re: Congratulations!:
Special honors went out to two of our Forgotten Hits celebrity participants this past week ...
Burton Cummings is being inducted into The Canadian Music Hall Of Fame for the second time. (Burton was first enshrined back in 1987 as a member of The Guess Who ... this new recognition comes as a result of his work as a solo artist.) This will be the seventh Juno Award Burton has received throughout his incredible career.
More details here:
Special honors went out to two of our Forgotten Hits celebrity participants this past week ...
Burton Cummings is being inducted into The Canadian Music Hall Of Fame for the second time. (Burton was first enshrined back in 1987 as a member of The Guess Who ... this new recognition comes as a result of his work as a solo artist.) This will be the seventh Juno Award Burton has received throughout his incredible career.
More details here:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/burton-cummings-to-be-inducted-in-canadian-music-hall-of-fame-as-solo-artist-1.3419224
And Goldmine Magazine has named Lou Christie to its Hall Of Fame as well ...
Lou Christie - Goldmine Magazine Hall of Fame Inductee!!!
And Goldmine Magazine has named Lou Christie to its Hall Of Fame as well ...
Lou Christie - Goldmine Magazine Hall of Fame Inductee!!!
There have been many great falsettos in the history of Rock & Roll … Frankie Valli, Del Shannon, Larry Henley of the Newbeats, Russell Thompkins, Jr. of the Stylistics, Jay Siegel of the Tokens, Brian & Carl Wilson and Barry Gibb through to a-ha’s Morton Harkett, Jeff Buckley, Jeff Lynne and Jack White to name just a few. Then, there was Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
Sacco, who did journalists, disc jockeys and his many fans a huge favor by recording as Lou Christie, slipped into the upper reaches of the vocal scale with little apparent effort. As a result, Christie has managed to remain a popular attraction since his first hit record, “The Gypsy Cried,” which climbed to #24 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1963. Christie penned the hit along with Twyla Herbert, and the two followed with an even bigger hit, “Two Faces Have I,” which peaked at #6 on the Hot 100 and climbed to #11 on the R&B chart. The next single, “How Many Teardrops,” stalled at #46, perhaps due to Christie’s induction into the U.S. Army.
Discharged from the service, Christie wasted little time rejuvenating his career in 1965 when he signed with MGM Records and his first release became his biggest hit. Another Herbert/Christie composition, “Lightnin’ Strikes” first topped the charts in Canada in early 1966, then duplicated that feat in the U.S. In addition, it became Christie’s first U.K. hit, climbing to #11. “Lightnin’ Strikes” was somewhat controversial lyrically, the female chorus pleading “Stop!” to Christie’s advances, to which he replies, “I can’t stop. No I can’t stop myself.” The follow-up, “Rhapsody In The Rain” also co-written by Herbert & Christie, raised an even bigger fuss as “We were makin’ out in the rain. And in this car, our love went much too far” caused a radio ban in some spots. Still, the song reached U.S. #16 and #10 in Canada.
How times have changed.
He couldn’t find another hit until 1969 when he returned to center stage with “I’m Gonna Make You Mine,” which became his biggest smash overseas, climbing to #2 in the U.K. It also reached #5 in Canada and #10 in the U.S. In 1973, Christie’s recording of “Beyond The Blue Horizon” rose to #12 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart and has been featured in several movie soundtracks, including that of “Rain Man,” 1988’s top grossing film. In 2015, Christie released new material, including “Drive-in Dreams.”
See more at:
re: Speaking Of Burton Cummings ...
Burton Cummings, who fronted Canadian rockers the Guess Who in the late ’60s and early ’70s, is a most grateful fellow.
Near the end of his set at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, which was packed like a big, loud human sardine can with nearly 500 enthusiastic fans, he addressed his audience.
“Way back in the dinosaur era that was the early ’70s – back when we were recording our hits when I was in my twenties – I never, ever imagined that I’d be so fortunate as to still be performing at age 68 before such fabulous audiences as you, and I am so grateful,” he said.
Cummings, backed by the same quintet of veteran musicians he’s used for the past 15 years, performed a marvelous 90-minute set loaded with virtually all of his former band’s hit singles, most of which he either wrote by himself or with the band’s guitarist, Randy Bachman.
As Cummings delivered hit after hit, the same thought repeats, “Man, it’s so good to hear this again.”
Classic rock radio stations continue to incessantly spin over and over the likes of Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” Boston’s “More Than a Feeling,” Manfred Mann’s “Blinded by the Light” and especially Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
What’s left off their playlists are some really good songs, including Guess Who songs such as “No Time,” “Laughing,” the rollicking “Albert Flasher” (trust me, you’ll remember it when you hear it) and Cumming’s concert opener, one of two No. 1 hits from 1970, “No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature.”
What a drag.
Classic rock radio does play the Guess Who’s other No. 1 smash from 1970, “American Woman,” a lot, in fact. But it doesn’t even play the album version with the prolonged bluesy intro, so it was bloody marvelous hearing Cummings give the song what it deserves.
Now that Paul McCartney is in his 70s, like many seniors, his vibrato has often become more pronounced. Not Cummings.
His voice retains just the right timbre, the right amount of vibrato as well as that perfect vocal grit that gave many Guess Who songs added rock credibility. He still possesses an outstanding rock ’n’ roll voice.
Cummings is a charmingly fun and engaging performer whose entertaining gift of gab and array of broadly joyous and triumphant facial expressions gives one the impression that he is a genuinely fine fellow – a very nice guy.
As he wrapped his show, he took a moment to deliver to the throng the most genuinely heartfelt good wishes I have ever heard onstage from an entertainer.
He was so glad that so many demonstrative fans came out to hear him. With that, he ended the concert with his Top 10 hippie anthem from 1970, “Share the Land.”
That is, alas, another fine song that hardly receives classic rock radio airplay.
-- Steve Smith / Los Angeles Daily News
Steve hits on several points covered regularly in Forgotten Hits ... the "beat 'em to death" replays of radio today ... and the oversight of playing OTHER music that was just as meaningful in our lives growing up. SO many timeless classics are destined to be lost forever because these know-it-all consultants have decided that the public only needs to hear the same 500 songs over and over and over again ... and that THESE songs ... and ONLY these songs ... represent the greatest hits of all-time, classic hits we can't get enough of.
“Way back in the dinosaur era that was the early ’70s – back when we were recording our hits when I was in my twenties – I never, ever imagined that I’d be so fortunate as to still be performing at age 68 before such fabulous audiences as you, and I am so grateful,” he said.
Cummings, backed by the same quintet of veteran musicians he’s used for the past 15 years, performed a marvelous 90-minute set loaded with virtually all of his former band’s hit singles, most of which he either wrote by himself or with the band’s guitarist, Randy Bachman.
As Cummings delivered hit after hit, the same thought repeats, “Man, it’s so good to hear this again.”
Classic rock radio stations continue to incessantly spin over and over the likes of Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” Boston’s “More Than a Feeling,” Manfred Mann’s “Blinded by the Light” and especially Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
What’s left off their playlists are some really good songs, including Guess Who songs such as “No Time,” “Laughing,” the rollicking “Albert Flasher” (trust me, you’ll remember it when you hear it) and Cumming’s concert opener, one of two No. 1 hits from 1970, “No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature.”
What a drag.
Classic rock radio does play the Guess Who’s other No. 1 smash from 1970, “American Woman,” a lot, in fact. But it doesn’t even play the album version with the prolonged bluesy intro, so it was bloody marvelous hearing Cummings give the song what it deserves.
Now that Paul McCartney is in his 70s, like many seniors, his vibrato has often become more pronounced. Not Cummings.
His voice retains just the right timbre, the right amount of vibrato as well as that perfect vocal grit that gave many Guess Who songs added rock credibility. He still possesses an outstanding rock ’n’ roll voice.
Cummings is a charmingly fun and engaging performer whose entertaining gift of gab and array of broadly joyous and triumphant facial expressions gives one the impression that he is a genuinely fine fellow – a very nice guy.
As he wrapped his show, he took a moment to deliver to the throng the most genuinely heartfelt good wishes I have ever heard onstage from an entertainer.
He was so glad that so many demonstrative fans came out to hear him. With that, he ended the concert with his Top 10 hippie anthem from 1970, “Share the Land.”
That is, alas, another fine song that hardly receives classic rock radio airplay.
-- Steve Smith / Los Angeles Daily News
Steve hits on several points covered regularly in Forgotten Hits ... the "beat 'em to death" replays of radio today ... and the oversight of playing OTHER music that was just as meaningful in our lives growing up. SO many timeless classics are destined to be lost forever because these know-it-all consultants have decided that the public only needs to hear the same 500 songs over and over and over again ... and that THESE songs ... and ONLY these songs ... represent the greatest hits of all-time, classic hits we can't get enough of.
The Guess Who (with Burton Cummings out front) had 15 US Top 40 National Hits ... yet how often to do hear tracks like "Laughing" (#5, 1969); "Hand Me Down World" (#13, 1970); "Share The Land" (#5, 1970); "Hang On To Your Life" (#22, 1971); "Albert Flasher" (#22, 1971);
Rain Dance" (#11, 1971); "Heartbroken Bopper" (#26, 1972); "Star Baby" (#30, 1974) and "Dancin' Fool" (#24, 1974) anymore?
Rain Dance" (#11, 1971); "Heartbroken Bopper" (#26, 1972); "Star Baby" (#30, 1974) and "Dancin' Fool" (#24, 1974) anymore?
He also makes the point that while Paul McCartney (probably my all-time fave so I can say what I'm about to say about him) has lost the essence of the voice that makes him sound like Paul McCartney ... while Burton Cummings' voice is just as strong as ever ... he continues to nail it night after night after night. Catch him this year if you can ... you will NOT be disappointed. (Go to the show ... you can thank me later!!!) kk
re: Diggin' The Bobby Darin Hoodie:
re: Diggin' The Bobby Darin Hoodie:
I sent that jacket (or whatever it is) picture of the Bobby Darin “top” to a friend of mine.
Where did you get it? I know he’ll be asking as he’s a big Darin fan.
Thanks
Wm R Fellows
The hoodie photo came from FH Reader Frank B, who ordered it thru a Facebook Page. I asked him for the link as a couple of other folks asked about it, too.
Here's the link and the information ... but it sounds like this may have only been available for a short time. I'd say click on the link to check it out ... but you'd better order soon before it's no longer available to order. (kk)
Where did you get it? I know he’ll be asking as he’s a big Darin fan.
Thanks
Wm R Fellows
The hoodie photo came from FH Reader Frank B, who ordered it thru a Facebook Page. I asked him for the link as a couple of other folks asked about it, too.
Here's the link and the information ... but it sounds like this may have only been available for a short time. I'd say click on the link to check it out ... but you'd better order soon before it's no longer available to order. (kk)
Kent ...
Here's the information you wanted ... Upper right side = teechip.
It's against my better judgement.
Now I won't be the only kid on the block with a "Bobby Darin Sweatshirt."
https://www.facebook.com/914622135284637/photos/a.914723915274459.1073741828.914622135284637/950969384983245/?type=3&theater
Frank B.
https://www.facebook.com/914622135284637/photos/a.914723915274459.1073741828.914622135284637/950969384983245/?type=3&theater
Frank B.
On the other hand if these things really take off, you could find yourself on the cusp of fashion!!! (kk)
Better tell them to hurry up and order. It says the campaign ends in 8 hours.
Frank B.
I've checked it a few times now and they just keep increasing the order time. Might be best to use this link to place your order ...
Love that jacket of Frank B."s. For that matter, it's possible that no one needs therapy ... we just need to listen to those Bobby Darin songs and those "Forgotten Hits." The songs are great. The songs were songs when the music industry had a "social conscience." Today anything goes. For me the "music" is "disturbing" to listen to. Those oldies or vintage hits also had a lot of wisdom so people didn't need to see a psychologist, therapist, psychiatrist, social worker, analyst, etc. Yep, "Mama said there'd be days like this." Amen.
By the way, Kent, I recently discovered a local radio station from Morristown, NJ, that is playing some of the obscure stuff. It's AM radio, call letters, WMTR. I commend this station for having the courage to play stuff that isn't the usual play list. It's not even pay radio. There are commercials but they play seven songs in a row which is great. Besides that, It's free! It's good to hear those songs once again and relive the gold!
Sandy
Frank B also sent us this link to the 2nd Grammy Awards ceremony where Bobby Darin won for Best New Artist ... and his recording of "Mack The Knife" won for Record Of The Year.
http://www.grammy.com/awards/2nd-annual-grammy-awards
re: This And That:
Wow! What a memory.
The core trio on "We Are The World" was the best in the business, which is why the stars fell in line. Quincy Jones had done Thriller and was the hottest (and most respected) producer in town. Michael Jackson was Michael Jackson. And then there was Lionel Richie, who had written #1 hits in each of the previous seven years - "We Are The World" made it eight.
Carl Wiser
www.songfacts.com
Last Thursday we celebrated the anniversary of the "We Are The World" recording session that united SO many great voices together for a good cause.
re: This And That:
Wow! What a memory.
The core trio on "We Are The World" was the best in the business, which is why the stars fell in line. Quincy Jones had done Thriller and was the hottest (and most respected) producer in town. Michael Jackson was Michael Jackson. And then there was Lionel Richie, who had written #1 hits in each of the previous seven years - "We Are The World" made it eight.
Carl Wiser
www.songfacts.com
Last Thursday we celebrated the anniversary of the "We Are The World" recording session that united SO many great voices together for a good cause.
Unfortunately there was another anniversary this past week of a much sadder (and scarier) nature.
January 26th marked the 32 year anniversary of Michael Jackson's hair catching fire while filming a Pepsi Commercial with his brothers. Even all these years later the video is frightening.
Speaking of memorable moments from this past week, yesterday marked the 47 Year Anniversary of the last time The Beatles performed live together. It was the "rooftop concert" filmed during the making of their "Let it Be" documentary when The Beatles took to the roof of the Apple Studios and performed live versions of some of the new music they'd been working on ... "Get Back" (twice ... at the time, THIS was going to be the name of the project, showing The Beatles "getting back" to their early rock and roll roots in the studio), "Don't Let Me Down", "I Dig A Pony", "I've Got A Feelinlg" and "One After 909", one of the first songs ever written together by Lennon and McCartney back in the late '50's. It was a one-of-a-kind moment ... all that more exciting when the police showed up and made them stop playing for disturbing the peace during the afternoon rush hour. (kk)
7A Records is proud to present “An Evening With Peter Noone & Micky Dolenz”. Listen to the lead singers of the Monkees and Herman’s Hermits take turns to tell their fascinating life stories, as they open up and, for the first time ever, go on stage with no script, no songs - just conversation.
*Why put this package together? When we heard that these shows were being put together by the promoter, we thought it an opportunity too good to miss. It was a unique chance to catch the guys doing something they had never done before. We are absolutely thrilled to release these very special performances, as they offer a unique insight into the lives of the two stars, both on and off stage.
*How supportive have Micky and Peter been? Micky and Peter did everything they could to make sure the shows were a success. It’s pretty much a no holds barred affair! Having worked with Dolenz before, we already had a strong relationship with him and he has also been helping us via his twitter feed and Facebook page.
*What’s the album like? Well, any fans expecting to hear the same old stories are in for a surprise. There are many new revelations that we can guarantee you won’t have heard before, and some extremely funny moments. The chemistry between Micky and Peter is great and they are talking to each other as a pair of old friends, nothing gets watered down or left out. As Peter says “Like the rest of the inquisitive audience I enjoyed sitting chatting and having fun with my fellow entertainer and friend Micky Dolenz”.
What’s interesting is that because this was so new to them, these highly experienced performers were a little nervous about doing something out of their comfort zone! Micky told us “I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive about drifting into uncharted waters with my "Conversations with Peter Noone" but Peter is such a wonderful host and I was as fascinated by his stories as I hope he was by mine”.
*7a Records has previously had great success releasing ‘Micky Dolenz – The MGM Singles Collection’ on vinyl. You are also about to release a Micky Dolenz 7” single [Chance Of A Lifetime], Will this album be released on vinyl or is just a CD? The Dolenz vinyl releases are very special to us at 7a Records. We would love to do more vinyl releases, however, with the long running time of the two shows, we would have had to edit out a substantial part of the conversations to make them fit onto two LPs. We believe people should hear the complete shows, so this release will be on CD only.
*Will it be available in the US, or just the UK? 7a Records is based in the UK but this is a worldwide release…keep checking your online retailers and even your local record stores! The UK release date will be March 7th with the US date probably being the following week in order to allow for distribution.
*What does the name of the label signify? Monkee fans will get the reference – it’s the spoken intro to Daydream Believer. A very tired Davy Jones asking the producer ‘What number is this Chip?’ to be met by a sarcastic ‘7a!’
*What’s next for 7a Records? We are fully focused on this Album right now, but we have also recently released Bobby Hart’s ‘First Solo Album’, which we are still busy promoting. We do have some very exciting projects coming up in the future including the 7” vinyl release of Micky Dolenz’s previously unreleased songs “Chance Of A Lifetime” b/w “Livin’ On Lies”. “The MGM Singles Collection” with bonus tracks will be released on CD, and if that wasn’t enough, we are very excited about some releases featuring Bobby’s songwriting partner Tommy Boyce. Busy times!
For more information please visit:
www.7arecords.com
www.facebook.com/7aRecords
An Evening With Peter Noone & Micky Dolenz CD Cat No: 7A004 EAN: 5060209950044
Disc 1: Recorded Thursday, 7th January 2016,
The Space At Westbury, Westbury, NY
1. Three Minutes To Tell Our Life Stories
2. My Mom Was A Huge Fan Of Yours
3.The Bee Gees’ Dad
4. Don't Get Me Drunk, Pissed Off And Armed
5. Ah! Mr. Sinatra!
6. A Herrin’ On The Griddle-O
7. The Greatest Bull In All Of Mexico!
8. It Was The Beginning Of Weed
9. Micky And The One Nighters
10. Weeing My Pants 11. There Was A War
12. Randy Scouse Git
13. Tell Me About Brian Jones
14. I Met Elvis, Who Did You Meet?
15. I Have So Many Regrets 16. Not Many People Have Been Beaten Up By John Lennon
Disc 2: Recorded Saturday, 9th January 2016, The Memorial Auditorium, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
1. Deja Voodoo
2. Little Richard, Chuck Berry And Johnny Mathis
3. That S
ounds Rude!
4. I'd Never Been...To A Brothel
5. Let's Go And Meet Those Monkee Guys
6. The Beatles Came Second
7. Walla Walla Bing Bang
8. The Cavern Didn't Have Booze
9. I Was The Total Freak
10. Pleasant Valley
11. Monkee Meets Beatle
12. I Met Johnny Cash
13. Brian Wilson Is Coming Over
14. I Got To Hang With John Lennon
15. The Odd Couple 16. I've Forgotten The Lyrics To Clarksville
17. Second Verse, Same As The First
2CD Set – Over 2 Hours’ Playing Time
Unique, Never Before Released Recordings
8 Page Colour Booklet
Informative Liner Notes
Exclusive Pictures
1. Three Minutes To Tell Our Life Stories
2. My Mom Was A Huge Fan Of Yours
3.The Bee Gees’ Dad
4. Don't Get Me Drunk, Pissed Off And Armed
5. Ah! Mr. Sinatra!
6. A Herrin’ On The Griddle-O
7. The Greatest Bull In All Of Mexico!
8. It Was The Beginning Of Weed
9. Micky And The One Nighters
10. Weeing My Pants 11. There Was A War
12. Randy Scouse Git
13. Tell Me About Brian Jones
14. I Met Elvis, Who Did You Meet?
15. I Have So Many Regrets 16. Not Many People Have Been Beaten Up By John Lennon
Disc 2: Recorded Saturday, 9th January 2016, The Memorial Auditorium, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
1. Deja Voodoo
2. Little Richard, Chuck Berry And Johnny Mathis
3. That S
ounds Rude!
4. I'd Never Been...To A Brothel
5. Let's Go And Meet Those Monkee Guys
6. The Beatles Came Second
7. Walla Walla Bing Bang
8. The Cavern Didn't Have Booze
9. I Was The Total Freak
10. Pleasant Valley
11. Monkee Meets Beatle
12. I Met Johnny Cash
13. Brian Wilson Is Coming Over
14. I Got To Hang With John Lennon
15. The Odd Couple 16. I've Forgotten The Lyrics To Clarksville
17. Second Verse, Same As The First
2CD Set – Over 2 Hours’ Playing Time
Unique, Never Before Released Recordings
8 Page Colour Booklet
Informative Liner Notes
Exclusive Pictures
Hey Kent -
Did you happen to notice the cover of the December issue of Rolling Stone Magazine.
How ironic!
Check out the bottom right corner.
Bill Hengels
Bill Hengels
Yep, the downside of having to go to press early to hit the newsstands in time to catch the release date of a brand new album. (kk)
Bob Merlis sent us this 4-Star Review of Dion's new album from MOJO Magazine ...
Hey, WE liked it, too ... here's our review from a couple of weeks ago ...
Dion DiMucci - New York Is My Home:
I've been listening to Dion's latest album, "New York Is My Home" ... and really enjoying what I'm hearing.
Dion's last few releases have planted him squarely in the blues groove and his whole style and demeanor make this a perfect fit. Dion is in fine voice throughout this new release as he runs through ten great tracks, eight of which he cowrote himself.
Dion DiMucci - New York Is My Home:
I've been listening to Dion's latest album, "New York Is My Home" ... and really enjoying what I'm hearing.
Dion's last few releases have planted him squarely in the blues groove and his whole style and demeanor make this a perfect fit. Dion is in fine voice throughout this new release as he runs through ten great tracks, eight of which he cowrote himself.
The entire album feels all at once comfortable and familiar as Dion truly seems to be in his element, recording in this style. (Who knew one could do SO much with so few chords! And believe me, that's a COMPLIMENT and not a diss.)
DiMucci has a way of taking the most obvious blues chord patterns, throwing in an occasional Chuck Berry-type lick and weaving them into something fresh and new sounding ... while still retaining the very essence of the genre. And the musicianship throughout fills just the right number of voids without ever going over the top ... again, a simple case of laying down ... and sticking with ... the overall groove. It is very clear that Dion knows that sometimes less is more ... and it works to his full advantage on this new LP.
DiMucci has a way of taking the most obvious blues chord patterns, throwing in an occasional Chuck Berry-type lick and weaving them into something fresh and new sounding ... while still retaining the very essence of the genre. And the musicianship throughout fills just the right number of voids without ever going over the top ... again, a simple case of laying down ... and sticking with ... the overall groove. It is very clear that Dion knows that sometimes less is more ... and it works to his full advantage on this new LP.
I can only imagine what a Dion concert sounds like today. I've got to believe that he is most comfortable playing his most recent material, as it suits him to a "t" ... but the fans are still going to want to hear the hits like "The Wanderer", "Runaround Sue", "Teenager In Love", etc. It must be a bit of a fine line trying to give them both at this stage of the game. (Fans often forget that artists have to compromise from time to time, too!)
The song garnering the most attention from the new CD has got to be Dion's duet with Paul Simon on the title track, "New York Is My Home" ... this seems to be the one that everybody's talking about ... and it's a nice track and a real delight to see these two veteran artists pool their talents to create a track like this ... but to my ears ... and thanks to some other incredibly solid material ... it just may be the weakest track on the album. Sure, it's great to hear these two '60's icons paired up, talking about the city that they love ... but it just doesn't seem to "fit" within the context of the rest of the LP. In fact, it almost hits you like a speed bump because everywhere else you're just cruising along, totally stuck in the vibe. While under any other circumstances their collaboration would be considered to be a stand-out, worthy of special attention and promotion, in this instance it seems to "get in the way" of the rest of Dion's message. Perhaps a stand-alone "companion single" released in conjunction with the new LP would have been a better way to go, rather than break up the momentum found everywhere else on the album.
If the title track doesn't especially work for me, I've already got several other favorites on the album ... "The Apollo King", "I'm All Rocked Up", "Can't Go Back To Memphis", "I'm Your Gangster Of Love" and "I Ain't For It" all struck an immediate nerve ... but the truth is, you'll want to listen to most of these tracks multiple times in order to really take them in. There is some fine vocalizing and musicianship on display throughout this new CD. (Makes you wonder what a Bruce Springsteen-produced Dion LP would sound like!)
The song garnering the most attention from the new CD has got to be Dion's duet with Paul Simon on the title track, "New York Is My Home" ... this seems to be the one that everybody's talking about ... and it's a nice track and a real delight to see these two veteran artists pool their talents to create a track like this ... but to my ears ... and thanks to some other incredibly solid material ... it just may be the weakest track on the album. Sure, it's great to hear these two '60's icons paired up, talking about the city that they love ... but it just doesn't seem to "fit" within the context of the rest of the LP. In fact, it almost hits you like a speed bump because everywhere else you're just cruising along, totally stuck in the vibe. While under any other circumstances their collaboration would be considered to be a stand-out, worthy of special attention and promotion, in this instance it seems to "get in the way" of the rest of Dion's message. Perhaps a stand-alone "companion single" released in conjunction with the new LP would have been a better way to go, rather than break up the momentum found everywhere else on the album.
If the title track doesn't especially work for me, I've already got several other favorites on the album ... "The Apollo King", "I'm All Rocked Up", "Can't Go Back To Memphis", "I'm Your Gangster Of Love" and "I Ain't For It" all struck an immediate nerve ... but the truth is, you'll want to listen to most of these tracks multiple times in order to really take them in. There is some fine vocalizing and musicianship on display throughout this new CD. (Makes you wonder what a Bruce Springsteen-produced Dion LP would sound like!)
My personal favorite is the lead-off track, "Aces Up Your Sleeve" which, for me, sets the tone of the whole LP. (kk)
Here's your chance to win a very special commemorative Sam Cooke birthday package from ABKCO Records ...
Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on January 22, 1931, making today the 85th birthday of “the man who invented soul.” To mark the milestone, a new video that incorporates the lyrics to Cooke’s most celebrated work, the evocative “A Change Is Gonna Come” as well as scenes of the ongoing worldwide struggle for social justice has just premiered.
Click to view “A Change Is Gonna Come” http://ow.ly/XpMBn
Grammy Award winning singer / writer / producer The-Dream released IAMSAM, an album of Sam Cooke covers recorded as a tribute to his late mother. On the eve of its release last month, he commented "My mother loved a lot of artists growing up but the one we shared the most interest in together was Sam Cooke, so tonight, I give him back to her."
More recently, he noted, "I can’t even start to imagine a career in music without the thought of hearing the voice of Sam Cooke. Sam Cooke made his way in the '60s, a trying time for blacks, especially in the south. The hurt and the pain and the love that he shared through his voice in that time is something that is kind of hard to try and understand now but I see Sam Cooke’s voice almost as a dictionary and a encyclopedia of what that feeling was in what those days. I can hear it all, in between every major and in between every minor, every note I can hear the love and the pain of Sam Cooke."
Concurrent with the celebration of Cooke’s birthday, ABKCO Records and Music has launched a two-week long competition, concluding February 6, in which entrants are asked to shoot and post videos of their own performances of one of six Sam Cooke classics: “You Send Me,” “Cupid,” “What A Wonderful World,” “Chain Gang,” “Bring It On Home To Me” and, of course, “A Change Is Gonna Come.”
Three entrants whose videos posted on Youtube that garner the most viewers over that period of time will each earn a Sam Cooke Birthday Package.
That prize is a collection of Sam Cooke’s ABKCO and SAR releases:
Sam Cooke Portrait of a Legend 1951-1963 (180 gram Vinyl & CD)
Ain’t That Good News: Sam Cooke (CD, and past Record Store Day exclusive Vinyl)
Sam Cooke SAR Records Story (2 Disc Set. 56 songs plus 84 page book),
Sam Cooke at the Copa (DVD)
Sam Cooke Legend (DVD)
The Complete SAR Records Recordings [L.C. Cooke] (CD)
Joy In My Soul: The Complete SAR Recordings [The Soul Stirrers] (CD)
Live At Harlem Square (180 Gram Vinyl and CD)
Night Beat (Vinyl and CD)
Videos may be submitted through www.samcooke.com/birthdaycontest
Bob Merlis / M.F.H.
This is a pretty cool offer for anybody (or someone you know) to shoot a video and put it in contention to win the Sam Cooke Birthday Package described above.
This is a pretty cool offer for anybody (or someone you know) to shoot a video and put it in contention to win the Sam Cooke Birthday Package described above.
Even if you're not the "artsy type", please watch the new “A Change Is Gonna Come" video as it underscores how eternally wonderful Sam Cooke is. (kk)
Bob also tells us about this cool new video promoting Roy Orbison's "One Of The Lonely Ones"
Bob also tells us about this cool new video promoting Roy Orbison's "One Of The Lonely Ones"
BURLESQUE QUEEN TEMPEST STORM RETURNS, STARS IN ROY ORBISON “ONE OF THE LONELY ONES” VIDEO
Burlesque legend Tempest Storm stars in the brand new video for the title track of a brand new Roy Orbison album that had remained unreleased for 46 years. “One of the Lonely Ones.” The single and the album were recorded at a pivotal time in the life of Roy Orbison. Roy was trying to emerge from the despair he suffered after two of his sons perished in a house fire while he was away on tour, this after losing his wife Claudette, the mother of those children, in a motorcycle accident barely two years earlier.
The video, directed by the husband and wife team of Michael and Alana Lawrence (billed as Daya & Wolf, here), was shot on location at Little Darlings strip club in Las Vegas, and stars Tempest Storm whose career trajectory in the prudish 1950s and early ‘60s broke new ground in glamour and erotica. Ms. Storm, born Annie Banks in Eastman, Georgia, 87 years ago, celebrates her 22nd birthday – she was born on leap year day 1928 – this coming February 29th. Romantically linked to Elvis Presley and the star of such films as Paris After Midnight (1951), Striptease Girl (1952), French Peep Show (1954), Teaserama (1955) and Buxom Beautease (1956) she was coaxed out of retirement to portray a character broadly based on herself. Tempest Storm is the subject of a feature length documentary currently in production.
Michael Lawrence commented, "For months, my wife and I had been obsessing over the idea of using a mature woman in one of our films. Roy Orbison has had a great effect on both our lives long before now. His music gives insight into the human condition, and his own life. Alana became fixated with the intrepid burlesque dancer Tempest Storm, 87, beautiful, and with a lifetime of stories. Equally fascinated, we intertwined both characters in the story - our image of Orbison’s words and Tempest’s beauty. We gravitated towards creating lush, cinematic visuals that truly captured the essence of the lyrics. Rather than create a dense narrative, we wanted to create a film that was more open-ended, with room for interpretation and speaks to one’s idea of loneliness and lost love. The neon light, aching lust, and heartache that fill a strip club seemed to best capture the emptiness. There is universality to this story. It is striking, when listening to the lyrics, to witness one’s older self on that same journey, walking into the night, in search of whiskey and good company.”
Alex Orbison who, along with his brothers Wesley and Roy, Jr., runs Roy’s Boys, the family company that oversees the Roy Orbison catalogs, recently commented to Southern California Public Radio about his father and the song the video highlights, “I know ‘One Of The Lonely Ones’ was one of the first ones out of the gate that he had written. I think it had enabled him to get further and get a grasp on his situation,” a reference to the loss of his two children in the house fire.
One of the Lonely Ones, Orbison’s “lost” album, was recorded between January and August of 1969 but never released, and thereafter forgotten. Alex, Roy Jr. and Wesley discovered the album when they were preparing for the release of The MGM Years 1965 – 1973 box set (13 CDs/14 LPs) that chronicles the numerous album and singles released from Orbison during his amazingly prolific tenure with MGM Records. One of the Lonely Ones, a testament to Roy’s unparalleled ability to turn heartbreak into art, has been released on its own and has come to be an international phenomenon. It was been warmly accepted in the UK where, at the dawn of their career, the Beatles toured with Orbison as his opening act. The album recently broke into the top 40 of Australia’s ARIA album chart. Germany is another fervent market for this very special Orbison release. Roy’s second wife and mother to Alex and Roy, Jr., was born Barbara Wellhöner Jakobs, and a native of Bielefeld, Germany. She married Roy in 1969 during an interval between recording sessions for the album that would become One of the Lonely Ones. Barbara went on to manage her husband’s career including his collaboration with George Harrison, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Bob Dylan as The Traveling Wilburys. Both “You Got It,” Orbison’s massive hit single and the Mystery Girl album of which it was part, were released after his tragic death in December 1988. Barbara Orbison ran the family’s business until her death in 2011, exactly 23 years after that of her husband.
One of the Lonely Ones was transferred from the original tape at the famed Blackbird Studio in Nashville, TN, and the tracks were individually mixed by Chuck Turner (whose credits include Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss and Marty Stuart) at the Cash Cabin under Alex Orbison’s supervision. Finally, the restored-to-stereo tracks were put in the capable hands of Richard Dodd for mastering.
Hey kk!
Davie Allan does a swell fuzz drenched Cara Mia!
Davie Allan (Skaterdater) was Linda Ronstadt's guitarist from this recording session from 1965 (released at a laterdater).
Davie is offering a special whale of a deal!
"50th Anniversary" CD
"King Of The Fuzz Guitar" CD
"Retrophonic 4" (2013) CD
All three for $10.00!!!!!!
(includes U.S. Shipping & Handling-please add $1.00 for PayPal)
Davie Allan
12100 Coventry Way
Unit 306
Tustin, CA 92782
And he will even sign them all if requested!
Hey Kent -
Someone from one of the Facebook groups I belong to posted this Keener Chart from this date in 1966 ...50 years ago this week.
This is the station that I listened to when I was growing up in Detroit.
This is the station that I listened to when I was growing up in Detroit.
Frank
We've had a few people write in recently to tell us how much they miss our weekly surveys ... so we'll try to post them from time to time ... starting with THIS one from WKNR / Detroit. (kk)
Alex Valdez sent us this reminder that we're not the ONLY ones getting older ...
Alex Valdez sent us this reminder that we're not the ONLY ones getting older ...
some of our childhood favorites are celebrating anniversaries that are up there as well ...
Time marches on, even for cartoon characters.
Time marches on, even for cartoon characters.
Feeling any older this morning?
Few people realize it but ...
Our favourite cartoon characters are also now seniors!
