FORGOTTEN HITS: THURSDAY THIS AND THAT

Thursday, August 24, 2023

THURSDAY THIS AND THAT

Kent –

Thank you for the wonderful write-up on It Could Be We’re In Love.

I got a copy of the WLS survey yesterday from a couple of fans. It's amazing that we were number one in Chicago … but it’s even MORE amazing to me that that was 56 years ago, and that people are still so invested in the song.

Thanks again for doing this. You know I think you do great work … keep it up.

Toad

My pleasure, Tom …

It’s a great song … and it was a great time for music … SO many incredible memories. (kk)

REMINDER: Rewound Radio will be featuring the 2^nd Annual WLS / WCFL REWOUND all Labor Day Weekend, rebroadcasting airchecks from the Glory Days of Top 40 Radio, Chicago Style …

All the great jocks … all the great music … running non-stop beginning at 5 am Central Time on Saturday, September 2^nd, and running straight thru past midnight on Monday Night, September 4^th.

You can Listen Live here: http://rewoundradio.com/

Kent,

Thanks so much for running the Cryan’ Shames thing. Of course, they get inducted into the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum in the coming days, too. How many capes does JC Hooke have? He has one in the Hard Rock already!

Clark Besch

The Cryan’ Shames will be inducted into The Illinois Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in a live ceremony taking place on Sunday, September 17^thfrom 6 – 9 pm at The Rialto Square Theatre in downtown Joliet.

More details here: https://www.roadtorock.org/event/3rd-annual-hall-of-fame-induction-awards-ceremony/ (kk)

And The Cryan’ Shames will also be performing at the upcoming screening of the new Dick Biondi Documentary, “The Voice That Rocked America” on Thursday, September 7^th, at The Bolingbrook Golf Club.

Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dick-biondi-special-tribute-documentary-tickets-695448494167?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwAR1h2CNfCHueOjs-6YRcLY2Rn0Smhl-sa8GiXUEEAXnGp80Ft5SYLukhwps

kk –

Thanks for the write up. And a big HAPPY B-DAY, youngster!!!

Hope you are planning on making it to the R&R Hall Of Fame induction on September 17^th ... should be pretty cool.

Thanks again to you and superfan Clark Besch,

Jimmy P

The Cryan' Shames

Just wanted to stop by for a HOWDY!!!!!

Love the Cryan’ Shames and play them every Wednesday on WINDY CITY WEDNESDAY on 101.5.

When I dig into their LP tracks, listeners’ ears really pick up, as they pretty much stuck to buying the 45's back then apparently.

Have a great rest of the summer, man, and keep the info flying!

Jeff James

AND ...

CAN I RUIN RADIO Again????

Yep! WLSClark is doing another WFMU show -- this time, two hours …

NOT Strictly 60's, but filling in for the Flot's Spot Thursday Night show, 9 - 11 PM EASTERN TIME, 8 - 10 CENTRAL. (That’s tonight, folks … August 24^th!)

This show will be suited more towards that show's regular listeners, so some things may be geared towards an inside joke some listeners may not get, but basically it will be what my 1980s radio shows were like on KZUM, with a definite slant towards my Dodge City days, Lincoln days, broadcasting days, Chicago music/radio times, WFMU's artificial intelligence DJ, joking with the regular Flot show host, MY fave artists, the 60's, general silliness, the fab Four and more!

Tune in if you dare! Take the pledge: "I believe in radio!"

https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/130901

To hear the show, just find the little tiny "Pop Up" words just under "Rock N Soul Radio" words at the site below and click on them and then hit play in next window and you are locked in the fury. Hope you come and have fun! IF you can't join that night and want to hear the show, you can visit same link later anytime and it will have a "Pop up PLAYER" that you can click to listen post-show time.

WLSClark

In other radio news ...

Hello Kids:

Just an FYI, I will be on Dewey's Basement Show on WMSE 91.7 on Friday at 6PM. We will be playing the Summer of 1963 Songs. 60 Years Ago! Many Classics. As always , we play records. Hope you tune in!

Ken Freck

N*Sync is reuniting with a new song for the next Trolls movie???

That’s the word … (seriously, what ELSE have they got to do?!?!)

And we’re also hearing that Katie and Keith (WHO!?!?!?) are being considered for this year’s Super Bowl Half-Time Show. (Seriously???)

Apparently Taylor Swift turned it down … as did Ed Sheeran … but Katie and Keith?!?!

I’m sorry … but I have absolutely NO idea who that even is! (kk)

Ringo Starr’s next EP release will feature a tune written for him by former bandmate Paul McCartney.

Titled “Feeling The Sunlight,” it’s one of four new tunes that will appear on the new EP, “Rewind Forward,” his fourth in a series. Steve Lukather and Joe Walsh also appear on the disc, out October 13^th.

McCartney also added a Mexico City date to his new tour …

Macca will be appearing in Mexico City at Foro Sol on November 14^th. (More dates are expected to be added.)

In other Beatles news, BMG has announced that they will begin reissuing George Harrison’s solos CD’s beginning on the 8^th of September. The first five titles to become available again will be “Living In The Material World” (1973), “Electronic Sound” (1969), “Dark Horse” (1974), “Extra Texture” (1975) and “George Harrison” (1979).

There has been no mention of bonus tracks … and George’s triple-LP sets “All Things Must Pass” and “The Concert For Bangla Desh” will not be part of this new reissue campaign. (kk)

Here’s another one we’ll have to read!

ICONS, IDOLS AND IDIOTS OF HOLLYWOOD :

MEMOIR OF FOUR PREPS’ BRUCE BELLAND TO BE PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 8

HIT RECORDS, CONCERTS, NIGHT CLUBS, TV AND FILM APPEARANCES TAKE TEEN VOCALISTS TO THE TOP OF THE CHARTS AND JUXTAPOSE THEM WITH HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS IN THE EISENHOWER AND KENNEDY ERAS

“Bruce tells the story so colorfully, it’s a pure joy to read.” – Nancy Sinatra

“Everybody has a song that stays in their head forever. ‘26 Miles’ was California, the ocean, girls – hell, it was everything I want to be or do.” – Jimmy Buffet

Bruce Belland has collected vivid memories of a life in music and show business in Icons, Idols and Idiots of Hollywood, a breezy, humor-filled conversational book subtitled My Adventures in America’s First Boy Band. The book, out September 8 from Bear Manor Media, is a reflection of his years in the studio, on the road, on television and in films with The Four Preps from the Fab ‘50s through the turbulent ‘60s.

Bruce Belland and Glen Larson formed The Four Preps for a Hollywood High School student talent show in 1954. All the members were from working class families and fiercely ambitious. Their first break was opening for Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy at the legendary Cocoanut Grove a little over a year after having been there as high school prom-goers. The L.A. press gave then laudatory reviews and their trip to the top was launched.

The Four Preps went on to hit the Billboard charts 13 times between 1957 and 1964. Their biggest hits for Capitol Records included “26 Miles (Santa Catalina),” “Big Man” and “Down By The Station,” all of which were co-written by Belland and Larson at a time when it was not commonplace for vocal groups to perform original material. “More Money For You and Me,” a send up of contemporary vocal groups featured satiric but accurate impressions of The Fleetwoods, The Platters, The Hollywood Argyles, The Four Freshmen, The Kingston Trio and Dion & The Belmonts. Dedicated to newly-elected President Kennedy, the song broke new ground as it was both recorded live – a very rare circumstance in those days – and timed out at almost 6 minutes when most pop singles were 2 or 3 minutes in length. The Four Preps were discovered by A&R legend Voyle Gilmore, who also recorded Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Louis Prima & Keely Smith, Dean Martin, The Kingston Trio, Al Martino, and the Hollywood Bowl performance of The Beatles.

Belland’s writing style is a reflection of his mirthful, self-deprecating persona that emerged not only with his role as lead singer of The Four Preps, but also on television where he and his fellow Preps, Glen Larson, Ed Cobb and Marvin Ingram, backed Rick(y) Nelson on numerous episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, in the same way The Jordanaires backed Elvis Presley at that time. The Preps accompanied newly-crowned “Teen Idol” Nelson on his first national tour and were mobbed by hordes of hysterical girls. All the while, Belland witnessed Rick’s musical maturation.

Belland also acted on the hit sitcom, playing Rick’s college roommate on numerous episodes in which both his musical and comedic bents served him in good stead on the program, where he fell in (unrequited) love with Harriet and was taken with Ozzie’s quietly commanding way. Ozzie became his early mentor and in later years Belland would be “adopted” by George Burns who he called “my show biz Godfather.”

Pre-order Icons, Idols and Idiots of Hollywood

Check out this 1969 poster for the Vancouver Pop Festival that Timmy just sent us …

Man, what a line-up! (kk)