re: AMERICAN TOP 40:
Hi Kent:
In tribute to American Top 40’s 40th anniversary this weekend, your readers might enjoy this interview with one of the founders of AT40 (Tom Rounds) and excerpts of Casey’s very first show, provided by The Radio Business Report.
http://www.rbr.com/features/interviews/25550.html
And, for any of your readers who might have missed it, one year ago Casey Kasem signed off on his final countdown, July 4th 2009. For Casey fans like myself, it was a sentimental moment. I have attached an mp3 of it. Having had the pleasure to work with Casey back in the 80s as Executive Producer of “American Top 40,” I can assure you that nobody will ever have the impact of hosting music countdown shows like Casey did. He was in a class of his own. He will always hold the crown as the King of the countdowns!
-- Tom Cuddy
It took a little while for American Top 40 to make its way to Chicagoland ... but once it did, I was hooked ... always interested to see how records were doing on the national charts compared to how they fared here in Chi-Town. It was, without question, a radio institution. Thank you, Casey, for all those great years! (kk)
And an update on that OTHER countdown that was going on this weekend:
Kent ...
It's 7:30 A M (7/3/10), and we're up to the "L's."
Now playing " Lonely Teardrops," by Jackie Wilson.
Big Jay Sorenson back in at 2:00 P M.
Frank B.
re: DAVIE ALLAN AND THE ARROWS:
This is a tribute that Davie Allan had put together for Wayne "Tony" Allwine who was the 60's rhythm guitarist and a vocalist with Davie Allan & The Arrows during their "Cycledelic" era. Wayne Allwine, as many remember, was the American Voice Actor of the cartoon entity Mickey Mouse for 32 years and actually married Minnie Mouse (American Voice Actress: Russi Taylor Allwine). We lost "Tony" last year in May and "Retrophonic" is the CD by Davie Allan & The Arrows. Wayne Allwine was always a musician first and never let his thoughts stray from beyond that realm of creativity. "Davie Allan & The Arrows Forever!"
Vibramutant
For whatever reason, the link originally supplied for this won't play ... and, since we seem to have been having problems of our own posting any music or video on the website this past weekend, it's gonna be hit or miss on this one. Hopefully this'll work and you will be able to enjoy Davie's tribute. (kk)
re: OTHER MEMORIES:
Dear Forgotten Hits Crew;
My name is Mike Baxter and I was referred to your site by Mike Dugo, owner of www.60sgaragebands.com.
Recently I have been able to locate my old band JUMBO. We are all alive and well, and, of course, scattered around the country. But through the miracle of the Internet, we have reconnected and created a web site to commemorate our time together.We were actively playing around So.Cal, from the south beaches and Topanga to San Francisco from 1969-1971 and you might have some visitors that remember us.We recorded our one and only album with Lou Adler's Ode 70 Records / A & M Records in 1970, but sadly, it was never released.However, you and your visitors can now hear it and share our forgotten hits. We would love to invite you all to check out our new web site and enjoy the music.Downloads available for your pleasure at: www.Jumbo70.com. Also, check out my interviews on www.60sgaragebands.com, re: Jumbo and my earlier group St. John Green. Thank you for your time and for getting back to me with such a positive response ... the guys will be more then happy to hear they have been added to your prestigious web site. (I should sign up to get your weekly newletter and updates, so put me down.)
Thanks again,
Sincerely;
Mike Baxter and Jumbo
Happy to pass the info along, Mike ... please share some of your musical memories with our readers! (kk)
De Do Do Do De Da Da Da (1980) - The Police
Q: What is more devastating than a US Police Sting?
A: A Japanese Police Sting!
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/dododada.mp3
Hello Young Lovers (1960) - Paul Anka
Paul's web site claims he took his ABC-Paramount Records (tape) masters when he parted. One BIG (reissue) RECORD COMPANY informed me licensing (as I suspected) is the key issue behind the absence of these gems, at least on Audio CD. Maybe the licenser is deceased (his Dad?) or Paul is just greedy and wants a fortune. Can't be any worse than ABKCO. After all, he did claim that's all he had at one time, the reason behind his Spanka label. Paul's web site discontinued any e-mail correspondence.
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/younglovers.mp3
Fire (1968) - The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown
Since this is mastered from something other than tape recording media, it's possibly the Demo, though some claim a "First Version". Edited; slightly enhanced
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/fire-o.mp3
That's it for this week's installment! :)
Best,
John - Founder - The Uncommon Top 40
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp
http://www.uncommonrecordings.com/
During the early days of top 40 radio, a lot of top 40 radio DJ's did crazy stunts orpromotions. Most of the time this occurred on weekends. One I remember very welloccurred in 1960. Bobby Hendricks came out with a song called PSYCHO on Sue Records.One of the DJ's here went to a department store here in downtown OKC. From 6 PM Friday evening until 12 Midnight Sunday, he listened to that record over and over without going to sleep. People could go by and watch him make a fool of himself. Another gimick I remember was when the morning DJ got to the station and the music room was locked and he didn't have a key. So he said. All he could play was some Frank Sinatra records which were somehow there. So he began playing these Frank Sinatra records. Mind you now this was our top 40 rock and roll radio station. He finally said over the air if there were any listeners out there who could bring to him at the station some of the rock and roll records that would normally play. Needless to say, listeners started showing up with their own records.
Larry N. Boyington,
aka Larry Neal, former curator of the Wax Museum on the big 1520 KOMA
Kent,
You did us a service by foresaking your holiday so we could have another terrific edition of FH. Thank you!
The Pittsburgh PBS special looks amazing. I'm having lunch with my dear buddy Stephen Caldwell tomorrow. He told me when he was headed out to film it, but I figured it was "just another gig." Wrong! I can't wait to see it, and will pump Stevie for more details now that I know it was so special.
I love Al Jardine's website videos, and his new album is terrific. Following is an excerpt from my March column for "The Beat" with some more album details:
I just got off the phone with original Beach Boy Al Jardine. He’s in beautiful, warm California while I’m still here in increasingly snowy New Hope, PA. We were reminiscing about gigging together, which was an even bigger thrill for me than it was for Al (!J) It’s always great to speak with him: gang, he’s a sincerely kind and humble man, and an incredibly talented singer, guitarist and songwriter. I asked Al about his new EP. It’s a 4-Track offering from Al’s up-coming CD, “A Postcard from California.” The album / CD is being released in early Spring (www.AlJardine.com). The EP, which Al calls “The Heart” of the Album, is being released as a digital download in March to iTunes and other digital music outlets. The cuts are all “green cuts,” as Al describes them, all of which have an ecological theme. The songs are “Don’t Fight the Sea,” which is a whimsical look at man’s folly and his inability to tame the ocean, featuring Brian and Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Bruce Johnston, Al Jardine (of course) and Matt Jardine. This was intended to become a Beach Boys cut but was not finished by the time Al left the band. Next is “A Tidepool Interlude,” with a spoken soliloquy by actor Alec Baldwin, in praise of California and the Pacific Ocean. Next is “Campfire Scene,” with The Hillbillies (Al’s studio band) and “A California Saga,” which is a re-record of an earlier Beach Boy recording. This version features guests Neil Young, David Crosby and Stephen Stills. “A Postcard from California” promises to be a terrific musical tour de force with musical guests Steve Miller, Matt Jardine, Glen Campbell, Brian Wilson, David Marks, Richie Cannata, Dewey Bunnell, Adam Jardine, John Stamos, Gerry Beckley, Flea Neil Young, David Crosby and Stephen Stills.
Interestingly, Al’s publicist is former Fortunes keyboardist, David Carr. Of further note, Al and Brian Wilson are featured in the “We Are the World, 25 for Haiti” session and recording. It aired at the televised Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympic. Al was also interviewed on the Red Carpet of this year’s Grammy Awards, from Hollywood, California.
Anyway, Kent - keep rocking, and keep writing.
All the best always,
Bob Rush (Dr. Robert, "The U.S. Beat," for THE BEAT magazine)
Thanks, Bob ... we wish Al the best of success with his new record and tour! (kk)
Hi Kent,
I saw a mention of Nancy Sinatra's Summer Wine on FH and I wonder if you ever noticed that The Electric Prunes' I Had Too Much to Dream has the same verse melody. The Jake Holmes suit filed against Jimmy Page this week might be a good peg for a FH "sound-alikes" feature. I have all the songs posted together on my blog.
Keep up the great work!
Tim English
www.soundslikets.blogspot.com
http://www.soundsliketeenspirit.com/
We keep talking about doing a feature on these "sound-alikes" and I can never seem to free up the time to put it all together! I think the readers would REALLY enjoy something like this so we've just GOT to make it happen. Meanwhile, be sure to check out some of the examples on Tim's websites.
I never noticed before the similarity between "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" and "Summer Wine" but I could hear it immediately in my head the minute I read your email. We've run both tracks here on the website today so see what our readers think, too! Thanks for all the interesting stuff! (kk)
I appreciate your welcome to your website.
I very much enjoy your articles and info.
I seem to find a BIG WLS trend there.
I started in radio in 1972 in Topeka, Kansas, and at night I was a WLS listener.
Around 1973 or 1974, I had begun volunteering as a fill-in Disc Jockey at the Veterans Administration Hospital WVAH station. WVAH, not having any professional I.D. jingles of any kind, I took it upon myself to call WLS asking for any help possible. (Topeka stations didn't help anyone).
WLS mailed me a PAMS box of WLS promotional work-parts, news logo stingers, beds weather intros and year intros.
In the 1980's I dubbed these to CD.
I have hundreds of reel to reel tapes still to dub, including jingle packages.
Now, I am a full time volunteer, working with Hospital Radio, seeking record artist drops and liners.
I know your site has artists reading your blogs.
How could I get a post asking for their help with generic intro's.
EXAMPLE: "THIS IS ... YOU'RE LISTENING TO HOSPITAL RADIO".
Separate styles and decade programs from 1940 through the 2010, Popular, Rock, Country Western and Rhythm Blues, are planned, Children programs and other specialty networks.
I am producing several programs ranging from 1950 to 1979.
Currently, I have several volunteers assisting me, to set up 24 hour streaming internet stations once finances become avialable.
Besides the networks, D.J.'s are volunteering to record single 60 minutes filler programs for download.
Most hospitals go off the air when the last volunteer goes home.
We are working on keeping stations on longer.
I would appreciate any help in this area could could assist with.
Thank you,
Yours,
Matthew Harris
J.A.M. Hospital Radio
JAMHospitalRadio@aol.com
By the way, J.A.M. stands for Jingles And Music!
Over the years, a number of the artists on the list have recorded little "drop ins" to be used by some of the jocks on the list ... hopefully, some will respond to your note and contact you at the email address listed above. Good luck, Matthew! And please keep us posted!!! (Hey, and throw a plug OUR way once in a while, too!!! lol) kk
re: MORE SUMMER FAVORITES:
Hi KK,
Hope you had a safe and enjoyable 4th of July even though it isn't over yet as I type this.
One of your readers mentioned about where he lived at the time his local station would play the JAMIES' 1958 song SUMMERTIME, SUMMERTIME, (Epic), at 33 rpm instead of45 rpm. To my knowledge and recollection, none of our stations did that here in OKC. I just now went in and got out my copy and played it at 33. Not bad! Not bad at all. It did sound sort of like r and b.
There were just 2 instances of when I actually played a record at a different speed. In 1964, a friend of mine came over and we put the KINGSMENS' 1964 hit LOUIE LOUIE on at 33 speed hoping to make out and understand the words that were being said. You know there was some controversy over what they might have been saying. We still really couldn't make out anything at the time.
The only other time I played a record at 33 speed was in 1960 when JOHNNYAND THE HURRICANES came out with BEATNIK FLY (Warwick). I don't really know why I did this but I turned the record over and played the "B" side, an instrumental called SAND STORM. It was a really good song. I never turned my records over and played the "B" side. Why I did this one, I don't know. And a greater mystery is that I started playing SAND STORM at 33. It still sounded good. So much for playing records at different speeds.
One final thing. As you might already know, in the entertainment section of our paper on Friday,there was an article about Dr. Demento. He has been doing his syndicated show for some 40 years now and will discontinue it this summer. I believe it said he is just now on some 12 radio stations and not one formats music which would be able to play his show on weekends. I believe it mentioned he might try to go online with it.
Enjoy your website. Keep up the good work.
Again, I never would have thought in a million years (that sounds like a Linda Scott song) of playing SUMMERTIME, SUMMERTIME at a different speed.
Yours truly,Larry N. Boyington, aka Larry Neal,
former curator of the Wax Museum on the big 1520 KOMA
We covered the good Doctor's "radio retirement" a week or two ago ... too bad ... I listened to him for YEARS here in Chicago.
We'll have to check out The Jamies at 33 1/3! (Anybody out there remember when record players had a "16" speed? I don't think I've EVER seen a record released at "16" ... but I remember as a kid listening to my "Alvin and the Chipmunks" albums at 16 rpm to see how "David Seville" achieved that incredible sound ... it slowed everything down to exactly half-speed and you could hear Ross Bagdasarian singing all of the parts in his natural voice!!!)
And by the way, you should ALWAYS listen to your B-Sides!!! Some truly undiscovered gems await you .... check out our website featuring The Top 200 Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides of All-Time ... you'll be AMAZED with what you find there. (Not ALL B-Sides were throw-aways ... 'tho many of them were!!!)
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Your Top 200 Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides
Kent -
I've been enjoying reading your fascinating posts. '68 was my first real "Top 40 Summer" and I monitored the WCFL and WLS charts like a hawk. CFL played "Lickin' Stick Part 1" quite a bit, I don't know about WLS. I purchased Status Quo, People (had no idea they were covering a Zombies tune!!!), Third Booth (boy was I wild about them -- and I didn't even know they were strictly Midwestern), Doors (Hello, I Love You ... ), Hugh Masekela, Cream, Vanilla Fudge and the Vogues. I wanted to buy the whole chart!!! Always regretting years later that I never picked up "Stoned Soul Picnic" -- yet another groovy '68 hit -- I managed to snarf a Bell back-to-back repressing copy in the 8Ts (b/w "Sweet Blindness") so now I can relive that whole peace-n-love far-out oh-wow-man idealism every time I hear it and the others. 1968 was a dreadful year politically and with Vietnam, but, alas, I was blissfully unaware of just how bad things were -- never picked up a paper except to check movie listings -- well, after all, I was only 12 ...
Best regards to all,
Bob Rashkow
Before the Summer of '68 was over, I would turn 15 ... and while 1967 will always be THE year for me, '68 is a close runner-up ... some GREAT music came out that year as things got just a little bit heavier every time you turned on the radio. (And then, right in the middle of it all, the Bubblegum Revolution took hold!!! Go figure ... just goes to show you how EVERYTHING fit on the radio dial back then!) kk
re: LOVIN' THE COMPUTER AGE:
>>>Due to MORE computer and email problems, we've been out of commission for the past couple of days ... I spent the better part of six hours on the phone with the AOL Tech Reps trying to resolve these problems and get back up and running again. Unfortunately, along the way, we lost about 200 emails in the process, including all of our "Saved Mail Waiting To Be Sent Later", which are typically "rough draft" versions of what you ultimately see on the website. As you can imagine, we've got QUITE a bit of catching up to do!!! (Jeez ... don'tcha just LOVE this modern, computer age?!?!?) kk
Hey it's not just computers. I bought a new toaster and it worked fine, except it wouldn't toast whole wheat. Popped up raw every time. Come to find out, I didn't have a whole wheat driver.
-- stolf
lol ... funny! (Although NOT so funny when it's actually happening to you!!! lol I think we've detected something like 17 different viruses now in the past two weeks!!! And lost SOMETHING in the process each and every time.) Honestly, we're probably not that far removed from what you said!!! While I really can't imagine doing this any other way, it SURE does mess things up when things don't go exactly according to plan! (kk)
re: DON'T MISS:
I saw a PBS or MTV Special the other night about Tom Petty's career and it's worth seeing if you get a chance. It includes a lot of video of all his years, including some great footage of The Heartbreakers on tour with Bob Dylan, and also footage of rehearsal time when The Traveling Wilburys was first put together, including really rare interviews clips with George Harrison that I had never seen before. Of course, their album had just taken off when Roy Orbison passed, and that event is also mentioned by George in the footage. It's worth seeing that Special, so look for it and check it out.
Veeder Van Dorn
The 'Original' Moonrakers
I haven't seen this, but I'm a BIG Tom Petty fan so I'll have to check it out! LOTS of great pop music specials running on PBS right now ... must be "Pledge Time" again! (lol) Thanks, Veeder! (kk)
re: DICK BIONDI WAY:
>>>Hey, isn't that YOU in the background there on this ABC news clip?!?!? (kk)
Yes, that's me in the background of the Channel 7 piece. I'm pointing to my old office on the 12th floor of what was then WJMK across the street.-- Ron Smith
It's actually a pretty nice little news clip ... and still up on the website as I type this:
Click here: Chicago radio legend gets name on street sign abc7chicago.com
re: SURVEY COLLECTORS:
Hi KK -
Last night here at home I played some records (like I normally do in my spare time), when I started thinking about the subject of radio station surveys. Why I started thinking about them I do not know. I know that through the years I have heard and I have known a few people who liked to collect air checks from disc jockeys from around the country. I never cared for that. However, I don't think I have known anyone who wanted to collect radio station surveys from various radio stations around the country. I was wondering if there are many people around who do that.
In 1958 here in OKC, radio station WKY 930 AM started playing rock and roll music . Previously they had been playing what some people refer to as "elevator music". In August of that year, WKY started printing their weekly top 40 radio surveys and eventually quit towards the last part of the year 1979. I have a copy for every week of every year up until the time they quit printing them. I like to think I have a written history of the music which was played and heard here in OKC. Listening to WKY as a kid and later on as an adult, I went by what their surveys said as far as what records were big (i.e. number one, top ten, etc,). I really didn't know that such trade publications as Billboard and Cashbox existed. To me, the only surveywas the weekly ones which WKY put out every Thursday morning at 9:30. The surveys originally were 50 songs listed, with a pick hit of the week listed at the bottom along with at least one pick album of the week. Most, if not all, radio surveys, did the same thing. As time went on, the song list was shortened to forty songs, then 30, and later on in the seventies, to twenty songs with some 10 or 20 songs listed at the bottom of the survey being listed as "extras". These surveys had ads on them as well as pictures of the current DJ'S and the time they were on the air. I do know that once a week, all the DJ'S would get together and go through all the promotional records they got in the mail, from record companies, record reps, etc, and would go over them to see which ones made the survey. I always went by what a record did here in OKC as opposed to what it did nationally. If a record made it into the top ten locally but failed to chart nationally, to me it was a hit. I do not remember seeing through the years anywhere one can buy old radio station surveys. From your website, I have noticed that there have been records that made the local surveys which did not appear here in OKC or nationally for that matter. This happened in every market.
You've got a great website. I enjoy getting your news and messages through the e-mails
Larry N. Boyington, aka Larry Neal,
former curator of the Wax Museum on the big 1520 KOMA
Actually, we've got quite a few survey collectors on our list ... I, personally, have copies of every WLS and WCFL Top 40 Survey for the times these were AM powerhouses, playing the biggest hits of the day and, save a week or two, even the WJJD charts, one of Chicago's FIRST Top 40 / Rock and Roll Stations from back in the '50's. One of our readers, Jack Levin, sells these surveys at some of the record collectors shows ... and he recently wrote in about a customer who's trying to collect at least ONE copy from EVERY radio station that ever published a weekly survey. (Sounds like an ENORMOUS task ... but we wish him luck!!!)
I've always thought that it would be nice to collect a COMPLETE set of surveys from two of the top LA stations, two from New York and then, used in conjunction with my own collection of two Chicagoland Top 40 Stations, put together a "coast-to-coast" list to see how this chart information compares to the data collected by the national trades, Billboard, Cash Box and Record World. (Another reader, Randy Price, is building what we call "The Super Charts", a compilation of ALL of these national trades on a week-by-week basis, which would put to bed once and for all some of the chart discrepancies that seemed to pop up all the time. We can't WAIT to get a copy of these!!!)
Like you, when I was growing up in the '60's, my whole musical word revolved around what I heard here in Chicago ... I had NO idea that publications like Billboard or Cash Box even existed until many years later when I discovered and started collecting their charts, too. I just figured if a record was big in Chicago, it was big everywhere ... when, in fact, there are some HUGE exceptions to that rule (as we have focused on for the past twelve years here in Forgotten Hits!) In fact, discovering the national charts ... and then local, regional hits from other parts of the country, truly opened up a whole new musical world for me ... and I love it!
That's why we do the "Show Me Your Hits" feature ... regional hits big in certain areas of the country that barely made a dent on the national scene. Unfortunately, ALL of what we had saved in the archives was lost in our last computer fiasco ... so it will require a complete rebuild now to resurrect this series again. Hopefully, we can start with some of the Oklahoma Chart Information that Larry sent us! (kk)
re: WIND:
Regarding the Wind single charting in the fall ... I guess in Boston WMEX and WRKO or one of the others jumped on it early ... I have "Make Believe" listed as my Song-of-the-Week for August 23, 1969 ... yup, I still have the list!
--- stolf
Very possible ... I show it debuting on both the Billboard Chart and the Cash Box Chart on 9/6 ... here in Chicago, it premiered a week later ... but SOMEBODY had to get the ball rolling ... so in this case it just might have been Boston! (Of course it was still a Fall Hit, because it didn't peak on the charts until Summer was over ... but that's just me being technical ... or anal ... depending on your mood! lol) kk
Thanks for "Make Believe," by Wind. When I read it, I thought it was one of your local Chicago hits that I had never heard. Then I played it, and I can't believe I forgot this amazing song! In '69 I guess I was a terminally hip 17 year old blues and rock player, and this song probably made my ears (and my "hipness") bleed. Evidently, though, it made it's way into my brain. Wonderful to hear again! Thanks! (even though I am still hip ... )
Dr. Robert
Bob Rush (The U.S. Beat)
re: THE CARPENTERS:
Sorry to hear about the passing of Tony P. "Goodbye to Love" has always been my favorite Carpenters cut, and not just for the guitar part, but the whole thing. Heard once it was Karen's favorite, too. True? It's so sad how things turned out for her, kills me every time I think of it.
-- stolf
It's probably MY favorite cut by them, too ... although with SO much great music, it's tough to pick a winner. Early on, Randy L. Schmidt's "Little Girl Blue" biography tells of the time Hollywood Producer Jerry Weintraub approached screenwriter Barry Morrow with the proposition of writing a television screenplay about Karen Carpenter's life. According to Schmidt, "Morrow knew of the Carpenters' music and recalled news reports of Karen's untimely death the previous year, but he didn't particularly like their music. 'It was considered elevator music,' he recalls. 'I was listening to acid rock, Dylan, and Crosby, Stills and Nash.'" Weintraub suggested, "'All right, listen ...here's what you have to do ... I am going to give you three or four albums and a great bottle of wine. I want you to go to a room, turn off the lights, drink this wine and listen to these albums.'" Morrow admitted that, at this point in his life, he had never enjoyed a good bottle of wine, let alone a GREAT one ... so he "followed Weintraub's orders. 'I had never heard her before; I had never stopped to listen. I had never heard the sadness and the sorrow and the pain in there voice. I never heard the undertones to it, the layers. When I heard the guitar solo in the middle of 'Goodbye To Love', I thought, wait a second, I never even knew the Carpenters!'" After he finished the bottle of wine, Morrow phoned Weintraub and said, 'I'm in if you still want me.'" (If that story alone is not enough to make you want to read this book, I don't know what else I can tell you! lol) kk
By the way, over the weekend we watched a number of Carpenters videos and interviews ... and even found one featuring Tony Peluso talking about his incredible guitar solo on "Goodbye To Love". Gentleman that he was, he gives full credit to Richard Carpenter for coming up with the idea to just "wail away" ... but also notes that, while this is now a common practice on power ballads (and has been for YEARS), this was the FIRST time such a solo had been attempted ... and, in fact, he says The Carpenters took a lot of flack for "selling out" by including a fuzz-guitar on one of their records. All I know is that it certainly worked for me. A year later, Paul McCartney would take a similar approach with the guitar solo on "My Love" ... and , as we've said, we've heard it COUNTLESS times since. Perhaps this will be Tony's legacy. (Hey, we're all talking about!!!) kk
re: THE JOHNNY MANN SINGERS:
Yeah, Johnny Mann Singers rock!
You know, if there's one thing I learned in radio, its that people's tastes are remarkably eclectic ... I remember we had this old fart of a newsman and one time I segued "We're Going UFOing" by Jimmy Durante with "Stray Cut Strut" and he dug it (management didn't tho, it's a wonder I lasted 36 years at the same place ... ) So right now I'm taping mix cassettes to listen to on an upcoming road trip to Ohio to visit relatives, and I've got Mann singers "Love Song, Love Song" and Steve Lawrence's ultra-smooth version of "The Drifter" cheek to jowl with Stones "Plundered My Soul" and Upsetters' "Haunted House" (reggae instrumental of "Spinning Wheel" ... ) That would be my dream format: mostly 60s, some 50s and 70s too ... but ALL the music ... all genres, tv & radio commercials, movies, tv themes, everything ... total immersion in the sound of the 60s, just like it was when you where there ... I mean, think about it: did they play ROCK MUSIC on the "Mod Squad"? ... geez, when they did a show about a "rock star" ... who'd they get? Noel Harrison! I'm serious ... anybody got a spare radio station they're not doing anything with? ... typical quarter hour sweep: "Dr. Robert" / Beatles ... "Barbarella" / Bob Crewe (LP version, not movie song) ... "No Money Down" / Chuck Berry ... "Wishing Well" / Free ... frig it ... Can I get a quick plug in ... spinoff of solfpod.podbean.com is open 4 biz ... thewholething.podbean.com ... #2 should be up in couple a days ...
thanx a ton
--- stolf
"A Word Without Love" by The Johnny Mann Singers ... GREAT track!
yozimpp
re: LIVE SHOWS, UPCOMING EVENTS AND REMINDERS:
Heads up kids, there's gonna be an incredible show at Hudson Gardens this Sunday 6-27-2010 and it's none other than my good friend Peter Herman Noone and Herman's Hermits ... it's a MUST SEE SHOW and you're invited ... here are just a few videos of the Herman man ... check them out and I'll be checking you out this Sunday.
Much Love
Wild Bill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpVJL1dx0qA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrKtIysZX_g&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpVJL1dx0qA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I6QI3XSOaw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_DZddk3boc&feature=fvw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06WO18-hJrA&feature=related
And then AFTER the show ...
You missed a TERRRRRRRIFIC show. And it's funny, a little divine intervention as well, it rained hard until Herman's Hermits took the stage, and then the rain stopped, the sun came out and what a great evening for a concert. Peter Noone was magnificent as usual, what a showman, wish you could have made it.
Bill
I just heard that Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits will be performing right here in Elk Grove Village this evening at a free concert! ALWAYS an entertaining show ... check it out if you can! And don't forget the First Annual Noonefest, coming up later this week in Pennsylvania! (kk)
Click here: Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone » British Invasion
ROCK ON! AT ROCK CON: "WEEKEND OF A 100 ROCK STARS"
A fan fest event Friday - Sunday, July 30th - August 1st - at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel & Conference Center in East Rutherford, NJ.
Featuring SPECIAL GUESTS - LIVE CONCERTS - INTERVIEWS - PANELS - UNPLUGGED PERFORMANCES - MUSIC & MEMORABILIA MARKETPLACE - AWARDS CEREMONY - FILM SCREENINGS - AUTOGRAPHS - AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!
Fans attending "Weekend Of 100 Rock Stars" will be able to talk directly to, obtain signed autographs and meet some of their favorite rock and media personalities on common ground: 100 stars all at the same time in the same place! Those attending the three-day fest can also browse through the world's largest rock & roll music and memorabilia marketplace.
Special Guests of Honor include Beach Boys founding member Al Jardine, Mary Wilson of The Supremes, Tommy James, Johnny Winter, Little Anthony, Billy Hinsche (of Dino Desi & Billy) and current or former members of such rock bands as: KISS, Suicidal Tendencies, The Hollies, The Animals, Porno for Pyros, The Rascals, Vanilla Fudge, The Yardbirds, The Archies, Jefferson Airplane / Starship, The Smithereens, Nazz, Tuff Darts, Stories, The Bay City Rollers, Spanky & Our Gang, The Village People, Utopia, 1910 Fruitgum Company, Human Beinz and many more.
Meet radio and TV music personalities like television DJ Clay Cole, the only host to have both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones on the same broadcast. Also, there will be the ROCK CON FILM FEST SCREENING ROOM with such films as "The Wrecking Crew," "Wages of Spin," "Fabulous" and other obscure titles.
Be part of the National Rock Icon Awards Ceremony, established to honor the legends, acknowledge music accomplishments and recognize fan favorites.
Themes for the Weekend include "LENNON LEGACY," with special guests from The Beatles' history, "ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAMERS," "THE GREAT GIRL GROUPS REUNION," "HORROR ROCKERS REUNION" and the "BUBBLEGUM REUNION."
A rock event like this is long-overdue. Celebrate 50 years of rock history live.
The list of guests is online at: http://www.nationalrockcon.com/Artists.htm
Tickets are now on sale on via the website: www.NationalRockCon.com
Hello Friends - I hope this finds you well and happy!
First of all, I want to thank you for your support in my recent request for votes for an appearance at Lilith Fair concerts. Unfortunately, I did not make it, due to competition from 600 other artists, but I did fare very well and I so appreciate your taking the time and huge trouble to cast your votes for me. Thank you!!!!
Meanwhile, I'm heading back east next month for several occasions:
I'll be singing in New York City at the fabulous Metropolitan Room on July 29th at 7:30 pm. If you live in the area, or know someone who does, please pass the information along. I hope you can come to my show. It's going to be sooo fun!! Visit www.metropolitanroom.com for more info and reservations.
Additionally, on July 25th, I'll be conducting an afternoon voiceover workshop in NYC. If you have an interest in attending or know someone who is, please contact me and I'll be happy to forward the details. Visit www.voiceoverxtra.com for info.
And last on my itinerary, but certainly not least, I will be signing autographs, schmoozing with my fans and singing, "Don't Say You Don't Remember" at ROCK CON at the Sheraton Meadowlands in E. Rutherford, New Jersey from July 30 - Aug.1st. There are going to be hit recording artists there from decades of music and it's going to be a blast!!! Little Anthony, Tommy James, Johnny Winter, members of tons of bands like the Beach Boys, Spanky & Our Gang, The Rascals, The Archies, The Crystals, Vanilla Fudge, Kiis, The Animals, Blues Magoos, etc. etc. Visit www.nationalrockcon.com for info & reservations.
Plus, I get to visit with all my friends in Westchester & NYC, including my high school alumni in Dobbs Ferry, and fellow performers & writers from "The Me Nobody Knows", "Hair", "The Rocky Horror Show", and "Menopause The Musical". I am so jazzed!!!! I hope to see you, too, at one of these events, if possible :- )
Well, that's the news for now. Enjoy your summer and keep in touch.
All my best,
Beverly Bremers
Visit my websites:
www.beverlybremers.com
www.voicercise.net
www.facebook.com/beverlybremers
Here's a Byrds Tribute Band that will knock you out!!!
Check out these guys three videos and tell me if they don't NAIL the Byrds!!!
http://secondflyte.com/media.html
Wild Bill
LOVED FRANNIE'S PRICELESS SCHOOL / RECORD STORY!!
WE SAW STEVE MILLER AT THE TASTE YESTERDAY, AND TALK ABOUT A "FORGOTTEN HITS" BONUS ... SONNY CHARLES WAS IN THE BAND AS A SUPPORT SINGER! HE WAS AWESOME & IS STILL AN ELECTRIC PERFORMER! I HAD A FEELING I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO KNEW WHO HE ACTUALLY WAS! THE ONLY THING MISSING WAS "BLACK PEARL".
OFF TO ARLINGTON HEIGHTS TODAY. SEE YOU THERE?
HAPPY FOURTH!
I'M HAVING FUN FLASHBACK MEMORIES OF SHOOTING THE BEACH BOYS D.C. INDEPENDENCE DAY CONCERTS MANY MOONS AGO ...
MICHAEL G. BUSH
We did, in fact, meet up with Mike at the Arlington Heights Frontier Days / Chicago Gold Show (more on that below.) And HERE'S an interesting side note to the night's activities. I asked photographer Mike Bush if he remembered the first time we met. He admitted that he didn't so I told him ... that just about 35 years ago, I came out to hear and audition for the band he was forming ... and brought along with me a guitarist by the name of Greg Favata, now the newest member of The New Colony Six. When we got there, Mike's band played us their best song ... a rendition of The Outsiders' classic "Time Won't Let Me". How INCREDIBLY ironic that Sunday Night, some 35 years later, we'd be there ringside watching Sonny Geraci perform this song with members of The Chicago Gold Elite on stage!!! Who would have EVER guessed it all those years ago!!! (kk)
Actually, Frannie and I had a VERY musical Fourth of July Weekend! (Check out our "Chicago Gold" review below!) On Saturday Night (July 3rd), we FINALLY saw "Million Dollar Quartet" at The Apollo Theater ... GREAT show and HIGHLY recommended!!! While they certainly took some liberties regarding what REALLY went on that night that found Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley together in Sam Phillips' Sun Recording Studio down in Memphis, Tennessee, they CERTAINLY made it an entertaining showcase for each of these musicians. It's 100 non-stop minutes of up-tempo rockabilly music, performed with machine-gun precision ... a VERY entertaining night of music and nostalgia. The audience absolutely LOVED it ... and the age range probably ran from 5 to 85!!! Shows have been extended through January of 2011 so if you haven't seen it yet, don't miss your chance to see this very exciting show. (The Broadway version has also been playing to rave reviews ... in fact, Levi Kreis, the actor filling the Jerry Lee Lewis role (originated right here in Chicago!), just won a Tony Award for his incredible performance!) Check it out! (kk)
Click here: Million Dollar Quartet - Official Site
re: THE BUCKINGHAMS / CHICAGO GOLD :
>>>Bob Abrams (formerly of the Buckinghams) kk
Hi Kent,
I saw this comment on your blog the other day and couldn't believe it was true ... but then I just found out that it IS true. Bobby Abrams is no longer with The Buckinghams. How sad this is as Bobby was a Major part of the show. He plays a mean guitar and his vocals are out of this world. His humor and jokes kept things going, you never knew what he was gonna say next or if he was going to do a silly dance. I don't know why they would let him leave. No one can replace him. Without Bobby the show will never be the same. I hope another major oldies band finds him. It would be wonderful to put Bobby and Dennis Tufano together, I bet they would sound great. I would be there to see them front and center!
Best wishes,
- Sher
I had a hard time believing it myself ... Bobby has been a key part of the "live" show for years now ... and with Tommy having just left on drums, it sounds like The Bucks will be premiering quite the "revamped" line-up in the weeks to come. (Probably made all that much more difficult with Carl and Nick out on the road together doing The Happy Together Again Tour and away from the other guys and any potential rehearsal time.) It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out ... but I don't think we'll be seeing Bobby Abrams sitting in with Dennis Tufano's band anytime soon ... but then again, you just NEVER really know in this crazy business!!! (kk)
Case in point??? You won't believe the band that was up on stage together for Jim Pilster's "Chicago Gold" Concert on The 4th of July!!! First of all, I no sooner typed the above response when I received this update from Carl Giammarese of The Buckinghams regarding their new line-up:
Hi Kent,
As you know, we now have Dave Zane and Rocky Penn replacing Bob Abrams and Tom Scheckel. They are a welcome addition and Nick and I feel they will add another dimension to our sound.
I hope you can join us on either July 3 in Hoffman Estates or Bensenville on Aug. 4. Kent, please let me know if I can add anything for your website regarding the upcoming dates or the second leg of the Happy Together Tour.
Best regards,
Carl
IL -- Chicagoland audiences will be pleased to see two familiar faces and professionals joining us on July 3rd. Along with Bruce Soboroff on keyboards and vocals will be Dave Zane on guitar and vocals and Rocky Penn on drums and vocals as the band kicks off the holiday weekend with a 90-minute show at the Village of Hoffman Estates Festival. Dave and Rocky are well known to Chicagoland and Midwest fans as they’ve played with groups including the Cryan' Shames, Sonny Geraci, and many more. We are pleased to welcome them to our lineup and invite you to come see us in concert on July 3rd.
Carl and Nick
Dave Zane has been a friend of Forgotten Hits for several years now ... we first met him when he was splitting his guitar duties between The Cryan' Shames and Sonny Geraci and the Outsiders ... with their heavy touring schedule, it sounds like The Buckinghams will be keeping him busy for a while! And Rocky's been drumming for The Cryan' Shames for something like the past 26 years!!! Congrats on the new line-up.
Yes, please do continue to send us updates on The Happy Together Again Tour ... many of our readers are hoping to catch you at some of your upcoming dates. And see if you can get some of the other participants to drop us a line from time to time, too ... first hand reports FROM THE STAGE from the likes of Carl Giammarese, Nick Fortuna, Mark Volman, Howard Kaylan, Micky Dolenz, Rob Grill and Mark Lindsay is what will keep Forgotten Hits THE place to come for ALL of the latest oldies news!!! Thanks, Carl! (kk)
Then, we headed out to catch a GREAT night of music on July 4th ... Arlington Heights Frontier Days was presenting Chicago Gold, an INCREDIBLE line-up of Chicago rock from the '60's, headlined by The Cryan' Shames, who, in addition to performing all of THEIR biggest Chicagoland Hits (and several key album track favorites), also acted as back-up band to a variety of "special guests". The band did a stellar job backing up Jimy Rogers of The Mauds (who had already performed earlier that same day with HIS new band, featuring Gary and Joan Gand), Jimy Sohns (former lead singer of The Shadows Of Knight), Dennis Tufano (original lead singer of The Buckinghams) and Sonny Geraci (lead vocalist and hit-maker with both The Outsiders and Climax)!!! What a show!!! But what REALLY turned the heads of those of us in the know that night was the appearance (exactly one night AFTER their debut as the brand-new Buckinghams) of Dave Zane on guitar and Rocky Penn on drums!!! And, when they brought Bobby Abrams up to join them on a couple of tunes, Dennis Tufano called it right, referring to what we were seeing as "The formerly of's and the currently of's", all together for the pure joy of making music." (Zane and Abrams even did an on-stage, "no hard feelings" / perfect example of good sportsmanship handshake prior to kicking off their set.) It was QUITE a night of musical magic ... we LOVED it. Everybody was in top voice Sunday Night ... Dennis and Sonny performed a KILLER duet on "Mercy Mercy Mercy", The Buckinghams' Top Five Smash from 1967, and virtually ALL of the hits were covered to near perfection. (Dennis looked and sounded amazing, by the way ... surely there MUST be a movie role out there somewhere for this guy playing George Clooney's brother!!!)
Cryan' Shames lead vocalist Tom "Toad" Doody was unable to attend as planned due to a freak "dog accident" (don't ask ... suffice to say that Tom ended up with a broken leg and was unable to fly in from California ... and apparently the "First Train" wasn't an option either!) so at the last minute, long-time Shames lead vocalist Larry Coveny came off the bench to pinch-hit with a letter-perfect performance. (After fronting the band for seven years in the late '90's / early 2000's, Coveny retired several years ago, paving the way for Bob Stroud to take over the lead vocal duties and then, when Stroud stepped down a few years back, this allowed Tom Doody to come back for many of these summer gigs.) Kudos to Larry, who absolutely NAILED it last night. (We miss ya, man!)
(An angry aside to those maintaining The Cryan' Shames website: Get it together, folks ... this guy deserves FAR more than a two-sentence mention ... an entire CHAPTER of The Cryan' Shames History is missing when you leave Larry out of the equation!!!)
We ran into quite a few of our FH Readers at The Chicago Gold Show ... great to see you all! (By the way, prior to heading out, I asked Ron Smith if he had plans on attending ... as usual, he came up with yet another classic line:
I don't think so. After you've heard them all sing "The Pizza Song" with a ukulele, what's left to hear?
-- Ron
lol ... too funny! (kk)
And, as yet ANOTHER side note, I also wanted to mention that we were VERY entertained by an earlier local band we heard perform that night called Shy Violet. A "cover" band with two VERY talented female lead singers, they played non-stop hits for nearly two hours, covering everything from the '80's to today's pop chart (and virtually everything in between!) From Olivia Newton-John to No Doubt to Taylor Swift to Lady Ga Ga to Wilson Phillips to The Cardigans to The Black Eyed Peas, they put on a VERY entertaining show. (And their back-up band is OUTSTANDING!!!) We'll be looking to catch up with them again before the summer's over! Meanwhile, you can check out their website here:
Click here: Shy Violet on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads
re: AND, SPEAKING OF THE NEW COLONY SIX:
Timing is everything ... just a few short weeks ago The New Colony Six lost their long-time guitarist Mark Eskin, who died unexpectedly back at the end of May. Now long-time Buckinghams Guitarist Bob Abrams is looking for a band ... too bad something couldn't have been worked out to facilitate everybody's needs. (Isn't that what you call a Win / Win???)
Meanwhile, we got this note from NC6 Drummer Rick Barr ...
Hey, Kent,
The comment about the New Coronary Six really gave me a chuckle. When I was with the band in the early 70's we played a number of state fairs. We used to keep track of the worst mangling of our name by the local announcers at the fairs. Best one on record was a clearly older guy who stumbled through "And on the main stage we have the uh ... Rock ... Colony ... uh ... Carnival Band". But I think Coronary is even funnier. Thanks for sharing.
Hey, we're in Deerfield at Deerfield Square Thursday, 7/15, 7:00 to 8:30, Deerfield Road and Waukegan Road. Come on out and say "Hi".
Rick Barr
New COLONY Six
Hoping to make that Deerfield show!
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
Thanks for being there, forgotten hits. Since finding each other, my e-mails just seem to grow. We are very pleased with their knowledge. This week we have seven restored vehicles going on to different shows. (Barrett Jackson) See the golden boy in our convertible next week. We'll return from New York in August 2010
Jocco, Jr.
JOCCO'S AUTO WORLD PUBLICATION SINCE 1976
Hi Kent!
DJ Scarlett Hayze here! It goes without saying, but what the heck, I'll say it anyway - I love your web site!
And yet another great week of Forgotten Hits factoids, comments, and special features! Kent, I have no idea how you find the time to put it all together, but it remains fresh, pertinent, and fun. Thanks!!
David Lewis
Kent, My Brother, I don't see HOW that there is ANY way you have time to get back to a contributor with a comment, but then again, that's what makes your newsletter so damn special ... you make us all feel important. Somehow you find the time to respond, and to let us know 'what YOU know". Thanks.
Van Dorn
Of course not EVERYBODY enjoys and appreciates what we do here ... I just received THIS lovely email from a reader who discovered our Jimi Hendrix Series on the website:
Regarding the Jimi Hendrix article you attempted to write ...
If Jimi isn't the guitar God who is? Eric Clapton? hahaha Look up J.J. Cale, asshole!
Dandy Lion / Westcoastwindy
(And you guys thought doing Forgotten Hits was all accolades and glory!!!) kk
