Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Tuesday This And That

Sign me up for the Mary Wilson Book Giveaway!
I remember seeing The Supremes in the Summer of 1965 at a pretty small, intimate club in San Jose, CA, while on a quick week's vacation to San Francisco!
I was just a Young Semi-Naive Radio Guy then, but with no fears about introducing myself to the Club Manager and modestly telling him I was a "DJ" on the leading radio station in Denver, Colorado ( KIMN ). I asked him if it would be possible to meet them before their show began.  After all, Diana Ross and I were the same age and all! (I had bought their latest album earlier that afternoon and had it in hand in case meeting them worked out.)  He said he'd tell them, went to the back and was gone for a few minutes.
Hold on!  Moments later, Diana Ross came out to say hello to me!
We talked for a very short time (after all, they had a show to do starting in a few moments!), so I asked if she would take the album I had back to their dressing room and have she and the others autograph it. She said, "Sure!"  but she didn't know how she might get it back to me, because they were leaving immediately after their last song to avoid getting delayed by club-goers.  I suggested maybe she could send it to me. She said, "Sure!"  I wrote down my name and the station's address and gave it to her with the LP, and that was it!  Simple! I was pretty excited!  
They put on a great show, and a few days later, I went back to Denver.
I'm still waiting to get my autographed album back  . . .
Chuck Buell
LOL … TOO funny.  (I suggested to co-author Mark Bego that maybe we could get Mary to sign a copy for you should you win one of the ones that we’ll be giving away in September when the book gets released.)
He said:
Kent:
That is too funny! The disc jockey will have to take the matter of the missing album up with Diana Ross. I am certain many people have a "bone to pick" with Miss Ross ... LOL!!!  Maybe she absconded with it? 
So far I have only seen one copy of the "Supreme Glamour" book, which Mary Wilson and I posed for photos with at our party at the Blackbarn restaurant in NYC on June 3rd.  After the photos were taken, the book was snatched back by the publicist from the publisher, and he promptly left with it.  It kinda parallels the story of the missing LP!  How ironic!  We’ll be in touch when the book's release nears.
Cheers,
Mark

Mark also told us …
Thank you so much for the great piece today in Forgotten Hits.  I can't wait to tell Mary that we are now dubbed "the Dynamic Duo" ... love it!!!
Cheers,
Mark

FORGOTTEN HITS GIVE-AWAYS:
Register now to win a copy of the brand new Mark Bego / Mary Wilson Book SUPREME GLAMOUR, due out in September …

Or a pair f tickets to see NELSON (Rick’s son Matthew and Gunnar Nelson) in either Findlay, Ohio on September 6th or September 7th at The Loraine Palace Theater in Loraine, Ohio, about 100 miles east of Findlay …

Or …

Tickets to see The Fab Four (one of America’s PREMIER Beatles Tribute Bands … we love ‘em!) at The Arcada Theatre on November 1st.

Just send me an email and show which contest you’d like to be entered for … and then watch these pages for the results.
It’s that simple!  (kk)

Speaking of great shows, we just got this from our FH Buddy Rick Levy …

We’ve got some great shows coming up featuring HERMAN’S HERMITS starring PETER NOONE, THE BOX TOPS, THE VOGUES, THE HAPPENINGS and more.  In fact, we’ll all be performing together in Fort Meyers, Florida, on January 30th, 2020.  Keep watching these pages for more details
Rick

kk:
Since we've been talking about this movie, I thought you might find this article interesting …
MANSON 'SLAY PAD’ FOR SALE
One of the Los Angeles houses where followers of Charles Manson committed notorious murders in 1969 is for sale.
The home, in the hilly Los Feliz district, is where Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were slain, the night after actress Sharon Tate and four others were murdered by Manson followers in Benedict Canyon.
The 2-bedroom home is priced at $1.98 million, the LA Times reported. The house falls outside a requirement that sellers alert buyers to a death on site in the previous three years, the listing agent has mentioned its roots.
Does the murder scene add to the value of the house?
FB
Not for me, it doesn’t!  I think I’d be too creeped out about the whole thing to ever live there.  (That 50th Anniversary is right around the corner as well.)
But have you seen the pictures of this home?!?!  It’s absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!  (kk)
Take a gander at some of these:

Hi Kent ...
Thought you might enjoy this! Apollo 11 Playlist ...
HAPPY MOON DAY! 
There was music on Apollo 11. Here’s what astronauts listened to for their moon walk | The Star
RR Amore 8000

Ironically, FH Reader Gary Strobl sent us this piece about another one of John Stewart’s songs paying tribute to the moon voyage … 

Hello Kent,
Here is this remarkable song that John Stewart wrote about the moon landing 50 years ago. 
Chip Douglas produced the first version of this song.
Here is what he wrote about that session.
CHIP DOUGLAS:  The original recording was done at Harmony recorders right after the moon landing. Henry Diltz plays muted banjo on that. The "Capitol copy" version was done a little while later. The first two on you tube are different mixes from the Capitol copy version.  The "Mashup" contains the Harmony and Capitol versions mixed together. The string parts were the ones I wrote for the Harmony version, and were copied note for note on the Capitol version (I don't think I got credited for that). Buffy might have a copy of the Harmony version somewhere.
This song does not get the attention it truly deserves.
Please share it with your friends if you have the chance.
Huge hugs to you!
Love, Peace & Happy Days Ahead,
Gary

FH Reader Tom Cuddy sent us these reports about the Burton Cummings / Randy Bachman Canadian Reunion show that happened last week …



This sounds like a beautiful, intimate evening of story-telling.  SO happy that these guys are getting along again right now … and hoping that a Soundstage episode and a US tour are not too far off in the future.  Would love to see the two of them again, even in this acoustic setting.  (kk)

Hi Kent -
Your Friday Flash Comments were FANTASTIC!!
Thank You for posting the photo of Micky, Mike, Beaver and Wally (an early crush of mine)!  It brought back many memories.
Looking forward to seeing the Shadows of Knight and New Colony Six in Addison! My Favorites!
Keep up the GREAT WORK!
Carolyn
The show is Thursday, August 1st … Ray Graffia, Jr. shares more details below …

Hi Kent –
Here is a link to event details surrounding our August 1st appearance in Addison:

As to some of your other queries from last week … 

I always was and still am a big fan of the Bee Gees, Kent, and found Let There Be Love on an album I had purchased.  I thought it was a wonderful tune, brought it to the RJM crew, who also liked it and, given group wisdom's belief that perhaps use of a ballad would positively impact record sales and add to airplay (neither of which actually applied, BTW, since there were more founding NC6ers in RJM at the time than there were in NC6), we recorded the song and watched it go essentially nowhere ... sigh! 
As for Wendy Snyder’s take on the John Sebastian concert, I was in the middle of a lengthy Arbortech phone call when she mentioned being at the show and while I did catch that their whole family went, I had to focus on real world biz, so missed most of her review - may be accessible online at the WGN radio site perhaps?????? 

Other topics:

  • Cavestomp was at the Warsaw Theater in Brooklyn - found and attached a poster!

 

  • Colony at City Winery would be great - wanna book that one for us?
  • Too bad Pat never even acknowledged all the notes each of us used to try to get him to come in for the St. Pat's "Hall of Fame" induction but super glad that you and Frannie and uber NC6 rock historian, Jerry Schollenberger, and others outside the band were able to drive out to the super boonies and join us for the pre-induction party - found and attached a photo of that memento too!  

  • Picture in the background was from us during a Beach Boys' tour when Brian was not touring, but both Dennis and Carl were, and both then still alive (pretty sure that Chic took the picture, hence not in the shot) –
  • I also sent along a slide from an Arbortech recycling and wastewater treatment training offering I made a few years ago so you can see / share that, too, if you'd like - always close my presentations with rock & roll history so those attending remember me, and, hopefully Arbortech, by association!
  • Luke is indeed cute but methinks Isla wins cutest tyke though surely due to personal favoritism --- but cannot wait to see what June will look like as she grows - seemingly will have red hair and blue eyes - at least that's what she has at the present time. 
I think this covers items you tossed out for additional yadda yadda but if I missed anything, just holler back --- will be leaving the office noonish today for a radio interview over in Round Lake that may be interesting as it is quite likely to touch upon religion and its pertinence or lack thereof to a certain rock and roll band member's pre-, during and post career / life choices.  Hence, if you see this prior to interview time at ~1 PM, you may be able to catch the conversation here:  WRLR 98.3FM – The Voice of Lake County!  Being a now-retired Roman Catholic Deacon as well as a maybe-should-have-retired-decades-ago rocker, I was intrigued when they offered up the topic, so we'll see how it goes and where it goes. 

Blessings to you, Frannie and Paige (and Luke, et alia...)! 
Peace,     
Ray     
P.S.  Added a (clearly self-serving but hard to make a 73-year old look halfway decent so seeing this one made me smile) shot Jack Mongan took during the April Dick Biondi benefit concert in case you hadn't yet seen it along with a photo explaining the jersey my kids got me ... when viewed from its backside!


                    

Here are a few more photos from this very special Dick Biondi event that Pam Pulice sent us.  (Jack’s a GREAT photographer, isn’t he???)
Sounds like we’re getting closer and closer to the final edit of the film … so stay tuned for more details!  (kk)



Kent,
I'd like to make a comment on CB's assessment of answer songs in today's FH, especially the answer to the Angels' My Boyfriend's Back.
I guess there were literally hundreds and hundreds of answer records made, but the great, great majority of them were not hits.
To my knowledge and recollection, Bobby Comstock's answer of Your Boyfriend's Back was never played here in the OKC area, but I do have a copy of it. He had a few records on the Lawn label with probably his 1963 song Let's Stomp being his biggest. His biggest record here in the OKC area came in 1961 with Garden of Eden which I believe was on Festival records, a branch of King. That record was top 10 here. I also reminded his version of Tennessee Waltz in 1959 got extensive air play. Have a great weekend and stay cool. They said on the radio today your heat index will be around 111 degrees.
Larry
It is DEFINITELY hot here!!!  But summer was so long overdue this year, that this certainly beats the alternative!  (Snow in May?!?!)  kk 

“The Pretenders With Friends” - The Pretenders featuring Chrissy Hynde Performs With Special Guests Iggy Pop, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Kings of Leon and Incubus!
Blu-Ray/DVD/CD package featuring Bonus interviews with Band members, Slide show, Trailers & More!
Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum selling band The Pretenders featuring the Legendary Chrissy Hynde performs with special guests including Iggy Pop, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Kings of Leon and Incubus, recorded live at the Decades Rock Arena in Atlantic City, NJ.
Songs include “Brass in Pocket”; “Message of Love” by Incubus, "I'm Only Happy When It Rains” by Shirley Manson, “Precious”; “Candy” by Iggy Pop and Chrissy Hynde",  “Talk of the Town”; “Back on the Chain Gang”; “Drive” by Incubus; “Mystery Achievement", "Fools Must Die" by Iggy Pop, and "Middle Of The Road" encore performance featuring The Pretenders with Iggy Pop, Incubus, Kings Of Leon and Shirley Manson.
Decades Rock Live is an innovative live concert series that features performances by celebrated artists from rock to soul who have influenced popular music over the last 50 years, as well as performances from some of today's hottest recording acts who have been inspired by these legends. This 75 Minute concert program was filmed in Hi-Definition and is presented in Stereo and 5.1 Surround Audio.
Track Listing:
01 ”The Wait”
02 “The Losing”
03 “Back In The Chain”
04 “Talk Of The Town”
05 “I’m Only Happy When It Rains”
06 “Day After Day”
07 “Bucket”
08 “Up The Neck”
09 “Drive”
10 “Message Of Love”
11 ”Precious”
12 “Fools Must Die”
13 “Candy”
14 “Mystery Achievement”
15 ”Brass In Pocket”
16 “Middle Of The Road”
Bonus Materials
DVD includes Bonus interviews with Band members, Slide show, Trailers & More!
Includes a CD also!

And this one sounds especially interesting … (I’ve already pre-ordered my copy!)
I remember writing about this event right before it happened … tried to get tickets but it was already sold out … would have LOVED to have been there to see these guys reunite one more time … but now we can ALL watch the concert in the comfort of our own homes.
Check it out … along with the promo clip …




Here’s one we were looking forward to seeing …
Now maybe not so much …

FH Reader Clark Besch explains:

ECHO IN THE CANYON Review:
I don't know if you've seen this or already read reviews of it, because it's been out awhile.  Here's my take if interested.
We FINALLY got to see "Echo in the Canyon" today when the film finally hit Lincoln's theaters.  I had read no reviews but figured it would be a documentary to go along with Harvey Kubernik's EXCELLENT 2009 huge book synopsis of Laurel Canyon LA in the 60's era titled "Canyon of Dreams."  
I have to say that the film certainly had some good parts but a fair amount of disappointment as well.
On the good side, it featured (mostly) new interviews with several key figures and band members of the area and era that were fun to see.  
On the NOT SO GOOD side, half of the film was five younger singers: Beck, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Regina Spektor and Norah Jones as well as the film's creator (and narrator, Bob Dylan's son Jacob Dylan), singing a lot of songs from the four bands that are the featured artists of the film during the four years, 1964 - 1967.  THAT is the big drawback.  FOUR bands??  The four being the Beach Boys, the Byrds, the Mamas & Papas, and Buffalo Springfield. 
Basically ONE member of each band was interviewed, while the five youngsters provided rather dull and at times undecipherable drivel about the music they did NOT grow up with in some cases AND did not know.  There was no attempt to hide their performances using teleprompters to sing the lyrics and Beck hardly seemed to know how to even harmonize any lyrics on one song.  It was a bit like the "Yesterday" movie for me at that point.  No Doors???  
On the good side again, the songs they chose to sing now in their own unique stylings (which Dylan says were done in the "true" stylings of the songs – hmmm, not quite!) were not the big hits we all know, but some of the very cool songs not heard on radio anymore.  They presented a youngsters’ take to the original Byrds version of one of my Byrds faves, "It Won't be Wrong," but neglected to mention THAT SONG was an early 45 when they were the Beefeaters and on Elektra Records.  Too obscure to ask about that in the conversations, I guess.  To the bad, Dylan's voice was almost always MUCH lower than the original vocalists on the songs, so any attempt to SOUND like the originals was out the window.  I just did not care for their "versions."  
YES, Dylan talks with MANY superstars, but they could have talked with MANY more, as Harvey did in his EXCELLENT book.  I was looking for a documentary and I got a concert of people I have no idea about with some great clips of original talks from people who REALLY knew what happened.  They did a REAL head scratcher when they sang "Never My Love," a song NOT by any of the four groups or even written BY the Association.  I'm not sure why they plugged "Goin' Back" (barely in their 64-67 film frame) so much other than to give an explanation for the Byrds firing Crosby, which he reputes right while the song is sang in the film.
Throw in that they kept showing clips of a 60's movie (Model Shop) I had never heard of and used the same footage and photos (OFTEN) more than once in the film.  I wondered if watching the 60's movie might be better than the one I was watching now??? 
There were a few still photos that DID fit their purpose for the film, but were NOT from the 64-67 era they were portrayed as.
There WERE some nice clips for sure and some good memories in this film, but the new singing and the five youngsters sitting at a table of late 60's albums and trying to explain … I'm not sure WHAT they were doing, actually ... was stupid at best. 
I wasn't in Laurel Canyon anymore than those five were, BUT I was alive and listening to 60's music intently IN the 60's and a group of my friends chatting about those bands and our memories would have been better than what the film gives us, IMO.  There was MUCH more to add and even MORE to delete from this film to make it really a nice retrospective.
It's a hodgepodge of things that don't really present any story, IMO.  I'll throw this film in with the Elton, Yesterday and Queen movie as "kind of" good, but far from my hopes ... again.
Clark Besch