Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Tuesday This And That

Looks like the weekend found everybody in good spirits ...

First, Frannie sent me this one ...


And then I got this from Chuck Buell ...    

Just some Comic Fun for you Today that I thought you'd be one to appreciate!


Well, it made me Laff! 
CB ( which stands for "Comic Boy!" )

FH Reader Stacee McDermott sent us this interesting perspective on "trendiness" ...
Who would have ever thought that FIFTY years ago the idea of a group called The Zombies could be so relevant!!!

https://us.lrd.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X1MDBGFjdANtYWlsBGFuA29wZW5MaW5rBGNoA2VtYWlsBGN0AwRldANtdGYEZ2QDc3RhY2FsZWU1NEBhdHQubmV0BGxhbmcDZW4tVVMEbHR4dANUaGUgWm9tBG1vAzAEbXBvcwMxBHBrZwMEcGxhdGZvcm0DWUhPTy1VTlAEcG9zAzEEcHN0YWlkAwRzZWMDbW9kLXNoLW1haWwEc2xrA2xpbmsEdGFyA2h0dHBzOgR0ZXN0AwR0cAN0ZW1wbGF0ZS5tdGYuZW1haWwubWFpbF90b19mcmllbmRfZ3NfdjE4BHRzAzA-/729180320503195538/SIG=12uk8aic9/**https://www.yahoo.com/music/the-zombies-trendy-name-timeless-music-165458712.html
If there ever was an astute choice for a band name, “the Zombies” ranks right up there in 2015. “It was our very first original bass player, Paul Arnold, who came up with the idea,’ recalls band vocalist Colin Blunstone today. “And I sometimes think he come up with the idea out of desperation – because ...
Read the full story

We spent a good chunk of last week giving away tickets to see the Brian Wilson concert at The Genesee Theatre ... and then heard from a couple of readers with more Brian / Beach Boys news ...

I didn't get to go to see the Beach Boys but I heard it was great. Here is a nice article you might be interested in. Carrie  
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2015/07/brian_wilson_sings_the_beach_b.html

And from David Beard ...

At 74 years of age, you would think that Mike Love might be slowing down, but that is hardly the case. Love is working on an upcoming solo album and book, both planned for release in 2016. Even though Mike is tasked with these individual ventures he is still touring more than ever.

DJ Bill Fortune sent us the Joe Klein post we missed a couple of weeks ago regarding the passing of Cory Wells.  We no sooner opened this one to receive another email from FH Reader Rich Turner who tells us that Three Dog Night (One Dog Night???) will fulfill all of its contractual obligations.  Since Danny Hutton sang the least memorable leads of the group ... and since we already know that there's absolutely NO way he's going to team back up with Chuck Negron again ... we have to wonder who the "new voice" is going to be.  (Now that Joe Cocker's gone, my first choice would be Randy Newman ... but I don't see THAT happening either!!!  And let's face it ... Bo Bice is already busy singing with Blood, Sweat And Tears!!!  So who's it gonna be???)
After twelve years, Bill Medley finally officially hired a new "Righteous Brother" ... other groups continue to preserve the musical legacy of their former selves in what amounts to not much more than a "tribute" to the music of said artist.  I guess at some point that's going to have to be enough ... because it may be all we have left.
Simply put, the point just continues to be driven home ... we have lost SO many great voices from our past the last few years ... it's becoming nearly impossible to keep this great music alive ... but the truth is this music will outlive ALL of us ... because it truly IS timeless.

From Joe Klein:  October 21 at 12:45pm · Edited  
Some very sad news to pass along to all you Old Radio DJ's who spun all those THREE DOG NIGHT hit records in the 70's.  I went to a couple of TDN recording sessions early in 1970 at producer Richard Podoler's recording studio. I was only fifteen years old at the time and had dreams of being a recording engineer and record producer, so going to those sessions was a real thrill for me and I still have vivid memories of being at them.  RIP Cory.  
Cory's vocal work on Shambala will always be memorable for me. I remember playing that song for the first time during my short interval at KHJ. It turned into an anthem that I have to listen to periodically, even all these years later. Didn't 3DN w/Wells wrap up a couple of New Jersey gigs not ten days ago? Wow, it's almost like he died with his boots on. He will be missed. Lots of great interviews with Corey on YouTube. 
I especially recommend  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBOBgjahuL0. 
Peace!
Bill  
Billy, I'm not sure. Several of the group's shows were either canceled or rescheduled over the last weeks due to "severe back pain" being experienced by Cory. But I really like the video you posted above.
Joe

Kent,  
What with the recent passing of original Three Dog Night lead vocalist Cory Wells (as has been mentioned on your blog several times lately) I thought you might be interested in this update.  
Three Dog Night has been scheduled to play at our annual Ribfest charity fundraiser on November 14 here in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Ribfest is a 3-day event held the second weekend of November every year since 1990 and features many classic rock bands along with, of course, the proverbial barbeque ribs and beverages. Just posted on the Ribfest website is a message from Three Dog Night announcing that they will be honoring all their confirmed tour dates that are currently scheduled starting the first week of November.  
The post states that according to the band's agency, WME, prior to his death, Mr. Wells had been concerned about cancelling shows and disappointing Three Dog Night's fans, so he encouraged the band to get back on the road. Continuing with the post, the band took Wells' recommendation and invited one of his favorite singers to join Three Dog Night when they resume the tour in November. A quote from the band's founder Danny Hutton, "Our hearts are heavy, but we are going to honor Cory's wishes and continue. He'll always be with us in spirit."  
So there you go. No mention as to who this new singer is but apparently it will not be Chuck Negron, the third original Three Dog Night vocalist who has been out of the band since the late 1980s. But we will see. Yes, I do plan to attend the all-day event (one of my favorite events and I never miss it). I will send in a review shortly afterward so all the Forgotten Hits readers can hear how the new incarnation of the band performs. Other groups on the bill this day are Robby Steinhardt (the former violinist from the band Kansas) who will perform Kansas music, .38 Special, a couple of tribute bands, one performing Doobie Brothers music and the other Santana music, and finally one of my favorite bands, America, who I saw just last year. Three Dog Night is scheduled to close the show.  
I saw Three Dog Night for the very first time in November of 1969 (I must have been just a child LOL) and many times since. So 46 years will have passed since I first saw the band and then now.  
Rich Turner,  
Safety Harbor, Florida    

Frannie sent me this reminder of former Journey lead singer Steve Perry's return to the stage last year with the rock group The Eels, with whom he performed the Journey classic "Open Arms".
It's funny because at the time I thought that this was his way of working himself back into the spotlight ... yet it just never happened.  (A video clip of this performance is included in the link below).
I've often said that without Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night there never would have been a Steve Perry ... but this article takes it a step further and mentions what a fan of Sam Cooke's music Perry was.
Ironically I heard an interview recently that pointed out the very same thing.
"Listen to 'Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin' ... that's Steve Perry doing Same Cooke" ... and it is ... it's almost like he reinvented "You Send Me" thirty years later!    
http://societyofrock.com/after-19-years-steve-perry-steps-onstage-for-the-first-time-for-journey-classic-open-arms 




Kent, 
The record by the Changin' Times did make our local survey here in OKC although I really can't remember how high it got ... I don't believe it charted that high though. #18 by Them was quite a record in that the lyrics didn't start until about a minute into the song. 
Song #20 just goes to show that Mel Carter had songs other than HOLD ME! THRILL ME! KISS ME!, which I guess is considered to be his  signature song. And who knew at the time that song #25 by James Brown would turn out to be the only song one would hear on "oldies" stations many many years later?  
I enjoy looking at these surveys from other radio markets. I play on you tube those songs I haven't heard or thought about in years, that is if you don't post them. Sometimes a record listed reminds me of another record.  
Keep up the good work. 
Larry Neal
Although "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" was certainly his biggest (and it IS a timeless classic), Mel Carter actually had SIX songs that made The National Top 50:  "When A Boy Falls In Love" (#38, 1963); "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" (#8, 1965); "(All Of A Sudden) My Heart Sings" (#35, 1965); "Love Is All We Had" (#50, 1966); "Band Of Gold" (#31, 1966) and "You You You" (#49, 1966).  And he's still recording today.  (A couple of years ago he sent me a copy of his brand new CD and we featured a track in Forgotten Hits). 
James Brown never had the "presence" here in Chicago that he did nationally and I'm really not sure why ... in fact, I'm quite surprised that after the recent biopic more of his music isn't played on the radio today ...  I just don't know that in hindsight much of it has had much cross-over, lasting appeal.  (We actually have a James Brown tune going up on the site tomorrow but again, it's one of his more popular tunes.)  It is kinda cool to see "I Got You" in its premier week on the KHJ Boss 30 Countdown!  (kk)   

Speaking of Classic Top 40 Radio, WCBS-FM just celebrated the 50th Anniversary of their radio antenna being placed high atop The Empire State Building last week.  (I'm guessing this was a brand new antenna installation at the time ... because didn't King Kong rip off the old one a couple of decades before?!?!?)  

Our FH Buddy Big Jay Sorensen remembers ...   

This is SO cool. WCBS-FM was the first station broadcasting from the then new master antenna high atop the Empire State Building. Our station played the song while this incredible light show was done last week.  
So cool to have MY voice come out of that legendary facility. Only in New York. 
BE BIG!  
Jay
http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2015/10/19/50th-anniversary-master-fm-antenna-empire-state-building/