You're going to be here for awhile reading this week's edition of The Sunday Comments!!!
The Saturday Survey: HAWAII … Always a Fun Series, No Exceptions!: Good response to this week's chart from The Islands … and the Exceptions song in particular!
Hope all is well, Kent.
There actually has been a CD compilation collecting all the songs by the Exceptions. I believe member James Vincent himself compiled it.
There actually has been a CD compilation collecting all the songs by the Exceptions. I believe member James Vincent himself compiled it.
Interestingl, just last week on eBay, I scored an unreleased acetate by Kal David & The Exceptions. It’s a cover of ‘Bony Maroni’.
Cheers,
Mike Dugo
Cheers,
Mike Dugo
Kent,
Thanks to the internet, I just discovered this record this year, but the side I discovered was the B side!!! The B side is fantastic! How either side didn’t get played in Chicago, a hotbed of local airplay activity, is a mystery to me.
Tony Waitekus
Hey Kent -
Wasn’t Top 40 radio such a delightful train wreck back in the day?
I mean, Steppenwolf and Tiny Tim on the same chart at the same time? C’mon, man! Who doesn’t miss those days?
- Larry Cave
Wasn’t Top 40 radio such a delightful train wreck back in the day?
I mean, Steppenwolf and Tiny Tim on the same chart at the same time? C’mon, man! Who doesn’t miss those days?
- Larry Cave
D.J. Fontana:
Elvis' original drummer D.J. Fontana has died. He was the last of the original band that performed on Presley's earliest Sun Records and RCA recordings. (Fontana was joined by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, backing up the ground-breaking vocals … and swiveling hips … of rock and roll's first major star, Elvis Presley.)
Rolling Stone Magazine covered it this way:
We also received several links and emails from readers …
Here are just a few …
We also heard from a couple of the members of THE HIT MEN, the popular “real deal” musicians who each helped deliver dozens of hits to the superstar artists of the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s.
Here are their comments on the impact of the passing of longtime Elvis Presley drummer DJ Fontana … and the influence he had on their own careers …
Lee Shapiro, keyboardist and musical director … and Frankie Valli’s “kid” musical director in the ‘70s, had this to say:
“DJ Fontana influenced the way I write for a rock rhythm section - he was solid, steady, and sparse. Most drummers were intent on displaying their technique and mastery of the instrument. DJ played his role perfectly. The heartbeat of Elvis’ show, the anchor, and the battery who powered it. I learned from DJ that it doesn’t take a million notes to be a great rock drummer. It takes feel, and he had it.”
Drummer Steve Murphy, whose credits include Elton John, Jack Bruce (Cream), Dave Mason and Todd Rundgren said:
"It's indisputable that his drumming laid the foundation for rock and roll. He's the one who started it all. Even though John Bonham of Led Zeppelin and Jeff Porcaro of Toto influenced me while I came of age in the '70s and '80s, knowing that Robert Plant was the biggest Elvis fan on the planet when he and Bonzo were previously in Band of Joy together, I can't imagine that Bonham was not a huge DJ fan, too. I would bet my family on it."
Ironically, right after we received the news of DJ's passing I got an email about a brand new musical, "Heartbreak Hotel," spotlighting the early days of Elvis' career, which kicks off in Chicago at the end of this month!
McCartney on James Corden … and Carpool Karaoke:
Paul McCartney Carpool Karaoke premieres next week during the four shows taped in London!
Right On!
Shelley
Kent,
In all honesty, hasn't this 'Carpool Karaoke' thing outlived its usefulness? Unless we get a challenging session with the likes of Bob Dylan, Donovan or perhaps Kyu Sakamoto, I no longer see the point of this idea, which has really turned downright monotonous.
And if Paul McCartney and James Corden do a vehicular version of 'Silly Love Songs', I swear I'm going to heave.
Bill Fortune
C'mon … you know they will … so get your barf bowl ready!!!
I still find it pretty entertaining with the right participant, most of whom are the younger stars of today. (Still, the Stevie Wonder edition ranks as one of my very favorites.)
I just wish they would have caught Paul while he still had his singing voice! I expect this to be a fun segment … with a few cringes ... but I still wouldn't miss it! (kk)
In all honesty, hasn't this 'Carpool Karaoke' thing outlived its usefulness? Unless we get a challenging session with the likes of Bob Dylan, Donovan or perhaps Kyu Sakamoto, I no longer see the point of this idea, which has really turned downright monotonous.
And if Paul McCartney and James Corden do a vehicular version of 'Silly Love Songs', I swear I'm going to heave.
Bill Fortune
C'mon … you know they will … so get your barf bowl ready!!!
I still find it pretty entertaining with the right participant, most of whom are the younger stars of today. (Still, the Stevie Wonder edition ranks as one of my very favorites.)
I just wish they would have caught Paul while he still had his singing voice! I expect this to be a fun segment … with a few cringes ... but I still wouldn't miss it! (kk)
And with Macca's 76th Birthday coming up on Monday (June 18th), The Beatles Channel has been going virtually All Paul this weekend, including a countdown of listeners' Top 16 Favorite Paul Beatles Tracks. (Naturally "Hey Jude" and "Yesterday" were numbers 1 and 2 respectively … but I WAS a little surprised to see one of MY favorites, "Oh Darlin'" come in at #4!!! (kk)
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly:
That symphony orchestra piece was THE COOLEST!! Thank Chuck for me, Kent!
I'd forgotten that that second part was even from "The Good, The
Bad ..." … for some reason I'd heard it sampled many years by a hip-hop artist (to this day can't remember whom!) and someone I know in radio plays it as bumper music to this day!
BOB FRABLE
This And That:
Hi Kent,
Thank you for your critique on the new Beach Boy CD by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
I was planning on buying it, but now I have "second thoughts." I like the original arrangements by the Beach Boys! You can't take away from perfection!
Carolyn
It’s definitely worth buying with the understanding upfront that about half the tracks are interesting to hear in these new arrangements. For some reason it seems to be the latter cuts on the cd that sound the best (Tracks 9 - 15). I think "Fun Fun Fun" is one of the worst examples of this new treatment, so I’m surprised that this is the track they seem to be pushing . I don’t particularly care for "Sloop John B" either or the way the ruined the perfect original intro to "California Girls" … but I think you'll find that everything else is very listenable … and "You Still Believe In Me" is absolutely outstanding.
I’d recommend buying it … or, if you're still not sure, listen to a couple of samples online and then download the tracks you like.
Like Frannie said, “I don’t need the whole cd … but I might put six or eight of these tracks on my iPod.” (kk)
Hi, Kent,
Thank you for the note!!!
Being a super Beach Boy fan, I will buy it!! ( Fun, Fun, Fun happens to be my favorite Beach Boy song followed by Caroline No and then all of the others come in third!!!)
Mike Love's Beach Boys will be at Ravinia again this summer. You have to give him credit for keeping the sound alive!
I am trying to get tickets to see "The Cher Show" this month. Then I think it will be heading for Broadway! And thank you for keeping the Dick Biondi tribute movie up front so everyone is aware of this legend. He will always be special to me and all true Rock and Rollers like you!
Carolyn
Hi, Kent,
Thank you for the note!!!
Being a super Beach Boy fan, I will buy it!! ( Fun, Fun, Fun happens to be my favorite Beach Boy song followed by Caroline No and then all of the others come in third!!!)
Mike Love's Beach Boys will be at Ravinia again this summer. You have to give him credit for keeping the sound alive!
I am trying to get tickets to see "The Cher Show" this month. Then I think it will be heading for Broadway! And thank you for keeping the Dick Biondi tribute movie up front so everyone is aware of this legend. He will always be special to me and all true Rock and Rollers like you!
Carolyn
As always, good and fair observations on The Beach Boys recordings by the Royal Philharmonic. For this fan/ADDICT, it is impossible to improve a Brian Wilson / Beach Boys tune, but I thoroughly enjoy fresh-thought, well-produced covers. (Would have added Sail On Sailor if they asked me)
Phil
PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot.com
Phil
PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot.com
Actually, that would have been a GREAT one to include. (If this album is successful, maybe they’ll do a Volume 2 like they did with Elvis!) kk
Kent;
Kent;
Concerning the dj picture on the “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts album of about 1967, it was a rather blatant effort on the part of the record label to win favor. In the FAR RIGHT HAND SIDE ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN IS A PICTURE OF A GUY WEARING HORN RIMMED GLASSES AND A Van Dyke beard. That was Paul Christy, who at the time was the WCFL Music Director. The picture of Biondi seated in the convertible may have been shot when Dick was at WKBW in New York before arriving at WLS in 1960. However, I’m not sure of that time frame.
Clark Weber
Well, Clark, YOUR picture is on that album cover, too … so tell us ... did the marketing strategy work??? (lol) kk
I watched the A&E program David Cassidy 'Last Session' this week. It
was well made, however, very difficult to watch and I don't think I
would want to see it again.
I agree with you that it was a questionable idea to follow him around with cameras at that stage of his declining health.
David was one of my early heroes. I still believe that he had a very
good voice, perhaps the best teen idol voice ever. The Partridge Family
records were well made and his solo singles were good. His recording of the Beach Boys’ Darlin' is an overlooked gem.
I have not read a tribute yet that has mentioned his 1990 song ‘Lyin' To Myself.’ That hit number 27 in Billboard and number 25 on the Adult Contemporary charts.
I was a Music Director reporting to the Gavin Report at the time. They sent the promo cassette single out with no name on it as they figured that it may not get played because of his previous teen idol status. It got positive reviews and eventually got airplay.
At the time I thought that bit of radio success would get his career going strong again. I had one interview with David Cassidy and he seemed to be a very nice guy that was appreciative of his fans.
I know that alcoholism is a disease that sometimes goes on from
generation to generation. His dad was jealous of him and treated him
badly. Half brother Shaun's fame was short lived. He had the same
father as David and he seems to have adjusted to life after being a teen
star.
Dave Thompson wrote a nice tribute to David Cassidy in Goldmine
Magazine. It was nice to know that there were others that thought David Cassidy was talented.
I hope you do a piece on David. That would be an enjoyable read.
Phil Nee – WRCO
“Lyin’ To Myself” even got airplay on some of the Classic Rock stations here in Chicago …
Donny Osmond had tried a similar marketing strategy with his comeback hits “Soldier Of Love” and “Sacred Emotion” … and both made The Top 20 nationally.
While I think that Donny was definitely the more talented of the two (and certainly the better singer), it was kinda cool to see BOTH of these guys come back with comeback hits two decades after most folks thought their flames had long since burned out. (kk)
Regarding the clip of the young girl drummer that you posted …
That kid's just UNBELIEVABLE! Somewhere, John Bonham is smiling.
BOB FRABLE,
BOB FRABLE,
Easton, PA
KENT …
Kent:
Some added goodies.
The trip I took to Chicago was in early December, 1967. I don't have the exact dates handy.
Not only did I visit WLS, but I did a short visit to WCFL as well.
As for WLS, my earlier memory was a little wrong (old age) in that I didn't get a photo with Art Roberts, but with Ron Riley. I got more photos on Ron taping his show than I did with Art (being a Ron fan).
The WLS images I have are available for downloading from:
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec213.jpg thru
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec228.jpg
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec245.jpg thru
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec247.jpg
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec251.jpg thru
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec255.jpg
Keep an eye out for the RatFink. :-)
I also have scans of all the Ron Riley Flip magazine articles: 651108 -> 670209 (12)
As well as scans of the following Chicago articles:
Chicago Sunday - American Magazine - 3/26/67
1960 Philco Predicta UG-4744
1953
WKRP In Cincinnati 1978
1953 Admiral Color C1617A
Rawhide 1959
Dark Shadows 1966
Dr. Kildare 1961 The Man From Uncle 1965 Ironside 1967
1966
The Twilight Zone 1960 Lassie 1958
Gilligan's Island 1966
TV Test Patterns 1960
Talk about your vintage TV shows ...
Here is a video of the Chieftones on To Tell The Truth. Something for you to watch in your spare time. Hope you have a great weekend.
Phil - WRCO
KENT …
YOU AND YOUR READERS AND CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SOMETIMES DON’T REALIZE THAT A PERSON CAN ALWAYS CALL “SAG” (IN L.A. ASK FOR MANAGERS OF ARTISTS DIRECTORY ... IF THEY HAVE THE ARTIST LISTED AS A MEMBER, THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE NAME AND NUMBER OF THE ARTIST’S MANAGER.) A NUMBER OF UNIONS AND ACADEMIES HAVE MERGED. THIS SERVICE DIRECTORY IS USUALLY USED BY PRODUCERS AND CASTING PEOPLE TRYING TO CONNECT WITH AN ARTIST. THIS IS A GREAT SERVICE, OF COURSE, FOR MANAGERS AND OR FOLKS TRING TO MAKE CONTACT WITH ARTISTS, POSSIBLY TRYING TO HIRE AN ARTIST, WHO IS GENERALLY UNLISTED … (POSSIBLY LOOKING FOR AN ACTOR FOR A FILM ROLE TO CAST.)
JUST PLEASE DON'T BOTHER THESE MANAGERS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET AN AUTOGRAPH AS A FAN!
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND AN HEIR TO FRED ASTAIRE’S ESTATE, KNOWING HE WAS DECEASED. A.F. OF M. HAD A CHECK FOR FRED. THE ESTATE OFFICE OF SAG FOUND HIS RELATIVE ... THE CHECK WAS DELIVERED … AND ALL’S WELL THAT ENDED WELL.
HAL BLAINE
We will be leaving for Mexico in July and I need a good rock book to read. Any suggestions? I have read Jim Peterik, Chuck Negron and Mike Rabon books already.
JUST PLEASE DON'T BOTHER THESE MANAGERS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET AN AUTOGRAPH AS A FAN!
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND AN HEIR TO FRED ASTAIRE’S ESTATE, KNOWING HE WAS DECEASED. A.F. OF M. HAD A CHECK FOR FRED. THE ESTATE OFFICE OF SAG FOUND HIS RELATIVE ... THE CHECK WAS DELIVERED … AND ALL’S WELL THAT ENDED WELL.
HAL BLAINE
We will be leaving for Mexico in July and I need a good rock book to read. Any suggestions? I have read Jim Peterik, Chuck Negron and Mike Rabon books already.
Mike DeMartino
Those are all good ones … I can also recommend the rock bios by Grace Slick, Tommy James, Mike Love and David Cassidy. (How's THAT for variety?!?!) Another very touching book I read recently is Williams Shatner's tribute to Leonard Nimoy. Have a great trip! (kk)
>>>Richard Irwin, creator of Reel Radio site has passed away. There will NEVER be a site like Reel Radio again. Uncle Ricky brought all our radio memories back to us after we never dreamed we would hear those voices that made us laugh and sing long ago. (Clark Besch)
In the first week of November, 2013, several of us gathered together in San Francisco to celebrate Bobby Ocean’s Induction into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. Ricky was there, too, in great spirits and truly enjoyed hanging out with many of his Radio Friends during that event. He and I shared a lot of laffs then. I will miss the communications we exchanged over the years along with the singular contribution he made in preserving so much of the great audio of on-air radio personalities everywhere, big and small, that made up the world of contemporary radio of which we all were a part.
~~~ Chuck Buell
Here's a picture of me and Uncle Ricky in a healthier and happier time …
Here's a picture of me and Uncle Ricky in a healthier and happier time …
Kent:
Some added goodies.
The trip I took to Chicago was in early December, 1967. I don't have the exact dates handy.
Not only did I visit WLS, but I did a short visit to WCFL as well.
As for WLS, my earlier memory was a little wrong (old age) in that I didn't get a photo with Art Roberts, but with Ron Riley. I got more photos on Ron taping his show than I did with Art (being a Ron fan).
The WLS images I have are available for downloading from:
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec213.jpg thru
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec228.jpg
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec245.jpg thru
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec247.jpg
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec251.jpg thru
http://vidiot.com/images/WLS/WLS-67Dec255.jpg
Keep an eye out for the RatFink. :-)
I also have scans of all the Ron Riley Flip magazine articles: 651108 -> 670209 (12)
As well as scans of the following Chicago articles:
Chicago Sunday - American Magazine - 3/26/67
Chicago Sun Times - Red Carpet Tour - 9/18/67
What's Happening - 2/27/66
Chicago Tribune Magazine - Big Beat Radio - 9/11/66
Mike Brown
What's Happening - 2/27/66
Chicago Tribune Magazine - Big Beat Radio - 9/11/66
Mike Brown
Hoping you'll share some of these vintage articles with us … our readers LOVE this sort of thing … and this is EXACTLY the kind of stuff we love to post on Forgotten Hits! Thanks, Mike! (kk)
Like this from Fred Glickstein (from The Flock) ...
TV GUIDE
TV GUIDE
If you're too young to remember and enjoy a good laugh, then send this on to your parents. If you're not, then bask in the warm memories.
This is exactly what we looked at in these years and oh, life was so sweet back then. Note the price of the TV guide in the 50's and 60's. Brings back memories.
Note the few channels that we had to choose from.
But I don't think that TV was on much after midnight.
As it was at the beginning
1960 Philco Predicta UG-4744
1966 1961
1967
The Beverly Hillbillies 1962
Howdy and Buffalo Bob 1955
Leave It To Beaver 1959
Father Knows Best 1955
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet 1954
1968 1954
1953
Captain Kangaroo 1955
All In The Family 1972
Maverick 1959
WKRP In Cincinnati 1978
The Lone Ranger 1949
1950 Zenith G2355 1954 RCA 17S351
1953 Admiral Color C1617A
 |
Haverhill Gazette TV Guide Monday, May 1, 1961
|
The Ed Sullivan Show 1967
The Addams Family 1965
The Red Skelton Show 1951
Gunsmoke 1970
The Mod Squad 1968
Bonanza 1960
1954 1955
1965
Peyton Place 1964 The Mickey Mouse Club 1959
The Andy Griffith Show 1963
The Honeymooners 1955
The Dick Van Dyke Show 1961
Seahunt 1958
1967 1959
1970
The Twilight Zone 1960 Lassie 1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive 1958
Zorro 1957
The Rifleman 1958
I Love Lucy 1951
Mr. Ed 1961
Charlies Angels 1976
Talk about your vintage TV shows ...
Here is a video of the Chieftones on To Tell The Truth. Something for you to watch in your spare time. Hope you have a great weekend.
Phil - WRCO
Isn't it amazing some of the things people have collected and found and then posted on YouTube for others to enjoy? Who would have even thought that a copy of this program - as obscure as it is - would even still exist some fifty years later?!?! (kk)
And this from Chuck Buell ...
And this from Chuck Buell ...
Remember those Great Little VW Bugs of the 1960s?
They could never do this!
CB ( which stands for "Carburetor Boy!"
Volkswagen Trailer Assist
kk:
Wild Wayne went to see "Dion: Rock & Roll Redemption," currently playing at "The 7 Angels Theatre" in Connecticut.
He said it was disappointing … Thumbs Down … More fiction than fact. Buddy Holly was mentioned throughout the show. They made it sound like Buddy Holly asked for Dion to be on the "Winter Dance Party Tour."
FALSE.
They also went with Dion's version of the Coin-Toss ... Dion instead of Tommy Allsup. FALSE.
If enough young people, who weren't around in 1959 , read Dion's book and go to see this show, they'll believe his FALSE statements.
FB
Wild Wayne went to see "Dion: Rock & Roll Redemption," currently playing at "The 7 Angels Theatre" in Connecticut.
He said it was disappointing … Thumbs Down … More fiction than fact. Buddy Holly was mentioned throughout the show. They made it sound like Buddy Holly asked for Dion to be on the "Winter Dance Party Tour."
FALSE.
They also went with Dion's version of the Coin-Toss ... Dion instead of Tommy Allsup. FALSE.
If enough young people, who weren't around in 1959 , read Dion's book and go to see this show, they'll believe his FALSE statements.
FB
That's always my greatest fear … history is being rewritten daily with all these mistruths and undocumented "facts" … some of which is simply used as a way to embellish the story for dramatic effect … and far too often, just repeated as "fact" because somebody saw it or heard it that way. This is why we've always prided ourselves on presenting "The Most Accurate Truth" possible … and double-checking and triple-checking the sources. (Truth be told, too many of these entertainers themselves are helping to spread the wrong information as a means of enhancing their own significance to rock and roll history.) It's a shame … and I don't know that there's really a damn thing we can do about it … except warn fans to be aware and do your research. (kk)
And finally, from John LaPuzza …
WHEN PAUL SIMON RETIRES …
