Hi Kent-
Your wonderful website blog is still a daily visit for me. Thanks for all your efforts to keep the music alive!
This morning I heard 1974's "Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)" on our wonderful over-the-air (and streaming) WDGY . I bought the 45 when it came out, since I had a real love for "novelty" songs.
I googled the lyrics to see what I've been missing all these years. Crazy stuff!
I also found this little bit of info about the song, and was wondering if it had come up before on the blog:
"In 1974, radio station KFRC in San Francisco also aired a specially tailored take on the song: "Life Is a Rock, but KFRC Rolled Me" with an extra verse naming all of the station's then-current personalities. The verse was sung by KFRC's afternoon personality, Chuck Buell."
Sorry if this has already been discussed and I missed it.
But if it hasn't ...
Cough it up, CB! We want to hear it!
-Mike Lane
Minneapolis
Wow - that’s a new one on me! I’ll have to ask him.
Here in Chicago, both WLS and WCFL aired versions with their call letters inserted into the lyrics (where “and the radio” was) - Super ‘CFL’s sounded better as it was a more natural fit - but I’d never heard about the deejays names being inserted before - will ask Chuck so we can all check it out. (kk)
Yes, the Special KFRC Version of the Forgotten Hit "Life Is A Rock" with the names of our then On-Air Lineup is a creation I came up with, wrote and "sang" within the original song!
Here's the video of that, with the complete rendition of the song as heard many times on the "Big 610" in 1974. The verse appears at about 1:45 in complete with individual promo photos of the team and then again quickly at the end.
Thanx for inquiring, Mike! It was a Fun Project to do and to hear throughout the San Francisco Air! And Fun for me to hear again today, too!
Appreciatively,
The Artist Formerly Known as "Oogah Chuckah Buell!"
I think a lot of radio stations dubbed their call letters into the lyrics … which probably made the song more popular than it really was! (lol)
It went to #1 on WLS, stopping at #4 across the river at WCFL here in Chicago … and peaked at #7, 8 or 9 nationally, depending on if you were checking the Cash Box, Billboard or Record World Charts.
(I remember when the record first came out WLS ran the lyrics on the back of one of their weekly surveys so that listeners could sing along Chipmunk-style with the record!) kk
JR Russ, who runs the great WCFL Chicago site, sent us this clip of the WCFL version ... in stereo no less!!! (Thanks, JR!) kk
WCFL Chicago is more than just a tribute site ...
Give them a listen ... a great mix of music along with vintage clips from the station's hey-day ... http://www.wcflchicago.com/
More on Mark Volman, valiantly out touring as part of The Happy Together Tour as his disclosure to People Magazine makes headlines around the world …
Mark Volman has been a long-time friend of Forgotten Hits … so we were naturally quite distressed to learn of his condition. Apparently first diagnosed in 2020 (after experiencing, in his own words, “hallucinations, tremors and struggles with concentration,” it was determined that Mark has Lewy Body Dementia.
Although I will admit to never having heard of this condition before today, Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is actually the second most common form of degenerative dementia after Alzheimer’s, affecting an estimated 1.4 million people in the US alone. It is defined as a progressive brain disorder that affects thinking, memory and movement. It is, in fact, the same illness that comedian Robin Williams and business mogul Ted Turner were diagnosed with toward the end of their lives.
Despite this situation, Volman, is busying himself by promoting his new book and partaking in the annual Happy Together Tour, something that will keep him busy for the next several months ahead.
He knows what the future holds … and just wants to make the most of the “right now” … and who can fault him for that! (Turtles partner Howard Kaylan stopped touring years ago due to health issues, which is why Ron Dante has been the lead voice of The Turtles for several years now during the Happy Together concerts.
“I got hit by the knowledge that this was going to create a whole new part of my life. And I said, ‘OK, whatever’s going to happen will happen, but I’ll go as far as I can.’
In the meantime, pick up a copy of Mark’s book … and go out and see him concert. (The tour runs throughout the summer with an extensive list of stops along the way.) kk
I must admit that I, too, have mixed feelings about AI technology in music, but I am anxious to hear this new John Lennon song whenever it becomes available.
Thanks again Kent for all your hard work,
Sam Ward
A couple more public screenings of the Dick Biondi documentary have been announced as Pam Pulice takes her film on the road.
If you live near Hobart, Indiana, you can catch the show on Sunday, June 25th …
Our next big SNEAK
PREVUE is in INDY!
Join us Sunday afternoon, June 25th, for an afternoon of radio and
rock n' roll nostalgia at the Hobart Art Theatre in Hobart, IN,
hosted by Tom Lounges Entertainment & Tom Lounges Record Bin. Doors
open at 1:00 PM Central with an open bar & live entertainment by Buddy
Holly Tribute Artist, Kenny James, and Joe Cantafio of Jade 50s (who is in the
film). You can bid on our Silent Auction, Raffles, AND have a chance
to win a really cool guitar autographed by Joe and Kenny, Carl Giammarese, Ray
Graffia Jr., Ronnie Rice, Scott MacKay, the StingRays, and Jim Peterik.
The film starts at 2:00 Central time, followed by a Q&A. It's going to
be an afternoon of warm, happy memories for those of us who grew up with
Dick Biondi. So come join the fun and excitement, and please, help us
spread the love.
Or, make your way to the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, Michigan, where the film will be showing on Sunday afternoon, July 9th.
WE'RE COMING TO THE ACORN!
On Sunday afternoon, July 9, a special screening will be held at the
Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, MI. Doors open at 11:00 am Central time with live
entertainment by Gnarni, a band of brothers who will perform jazz, rock, and
Italian songs. The screening is at noon, followed by a Q&A with me. I
love when people ask questions about Dick and his radio and musician friends,
and about making the movie. So I hope you'll come out and bring your friends
because this may very well be the final screening of the
summer.
You can get your tickets by calling the Acorn box office, which typically opens
at 3 pm CT on show days) - 269.756.3879. Keep in mind the Acorn Theatre
is only 15 miles from the Central Time Zone so check your time on
Directions.
HARBOR COUNTRY
Enjoy a day, a weekend or more in southwest Michigan! Explore galleries,
boutiques, dunes, wineries, breweries, eclectic dining, AND the Acorn,
where you'll always find great entertainment!
Netflix premiers a brand new Wham! documentary on the 5th of July ... here's the trailer ...
"Whamania" never really took off here in The States to the degree that it did in The UK ...
But the duo still managed to score three straight #1 Hits in 1984-1985, along with four other Top Ten singles, all within the span of just two years. (A couple of these releases came out under just George Michael's name, before he officially went solo in 1987, earning seven MORE #1 hits.)
It was all fun, infectious pop music ... and Michael just earned his way into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year. This new doc looks well worth watching (if only to finally learn what Andrew Ridgeley's role was in all of this!!! To me, he's kind of the Brian Dunkleman of the pop world!) kk
