A Forgotten Hits Exclusive: CHET COPPOCK REVIEWS THE ROLLING STONES CONCERT

Without question the hottest ticket in town this past week was The Rolling Stones at The United Center.  Their "50 And Counting" Tour rolled into Chicago for three sold-out shows ... and our FH Buddy Chet Coppock (who has seen The Stones in each of the past six decades ... an incredible 17 shows in all!!!) has given us an EXCLUSIVE Forgotten Hits Review of the show ... as only Chet Coppock can!  

Enjoy!  

Okay, let's cut to the chase. Will the Rolling Stones tour again? 

Absolutely. Hey, when a band goes on 55 minutes late as was the case with the Stones Monday at the United Center, it tells me that the band (i.e. Mick Jagger) has no interest in a rocking chair until every last ounce of merchandise has been moved. Now, and maybe for eternity. 

You can't help but see the Stones at my age (65, if you're scoring at home) and not have a bushel basket of memories. I vividly recall Dean Martin dissing the band on Hollywood Palace when the group was first achieving its niche. Martin's jabs told every 16 year old in America " You gotta love these guys because your parents think they're on a mission from the Soviet Union."  

I recall hanging with the group for about five minutes in General Manager Larry Cane's office at the long gone International Amphitheater back in '73. The Stones, no kidding, were using Larry's office as their dressing room.  

Anyway, I've already come up  with my AARP-Rolling Stones schedule for the next three years. Trust me, glitter gulch would go nuts over this. I strongly advise that the Stones and their slashing, prolific, 72 year old drummer Charlie Watts become the house band at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Play 30 dates a year - three sets of 10. You think the Stones wouldn’t attract gamblers?  

So, let me toss you a changeup. Instead of doing a "traditional" review, let me change gears. I'm going to interview myself about the concert.  

Q: Okay, Coppock, what really knocked you out?   

A: The Band clearly slowed its tempo on a number of songs.  This gave Mick more room to roam and left you feeling comfortable that "Paint It Black", "Gimme Shelter" and "Jumpin" Jack Flash" really aren't the same song.  

Q: Did anything leave you unhappy?  

A: Damn right. Keith Richards is still a magnificent rhythm guitarist, and his polished white grin told you he was clearly enjoying the moment. But the simple fact is, Keith has lost the body language that made him such an engaging performer to watch.    

Q: So what's the big deal?   

A: The changing of the guard. Ronnie Wood has waited 35 years to be the group's guitar hero. His time is now.  
Q: Give me a moment you'd like to freeze in time?   

A: Easy ... Mick Taylor, the former Stones' guitarist, jamming the hell out of "Midnight Rambler." It didn’t take binoculars to realize that Woodie and Keith were blown away by the work that Mick did.   
Editor's note:  By law, all Rolling Stones are required to weigh under 132 pounds. Not Mick T. He's got to be toting around 250 pounds of horsemeat pie.   

Q: What the hell was Taylor Swift doing on stage?  

A: Allowing the assembled throng a bathroom break. Taylor swung and missed on her duet with Mick on "As Tears Go By." She was simply in over her head.  

Q: What was the biggest set list surprise?  

A: I went nuts over "Sway" from "Sticky Fingers." I've seen the Stones 17 times and never heard them do that remarkably brilliant song.  

Q: Who were the all underrated players?  

A: Bass player Darryl Jones has now been with the group for 20 years - the post Bill Wyman years. Darryl slaps the bass as if he's determined to either bust the strings or his index fingers. Never underestimate what horn player, Bobby Keys, the pride and joy of Slaton, Texas brings to the table.   

Q: Was the show visually inspiring?   

A: Yes, if only for the extended montage of old time blues and rock artists who clearly inspired Jagger to ditch accounting in favor of covering songs by Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.   

Q: What about Jagger's voice?  

A: Best I've heard since "Steel Wheels" and that was 25 years ago. His falsetto on "Emotional Rescue" gave me goose bumps.  

Did I mention that the opening riff "Get Off My Cloud" had me thinking disaster? It wasn't. The song set a wonderful tone for an evening to remember.   

Q:  When did Mick reach his apex?   

A:  His energy on "Start Me Up" was a complete show stopper.    

The Coppock Scorecard:   
Rolling Stones - 4.5 of a possible 5 stars. 

It would have jumped to five if the group had done "Bitch" and "Hands of Fate."   

Over and out.   

Gives whole new meaning to "50 And Counting", doesn't it?  Will The Stones tour again?  One never knows for sure.  Who EVER thought they'd still be out there doing it now?  Sounds like one hell of a show.

Thanks, Chet!  (kk) 

Thursday This And That

You were using the analogy of McDonalds being the same in Japan as in America. It got me to thinking and so I googled it. Interesting to see they aren't really the same. Just thought you might be personally interested as was I.

Carrie

Reality Check: The Big America Burgers at McDonald's Japan Are Back (and Bad As Ever) | A Hamburger Today 
I stand corrected!!!  (Although I can't say that I'm especially anxious to try any of this new cuisine!!!  lol)  kk  

Check out this clip sent into us by Gary Pike ... AMAZING! 
This eight year old girl has a voice that you just won't believe!  
Gary   

http://www.dump.com/girlvoice/  

Congratulations to our FH Buddy Bob Lind ... 

Shameless bragging? Guilty as charged. 
I'd have preferred that they used a newer clip. But it feels good to be acknowledged by a journalist as high-quality as Lee Zimmerman and the prestigious NEW TIMES.

Life is Gooooood.

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/countygrind/2013/06/ten_greatest_south_florida_folk_singers.php

Yers,
Bob Lind 
www.boblind.com    

Santana / Journey Legend Gregg Rolie To Play 'Sandstock' Virginia Beach Music Festival - June 22, 2013  
Houston, TX - Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Gregg Rolie, best known for his vocals and keyboard work with legendary music groups Santana and Journey, will be performing at 'Sandstock' Virginia Beach Music Festival on June 22, 2013. The Gregg Rolie Band will be playing electrifying versions of several Santana classics such as "Evil Ways", "Black Magic Woman", "Soul Sacrifice", "Jingo" and "No One To Depend On" as well as tracks from Rolie's previous studio effort 'Roots', along with new songs. The Gregg Rolie Band consists of Adrian Areas (son of original Santana percussionist Jose Chepito Areas) on Timbales, drummer Ron Wikso (The Storm / David Lee Roth / Richie Sambora), Elliot "Toby" Borrero on congas, Rocket Ritchotte on guitars, internationally acclaimed bassist Gary Brown and former Jean Luc Ponty keyboardist Wally Minko. 
From his work with Santana and Journey, Gregg Rolie is no stranger to great musicianship. Given his experience and his desire to make the music the best it can be, he has chosen some of the best musicians in the world to bring his band and its music to life. Gregg was determined to resurrect the sound he helped shape and make famous as Santana's original lead singer and keyboard player, while at the same time bringing it forward to the 21st century. To do that required finding just the right mix of experience, musicianship and chemistry. Having worked with some of the biggest names in music over the years and having toured the world many times over, these musicians have the skills to interpret this music in the way it is meant to be interpreted, as Gregg so intimately knows. 
Says Gregg, "The band is great because we all really enjoy each other, and I think the sound reflects the fun we are having." The Gregg Rolie Band will also be performing this summer at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on June 28^th and the Bluesfest International Canada on July 13^th. 
In other news, after a successful tour with Ringo Starr's All Star Band in the Pacific Rim, which included dates in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, Gregg Rolie will be touring with Ringo and the band again this fall! Gregg, along with Steve Lukather, Todd Rundgren, Richard Page, Mark Rivera, Gregg Bissonette and of course, Ringo Starr, will head to Latin America for 14 shows, with two dates in the US, at The Palms in Las Vegas just before Thanksgiving.
Visit Gregg's website for updated tour information: http://greggrolie.com/tour.html  
Finally, check out the new CD by Gregg Rolie & Alan Haynes titled 'Live At The Iridium', which is exclusively available and can be purchased at Gregg Rolie's website: http://www.bitvibe.com/products/gregg-rolie-live-at-the-iridium-cd.  
Taken from one of Gregg and Alan's duo performances at the esteemed Iridium Club in New York City, this Live CD captures the essence of the duo in action, in an intimate setting. Gregg brings stories of the glory days of Santana, the early days of Journey, and great new arrangements of classics like "Look Into The Future", "Evil Ways", "Anytime" and "Black Magic Woman". Also included, brilliant new material from his recent solo project, including the touching "If I Went Home", a song 30 years in the making about his falling out with the band Journey. Armed with a Steinway grand, and Texas Start-slinger Alan Haynes, Gregg Rolie transforms his stadium rockers into an exciting and personal night club show.  
The Gregg Rolie Band performs live:   
When: June 22, 2013  
Where: Sandstock – Virginia Beach Music Festival - 17^th Street Park, Virginia Beach, VA 
For Ticket Info: http://www.beachstreetusa.com/festivals/sandstock-tribute-rock-roll  
For more information: www.GreggRolie.com  
Video of the Gregg Rolie Band and Carlos Santana live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDwiZYL21To& 

To you, Kent, and others who may be wondering ...
Like some other music-playing sites, Rewound Radio is really only one person.
Allan Sniffen years ago worked in small-town radio up-river from New York, where he still lives today.
For the last many years he's been a dentist, but is far better known as the builder of musicradio77.com, home of online tributes to the hit-music-playing era of WABC and other stations from the big town. The
site also includes the NY Radio Message Board, a pioneer in online discussion of the radio biz.
-- BOB FRABLE, a poster to said board since the mid-2000s  
We've been hearing more and more about Allan since we started praising his online efforts ... his New York Radio Message Board is highly respected and what he's done with programming Rewound Radio is a Forgotten Hits dream.  More and more readers are gravitating his way ... and loving the results.  It's what oldies radio COULD sound like (if they only tried ... and cared!!!)  While I've never spoken to him I sometimes feel like Allan MUST be a Forgotten Hits reader when I listen to some of the stuff he plays ... WAY too many moments where we'll hear things we talked about yesterday playing today ... not that that's necessarily a bad thing ... in fact, it's EXACTLY what we encourage here ... push the envelope just a little bit further ... play some of those "unexpected" hits and surprises because your audience WILL remember them if you only give them a chance.  I, for one, LOVE what he's doing with the station ... and, from all the mail we've received lately, it sounds like most of you who have given it a chance out there like it, too.  (kk)  

Hi Kent -
I recently posted a review of a very cool new book every Beach Boy fan will enjoy - http://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/new-beach-boys-on-tour-1966-surfboards.html?m=1  
Phil   

re:  GLASTONBURY FEST:

Got this from FH Reader Bob Merlis ... and wanted to know more ...

 

STONES STAR ON BOTH STAGE AND SCREEN AT GLASTONBURY JUNE 29 - 30

Official trailer: http://youtu.be/_SKvBARhTyk

This year’s Glastonbury Music Festival features the Rolling Stones, on their “50 and Counting Tour”,

performing on Saturday, June 29^th . On Sunday, June 30^th a special screening of The Rolling Stones Charlie is my Darling - Ireland 1965 from ABKCO Films will take place in the Pilton Place Cinema Tent

on the festival grounds.

The Glastonbury audience will be treated to newly discovered concert and interview footage, woven into an intimate behind-the-scenes diary of life on the road with the young Stones. Shot during a quick two day tour of Ireland, just weeks after “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” hit # 1 on the charts, it features the first professionally filmed concert performances of the band and documents the early frenzy of their fans and the riots their appearances ignited.

Originally shot and directed by pioneering filmmaker Peter Whitehead and produced by Andrew Loog Oldham, the film was never officially released although bits and pieces have surfaced over the years. This new 65 minute cut by the GRAMMY© Award-winning duo of producer Robin Klein and director Mick Gochanour, showcases electrifying full performances of “The Last Time,” “Time Is On My Side” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”.

Motel rooms host impromptu songwriting sessions and familiar classics are heard in their infancy as riff and lyric are united. Charlie is my Darling – Ireland 1965 is the meticulously restored, invaluable frame that captures the spark about to combust into The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World.  

Critical praise for The Rolling Stones - Charlie is my Darling – Ireland 1965:

“THE GREATEST LOST ROCK MOVIE EVER.. packed with unseen footage of early Stones mayhem…” - Rolling Stone

“ABSOLUTELY STAGGERING…capturing both the primal energy of their performance and the hysteria it evoked…” - Billboard

“an important moment in the group’s early history…” - The New York Times

“..a new film revealing…raw versions of songs that would become legend…” - Reuters  

Check out this INCREDIBLE line-up of talent performing at this thing ... AMAZING!  

Click here: Glastonbury Festivals - 2013 line-up

 

re:  A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO HOME:   
Danbury Fields Forever Beatles Music Festival returns!  
On August 3rd, 1963, a month after recording "She Loves You," The Beatles performed at Liverpool's legendary Cavern Club for the very last time. It was their 292nd appearance at the club and they received a fee of £300 for the gig.

On Saturday, August 3, 2013, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of this historic occasion, thousands of fans will "Come Together" for a day-long festival of Beatles music at Ives Concert Park, 43 Lake Avenue Ext. in Danbury, Connecticut. Doors open at Noon. The event is a fund-raiser for Sandy Hook, with 100% of net ticket sales benefiting charity.

This musical extravaganza is titled "Danbury Fields Forever," a clever twist on the classic Beatles track "Strawberry Fields Forever." The returning music, arts and food festival will feature 10 bands, each representing different eras or presentations of Beatles music.

Featured acts will include several regional and national acts, with special tributes to John Lennon and George Harrison.

The host for the 10-band fab-four fun-filled festival is Charles F. Rosenay, whose Liverpool Productions has presented Beatles Expos in Connecticut and other areas since 1978. They also organize the annual "Magical History Tour" which bring fans to Liverpool and London.

This is the second annual "Danbury Fields Forever" Beatles Fans Music Festival, and the extravaganza is open to all ages, attracting music lovers spanning the generations.   
An entire-day "ticket to ride" admission starts at only $20. There will be food and beverages available for purchase. There will also be select music and memorabilia vendors and exhibits, plus family-friendly features such as face-painting and inflatables for kids.

For further info call (203) 795-4737, email LiverpoolTours@aol.com, visit www.BeatlesMusicFestival.com or check out the Facebook events page at https://www.facebook.com/events/372464559479394/ .

As The Beatles sang, "...it's guaranteed to raise a smile!"

re:  FIRST 45's:

Yep, we still get 'em all the time!!!  Have you sent in YOUR First 45's memories yet?  Join the thousands of others who have shared their stories with us on The Forgotten Hits Web Page! 

Hi Kent!

Not sure if you're still accepting stories, but here's mine if you are:Like others, I can't remember the first 45 I ever bought with real money, because I received a bunch free, then went on a buying frenzy. I had the bug!

My Dad had a friend in Western MD who owned a tavern with a jukebox. Well, when the jukebox was changed out, he would give me a boxful of 45's. I loved them -- some I'd never heard of, some real gems. After getting bit by the music bug, I was a big fan of local radio (Baltimore) in the 50's-60's, listening to my transistor underneath my pillow at night. I would win contests galore, go to visit the radio stations in order to pick up my prize then sweet talk my way into taking home more and more 45's, mostly promo copies. All of this while I was still in school.
I was in love with music. In 1960 I heard this new record by an unknown to me and had to have that record. Wow, I went to my local record stores after school the next day, searching until I found it! Yay! A brand new record that I played and played and played on my little portable player. I still have it and love the song: "Be My Girl"b/w "Lovesick" on PREP by Johnny Madara. Who would ever foresee that in the future I would be lead to this website to share this little part of my collecting memories. I have over 2000 45's now, pared down quite a bit in order to fit in our little house. Just as an aside, I worked for that local radio station about 30 years later, loved it, loved it, loved it. And still came away with more 45's that I treasure.
I have to do an aside to Freddy BOOM BOOM, if he's reading here ... Freddy, you were the hit of our farewell concert at WITH back in the 90's. Thank you! I'll always remember your energy filled performance.And Kent, Thank You for this Johnny Madara interview ... I never knew what became of him. Wonderful!!!!!Janet J,

Florida
ps ... and yes, I was one to put address labels on all my 45's records at parties. That's where all those strange calls came from? LOL

Thanks for sharing, Janet ... EVERYBODY remembers their first, right?!?!  We've been posting these First 45's Memories for years now ... and quite a few of these stories have even ended up on the air ... so be sure to check the website for more great stories.  (kk)

If It's Tuesday ... This Must Be Waffles!

Some connectivity problems this morning ... so a special evening edition to carry us through tomorrow.  

re: AN ANNIVERSARY (OF SORTS):  
Kent, 
Just a reminder that coming up on Thursday, according to the song, was the day when the CB Radio craze came to fruition by way of C.W. McCall's #1 hit, "Convoy":  
-- It was the dark of the moon on the 6th of June ... The Vinyl Lark 
And, of course, YESTERDAY was the anniversary of Billie Joe McAllister jumping off The Tallahatchie Bridge!!! (kk)



 

re: THE ROUTE 66 RADIO TOUR:

We're closing in on the big day ... we've been talking about it for MONTHS now ...

The Route 66 Radio Tour ... FINALLY kicks off Thursday Morning (6/6 ... get it?!?!? At 6:06 AM no less!!!).

Here again is a short itinerary for anyone interested in hooking up during the run.

 

THE MOTHER ROAD RADIO TOUR 2013
WRLR 98.3 (U.S.) and Forest FM 92.3 (U.K.) are teaming up to travel and broadcast from world famous Route 66, The Mother Road. It all starts June 6th (6/6) from the route's original starting point at Adams and Michigan.
Our first broadcast will be live at 6:06 AM from downtown Chicago from the internationally famous Lou Mitchell's restaurant, with interviews with owner Heleen Thanas and her customers. The restaurant has served Route 66 travelers since the 1920s. Joining us will be Chicago based Route 66 historian and author Dave Clark, and surprise visits by Chicago area radio DJs who stop by in response to an open call put out by The Route 66 Radio Tour. Legendary DJ John Records Landecker will be there to sign his new book and chat with everyone.
WRLR’s award winning morning drive-time host Paul Lepek (Lepek & Co.) and Forest FM’s Paul Peters and Geoff Kemp (The Fabulous 50s) will be describing the history and flavor of Route 66 through on air interviews with people living, working and visiting the Mother Road. The music of the 50s and early 60s will be featured during the broadcasts. The tour on America's Mother Road in Illinois will take us from Chicago to Joliet, Pontiac, Atlanta and Springfield, IL and points in between. WRLR and Forest FM will broadcast live from many locations that are historical and tourist favorites. The remotes will be carried on WRLR, Forest FM and fed to the Dave Cash weekend show heard on BBC radio network in Britain. Famous Chicago radio DJ Clark Weber will be joining us on air (via phone), among others, to remark on the role radio played during the height of travel on Route 66. At least one broadcast will air from the Pontiac Route 66 Museum’s recreated studio exhibit, which has working vintage equipment from the 60s. After leaving Lou Mitchell’s we hit the road on our way to Joliet where we will stay a couple of nights as guests of Harrah's Casino and Hotel. While in Joliet we will do a morning remote from the Joliet Area Historical Museum and meet up with Tony Contos, its executive director. The following day the tour broadcasts from Paula Deen’s Restaurant at Harrah’s Casino & Hotel where we will interview other local leaders that are involved in the Route 66 story.
By mid afternoon we will be again on the road, this time to Lincoln to cover the annual Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame banquet and talk to longtime Route 66 historian and preservationist John Weiss, and other knowledgeable Route 66 enthusiasts like Ellie Alexander, Executive Director for the City of Pontiac Tourism Bureau and Cathie Stevanovich, President of the Route 66 Association of Illinois.
The next day we double back to Pontiac for our first broadcast at the town’s notable Route 66 Museum. Sharing airtime with us will be former radio station owner and local radio historian Lane Lindstrom. This will be followed by a live broadcast from the I & M Canal Antique Tractor Drive and the Knees in the Breeze Motorcycle Tour in Pontiac’s town center.
It’s then on to Atlanta, IL where the Route 66 Radio Tour will broadcast from the beautifully restored Palms Grill Cafe, right across from the Bunyon Giant, a longtime Route 66 icon. We will talk with this town’s dedicated preservationist and marketing guru William Thomas, the man behind the idea for Atlanta’s First Annual "Rt. 66 Reinterpreted" art project and contest. It’s like the Chicago Cows On Parade but with uniquely painted wood Route 66 shields (road signs).
We invite you to join the Route 66 Radio tour either on the radio or pack your bags and tag along with the broadcast crew! Check back here often. Updates will be posted as details become available. Contact studio@wrlr.fm with any questions you have.
WRLR 98.3 FM / Forest FM 92.3

ROUTE 66 RADIO TOUR SCHEDULE 

(Dates and times subject to change)

 

June 6th (THU)

6 to 10 AM Route 66 Radio Tour starts in Chicago. Four hour broadcast from downtown Chicago at Lou Mitchell's Restaurant for food and interviews.
12 N to 6 PM Visit Route 66 sites between Chicago and Joliet.
6 PM Check in for 1st overnight stay at Harrah's Casino and Hotel (151 N. Joliet St) in Joliet.

 

June 7th (FRI)

9 to 12 N Live broadcast from Joliet Area Historical Museum.
1 to 5 PM Visit Joliet area Route 66 historical sites and conduct recorded interviews at Polka Dot Restaurant in Braidwood.
Second overnight stay at Harrah's Casino and Hotel (151 N. Joliet St) in Joliet.

June 8th (SAT)

8 AM to 12 N Broadcast from Paula Deen’s Restaurant at Harrah’s Casino & Hotel.
1 to 5 PM Head to Lincoln. On the way meet up with the Motor Tour (location TBD).
6 PM to 10 PM Attend and report on the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame banquet in Lincoln, IL. Overnight stay in Lincoln (hotel/motel TBD).

June 9th (SUN)

10 AM to 12 N Live broadcast from the recreated 1966 radio studio at Pontiac’s Route 66 Museum.
12:30 to 3 PM Live broadcast from I & M Canal Antique Tractor Drive and the Knees in the Breeze Motorcycle Tour in Pontiac’s town center. Overnight stay at Best Western (1821 W. Reynolds) in Pontiac.

 

June 10th (MON)

10 AM to 1 PM Arrive in Atlanta, IL. Live broadcast from Palms Grill Cafe.
2 to 8 PM Visit Atlanta area Route 66 historical sites and report on wood shields art contest, conduct recorded interviews (and venture out to the towns of Bloomington and Lincoln) Overnight stay in Atlanta area (hotel/motel TBD).

June 11th (TUE)

9 AM to 12 N Live broadcast from Atlanta Museum.
2 to 8 PM Visit Atlanta area Route 66 historical sites and conduct recorded interviews and head to Springfield. Overnight stay in Springfield (hotel/motel TBD).

June 12th (WED)

10 AM Depart from Springfield to return to Chicago. At will stops to broadcast and interview along the return trip.

Summer Favorites

re: SUMMER FAVORITES:

Another good posting ... wtg, Kent!

I almost lost it on the Billboard top 30 Summah! songs! Too much time has passed so there would need to be several lists depending on the generational group, and even then each section of the country would have parochial favorites ... like Freddy Boom Boom Cannon here in the Northeast for instance and then beyond that even personal favorites chosen because of a life event or a coming of age so to say.

Now I try to be unique but for the most part I go along with the crowd how could you not? What a tremendous period to experience for us baby boomers ... hell, 'our' music binds us all. Having said that, I would be curious to know if anyone else voted for this song ... for many reasons my all time favorite Summah! Song! is: The Bristol Stomp! Ha Ha! I am sure there are many of your readers who have their personal favorite that wouldn't even crack the top 50 in a voted list.

Thankfully your / our FH top Summer Songs is much more acceptable to a 1st year Baby Boomer.

June 1st ... wow, we had a double Memorial Day Weekend since it came so early the official one left us with another five days of May so now we hit June on the 2nd Memorial Day weekend! Believe me, it is important to all the entertainers on Cape Cod "No Place Like It On Earth"

Have a great SUMMAH! and keep the comments coming. Oh, one last thing, Kent ... GO BRUINS!!! Ha Ha!!!

Thank You,

Charlie OFD

While Memorial Day Weekend has always been the "benchmark" for the start of summer (school's out, villages are opening their pools, etc.) the OFFICIAL First Day Of Summer remains June 21st ... now less than three short weeks away!

While we presently have no plans of tabulating a new batch of votes this year for our readers' All-Time Favorite Songs Of Summer, Scott Shannon might do so ... it's become a bit of a True Oldies Channel tradition ... which means that he would be counting down The Top 20 Summer Favorites all day long on The True Oldies Channel on June 21st. (Heck, with the 21st falling on a Friday this year, he could do a full-blown "Summer Favorites Weekend"!!!)  We're still waiting to hear for the "official" word ... in which case we'll direct your votes for your summer favorites to him!!!  In the meantime, with just over 9200 votes cast in our most recent poll (2010), I'm prepared to stand by our list of All-Time Summer Favorites for a while yet. 

You can check 'em out here: Click here: Forgotten Hits - Your All-Time Summer Favorites)

Over the years, several of our Internet DeeJay Readers have also counted down The Summer Favorites as determined by our poll. If any of you are planning to do so again this year, please let us know with enough advance notice that we can pass the word along through the website so that others may enjoy the countdown too.  (Be sure to send me your "Listen Live" link, too, so readers can tune in and listen!)

Billboard's list is probably just a little too "hip" and "current" for our audience ... our Summer Favorites seem to be more of the "tried and true" variety. So give a listen if you can! 

Click here: Top 30 Summer Songs | Billboard

By the way, if you explore around the website a bit longer, you'll find not only a Countdown Of Your Top 100 All-Time Summer Favorites but also mathematical rankings of the biggest hits of summer for each year, 1955 - 1980! (kk)  

>>>I’ve always been a huge “car song” fan ... Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Ripcords etc., but “HOT ROD HIGH” (the B-Side) of the Hondells' “LITTLE HONDA” is my favorite car song of all time.”HOT ROD HIGH” was written by Terry Melcher, who had a pretty good track record. (Not to mention being the son of Doris Day). This song can be found on U-Tube. Hope your readers check them out. They won’t be disappointed. Thanks! (Gary)

>>>"Hot Rod High" is good ... but I've always been partial to "My Buddy Seat", their follow-up hit to "Little Honda", which pretty much flopped on the charts in 1965. (This one should have been a smash!) kk

Click here: Hondells..... Hot Rod High...1964 - YouTube

Click here: Hondells - My Buddy Seat - YouTube
THE HONDELLS' "HOT ROD HIGH" WAS ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVES AS WELL (I STILL HAVE THE 45!), AND WOULD DEFINITELY BE ONE OF MY DESERT ISLAND PICKS (ALONG WITH THE TURTLES' "YOU BABY", JAN & DEAN'S "LIKE A SUMMER RAIN", THE VOGUES' "SEE THAT GIRL", THE BEACH BOYS' "KISS ME BABY" & THE BEATLES' "YOU'RE GONNA LOSE THAT GIRL"). I'VE HEARD OTHER VERSIONS OF "HOT ROD HIGH" THAT WERE SUBPAR, AND I ALWAYS WISHED THE RAMONES HAD RECORDED THIS ... TOO BAD I DIDN'T MENTION IT TO THEM WHEN I MET THEM THIRTY YEARS AGO.

KEEP UP THE FANTASTIC WORK ... AND HAVE A BITCHIN' SUMMER.

MICHAEL G. BUSH

Lead singer on the Hondells tunes (and also their cover of the Beach Boys' Little Honda) was Chuck Girard, the rock & roll preacher: Click here: chuck girard - YouTube

Phil

PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot.com

The Sunday Comments ( 06 - 02 - 13 )

re: UP-COMING SHOWS:   

Ron Onesti just added Nazareth to The Arcada Theater line-up ... they'll be appearing live June 7th.  
Also coming in June:  
Kenny Loggins (Sunday, June 9th) and Bachman - Turner (Friday, June 28th) ...  
A couple of GREAT shows that you can't see anywhere else.

A complete list of upcoming shows can be found here:  Click here: Arcada Theatre | Oshows ... with more new shows being addded all the time.  (kk)    

re: THIS AND THAT:

Kent,
One or two comments if I may about today's FH. This concerns the three songs which you posted.
First, when has one heard a record by Al Hirt in the last few years on the radio? Personally, my all time favorite was his 1965 tune FANCY PANTS.
Second, the Jerry Lee Lewis song which you posted, made me get out and play the original, I believe, out of 1949 by R & B singer "Sticks" McGhee. Even though I don't remember McGhee's version when it came out originally, I eventually became familiar with it and liked it somewhat better than Jerry Lee's version.
Finally, the Jerry Lee Lewis tune you posted made me think of a record which came out in 1960 by a group called the Nightcaps called WINE WINE WINE. Was that one that made your local charts back in 1960?
Larry

I think a part of me was trying to encompass the three major, essential food groups that day ... first ... a little bit of something you could "sink your teeth in like jello" ... followed by Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee ... and then, of course, some Cotton Candy. As for The Nightcaps, I don't show anything by them charting here in Chi-Town.  (kk)   

>>>I forgot to mention "Love Kitten" and the GREAT B side "Why Can't A Boy and Girl Just Stay in Love" by Noreen Corcoran (who starred in the old tv sitcom "Bachelor Father"). This record is AMAZING ... produced by Nino Tempo and sax played like a crazy man, also by Nino. I thought for SURE this was another Phil Spector-produced recording, but when I bought it, it was on The 4 Seasons label "Vee Jay"

WOW!! Of course many years down the pike I learned that Nino was one of many who played in the "Wall of Sound" grouping that Phil launched for his own company Philles. IF you've never heard this record, seek it out ... it's one of the best ever recorded in my book ... IF you're a "Wall of Sound" fan. (Gary Peters)  
I asked the ever-reliable Tom Diehl if he could send us copies of these two tracks ... and sure enough he did ... along with this comment ...  
Two great sides indeed ... though I like "Love Kitten" more. Tom

>>>For years here in Chicago if you heard "Shout" on the radio it was most likely the Otis Day and the Knights version from "Animal House" ... The Isley Brothers' version rarely got played. ("Shout" is one of those rare rock and roll oldies that is bigger in its "after life" than it ever was on the charts. Released twice, this record never even made Billboard's Top 40 ... yet is part of the permanent rock and roll landscape. Cover versions have been recorded by just about everybody ... even The Beatles did it on "Shindig!" and "Ready, Steady, Go", despite never actually recording the song.) Despite its poor chart performance, the song is honored in both the Grammy and The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... yet peaked at #47 in 1959. Their version of "Twist And Shout" fared a little bit better in 1962, reaching #17 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart. (kk)

Billboard was the laggard when it came to charting The Isley's "Twist And Shout." It was a top 10 hit in Cash Box (#9) and reached #14 in Music Vendor. (It peaked at #12 on the SuperCharts.) 

– Randy Price

Hi Kent,

Listening to Rewound Radio I caught "The Boat That I Row" in a mixed version so we could hear both the Lulu and Neil Diamond versions. Great stuff. Thanks for the information and link. This is indeed what radio could and should be.

Tom

In the current issue of Mojo magazine, there is an interview with John Fogerty. In it he is asked how the music he made with The Golliwogs compared to the music at the time. He said that their sound was pretty much like any white boy band at the time. He mentions the Count Five as an example. He goes on to say their sound was not nearly as good as Lies, by the Knickerbockers, or Kind Of A Drag, by The Buckinghams.  
Jack

The Golliwogs had kind of a whole different sound at the time when compared to THOSE two!!! (lol) The Knickerbockers and The Buckinghams were pure '60's pop!

Funnily enough I just read a blurb about Count Five and The Golliwogs the other day in Brian Forsythe's new book "Inside The Songs Of The Sixties". He says:

What were they thinking? Creedence Clearwater Revival lost a 'Battle Of The Bands' competition to the future "one-hit wonder" band, The Count Five, who later had a hit tune with "Psychotic Reaction".

With a new album out, Fogerty is doing some press again ... which is great. I like the fact that he's looking back fondly on his past. Who knows ... there still may come a day when Stu, Doug and John treat us one last time. (kk)

Hey Kent,

Love my daily dose of FH. A week back you mentioned a song called “Sebastian” by the Distant Cousins. Never heard the song but it did bring to mind a single by the “Cousins” called, “SHE AIN’T LOVIN’ YOU NO MORE”. A “killer” track, I totally forgot about from the late (60’s?). Brought back great memories for me. Speaking of “killer” tracks, I’ve always been a huge “car song” fan. Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Ripcords etc., but “HOT ROD HIGH” (the B-Side) of the Hondells' “LITTLE HONDA” is my favorite car song of all time.”HOT ROD HIGH” was written by Terry Melcher, who had a pretty good track record. (Not to mention being the son of Doris Day). Both of these songs can be found on U-Tube. Hope your readers check them out. They won’t be disappointed. “Thanks” so much for your continual “Labor of Love".

Gary,

Milaca, MN.

The Distant Cousins "bubbled under" at #102 in Billboard with "She Ain't Lovin' You" in 1966.

Click here: She Ain't Lovin' You - The Distant Cousins - Cleveland Rocker! - YouTube

"Hot Rod High" is good, too. I've always been partial to "My Buddy Seat", their follow-up hit to "Little Honda", which pretty much flopped on the charts in 1965. (This one should have been a smash!) kk

Click here: Hondells..... Hot Rod High...1964 - YouTube

Click here: Hondells - My Buddy Seat - YouTube

 

re: HMMM ... WELL, I GUESS I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY:

We're constantly complaining about the "sameness" of radio ... anywhere you go, from coast to coast, you're pretty much going to hear the exact same group of songs by the exact same artists if you're tuning in to terrestrial radio. It's a shame ... with SO much great music to choose from ... that we are constantly being fed the same diet of music. (I don't care HOW much you like steak ... if you eat it every single day, four or five times a day, sooner or later you're going to want something else. That's not to say that you won't still like steak ... you just need some VARIETY pumped in once in a while!)

Perry Simon, who writes a weekly column for All Access Radio makes a valid point when he says:

I'm at 37,000 feet over Abilene, Texas. I've never turned a radio on in an airplane, and, whether or not there's really interference that would cause trouble with the flight (and let's not get into THAT debate), I wouldn't do it, and, besides, I didn't bring a radio with me on this trip. (I didn't think THAT would ever happen in my lifetime, but, well, smartphone...) But I do wonder, sometimes, just as a hobbyist, what stations I would get if I tried.
At least, I used to wonder. Now, I imagine I'll just hear hundreds of variations of the same thing -- same music, same accents, same talk shows, same imaging, same everything. I won't belabor the point -- you and I know how that evolved, how localism has withered in radio across the country. It just is, and while we don't have to be happy about it, it's not going to change. And, yes, I know of the exceptions, the stations that are aggressively, proudly local, with local news and local talk and local everything, and they are to be celebrated. But they're not growing in number. That ship sailed a long time ago.
So, that's the fault of radio managers and bean counters and investors, right? Not so fast. Radio is far from the only business to forsake localism over the last few decades. It occurred to me this way: I just took off from a place where the local malls have Macy's, Nordstrom, Sears, Kohl's, and JC Penney, and after flying across the country, I'll be in a hotel next to a mall that has Macy's, Nordstrom, Sears, Kohl's, and JC Penney. TV stations long ago branded themselves after their network affiliation, and the anchors usually have no trace of a local accent or local anything. We've seen many news articles (the New York Times seems particularly interested) about how some regional accents, even the Brooklyn accent, have been disappearing. Local ain't what it used to be. And with the Internet, broadcasting can be free of the technical limitations that sort of forced localism on radio in the first place -- whereas in the 1930s, WLW pushed to make its 500,000 watt superpower permanent to cover much of the country with one signal, now, anyone can reach people all over the world for free. And the old cultural divisions, from different senses of humor to "regional hit" music, have dissolved as entertainment options have become universal; "The Big Bang Theory" is the same in Texas as it is in Manhattan.
Yet, there is still power in localism. There is still -- maybe more than ever -- a need for news coverage of local issues, because, whether every city has Macy's and McDonald's or not, there are still things happening on the state and local levels that won't make the national radar but should be talked about. (We haven't even discussed hyperlocal, although it's still unclear that anyone will really make money covering neighborhoods) There are still local businesses for whom local radio is still more efficient than streaming. There are still differences between New York and L.A. and Philly and Texas and Miami and Minneapolis and Casa Grande. Sports radio has, at least in major markets, exploited this well -- you can't talk about SEC football in Philadelphia and succeed, and you can't talk about nothing but the Lakers in Minneapolis and succeed; it's all about the local teams. Then again, there are all those national sports radio networks out there finding an audience, too.
Anyway, I understand the economic reasons why stations turn to syndication and voice tracking and "Premium Choice," and they make sense. But there are still reasons to be local, and in an ideal world, I'd turn on the radio up here and hear local people from all over the place talking about local issues with local accents and giving me a real sense of their towns and culture. A New York station would sound like New York, a Dallas station would sound like Dallas... but in an age when Dallas has Bloomingdale's and there's a Neiman Marcus in Westchester, I'm not sure it matters as much anymore.

There's a certain truth to this ... McDonald's is going to taste the same in Chicago, Dallas, London or Hong Kong ... that's just what they do. Most locations will probably look the same, too. They've recently been remodeling all of our Jewel Food Stores so that no matter which Jewel you stop at, you'll know where things are located throughout the aisles. And the mall analogy is a good one ... although I know when we used to travel a lot, I always made it a point to go to places that we DIDN'T have here in Chicago ... using the logic that "if I wanted to go THERE, I could just go at home!"

The big difference, of course, is that radio has SO many other choices ... thousands and thousands and thousands of legitimate hit songs to choose from. McDonald's has a dozen things on their menu ... that's all they sell (and obviously they do a fine job of it) ... if you want something else, you're go to have to go somewhere else. Same for Kohl's, JC Penney, Sears, Macy's, etc ... odds are these are the stores you have a charge card for ... it's "convenient" ... comfortable even ... and you can confidently shop at ANY location from coast to coast and be guaranteed of being able to pick up what you came in for.   
As such, radio is a bad analogy. There is SO much more that could be done to draw people in ... and keep them there ... tuned in to listen all day, every day. You're not just selling Big Macs here ... your menu doesn't HAVE to be this limited. Spice it up a little bit with a few surprises ... some Wow! Factor songs ... some things we haven't heard in a while ... and stand out head-and-shoulders above the rest. (kk)
 

Seriously ... isn't it it time for SOMEBODY in radio to stand up and make their OWN kind of music?!?!? (kk)