re: THE EAGLES:
I love reading your reviews, especially for shows I have not seen. I know how you feel about the 'structured' concert style. Is it a concert or a theatrical production ... or both? It does, however, give historical insight and thus becomes a learning tool / reinforcement for the band and the ages it represents. I enjoy seeing these, but not in the same frame as I do a concert which represents the here and now, the good and the 'oops' of the present moment.
Shelley
What a great review of the Eagles concert. I felt like I was there -- and wish I was!
What a great review of the Eagles concert. I felt like I was there -- and wish I was!
Mary
Kent,
Kent,
I enjoyed your Eagles review. I went to the Oct 4 "History of the Eagles" concert here at our new 16000 seat Arena and it sounds similar to your experience, other than that it was 80 degrees near the top of this place causing quite an irritation of heat. We had $80 seats.
I ALWAYS like it when an artist does their songs just like the record, but add a little to guitar solos, like what happened at this concert. SO, I did not like their "Witchy Woman" change. The intermission before the Joe Walsh era really showcased how different their sound was between the Leadon and Walsh eras -- more rock, less country. Walsh was THE star in the second half. If you noticed, he used a different guitar on EVERY song! He was really the only one who clowned around much with the crowd. In "Life's Been Good," he altered the lyrics to "They (fans) send me emails, tell me I'm great." He should have added "So the got me an office for MP3's on the wall" just to take a shot at the non-physical nature of today's music, as he will retort in his newest song "Analog Man." As with your concert, "In the City" got best response, but it's amazing to see and hear Joe's classic solos one right after another in real life!
I was surprised their were no Eagles solo songs since Joe got three non-Eagles in there. "Life's Been Good" was a great sing-a-long and there was a guitar battle at the beginning of "Funk 49" that was fun. Heck, without that song, we may never have heard Joe Walsh ANYWHERE, let alone as an Eagle. You left out that they did "Rocky Mountain Way" in an encore as well as a full "Desperado" which both were done in our concert. That "mouth harp" thing (whatever it's called) was cool in "Rocky Mountain Way" and even better when there were dueling guys in "Those Shoes."
Henley & Frey's vocals strained a bit in the early songs, but got better as the night wore on. Great concert!
I ALWAYS like it when an artist does their songs just like the record, but add a little to guitar solos, like what happened at this concert. SO, I did not like their "Witchy Woman" change. The intermission before the Joe Walsh era really showcased how different their sound was between the Leadon and Walsh eras -- more rock, less country. Walsh was THE star in the second half. If you noticed, he used a different guitar on EVERY song! He was really the only one who clowned around much with the crowd. In "Life's Been Good," he altered the lyrics to "They (fans) send me emails, tell me I'm great." He should have added "So the got me an office for MP3's on the wall" just to take a shot at the non-physical nature of today's music, as he will retort in his newest song "Analog Man." As with your concert, "In the City" got best response, but it's amazing to see and hear Joe's classic solos one right after another in real life!
I was surprised their were no Eagles solo songs since Joe got three non-Eagles in there. "Life's Been Good" was a great sing-a-long and there was a guitar battle at the beginning of "Funk 49" that was fun. Heck, without that song, we may never have heard Joe Walsh ANYWHERE, let alone as an Eagle. You left out that they did "Rocky Mountain Way" in an encore as well as a full "Desperado" which both were done in our concert. That "mouth harp" thing (whatever it's called) was cool in "Rocky Mountain Way" and even better when there were dueling guys in "Those Shoes."
Henley & Frey's vocals strained a bit in the early songs, but got better as the night wore on. Great concert!
I took some photos from our seats high up in the stratosphere. Some are taken off the big screen showing things up close on stage.
1. Henley & Frey on stage together.
2. Walsh playing a guitar that SEEMED to be about 1/2 inch think!
3. The crowd when Schmit was acknowledging this to be the biggest crowd for this venue to date. (NOTE: only three concerts so far here!)
4 & 5. Joe Walsh playing his Les Paul (note neck of guitar)
6. Joe singing
7. The band on stage. We were actually sitting 50 feet higher than the TOP of the stage!
8. Here's the really embarrassing one. I was thrown out shortly after this when the band spotted me way at the top and asked for me to be ushered out of the arena for screaming "PLAY 'OL '55!!!!!!" What can I say, I was ridin' with lady luck ...
1. Henley & Frey on stage together.
2. Walsh playing a guitar that SEEMED to be about 1/2 inch think!
3. The crowd when Schmit was acknowledging this to be the biggest crowd for this venue to date. (NOTE: only three concerts so far here!)
4 & 5. Joe Walsh playing his Les Paul (note neck of guitar)
6. Joe singing
7. The band on stage. We were actually sitting 50 feet higher than the TOP of the stage!
8. Here's the really embarrassing one. I was thrown out shortly after this when the band spotted me way at the top and asked for me to be ushered out of the arena for screaming "PLAY 'OL '55!!!!!!" What can I say, I was ridin' with lady luck ...
Clark Besch
Joe Walsh's James Gang is probably better known for "Walk Away", a Forgotten Hit that has all but disappeared from the airwaves on anything other than a great Classic Rock Station like WDRV. (We've included it here as a memory clicker!)
Having seen The Eagles six or seven times, I can honestly say that EVERY show has been a brilliant showcase for their talent and their material. Walsh ALWAYS steals the show ... and the crowd LOVES him. I was DEFINITELY proven wrong when, after the announcement was first made that he was joining the band, I said emphatically, "It'll never last".
Neat to see that they're mixing up the set list a little bit from show to show. Actually, they WERE doing "Ol' '55" earlier on the tour ... it's one of MY favorites, too. "Desperado" and "Rocky Mountain Way" would have been cool to hear, too ... although I'm not so sure that yet ANOTHER Joe Walsh solo song would have been appropriate for the "History Of The Eagles" tour. Meanwhile, it seems to me that every time I have ever seen them, they ALWAYS close the show with "Take It Easy" so I pretty much expected that. I've never seen them do "Hotel California" as an encore before, however ... that's always been one of the main focal points of the show.
Some of these photos are pretty rough ... but I HAD to share the one of the band finding you up in the nosebleed seats! (lol) Thanks, Clark. kk
re: OTHER SHOWS:
The other day we told you about some upcoming concert dates for Burton Cummings, including a couple of performances in Las Vegas in January at The Orleans Hotel and Casino. (Man, I wish I could go to this!!!)
I just found out that his five November dates (listed below) are all "Up Close And Alone" appearances ... featuring just Burton at the piano without a band. (This, too, would be awesome to see ... a stripped down, real personal, heartfelt performance of some of his most classic tunes.)
Anyway, more details can be found on his website ... but here is a list of those appearances in case any of these happen to be near you. (And if they ARE, please drop us a line with your concert review!) kk
11/11 — Alexandria, VA, Birchmere
11/12 — Annapolis, MD, Rams Head On Stage
11/14 — Glenside, PA, Keswick Theatre
11/15 — Newton, NJ, Newton Theatre
11/30 — Brampton, Canada, The Rose Theater
1/17 — Las Vegas, NV, The Orleans Hotel & Casino
1/18 — Las Vegas, NV, The Orleans Hotel & Casino
Kent,
11/12 — Annapolis, MD, Rams Head On Stage
11/14 — Glenside, PA, Keswick Theatre
11/15 — Newton, NJ, Newton Theatre
11/30 — Brampton, Canada, The Rose Theater
1/17 — Las Vegas, NV, The Orleans Hotel & Casino
1/18 — Las Vegas, NV, The Orleans Hotel & Casino
Kent,
A friend of mine just sent me this email and I am forwarding it on to you. I know you were looking for discount Rascal tickets, so you will be interested in this! Hope it helps. We have ours for Friday night ... no discounts for that night ... but if you can go during the week, this is much more reasonable. I can't wait to hear my all-time favorite song ... How Can I Be Sure ... can't wait! This concert is a dream come true. Thanks again for all you do for our music.
Janet
A limited number of balcony seats were still available for the Tuesday and Wednesday shows last time I checked ... but they're going to go fast. We finally sprung for balcony seats for the final, matinee performance on Sunday ... it's our anniversary treat (with the big day coming up a week later.) At least we get to see them! (I just couldn't bear missing this once-in-a-lifetime event!)
Thanks for sharing, Janet ... readers acting quickly may still get a chance to take advantage of this great offer! Meanwhile, be sure to send us a review of the Friday Night Show! (kk)
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Kent,
You are welcome! So glad you and your wife got tickets. Would not want you to miss it. I will send you a review of Friday's concert. I've seen the Rascals twice before, once in Wisconsin a few summers ago and once in Lisle at their summer concert series. They were great, (played a double bill with the Fifth Dimension, believe it or not!) but of course this will be so much better with all the original members. Thanks for writing back!
Janet
We were at the Lisle show ... not really The Rascals 'tho ... just Felix with a back-up group of young kids who didn't show much appreciation for his music in my opinion ... the only time the band came to life was when they played "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin!!! Felix sounded pretty good 'tho. The Fifth Dimension (without a single original lead singer) was pretty disappointing, too ... but at least we had Ronnie Rice to warm up the crowd! (lol) I'll bet there's even a review of this show somewhere on the site if you look around hard enough to find it! (lol) kk
To my Florida Fans and Friends and / or anyone who'll be in the area next month:
To my Florida Fans and Friends and / or anyone who'll be in the area next month:
The second weekend of November is going to be a heady one for me. I already told you about the Colorado Music Hall of Fame induction in Denver on Friday the 8th.
Now, just yesterday, I was asked to headline THE AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL at SOBE Institute of the Arts in Miami on the following Sunday, Nov. 10.
Yes, some people actually think I'm a "folk singer." If you don't tell them the truth, I won't either. It's a great opportunity to appear with some killer acoustic acts who'll be gracing that stage with me.
For more details about the festival, check out the GIGS page of my web site:
Hope to see a slew of you there. I know I have some dedicated fans in S. Fla. And I hardly ever play here. In the immortal words of Hayley Mills, "Let's get together ya, ya, ya."
(he said, shamelessly dating himself.)
Bob Lind
LOTS going on for Bob Lind lately! Congrats! (kk)
Last week Pete Townshend announced that The Who will do one last major tour in 2015 to celebrate the band's 50th Anniversary ... and then that'll be it ... so again, if you've never seen them ... or simply want to catch them one last time ... this will be the time to do it. (And, if we've learned anything at all about these major "final" tours lately, it's this ... start saving your money NOW!!! lol) kk
And how cool is this? After just supplying us with a three-part article about Russ Terrana and his legendary work at Motown in the '60's and '70's, author Joe Klein got a chance to attend the Gladys Knight concert in Laughlin last night! (This definitely falls into the 'timing is everything" department!!!) kk
Last week Pete Townshend announced that The Who will do one last major tour in 2015 to celebrate the band's 50th Anniversary ... and then that'll be it ... so again, if you've never seen them ... or simply want to catch them one last time ... this will be the time to do it. (And, if we've learned anything at all about these major "final" tours lately, it's this ... start saving your money NOW!!! lol) kk
And how cool is this? After just supplying us with a three-part article about Russ Terrana and his legendary work at Motown in the '60's and '70's, author Joe Klein got a chance to attend the Gladys Knight concert in Laughlin last night! (This definitely falls into the 'timing is everything" department!!!) kk
It was a beautiful and balmy autumn night ... 75 degrees ... when the show started a little after 7:00. Gladys pleased the crowd of about 1,500 people with a very decent (but not incredible) 90-minutes of great R&B, performed in her own unique, bluesy style. Of course she performed her Motown classics, and other well-known R&B songs, with some nice newer, but less familiar material mixed in. Her band, and background singers were very good and pretty tight for the most part, but I did feel that the sound mix at the outdoor venue could have been a tad tighter. Still, all in all, a really enjoyable show!
For me, the highlights of the set were the classics I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE, which got the crowd to their feet, and a nice rendition of the wonderful MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA, a song so soulful it's hard not to love performed by ANYONE, let alone GK! Every time I hear the awesome line "I'd rather live in his world than live without him in mine," it makes my heart sink! Here's a clip of a portion of the song from last night's show ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRG5wCdBStc
-- Joe Klein
re: WLS:
HELLO!! LOOKING (AGAIN) AT SOME OF THE OLD WLS CHARTS, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ANY BAD SONGS ON A SURVEY FROM THE 1966 - 1967 ERA ... TRULY THE GOLDEN AGE OF POP MUSIC FOR ME.
MICHAEL G. BUSH
Likewise! '67 has always been my favorite year in music ... I've said before that I would have a really tough time picking my Top 200 Favorite Songs from that year!!! (kk)
re: WLS:
HELLO!! LOOKING (AGAIN) AT SOME OF THE OLD WLS CHARTS, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ANY BAD SONGS ON A SURVEY FROM THE 1966 - 1967 ERA ... TRULY THE GOLDEN AGE OF POP MUSIC FOR ME.
MICHAEL G. BUSH
Likewise! '67 has always been my favorite year in music ... I've said before that I would have a really tough time picking my Top 200 Favorite Songs from that year!!! (kk)
As to you and Ron Smith's comments on the dating of the charts, WLS and many others made the premier day of the survey a big deal. WLS played the new list on Friday I think BEFORE it became official on the chart. I know other stations dated and played their surveys that way too. They advertised during the week when the new survey would be unveiled and the following day would be the official date. It's a bit like when AT40 played the Billboard top 40 before the chart went to outlets the following Monday.
As I have mentioned before, I ran home on Fridays to catch what I could hear of the new survey.
Clark Besch
All I know is that I used to pick up the latest survey every Friday on my way home from school ... so in my memory the dates coincided exactly. In fact, I made it a point to walk home from school a different way just so I could stop and get the survey on the day it came out. Anybody else out there remember it differently? (kk)
re: ON THE RADIO:
A guy at work was singing "Feliz Navidad" yesterday and commenting about how radio would soon be playing the Christmas songs again. AARGH! One station plays it from Thanksgiving thru Christmas non-stop! It is sickening! I pondered if it was really a good ratings move or if advertisers wanting to push Christmas sales thought "Let's buy spots on THAT station playing Christmas tunes." Maybe the ratings are not good and advertisers will pay for this type of thing, not knowing people may be tuning the station out during that time??? Nothing against Christmas. I think we all know where I am coming from when it comes to this programming.
Clark Besch
Well, here in Chicago, the proof has been in the ratings ... they've been through the roof for WLIT for the past several holiday seasons now ... people must REALLY enjoy the ability to turn it on whenever they want and know exactly what they'll be getting. (Kinda like WLS and a Steve Miller song I guess!) Seriously 'though, this has been a VERY successful campaign for the station. (kk)
re: RUSS TERRANA:
Really enjoying Joe's stuff about Russ!
David Lewis
I love it when we get the "behind the scenes" stories from the guys who were actually there at the time ... that time being the most productive and inventive of our lifetime. Thanks again to Joe, who did a GREAT job on this, capturing those very special moments. (kk)
Thank you, Joe, for your great article on Russ. And Thank you, Kent, for letting him share this with us. I do have one question ... Wasn't Westbound #9 by Flaming Ember on the Hot Wax label part of the Invictus family of labels and not part of Motown? Please set me straight on this.
Mike De Martino
President of the Lovejoy Music Club
I've forwarded your question on to Joe Klein, who promises to forward it on to Russ Terrana. The single you're referring to (their biggest hit from 1970) was, indeed released on the Hot Wax label ... but the band was first signed to Ric Tic Records in Detroit in the mid-'60's (and, according to Joe, also spent time on the Rare Earth label after Motown acquired Golden World. And, if I'm not mistaken, the Invictus / Hot Wax Group was founded by a bunch of former Motown employees ... so it's very possible that Russ DID, in fact, engineer this record, for another label. Hopefully, more to come on this soon. (kk)
Thank you to Joe Klein for taking us behind the scenes of this creative period in time. And thank you, Kent, for sharing it with us.
Ed
Kent,
Reading about Russ and his remarkable influence on the Motown sound reminded me of some Detroit artists who turned out great material but never found chart success.
The Fantastic Four's "Everything is Alright" is a magnificent soul ballad that bears resemblance to the Temps' "Since I Lost My Baby." And, be honest, did you ever hear of J.J. Barnes?
I recall getting a demo copy of a tune he turned out in '67 that just floored me. J.J. truly had remarkable talent.
Do you know why these Barnes and the "Four" never truly flourished. The talent was certainly there.
In other news, I have determined that the Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" is the greatest song I've ever heard.
Chet Coppock
Host: Blackhawks HeritageSeries
Passing your inquiry along to Russ, too ... certainly all of the folks involved with The Fantastic Four believed in the band's ability to score big ... but as we've seen time and time again, sometimes it just doesn't happen for some of these talented artists. Barnes and The Fantastic Four both recorded for Ric-Tic back then ... guess sometimes it just takes more than talent to make it! But I'm curious, too, to hear why Russ might think these guys fell short in that department ... so stay tuned! (kk)
As I'm sure you can imagine, putting together a series like this takes a WHOLE lot of time ... no matter how much dedication, research and spirit you put into something like this, you're also dependent on trusting 50-year-old memories, followed up by a WHOLE lot of fact-checking. I know that Joe worked diligently on this piece (and believe me, I know the hours he put in ... and what it takes to pull something like this together! In some cases, I was getting revisions at 4 am that he had started on nine hours earlier!!!) So kudos to Joe for all his hard work ... and passion for this piece. However, after the piece ran, he found or became aware of a few errors that we have since corrected to the piece ... and he wanted to acknowledge them now. As loyal readers know, Forgotten Hits has always been about presenting "the most accurate truth" ... so with that thought in mind, we bring you these corrections.
Weekend greetings, Kent!
Hope you and your readers enjoyed all three (or at least one or two) of the parts of my eclectic little story about the early days of the career of my old pal, RUSS TERRANA. Thanks for quickly making the little correction I requested to the middle of Part Two of the story, where I got the date that producer Don Davis bought the historic United Sound Studio wrong ... by SEVEN YEARS!
It was an innocent mistake that happened in the rush to meet the deadline in getting you the story in time to be posted! Thankfully, engineer Ed Wolfrum caught the error shortly after the story first appeared online (and wasted no time in calling it to my attention). He was, understandably, upset that I goofed in failing to properly identify ... and recognize ... the guy who hired him to work at the landmark studio. OOPS!
I promised Ed I'd ask you to post the fix and he was gracious enough to help me with the rewrite. We not only corrected the foo-pah but also added a few lines of text to make that part of the story a wee-bit more interesting. So a big thanks to Ed for helping me to get the facts right, and to you for making the fast fix!
But, wouldn't you know it, in the fix I sent to you, I blew it AGAIN, this time by MISSPELLING the last name of United Sound's fabled founder! It's JIMMY SIRACUSE, not Syracuse, as I spelled it. Big OOPS #2! I had to apologize to Ed Wolfrum AGAIN today, but, thankfully, he was far more forgiving this time.
And, if that ain't enough, I even mistyped RUSS TERRANA'S EMAIL ADDRESS at the very end of Part 3, so if folks have been trying to email The Motown Sound Man, only to have their emails bounce back, yes, that's my fault as well!
The CORRECT email address for Russ is: rterrana1000@gmail.com
Holey Moley! Hope you can make these two other tiny ... and very embarrassing ... corrections soon! EDITOR'S NOTE: ALL of these corrections have since been made to the piece. (kk)
In spite of my own screw-ups, I'm already starting to get some positive feedback to the series. Russ himself just emailed me, saying, "You sure out did yourself on the three part blog story ... Very impressive writing!" I'm flattered, but I hope Russ was also impressed by WHAT was written about him as well! Ed Wolfrum also really likes the story, especially now that the corrections about United Sound have been made.
One of the coolest ... and most unexpected ... compliments received so far came from renowned television producer STEVE BINDER (who produced and directed the historic T.A.M.I. SHOW and ELVIS COMEBACK SPECIAL and worked with Russ on a few DIANA ROSS Motown specials), who commented, "Russ is a close friend of mine, too! We have worked on many specials over the years as well as other projects. He's always been both modest and brilliant! Thanks Joe for posting!"
Here's a very cool photo of Russ standing on the stage set up in New York's Central Park for Diana Ross' live concert there in 1983, with over 400,000 of his biggest fans behind him! Steve Binder produced the TV documentary of the historic event.
Hope you and your readers enjoyed all three (or at least one or two) of the parts of my eclectic little story about the early days of the career of my old pal, RUSS TERRANA. Thanks for quickly making the little correction I requested to the middle of Part Two of the story, where I got the date that producer Don Davis bought the historic United Sound Studio wrong ... by SEVEN YEARS!
It was an innocent mistake that happened in the rush to meet the deadline in getting you the story in time to be posted! Thankfully, engineer Ed Wolfrum caught the error shortly after the story first appeared online (and wasted no time in calling it to my attention). He was, understandably, upset that I goofed in failing to properly identify ... and recognize ... the guy who hired him to work at the landmark studio. OOPS!
I promised Ed I'd ask you to post the fix and he was gracious enough to help me with the rewrite. We not only corrected the foo-pah but also added a few lines of text to make that part of the story a wee-bit more interesting. So a big thanks to Ed for helping me to get the facts right, and to you for making the fast fix!
But, wouldn't you know it, in the fix I sent to you, I blew it AGAIN, this time by MISSPELLING the last name of United Sound's fabled founder! It's JIMMY SIRACUSE, not Syracuse, as I spelled it. Big OOPS #2! I had to apologize to Ed Wolfrum AGAIN today, but, thankfully, he was far more forgiving this time.
And, if that ain't enough, I even mistyped RUSS TERRANA'S EMAIL ADDRESS at the very end of Part 3, so if folks have been trying to email The Motown Sound Man, only to have their emails bounce back, yes, that's my fault as well!
The CORRECT email address for Russ is: rterrana1000@gmail.com
Holey Moley! Hope you can make these two other tiny ... and very embarrassing ... corrections soon! EDITOR'S NOTE: ALL of these corrections have since been made to the piece. (kk)
In spite of my own screw-ups, I'm already starting to get some positive feedback to the series. Russ himself just emailed me, saying, "You sure out did yourself on the three part blog story ... Very impressive writing!" I'm flattered, but I hope Russ was also impressed by WHAT was written about him as well! Ed Wolfrum also really likes the story, especially now that the corrections about United Sound have been made.
One of the coolest ... and most unexpected ... compliments received so far came from renowned television producer STEVE BINDER (who produced and directed the historic T.A.M.I. SHOW and ELVIS COMEBACK SPECIAL and worked with Russ on a few DIANA ROSS Motown specials), who commented, "Russ is a close friend of mine, too! We have worked on many specials over the years as well as other projects. He's always been both modest and brilliant! Thanks Joe for posting!"
Here's a very cool photo of Russ standing on the stage set up in New York's Central Park for Diana Ross' live concert there in 1983, with over 400,000 of his biggest fans behind him! Steve Binder produced the TV documentary of the historic event.
And FINALLY, talk about timing, last night, Motown legend GLADYS KNIGHT (minus her old Pips) appeared here in Laughlin at Harrah's Rio Vista outdoor amphitheater. I didn't have tickets, but a friend called me at the last minute and invited me to go!
EDITOR'S NOTE: Look for Joe's review of the Gladys Knight show ... along with a live video clip ... above in our "Concert" section. (kk)
Of course Russ Terrana mixed Gladys' biggest hits and I met her at Motown's Hollywood studio once back in the mid-70's. I was hoping to get a chance to get backstage to see her, say hello and get a photo, but couldn't set it up at the last minute. DARN!
Now I'm looking forward to SMOKEY ROBINSON'S show here at the end of November, and I am trying to get Russ to make a trip here from Santa Cruz to join me for that one and see Smokey for the first time in many years!
Meanwhile, I think you and your readers have heard MORE THAN ENOUGH from me for now, so I gladly return control of your blog to you ... HAPPY HALLOWEEN to all!
-- Joe Klein
Thanks again for sharing a great piece of Motown / '60's History with our readers ... we all really appreciate it! (kk)
re: THIS AND THAT:
Hi all,
Hi all,
PROOF OF AGE:
I recently shared the stage with Cousin Brucie - who
drew a large crowd in a blocked off street in Little Italy during the San
Gennaro Festival here in the Big Apple.
When I left the stage, a young man, probably around 20 years old, asked if he could take my picture.
And then he explained that he wanted the picture for his grandmother because she loved my music.
When I left the stage, a young man, probably around 20 years old, asked if he could take my picture.
And then he explained that he wanted the picture for his grandmother because she loved my music.
PROOF OF
AGE!
PS - My "Santa's Stuck Up In The Chimney" video has now gotten
over 1,200,000 views on You Tube. Looking for 2,000,000 this
year. Check it out (and bring the
kids)
Paul Evans
Well, Paul, if it makes you feel any better, I just turned
60 ... and MY Grandmother loves your music, too! (kk)
Last week we told you about Joel Whitburn's brand new book profiling the Cash Box Charts, 1952 - 1996 ... in fact, we were the first ones in the world to announce the arrival of this long-awaited, hotly-anticipated publication. (We even gave you a sneak peek of the cover!)
Last week we told you about Joel Whitburn's brand new book profiling the Cash Box Charts, 1952 - 1996 ... in fact, we were the first ones in the world to announce the arrival of this long-awaited, hotly-anticipated publication. (We even gave you a sneak peek of the cover!)
Well, it is now OFFICIALLY available for pre-order through
Joel's site.
You, too, can now have the COMPLETE Chart History of
Billboard Magazine, Cash Box Magazine and Music Vendor / Record World Magazine
at your fingertips (just like the big guns here at Forgotten Hits!
lol)
Seriously, this is one you're going to want to add to your
library ... and here's EXACTLY how to do so:
Click here: Joel Whitburn's Record Research | Music & Billboard Charts Data
Click here: Joel Whitburn's Record Research | Music & Billboard Charts Data
With all that we've had going on here this past week, we're a little bit tardy on this one ... but I still wanted to share it with you ...
Kent,
I am sure you already know this by now, but I read on the internet just yesterday that singer Gloria Lynn passed away. I just had to get out her 1964 recording of I WISH YOU LOVE and play it just one more time.
Haven't heard it in years. I also got out the answer she had to Gene McDaniels song TOWER OF STRENGTH, which was YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A TOWER OF STRENGTH.
Larry
Yes, here is Ron Smith's obituary from his excellent oldiesmusic.com website:
Gloria Lynne, who had seven Hot 100 pop hits from 1961 to 1965 -- the best known of which was 1964's "I Wish You Love" (#28) -- died Tuesday (October 15) from a heart attack in a rehabilitation center in Newark, New Jersey. The Harlem native was 83. Gloria got her start winning the Apollo Theater's talent contest at the age of 15. It led to a contract with Everest Records. She is well-remembered for her performance on Harry Belafonte's 1966 TV special, "The Strollin' 20's" and is said to have been the first artist to be listed on the Pop, Jazz and R&B Charts simultaneously. Her last stage performance was less than two months ago.
I am sure you already know this by now, but I read on the internet just yesterday that singer Gloria Lynn passed away. I just had to get out her 1964 recording of I WISH YOU LOVE and play it just one more time.
Haven't heard it in years. I also got out the answer she had to Gene McDaniels song TOWER OF STRENGTH, which was YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A TOWER OF STRENGTH.
Larry
Yes, here is Ron Smith's obituary from his excellent oldiesmusic.com website:
Gloria Lynne, who had seven Hot 100 pop hits from 1961 to 1965 -- the best known of which was 1964's "I Wish You Love" (#28) -- died Tuesday (October 15) from a heart attack in a rehabilitation center in Newark, New Jersey. The Harlem native was 83. Gloria got her start winning the Apollo Theater's talent contest at the age of 15. It led to a contract with Everest Records. She is well-remembered for her performance on Harry Belafonte's 1966 TV special, "The Strollin' 20's" and is said to have been the first artist to be listed on the Pop, Jazz and R&B Charts simultaneously. Her last stage performance was less than two months ago.
-- Ron Smith
Congratulations to Tommy Roe, whose latest LP "Devil's Soul Pile" is still racking up great reviews ... this just in from Rick Levy, Tommy's band leader and promoter ...
KK ...
TOMMYs DEVIL'S SOUL PILE CD just received three stars in MOJO MAG in the UK ... the world's top music magazine ... another great achievement for Tommy!
Congratulations to Tommy Roe, whose latest LP "Devil's Soul Pile" is still racking up great reviews ... this just in from Rick Levy, Tommy's band leader and promoter ...
KK ...
TOMMYs DEVIL'S SOUL PILE CD just received three stars in MOJO MAG in the UK ... the world's top music magazine ... another great achievement for Tommy!
RICK
Here's the official announcement:
POP ROCK LEGEND TOMMY ROE's new CD DEVIL'S SOUL PILE has just received THREE STARS in the world's top music magazine, MOJO MAGAZINE in the UK ... a MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT!!!
This is why "AN EVENING WITH TOMMY ROE" is such an unprecedented quality event for you.
"TOMMY ROE ... GREATEST HITS AND SOMETHING MORE" ... LEGACY HITS ... of course ... Dizzy, Sheila, Everybody, Sweet Pea ... 11 TOP 40's, 6 TOP 10's , 4 GOLD, 2 NUMBER 1's ... Plus Songs from the new Album, DEVIL'S SOUL PILE ... Delivered with full band, unplugged segment, and audience q & a, TOMMY ROE is a legendary and contemporary artist ... perfect for any occasion.
And here is his world wide number one DIZZY recorded live at EPCOT in DISNEY WORLD in MAY of 2013: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc2KJypPQ64
Here's the official announcement:
POP ROCK LEGEND TOMMY ROE's new CD DEVIL'S SOUL PILE has just received THREE STARS in the world's top music magazine, MOJO MAGAZINE in the UK ... a MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT!!!
This is why "AN EVENING WITH TOMMY ROE" is such an unprecedented quality event for you.
"TOMMY ROE ... GREATEST HITS AND SOMETHING MORE" ... LEGACY HITS ... of course ... Dizzy, Sheila, Everybody, Sweet Pea ... 11 TOP 40's, 6 TOP 10's , 4 GOLD, 2 NUMBER 1's ... Plus Songs from the new Album, DEVIL'S SOUL PILE ... Delivered with full band, unplugged segment, and audience q & a, TOMMY ROE is a legendary and contemporary artist ... perfect for any occasion.
And here is his world wide number one DIZZY recorded live at EPCOT in DISNEY WORLD in MAY of 2013: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc2KJypPQ64
MANAGEMENT: RICK LEVY 904 - 806 -
0817
BOOKINGS: JOHN REGNA 201 - 394 - 5944
Eagle Rock Presents A QUEEN DVD Extravaganza ... SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION 6 DVD SET INCLUDES LIVE AT WEMBLEY STADIUM – 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION; ROCK MONTREAL; LIVE IN RIO (First Time on DVD); ON FIRE: LIVE AT THE BOWL ~Available NOVEMBER 19, 2013~
New York, NY
(October 24, 2013) — Queen. Four Concerts. Six DVDs. Does it get any
better?
On November 19, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release the Special Limited Edition 6 DVD set of Queen’s Live At Wembley Stadium – 25th Anniversary Edition, Queen Rock Montreal, On Fire: Live At The Bowl, and Live In Rio. [Pre-book Order Date October 25, MSRP $49.98]
Exclusive to this package, Live In Rio features the band performing at the “Rock In Rio” festival in January 1985. Dazzling 250,000 fans, the set list features such favorites as “Seven Seas of Rhye” and “Liar,” while spotlighting 5 songs from The Works, which they were supporting at the time.
Live at Wembley Stadium – 25th Anniversary Edition was originally released as a separate DVD in the US on March 12, 2013, and features two sell-out shows at London’s famed Wembley Arena in 1986. This DVD includes the bonus film “The Magic Tour,” which features interviews with Brian May and Roger Taylor filmed in 2011, where the members reflect on this 1986 tour.
Queen Rock Montreal, which was filmed in 1981, was the group’s only concert to be shot on 35mm full cinema format film (they were the first band to do so). Originally titled, “We Will Rock You,” this film was first launched at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1983. North America followed suit in September 1984, making Queen Rock Montreal the first commercially available film of Queen in concert. This was originally released on DVD on August 3, 2007.
On November 19, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release the Special Limited Edition 6 DVD set of Queen’s Live At Wembley Stadium – 25th Anniversary Edition, Queen Rock Montreal, On Fire: Live At The Bowl, and Live In Rio. [Pre-book Order Date October 25, MSRP $49.98]
Exclusive to this package, Live In Rio features the band performing at the “Rock In Rio” festival in January 1985. Dazzling 250,000 fans, the set list features such favorites as “Seven Seas of Rhye” and “Liar,” while spotlighting 5 songs from The Works, which they were supporting at the time.
Live at Wembley Stadium – 25th Anniversary Edition was originally released as a separate DVD in the US on March 12, 2013, and features two sell-out shows at London’s famed Wembley Arena in 1986. This DVD includes the bonus film “The Magic Tour,” which features interviews with Brian May and Roger Taylor filmed in 2011, where the members reflect on this 1986 tour.
Queen Rock Montreal, which was filmed in 1981, was the group’s only concert to be shot on 35mm full cinema format film (they were the first band to do so). Originally titled, “We Will Rock You,” this film was first launched at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1983. North America followed suit in September 1984, making Queen Rock Montreal the first commercially available film of Queen in concert. This was originally released on DVD on August 3, 2007.
On Fire –
Live At The Bowl, which was re-issued on DVD this past May, features Queen in
the midst of their 1982 “Hot Space” Tour. Plucked from over 60 sell-out concerts
in the world’s biggest arenas, this show includes a second disc with bonus
interviews, a photo gallery, and additional performances from Tokyo and
Vienna.
All the greats are on full display in these concerts: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” “Somebody To Love,” “Under Pressure,” “We Are The Champions,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Another One Bites The Dust,” “Who Wants To Live Forever,” “Radio Ga Ga” and many more.
Queen were, indeed, “champions” of the arena concert experience, and this 6 DVD is a brilliant document of that, showing four different occasions where the band executed live brilliance.
Kent,
The link below is to the CDBaby download of my country album, "An Arrow Escape". It's the 30th anniversary and first official release of the 10 track album with one new bonus track. http://www.cdbaby.com/AlbumDetails.aspx?AlbumID=davieallan7 Thanks and Happy Halloween to you,
Davie
p.s. speaking of Halloween: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/music-to-give-you-creeps-halloween/id567766878
All the greats are on full display in these concerts: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” “Somebody To Love,” “Under Pressure,” “We Are The Champions,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Another One Bites The Dust,” “Who Wants To Live Forever,” “Radio Ga Ga” and many more.
Queen were, indeed, “champions” of the arena concert experience, and this 6 DVD is a brilliant document of that, showing four different occasions where the band executed live brilliance.
Kent,
The link below is to the CDBaby download of my country album, "An Arrow Escape". It's the 30th anniversary and first official release of the 10 track album with one new bonus track. http://www.cdbaby.com/AlbumDetails.aspx?AlbumID=davieallan7 Thanks and Happy Halloween to you,
Davie
p.s. speaking of Halloween: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/music-to-give-you-creeps-halloween/id567766878
And, speaking of Davie Allan albums, FH Reader Vibramutant sent us an amazing review last week, too, for Davie's latest release, "Retrophonic 4". Far too long to publish here, we'll be happy to forward a copy to anybody interested in reading it. Just drop me a note at forgottenhits@aol.com and I'll send it along. (kk)
Billie Joe Armstrong (of Green Day) and Norah Jones have cut a duet album together, revisiting The Everly Brothers' classic LP "Songs Our Daddy Taught Us". The new work will be called "Foreverly" and it will be available on November 25th.
Meanwhile, have you seen Paul McCartney's new star-studded video? His new CD "New" debuted at #3 on the Billboard Album Chart last week ... and in a matter of days he filmed and released a brand new video for the track "Queenie Eye". You can watch it here: Click here: Queenie Eye (Official Video) - Paul McCartney
re: HELPING OUT OUR READERS:
Dear Kent,
I came across this exchange from 2011 at your website:
I came across this exchange from 2011 at your website:
>>>Kent, I have a question that I hope one of your many
readers may help with. It may be too "pop" - oriented and not "rock 'n' roll" -
oriented enough for Forgotten Hits and, if so, fine ... just thought I'd ask.
In the late
spring / early summer of 1965, an instrumental called "A Walk in the Black
Forest" by German jazz pianist Horst Jankowski made it to No. 12 on the
Billboard pop chart. I have since noticed that this same tune -- no question,
it's the identical melody -- appeared on at least three episodes of the "Perry
Mason" TV show as background music. (They are "The Case of the Missing Melody"
from September 1961; "The Case of the Absent Artist" from March 1962, and "The
Case of the Potted Planter" from May 1963.)
So -- how / why did this tune show up on "Perry Mason" long before it was a hit here? Was Jankowski shopping the tune around for years? Did someone from the show hear the melody and buy the rights? Was it a hit in Europe before it was a hit here? I have checked the Horst Jankowski fan website (yes, there is one!), but this question doesn't seem to be addressed there. Thanks!
So -- how / why did this tune show up on "Perry Mason" long before it was a hit here? Was Jankowski shopping the tune around for years? Did someone from the show hear the melody and buy the rights? Was it a hit in Europe before it was a hit here? I have checked the Horst Jankowski fan website (yes, there is one!), but this question doesn't seem to be addressed there. Thanks!
(Henry
McNulty, Old Saybrook, Connecticut)
>>>Hi
Henry! Yes, I'm VERY familiar with Horst Jankowski's recording ... had the 45
at the time and have featured it as part of Forgotten Hits a few times over the
years. (It recently made our "All-Time Favorite Instrumentals" List and we also
included it in our very special "Walk ... Don't Run" Marathon Weekend a couple
of weeks ago!) In fact, I seem to remember even running photographs of the
original sheet music for this tune for some reason or another! But I was NOT
aware of any Perry Mason tie-in, so let's put this one to the list and see what
they come up with. "A Walk In The Black Forest" was a #3 Hit in Great Britain
... but that was in 1965, too ... so that doesn't seem to be the reason.
Anybody else out there got any ideas? (kk)
The funny thing is, I found these comments for the same reason
Henry McNulty made them. I saw a rerun of Perry Mason (hooray for MeTv!) from
1961 that featured the tune I know so well as "A Walk in the Black Forest." The
thing is, I also had heard the same tune -- it's unmistakable, as you know --
in a Twilight Zone episode called "Cavender Is Coming" from
September, 1962. (The episode starred Carol Burnett but is otherwise pretty
awful.) I saw the TZ episode before I saw the PM show and wondered even then how
this song, supposedly from 1965, ended up in a show from three years earlier.
The PM episode reminded me of that question, and a Google search brought me to
you.
Did you ever get any more information on this? I've searched and
haven't found anything. I guess the only possible explanation is that Jankowski
wrote it -- he does seem to have been the composer, not just the guy who made it
famous -- several years before the song became a hit. As Henry said, he must
have shopped it around for a while, and the tune is so catchy, it got picked
up here and there until it finally caught on in '65.
I'm pretty sure the versions from TZ and PM are not the same as
the one that became a hit and have no idea if they were Jankowski himself
playing.
Just a trivial bit of music trivia, but I thought you might be
interested. Sorry for the long e-mail!
And by the way, it's great to see that you appreciate the easy
listening instrumentals from the 60s. I was born in 1957, so songs like "A Walk
in the Black Forest," "Walk, Don't Run," "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" and the
entire output of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass were the background music to
my childhood.
Keep up the good work!
Steve from Pennsylvania
As far as I know,
no, we never did get any kind of formal, definitive answer to this question ...
so I have no problem raising it again as the list continues to expand on a
regular basis. Maybe somebody new out there will see this and come up with the
answer for you. Stay tuned! (kk)
To illustrate ... note the above email and this batch below ... new folks are discovering Forgotten Hits every single day ... even some of our oldest, tried-and-true posts!
re: FIRST 45's:
Nary a week goes by when we don't receive at least another one or two First 45's memories from brand new readers discovering our website for the very first time. Here are two from this week!
Bought my first 45 in '57. We'd just moved from Chicago to L.A., an apartment on Imperial Hwy. near Western. Walking distance to Crenshaw and a corner shopping center that was home to Lushan's Records. That's where I bought "The Real Elvis," an EP (Extended Play) that had I Want You, I Need You, I Love You; My Baby Left Me; Don't Be Cruel; Hound Dog. Played it over and over and over ...
David Kleinbart
In the early 60's a friend gave me a copy of Sidecar Cycle by Charlie Ryan. It was a simple little song, nothing special -- nothing to write home about -- but because it was the first non-parental gift I'd ever received, I remembered every word for years and years! (Later, I would bike over to his house and hear Last Time by the Stones as the 45 player was put on the windowsill.)
To illustrate ... note the above email and this batch below ... new folks are discovering Forgotten Hits every single day ... even some of our oldest, tried-and-true posts!
re: FIRST 45's:
Nary a week goes by when we don't receive at least another one or two First 45's memories from brand new readers discovering our website for the very first time. Here are two from this week!
Bought my first 45 in '57. We'd just moved from Chicago to L.A., an apartment on Imperial Hwy. near Western. Walking distance to Crenshaw and a corner shopping center that was home to Lushan's Records. That's where I bought "The Real Elvis," an EP (Extended Play) that had I Want You, I Need You, I Love You; My Baby Left Me; Don't Be Cruel; Hound Dog. Played it over and over and over ...
David Kleinbart
In the early 60's a friend gave me a copy of Sidecar Cycle by Charlie Ryan. It was a simple little song, nothing special -- nothing to write home about -- but because it was the first non-parental gift I'd ever received, I remembered every word for years and years! (Later, I would bike over to his house and hear Last Time by the Stones as the 45 player was put on the windowsill.)
Silly, but one of those times you
don't forget.
P.S. The original Hot Rod Lincoln was also by Charlie Ryan - and IMO better!
P.S. The original Hot Rod Lincoln was also by Charlie Ryan - and IMO better!
Rich F.
re: TWO-SIDED HITS:
re: TWO-SIDED HITS:
Growing up in the 60s, I always
tried to buy two-sided hits ... more bang for the buck. Your list was great. I
think Elvis had the most. Great job!
A friend in Alabama,
Janice Chapman
Elvis certainly
led the pack in the two-sided hits department ... on our list of Top 200 Biggest
Two-Sided Hits of All-Time, he had 26!!! (kk)
Click here: Forgotten Hits - The Top 200 BIGGEST TWO-SIDED HITS of All-Time
Click here: Forgotten Hits - The Top 200 BIGGEST TWO-SIDED HITS of All-Time
re: THE NEW COLONY
SIX:
Dear Mr. Kotal,
Greetings from a fellow Chicagoan. I grew up in Skokie in the 1960s. I was about seven years old when the New Colony Six had their fame in Chicago. My brothers played Colonization until they wore it out. I was collecting vinyl 45s and 33s until about 2000 or so, from American Pie. These days I just download the albums onto my iPod. I have a teen daughter who is a huge 1960s fan. She has studied my music and the history of the era and knows it almost as well as I do (and even better sometimes.)
While googling the history of the Colony, I came across your post about the party in the basement in 2008. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall! I would have loved to hear them play.
Sincerely,
Greetings from a fellow Chicagoan. I grew up in Skokie in the 1960s. I was about seven years old when the New Colony Six had their fame in Chicago. My brothers played Colonization until they wore it out. I was collecting vinyl 45s and 33s until about 2000 or so, from American Pie. These days I just download the albums onto my iPod. I have a teen daughter who is a huge 1960s fan. She has studied my music and the history of the era and knows it almost as well as I do (and even better sometimes.)
While googling the history of the Colony, I came across your post about the party in the basement in 2008. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall! I would have loved to hear them play.
Sincerely,
Mary R. Lauer, B.S.,
M.B.A.
Wow! Has it really been 5 1/2 years since we did this?!?! Unbelievable! It was a night to remember for sure ... having been a HUGE fan throughout the band's hey-day I can't even begin to describe how thrilled and honored I was to receive an invitation to this. (It's true ... I'll still ALWAYS be a fan first!!!) Thanks for the reminder. (You'll find The NC6 popping up regularly in Forgotten Hits ... in fact, a new version of the band, led by original founding member Ray Graffia, Jr., still make appearances around our area in the summer months!) You can relive this experience vicariously here:
Wow! Has it really been 5 1/2 years since we did this?!?! Unbelievable! It was a night to remember for sure ... having been a HUGE fan throughout the band's hey-day I can't even begin to describe how thrilled and honored I was to receive an invitation to this. (It's true ... I'll still ALWAYS be a fan first!!!) Thanks for the reminder. (You'll find The NC6 popping up regularly in Forgotten Hits ... in fact, a new version of the band, led by original founding member Ray Graffia, Jr., still make appearances around our area in the summer months!) You can relive this experience vicariously here:
Click here: Forgotten Hits: The New Colony Six
Reunion ... And WE Were There!!!
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
Hi Kent,
Catching up on Forgotten Hits -- it gets better with each issue -- it's what a music publication should be, and what others hope to be.
Best Regards,
Tim Kiley
re: COMING UP IN FORGOTTEN HITS:
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
Hi Kent,
Catching up on Forgotten Hits -- it gets better with each issue -- it's what a music publication should be, and what others hope to be.
Best Regards,
Tim Kiley
re: COMING UP IN FORGOTTEN HITS:
Hey Kent,
With Halloween right around the corner, I assume you will be doing your Halloween songs on Thursday. Don’t forget: the Hooters, “All You Zombies. Also, one you might not be familiar with ... from 1981, Roky Erickson’s, “I Walk With A Zombie. (Who says you can’t write an entire song with only one verse?) It’s available on U-Tube.
“Thanks”,
Gary
Actually, we won't be doing a Halloween feature this year. (In fact, I don't think we've EVER officially done one ... in ALL these years of doing Forgotten Hits!!!) And it's a shame because a couple of years ago FH Reader (and Wax Museum DeeJay) Larry Neal sent us what many would consider to be the DEFINITIVE list on the subject ... pages and pages of GREAT Halloween suggestions ... and we STILL haven't gotten around to it yet! (In fact, after the great computer crash of 2012, I'm not even sure I have it anymore! And that's a shame ... because SOMEBODY could put together one hell of a Halloween Special featuring all these tunes.)
But next week we'll be wrapping up our 60 Day Salute to the '60's by running "The Final Countdown". It'll all kick off on Monday and run throughout the week ... so we hope you'll all join us for that! (kk)
With Halloween right around the corner, I assume you will be doing your Halloween songs on Thursday. Don’t forget: the Hooters, “All You Zombies. Also, one you might not be familiar with ... from 1981, Roky Erickson’s, “I Walk With A Zombie. (Who says you can’t write an entire song with only one verse?) It’s available on U-Tube.
“Thanks”,
Gary
Actually, we won't be doing a Halloween feature this year. (In fact, I don't think we've EVER officially done one ... in ALL these years of doing Forgotten Hits!!!) And it's a shame because a couple of years ago FH Reader (and Wax Museum DeeJay) Larry Neal sent us what many would consider to be the DEFINITIVE list on the subject ... pages and pages of GREAT Halloween suggestions ... and we STILL haven't gotten around to it yet! (In fact, after the great computer crash of 2012, I'm not even sure I have it anymore! And that's a shame ... because SOMEBODY could put together one hell of a Halloween Special featuring all these tunes.)
But next week we'll be wrapping up our 60 Day Salute to the '60's by running "The Final Countdown". It'll all kick off on Monday and run throughout the week ... so we hope you'll all join us for that! (kk)
