11/12/66 – Riots on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip serve as the
inspiration for Buffalo Springfield's guitarist Stephen Stills’ song “For What It’s Worth,” which will become
the band’s biggest hit single early next year.They would record the tune next month (on December 5th)
The title reportedly came about when Stills presented the
song to the powers that be at Atlantic Records …
Stills told Ahmet Ertegun, head of the label, in a very off the cuff manner, "I have
this song here, for what it's worth, if you want it." Ertegun interpreted that to be the song's title ... and later added
the parenthetical subtitle "Stop, Hey, What's That Sound" in order to help the song be more easily recognized (since the words "for what it's worth" don't appear anywhere within the song. Why would they? It wasn't the intended title of the song!) Regardless, it ultimately peaked at #7 on the national charts.
11/12/66 – The Monkees’ debut album reaches the #1 spot on
Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart … and will stay there for the next 13 weeks
(until it is knocked out of first place by The Monkees' SECOND album, “More Of The Monkees,”
which will rule the roost for the next 31 weeks!) Take THAT, Ella Langley!!!
Interesting side note ...
It's a well known fact that Stephen Stills auditioned for a role on The Monkees' television show. Although the producers liked him and felt that he was talented, they DIDN'T like the fact that he had such bad teeth. They thought it might be an offensive turn-off to the young viewers they were targeting as their "core" audience.
When they told Stills why he was being turned down for the role, Stephen simply replied "That's OK, I understand ... but I have a roommate who looks just like me ... and his teeth are fine." So Stills went back to his crib and sent his roommate, who just happened to be a guy named Peter Tork, down to audition for the television series. Tork got the part and soon was playing in the second most popular band in the world!
[Stephen Stills and Peter Tork]
(I have always maintained that if Stephen Stills had made the cut ... and presented his song "For What It's Worth" to the powers that be in Monkeeland ... it would have likely been rejected as not being "Monkees music," much as many of Michael Nesmith's songs were being turned down ... OR they would have accepted it ... and then given it to Micky to sing!)
Boy, how different history could have been!
[don'tcha just love it when all this stuff comes together?!?!?]
This Saturday (November 14th) is the Rock And
Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will air this year on YouTube.
The 2026 inductees include (in the Performer Category)
Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division / New Order, Oasis,
Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.“Early Influence” awards will be given to Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti,
Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Gram Parsons while Musical Excellence awards
will be presented to Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin.And, at long last, Ed Sullivan will be
inducted with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
The live stream begins at 7:30 Eastern Time.(Is it wrong that the ONLY induction I care about this year is Old Stone Face, Ed Sullivan??? Not that some of the other inductees aren't noteworthy ... but Phil Collins is already in and to my mind, NONE of the "Performers" did anything revolutionary enough to qualify them as Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame material. I get that Queen Latifah and Gram Parsons have become legends over time ... and certainly Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin have produced lifetime achievements ... even Fela Kuti, who has been referred to as inspirational by so many artists ... but the rest of this list just leaves me flat. Hate to say it, but I may just watch the Ed Sullivan clip the next days as a "stand-alone" on YouTube.) kk
Kent:
With the passing of the
last original Lettermen, Tony Butala, last week, I got a great deal of enjoyment
from the re-posting of your three part series on the three man group.
As a kid in middle school, I
used to listen to the Lettermen all the time. I bought their albums,
enjoyed their radio hits, and went to see them in Boston when I wasn’t
old enough to drive (my parents drove me and dropped me off). At that time it
was Jim and Gary Pike, along with Tony. They consented to doing an
interview for me while I was in my teens. I had a radio show every
weekend on my hometown AM radio station in Attleboro, Massachusetts. The
three of them couldn’t have been nicer.
Plus back in the 70s, they
were popping up on TV all the time (everything from the Hollywood Palace to the
Mike Douglas Show.)
I know Gary Pike has been a
long time reader of FH. Have you considered reaching out to him for some
final thoughts on Tony Butala?
Thanks for the Lettermen
memories!
- Tom Cuddy
New York, NY
I haven't talked to Gary in a long time but, at your suggestion, I reached out to him earlier today. Let's see if we get a response. (I'm not even sure the email address I have for him is still valid!) kk
And next, as only Forgotten Hits can do ... here we go from The Lettermen to Jimi Hendrix!!!
"JIMI PLAYS BERKELEY” RETURNS TO THE BIG SCREEN FOR
A SPECIAL THEATRICAL ENGAGEMENT
Newly Restored Legendary Concert Film of the Jimi
Hendrix Experience’s Two May, 1970 Performances Will Roll Out On Select
Screens
Featuring Exclusive Content Never Seen In Cinemas
Magic Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live At
Berkeley (First Show) Album Available Now
Experience Hendrix, L.L.C., in association with Evan
Saxon Productions, is launching a theatrical run of the film Jimi Plays
Berkeley. The film features footage from the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s
two concerts at the Berkeley Community Theatre on May 30, 1970, as well as
anti-war student riots which had roiled the city and campus community two
weeks prior to Hendrix’s performance.
The first dates in this new roll out will be at Rialto
Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley on November 14 and 17, followed by screenings in
Sebastopol, Cape Cod, London, Cleveland, Santa Fe, and Salina, KS with more
dates and venues to be announced. Screenings will also come to Hungary, Israel,
Belgium and Canada, with additional countries coming on board. As part of the
grand opening of the Jimi Hendrix: West Coast Seattle Boy exhibition at
the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in the music legend’s hometown of Seattle, Jimi
Plays Berkeley will screen on November 21, followed by a Q&A with
producer/Experience Hendrix CEO Janie Hendrix.
Watch the trailer for Jimi Plays Berkeley
This special, expanded edition of the 1971 film Jimi
Plays Berkeley showcases some of Jimi’s finest ever performances juxtaposed
against the political unrest and student uprisings in Berkeley. Hendrix’s set
list not only encompassed older favorites such as “Purple Haze” and “I Don’t
Live Today,” but also exciting renditions of new songs such as “Straight Ahead”
and “Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)”. Jimi’s riveting, high velocity take of Chuck
Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” stands as one of the hallmark moments of his career,
as does his breathtaking, extended reading of “Hear My Train A Comin’”.
This expanded edition was first released in 2012 on
DVD/Blu-ray, but it has been newly restored this year with a 4K transfer from
the original 16mm negative. Initially released theatrically in mono, Hendrix’s
engineer Eddie Kramer newly mixed the soundtrack in stereo. More than fifteen
minutes of additional documentary and performance footage never before shown in
cinemas of such classic songs as “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” “Machine Gun”
and “Hear My Train A Comin’” are now included in this special theatrical
presentation.
“Jimi’s performances were never simply concerts; they were
experiences,” said Janie Hendrix. “His music, his energy, and the way he
connected with an audience were extraordinary. More than 56 years later, that
magic is still there. I’m happy that longtime fans and a whole new generation
will have the opportunity to experience Jimi on the big screen.”
As a bonus, screened together with Jimi Plays Berkeley
is the 25 minute short film Jimi Hendrix: Miami Pop Festival. This film,
directed by John McDermott, showcases the original Jimi Hendrix Experience at
the May 1968 pop festival organized by future Woodstock promoter Michael Lang.
The film features an interview with Lang together with dramatic performances by
Hendrix that include “Fire,” “Foxey Lady,” “Purple Haze” and the only known
footage of the guitarist’s rendition of “Tax Free.”
This is Evan Saxon Productions’ fifth collaboration with
Experience Hendrix. ESP has also overseen the recent global theatrical
distribution for Jack Johnson: Surfilmusic, Matter of Time
featuring Eddie Vedder, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, and many other
music-centric films. Evan Saxon commented, “Decades on, Jimi continues to
inspire and drive fans to cinemas around the world so they can ‘experience’ him
on the biggest screens, where Jimi Hendrix belongs. It is an honor to once
again collaborate with Experience Hendrix.”
In conjunction with Jimi Plays Berkeley, Experience
Hendrix, L.L.C. and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music
Entertainment, have released Magic Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live At
Berkeley (First Show) on 2LP vinyl, CD and all streaming platforms.
Captured by the band’s front-of-house engineer Abe Jacob and newly remixed by
longtime Hendrix producer/engineer Eddie Kramer from the original multi-track
tapes, Magic Boy was mastered by multiple-Grammy Award winner Bernie
Grundman. It was co-produced by Janie Hendrix, Eddie Kramer and John
McDermott.
Jimi Plays Berkeley theatrical dates:
November 14th & 17th - Berkeley, CA - Rialto Cinemas Elmwood*
November 16th - Sebastopol, CA - Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol*
November 19th - Dennis, MA - Cape Cinema*
November 21st - Seattle, WA - Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)+
November 26th - London, UK - The Gate Picturehouse Notting Hill#
November 29th & Dec 1st - Cleveland
Heights, OH - Cedar Lee Theatre*
January 1st - Fall River, MA - Narrow Center for the Arts*
January 17th - Santa Fe, NM - Sky Cinemas Midtown*
February 16th - Salina, KS - Salina Art Center*
* - Includes screening of the short film The Jimi
Hendrix Experience: Miami Pop Festival
+ - Grand opening of Jimi Hendrix: West Coast Seattle Boy
exhibition, Q&A with Janie Hendrix
Showtimes and tickets for Jimi Plays Berkeley
available at:
The program, first launched by the Mint in 2019, honors innovation and innovators from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories by issuing four new $1 coins every year through 2032. Washington state is set for a 2029 release.
Governor Ferguson designated Washington Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti as the state’s official liaison to the U.S. Mint. Pellicciotti assembled an Innovation Coin Advisory Committee of state leaders in history and innovation to review public submissions, generate additional ideas, collaborate on concepts and formalize the state’s submission to the Mint. The committee unanimously approved five finalists for Governor Ferguson to choose from.
“Washington is one of the most innovative states in the nation,” Governor Ferguson said. “The finalists were all strong examples of this. The Innovation Coin program is a unique opportunity to honor our history and share Washington’s story. Picking just one example from the most innovative state in the nation was difficult, but Jimi Hendrix’s historic innovation on guitar and his deep roots in Washington make him a great choice to represent our state.”
Born in Seattle in 1942, Jimi Hendrix revolutionized electric guitar. He attended Horace Mann Elementary School, Washington Junior High and Garfield High School. His first musical gig was in Seattle. Hendrix was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 along with his band, the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
In 2023, Rolling Stone named Hendrix the greatest guitarist of all time, calling him “a true master of the instrument.” Hendrix was listed above iconic guitarists like Chuck Berry, Jeff Beck, B.B. King, Carlos Santana and others.
“Everyone was using tiny brushes and doing watercolors, while Jimi Hendrix was painting galactic scenes in Cinemascope,” Santana is credited with saying.
In its summary of his relatively short performing career before he died in 1970, Rolling Stone focused on his innovation and influence on music and culture.
“He popularized the use of feedback, invented his own fusion of blues and psychedelia, and influenced the development of rock, metal, funk, and much more,” Rolling Stone noted. “In an era when music was still largely racially segregated, the emergence of Hendrix — a Black artist who left white crowds gaping in awe — was a seismic event that obliterated cultural barriers.”
The next phase will include design development, consultation with the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, and public review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. The final design selection will be made by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
I don't know about the rest of you, but dollar for dollar, I would MUCH rather have a Jimi Hendrix coin in my collection than a Donald Trump coin! (kk)
Todd Rundgren Announces
Spring 2027 Tour Dates
Legendary
producer/songwriter/guitarist Todd Rundgren is expanding his 2026 Damned If I
Do Tour into 2027 with a major slate of newly added dates! This new leg of the
tour includes new locations across the United States!
This tour promises to include
plenty of fan favorite songs. Says Todd, “It’s always a challenge for me
because my audience is so diverse, I never know what they’re in the mood for. I
want to make sure we have all the musical ammunition we need to satisfy the
spectrum.”
This new leg commences March 20th
at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL, and ends April 19th at The Ryman
in Nashville, TN! The fan presale for the new dates begins at 10 AM ET on
November 11th [PW: VICTORY26]. Local presales begin at 10 AM local
time on November 12th, and tickets go on sale for the public at 10
AM local time on November 13th.
Todd’s band for the Damned If I
Do tour features Gil Assayas (Keys), Bruce McDaniel (Guitar), Prairie Prince
(Drums), Bobby Strickland (Horns), and Kasim Sulton (Bass).
TODD RUNDGREN “DAMNED IF I
DO” TOUR
November 10, 2026 – Denver, CO –
Paramount Theatre
November 12, 2026 – Phoenix, AZ – Celebrity Theatre
November 13, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – ZOUK
November 15, 2026 – Boise, ID – Egyptian Theatre
November 16, 2026 – Spokane, WA – Bing Crosby Theater
November 18, 2026 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
November 19, 2026 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
November 21, 2026 – Salt Lake City, UT – Capitol Theatre
March 20, 2027 – Orlando, FL –
The Plaza Live
March 22, 2027 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
March 24, 2027 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head On Stage
March 25, 2027 – New Haven, CT – Shubert Theater
March 27, 2027 – Bensalem, PA – Parx Casino
March 30-31, 2027 – New York, NY – NYC City Winery (Two Shows)
April 2, 2027 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall
April 3, 2027 – Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater
April 5, 2027 – Boston, MA – The Wilbur
April 7, 2027 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
April 8, 2027 – Easton, PA – State Theater Center for the Arts
April 10, 2027 – Kent, OH – The Kent Stage
April 11, 2027 – Joliet, IL – Rialto Square Theatre
April 13, 2027 – Waukee, IA – Vibrant Music Hall
April 14, 2027 – Kansas City, MO – The Midland Theatre
April 16, 2027 – Memphis, TN – Graceland Soundstage
April 18, 2027 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre
April 19, 2027 – Nashville, TN – The Ryman
TODD RUNDGREN
Born and raised in Philadelphia,
Rundgren began playing guitar as a teenager, going on to found and front The
Nazz, the quintessential `60's psychedelic group. In 1969, he left the band to
pursue a solo career, recording his debut offering, the legendary Runt.
But it was 1972's seminal Something/Anything?, on which he played all
the instruments, sang all the vocal parts, and acted as his own producer, that
catapulted Todd into the superstar limelight, prompting the press to
unanimously dub him 'Rock's New Wunderkind'. It was followed by such landmark
LPs as The Hermit of Mink Hollow and the above mentioned A Wizard, A
True Star, as well as such hit singles as I Saw The Light, Hello It's
Me, Can We Still Be Friends, and Bang The Drum.
In 1974, Todd formed Todd
Rundgren’s Utopia (renamed and reconfigured in 1976 as Utopia), an entirely new
approach to the concept of interactive musicianship, and embarked on an
extensive round of touring and recording. Standout Utopia offerings included Oops!
Wrong Planet, Adventures in Utopia, and Oblivion. Along the way,
Todd Rundgren’s Utopia combined technical virtuosity and creative passion to
create music that initially, for millions, defined the term "progressive
rock”, and subsequently, as Utopia, the term “powerpop”.
Rundgren's myriad production
projects include albums by Patti Smith, Cheap Trick, Psychedelic Furs, Meat
Loaf, XTC, Grand Funk Railroad, and Hall And Oates. Rounding out his reputation
as rock's Renaissance Man, Rundgren composed all the music and lyrics for Joe
Papp's 1989 Off-Broadway production of Joe Orton's Up Against It (the
screenplay commissioned by The Beatles for what was meant to have been their
third motion picture). He also has composed the music for the hit film Dumb
and Dumber, as well as a number of television series, including Pee
Wee’s Playhouse and Crime Story.
In 2009 Rundgren performed his
iconic 1973 album A Wizard A True Star in concert in its entirety for
the first time ever, and several years later did the same with a double bill: Todd
& Healing. He has toured with Ringo Starr as an erstwhile member of the
All-Starr Band since 1989, and continues to perform with symphony orchestras
both domestically and internationally. In 2018 he toured North America with
original Utopians Kasim Sulton and Willie Wilcox for the first time in 33
years. After the release of his long-awaited autobiography The Individualist,
he spearheaded the world’s first hybrid concert/book tour highlighting music
across his 50-plus-year career.
In 2017 on successive weekends
he was awarded honorary doctorates from both the Berklee School of Music and
DePauw University.
In 1998 Todd debuted his new
PatroNet technology which for the first time allowed fans of a musical artist
to subscribe directly to the artist’s musical output via the Internet. This
caps a long history of groundbreaking early multimedia "firsts",
including:
•1978: The first
interactive television concert, broadcast live over the Warner/QUBE system in
Columbus, Ohio (the home audience chose each song in real time during the
concert by voting via QUBE’s 2-way operating system).
•1978: The first live nationally broadcast stereo radio rock concert (by
microwave), linking 40 cities around the country.
•1979: The opening of Utopia Video Studios, a multi-million dollar
state-of-the-art facility. The first project produced by Todd there is Gustav
Holst’s The Planets, commissioned by RCA Selecta Vision as the first
demonstration software for their new videodisc format.
•1980: Creation of the first color graphics tablet, which was licensed to Apple
and commercially released as The Utopia Graphics Tablet.
•1981: Time Heals, the first music video to utilize state-of-the-art
compositing of live action and computer graphics (produced and directed by
Todd), becomes the eighth video to be played during the launch of MTV on August
1, 1981.
•1982: The first live national cablecast of a rock concert (on the USA
Network), simulcast in stereo to over 120 radio stations.
•1982: The first two commercially released music videos, one of which was
nominated for the first-ever Grammy awarded for “Best Short Form Video” in
1983.
•1992: The first commercially available music downloads via CompuServe.
•1993: The release of “No World Order”, the world’s first interactive record
album on CD-i.
•1994: The release of “The Individualist”, the world’s first full-length
Enhanced CD.
•1994: The world’s first interactive concert tour.
•1998: Launches PatroNet, the world’s first direct artist subscription service
-- predicts that someday "music will be sold by the pound".
•2016: The production of the world's first full length concert shot with
multiple Virtual Reality 360º cameras.
•2021: Spearheaded the “Clearly Human” virtual concert tour, featuring 25
live-streamed performances geo-fenced and tailored to a different US city each
night.
Hello Kids:
Looks like I will be doing Dewey's show on Friday the 13th!!. It is on WMSE 91.7 Radio at 6 PM. You can also can play the stream on the WMSE website. We will do a WRIT Survey Countdown show from November, 1966, 60 years ago with some WOKY added. As always, we play Records. One more thing: How 'Bout Them Brewers!!!
