Sunday, July 28, 2013

The Sunday Comments ( 07 - 28 - 13 )

re:  APOLOGIES:  
As most of you figured out, my Yahoo Account got hacked this past week ... and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of emails were sent out to my various mailing lists ... so first of all, apologies to all of you who got this junk mail spam.  (I don't really use Yahoo for much of anything other than hosting the website ... in fact, the really BIZARRE part about all of this is that I don't use them to send out Forgotten Hits reminders because there are just too many names on the list ... and Yahoo won't give me a "bulk mail" account ... this is supposedly all part of their "cutting down on spam" policy ... and yet some hacker can get into my account and send their crap to THOUSANDS of those same names with no difficulty at all.  It'd be nice if somebody could explain THAT one to me some time!!!)  So anyway, apologies again ... and hopefully this problem has since been solved.  

re:  JJ:
No, not the "Dynomite!" guy ... and not the guy who produced "Lost" either ... but on Friday we lost singer / songwriter J.J. Cale.  Cale wrote a couple of big hits for Eric Clapton, including "Cocaine" and "After Midnight".  (In fact he scored a minor hit with his own version of "After Midnight" a few years after Eric's version climbed the charts, reaching #42.)
He ALSO recorded one of my All-Time Favorite Forgotten Hits of the '70's ... "Crazy Mama", a #22 Hit in 1972 ... and featured here today (because NOBODY on the radio seems to play it anymore!)  It's a great track ... and my way of paying tribute to this great artist.  (kk)

 

John Weldon "J.J." Cale, who wrote the Eric Clapton hits "Cocaine" and "After Midnight" (which was also was a #42 hit for J.J. in 1972) and performed the #22 hit, "Crazy Mama," in 1972, died Friday (July 26) in a hospital in La Jola, California after suffering a heart attack. The Oklahoma City native was 74. He was raised in Tulsa (his blend of blues, roots rock and country became known as the "Tulsa Sound") before moving to Los Angeles in the early '60s to be a recording engineer and artist. He moved back to Tulsa when his career didn't take off, only to be "discovered" when Eric recorded "After Midnight." All told, J.J. recorded 14 studio albums, but guested on dozens more. His other charted tunes were "Lies" (#42 - 1972) and "Hey Baby" (#96 - 1976). J.J. sings and plays guitar on Eric's latest album, on a track appropriately called "Angel."
-- Ron Smith  

Kent,
I just received an e-mail from a friend of mine here in the city saying that J.J. Cale passed away last night. When I think of him, I think of his earlier recordings on Chan Records which made our local survey here in OKC.  I am quite sure you already know of his passing.
Larry
 


And this from Bish Krywko of WRLR ...
http://route66news.com/?author=2

Songwriter J.J. Cale dies  

by Ron Warnick    


J.J. Cale, a Tulsa Central High School alum whose songs became hits for other artists and proved to be a huge influence on Eric Clapton, died of a heart attack Friday night. He was 74.
You can read all sorts of obituaries and tributes (including this one by roadie Dave Hoekstra). But one cannot compile a road-trip song list without having this Cale-written tune, a No. 1 hit for Don Williams in 1978.
According to one account, Cale cut his teeth musically at a club on Sheridan and 11th Street (aka Route 66) in Tulsa during the 1950s.

re:  THIS AND THAT:
Kent,
Plash Phelps just announced that Howard Kaylan will be playing his favorite 45's on Monday (July 29th) at noone ... I mean noon. 
Play 'YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN', Howard. hahahahahahaha (that's SiriusXM)
Shelley

In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Paul McCartney (who's winding down his latest world tour) says he doesn't even think about retiring.  "I can't imagine ever not doing it. It's what I do, and it's what I've always done, and I love it so much."  Macca is still having fun ... and quite enjoys slipping in a few new Beatles and Wings songs into every new tour.  (Just think of the wealth of material to draw from!!!)
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-paul-mccartney-looks-back-on-his-latest-magical-mystery-tour-20130725#ixzz2a7L3f4ls  

And, talking about getting old, Happy Birthday (#70) to Mick Jagger!  

I just had to send this to you.  Very humorous.  It's a short read and guaranteed you'll enjoy it.
I attended last night's Monkees show, which was great as in the review below.  I sat near Mark Volman who was on only a couple day break from his own Happy Together tour, but said he could not miss this show.
http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/archives/2013/07/25/the-monkees-at-the-ryman-72413
Ed Salamon
Be sure to check out the cool slide show of photos, too ... good stuff.  Thanks, Ed!  (Man, I wish I could have seen this show!)  kk 

Speaking of The Monkees, Jeremy Roberts has a GREAT interview with Micky Dolenz up on his Examiner site.  You can check it out here:
Click here: A piercing 'Mommy and Daddy' conversation with Monkee Micky Dolenz - National Pop Culture | Examiner.com  

MOJO MAGAZINE, UK ... the rock music BIBLE for sure ... features The Beatles and Beatlemania in their August issue ... with fab quotes from TOMMY ROE on their '63 tour.  The September issue will feature a current interview with TOMMY on his new recordings, concerts, etc.
Rick Levy 

Hi to all my Oldies friends,
I posted a 3 minute celebration of my Ace CD on You Tube yesterday.
The photos and memorabilia are courtesy of my mother, the collector.  :-)
Just click the CD cover (below).         
          
              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9kncHUKMGw

Thanks to every one of you for the plays and for keeping our music alive and well.
Paul 

Wella wella!  Our Forgottten Hits friend Artie Wayne had two hits on Radio Caroline's charts this week in 1966!  ARSA just posted this one and there's #13 and 21 written by Artie!! 
Clark  

Clark also tells us about some feuding going on within Cheap Trick ...  

Cheap Trick Drummer Sues The Rest Of The Band
Cheap Trick drummer Bun E Carlos has sued the rest of the band for hundreds of thousands of dollars, saying they have no right to keep using the band name without him.
He’s joined in the action by former manager David Frey, who says he’s still owed money for covering the band’s costs after the 2011 stage collapse which destroyed their equipment.
Carlos claims his ex-colleagues failed to stick to an agreement that saw him removed from the lineup while remaining a full member of the band for business purposes.
He was sidelined in 2010 and replaced by guitarist Rick Nielsen’s son Daxx, in circumstances which have never fully been explained. Cheap Trick said at the time: “Bun E Carlos is not currently the touring drummer for Cheap Trick. Bun E remains a band member. Everyone is healthy and Cheap Trick will continue to tour as planned.”
Last year the drummer admitted he hadn’t spoken to Nielsen, Robin Zander or Tom Petersson in some time, adding: “Solely as an accommodation to some of the band members I reluctantly agreed to take a temporary hiatus from touring. The other members have never seriously talked to me about leaving the band permanently.”
He was incensed after the band recorded a track for the Special Olympics without him, and said he’d consider legal action.
Now he and Frey have filed legal papers at Cook County Court, in which they say: “Plaintiffs are forced to bring this action against the three Defendants due to defendants’ outright refusal to account for, or pay, hundreds of thousands of dollars which are owed to each of the Plaintiffs, or to otherwise comply with their obligations to Plaintiffs.”
They allege that an agreement with Carlos meant he’s entitled to “receive all remuneration that would have been paid to him had he fully performed, without delay, penalty or offset.”
Frey says he advanced Cheap Trick nearly $400,000 via his credit card to cover the costs of replacing lost equipment following the Ottawa Bluesfest incident two years ago.
He alleges that $71,000 was still owed when they fired him, and while they sent a cheque to cover the amount, it bounced – and since then they haven’t taken any further action to resolve the debt.
The court papers continue: “Defendants have failed to provide any justification whatsoever for the wrongful actions which they have perpetrated against the Plaintiffs. These acts are plainly unjustifiable, not to mention unconscionable.
“Enough is enough. Defendants should be ordered to account for and pay Plaintiffs all the money they are owed, and to compensate for their acts of self-dealing and other corporate misfeasance.
“The Court should also enjoin Defendants from further misuse of the trademarks and other assets of the Cheap Trick Companies, and grant other appropriate relief.”
Is this a case of "I Want You to Want Me" or is Bun E asking them to "Surrender"???  "The Flame" seems to be very hot in this case.  Who is asking "Don't be Cruel" here??  Will the "Dream Police" intervene??  All I can say is "Ain't That a Shame."???? 
Clark   

Please thank John for yesterday’s positive feedback re “I Could Never Lie To You" ... and thanks to you for keeping up with the massive task of putting FH out and kudos again for the super good work done re: Forgotten Hits; I am a fan and an admirer of stick-to-it attitudes; you excel across the board!     
Ray Graffia, Jr.
The New Colony Six
Thank you, Ray ... "I Could Never Lie To You" seems to be one of Ronnie Rice's favorite New Colony Six tracks, too.  Although it stalled at #50 in Billboard, it hit #40 in both Cash Box and Record World ... so that makes it a Top 40 Hit in my book.  (Here in Chicago, it peaked at #7 ... and it's one of my favorites by them, too ... certainly worthy of another spin here today in Forgotten Hits!)  kk

We've been telling you about the upcoming Beach Boys box set collection "Made In California" ... here's a brief video presentation and a GREAT article by David Beard about this remarkable set (being released on my birthday this year!!!)  Click here: Made In California box set is The Beach Boys' best yet! - National Beach Boys | Examiner.com  

Everybody’s talkin’ about Harry Nilsson again Lee Blackman knew the minute he met Harry Nilsson, he had found a friend for life.   
Nilsson may be gone – he died of heart failure on Jan. 15, 1994 – but Blackman is making sure his legacy lives on.  
The Encino, Calif.-based lawyer, who has handled several big Hollywood divorces, provided legal help for the singer-songwriter up until his death and continues to represent his estate. He has overseen the placement of Nilsson’s songs in films and on TV, and he produced the 2010 documentary, “Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?).”    
“Harry was the smartest, wittiest person I’ve ever met,” Blackman says. “He had a bullshit meter like you wouldn’t believe. He could spot a phony from a mile away and he just couldn’t do stupid. He probably thought I was real, and that’s why he felt so at ease with me.  
"We had so many things in common, like our love for Ray Charles.  When I was a kid, when I heard 'What I'd Say' for the first time, it changed my life.  He told me the same thing."  
Blackman is talking about Nilsson for a reason: He’s hoping that a new RCA/Legacy box set, “The RCA Albums Collection” (out July 30), and a new biography, “Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter” (released July 16), will revive interest in Nilsson and eventually gain him overdue induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  
The 17-disc box set contains all of Nilsson’s 14 RCA albums, expanded with 65 bonus tracks, including 26 previously unreleased songs. There are also three CDs of 58 rarities, 29 of them previously unreleased. 
In the late 1960s, about the only thing that all four Beatles could agree on was that their favorite artist was Nilsson.    
“They really admired Harry,” Blackman says. “They loved his voice and how many different ranges he had, and of course, his songwriting. They invited him to London in 1968 and he got a chance to see the way they lived. They couldn’t go anywhere in public; they were holed up in their houses and their studio.  
“He made a conscious decision after that meeting, ‘That’s not for me. I want to walk around on my own and not become a famous rock star.’ If you notice, on all his album covers, he has a different look about him … that’s because he just wanted to move about freely.”  
Nilsson had plenty of hits – like the 1972 No. 1 “Without You,” the Grammy-winning “Everybody’s Talkin’” (written by Fred Neil, from the film “Midnight Cowboy”), “Coconut,” “Jump Into the Fire” and wrote Three Dog Night’s “One.” But he shunned the public life and did not tour. That’s why Blackman thinks Nilsson’s low profile has kept him from being recognized for his career achievements.  
“He certainly deserves it,” Blackman says. “I miss him dearly. He was the most generous, most amazing friend I’ve ever had.”  
-- submitted by Tom Cuddy  

Do you remember when some stores had their own music surveys?
David Lewis

David Lewis also came up with the two Herb Alpert tracks that FH Reader Mike Mertes was looking for.
I knew the readers would through ... Thanks again!!!!!
Mike  

'Fly Like An Eagle – An All-Star Tribute To Steve Miller Band' Featuring Members Of YES, Asia, XTC, Dream Theater, Survivor, The Tubes, Curved Air, Deep Purple, GONG, Nektar and Others Now Available!
Featuring Peter Banks, Rick Wakeman, Tony Kaye, Colin Moulding, John Wetton, Steve Morse, Steve Hillage, Fee Waybill, Rod Argent, Sonja Kristina, Jordan Rudess, Steve Stevens and others!  
Produced By Billy Sherwood
Los Angeles, CA – A whole host of space cowboys, gangsters of love and legendary music icons from around the globe gather together to pay special tribute to classic rock legends the Steve Miller Band! Now available on Purple Pyramid Records, 'Fly Like An Eagle' features performances by members of YES, Asia, XTC, Dream Theater, Survivor, The Tubes, Curved Air, Deep Purple, GONG, Nektar and others! With exciting renditions of Steve Millers' classic hits, 'Fly Like An Eagle – An All-Star Tribute To Steve Miller Band' is sure to please music fans worldwide! Also includes some final recordings by guitar legend Peter Banks.
Producer Billy Sherwood of YES/CIRCA: fame explains, “Steve Miller has written so many great songs, working on this record gave me a chance to look deeper into the inner workings of the material and explore it all with so many amazing guest artists. It was an honor producing and playing on this project. I think the fans of the music will appreciate the contributions of all the artists involved.”
Tracks include:
Take The Money And Run
Jet Airliner
Living In The USA
Abracadabra
Swingtown
Winter Time
The Joker
Jungle Love
Space Cowboy
Rock'n Me
Fly Like An Eagle
To purchase 'Fly Like An Eagle – An All-Star Tribute To Steve Miller Band' CD: http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Like-An-Eagle-All-Star/dp/B00D3ZJDA2
Well, it didn't work out QUITE the way I planned it ... I didn't realize that the entire page had to reload EVERY time you refreshed it ... which locked up the computer for several people ... and also delayed the blending feature from track to track that works well with three or four songs ... but not 150!!!  It was just too much material for the website to handle ... but, if you were patient (as several of you were), you eventually got to hear it all.  Oh well, lesson learned.  Still 'though ... did you EVER imagine that there were THAT many songs about time?!?!  (kk)  

HEY KENT --
WHAT TIME IS IT?
IT'S HOWDY DOODY TIME!
This may be the only 'time' song that did not make your cut.
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
Then you just didn't listen long enough!!!  We saluted Howdy Doody a couple of times (in different ways) during our time study!  (kk)
9:30 pm.  Just as I got home.  Apparently, at 2 years of age, I met my father at the door after work to tell him we needed to buy a TV set so I wouldn't have to go to the neighbor's to watch 'Howdy Doody'.   He did.
Shelley 

Kent ... 
I gotta tell you "Time has Come Today", the Chambers Brothers classic, is the most underrated slice of rock / funk in music history. The band track forces you to dance and the lyrical delivery just grabs you by the jugular. an amazing song that sounds as good today as it did in 1968.
Chet Coppock 

Thus far, I think the track with the broadest appeal that I never hear is "Bad Time."
But we're only half way through the show.  Runners up are "Time Passages" and "Twelve-Thirty."
BTW, Linda's very best track has always given be goosebumps, today and since the first time I heard it.
Really appreciate the inclusion of The Glass Bottle's terribly under-appreciated track.
This is gonna be a fun time to be listening to FH!
David Lewis 

I just have two questions to ask you about Friday's FH. The first question is, "Where did you get the TIME to do that?" and the second question is "Where did I get the TIME to listen to them?"
Larry Neal
To quote Keith, I ain't gonna lie ... this one took some serious time to put together ... but once I got started, I just had to see it through.  I even amazed myself by how many titles I was able to come up with.  The tracks are still there for anyone adventurous (and patient!) enough to give 'em a listen.  This was a goodie!  Thanks to everyone who took the "time" to listen! (kk)

I can't even imagine how long it must have taken to put together your musical walk through time on Friday but kudos on a job well done.  And LOTS of forgotten hits featured along the way, too.  WTG, kk!
Mike