The Mike and Micky Show:
I'm not only gonna listen to the band, I'll see them, too. Got my tix.
Jack
It sounds like several FH Readers snatched up tickets the day they went on sale. I’m thinking that this is going to be a very interesting, one-of-a-kind show … looking forward to it! (kk)
Jim Peterik:
Jim Peterik:
Got this from FH Reader Tom Cuddy in New York … talkin’ about our Local Hero, Jim Peterik, recently spotlighted in The Chicago Tribune …
Jim Peterik puts a fresh spin on his hits …
We reviewed Jim Peterik’s “The Songs” album when it first came out … I was less than enthusiastic about some of the tracks, all reworkings of Jim’s best known songs … but then Jim insisted I come out and see the show live … and he totally won me over.
(I believe shortly after that we were the first to showcase his “Caught Up In You” video.)
If you live in the Valparaiso area, you will enjoy this show. (Ticket information can be found in the article attached to the link above.) Peterik never puts on anything less than a top-notch performance and even in this stripped-down, acoustic songs-and-stories setting, the power of the music still comes shining through. Highly recommended. (kk)
Have you been hearing any of this Quincy Jones spouting off lately? Called The Beatles sub-par musicians … accused Michael Jackson of stealing several songs from other artists … chastised Taylor Swift for writing hooks instead of songs … and claims that at the age of 72 he dated Donald Trump’s 24 year old daughter Ivanka. Quincy has since apologized (after an intervention staged by his daughters) for his “vomitofthemouth” comments. Yikes! (kk)
Upcoming Events and Releases:
Classic Rock Legends Wishbone Ash
Classic Rock Legends Wishbone Ash
Hit the Open Road on Spring US Tour
Wishbone Ash, one of the most influential guitar bands in the history of rock, will be coming to the States in April, 2018, on the Open Road Tour. True to its name, the tour will see the band clocking some serious miles as they return to America's Southern swath, from North Carolina and Florida to California. Longtime fans and new converts alike will revel in the group’s signature twin-guitar mastery and powerhouse rhythm section as they present classics spanning their career.
Formed in 1969, Wishbone Ash is gearing up for its 50th anniversary on the heels of a limited-edition deluxe 30-disc box set, “Wishbone Ash: The Vintage Years,” available April, 2018, through Madfish Records while supplies last.
True road warriors, each year these British rock legends log around 30,000 miles, roughly equivalent to circumnavigating the earth. “We are breaking with our usual U.S. tour schedule and hitting the road early in 2018 to take in some cities that we haven’t been to for quite some time,” says founding member Andy Powell (guitar / lead vocals). “The tour will be heavy on Southern dates like North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and then into Texas, Arizona and, finally, California.”
In the fall, the band will return to North America for some Canadian shows. “Everyone is rested and fighting fit, and looking forward to introducing new audiences to wunderkind Mark Abrahams on guitar, while hopefully surprising folks with some tunes from the vaults,” Powell says.
Formed in 1969, Wishbone Ash is gearing up for its 50th anniversary on the heels of a limited-edition deluxe 30-disc box set, “Wishbone Ash: The Vintage Years,” available April, 2018, through Madfish Records while supplies last.
True road warriors, each year these British rock legends log around 30,000 miles, roughly equivalent to circumnavigating the earth. “We are breaking with our usual U.S. tour schedule and hitting the road early in 2018 to take in some cities that we haven’t been to for quite some time,” says founding member Andy Powell (guitar / lead vocals). “The tour will be heavy on Southern dates like North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and then into Texas, Arizona and, finally, California.”
In the fall, the band will return to North America for some Canadian shows. “Everyone is rested and fighting fit, and looking forward to introducing new audiences to wunderkind Mark Abrahams on guitar, while hopefully surprising folks with some tunes from the vaults,” Powell says.
Abrahams, who replaced 12-year veteran Muddy Manninen last summer, will be trading licks with Powell; he’s already been earning rave reviews from fans on both sides of the Atlantic. Longtime rhythm section Bob Skeat on bass and Joe Crabtree on drums continue to provide the solid groove that is their hallmark.
Through the years the band has delved into various musical genres, from folk, blues and jazz to pedal-to-the-metal rock and electronica. Whatever the style, Wishbone Ash’s hallmark is the distinctive twin-melodic lead guitar interplay that has influenced such bands as Thin Lizzy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Iron Maiden and, more recently, Opeth.
“The band basically lives together year-round on the road, so we have a very strong level of communication that translates in our performances and recordings,” says Powell. “We’ve come to an era where the industry has to pigeonhole a band as Classic Rock, Prog Rock, Heritage Rock and so on. The truth is that we have always kept our options open and always relied on the musicianship of the players to lead the way. It’s fun to be stylistically diverse and this has, in its way, contributed to our longevity.”
Wishbone Ash has to its credit 24 original studio recordings, 11 live albums and five live DVDs along with a DVD rockumentary (“This is Wishbone Ash”). Released April 2018, “The Vintage Years” 30-disc box set, three-and-a-half years in the making, is a special collection dedicated to the band's output from 1970 to 1991, including all 16 studio albums, three live albums, eight previously unreleased live shows from 1973 to 1980, a 156-page coffee-table hardcover book and an assortment of memorabilia. Also now available are the first official re-releases in decades of “Twin Barrels Burning” from 1982 and “Raw to the Bone” from 1985, plus definitive editions with all new 2017 remasters.
In 2015, Powell released his musical memoir, “Eyes Wide Open: True Tales of a Wishbone Ash Warrior,” co-written with renowned Irish music journalist Colin Harper and now available in Kindle and Apple iBook formats. “It’s quite an undertaking to put 46 years of being a touring musician in this one band into book form,” he says. “I’ve seen a lot of changes in the music business and the world in general, as you can imagine.”
There is no other rock band in history that has done more with the twin guitar concept than The Ash. Be sure to catch them on the Open Road US Tour in April 2018. Tour dates and more information can be found at www.wishboneash.com.
Wishbone Ash US Tour Dates
April, 2018:
03 - Harvester Performance Center - Rocky Mount, VA
04 - Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC
06 - City Winery Atlanta - Atlanta, GA
07 - Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts - Melbourne, FL
08 - Skippers Smokehouse - Tampa, FL
11 - House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
13 - Keys Lounge - Fort Worth, TX
14 - Sam's Burger Joint - San Antonio, TX
15 - One World Theatre - Austin, TX
18 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ
19 - Railhead, Boulder Station Hotel Casino - Las Vegas, NV
20 - Canyon Club - Agoura Hills, CA
21 - The Rose - Pasadena, CA
22 - The Coach House - San Juan Capistrano, CA
25 - Yoshi's Jazz Club - Oakland, CA
26 - The Fox - Redwood City, CA
For more information: www.wishboneash.com
Through the years the band has delved into various musical genres, from folk, blues and jazz to pedal-to-the-metal rock and electronica. Whatever the style, Wishbone Ash’s hallmark is the distinctive twin-melodic lead guitar interplay that has influenced such bands as Thin Lizzy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Iron Maiden and, more recently, Opeth.
“The band basically lives together year-round on the road, so we have a very strong level of communication that translates in our performances and recordings,” says Powell. “We’ve come to an era where the industry has to pigeonhole a band as Classic Rock, Prog Rock, Heritage Rock and so on. The truth is that we have always kept our options open and always relied on the musicianship of the players to lead the way. It’s fun to be stylistically diverse and this has, in its way, contributed to our longevity.”
Wishbone Ash has to its credit 24 original studio recordings, 11 live albums and five live DVDs along with a DVD rockumentary (“This is Wishbone Ash”). Released April 2018, “The Vintage Years” 30-disc box set, three-and-a-half years in the making, is a special collection dedicated to the band's output from 1970 to 1991, including all 16 studio albums, three live albums, eight previously unreleased live shows from 1973 to 1980, a 156-page coffee-table hardcover book and an assortment of memorabilia. Also now available are the first official re-releases in decades of “Twin Barrels Burning” from 1982 and “Raw to the Bone” from 1985, plus definitive editions with all new 2017 remasters.
In 2015, Powell released his musical memoir, “Eyes Wide Open: True Tales of a Wishbone Ash Warrior,” co-written with renowned Irish music journalist Colin Harper and now available in Kindle and Apple iBook formats. “It’s quite an undertaking to put 46 years of being a touring musician in this one band into book form,” he says. “I’ve seen a lot of changes in the music business and the world in general, as you can imagine.”
There is no other rock band in history that has done more with the twin guitar concept than The Ash. Be sure to catch them on the Open Road US Tour in April 2018. Tour dates and more information can be found at www.wishboneash.com.
Wishbone Ash US Tour Dates
April, 2018:
03 - Harvester Performance Center - Rocky Mount, VA
04 - Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC
06 - City Winery Atlanta - Atlanta, GA
07 - Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts - Melbourne, FL
08 - Skippers Smokehouse - Tampa, FL
11 - House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
13 - Keys Lounge - Fort Worth, TX
14 - Sam's Burger Joint - San Antonio, TX
15 - One World Theatre - Austin, TX
18 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ
19 - Railhead, Boulder Station Hotel Casino - Las Vegas, NV
20 - Canyon Club - Agoura Hills, CA
21 - The Rose - Pasadena, CA
22 - The Coach House - San Juan Capistrano, CA
25 - Yoshi's Jazz Club - Oakland, CA
26 - The Fox - Redwood City, CA
For more information: www.wishboneash.com
And, talking about vintage hard rock band making a comeback, we jut got this email from Fred Glickstein, formerly of The Flock …
NEW DOUBLE CD FROM USA/CHICAGO 60s - 70s CLASSIC MUSIC GROUP - THE FLOCK!!! ~ RECENTLY RELEASED
Flock performed at the Royal Albert Hall in 1969 and has many, many fans in the UK.
Flock performed at the Royal Albert Hall in 1969 and has many, many fans in the UK.
Flock also toured all over the UK and Europe and the U.S. 1969 – 1975, performing at the Bath Festival, UK, Olympia Theater - Paris, FR, and at the Seattle, L.A. and Denver Pop Festivals, sharing the stages with Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Canned Heat, Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead and many more!
Truth - the Columbia Recordings 1969-1970
Truth - the Columbia Recordings 1969-1970
We heard from June Millington of Fanny last week – she tells us that she and her sister Jean (collectively one half of the original band) have a new project in the works …
Hi Kent –
Haven’t heard from you for a while, but, there's a new cd coming out from the new-ish band Fanny Walked the Earth (that I'm in, both me and sis Jean are half of Fanny) that you might wanna look out for ...
All best!
June
Very cool … I still love playing “Charity Ball” … what a great track! Keep us posted … especially if you’ve got any live shows coming up. Thanks, June! (kk)
Lovin’ The Saturday Surveys:
Just looking at the WKMI surveys you posted …
"Telephone Man" was #1 on that station? Holy moly!
"Brooklyn" by Cody Jameson ... later revealed to be "Days Of Our Lives"
actress Gloria Loring, years before her smash #1 duet with Carl
Anderson. Produced by Mike Post.
And Narada Michael Walden ... years before his Grammy® win as Producer of the Year ... largely for two one-named albums, "Aretha" (Franklin) and "Whitney" (Houston).
BOB FRABLE
>>>You'll also find Madeline Bell's original version of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" premiering at #34. (kk)
Actually, the first version of that song was by Dee Dee Warwick in late 1966, more than a year before the Madeline Bell version was released.
– Randy Price
I stand corrected. Dee Dee Warwick’s version premiered in late November of 1966 and climbed to #77 in Record World, 11 places higher than it did in Billboard. (Of course now I gotta hear it!!! (kk)
(A good song is a good song … and as much as I loved the Madeline Bell version when it came out in ’68, I’ve gotta go with The Supremes and The Temptations on this one … they really classed it up!) kk
>>>Thank you for featuring the Portraits song Runaround Girl. That should have been a hit. A Four Seasons / Happenings sound with a Davie Allan guitar could have been a winner. (Phil Nee – WRCO)
I just saw I appreciate Phil's comment about “Runaround Girl.” I probably mentioned sometime in the distant past that I guested on his Saturday night show one night back in in 12/94 when my first book had just come out (and I toured the state promoting it.)
However, I'll have to correct Phil about the guitar.
That's our guy, John Beilfuss (as John Rondell back then), on guitar and he also wrote the song.
The Portraits did add vocals to two film songs that had tracks cut by studio players, which included Davie Allan, but we played all the tracks on our two 45s.
Gary E. Myers / MusicGem
So now I’ve gotta see if Davie remembers any of that!!! (His computer has been for major repair so it may take him awhile to get back to us … but I’ll still ask!) kk
Hi Kent,
It was "Devil's Angels."
(Looking at Phil Nee’s original note, apparently Davie appeared on a couple of other Portrait tracks along the way, too – kk)
I told many people about this, but not sure if I included you …
After three nightmares in a row ("download only" albums and giving featuring credit to uncaring female vocalists on the last two), I am going back to instros. I've started working on a "fuzz extravaganza". Hope to be finished in the summer.
Thanks!
Davie
From our Saturday Surveys Calendar:
>>>2/18/68: David Gilmour replaces Syd Barrett in Pink Floyd after Barrett, who founded the band, was fired for erratic behavior and out of control drug use. (kk)
Since you were asking about most overrated artists recently, the above was the beginning of (apologies to FH friend Stu Shea) one of MY top most overrated bands ever. It's not that I dislike Pink Floyd (I like several of their songs), I just feel they are way overrated. Much of their material is just plain boring. You hear about eight songs on the radio and much of their other material is just plain boring, post-Syd.
I'll throw the Grateful Dead in there, too. With them, you either get them or don't … and I don't. With the great following both bands still have, I am obviously in the minority and that's fine with me. Try listening to their album, "Animals," which Amazon gives a 4.5 star rating. OMG!
WLSClark
Hidden gems and glorious memories!
I am not sure how many of your readers experienced one of New England's greatest Bar Bands and Happy Hour performers on Cape Cod (Summers) and up in Vermont (Winters) from the late 60's to the early 90's ... THE FABULOUS FARQUAHR … but I sure did!
So what a smile came over my being when I noticed the 40th and last song on the WPGC Survey from Feb 23, 1968, 'Sister Theresa's Orphanage,' made the list, and, of course, as often happens they got Farquahr misspelled … but they were an amazing group with an under-appreciated song writer named Doug Lapham, who had a couple of songs for Ral Donner and a great Dr Demento, offering 'Cloud Nine Motel'.
You continue to amaze with your dedication to the sounds of our lives.
Thank you,
CharlieOFD
P.S. I have that song.
Then send it along and we’ll feature in our next post! Thanks, Charlie! (kk)
Hey Kent -
My goodness! WPGC-AM and FM, Morningside!
There were several Top 40 stations in the Washington area back in the day. None of them had a really great signal, though, and FM just wasn’t geared for rock music at the time.
DC never had that blowtorch AM Top 40 outlet the way Chicago, NYC, LA or virtually any other major city had. ‘PGC was pretty doggone decent, though.
That survey took me back to a really good place!
- Larry Cave
That’s kinda what we’re hoping as we post these charts every Saturday … We’ve got readers from all over the country who grew up listening to their favorite Top 40 stations back in the day … and as we move from city to city and state to state, our hope is that we’ll rekindle some kind of a “feel good” vibe with each and every stop. (Looks like we hit home with on this one!) Mission accomplished! (kk)
Looks like this week we'll be in Oklahoma for our Saturday Survey Fifty Year Flashbacks! Speaking of which ...
Here's another one of the greats ...
From this date in '68! (kk)
Looks like this week we'll be in Oklahoma for our Saturday Survey Fifty Year Flashbacks! Speaking of which ...
Here's another one of the greats ...
From this date in '68! (kk)
[Good luck getting THIS one out of your head today!!!]
