut Ridge.  
The Argenta Collection contains 229 large format photos.  These go back to the days when photographs were taken by news reporters with film cameras, and many photos were kept in archives and never published,” said festival chairman Charles Snapp.
Retro Images originally composed the collection for the Argenta Arts Foundation in North Little Rock.  After being displayed there, the foundation donated the entire collection to Downtown Walnut Ridge, Inc.
“This is likely the largest such collection in the world, and that is no hype.  The collection really is that massive,” said Snapp.  “This is a tremendous gift to Downtown Walnut Ridge, and we plan to make the most of it.”
The entire collection will be on display during Beatles at the Ridge at The Studio, a new event center opening at the corner of Main Street and Abbey Road in Walnut Ridge.
The Argenta Collection will be displayed as part of the Beatles Artists & Authors Symposium, which has become a major component of the Beatles at the Ridge Festival.
This year’s Beatles at the Ridge Festival commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Fab Four’s stop at Walnut Ridge Airport in September of 1964.
After the festival, the Argenta Collection will be on rotating display at the Lawrence County Library.  Some 60 to 70 photos will be displayed at all times at the library, which is located at Walnut and Second Streets in Walnut Ridge.
For additional information: www.BeatlesAtTheRidge.com or contact Charles Snapp at snapp1@sbcglobal.net
(Left to right) Charles Snapp, Lorra Whitmire, Ashley Burris and Jackie Snapp sort through the Beatles photos and images in the Argenta Collection. The collection contains over 200 large format photos, including many rarely seen before.

re:  THIS AND THAT:  
Loved the Johnny Rivers review ... made me laugh.    
Talk about a guy that has a reputation.  At least he is consistent.  
Hope you’re well.  
Denny Tedesco  
Lunch Box Entertainment  
"The Wrecking Crew"   

I just wanted to say that Shelley J Sweet-Tufano writes very entertaining concert reviews. I enjoy her take. Almost makes you feel like you were there. 
Thanks Shelley and you too Kent for posting them. 
Stacee

We've been telling you about the new Glen Campbell Documentary that'll be hitting theaters in a few weeks.  Now comes word that Glen has written and recorded a brand new song to be featured as part of the film's soundtrack.  Titled "I'm Not Gonna Miss You", one cannot help but wonder if this is a tongue-in-cheek look at his health condition ... or just a poor choice of words for a new song title!  (kk)

Speaking of great new movies, we've been waiting for this one from awhile.  Tom Cuddy sends us this rather poorly-written review by the typically much-sharper Roger Friedman of the new Brian Wilson bio-pic "Love And Mercy", now playing in Canada ...   
by -

William Pohlad is mostly known as a movie producer and wealthy Minnesotan whose family owns the Twins. Now he can add feature film director to his resume. He’s done a great job making “Love and Mercy,” a terrific biopic about the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson. At last night’s premiere here in Toronto, Wilson and Pohlad and the film got a real standing ovation– actually two of them– because the film is so moving and well made. 

“Love and Mercy” still needs some trimming. It’s got four opening sequences and gets a little muddled at the three quarter mark. But all that can be fixed easily. The good news is that Pohlad and screenwriter Oren Moverman have very smartly made a film on two tracks– Paul Dano plays Wilson circa 1966 as he’s discovering he’s really a musical genius that his father is abusive. And John Cusack plays Wilson around 1994-95, when he the brain addled artist was under the sway of a real life Rasputin named Dr. Eugene Landy. ( I met Wilson and Landy in 1994, and it was quite a scene.)

The other player in this film besides Dano and Cusack is Elizabeth Banks, who plays Wilson’s second, Melinda. The movie shows how Melinda helped rescue Brian from Landy’s grip. They’ve been married for 19 years. Banks simply glows throughout “Love and Mercy.” She, Dano, and Cusack do stand out work here.

Brian and Melinda were in the audience last night at the Elgin. I don’t know how Brian Wilson could sit through this story– I really hope he napped or zoned out. The man who’s written so many astonishing compositions, pop classics, and so on has really suffered all his life. He started hearing “voices” in his head in 1963, according to the film. After experimenting with drugs, Wilson fell in with Landy who drugged him to keep him under his control. And still he outlived his two talented Beach Boy brothers, Dennis and Carl.

The movie, by the way, won’t help Wilson family relations. Beach Boy Mike Love, a cousin, always known as a creep, comes off just that way.  

Hi Kent:  
Last week, I composed a song which was inspired by all those famous girls of the 60's in song. People have commented that we should record it, but it is too long. Not too long for a cool poem, though. Please feel free to share this, as many of your readers will definitely get a kick out of it.  
Thanks for your your assistance and I enjoy your page!  
Best,  
Bill Dann   

60’s Girls in Song (Where are they now?) (Dann)  

Ever wonder what happened  
To those 60’s girls in song?  
They were accidental divas  
From an era long since gone  

We can’t forget their names  
They’ll forever hold their place   
Legends of the airwaves  
Not just a pretty face   

Now some have passed, or retired  
Other have plain disappeared  
Some are aging gracefully  
While a few have just gone “weird”  

Chorus:  
Those 60’s girls are golden  
Remembered still today  
We heard them on the radio  
They chased our blues away   

Calendar Girl has turned many months  
And the years have not been kind  
Venus in Blue Jeans now wears moo-moos  
Her glory days far behind  

Renee did walk away, and to this day  
Has not dated anyone since  
While Donna the Prima Donna we hear  
Is still waiting for her Prince  

Mary Hill from Cherry Hill Park  
Is now deathly afraid of the dark  
And Little Surfer Girl, I’m sad to report  
Was devoured by a shark   

Judy in Disguise, much to our surprise  
Swapped her glasses for contact lens  
Candy Girl at 70 is still going strong  
And Sheila has lost many friends   

Chorus:  
Those 60’s girls are golden  
Remembered still today  
We heard them on the radio  
They chased our blues away   

Bobby’s Girl finally landed her Bobby  
Pretty Woman’s still considered a fox  
Tracy also looks good for her age  
Thanks to a butt lift and Botox   

A Little Old lady now rests in peace  
Somewhere in Pasadena  
Behind a rickety old garage  
‘Neath a bed of white gardenias  

Abigail Beecher, former History teacher  
Now divorced, lives a quiet life  
While Runaround Sue, once often untrue  
Is now the Wanderer’s wife   

Honolulu Lulu and Mary Lou  
Share a summer home near the beach  
Devil with a Blue Dress turned to God  
Georgy Girl could not be reached  

Chorus:  
Those 60’s girls are golden  
Remembered still today  
We heard them on the radio  
They chased our blues away  

Elenore we hear is doing just swell  
Lonely is our Ramblin’ Rose  
Lady Willpower still won’t give in  
Just why-well, no one knows  

Angel of the Morning died without warning  
Windy’s stormy eyes went blind  
Sweet Pea’s now a type 2 diabetic  
While Susie Q. lost her mind   

The girl in that polka dot bikini  
That was Itsy bitsy, Teenie Weenie  
Vows never to be seen in public  
After being taunted by a meanie  

Carrie-Ann no longer plays those games  
Wild Thing has mellowed with age  
Polk Salad Annie drowned in the swamp  
And Delilah’s filled with much rage   

Chorus:  
Those 60’s girls are golden  
Remembered still today  
We heard them on the radio  
They chased our blues away  

Just a few updates on these legends  
And where they are today  
They ruled the charts in the 60’s  
Now there’s nothing left to say    

Hi Kent,   
I love music lists, even if I don't agree with their results. If there weren't lists then I'd have to be like most people and argue about Religion and Politics.   
Bill     

Hi Kent!  
After reading about the child indecency scandals involving Rolf Harris and now Cliff Richard, I decided to pen this e-mail to let you and the regular visitors to Forgotten Hits know the reason that these scandals and the investigations following them are going on. These investigations in the UK are mainly due to the revelations that came out after the death of a once beloved figure of British media by the name of Jimmy Savile and revelations about his sordid “extracurricular activities”.
But first a little background information about Jimmy Savile (last name rhymes with “travel”). Savile (1926-2011) was an influential British disc jockey on the level of what Dick Clark and Casey Kasem were here in America. He hosted a very popular radio show on Radio Luxembourg from 1958 to 1967 before moving to BBC Radio One in 1967. In 1964, he started his long run as one of the hosts of the BBC pop music TV show Top of the Pops (1964-2006) and also hosted the annual TV broadcasts of the New Music Express Poll Winners Concerts for Associated British Company (ABC) Television. He is best known to American audiences for hosting the 1965 pop music film Pop Gear (a/k/a Go-Go Mania). He also was noted for his work as a tireless fundraiser for charity which led to him earning an OBE ( in 1970) and being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II (in 1990).
But it was after his death in 2011 that revelations about his more sordid “extracurricular activities” came to light. In an ITV documentary, it was revealed that he molested and sexually abused many people when they were children or teenagers as early as 1964. Only the power of his celebrity and being backed by the very powerful BBC network kept much of the scandal out of the spotlight. The revelations of that ITV documentary forced the BBC into damage control and forced them to work with Parliament and the Metropolitan Police in investigating the sexual abuse charges against Savile and other notables that may have been covered up by the BBC. The investigations known as Operation Yewtree were set up by the Metropolitan Police and the National Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children to look into allegations of sexual misconduct against Savile and other personalities associated with the BBC. Among the people being prosecuted or awaiting prosecution due to criminal investigations within Operation Yewtree include former Glam-Rock icon Gary Glitter, disc jockey and TV show host Dave Lee Travis, publicist Max Clifford, and singer- comedian Rolf Harris. Harris and Clifford were found guilty of all charges and are currently serving jail time while Glitter – already a sex offender - is awaiting trial. And Cliff Richard is one of those celebrities who just got caught up in the whole mess surrounding Operation Yewtree.
So now you and the rest of the visitors to Forgotten Hits know what’s going in Britain with the child indecency scandals that have made the news.
Mr. Kelly Izaj of Pittsburgh, Pa.
Thanks for the clarification.  I've always liked Cliff Richard, and I know that he has been raked over the coals due to this matter ... and I sincerely hope he is innocent of all charges ... but I'm concerned that every OTHER example you cited ended up with the accused being guilty of which they were charged ... which can only lead one to believe that they must have found SOME reason for speculation prior to opening their investigations.  That's not me passing judgment, mind you ... simply looking at the statistics as you've presented them.  Since they seem to be batting 1000 everywhere else, we can only hope that Cliff will find the evidence he needs to clear his name ... if he is, in fact, innocent of these charges. Meanwhile, it might not be a bad idea to prepare themselves for what may turn out to be the ultimate shocker ... let's hope they're wrong.  (Hey, I was a HUGE Michael Jackson fan, too!)  kk       

Hi Kent,
Nice work on Jimy Rogers and the Mauds. Interesting comment I got a couple of years ago from a dj on a local station. I called to ask why they always played 'Hold On' by Sam & Dave, but never the Mauds' version. They told me that the other version was more well known, and not everyone knew who the Mauds were because not everyone who listened was from Chicago. So my question would be 'Well, how does one get to know them unless they hear them??' Just kinda gives you an idea of how these programmers think!
And I also have to once agree with you about, for instance, Journey. I like most of their songs, but EVERY time I turned on the radio last week they played a Journey song! Same with Fleetwood Mac - great artists, but their overplaying of the same song makes you hate them! And it seems like both of my favorite stations, the Drive and 94.7, have transitioned from the 60's and 70's to almost exclusively 80's music - which does nothing for me! So I guess we really have been written off into the oldies vault! 
Marlene

Hey Kent ...
Because I remain a fan as well as a participant, I thought I'd share some thoughts on our show this past weekend at The Cannery in Las Vegas.
We performed on a show that included Gary Lewis And The Playboys, The Brooklyn Bridge Band, The 1910 Fruitgum Co., and us, The Rip Chords. It was a free show called "End Of Summer Bash" ... and it was a "sellout" ... a full capacity house of energetic 3000-plus fans.
The show started out with The 1910 Fruitgum Company, with original member Frank Jeckell. They played a fun tight set of all of the Fruitgum hits as well as others, including an Ohio Express hit. They sounded great, and the audience loved hearing some live bubblegum music being represented onstage. Great guys, great band.
Then we (The Rip Chords) hit the stage, with original touring / recording member, Richie Rotkin. Arnie Marcus, another original, recently retired from the road, so this was our first West Coast show without him. We kept our set to the classic Rip Chords songs peppered with a few new songs from our "Cobra Beach" CD, and a Beach Boys song or two. During the set, we invited Billy Hinsche to sit in with us on four tunes, and the audience were thrilled to see Billy onstage. He sang some harmonies with us and added some keyboards and guitar to the mix. It's always an honor to be onstage with Billy, who needs no introduction here in Forgotten Hits. His accomplishments are well documented and his praise is well deserved. And, I admire and look up to Billy in many ways, as a friend and musician.
Towards the end of our set, we called the legendary Donna Loren onstage to sing "Muscle Bustle" with us.  This is a Brian Wilson song that Donna sang in the film, "Muscle Beach Party". Donna looked and sounded great. We have worked with Donna a few times, and Richie Rotkin and Donna go all the way back to the Dick Clark Caravan Of Stars Tour in 1964. Our jam with her rocked! The audience were dancing in the aisles!  We love Donna, and plan on doing more with her. For our encore Billy and Donna joined us onstage again for a rockin finale!
Next up, The Brooklyn Bridge, with a few original members still with the band. They were great, and great guys, too. Some of the best singing I have ever heard ... Johnny Maestro would be proud. (Between The Brooklyn Bridge, and another amazing vocalist, Dennis Tufano, I don't think there are better vocalists to be heard on any stage anywhere!)
Last up was Gary Lewis And The Playboys. I have been a Gary Lewis fan since the beginning, and it was a thrill and an honor to be on a bill with him and his great band. He played every hit he had, as well as some deep cuts from his original LP's. He has his Dad's sense of humor and told some really funny stories onstage. If you talk to Gary, ask him about his "interview with the young fan" ... really funny story. Gary's band was rock solid. I especially liked his bass player, who wrote a new song with Gary that they did. His introduction to that song was really funny as well. Gary is a great guy and he and his band rocked. I've attached a few photos for everyone to see as well as a link to a short Video Clip of Donna onstage with us, taken by Donna's husband Jered Cargeman, formerly of The Fantastic Baggys! 
In closing, The Rip Chords represented the "Endless Summer Family" with pride in Las Vegas Saturday night, with a couple of "extended Endless Summer Family members" onstage with us, and everyone had a great time.
I remain a fan ...
Mitch Schecter / The Rip Chords




We're supposed to see The Brooklyn Bridge in a couple of weeks when they open for Felix Cavaliere's Rascals. I've been curious to see what they could possibly sound like without the great Johnny Maestro so your review was a welcome surprise.  Nice clip of Donna, too ... although I WILL admit that I was waiting for what seemed would be the inevitable wardrobe malfunction!  (lol)
Sounds like a good time was had by all ... and it's great to hear that Gary Lewis is back up on stage performing again ... I know he missed a number of dates on the Happy Together Tour this summer.  (kk)   

Tom Cuddy reports that Survivor is taking some time off to mentally regroup after the sudden death of lead singer Jimi Jamison ...   
Not surprisingly. Survivor has canceled all its shows for September and October in the wake of lead singer Jimi Jamison's death. 
Co-founder Dave Bickler tells Blabbermouth.net, "We are devastated by this loss, we trust that our fans will understand our wanting to take some time to mourn and remember our brother." Fellow original Frankie Sullivan adds, "I called him 'Golden Throat,' and for good reason. Jim had a voice we will never forget. It was massive and huge, and yet sweet and gentle. 
The voice of such '80s classics as "High on You" and the theme from Rocky IV, "Burning Heart," Jamison suffered a fatal heart attack on August 31st.
Original Survivor founder Jim Peterik told us the day after Jamison's death had been reported:
I'm heart broken.
Jp  

Meanwhile, ZZ Top's Dusty Hill is recovering nicely after his recent fall and hip injury a week or two ago. 
Here is the latest tour (and health) update issued by the band (including a number of rescheduled dates in 2015 for shows recently cancelled):

DUSTY HILL ON THE MEND: ZZ TOP ROADSHOW TO RESUME FIRST OF THE YEAR
ZZ TOP have just announced that scheduled tour dates will resume at the first of the year, stating, "Dusty's well being is paramount.” The statement is in reference to Dusty Hill, the band’s bass-guitarist,  who, earlier, took a mis-step on his tour bus and injured his hip, whose energies are now aimed at rehab in expectation of a complete recovery. 
The band’s management is now booking and re-scheduling an extensive run of dates starting early next year.  “We’re looking forward to getting out there and rockin’ it with Dusty in a big way...100%,” bandmates Billy F Gibbons and Frank Beard, commented.  Dusty's usual upbeat wit was very much in evidence as he added that he'd like to see Slim Harpo’s classic "Hip Shake" added to the band's repertoire.   
Ticket holders for tour dates this fall run should hold on to their tickets until the updated schedule is posted early next week. 
Ticket holders for the ZZ Top / Jeff Beck events will be pleased to know they have have been rescheduled as noted below: 
05/01/15
Thackerville, OK – Winstar Casino
05/02/15
The Woodlands, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
05/07/15
Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater
05/08/15
W. Palm Beach, FL – Cruzan Amphitheatre
05/09/15
Saint Augustine, FL – Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
05/10/15
Alpharetta, GA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park
Ticket holders for the dates listed below will receive full refunds as these are not slated to be rescheduled:
9/25/2014
Bloomsburg, PA-Bloomsburg Fair
FRI 9/26/2014
West Springfield, MA-The Big E Festival
SAT 9/27/2014
Portland, ME-Maine State Pier
WED 10/8/2014
Ft. Wayne, IN-Foellinger Theatre - Outdoor
WED 10/15/2014
Columbia , SC-South Carolina State Fair Grandstand  

Our FH Buddy Ron Onesti (he of The Arcada Theatre) received a nice write up this past week, speaking about the recent passing of Joan Rivers.  (Joan filmed a live concert special there a couple of years ago that still shows up on cable all the time.)  You can read the complete piece here:

Click here: Joan Rivers one of a kind, tirelessly funny | Elgin Courier-News   
And check out Ron's own interview discussing the matter here:
Local FH subscribers received a VERY special treat in their email this morning ... it's a $24 Ticket Offer to see Lou Gramm, original frontman and voice of Foreigner, at The Arcada Theatre this Saturday Night! (Unfortunately, we can't be at this show ... so we're hoping that a few of our readers will take advantage of this GREAT offer and report back with reviews of the concert!)
Not a Forgotten Hits Subscriber?  Drop us an email at forgottenhits@aol.com and ask us to put you on the list!  (kk)   

Kent,
Today’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report on the latest Nielson radio ratings have the “oldies” station WRIT-FM (95.7) in a solid third place, trailing only a country station and a news-talk station. While WRIT defines oldies in the (sadly) typical 70’s and 80’s format, it is nice to see an oldies station highly rated. 
Bob Verbos   

And this from Bob Merlis ... about "One Hit Wonders" ... nice article covering points we've been driving home for nearly fifteen years now ... but notice how even THIS list only focuses on the '80's?!?!   
http://www.salon.com/2014/09/07/dont_call_them_one_hit_wonders/?source=newsletter=   

Meanwhile, another report about the resurgence of vinyl ... this time from FH Reader Dave Barry, whose  subject line reads "Vinyl Sales Soar!"  
http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/9467-wax-and-wane-the-tough-realities-behind-vinyls-comeback/
In this current day of downloading ONLY the songs that you like, I'm a bit surprised by this.  (My guess is it's more VINTAGE vinyl and new, specialty releases that are selling the best ... and to folks who grew up on vinyl in the first place.)  Today very few people even buy CD's anymore ... and good luck even finding an outlet that sells them!  We seem to be totally encompassed in the digital music world.  However, writing off "the vinyl frontier" may have been a bit premature, too.  (Which could bode well, I suppose for all you 8-Track and Betamax collectors out there!!!  Not!)  kk

re:  QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Were the '60's and '70's really as exciting as you make them seem? 
Priscilla (born in 1983)
Oh, Priscilla, you missed SO much!  There has never been another time quite like it.  Glad to know that while we're enjoying reliving many of these memories in Forgotten Hits, you're enjoying experiencing them for the first time (and are maybe just a little bit jealous!!!  lol)  kk