Mega Music Mogul Clive Davis, "The Man With The Golden Ears," has died. He was 94.
It would be nearly impossible to calculate the number of music careers he touched over his 50+ years in the music business. But despite all of his multi successes, his career was not unblemished ... Davis was accused of misappropriating company funds and plead guilty to income tax evasion during his first stint with Columbia Records, where he signed artists as diverse as Janis Joplin, Santana, Chicago, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen.
He rebounded from this fall from grace by starting Arista Records ... and making household names of artists like Barry Manilow, Air Supply and Whitney Houston.
Davis is a five time Grammy winner and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee. The mark he made on the music industry is unrivaled. He will be remembered as a true legend. (kk)
I just learned that Clive Davis has passed.
Last century and this decade, I had a few encounters with Clive. He complimented me when we both scouted The Knack in 1977 at a rehearsal space in Hollywood when he tried to sign them to Arista Records at the time, and I was West Coast director of A&R at the time for MCA Records. My boss at MCA passed on The Knack for the label, but I was invited to the recording session of "My Sharona” at MCA / Whitney studios and then later presented a Gold LP from Capitol Records for my early efforts touting the band's commercial appeal.
I conducted an interview with Clive Davis in 2012 for a book on The Monterey International Pop Festival that I co-authored with my brother Kenneth Kubernik, "A Perfect Haze: The Illustrated History of the Monterey International Pop Festival," published by Santa Monica Press.
Clive Davis: "It’s many years ago but still vivid in memory. I was really just getting my feet wet. I was on the business side of it for a year. I was working with Andy Williams, the young Barbra Streisand, and Bob Dylan, and signed Donovan, and I was observing. When you get a title of President, before you start making active moves, you sort of appraise the situation. Columbia (Records) at the time was prominent in the field of classical music and Broadway, middle of the road music, coming out of the Mitch Miller era, with artists like Tony Bennett and young Streisand, and Andy Williams, among others. I was seeing the business change.
I was seeing music change, but I was waiting for the A&R staff to lead into these changes that were showing evidence of becoming important in music. So I really came to Monterey not knowing what to expect, but seeing a revolution before my eyes that became evident as artists, known or unknown, came to the stage. All of a sudden seeing (Jimi) Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Electric Flag, and the artists that were there, there was no question that the predominance there was a change in contemporary music. A definite hardening, edgier, rockier amplification was taking place that truly was signaling a major revolution in rock music.
I was going there really as a friend of Lou Adler, and we had that record “San Francisco,” the first record under the Ode Records’ deal. Lou and Abe were on the Board of Directors, and I was really going for a music enjoyment weekend. I had no idea what awaited me. I had no knowledge of what was going on in San Francisco, for example. So I really was going with my wife to spend a three-day weekend enjoying what I think was the first pop music festival. When I saw the crowd, it was visually stunning, the dress and the attitude.
When Janis (Joplin) took the stage, it was an unknown group to me totally, Big Brother & The Holding Company, and right from the outset it was something you could never forget. She took the stage, dominated, and was absolutely breathtaking, hypnotic, compelling and soul-shaking. You saw someone who was not only good but was doing something that no one else was doing … with that fervor, that intensity, and impact.
So yeah, that, in effect, coupled with everything around me, the way people were dressing, what was going on in Haight Ashbury, the spirit in the air, and the feeling, I just said, ‘You know, I am here at a very unique time. I’m feeling it. I’m feeling it in my spine. I’m feeling it in my sense of excitement. I’m feeling it in the impact, it’s not only musical changes, but in society changes, and I, in effect, said, ‘This is really, although it sounds hokey or cliche, this is the time that must mean that I’m gonna have to make my move.’
There’s no question that the primary signing was Big Brother and Janis Joplin, but the Electric Flag was very powerful with Buddy Miles on drums, and Mike Bloomfield on guitar. Laura Nyro was not great at Monterey, and I didn’t come away with the feeling I must sign here then. I was aware of her through Monterey, and subsequently came to know of her more particularly through David Geffen, who managed her, and when she came to my office to play her material and her songs, it really was the listening to her songs that overcame what had been a negative in person at Monterey.
The success of the artists I signed at Monterey gave me confidence that I had good ears. There was no question I was going to get confidence from nothing else. I mean, basically, that was a move I had made, and the fact that they came through in a resounding way, and were critically welcomed as well as commercially they reverberated, there’s no question that the streak that I was in with each of them making its mark in an important way led me imperatively ‘cause I had no idea I had ‘ears.’ I had no idea that I could do this. It never occurred to me that I would be doing it, and so as each step came through it emboldened me and gave me the confidence to trust my own instincts. And,that’s the only way that I’ve ever done it.
Because obviously, up until that time, my background was totally different and it was a talent that I never knew I had. And as each came through it emboldened me that I this was something that I not only loved doing but I had a talent for. Monterey is, without question, probably the most vivid memory from a career point of view, from an emotional point of view from a character-affecting point of view that I’ve ever had."
Harvey Kubernik
From Tom Cuddy …
Burton Cummings overwhelmed by a fan …
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZqb4baBUpS/
Can you even imagine how long it took to gather and collect and then create this piece?!?!? We’re talking years and years and years of dedication … now that’s a REAL fan!!!
And it’s gone even further since …
https://youtu.be/i2bJG4j0gJ4?si=RBmwlD8g_5a2ndq8
Tom also sent us this photo documenting the most #1 Records on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart …
As of this week, 1193 records have now topped this chart since its inception in August of 1958. The Beatles have long held the #1 spot on the list with twenty #1 Hits … but Mariah Carey’s right behind them with nineteen.
Who’s the artist most likely to break the record?
I’d have to go with Taylor Swift, who actually now has fifteen chart-toppers, thanks to this week’s #1 song. “I Knew It, I Knew You” from “Toy Story 5,” which debuted in the #1 spot this week, breaking her tie with Rihanna and Drake. Her streak has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Only time will tell if The Beatles can remain the greatest of all time. (kk)
From David Salidor ...
Speaking of The Monkees, Rhino has just announced a brand new box set called "MADE FOR TV: OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK TO SEASON 1 OF THE MONKEES!"
The new LP / 2 CD / Blu-Ray collection will include the first season's Greatest Hits (over two dozen iconic tracks), 14 Rare, Broadcast-Exclusive TV Mixes, created especially for the show and never before available on audio formats as well as 10 Fan-Favorite Episodes on Blu-ray, including the Emmy-winning series premiere "Royal Flush" and the legendary season finale "The Monkees On Tour."
More info here:
https://store.rhino.com/products/made-for-tv-official-soundtrack-to-season-1-of-the-monkees-1lp-1cd-1blu-ray?variant=50878309531894
From Timmy …
Prom night, John Muir High School, 1971
That's David Lee Roth (far right)
kk ...
From Wild Wayne's interview with Paul Petersen that ran on Father's Day ...
Back In 1976, Paul Petersen Was Living In Connecticut.
He Invited Wild Wayne To His House For An Interview.
Paul Was An Original Mouseketeer. He Kicked Another Kid. Walt Disney Saw Him Do It And He Got Fired.
1962 = "SHE CAN'T FIND HER KEYS" Was His First Recording. Followed By "MY DAD" -- Which He Sang To Carl Betz On The "DONNA REED SHOW." (1959-1966)
"MY DAD" Was Written By Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil. It Was Written In The Past Tense.
That Wouldn't Work On The TV Show ... It Had To Be Current. It Was A #6 Hit And On The Charts For 13 Weeks.
Paul Said There Was Something Magical About The Song. He Wasn't Able To Hit The Note At The Bridge.
During The Recording Session -- For The First Time -- He Was Able To Sing 1/2 Octave Higher & Hit The Note.
FB
I was thinking some more about the crushes we all had back then and started to make a "list!"
While I wasn't, I have a few Guy Friends who, for instance, were so enamored with Annette Funicello! I leaned more towards the Sandra Dee type myself! And, of course, moving on up to Brigitte Bardot and later Farrah Fawcett, Cheryl Tiegs (hey, she had blonde highlights) and then, of course, Cindy Crawford (more subtle blonde highlights!) I was already a Pepsi Drinker by then too!
CB
"And now, this word from our Sponsor!"
(OK … I guess that’s our MUST SEE CLIP OF THE DAY) kk
The Peter Asher Documentary we told you about a couple of months ago officially opened in New York City on June 19th.
I was fortunate enough to see a “screener” … and have to tell you that this is one of the best documentaries I have ever seen … and I’ve seen a lot of them!
There just aren't enough superlatives to describe it ...
Excellently done … highly recommended … something everyone should see ... 10 out of 10.
I’ve followed Peter Asher’s career since his first hit with Peter and Gordon in 1964 …
Through his Grammy-Winning Producer Of The Year Awards ...
Through his recent live shows and radio program on The Beatles Channel on SiriusXM.
I think everyone is pretty familiar with the work he’s done with James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, both as their manager and record producer … because this is where most of the focus as always lied …
But Peter also produced tracks for artists like Diana Ross, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Cher, Wilson Phillips, Billy Joel, Steve Martin, 10,000 Maniacs (!), Bonnie Raitt, Robin Williams, Olivia Newton-John and many, many more.
The first hour of the film focuses primarily on the British Invasion years … his friendship with Paul McCartney (who dated his sister Jane for years), the hits he recorded with Peter and Gordon (including four Paul McCartney originals), Paul hiring him to work at The Beatles’ new record company Apple, Peter signing and producing James Taylor’s first LP (James was the first artist signed to Apple), the launch of the Indica Gallery (which he owned with John Dunbar and Barry Miles … and where John Lennon first met Yoko Ono) as well as many other highlights (including Peter and Jane’s film roles when they were just young children ... whose calling card “claim to fame” was their red hair!)
Hour Number Two continues Peter’s story after his move to America and his new role as a manager and producer.
It was Peter who coaxed Carole King out on stage to perform with James Taylor that later led to her recording her “Tapestry” album. Despite having written dozens and dozens of hits for other artists dating back to the early ‘60’s, Carole’s shyness prevented her from performing them on stage herself.
Some things I didn’t know that came out in the film include the sadness of Peter’s father’s suicide … the wild drug scene they all got into in the early ‘70’s, which cost him his first marriage when his first wife went so far off the rails that she had to be institutionalized … and that the hit song “Her Town, Too,” recorded by James Taylor and J.D. Souther was written about the breakup of their marriage.
I have seen some of Peter’s live shows and he tends to get a bit long-winded … which is a shame because he has SO many fascinating stories. This film has a running thread throughout it that shows Peter doing one of these shows at The City Winery (with an outstanding back-up band, by the way) … but it has been tightly cropped to allow the story to be told both on stage and by way of vintage film clips that make it SO much more entertaining. (Unlike some of those live shows, this film left me wanting to see and hear more! In fact, I dug out my dvd’s of the Linda Ronstadt documentary from a few years ago and the James Taylor / Carole King Troubadour Reunion Concert just so I could keep the groove going!)
I was also fortunate enough to see a couple of the Peter and Gordon reunion shows, first staged as part of a British Invasion fund-raising concert/benefit for Mike Smith of The Dave Clark Five. He and Gordon (who passed away in 2009) talk about the magic of their two voices together and Gordon’s somewhat reckless lifestyle that cut their reunion short. (Sadly, no mention at all was made of the Peter and Jeremy shows that came later … this was a VERY entertaining show featuring Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon and Jeremy Slate, also an accomplished actor, of Chad and Jeremy … and the confusion that surrounded the two British duos at the time of their concurrent success on the charts back in the mid-‘60’s. Clips of this absolutely should have been included in this documentary because this, too, made for an excellent pairing and very entertaining show.)
This is a film you need to see … and I am happy to report that there are several other “film festival showings” in the weeks to come … (I think I’ll be heading downtown to the Gene Siskel Film Center in July to see it again with a live audience!)
June
18 - New York, NY - Quad Cinemas (+ Q&A w/ filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, moderated by journalist Alan Light)
19 - New York, NY - Quad Cinemas (+ Q&A w/ filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, moderated by Dennis Elsas of SiriusXM)
19 - New York, NY - New Plaza Cinema
20 and 21 - New York, NY - Quad Cinemas (+ Q&A w/ filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, moderated by film critic Joe Neumaier)
22 - Los Angeles, CA - Laemmle Royal (+ Q&A w/ filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, moderated by film critic Stephen Farber)
23 - North Hollywood, CA - Laemmle NoHo 7 (+ Q&A w/ filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, moderated by TV writer Harper Steele; sponsored by KCRW)
25 - Los Angeles, CA - Laemmle Royal (+ Q&A w/ musician Waddy Wachtel and filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, moderated by Gary Calamar of The SoCal Sound)
26 - Los Angeles, CA - Laemmle Royal (+ Q&A w/ filmmaker Dan Geller, moderated by journalist Pamela Chelin)
26 - Boise, ID - The Flicks 4
26 - Overland Park, KS - Glenwood Arts
26 - North Hollywood, CA - Laemmle NoHo 7
26 - Montclair, NJ - Clairidge Cinemas 6
26 - Pittsburgh, PA - Harris Theatre
26 - San Rafael, CA - Smith Rafael Film Center
26 - Berkeley, CA - Rialto Cinemas Elmwood 6
26 - Sebastopol, CA - Rialto Cinemas 9
26 - Orinda, CA - Orinda Theater
26 - San Francisco, CA - Opera Plaza Cinemas 4 (+ Q&A w/ filmmaker Dayna Goldfine, moderated by journalist Ben Fong-Torres)
27 - San Rafael, CA - Smith Rafael Film Center (+ Q&A w/ filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, moderated by author/critic Joel Selvin)
28 - Berkeley, CA - Elmwood Theater (+ Q&A w/ filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, moderated by writer/director Jonathan Kiefer)
29 - Saugerties, NY - Orpheum
30 - Sebastopol, CA - Rialto Cinemas 9 (+ Q&A w/ filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine)
July
3 - Akron, OH - Nightlight Cinema
3 - Denver, CO - Sie Film Center
3 - Flat Rock, NC - Flat Rock Cinema
3 - Milwaukee, WI - Oriental Theatre
3 - San Diego, CA - Digital Gym Cinema
3 - Santa Barbara, CA - Riviera
3 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Palm Theatre
3 - Springfield, MO - Moxie Cinema 2
3 - Rochester, NY - Little Theatre
3 - Sarasota, FL - Burns Court
5 & 8 - Cleveland Heights, OH - Cedar Lee Theatres
10 - Atlanta, GA - Tara Atlanta 4
10 - Chicago, IL - Gene Siskel Film Center
10-12 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Institute of Art
10-14 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Savor Cinema
10 - Scottsdale, AZ - Shea 14 Theatre
10 - Brunswick, ME - Eveningstar Cinema
10 - St. Petersburg, FL - Green Light Cinema
15-18 - New Paltz, NY - DENIZEN Theatre
17-19 - Fort Worth, TX - Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
17 - Cincinnati, OH - Esquire Theatre
22-25 - Boulder, CO - Boedecker Theater
24 - Santa Fe, NM - Cinematheque
24 - Wilmington, DE - Theatre N at Nemours
24 - Sedona, AZ - Mary D. Fisher Theatre
24 - Aug 1 - Cary, NC - Cary Theatre
26 - Newport, RI - Jane Pickens Theatre
27 - Gig Harbor, WA - Galaxy Uptown 10
29 - Rosendale, NY - Rosendale Theatre
30 - Martha’s Vineyard, MA - Martha’s Vineyard Film Center (+ Q&A w/ filmmakers Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, moderated by director/producer David Heilbroner)
31 - Westerly, RI - United Theatre
August
7 - Lincoln, NE - Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center
More screenings to come.
Check https://peterashermovie.com for Peter Asher: Everywhere Man screening updates and a theater near you
There is no such thing as having only one part of your life in upheaval. It just becomes a house of cards and keeps knocking down more.
Even though I have been quieter (not silent enough for some, I am sure), I have been reading Forgotten Hits daily and was able to attend one concert this June at The Kate (Katherine Hepburn Performance Arts Center). The concert was Direct From Sweden ABBA. This is the second ABBA tribute band I have seen. Different personalities and different presentations, with the same high-quality performance.
The female lead singers, representing Agnetha and Anni-Frid are from Sweden and, as they say, they speak 'Swenglish'. Unfortunately (keep this in mind, Direct From Sweden) I cannot find their names on their website nor Facebook. The performer who sings as Anni-Frid acknowledges attending school with Agnetha's daughter in Sweden. There's a full circle. I have a first name for Benny's piano playing counter-part: Gary. It seems Gary has some cousins in CT who came by to see him perform and surprise him. The youngest cousins joined the cast on-stage for the finale. Bjorn's guitar playing performer is named Jerry Cherry. I found posts he had made on their FB page. Both Jerry and Gary are American. The completion of Direct From Sweden includes two female back-up singers, a bass player named Dave, percussion and the catch-all musician who plays xylophone, woodwinds and various percussion instruments.
The music was excellent. The history of ABBA was detailed ... Anni-Frid and Benny were engaged for seven years. The band was made of two couples who were married, then divorced, and then the band broke up. Well ... touring the world with your ex can be tedious (nice word for just awful).
ABBA came to fame in 1974 when they won the Eurovision Contest, after losing in 1973. They toured the United States once, in 1979, and played 13 shows. They recorded songs in five languages: English, Swedish, German, French and Spanish. Look online and you will see that the costumes are authentic ABBA in color and glory.
It was Swedish National Day when I saw them, which made the synchronicity of being able to attend the concert complete.
OK, I’m sure you are all waiting for my comments on the Forgotten Hits pages I have been reading.
Here you go!
WHAT??!!
Chuck, you amaze me sometimes, and always make me laugh.
Whipped Cream / Shaving Cream Lady again?
I didn't know that!
Kent, you will be seeing them before me. I expect a detailed review.
Awwwwww!
Forgotten Hits
NE Correspondent
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
Look for a brand new Rolling Stones podcast, airing weekly on YouTube beginning June 25th, as a means of promoting their new LP “Foreign Tongues,” out July 10th.
Exclusive clips of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood like this one, telling the fans just how the new album came together.
The Stones will also drop the next "sneak peek" release, "Jealous Lover," from their new album on the 26th. (kk)
Happy Belated 1st Day Of Summer!
Speaking of Summer and Summertime songs ...
The year was 1962, and a singer by the name of Eddie Rambeau was about to appear on American Bandstand to sing his latest release ...
But then at the last minute it was decided that he couldn't perform it because an ABC employee wrote the song! And because ABC and Dick Clark recently dodged the Payola scandal (and Eddie's song was on the Swan record label -- which Dick had an investment in), ABC could not only not allow Eddie to sing the song on their TV network, but radio stations OWNED by ABC were also forbidden to play it.
Needless to say, Eddie's song missed the Billboard Hot 100 as a result and the employee at ABC didn't make a profit off of his songwriting ...
Or did they?
Eddie later had a #35 hit called "Concrete And Clay" in 1965.
That ABC employee submitted his song to the network in instrumental form for a TV show in 1966.
Here is Eddie's vocal version, called "Summertime Guy":
https://youtu.be/_FIMrFMppUk?is=x2EWzrM1qZDw71ld
Here is the original instrumental version of the song that became the theme to a highly successful ABC (later syndicated) TV show.
https://youtu.be/RaSm-11FzMw?is=fJJRCSX391FynP2W
That songwriter also created the show in which his song was on!!!
His name? Chuck Barris!
The Show? The Newlywed Game!!!
And now you know ... The Rest Of The Story!
Happy Summer from Uncle T. Jay!
Billboard Magazine has put together a list of their Staff Picks for The Top 50 Rhythm and Blues Groups of All Time. (All I can say, after looking at this list, is that it is in NO way representative of these bands’ chart showings.)
This is STRICTLY opinion, favoring several “newer” acts over proven artists who helped to define the genre over the past 75 years. An actual chart performance list would rank the majority of these artists in a vastly different light.
But here, just to help stir up some debate and opinions of your own, is how the Billboard Staff ranked The Top 50:
# 1 – Earth, Wind and Fire
# 2 – The Temptations
# 3 – Sly and the Family Stone
# 4 – The Isley Brothers
# 5 – The Supremes
# 6 – Parliament / Funkadelic (For real??? #6??? Honestly, from this point forward, the list gets pretty hard to take seriously, although there are definitely some “heavy hitters” still to come … they’re just intermingled with artists I’ve never even heard a single song by! As such, I wonder how several of these can possibly rank so high.)
# 7 – The Jackson Five
# 8 – New Edition
# 9 – Boys II Men
#10 – Destiny’s Child
#11 – TLC
#12 – The O’Jays
#13 – The Ohio Players
#14 – Maze (featuring Frankie Beverly)
#15 – Sade
#16 – Rufus
#17 – The Miracles
#18 – The Four Tops
#19 – Gladys Knight and the Pips
#20 – SWV
#21 – Guy
#22 – Sam and Dave
#23 – The Pointer Sisters
#24 – Chic
#25 – The Staple Singers
#26 – Kool and the Gang
#27 – Jodeci
#28 – Tony! Toni! Tone’!
#29 – En Vogue
#30 – The Commodores
#31 – The Gap Band
#32 – The Spinners
#33 – The Delfonics
#34 – The Chi-Lites
#35 – Cameo
#36 – Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
#37 – Zapp
#38 – The S.O.S. Band
#39 – The Impressions
#40 – The Dells
#41 – The Stylistics
#42 – The Whispers
#43 – War
#44 – DeBarge
#45 – Atlantic Starr
#46 – The Time
#47 – The Dramatics
#48 – Martha and the Vandellas
#49 – The Bar-Kays
#50 – The Drifters
