THE FRIDAY FLASH:
Disney+ has released a new trailer for The Beatles Anthology Series, airing over three nights beginning November 26th
I have been re-reading The Beatles Anthology book in preparation for this (the 25th Anniversary) – so first time reading it since its original release. (It’s just amazing to me how much excitement they can still create with every new move … the “additional chapter” to the Anthology series alone has got fans queued up again … so yes, I’m re-listening to the entire cd series, too, in anticipation of Anthology 4.) kk
Speaking of The Beatles, our FH buddy Harvey Kubernik has a new piece that just started running in Music Connection …
https://www.musicconnection.com/the-beatles-anthology/
Sixty
years ago this week we were down at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego
shooting the pilot for what was then called "The Monkeys." We filmed
from November 13th through November 22nd. None of us had any idea that those
days on the beach and around that beautiful old hotel would launch
something that would stay with us for the rest of our lives.
I
was just a young actor having fun and doing the work alongside Davy,
Peter and Michael. Then suddenly the whole world changed. The show,
the records, the touring … it all grew out of that first little pilot
shoot.
I’m grateful every time I think
about it. The friends I made. The music we created. The people who’ve
stayed with us for decades. I kept a lot of notes and photos back then,
and when I go through them now I shake my head and smile. We were kids
doing a job. Somehow it turned into a piece of pop history.
Thanks for keeping the memories alive with me.
MD
A couple of things in FHs today that made me smile!
>>>This is the 28th year that OldiesBoard.com is asking you to help to come up with the Top Songs of All Time. (Mike Riccio)
Geesh! After 27 years, you'd think they have it done by now! It's not like they're even making new Oldies anymore! {:~}
>>>my go-to Hai Karate aftershave. (kk)
HA! One of my "go-to fragrances" back in the day, too!
And "Brut!"
And "Aramis!"
And "Stetson!"
I had quite a fragrance collection then because I didn't want to repeat every day or have a "signature scent!" Some Guys did and they usually picked the wrong one anyway. Today, some of those iconic ones cost $80 to over $100! I can't imagine! My whole collection didn't cost what one bottle does today!
I also dated a woman then who locked in to one scent and, to me, it was awful! "White Shoulders!" But apparently, I was, and am, in the minority because I see it's still available!
"Obsession for Men' was my Favorite. And I went weak for a woman wearing "Obsession for Women!"
CB ( which stands for "Canoe Boy!" )
I never really got into the whole scent game … because as you said it can get VERY expensive … especially to maintain a variety … but I DO remember being at a client outing one night where the girl I was with kept commenting on the host’s cologne … she said he smelled so good she wanted to follow him around all night just to be near that smell.
Well, that was enough for me … I had to find out what it was … and a week later I, too, was a Fahrenheit man … and I got more compliments on that than on any other cologne I’ve ever worn. Even a very fashionable male, black bank teller noticed it one day when I was at his window. He made a comment (without even asking me what it was) something to the effect of, “Oh, Fahrenheit, huh? That’s a great old standby.”
This remained the case until I switched to a simple vanilla lotion … man, I can’t even count how many compliments I received for that … all the ladies thought I “smelled like cookies” … and it was the most basic scent of all (and also VERY inexpensive.)
Anyway, that’s MY fashion advice for the day …
So go get ‘em, guys! (kk)
More from Chuck …
Please pass along to Ms. Shelley that her Diana Ross Concert Review in FHs was as stunning as Ms. Ross! Very nice job!
Sidebar ...
I met Diana Ross back in the mid 1960s when I was vacationing in San Francisco for a few days with my College Roommate and heard on the radio there that "The Supremes" were appearing at a small club in San Jose that, or the next, night. We immediately bought a couple of tickets and went to the show.
Because one of the bits I did on my Denver Radio Show then was to give away personally, autographed, current hit albums when I could personally procure them and get them signed, I first stopped at a local record store and bought two of their latest album ( whichever it was at the time ), went to the club early and asked the manager if he would ask her if she might grant me just a few moments of her time ( of course, using my "I host this Number One Radio Show in Denver" line "so I understand how busy she might be at her pre-show time." Brash, young twenty-something, hotshot that I was! )
Well, lookee here! She did come out to see me and we talked for a short while. She said if I'd leave the albums with her, she'd get all three autographs and see that they were mailed to me! Cool!
Guess they must have gotten lost in the mail because I never saw those albums again! Or the Supremes in concert again! Or Diana Ross as a solo in concert ever!
< sigh! >
CB!
Don’t see why she’d keep them … I’m sure she already had a copy! (lol)
Show-Biz Legends … far too often when you meet them, you find the whole experience disappointing.
I’ve had a few bad experiences … but overall have been very lucky. (Of course they’re far more accessible NOW than they ever would have been then … AND far more appreciative of their loyal fans for sticking with them for all these years.) Tough to see that, unfortunately, when you’re in the moment. (kk)
Just announced …
DWIGHT YOAKAM & ZZ TOP AND THE DOS AMIGOS TOUR, 2026
Tickets go on sale today (11/21) at 10 am local time to see two powerhouse legends of American music — Dwight Yoakam and ZZ Top — joining forces for the must-see DOS AMIGOS tour. The run brings together decades of chart-topping hits, signature sounds, and unmatched live performance energy for a series of shows launching March 26 and running through May 23. The tour will hit major markets across the Midwest, South, and East, starting in Brookings, SD and ending in Huntington, WV.
DOS AMIGOS TOUR DATES
March 26th – Brookings, SD – Dacotah Bank Center
March 27th – Grand Island, NE – Heartland Events Center
March 28th – Wichita, KS – INTRUST Arena
April 17th – Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena
April 18th – Huntsville, AL – Orion Amphitheater
April 19th – Lexington, KY – Gatton Park Amphitheater
April 23rd – Fort Wayne, IN – Allen County Coliseum
April 24th – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center Arena
April 25th – Bonner Springs, KS – Azura Amphitheater
May 7th – Des Moines, IA – Lauridsen Amphitheater
May 8th – Camdenton, MO – Ozarks Amphitheater
May 9th – El Reno, OK – Lucky Star Amphitheater
May 21st – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Coliseum
May 22nd – Cary, NC – Koka Booth Amphitheater
May 23rd – Huntington, WV – Marshall Health Network Arena
And check this out ...
Right on the heels of this tour, that Little Ol' Band From Texas heads over across the pond for a series of European dates!
June 22nd - Tartu, Estonia
23rd - Helsinki, Finland
26th - Rattvik, Sweden
28th – Trondheim, Norway
30th – Malmo, Sweden
July 2nd – Hamburg, Germany
3rd – Friedberg, German
4th – Waltheim, Germany
6th – Pardubice, Czech Republic
7th – Poelten, Austria
9th – Brussels, Belgium
10th – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
11th – TBA
13th – Regensburg, Germany
14th – Zurich, Switzerland
15th – Paris, France
16th – Saint Malo Du Bois, France
18th – Pamplona, Spain
19th – Barcelona, Spain
20th – TBA
22nd – Valencia, Spain
23rd – Murcia, Spain
25th – Cadiz, Spain
Meanwhile, 90 year old Herb Alpert has extended his tour through June of next year …
January 12th – West Palm Beach, FL – Kravis Center
January 13th – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall
January 14th – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre
January 16th – New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theater
January 17th – Sugarland/Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre
January 18th – Austin, TX – Long Center
March 25th – Brookville, NY – Tilles Center
March 26th – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall
March 27th – Baltimore, MD – The Lyric Baltimore
March 28th – Charlotte, NC – Belk Theater
March 30th – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Symphony Hall
March 31st – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
May 10th – Providence, RI – The Vets
May 11th – Portland, ME – Merrill Auditorium
May 12th – Rochester, NY – Kodak Center
May 14th – Montreal, QC – Theatre Maissonueve
May 15th – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
May 16th – Toledo, OH – Peristyle Theater
June 15th – Reno, NV – Pioneer Center
June 16th – San Francisco, CA – Davies Symphony Hall
June 17th – San Diego, CA – Jacobs Music Center
June 19th – Albuquerque, NM – Kiva Auditorium
June 20th – El Paso, TX – Plaza Theatre
June 21st – Tucson, AZ – Linda Ronstadt Music Hall
(I wouldn't be at all surprised if he added even MORE dates to this list once he gets back on the road next year!) kk
And, speaking of upcoming tours, The Association just made a big announcement regarding theirs ...
This just in from Shelley Sweet- Tufano ...
We're seeing The Association along with The Vogues and The Cowsills on December 28th.
Best wishes to him in his retirement. (kk)
Do You Remember "Musical Chairs"?
Back in 1975 on CBS, there was a musical-themed game show called "Musical Chairs." The show's premise was that one of several featured performers of the week would sing a few bars of a song. The music stopped, and the contestants were given three choices, usually involving the next line, but sometimes a question associated with the song.
The show lasted only five months and went through numerous rule changes, but what made this show special was that the "house singers" for each week included singers of the past (like Margaret Whiting and The Tokens) the present (Lou Rawls and The Spinners), and singers who became big names a few years later (Irene Cara and Sister Sledge).
The show was hosted by singer Adam Wade, and was co-produced by Don Kirshner and Jerome Kerr.
Up until recently, very little of the show was thought to exist, but it is gradually resurfacing on a YouTube Channel (Musical Chairs 75). It is rumoured that one of the show's employees had saved most of the videotapes of the show (which was expensive back then) and is randomly releasing them on their YT channel every few days.
Not sure of all the people who performed on the show, which incidentally was shot at the Ed Sullivan Theater with that famous Ed Sullivan Theater "echo' sound, but I wanted to give all your readers, and perhaps some of the performers that may lurk on your blog, a heads up to some "lost" moments in musical history that are slowly making the internet scenes.
Here is the link to that YouTube Channel where you can navigate through the current and future episodes as well as clips of up and coming full episodes.
https://www.youtube.com/@MusicalChairs75-rs
Regards,
Uncle T. Jay
The Vinyl Arkhives/KAFM Community Radio
I truly do not remember this program … but will have to check it out.
Thanks, Tim! (kk)
See if you agree …
Best Classic Bands has named 17 #1 Hits WORSE than Starship’s “We Built This City”
Some are the obvious cliches that EVERYBODY picks …
And some are songs that, in the scheme of things, really aren’t that bad. (Let’s just say I can think of a few worse. “Dominique” anybody???)
https://bestclassicbands.com/worst-number-one-hits-1-7-1777/
And here's another one of those 50 GREATEST ROCK BANDS OF ALL TIME lists ...
Only this one comes from Billboard so there's some weight behind it.
(Although I sure can't figure out what criteria they used to compile it ... it certainly doesn't have anything to do with chart performance or sustainability!)
Anyway, they're always fun to argue over ... although I don't think ANYBODY can really dispute The Top Three! (kk)
As for the group that finished at #2 on this list, Noise 11 is reporting that Mick Jagger went back and visited his old grammar school - Dartford Grammer School in Kent - in honor of the 25th anniversary of The Mick Jagger Centre, which he established back in 2000. (Jagger opened the Centre as a performing arts hub for students and the wider Dartford community.)
Noise 11 reports that "The Mick Jagger Centre has developed into a significant creative base for the region. It houses recording and video studios, rehearsal rooms, and gallery spaces designed to give young artists a place to explore and develop their craft. It also serves the local community, hosting theatre and music performances, and remains home to both The Dartford Music School and The Dartford Symphony Orchestra."
VERY COOL!
More here: https://www.noise11.com/news/mick-jagger-dartford-grammar-25th-anniversary-20251120
Remembering two talented music makers who passed away in November. Leon Russell (April 2, 1942 - November 13, 2016), seen here arriving for a show at The Roxy in Hollywood
And P.F. Sloan (September 18, 1945 - November 15, 2015.) He is seen inside The Roxy at a Harry Nilsson tribute show.
And … 🎈🎂🎉 Birthday greetings to Mr. Martin Scorsese who turned 83 on November 17th! A new book about Martin and Robbie Robertson is out now.
Ran in to Macaulay Culkin leaving a hip restaurant one night on Sunset. The only child surrounded by adults. He got in the longest limousine I have ever seen!
Jim Roup
Kent,
I just saw a commercial during the football game and it’s one that I don't remember seeing before. The product was Jared Jewelry and the song in the background was Bobby Vinton singing I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME (the old Paris Sisters' tune.)
Bobby Vinton! Haven't heard his name mentioned in a long time. Seems like it was only yesterday (Summer of 1962) when ROSES ARE RED was on the radio.
Larry
David Salidor sent us this clipping from The Glorious Corner, featuring a performance by the now retired Pete Townshend …
Pete Townshend (Rachel Kaplan/iHeart)
JUST PETE — Last Thursday night I was present at iHeart Radio’s ICONS event with Pete Townshend. With his Quadrophenia ballet now open, it was an hour of music and words from one of the best artists ever. Pete did six songs, acoustically, and it was simply splendid. “Behind Blue Eyes” and “Let My Love Open The Door” were just exquisite. He told a funny story about “Let My Love Open The Door” – when he first played it for Atlantic Records’ honchos Ahmet Ertegun and Doug Morris, they said it was too poppy. And it was the hit from the album. When he played his second album for them, Chinese Eyes, they both asked where the “Blue Eyes” track was. What a business!
He talked about The Who and some of his favorite concerts and then did “Let’s See Acton,” which was a single from The Who in 1967. Amazing for sure. He closed out the event with his “Magic Bus,” which turned into a sing-along, with MC-Jim Kerr telling the audience they were now on a Who-song. “Won’t Get Fooled Again” followed and was superb. Just a sensational evening from staff to finish. Jim Kerr did his usual exemplary job. What a tremendous, intimate show. I loved it.
https://t2conline.com/the-glorious-corner-784/
50 years after its original release ... and in honor of the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald ... Gordon Lightfoot topped Billboard's Digital Sales Chart, honoring this song with its first-ever #1 ranking in their publication.
Streaming sales were so large due to all the coverage the fateful anniversary received that "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" outsold all others this past week to come in at #1
KISS has returned to the stage in Las Vegas just two years after their supposed final concert ever (weren’t the avatar supposed to take over from that point on???) … and just weeks after the death of guitarist Ace Frehley.
The shows took place at The Virgin Hotels Complex in Las Vegas and served as part of the three day Kiss Kruise. The band says their return performance offered long term fans a chance to reconnect with the group. (Hmm … wonder how many more times they’ll use that one?)
I still say it’s a real disservice to the loyal fans who bought ticket to their End Of The Road Tour (which wrapped up at Madison Square Garden in December of 2023.) The band performed without make-up, doing an all-acoustic show on the 14th and an all-electric show on the 15th. (kk)
Mariah Carey has already returned to The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart with the annual appearance of her “All I Want For Christmas Is You” single. This marks the 18th holiday season that this song has charted.
Also breaking into the chart was Wham!’s “This Christmas” … both of these oldies coming in hot on the heels of the Halloween hits “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker, Jr., “The Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell. (kk)
Hi, Kent -
I glanced at your Phil blog a couple of weeks ago and I wanna say it's righteous.
I thought you may find these attached scans of interest.
Story behind them is this ...
These are two large size novelty postcards from Phil Spector. Both have the same front picture on them, so I assume he probably had a reserved stack of them to send to acquaintances. Both of these were sent to the same person, Harvey Miller. Harvey was also famously known as Humble Harve, a radio D.J. in Los Angeles, from 1965 up until his death in 2019. Their close friendship was woven during the swingin' sixties in Hollywood, and when Humble Harve found himself deep in infamous trouble, Phil helped him out of a difficult situation as best as could be expected, by arranging his own lawyer to represent Harve's defense during his murder trial in 1971. Some of this was kept somewhat confidential from the public at the time, although the trial was hot news in L.A.
Anyway, I inherited these when Harve passed away and if you would care to, you have my blessing to use them for your blog.
I still regard Phil Spector as a genius as well as a unique and very complex, interesting person. I believe that your blog keeps things in a correct perspective.
Timmy
Wow ... these are REALLY cool! Thanks so much for sending.
Nancy Sinatra was Phil's fiance??? That's a story I'll have to dig deeper into - never heard that one!
These are amazing! Thanks again.
Steve Knuettel did an incredible job of putting this thing together ... but quite honestly, the blog itself hasn’t been very successful … most radio people seem to consider Phil's career poison due to the way the story ends and have refused to embrace it, although several have told me they wished that they could ... it’s just “too risky” to endorse … which is a real shame as his musical accomplishments deserve to be known, eccentric as he may always have been. It’s kinda like the whole Pete Rose thing with baseball's Hall of Fame. I feel as long as both sides of the story are told, you can fairly and accurately present the human being, both undeniably brilliant in their respective fields but flawed as they may have been.
Thanks, Timmy! (kk)
From a musical standpoint, The Phil Spector Story is well worth visiting. Here’s hoping you’ll give it a look. You can find it here: https://fhphilspector.blogspot.com/
