Sunday, March 9, 2014

The Sunday Comments ( 03 - 09 - 14 )

re:  50 Years Ago This Weekend  (The Beatles and The Dave Clark Five):  
After we ran our 50th Anniversary piece the other day spotlighting The Dave Clark Five, Josh Solt (son of Andrew) sent us this link to THEIR posting celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Beatles' arrival in America ...  
You might enjoy this "Beatles in America" infographic we created which has been viewed over a million times in the past few weeks: http://www.edsullivan.com/beatles-in-america/ 
Best,
 
Josh  

Kent -   
Thanks for tracking down Greg Vines and getting the definitive answer to the question "How many times did the Dave Clark Five appear on the Ed Sullivan Show?". What threw me off when I first fact-checked it was the Tom Hanks speech at the Hall of Fame induction, where it says they were on 18 times. Often, these figures are confabulated by the artists themselves and then reported as truth. Memory is quite fallible.
Carl Wiser

www.songfacts.com
 
Yeah, this one has bothered me for a while ... there was just such a HUGE discrepancy ... and, as you said, even Dave Clark himself has greatly exaggerated their number of appearances.  (Not that twelve is anything to shake a stick at ... considering The Beatles only officially made four ... but they DID send in video clips, too, much as The DC5 did.)  kk   

Hi Kent:   
A DC5, British Invasion memory ... In the Summer of ’64 my Brother and his two friends were having an all night card party. The only record they played all night was “Glad All Over”. I believe they got up to 220 plays of the 45. I saw the 45 the next day and it was white from play, but still sounded Great! Took a lickin’ and kept on tickin’!!  
Ken
Funny thing is I didn't like the first two Dave Clark Five singles ... and still consider "Glad All Over" and "Bits And Pieces" amongst their weakest tracks.  For me they REALLY got things going with hits like "Can't You See That She's Mine", their version of "Do You Love Me", "Because", "Catch Us If You Can", both versions of "Everybody Knows" and their remakes of "I Like It Like That", "You Got What It Takes", "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" and "Over And Over".  And I'll put a couple of their B-Sides ... "Hurtin' Inside" and "I Miss You" ... up against the very best of The Beatles' ballads ... these are two of my all-time favorites. (kk)

Hi Kent -
I really enjoyed your "50 years ago" email ~~ Those were the days.
The British Invasion was my favorite time in music.
I agree with you about the Dave Clark Five. My favorite was their love song "Because".
Any songs the Cryan Shames did was GREAT. I have all their albums and they are all great recordings.
When you have time, check out "I've Had It" by The Bell Notes. I finally got a copy and will add it to my juke box.
Carolyn
Actually, we just featured "I've Had It" a short while ago.  Steven Tyler mentioned that when he and his friend Ray Tabano (also of Aerosmith fame) were teenagers, they used to go check out The Bell Notes at Ray's father's club ... and once got up on stage between sets and performed this song as one of his very first appearances ever singing live in front of an audience.  
In his biography "Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?", Tyler says:  
"When I was about fourteen, I hung out with Ray at his dad's bar on Morris Park Avenue in the Bronx.  Not bad for a hangout.  He would let us drink beer.  A local Bronx R&B group, The Bell Notes, used to perform there and, between their sets, Ray and I would sing their 1959 hit 'I've Had It'.  We'd also do the old Leadbelly song 'Cotton Fields', but in the collegiate folk song style of The Highwaymen, who had a hit with it in 1962."   
As you know, I'm a MAJOR Dave Clark Five and Cryan' Shames fan, too ... so we ALWAYS welcome the chance to feature one of their tunes on the website.  (kk)

And here's a chance to celebrate Beatles Week on "Caravan To Midnight", the John B. Wells program ...  
Here is BEATLES WEEK guest lineup for Caravan To Midnight: The John B. Wells Program: 
Monday March 10: Harvey Kubernik 9-11  
Tuesday March 11: Ken Scott 9-11  
Wednesday March 12: Elliot Mintz 9-11   
Thursday March 13: David Leaf 9-11   
Here is the Show website:  www.CaravanToMidnight.com  

re: Could You Please (not) Repeat That?:  
>>>after hearing Journey's "Who's Crying Now" FOUR times this weekend  (kk)  
I hear all those songs you put up by Journey on our disgusting "The Big O" who says they will play anything you want.  A true joke.  It is on at work constantly day after day over the speakers and I and another radio guy there constantly diss the station music which we are not allowed to change. 
Last night, he said to me "They just played this like 20 minutes ago."  They proceeded to play the same song six times in a row.  Obviously a programming glitch, but I just kept not believing it as one followed another.  It was a song they play all the time, but I had no idea who or what it was.  Later, they played "Come Sail Away" three times in two hours.  IF there was a LIVE broadcaster at the station "taking requests", I doubt they would have made these mistakes!
 
Clark Besch  
Scroll back and check the website again ... you'll see that we offered "alternative programming" to the same Journey songs they play non-stop all day long. I figured you didn't really need to hear these again since odds are they'll pop up four or five times today anyway every time you turn on your radio.  
In fact, I just thought of another one ...  
Instead of "Wheel In The Sky" ... how about ...


Kent,
You mentioned today, as you have previously, of hearing the same songs by Steve Miller over and over and over again. I thought of one by him I haven't heard in years and that is his 1968 recording of LIVING IN THE U.S.A. I just got it out, played it, needless to say, enjoyed hearing it again. I checked and it was a moderate hit here in OKC back in late 1968. Don't know how well it did in your town.
Larry Neal
While not as ridiculously over-played as some of his other hits ... I turned off "Jungle Love" three times yesterday! ... we still hear "Living In The U.S.A." once in awhile here in Chicago, primarily on the Classic Rock stations.  I really like ALL of Steve Miller's hits ... I just don't need to hear them fifteen times a day ... every single day!  (I'd like 'em a whole lot more if they spread it out a little!)  kk

Then again, instead of hearing "Jungle Love" (not even that big of a hit ... it peaked at #23 in Billboard!) three time in the same day, wouldn't it be nice just once to turn on the radio and hear THIS instead???

>>>Check out what they're doing now on The Drive ... playing more "deep tracks" than ever ... most likely an effort to distinguish the station from all the other Classic Rock / Classic Hit stations in town playing the exact same music.  Good News / Bad News:  It's nice NOT to hear the same old tracks over and over and over again .. but now we're hearing stuff we've NEVER heard before ... so there's absolutely NO familiarity factor ... and a lot of of it simply isn't any good.  (I swear I've never heard so much AC/DC in my entire life!)  I find myself connecting less and less with The Drive's current play list ... and, for a while there, they were my "go to" station.  (kk)
Kent -
I feel your pain!!
I have switched to The River 95.9.  They play what WDRV used to play. You can sing to all the songs. I agree that the Drive is playing too many obscure songs. Why don't they play deep tracks from artists we know?  When they play the "hits" A-Z Weekend, about 2000 songs, there are too many "filler" songs that I have never heard!  I only listen to Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots now.
Here is the play list from 95.5 right now. You know all the songs.  
Feeling That Way / Anytime - JOURNEY
You Better You Bet - THE WHO
(I Know) I'm Losing You - ROD STEWART
You Give Love a Bad Name - BON JOVI
Gold Dust Woman - FLEETWOOD MAC
Somebody to Love - JEFFERSON AIRPLANE
Pride and Joy -  STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE
Hitch a Ride - BOSTON
Feel Like Makin' Love - BAD COMPANY
My City Was Gone - THE PRETENDERS
Moondance - VAN MORRISON
Victim of Love - THE EAGLES
Turn It On Again - GENESIS
You Can't Always Get What You Want - THE ROLLING STONE
Centerfold - THE J. GEILS BAND
Run Like Hell - PINK FLOYD
Oye Como Va - SANTANA
Free Fallin' - TOM PETTY
Renegade - STYX
Wrapped Around Your Finger - THE POLICE
Wanted Dead or Alive - BON JOVI
Addicted to Love - ROBERT PALMER
Rock and Roll Never Forgets - BOB SEGER AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND
Love In An Elevator - AEROSMITH
Rock and Roll - LED ZEPPELIN
White Wedding - BILLY IDOL  
I checked the Drive's play list for the same timeframe and they have played, The Eagles, Pink Floyd, Santana, Bob Seger, The Kinks (Lola) live, the same Santana song!, Steve Miller, and The Stones. It seems like they are playing the same songs except the Drive is playing your favorite artist, who you can't get enough of, Billy Joel. LOL.
Somebody's Baby - JACKSON BROWNE
Animal - DEF LEPPARD
Move It On Over - GEORGE THOROGOOD AND TRAVIS TRITT
High On You - SURVIVOR
Hey You - PINK FLOYD
Big Shot - BILLY JOEL
Here I Go Again - WHITESNAKE
Feeling That Way / Anytime - JOURNEY
Lola (Live) - THE KINKS
Urgent - FOREIGNER
Rock The Casbah - THE CLASH
The Joker - STEVE MILLER BAND
Down Under - MEN AT WORK
Oye Como Va - SANTANA
Hold On Loosely - .38 SPECIAL
Desperado (Live) - THE EAGLES
Pride (In The Name Of Love) - U2
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet - BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE
Bill
I've been monitoring this pretty closely the past few weeks, making it a point to listen to the radio ... and ONLY the radio ... a couple of times a week, to and from work ... which ranges from about 45 minutes to an hour each way.  As you play log indicates, it's the exact same artists ... and, quite often, the exact same songs, everywhere you turn.  I routinely switch between The Drive, The River, The Fox, The Loop, K-Hits and WLS-FM ... but have found myself listening more and more to the CURRENT hits of the day (which are also over-saturated with repeated plays) on stations like B-96, KISS-FM, The Mix and My-FM ... just to escape the full-on assault of repetition on the so-called Classic Hits / Classic Rock stations.
Since this is my preferred genre, I've weeded through my six Chicagoland options ... and determined that the station playing the most variety of familiar songs is, indeed, The River.  That being said, they are missing a GOLDEN opportunity to expand that play list in the same vein and draw even more listeners to their station.  (Unfortunately, the often weak signal limits the amount of time you can actually listen if you venture out of the western suburbs ... but I have to agree ... this new mix of deep tracks on The Drive ISN'T the material I would typically listen to or have an interest in.  There are enough "hit" artists to draw from and still play album cuts that rarely get a spin without venturing so far off the path.  My guess is the next ratings book will prove me right.  (kk)

Kent,
A little while ago I was out in my car and the song JACK AND DIANE was playing. When it was done, the DJ told the name of the song and then after a very brief pause said, "Man! I haven't heard that song in at least three hours!" I almost died of laughter. As you know, even the DJ's are getting tired of the same old same old.
Larry

re:  Rumors Of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated:
Now HERE'S a major revelation ... 
After we ran this photo and comment last week ...


Top L to R:  Lewis Elliott - Gus Pedigo - Roland Atkinson - Buddy Croyle - Mike Hodges
Pettigo is deceased.  (Sid Holmes)    

We were QUITE surprised to get this email:   
Hi Kent,
Thank you so much for the information ... BUT Gus Pedigo (sitting across from me right now) is very much alive and well in Ocala, Florida, still playing music.  Makes one wonder, though, how that rumor started ... maybe that is why he is not listed as one of the musicians on most bios of Last Kiss. 
Thanks,
Vicki
Wow!  (Just goes to show you that you NEVER know who's reading Forgotten Hits!!!)
Naturally we shot a copy of this off to Sid Holmes right away ... unfortunately when something like this happens it brings into question the accuracy of other details ... some distorted for so long that the actual facts get blurred sometimes.  Here's what he told me:
Now, that's good news. My information came direct from Lewis Elliott and Roland Atkinson.  It now appears they just might want him "dead" in order to keep him from getting any credits(?)
I would like to talk with Gus if you can supply me with his phone number or e-Mail address.
Thanks!
Sid
Will do ... with SO many members of The Cavaliers passing through over the years (most of whom claim to have been on the "Last Kiss" hit record), it would have been a band of about 40 members in the recording studio that big day in 1964 when this #1 Hit was laid down ... and we all know that this couldn't possibly be the truth.  You can catch the whole convoluted story here:

re:  Guess Who:
The often contentious issue of ownership to song music and lyrics comes up again today (March 7th) in The Toronto Star, where Randy Bachman gives his take on some of the ownership issues between him and Burton Cummings related to some of The Guess Who’s hits.  The Star’s excerpt is taken from Randy’s new book “Tales From Beyond The Tap”.  
Mike Ogilvie  
Mississauga ON

re:  The Saturday Surveys:
Agreed, Kent.  "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is one of BJ's best, and just a butter-smooth vocal delivery.
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
B.J.'s got one of the smoothest voices in pop history ... everything he did just seemed so effortless ... yet fit the song perfectly.  We can't wait to see him again at The Arcada Theatre on November 7th.  (kk)

Kent,   
I especially enjoy the surprises the surveys give me.  They help bring my memories back in focus.  I wouldn't have remembered "Happy Together", "Penny Lane" and Emitt Rhodes and Merry-Go-Round's "Live" being the same time period much less the same month and year (and 1967 at that!).  Great songs and wonderful memories from all of them. 
Tom
I have always tended to associate certain songs together ... one perfect example is "Happy Together" by The Turtles and "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tommy James and the Shondells.
Here in Chicago, these two tracks battled it out for the #1 spot on our local charts ... and even exchanged that position a few times, each returning to the top and replacing the other.
Funny thing is, I wouldn't have associated that happenstance with February at all, when "Penny Lane" was at its peak on the charts ... so I agree that these Saturday "refresher courses" bring a truer reality to the times as they were.  (kk)

These look similar?? Same week March, 1966.  WKYC is from Cleveland and WCFL is from Chicago. Notice the different chart positions for different parts of the country? Time Won't Let Me was # 1 in Cleveland, a Cleveland band. That song wouldn't hit the Chicago chart until April 7, four weeks later. Conversely, Gloria, a Chicago group, was # 3 with 4 weeks on the survey, Cleveland had it at entering the survey # 20.
As Spinal Tap would say, "IT'S GOT 11, IT'S ONE MORE!"


Bill   
Yes, I've mentioned before how similar some of these charts looked across the country ... things that we thought were unique and exclusive to Chicago were actually being done in other major markets all over the country.  (The biggest surprise for me was seeing how many radio stations had their own "Silver Dollar Survey", a moniker that I thought was exclusively ours here at WLS.  (In fact Clark Weber told me how they would send the jocks out with their promo people and their interns to find people listening to WLS at the beach and then actually GIVE them a handful of silver dollars just for listening!)  Ahh yes, THOSE were the days in radioland.  (Scroll down below for a vintage WLS clip ... a true "time stamp" of that era.  (And it is SO cool to see these stations reward their local talent, back in the day when radio could do such a thing!)  kk

Hey Kent,
On that KFXM survey that Davie Allan sent you I noticed that "Acapulco Gold" by the Rainy Daze checks in at Number 24.  Is it just me?  Every time I hear that record I swear that it sounds like Jim Morrison and the Doors clowning around!
Regards,
Scott Paton

>>> An unusual Top 20 Hit was "From A Distance" by P.F. Sloan.  Sloan is best known for his song-writing so it's rare to see him on the charts singing one of his own hits.  In fact, the best this track could do in Billboard was to "bubble under" for exactly one week at #109!  It's also kind of surprising to see a Bobby Sherman record as one of the "Very Important Premiers" ... he wouldn't really break into the charts for another three years!  The biggest mover of the week, however, belongs to The Trashmen ... who leap from #50 up to #25 with their rock - novelty hit "Bird Dance Beat"!  (I've got to admit that I'm a little bit perplexed by this one ... it's essentially the exact same song as "Surfin' Bird" ... only about 800% WORSE!!!  The "novelty" was fun the first time around ... but this recording pretty much sucks!!!)  kk
"From a Distance" is a GREAT song indeed.  Also, the Bobby Sherman track you refer to is a take off on the commercial "Happiness is the taste of Kent" Cigarette commercial jingle of the day.  As for the Trashmen, I disagree whole heartedly with you.  I LOVE "Surfin' Bird", which may be the first "hard rock" song ever!  "Bird Dance Beat" may be a clone, but I love it, too.  It's funny that FH reader and WLS vet, Bob Hale, must have hated those songs, too, as I have tapes of both songs being made fun of by Bob in 64 on the air as he did the Silver Dollar Survey show.
Clark Besch

We seem to be out-voted on "Bird Dance Beat"! 

Correction - Nothing The Trashmen did ever “Sucks”!!!!!
“Sucks” more aptly refers to most crap since 1974. See Rap / Hip-Hop, etc.. etc.   
Ken

Kent,
Enjoyed looking at Saturday's surveys as usual. I have got to be honest with you though. I probably wouldn't have admitted this fifty years ago, but I have always liked BIRD DANCE BEAT by the Trashmen, just a tad better than their SURFIN' BIRD. That kind of tells you about my taste in music LOL.
I checked and BIRD DANCE BEAT  made it up to #18 for the week of March 19, 1964 here in OKC. It was sandwiched between two Motown greats by the Temptations and Marvin Gaye.
Larry Neal
 


re:  This And That:  
Got this from FH Reader Dave Barry after all our recent talk about Darlene Love and the hit film "20 Feel From Stardom" ...
The year of Darlene Love began last summer, when she appeared in "20 Feet from Stardom," the Oscar-winning documentary about the lives of background singers. Love sang on "The Colbert Report" last week, then breathed life into the 86th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday with a blast of gospel during the "20 Feet" acceptance speech.  
Does she have plans for an encore?
Love appears at City Arts & Lectures this Friday night, in conversation with Steven Winn. The Nourse Auditorium visit is her first in San Francisco in more than a decade. In addition to the on-stage discussion, Love will perform a concert, complete with band and background singers of her own.
We spoke to her last Wednesday, not long before she was set to take a flight from New York to California for the Oscars.
Q: What was your first reaction to the finished ("20 Feet From Stardom") product?
A: I was shocked at how good it was. It was like, "Wow, you guys really dug deep. You got some things in there I didn't know about."
Q: "20 Feet" covered your time as a housecleaner in Los Angeles. Was there a big break immediately after that that helped get you back on track as a singer?
A: The first job I got after that happened was on the cruise ship - on Carnival Cruise Lines, believe it or not. When I got on the ship, people recognized who I was. They said, "Why are you on a cruise ship?" I said, "Because I need a job." ... Word got around. Producers and people would see me. They said, "You need to get to New York. People need to see you."
It was a humbling situation. I was down and out and I had to get on the ship. But I never thought it was below me to do what I was doing.
Q: This sounds like the plot from a "The Love Boat" episode.
A: It actually ended up being a love boat for me, because that's where I met my third husband!
Q: You're kidding.
A: No. (Laughs.) He was the chief steward on board.
Q: You married Gopher?
A: I'm telling you, it's definitely a love story. Still married 30 years later.
Q: You have only four film credits on your IMDB page, all playing Trish Murtaugh in the "Lethal Weapon" movies. How did that happen?
A: The movie world is strange. ... I was working in Manhattan at The Bottom Line, and the casting director was a fan. He called my manager's office and said, "Do you think Darlene Love would be interested in being in a movie with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover?" And my manager said, "Why not?"
I talked to the director, Dick Donner, and he said, "As far as I'm concerned you've got the part." I said, "This ain't hard. This is easy. What else do I have to do?" They had been auditioning, and they picked me to be Danny's wife in the only four movies I've ever done.
Q: Are you still in touch with your movie husband?
A: Every once in a while we talk, but we're not as close and I'd like to be, because we're in different worlds. He's in the acting world and I'm in the singing world and very rarely do they meet.
Q: Have you ever been sitting in a movie theater, and hear one of your songs that you didn't know was in the film?
A: When we first went to see "Gremlins," I took my children, and there it was: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" opened a whole segment of the movie. I was like, "Are you kidding me? I didn't know anything about this song being in there."
There were others. "Father of the Bride" had "Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry." I had no idea it was going to be in there.
Q: What are you going to sing when you come out to San Francisco?
A: I do a lot of my old things. They wouldn't let me off the stage if I didn't. I start my show off with "He's a Rebel." I start with one of my songs and end with one of my songs. And in the middle I do gospel, because I love gospel songs. ... I do medleys with one of my male backup singers. He sings one of Roberta Flack's songs, and one Righteous Brothers song. They're going to get a little bit of everything with Darlene Love.
Q: Are you extra nice to your background singers?
A: Believe it! You just hit it on the head. It's funny, you don't have to be extra nice. I just treat them the way I would want to be treated as a background singer. I was blessed, because when I was a background singer they were really nice to me.
Darlene Love: City Arts & Lectures. 7:30 p.m. Friday. Nourse Auditorium, S.F.
www.cityarts.net. For the complete Q&A with Darlene Love, go to Peter Hartlaub's pop culture blog the Big Event, http://blog.sfgate.com/ thebigevent.
Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicle's pop culture critic. E-mail:
phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub 
 


We told you that the film "20 Feet From Stardom" won The Academy Award for Best Documentary Sunday Night.  Vintage Vinyl News ran a clip of Darlene Love's acceptance speech (which has apparently since been removed from the website for copyright infringement by The Academy.)  Too bad ... I never got to see this air ... but you CAN read all about it here:
And, if you HAVEN'T seen this film yet, please do ... you'll be glad you did.  Available on DVD as well as On Demand.  (kk)

Speaking of great new music documentaries, THIS one certainly looks like a winner.
It's the sequel to "Wages of $pin", the Shawn Swords film from a few years ago that exposed the whole Payola Scandal of the late '50's and early '60's ...
This footage is amazing ... and there's an up-coming screening that some of you may wish to attend.  (We're trying to get a screener copy of the film so we can review it here on the website).  Meanwhile, check out this incredible clip ...

Hi Everybody -
 Here is the final teaser / trailer link for Wages of Spin II "Bring Down That Wall" ...
Premiere Tickets at www.characterdrivenfilms.com
This story is amazing!!!
James Brooks Theater, UCLA Campus ... Tickets:  www.characterdrivenfilms.com

Big story last week was the fact that Michael Jackson may have a 31 year old biological son!
I just can't believe this may be true!
Nicki
What's the part that you find most shocking ...
The fact that Michael Jackson might have a 31 year old son?
Or the fact that Michael Jackson might have had sex with a woman?!?!?  (kk)
Hahaha all of the above. I wonder if this really is the story of Billie Jean lol
Nicki
LOL, never thought of that ... and actually the timing fits!!!  Things that make you go "Hmmm" ... I wonder!  (kk)

Kent ...
Maybe your readers might want to hear highlights from Scott Shannon's debut. I didn't know that Robert Lamm was from Brooklyn, New York, and lived in New York City for twenty years before moving to California.
http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2014/03/03/scott-shannon-premieres-on-the-cbs-fm-morning-show/
As for Day Two, all the first day debut excitement is over.  Scott re-played Jon Bon Jovi and Micky Dolenz interviews.  Second day and he's already resorting to re-runs.
Lee Mazzilli, ex-Met and Yankee player, called in from Spring Training.  He's a current Yankee coach. He said the Yankees are ahead of schedule ... looking good. Turntable Tuesday in the Hall Of Fame.
Rounding out Scott's first week on WCBS-FM:
Wednesday = Arsenio Hall, late night TV, called in .
Thursday = Mystery  Caller. Here's the hints Scott gave us:  Hint One = 1970's TV show and recording star.  

Hint Two = #3.  
I couldn't guess who it was.  #3 is for "Knock Three Times".  Now I know it's Tony Orlando.
Scott told this story ... he was in Las Vegas with his family, going to Tony's show. He told Tony not to announce that he was there. Tony not only tells the audience about him, he goes over to Scott and stands on his table to sing him a song.
Friday = Things have quieted down. Scott re-played the Robert Lamm interview from Monday.
So far it seems that Joe Nolan (Traffic), Debbie Rodriguez (News) and Mr G (Weather) are much more involved in the Scott Shannon Show than they were on the Dan Taylor Show. On Dan's show they gave their report and left. On Scott's show, they kind of hang around for the whole show.
That translates to more talking and less music. They won't tell us exactly what happened but something happened between Scott and Joe. They say things like "We talked it over" and "We straightened it out." ... "We're friends again."   If they won't tell us what happened, they shouldn't say anything at all.
Kent, have you ever heard of  "The Cookie Diet?" Scott was raving about it ... said they tried it at his old station and everybody lost 25 to 30 lbs. in forty days. Here's how it works ... They send you these special cookies.   Every time you get hungry you eat a cookie. At night you eat a sensible meal.
Frank B.
You've got to remember that Scott has been doing this for something like 137 years now ... so at some point it's just business as usual.  Still, a TREMENDOUS amount of hoopla for the move over to WCBS-FM and he seems genuinely happy to be there.  (Still hoping between him and Big Jay they can infuse more '60's music into the line-up ... but much like K-Hits here, the focus seems to be more '80's music with some '70's hits sprinkled in.  Apparently in the minds of the people who count in radio, the '50's and '60's are gone.  Thank God he's still doing The True Oldies Channel where he can feature he music he TRULY loves.) 
I did some research on the cookie diet ... sounds like the results are pretty amazing (if you can afford to invest $250 a month into the program!!!)  And that's "per person" ... so if Frannie and I BOTH decided to get on this kick for a couple of months, we'd have to get second jobs to keep up the payments!!!  That being said, it DOES sound like it really works.  Here's a promo clip that Frank sent me if you're interested ... (and can afford $500 a month worth of cookies!!!  Heck I just spent $20 on Girl Scout Cookies ... that would have bought me about 2 1/2 days of THESE babies!!!)  kk
This one is great if you're from Chicago - all of our memories of those golden years when we were young.
For the guys not from Chicago, sit back and enjoy the music of the times that we all enjoyed!  
Have a great day.  
Ed

Speaking of growing up in Chicago, I just got this video link from FH Reader Joseph L Pytel, Jr ... it's a recent interview with songwriter James Holvay, who wrote four of The Buckinghams' biggest hits! 
Check it out!   Rock N' Roll Stories - James Holvay:  http://vimeo.com/88115020

And, speaking of The Buckinghams ...   

Just finished reading the Wrecking Crew Book. Not a bad book, but something bugs me about it but can't really put my finger on it -- anyway I digress.
In the book The Buckinghams are mentioned as one of the bands that the Wrecking Crew did tracks for. Just curious if you know or if one of the Buckinghams on the list might be able or willing to tell us just how much of their material they were able to do their own tracking for? 
Thanks. 
Bill
We've talked with all of the Bucks about this in the past ... and all of them acknowledge that much of the music they recorded in New York was supplemented by studio musicians ... no big deal really, as that's just the way record were made back then.  In fact keyboardist Marty Grebb went so far as to say that the ONLY Buckingham who appeared on EVERY record was Dennis Tufano ... and that's because he was the lead singer.  ALL of the other members assumed "sidemen" roles whenever necessary to capture the sound the producers were looking for ... back then it was all about making the best hit record you could ... as quickly (and as cheaply) as you could.  There just wasn't time to "experiment" in the studio and wait for the musicians to learn their parts.  To their credit, ALL of these bands then took the skills they learned by watching these seasoned professionals and went out on the road and performed letter-perfect versions of the hits.  (kk)    

ROCK ICONS ALICE COOPER AND PAUL RODGERS JUST ADDED TO ROCK LEGENDS CRUISE III
Wow!  Check out THIS killer line-up!
The Doobie Brothers, Alice Cooper, Paul Rodgers, .38 Special, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dave Mason's Traffic Jam, Blue Oyster Cult, Uriah Heep, The Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, Rik Emmett of Triumph, The Edgar Winter Band, Ten Years After, Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown, Pat Travers Band, The Artimus Pyle Band, Swamp Da Wamp and The Blue Lords
*Stay tuned for further possible additions!

And, speaking of Alice Cooper ...

OFFICIAL DOCUMENTARY OF A ROCK ‘N’ ROLL ICON TO BE UNLEASHED
SUPER DUPER ALICE COOPER 
WORLD PREMIERE AT 2014 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL (TFF) 
Click Here to View Official Trailer: http://www.bit.ly/CoopDoc   
New York, NY (March 6, 2014) — Eagle Rock Entertainment, in association with Banger Films, are proud to announce the world premiere of Super Duper Alice Cooper at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by AT&T, where it will screen as part of their Spotlight section. Taking us through his life and career, ALICE presents his story in the first ever “doc opera” film - a dizzying blend of documentary archive footage, animation, and rock opera.
Super Duper Alice Cooper is the twisted tale of a teenage Dr. Jekyll whose rock n’ roll Mr. Hyde almost kills him. It is the story of Vincent Furnier, a preacher’s son who struck fear into the hearts of parents as ALICE COOPER, the ultimate rock star of the bizarre. From the advent of Alice as front man for a group of Phoenix freaks in the 60’s to the hazy decadence of celebrity in the 70s to his triumphant comeback as 80s glam metal godfather, we will watch as Alice and Vincent battle for each other’s’ souls. Alice’s story is told not only by the man himself, but through exclusive interviews with members of the original Alice Cooper band, Elton John, Iggy Pop, John Lydon, and Dee Snider.
Super Duper Alice Cooper is the creation of Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn at Banger Films, producers of Iron Maiden: Flight 666 (2009 SXSW Audience Choice Winner) and Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage (2010 Grammy-nominated and Tribeca Audience Choice Winner), and much-lauded filmmaker Reginald Harkema, winner of the TIFF Special Jury Prize for his film Monkey Warfare.
The 13th edition of the Tribeca Film Festival will take place from April 16 to April 27 at locations around New York City.
For more information on Super Duper Alice Cooper, please visit www.SuperDuperAliceCooper.com or like the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/superduperalicecooper
Alice Cooper needs no introduction.  Still touring the world, with over 100 concerts scheduled in 2014, and hosting his internationally syndicated “Nights With Alice Cooper" radio show five nights a week for over a decade, Alice shows no sign of slowing down.
For more information on Alice Cooper, please visit:

>>>Our own Davie Allan and the Arrows had the first Tower CHART record with "Apache '65", for which he recently sent the Tucson radio chart listing in February, 1965. Besides Davie on lead guitar, Mike Curb was on keyboards for that 45.  Ian Whitcomb would scrape the bottom of the charts on Tower with his "This Sporting Life" before the label would get a big hit with Freddie & The Dreamers' "I'm Telling You Now" shortly after.  The Arrows followup "Dance the Freddie" / "Moon Dawg '65" was certainly tied to their first 45 AND the Tower Records' new sensation!  (Clark Besch)
Speaking of "Moondawg '65", I'm planning a remake for the 50th anniversary of The Arrows album (2014/2015).
Thanks,
Davie Allan

Kent;  
I was 66 in December, 2013.  
I grew up in an old house that had an OLD wind up record player ... the records were 1/4 inch thick and some had the Edison label.
Have two older brothers and the record we liked was BARNICLE BILL ... annnnd ... I have yet to be able to find the same take  on YOUTUBE, (NOOOO idea as to the singer) as was ours. We got a kick out of how he told the gal talking to him, "AWWWW, shut up, you crazy woman, you drive me mad ..."
HOWWWW did we play the damn thing???  
Took a piece of paper, like writing stuff and made a megaphone, then ran a two inch long beedle through it, and drawed it over the vinyl.
My first record that I bought was the 45 Good Luck Charm by Elvis ... first LP was Elvis' Golden Records, 1958 or 59 issue.
First record ever was in Kiddygarden ... names were exchanged and the person who got my name was a girl.  Got it from my sister (eldest of us 6) and two older brothers.  At the time, she was my girl friend.    Record??  "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
I-ronicly,  I am the one of the five guys who would become Born Again (JOHN 3;3)To look over the varied radio hit charts from other readers, ONE THERE from TRANA 1050 CHUM,  from the late 50's / early 60's, and as much as they list the big time hits, it's nice to also to see the titles we have longggg forgotten.
As I've said,  I heard many songs I LIKED, yet they only got three or four airplays that I heard ... and then into obscurity.
That's why I loved flea markets, going through the 45's.
NOW you can punch up Ral Donner and hear I GOT BURNT or James Cole and hear THE FOOL.
YOUTUBE is now OUR OWN JUKE BOX ... and they've got almost everything!
MILORD (IN FRENCH)! by Bobby Darin is now there.
Punch up some songs and listen to the 45 edition, then the LP take.
I.E. I'M MOVIN' ON by Hank (Sluch) Snow.  FIRST heard that on an LP at home ... then had the chance to get the 45 and am glad, I didn't ... TWO completely DIFFFFERENT takes ... the LP has much more punch up.  Hank Snow did FOOL SUCH AS I ... I heard his first, then Elvis' ... like 'em both.
Then, as I say, MOVIN' ON by Hank.  Elvis' version is tooo bluesy.  Knowing Elvis, he likely did the song three or five different ways.  To me, RCA issued the wrong take.
Have you ever played a CD where you can see it spin as it plays??
I bought a boom box (YEARRRRRRS ago) and didn't notice that there was a window in it until I put a disk in and closed the lid.  Couldn't believe the speed of that thing!
Sooo, I went back to the store and asked the sales person in that department if THEY knew what the rpm numbers were.  They tended to look at me as if I was crazy (NOT that they were wrong) for asking this stoopid question.  There's NO 45s, 33s or 78s anymore, so what's the difference?  It was as if that information is none of my business.

Got same reaction when I called the distributor of the make ... THEYYYYY wondered why I was interested in knowing.  Google it, Kent, unless you already know the answer.  The RPM is FASSSSSST.
HOW to get slightly wiser than you are now???  NEVER be afraid to ask a question about that in which   you are INTERESTED but IGNORANT.
Out fer now -
Robert Black      
Kincardine and Willowdale
OK, you got MY curiosity up ... what IS the speed (RPM) of a CD playing???
So I DID Google it ... and came up with at least a dozen different answers ...
Although the general consensus seems to be right around 500 rpm, depending on which track you're listening to.  (It's position on the disk affects the speed at which it is read.)
And, if you want to see a CD playing at 23,000 rpm (and then self-destructing), be sure to watch THIS video!!!

And here's another Forgotten Hits Reader who likes to watch his music go 'round and 'round!


Hey Kent,
Do you think that the time when a music video could make or break a hit is long gone? I really hope so. Someone once asked me what the first music video I ever saw was, and I answer "Eh Cumpari" by Julius LaRosa. What? That came out in 1953! Growing up in an Italian family, my father collected many records by Italian-American artists; Sinatra, Como, Dino, Lanza, etc. We often played the 45 of LaRosa's novelty song, one, to hear the funny pronunciation of the musical instruments in the lyrics, and TWO, to watch the print of Julius' face on the label, go round and round on the record player! It was our first music video experience! I don't know how far the song went up the charts, but it was a minor hit in this area, and I still smile when I hear it.
- John LaPuzza

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqatN1hrZvw

And, speaking of cool videos ...
My life just passed by in 30 seconds!  Welcome back Otto, Roger, Striker, Kareem, Shirley???  I thought we were flying over Lincoln, but it was Wisconsin!  Get me Rex Kramer!  Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit Airplane!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShrV43xB6yY   

Our Forgotten Hits Buddy Henry Gross has announced some upcoming tour dates that kick off this week on the East Coast.  Let us know if you're fortunate enough to catch him in concert at any of these shows:
March 12th     Hill Country 30 West 26th St. NYC  9:30 pm
March 14th   Public Library Port Washington NY  8 pm
March 15th    The Ritz theater in Newburgh NY  8pm
March 16th    Miguels  Nazareth PA   3:00 PM 
March 16th    Randy's Man Cave  Bordertown, NJ     8pm
To all my friends,
I'm very happy to have these opportunities to play the songs I've worked so hard on over the years and look forward to meeting and greeting all of you. I've never lost my faith in the power of a song to bring joy and I'll be doing my absolute best to leave everyone smiling - even if I have to resort to digging into my bottomless pit of bad jokes! So if you're coming, for your own sakes ... don't encourage me! 
So .... until we meet I'll tell you what I tell everyone I love ... "I'll see you sooner than you want!"
Keep smilin'
Henry

re:  New Releases:
Heart's Legendary Second Album 'Magazine' Gets Reissued On Hybrid SACD
A rare gem ... Evocative and controversial”
Camarillo, CA - Heart fans are ecstatic with the release of the band's evocative and controversial second album 'Magazine' on Hybrid SACD by Marshall Blonstein's Audio Fidelity! 'Magazine' shows Heart while they were still an idealistically young band, before they became such a worldwide phenomenon. Their second album shows the same impassioned songs that marked the band's debut, 'Dreamboat Annie'. They were really hard rockers back then. Ann and Nancy Wilson wove a tapestry of gypsy meets modern woman, and it is highly involved in the early songwriting. The album features a mix of ballads and straight out rock-blues-metal at its purest.
'Magazine' was recorded in 1978 and was a victim of legal hassles with the label that delayed its release, yet the album boasts a mix of light and heavy tracks that are pure Heart. The rockin' “Devil Delight” and the bluesy-rock stomp of “Heartless” - one of their best songs ever! There's the beautiful, sweet acoustic moment of “Here Song” and the smooth “Just The Wine” and the Badfinger cover “Without You” - Ann's vocals are incredible, she has the chops to belt out like Janis Joplin! There's the pure, slow and chugging blues of “Mother Earth Blues” and the stomping live recording, “I've Got The Music In Me.”
Heart's 'Magazine' eventually went platinum and peaked at #17 on the album charts and the album's only single “Heartless” landed in the Top 40.
Tracks include: 
Heartless; Devil Delight; Just The Wine; Without You; Magazine; Here Song; Mother Earth Blues (live); I've Got The Music In Me (live)
Mastered by Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering

TOTO AND EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE APRIL 29 RELEASE OF 35th ANNIVERSARY TOUR - LIVE IN POLAND -
Lukather, Paich, Porcaro and Williams Working On Studio Album For 2015  
New York (March 6, 2014) --- Toto and Eagle Rock Entertainment have announced a April 29th release date for the band's 35TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR - LIVE IN POLAND.  The title will be available in configurations that include 2CD, DVD, Blu-ray, and a deluxe edition featuring all formats with a 60-page book (Pre-book Order Date April 4, MSRP $19.98 Blu-ray, $14.98 DVD, $17.98 2CD, $79.98 Deluxe Edition).
Filmed on June 25, 2013 in Lodz, Poland, the offering captures the band in the midst of a standing-room-only European tour. The two-hour plus performance features Toto's hit stocked repertoire alongside other favorites.  The complete track listing is: Intro,  Medley: "On The Run" / "Child's Anthem" / "Goodbye Eleanor," "Goin' Home," "Hydra," "St. George And The Dragon," "I'll Be Over You," "It's A Feeling," "Rosanna," "Wings Of Time," "Falling In Between," "I Won't Hold You Back," "Pamela," "99," "The Muse," "White Sister," "Better World," "Africa," "How Many Times," "Stop Loving You," "Hold The Line," and "Home Of The Brave."  The set also includes behind-the-scenes bonus content.  Eagle Rock Entertainment has premiered the band's performance of "Hold The Line" which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibxxkNRumN4.
The 35TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR - LIVE IN POLAND release captures Toto's  European tour that hit 29 cities staging successful concerts Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.  Toto World Tour 2013 featured Luke, David Paich, Steve Porcaro on keyboards, and singer Joseph Williams, who sang the hits "Pamela" and "Stop Loving You" on the worldwide platinum release The Seventh One (1988).   Williams is also featured on the platinum certified Fahrenheit (1986), Toto XX (1998), the track "Bottom of Your Soul" on Falling In Between (2006), and the multi-platinum release Past to Present 1977-1990 issued in 1990.
Toto has revealed plans for 2014 that deliver what fans have been waiting years for.  The band will record a new studio album planned for release in 2015, their first since Falling In Between (2006).  Keyboardist and founding member David Paich recently shared, "The repertoire is coming together so naturally it is as though we never took a break from creating as Toto in the studio. For the fans who have been waiting patiently and continually showing the band support and love over the last decade or so, this one's for you. Collectively we can't wait to share these recordings with The World."
This April, they return to Japan for a seven show headlining sold-out arena tour that takes them through Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Sendai and Sopporo.  In August and September, Toto will hit the road as co-headliners with Michael McDonald, for their most comprehensive North American tour in years. 
Few ensembles in the history of recorded music have individually or collectively had a larger imprint on pop culture than the members of Toto.  As individuals, the band members can be heard on an astonishing 5000 albums that together amass a sales history of a HALF A BILLION albums.  Amongst these recordings, NARAS applauded the performances with more than 200 Grammy nominations. 
With over 35 years together and thousands of credits and accolades to their names, Toto remains one of the top selling tour and recording acts in the world. They are the benchmark by which many artists base their sound and production, and they continue to transcend the standards set by the entire music community, being simply synonymous with musical credibility. 
Band members have been South Park characters, while recently Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake offered a light-hearted homage via a comedy sketch around the band's hit  "Africa."  They are pop culture, and are one of the few 70’s bands that have endured the changing trends and styles, and more than 35 years in to a career enjoy a multi-generational fan base.
TOTO also continues to raise awareness for ALS, for their brother and friend, Mike Porcaro, who has been diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease.  The band commits energies towards fundraising for Police and Fire Departments of California and the Fallen Heroes initiative (http://www.fallenheroes.org/), and help the United Nations in their humanitarian endeavors through music.

re:  The I.R.S.:
No, not that one ... but I really SHOULD do my taxes this weekend!!!
THIS one ...
The official “I.R.S. form” and the “how to”:   http://www.musicradio77.com/IRS.html     

The 7th Annual I.R.S.! (as in ... "IReally Shoulda" been a Top 10 hit!)  
What songs "really shoulda" been Top 10 hits but never made it?
It's your call, when you fill out your I.R.S. form!
Using the "E-Z Form" below, send your list of songs that make you say "THAT really shoulda been a Top 10 Hit!" before April 1, 2014.
Any song that didn't reach the Top 10 in the U.S. is fair game - whether or not it was ever on any chart, ever released as a single or ever released in the U.S.
And it doesn't matter if you don't know (or care) whether songs were Top 10 or not.
We'll take care of all corrections.
It also doesn't matter how few or how many songs you send - just not more than 100, please!
Unless you specify otherwise, lists are assumed to be in rank order, title followed by artist.
Since this is a ranking of songs, do not list two sides of a single as one entry.
Likewise, do not list two or more versions of the same song as one entry.

As in past years, random I.R.S. filers will win a 4-disc set of the resulting 7th Annual I.R.S. Top 104 (plus other prizes),  based on what songs show up most on those forms and where they're ranked. 

So remember to include your full name and complete mailing address at the end of your list, to be eligible for any prizes.
Twitter: @RichAppel
I.R.S. on the radio:
* Rewound Radio - Click here: Rewound Radio: It's not how old it is... It's how GOOD it is!! -complete countdown kicks off April 11 on Bob Radil’s Friday Night 60s / 70s Show 6pm ET, concluding April 13 at noon ET - http://www.streamlicensing.com/stations/rewound/home.html
* Ron Gerber’s “Crap From The Past” on KFAI.org http://crapfromthepast.com/ (April dates TBD)
* Phil Nee’s “Those Were The Days” on WRCO 
Here are a few items concerning your Bobby Fuller Four story. I agree, that "She's My Girl" should have a big hit for the BF4. In fact, look at the Reno, Nevada Top 40 station KENO's music survey for the week of June 19-25, 1965.
"She's My Girl" is at #12, after making the Top 10 the previous week at #9. I don't know if it reached any higher than that position, however that's still a well-deserved placing and it's took bad Top 40 stations across the nation didn't follow KENO's lead. 

Bobby Fuller Four's "Let Her Dance" cracked the Top 20 (#19), on the KBLA survey pictured below.




re:  Clip Of The Week:
Courtesy of Frank B - you're gonna love this one!  Do You Wanna Dance?  You Make Me Feel Like Dancing ... You Should Be Dancing ... yep, this is a good one!  (kk)