(and, from the looks of things, still having some website issues!) ...
but were able to throw together a few quick end-of-the-week comments ... Enjoy!!!
re: CHICAGO:
Kent ...
Do you remember this fact ?
2/15/1967 = The group "Chicago" forms as " The Big Thing."
Frank B.
Yes ... actually, I think I had eggs for breakfast that day. (kk)
re: THE SUPERBOWL:
So here's my take on a few recent topics of discussion ...
I'm thrilled the Packers won the Super Bowl. I used to stand in Regalman's drug store on Downer Avenue in Milwaukee, just across the street from UWM, and watch them play on a little T.V. the store had. Good Times. As for the half time show, the only problem I had with it was Fergie's singing ... she tends to be off key in live performances quite a bit,(to my ears anyway ). I thought the costumes with all the lights were awesome. It kind of reminded me of the Olympics opening ceremonies in Beijing ... way cool.
Stacee
Now that you mention it, we, too, thought Fergie was the weakest part of the show. (But at least she didn't pee herself!!!)
Another popular female artists who just can't seem to sing on key when performing live is Katy Perry ... her stuff is catchy as can be on the radio ... but I've yet to see a performance where she's been able to pull it off live. (kk)
re: THE GRAMMYS:
As for the Grammys, I really liked seeing so many different performers from so many different age groups and genres singing together. I liked the fact that more different people won awards instead of the same old same old winners. But one thing I do not get ... why are the accoustics soooo bad. It's the Grammys. It's all about music, nothing else and yet so many of the performers were so hard to hear. Babs is just one example. I think her voice sounded good but it was all muffled so who knows for sure?
Stacee
They seemed to be having sound "technical difficulties" throughout the evening ... of course nowadays when something has to be bleeped out of virtually EVERY song they play, you can't really tell how much of that was intentional!
One stand-out performance that I failed to mention was the solo turn by Bruno Mars, one of the hottest acts on the charts right now. (Mars had his hand in three of the top nominees ... "Just The Way You Are", "Nothin' On You" and the oft-mentioned "F*** You".) He performed his most recent #1 Hit "Grenade" as a doo-wop ballad (broadcast in black and white ... and AWESOMELY done!) Bruno Mars channeled his inner Sam Cooke, James Brown and Jackie Wilson for this one in a letter-perfect performance. (kk)
Kent ...
Great Bobby Darin Grammy story.
I guess you're going to make me suffer and give me the Bobby Darin Series in bits and pieces. Okay. I'll take it anyway I can get it. LoL!
Do you know if this rumor is true?
I heard that Cee Lo Green's follow up hit is going to be called "SOB" LoL !
As I leave you, I will quote Bobby Darin: "That's All".
Frank B.
OK, I have to admit ... even reading some of this back all these years later ... I wrote a DAMN good Bobby Darin Series!!! (kk)
Deeply disappointed that Johnny Maestro's name was not mentioned during the "In Memoriam" segment. It's a real shame that the Grammy Foundation couldn't give a couple of seconds to showing Maestro's name and photo along with the others.
Lois Dixon
JohnnyMaestroFans on Yahoo
Lois Dixon
JohnnyMaestroFans on Yahoo
You'll find more on Johnny Maestro below! (kk)
Jagger and Streisand looked terrific. Nice to see Aretha Franklin recovering from her illness - she looked great too.
One of my favorite uses of the "F" word in a song is Nilsson's "You're Breaking My Heart (you tore it apart, so F*** you!") Too bad I heard his smash hit version of "Without You", which I loved in January '72, long before Badfinger's original version, far superior IMO. But Kent, if you haven't heard it already, check out Nilsson's wild and weird soundtrack for Otto Preminger's glorious failure of a flick, "Skidoo." Especially "The Garbage Can Ballet."
Bobster
I'll never forget the first time I played "You're Breaking My Heart" ... After falling head over heels for the "Nilsson Schmilsson" album, I couldn't wait to get the brand new Nilsson album home to see what Harry was up to next. Popped it on the ol' turn-table and immediately loved EVERYTHING about it ... (particularly "Joy" and "Turn On Your Radio", the two preceding tracks) ... and when this came on, I literally jumped out of my chair in utter and complete disbelief. I actually had to move the tone arm back and play it again, just to make sure I'd really heard what I thought I'd just heard! Shock value, yes ... funny as hell?!?!? HELL, yes!!! And it STILL sounds great nearly 40 years later!
I'm not familiar with "The Garbage Can Ballet" but, if you're a Nilsson fan ... and you haven't seen it yet ... I absolutely INSIST that you pick up a copy of the new Harry Nilsson bio-documentary "Who Is Harry Nilsson ... And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?" It's wall-to-wall entertainment ... GREAT music ... and some insight into this tortured artist that you couldn't even have imagined. (kk)
Jim Peterik at The Grammys ... LOL
A Sharp Dressed Man? ...
Or Purse And Boots?
Frannie
Jimbo quit the Forgotten Hits Mailing List last week ... evidently he needed more time for shopping. Hopefully he'll still participate from time to time when we need him to help clarify or comment on something. (kk)
Doesn't get much closer than this!!!
(Did you pick up on this one right away, Tim English?!?!?) kk
re: JOHNNY MAESTRO:
Kent,
I attended the last concert of Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge at The Mohegan Sun. My friends (from NYC area, MA, and CT) all meet to go to Bowzer's productions there ... so much fun.
I attended the last concert of Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge at The Mohegan Sun. My friends (from NYC area, MA, and CT) all meet to go to Bowzer's productions there ... so much fun.
Johnny was the last act that night (more fitting in hindsite) as he was the Headliner. We thought he was magnificent, and stayed right until the very last second, unlike many concert-goers who take off to "beat the traffic" and end up being 233rd in a line waiting to exit the Arena parking.
His voice stunned us, as we knew he had been ill and might not be at his pinnacle. BUT, oh he was!!! We have nothing but praise to give for his performance and when, a short time later, he passed away we were shocked-not believing he could have delivered such a great send-off. I instantly knew we had been witness to his final stage performance and felt God had indeed blessed me with this honor.
Many of you clicked on the YouTube connection today to watch it ... and aren't you happy you did?
Thanks again, Kent, for connecting us all.
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
Thanks again, Kent, for connecting us all.
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
re: CHUCK JACKSON:
>>>I am pleased to announce the posting of my latest radio interview show. It is with the great Chuck Jackson. What can I say about this amazing recording artist and entertainer who has been in the business for over 50 years? Chuck has charted with more than 20 recordings on the Billboard Top 100. If you only know Chuck from his two recordings "Any Day Now" and "I Don't Want To Cry", I believe you will be amazed at the versatility and amazing range he shows on the others that we play as well. Ronnie's Radio Page (Ronnie Allen)
I'm glad to see Ronnie Allen give Chuck Jackson his due. "Any Day Now (My Wild Beautiful Bird)" is my annual top choice of deserving songs in Rich Appel's yearly IRS list -- It Really Shoulda (been a Top 10 hit). I rank it No. 1 of all the songs that fell short of the Top 10. (It only made it to No. 23 in 1962 -- ahead of its time, I'm afraid.) It finished No. 44 on Rich's 2010 list. Voting is open now for Rich's 2011 list . . . And "Any Day Now" is worth a spin sometime -- actually, anytime.
Don Effenberger
Sounds like the list shuffled up a little bit last year, due to the influx of so many new voters. Can't wait to see how things shake out this year. (You'll find more details regarding how you can cast YOUR vote below!) You've got PLENTY of time to vote, so give it some thought and then email your choices right to Rich. (Tell him to add you to his mailing list, too, so that you not only get the results of this year's I.R.S. Poll, but don't miss any of his other fun mailings!) kk
The singer Chuck Jackson was mentioned. I always did like his followup to I DON'T WANT TO CRY which was IT NEVER HAPPENS (IN REAL LIFE). Chuck's singing style was always nique I thought, somewhat magical in a way, as if he waved a magic WAND and he sounded that way. Back in the late fifties and sixties, actually in a way, a kid could come home from school and hear a record on the radio for the first time and knew immediately who the artist or group was because everyone back then had their own distinctive sound. I was glad to read the comment on Chuck Jackson since I really didn't know what he was doing nowadays.
Larry
Chuck Jackson is another one of those great singers whose entire career has been erased based on what makes the oldies playlists these days ... and that's just a shame. Chuck scored 14 Top 40 Hits on Billboard's R&B Chart (including three Top Ten's). While "Any Day Now" stopped at #23 on the Billboard Pop Chart, it went all the way to #12 in Cash Box, whose charts relied more on sales than airplay. He was also the first artist to chart with "I Keep Forgettin'", which became ex-Doobie Brothers Michael McDonald's first solo hit. (Jackson reached #48 in 1962 with his rendition; McDonald took his version all the way to #4 twenty years later!) kk
Chuck Jackson is another one of those great singers whose entire career has been erased based on what makes the oldies playlists these days ... and that's just a shame. Chuck scored 14 Top 40 Hits on Billboard's R&B Chart (including three Top Ten's). While "Any Day Now" stopped at #23 on the Billboard Pop Chart, it went all the way to #12 in Cash Box, whose charts relied more on sales than airplay. He was also the first artist to chart with "I Keep Forgettin'", which became ex-Doobie Brothers Michael McDonald's first solo hit. (Jackson reached #48 in 1962 with his rendition; McDonald took his version all the way to #4 twenty years later!) kk
Let's see if we can get a few jocks on the list to play "Any Day Now" today ... it's a GREAT song that's becoming all too overlooked by oldies radio. Ronnie Milsap did a really nice version of this one, too. (#14, 1982 ... and a #1 Billboard Adult Contemporary Single for five weeks!) So did Elvis, who stuck HIS version on the B-Side of "In The Ghetto".
re: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS???:
The name Charles F. Rosenay may be familiar to Forgotten Hits readers as the producer of "ROCK CON: Weekend of 100 Rock Stars" and "BEATexpo." Along with these conventions, he presents the "Magical History Tour" which brings fans to London and Liverpool every Summer, and he also organizes the "Dracula Tour," a "vampire vacation" which travels to Transylvania every Halloween.
Charles is a "monster kid" as well as a rock & roll enthusiast, and writes an online newsletter called "Horror Happenings. Twice a month, the column prints a top 10 list from a music celebrity or notable, and the most recent list comes from Rick Mullen, best known as bassist from Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen ("Hot Rod Lincoln").
Here's the link:
Past lists have come from such artists as: Ron Dante (The Archies), Greg Hawkes (The Cars), Spanky McFarlane (Spanky & Our Gang, Mamas & The Papas), actor Bill Mumy ("Lost in Space"), singer / songwriter Dean Friedman ("Ariel"), Butch "Eddie Munster" Patrick, rock & rock hall of fame vocalist Little Anthony, Dan Lauria ("The Wonder Years" & Broadway's "Lombardi"), baseball great Dave Winfield, singer Beverly Bremers ("Don't Say You Don't Remember"), Pat DiNizio (The Smithereens), Billy Hinsche (60s pop band Dino Desi & Billy), 70s rock & roller Ian Lloyd (The Stories), Vince Martell (Vanilla Fudge) and others.
For a link to any of these lists, simply send a request to DracTours@aol.com.
Forgotten Hits readers: if there are any music artists who would like to contribute their list and get some free publicity and nice exposure to thousands of readers, contact Charles at LiverpoolTours@aol.com. You could use this list from actor Eddie Deezen ("Grease," " I Want to Hold Your Hand," "1941") as your prototype: http://www.examiner.com/x-9764-Horror-Happenings-Examiner~y2009m6d10-Eddie-Deezens-Terrorble-Top-10--plus-1-extra-favorite-monster-movies.
To subscribe (for free) to "Horror Happenings," click here:
Thank you!
Cheers (and Chills),
Charles
And can you believe that's it's already time to start casting your votes again for the I.R.S.?!?!? (As in "It Really Shoulda Been A Top Ten Hit'!!!)
Yep, we know that HUNDREDS of you participated last time ... so here's the first (early) pitch from Rich Appel regarding this year's Hz So Good / I.R.S. ballot:
We're still on the way-early side of filing, so there's plenty of time before countdown day on the Ides of April. But here's everything you need to know:
What I.R.S. stands for in Hz-ese is It Really Shoulda been a Top 10 hit.
Based on the U.S.'s longest and most trusted weekly singles chart. Not that it matters: you don't need to do any research for this. Just send us your list, we'll do the checking. List your songs that really shoulda been Top 10 hits in rank order, your favorite at the top including both title AND artist, please, for each. List however many you want, keeping it in the 2-figure zone, please. Just because we're compiling a Top 104 doesn't mean you have to as well.
Like that other I.R.S., just because you filed last year or the past 2-3 years doesn't mean you shouldn't do so again this year, even if that means sending us the exact same list. But if you want to shake it up and file different songs, that's fine too.
Now the fun part (if the above wasn't fun enough): there'll be prizes awarded to random voters this year. And wait until you hear what those are. Actually, you'll have to wait, but I promise it'll be worth it.
Send your votes / nominees to: audiot.savant@verizon.net
re: EDDIE COCHRAN:
>>>Eddie Cochran's life ended with the greatest tragedy of all in the London midnight car crash that killed him in 1960 when he was just 21 years old.
(from the brand new Buster Fayte book "Rockabilly's Eddie Cochran As Revealed in Three Steps to Heaven: The Eddie Cochran Story")
It's a pity that nobody read the article before it was submitted ... because (as EVERY REAL Eddie Cochran fan knows), he wasn't within fifty miles of London when he died, but at Chippenham in Wiltshire, three counties away.
George Van Win
re: CHARLIE GRACIE:
SOLD OUT!
AL KOOPER and CHARLIE GRACIE at the legendary B.B. KING'S BLUES CLUB on 42nd Street in NEW YORK CITY: Friday, February 11th, 2011
Philadelphia's very first rock & roll star -- CHARLIE GRACIE -- was the invited guest of legendary songwriter, producer and musician AL KOOPER -- noted for his work with Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Cream, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Jimi Hendrix, Lynryd Skynrd and more.
Al is the producer of Charlie's new CD, coming later this year, and has long been a admirer of Philly's pint-sized rocker.
500 PLUS -- A SELL OUT CROWD ATTENDED!
PICS:
Charlie and Al arm and arm and on stage during rehearsals
Charlie on stage with Quentin Jones' Barnstormers in support.
re: JACK SCOTT:
Sounds like our Jack Scott Interview has been moved to the back burner. (Word is Jack's working on a biography book deal ... and probably doesn't want to "give too much away" ahead of time in our pages.) Hey, I get that ... we'll see where it all goes from here. Thanks to the readers who sent in questions.
Meanwhile, Jack it has just been announced that Jack Scott will be inducted into The Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame later this year ... so congrats on that one!!! (I also heard that he's been recording again ... although details surrounding this are still pretty hush / hush at the moment ... but if anything breaks on the "new releases" frontier, we'll be sure to let you know here in Forgotten Hits!) kk
Jack Scott is being inducted into The Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame. It's something that I've been working on for many years.
WC
re: STILL GOT YOUR 8-TRACK PLAYER:
Well, believe it or not, some guy down in Texas has just opened up the first-ever 8-Track Museum!!! (Guess he figured these would all be worth something some day!!! lol) And wait till you see how much he's got!
Far too long an article to reprint here, if you'd like a copy, drop me a note and I'll forward it along. (Hmmm ... can the Betamax Museum be far behind?!?!?) kk
re: THIS WEEKEND:
More coming up in our regular Sunday Comments Feature ... see you then!
