re: ROCK AND ROLL ROOTS:
We went to the big CD Release Party last weekend at the Oak Brook Borders Store ... as always, a GREAT afternoon of music and entertainment. The highlight for me that afternoon was watching Jim Peterik's solo set ... a rousing blast of music that kicked off with a couple of tunes he co-wrote for .38 Special followed by a duet with Bob Stroud on "Rebel Girl", an early Survivor track that appears on this year's edition of the "Rock And Roll Roots" CD and, of course, a grand-finale of "Vehicle", a crowd favorite where the audience provided the horn soundtrack. In fact, Frannie got to witness a female fan faint during Jimmy's performance! (I'm guessing that THAT probably hasn't happened since the early '70's!!! lol) Actually, an elderly woman in the coffee shop passed out cold ... word was that she was one of those who had given blood earlier in the day for the LifeSource Blood Bank Mobile that was parked out front ... paramedics were called to the scene and she was carried out ... but the headline reads SO much better the other way!!! lol
It was interesting to see Cliff Johnson of Off Broadway perform with a couple of members of his new band ... but it made absolutely NO sense at all for him NOT to perform "Stay In Time", the Off Broadway hit that also appears on the brand new Volume 12 CD. (It's Johnson's ONLY charted hit and the one he's best known for ... yet he stated early on that he wouldn't be performing it that day. Huh?!?!? Dude, that's the ONLY reason you're here!!!)
Anyway, we got to visit with a few of the artists that make up our legion of Local Heroes and mingle with a few fans and Forgotten Hits Readers, too ... a GREAT time was had by all.
They did it all again yesterday at the Schaumburg Borders on Golf Road but (due to other commitments) we missed those festivities. If you were able to attend, drop us a line and let us know how the SECOND party went. (This is always a GREAT way to spend a couple of hours, pick up the new CD, grab a few autographs and help donate money to a very good cause!) kk
Hi,
I was looking for the track list to the new Bob Stroud volume 12 album when I found you! Anyway, here's another Stroud story I found:
http://triblocal.com/deerfield/community/stories/2010/10/the-drive-to-drive-blood-drive/
Violet
I have to admit that I had to laugh when I googled the same thing last Sunday Afternoon ... and found our Forgotten Hits article listed AHEAD OF The Drive's own website!!! I don't think THAT'S ever happened before!!! (Guess that means our readership is up!) kk
From the looks of the song selection, it appears these Rock 'n Roll Roots CDs are aimed at the One Hit Wonders and regional hits. The CDs seem to go out of print quickly, so I'm guessing limited pressing due to licensing. But no one has addressed the sound quality of these Rock 'n Roll Roots CDs. No mention of anything on the radio station's web site, such as Mono / Stereo, Single / LP versions, Excellence in Sound Quality, etc..
So, Kent, since you're applauding/promoting these CDs, spill the beans!! :-)Best,
Jersey John
The sound quality and song selection are always top notch (although typically it is the ALBUM version ... i.e. LONG version) of these tracks that are featured. In a few instances, that's been a negative for me ... it's virtually IMPOSSIBLE to find the 45 hit single mix of a GREAT track like "Cottage Cheese" by Crow, for example, and you won't find it here either. The new CD features the longer (read: not "popular" / hit) version of Billy Stewart's "Summertime" and this is typically the case when both a single and album version exist. (Long version of "Crimson and Clover" but, surprisingly, the hit single version of "My World Fell Down" by Sagittarius, long a Forgotten Hits favorite.)
Yes, there is a DEFINITE "local feel" to the series ... kind of a "Made In Chicago" theme runs throughout most of the volumes ... and Stroud has ALWAYS paid homage to our "Local Heroes" on his radio program. (Many of these artists turn up for the Launch Party festivities and entertain a VERY receptive crowd of long-time fans, all making for a GREAT afternoon of music.)
And, you're right ... the discs ARE heavy on "One Hit Wonders", but songs that you actually WANT to hear on the radio once in a while simply because they don't typically get a lot of over-saturated airplay.
Over the past twelve volumes, Bob has also brought us 19 "First Time CD Debuts" ... tracks that had NEVER appeared on CD before ... so that's always a nice bonus, too! (This year's special first-time feature is "Loved By You" by The Kind ... a GREAT local hit from 1982 that failed to dent the national charts ... but was a #15 on the WLS Survey.) It was an immediate favorite of mine the first time I heard it back in '82 ... possessing a definite '60's feel in a Greg Kihn / '80's sort of way! Folks outside of Chicago deserve to discover this track for themselves so we're giving you the chance to do so today ... worth the price of admission alone!) kk
Kent ...
It's 11-11-10 ... I'm sure you know that today is Veterans Day ... but did you ALSO know that today is your friend Jim Peterik's 60th Birthday?
I bet you didn't!
Maybe you better tell me when Frannie's birthday is, in case I have to remind you. If you forget that one, you're in big trouble . LOL !
Frank B.
Actually, I thought it was the weekend before ... when Jim appeared at The Rock And Roll Roots CD Release Party last weekend, he mentioned something about it being his 60th birthday so I just assumed he meant THEN, not a week from then! (lol) Happy Big 6-0, Jim ... (who, by the way, is still 19 ... just check out The Ides Of March's latest CD release!) kk
Kent
I bought Vol. 11 from you last year and would like to buy the new Vol. 12.
Please send me the info on how to get this new CD.
-- Steve Elders
Just as we have for the past several years, we're helping our out-of-state readers get a copy of the brand new Rock And Roll Roots CD. It's another GREAT track line-up this year (albeit a few more "modern" tracks than usual, tying in with the 30th Anniversary of Bob Stroud's VERY popular radio series.) As such, you get "Stay In Time" by Off Broadway, "Driver's Seat" by Sniff 'n' the Tears, the early Survivor hit, "Rebel Girl" and "Loved By You" by The Kind, all late '70's or early '80's hits. (By the same token, you ALSO get the OLDEST track ever featured on this series: the Lonnie Mack instrumental version of Chuck Berry's classic "Memphis" from 1963!) In between you'll find GREAT music like the Jimi Hendrix-produced "Good Old Rock And Roll" by Cat Mother and the All-Night Newsboys, "Shake" by Chicago's own Shadows Of Knight, the psychedelic classic "A Question of Temperature" by Balloon Farm, the beautiful "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, "Tighter, Tighter" by Alive 'n' Kickin', "Summertime" by Billy Stewart and "Never Been Any Reason" by Head East.
Wanna pick up a copy for yourself? Just drop me an email at forgottenhits@aol.com and we'll let you know all the details.
(CD's are $24 including Priority Mail postage .. and there are still a few Volume 9, 10 and 11 copies floating around, too, just in case you're interested. For a COMPLETE track listing of ALL of the Rock And Roll Roots CDs, scroll back to 11/6.) kk
Hey Kent!
Hadn't read the Saturday or Sunday Forgotten Hits by the time I reached Borders
on Sunday, so I was pleasantly surprised when Jim Pilster informed me of your
very kind words in the FH blog. Thanks SO much for your continued support with
the Rock 'n Roll Roots CD series.
It's a labor of love and I'm just thrilled every year when we get to Borders to see all the happy faces of the fans who love this music. It's a warm and fuzzy in an era when there's not a whole lot of warm and fuzzy.
It was great to see you if only for a moment. Wish I had more time to spend with everyone that day but it's a full time job keeping the children (musicians) in line!
Thanks for all you do as I continue to read each and every Forgotten Hits, start to finish faithfully!
Bob Stroud
Thanks, Bob ... and congratulations again on an incredible 30-year run! (kk)
