The Friday Flash

Saw this on Youtube today and thought I'd pass it along.

I don't have any info about other than it's one that hasn't been released on anything that I know of, and would suspect it would have been recorded before Huey had his hearing problems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PosoFuUbd60#action=share

Bill

It's brand new, Bill ... just posted yesterday ... and, incredibly, it's the lead-off track from a brand new Huey Lewis and the News album ... their first in over a decade ... and VERY surprising news in light of Huey's recent issues forcing him to cancel all remaining tour dates a couple of years back due to his being "unable to sing."
And, it sounds JUST the way you'd want Huey Lewis and the News to sound ... which sparks high hopes for their return.
Apparently Lewis' issues were all hearing-related, meaning he couldn't hear himself well enough to sing on stage in order to sing the way he needs to ... but this was evidently remedied in the studio (much easier to fix with "remakes" than it is live!) and, hopefully, this means we can still enjoy their new music by these guys for many years to come.  (I'm quite excited about this!) The new album is expected to be released early in 2020.

Also dropping new music yesterday was Jeff Lynne's ELO, who posted their new single "From Out Of Nowhere," which is also the title track from their new LP, dropping in November.
Although credited to Jeff Lynne's ELO, this is essentially a solo album ... in every sense of the word.  Lynne played virtually EVERY instrument and sang EVERY vocal which, cool as that is, is kinda sad since he put together such an incredible, killer touring band for his last two US tours.  Still, this is exciting news and shows that Jeff is motivated again since this will be out just a couple of years after his last LP, "Alone In The Universe."

Hootie and the Blowfish did a bunch of shows this summer as part of a reunion tour ... they, too, have a new album coming up.  (Incredible to think that Darius Rucker, now a HUGE country music star, can put his solo career on hold to do this ... shows you just how tight these guys really are.  And they still sound GREAT!)

We also really enjoyed a recently released album by The Alan Parsons Project, offering several solid cuts.  In truth, NONE of these acts seems to have aged at all!  Their music is just as strong and solid today as it was when these bands were in their prime.

And, earlier in the week came news that the final album Harry Nilsson was working on at the time of his death will finally see the light of day. Producer Mark Hudson has gone back and cleaned up and finished off 11 tracks and while all will readily admit that this isn't Harry's finest album, it does bring his remarkable career full circle to a fitting close.  Look for "Losst And Founnd" November 22nd.

A lot of buzz, for sure ... but, as we've seen, no matter HOW good these may be, Classic Rock Radio won't play them!  This would force them to alter their list of 200 tracks they all seem to be playing daily ... and let's face it ... NOBODY wants to DARE step outside the box!

That being said, ALL of these artists are well represented on our TOP 3333 MOST ESSENTIAL CLASSIC ROCK SONGS list, the countdown for which we're still hoping to launch next weekend.  (It'll be tight ... there's still a VERY long way to go ... but I'm keeping my eyes on the prize right now and am VERY anxious to start sharing the results of this MAMMOTH poll with the rest of the world.)  Stay tuned for more details in that regard.

Within the ranks of The Top 3333, you'll find 13 tracks by Huey Lewis and the News, 22 tracks by ELO, 9 by The Alan Parsons Project, 6 by Nilsson and 7 by Hootie and the Blowfish. (That's 57 tracks in all, or about 1.5% of the list!)

We can also look forward to new solo albums by Ringo Starr (featuring Paul McCartney on a track written by John Lennon!) and Gerry Beckley of America, too, coming in the next month or two.
And how about this ... a brand new album from The Cowsills!!!  (I'm telling you, one of the most pleasant surprises I've seen over the past six years or so is the way The Cowsills sound live in concert.  We can't WAIT to hear and experience THIS one!)
www.billboard.com/articles/news/8530739/the-cowsills-new-songs-interview

We are VERY exciting about The Beatles White Album 50th Anniversary Concert at The Arcada Theatre next week (October 1st).  We've been talking about this one since before the tickets even went on sale!
What a list of performers ... Christopher Cross, Todd Rundgren, Micky Dolenz, Jason Scheff of Chicago and Joey Molland of Badfinger, all teaming up to pay (and play!) tribute to The Beatles' landmark LP, as well as a couple of their own biggest hits.
Here's a concert review, forwarded to me by FH Reader David Salidor ...   
https://www.sarasotapost.com/music/2679-tribute-to-the-beatles-white-album-tour-shines-in-clearwater-at-ruth-eckerd-hall?fbclid=IwAR0NV4G63oRKNJ80VCbs0SLzUnu8Mq9-wVtq3YRdJGWTFe0NGH8WsskeYW4

And check out this set list!!!    

SET ONE: 
Back in the U.S.S.R.  (Everyone) 
Dear Prudence  (Jason Scheff) 
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey  (Todd Rundgren) 
Martha My Dear (Christopher Cross) 
Birthday (Micky Dolenz) 
I'm a Believer  (Micky Dolenz) 
Pleasant Valley Sunday  (Micky Dolenz) 
Baby Blue (Joey Molland) 
No Matter What  (Joey Molland) 
Hard to Say I'm Sorry  (Jason Scheff) 
25 or 6 to 4  (Jason Scheff) 
I Saw the Light  (Todd Rundgren) 
Hello It's Me  (Todd Rundgren)  
Sailing  (Christopher Cross) 
Ride Like the Wind  (Christopher Cross)   
Savoy Truffle  (Joey Molland)  
Honey Pie  (Christopher Cross)   
Why Don't We Do It in the Road?  (Micky Dolenz) 
While My Guitar Gently Weeps  (Todd Rundgren) 

SET TWO:  

Revolution 1  (Todd Rundgren) 
Blackbird  (Christopher Cross)  
I Will  (Christopher Cross) 
Julia  (Jason Scheff and Christopher Cross)   
Mother Nature's Son  (Christopher Cross) 
Rocky Raccoon  (Micky Dolenz)  
Sexy Sadie  (Todd Rundgren) 
I'm So Tired  (Micky Dolenz) 
Happiness Is A Warm Gun  (Micky Dolenz) 
Glass Onion (Jason Scheff) 
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill  (Todd Rundgren) 
Piggies  (Jason Scheff)  
Helter Skelter  (Todd Rundgren)  
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da  (Everyone)  
Man, what a show this is going to be! 
Tuesday's show is sold out ... but Ron is bringing everybody back on December 2nd to do it again ... so be sure to check the Arcada website now to get your hands on a pair before they all disappear!  (kk) 
http://www.arcadalive.com/event/beatles-white-album-show-2/

Speaking of concert reviews ...   

Shelley's Concert Reviews are the best!
David Lewis
They've made for a welcome addition to the site (and give me a little bit of breathing room, too!)  We encourage ALL of our readers to share their concert experiences and we'll run what we can.  (At times like these when I scrambling to get the Top 3333 List together, some of you "pinch hitters" are extremely valuable to me!)  kk

And from Bob Lind ... 

TO MY SOUTH FLORIDA FRIENDS AND FANS ... 
and those who may be in the area next week: 
Some of you know I'll be back at the LUNA STAR next Friday, October 4th.  I hardly ever play South Florida, but I love this venue. It's a listening room (remember those?)  
I hope to see you there.  
Two things to know: 
1. Alexis, the owner, is an old-school hippie. She doesn't take credit cards. But she does take cash and personal checks with proper I.D.

2. I want to get my claws into some fresh meat at this show. So I encourage you to bring someone who's never seen me live. If you do, you'll get five bucks off the cover charge and so will any new Lind-virgins you bring me.

It's a tiny club so you might want to call ahead for reservations. 

Here's the info:  

http://boblind.com/gigs/  

Yers,

Bob Lind

www.boblind.com

 

Limited postings here until we get THE TOP 3333 MOST ESSENTIAL CLASSIC ROCK SONGS list up and running ... but we'll post what we can, when we can ... so please be sure to check in from time to time.  Thanks All!  (kk)

 

Guest Concert Review #2

HOT AUTUMN NIGHTS

 

I understand. It isn’t Autumn until the end of this month. It wasn’t really a hot night either, weather wise. But it was a beautiful summer full moon evening that turned *HOT* inside the Westbury Music Theatre.  

Gary Lewis and the Playboys, The Association and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone broke the silence of the evening and created an element of fun that only comes from the flow of energy from a stage to an audience.  

Dressed all in black, The Playboys come down the ramp and take their places, because first to mount the Westbury turntable is Gary Lewis. The first time I ever saw Rich Spina was here in Westbury when HE was a Playboy. My seat was near his keyboards as he set up and he caught my attention as he scanned the audience just before they were announced, obviously looking for faces he knew. Now he has been coming back as a Hermit for many years.  

Gary is very comfortable in his skin and his place in music history. Although he was Cash Box Magazine’s Male Vocalist of the Year in 1965, and is strong in vocal projection, his easy attitude and American magnetism is what has increased his popularity through the years. It makes sense to start with ‘Count Me In.’  Gary has had his quiet years and his toxic years, but never count him out. ‘Save Your Heart For Me’ is the song that every teenager lamented during their family vacations. The time you used to look forward to in the summer, and had so many favorable memories of, now became a burden as you had to leave that boyfriend/girlfriend to the temptation of others while you were out of town. Gary grabs his guitar and talks about the recording of this next song and how, surprisingly, he received his draft notice following its release. The song was ‘Sure Gonna Miss Her’, and he was gonna miss her more than he first suspected.

Do you remember the debut of ‘Everybody Loves A Clown’ on Hullabaloo? As I recall, the set was a playground scattered with children, all with deadpan faces. I never quite understood why this was chosen, except as pure ethereal art. Or maybe the movie ‘IT’ was coming out for the first release? And from clowns to diamond rings, we progress to the song that kicked The Beatles out of their #1 spot. I never know whether to cheer or moan when this happens. Gary, I am happy for you and Louis Armstrong, who experienced the same event, but The Beatles were the reason I decided I would accept growing up. 

Gary’s keyboard player takes the lead on Van Morrison’s ‘Brown Eyed Girl’, while the audience accepts this Playboy take-over; clapping to the rhythms.

Green Grass

My Heart’s Symphony

Just My Style

‘Just My Style’ brings that bass vocal response that brings forward the popular bass line of the 50’s and early 60’s harmonies. Twice The Playboys start up a Foreigner song to try to startle Gary. After yelling, “Bring it on!” to the intro of ‘Cold As Ice’; he sings the first verse and throws his hands up exclaiming, “And that’s all I know.” Yeah, but you startled your band and won the audience over with your confidence. And your vocals on that song had power. It is not your typical Playboy song, but … just … maybe?  

If this show were an Oreo cookie, then the center would be The Association, all in white suits (a night in white satin?) and one trendy Panama hat. There are currently six members touring, with two originals (Jules Alexander and Jim Yester), a “new kid” (who joined in 1972, Del Ramos brother of Larry), a son of an Associate (Jordon Cole, son of Brian) and two more (Bruce Pictor and Paul Holland) to make up the half dozen.

I like Jordon’s readmission of the reed flute that we hear on the originals. Yes, keyboards can imitate, but there is something about seeing him play this instrument in his suit and hat that says classy. 

So let’s open it up with ‘Windy’! I always wanted to be her. I mean listen to her description:

She smiles at everybody she sees.

She tries to capture rainbows.

She has stormy eyes that flash at the sound of lies.

And MY DREAM … wings to fly.  

From there we have to go to ‘Everything That Touches You’. Romance still lingers in the air as we jump to ‘Never My Love’. Let’s take a look at these lyrics: 

You ask me if there'll come a time
When I'll grow tired of you
Never my love, never my love
You wonder if this heart of mine
Will lose its desire for you
Never my love (never my love)

When you consider the soothing, sensual harmonies of this group, how could they NOT have been a hit!? And tonight they sound better than I’ve ever heard them. There is a mic problem for Jules Alexander, but the minute he jumps on with Del Ramos, it’s as if history is being made again. I am wowed!

Jim Yester says they opened The Monterey Pop Festival with ‘Enter The Young’, and they sing it now. This is a new one for me to hear live, because NO, I was not at the Monterey Pop Festival. I missed so much!

“As I look around the audience, I see there are many people here around our age. So I want to thank you for staying up late to watch us.” Jim Yester, I slept in late this morning so I could be awake tonight. And then I go home or to my hotel and CAN’T SLEEP because the excitement and adrenaline are still active.

‘Cherish’ is the word that every woman wants to hear. And then ‘Along Comes Mary.’  OK, I really always thought there was a Mary. I am the original Snow White, and did not connect the dots (or the joints) that this song referred to anything controversial. I am also the one who took more than a few minutes to understand why the summer after high school, a car was following my boyfriend and I because, as he explained: “I owe him money.” It’s really much easier being naïve than terrified.  

ENCORE with Windy again and the crowd applauds enthusiastically in appreciation. Thank you to all Associated.  

AND NOW, IT’S PARTY TIME!! 

This does not come from me, but from the combination of the audience cheering and The Hermits running down the ramp, onto the turntable, whooping and hollering. And who follows them? (Oh, come on! This was an easy question) Peter Noone runs down (yes, runs) the ramp high-fiving the audience. Yes, the seats ARE more expensive next to the ramp.

It is obvious the audience expects to have fun. And to our delight, tonight there are two new jokes. No, I will not repeat them. Go hear them for yourselves. Just remember “Peter: pamphlets and potato.” The new three P’s, replacing Alex Trebek’s “Price, Price, Price.”  The banned is again off the stage, performing from the pit. I miss not having them on stage, but as I have previously pointed out, Peter visits them from time to time, with Vance, Rich and Billy rushing the stage, armed with guitars, during the ‘Henry VIII’ intro. Something new tonight is the stage is frozen in time. It does not move during their set. Peter points out that he didn’t know this was possible, and appears to be surprised. LOU CHRISTIE! SEE? THE STAGE DOES HAVE BRAKES! The question came up as Lou was walking on the mobile stage last weekend threatening to get sick. I like this new idea for solo performers. They usually move around as they work, so it is not necessary to have the stage turning. A group who is locked into stationary mics needs the 33 and a third rotation to be accessible to all who paid to see them.

There is nothing I can say about tonight’s show that tops previous narrations. The audience was in the palm of their hands. They are experts, and have a true professional as their leader. 

The set list:

Into Something Good

Wonderful World

Love Potion #9

Dandy

A Must To Avoid

Leanin’ On A Lamp Post

Just A Little Bit Better

Silhouettes

Listen People

Ring Of Fire

Traveling Light … reworded

No Milk Today

The End of the World

Jumpin’ Jack Flash

Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat

Mrs. Brown (the one with the lovely daughter)

Henry VIII

There’s A Kind of Hush

They are not the solo act tonight so the expected standards need to be played, and no surprise entries. Exceptional, as always.

Having just been here last weekend, several staff and audience approach me in recognition. It is interesting that all want to know if I am enjoying myself at this show. Of course I am! I wonder what would/will ever happen if I said, “No. Not really.”

It is almost impossible for me to tell a lie. Always remember that, people.  

Shelley J Sweet-Tufano

Guest Concert Review #1

Dick Fox is doing it again! Another Doo Wop concert with rocking performances by big leaguers. 

Emil Stuccio, dressed to the nines, with glitter shoes has become the resident emcee who knows, personally and professionally, the acts he introduces tonight. 

Tonight’s line-up will open with a group performance and then alternate with a solo performer, group performance, solo performer, group performance and close with a solo performer. WHEW! That’s a lot of fun,Emil!

THE MARCELS!! 

Anybody who will listen has heard how much I love watching them jump, dive, spin, stomp and gesture their way through their songs. With red shoes and accessories, they swing into ‘Heartache’ as if this was their Junior Prom and we are all aged 16 years. Somebody here probably is that or younger, but for this song, this night, we all think we are and flirt the part to the stage and back. 
And then the High School Memories Medley:

What’s Your Name

I Only Have Eyes For You

Earth Angel

Sincerely

In The Still of the Night

For A Million Years

Where each member of the group takes lead in a song and clearly demonstrates that not only can they vocalize together, but singly they each come out on top. And they complete their segment with the 1961 #1 song in the WORLD: BLUE MOON. What a great opener they are!

He has been referred to as the King of Falsetto, and has been using this voice style since he was 12 years old. In a flashy neon pink suit and stylish hat, EDDIE HOLMAN takes the stage. 

He is a talker. He is a relater of stories. He is a salesman ... of himself and his merchandise. So appropriately, his first song is ‘It’s All In The Game’. The audience sways into this melody of love and grooves into his story lines as he talks about his love for his wife Sheila and their popular songbook. The most requested song from other artists to record is ‘I Love You’, which Eddie performs next. It is not just a person to person love, but a love of the music industry and we, its audience. 
To finish his set? Why it just must be ‘Hey There Lonely Girl’. An interesting side-note is that later that night when I returned to my hotel, it was Eddie Holman I saw sitting outside enjoying the beautiful still summer night air. I smiled in appreciation and memory of the show I had seen earlier.

 

Closing the first act, Emil brings out THE DUPREES! 

Six wonderful songs filled with harmony and romance that defines The Duprees. After the smooth opening of ‘Have You Heard’, someone in the audience yells out “Happy Birthday, Tony”! It is Tony Testa’s 76^th (I think) birthday and the other three Duprees lead us in a never for sale version of Happy Birthday. 70 is the new 50? B***S*** says he!

 

Mack the Knife

Tara’s Theme (My Own True Love)

For Your Love

 

The Duprees have taken ‘For Your Love’ and turned it into a song that screams “Only The Duprees can do this now.” And just when the air is thick with romance, Phil Granito jumps into action with his Jackie Wilson medley. The man is a mass of double joints. We have toys in our classroom called Betty Spaghetti. Long noodle like arms and legs that can be twisted into any shape. That is Phil Granito, the Betty Spaghetti of the music scene.

 

All must end with their signature song. For The Duprees, of course, it is ‘You Belong To Me’ from 1962. Joe Stafford recorded it a decade earlier but The Duprees hold the magnetism of those pyramids along the Nile. Oooooooh.

 

Opening the second act Emil brings out the former lead singer of the Most Listened to Group of 1967: DENNIS TUFANO of the Buckinghams. 

I don’t get to see Dennis as often as I would like to, and knowing that he presents different show styles, I now wonder what his set list choice will be tonight.  It’s a Buckinghams night! ‘Don’t You Care’ is the lead song with my favorite, ‘Hey Baby’ coming on next. Jim Holvay, who wrote many of The Buckinghams hits, wrote his songs around his vision of one particular girl. Her name is the title of the next song, ‘Susan’. It is puzzling that with all the effort, love and skill of his songs that these two did not end up together. Such is song writing. 
Dennis works the revolving stage as if he lives here. He has, however, played here less than five times. The time span between performances at The Westbury Theatre is getting shorter. We obviously are getting smarter! 
I enjoy the tone and quality of his voice and his audience management skills. There are also many sighs from those enjoying his romantic delivery and charming good looks. Speaking of romantic, his next song is ‘How Can I Be Sure’ of Rascals fame. This is a super smooth song coming from Dennis who follows it up with ‘Mercy, Mercy, Mercy’. Oh yes, THIS is my favorite Buck’s song. We can’t leave without hearing the Bucks’ first hit, ‘Kind of a Drag’. The Chicago horns sound (here furnished by Hell’s Kitchen Horns)  that announces its start is distinctly descriptive in recognition. Everyone here is getting standing ovations and Dennis plies us with one more song: ‘I’ll Go Crazy’. OH YEAH! THIS one is my favorite Buckingham’s song! What a thrill to see Dennis as he enacts the feelings of “If you leave me, I’ll go crazy”. Easy to see how The Buckinghams made this James Brown song THEIR hit.

JAY SIEGEL's TOKENS are not only known for lyrical and often romantic hits, they have produced other hit groups and sparked the solo career of Neil Sedaka. 

Yes, Neil started out as a Token. I am thinking the same thing: there are a myriad of joke possibilities just from that one statement. But I am more interested in talking about this music. The BEAUTIFUL music that Jay, Kurt and Bill recreate in each performance. ‘Tonight I Fell In Love’ starts the set; and while some of the audience will be falling in love tonight, I am hopeful that the remaining lot can identify with ‘I’ll Always Love You’. Whether you are together now or live together in memory, these two songs cover the emotions. But AHHHHH! For me, nothing compares to ‘A Portrait of My Love’, for nobody can paint a dream. With the falsetto harmonies and the poetry embraced in melody, I float into a world where love is the rule.

Two of the hit groups produced by Jay and The Tokens are The Happenings and The Chiffons. Hearing The Tokens sing ‘See You In September’ and ‘One Fine Day’ gives an appreciation for the strategy that can create successful recordings. These are examples of good (The Happenings and The Chiffons) coming out of good (The Tokens).

I don’t need to tell you their final piece. If ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ isn’t known and loved by you, then you have been living under a rock or just not living life as you should. After hitting the #1 spot TWICE with different generations, it has become a song that will connect families, environmental groups, Disney lovers and different languages. After all, our dreams are just a-wim-away.

 

The man who closed the show tonight was a sex symbol and idol in the 1960’s, and from the reaction of the women in the audience tonight, he still is! From the moment LOU CHRISTIE hits the stage singing ‘I'm Gonna Make You Mine,’ the women in the audience move forward in their seats to get a better view. 
 

As he sings, things start to heat up and the sweat on the brow appears. Lou reminisces about running home after school to watch Bandstand and The Mickey Mouse Club. Annette was Lugee Sacco’s first love. As he sighs over remembering Annette, the women next to me sigh over him. 
Lou’s voice is strong and reaches the original falsetto keys with ease … at least it appears so. Visual humor on how this is done as he sings a medley of first hits (The Gypsy Cried, Two Faces Have I, Rhapsody In The Rain) finally snaps the resistance of the ladies in my row, and I hear the cry, “Take it off!” I know they mean his jacket, but I am still startled and have a deer in the headlights look as my eyes become the size of saucers. Lou resists the plea to remove his jacket, pleading age restraints. Didn’t work. 
As he sings ‘Beyond the Blue Horizon’ there is a calm and a peace resumes. It is calm that is doomed! As the opening strains of ‘Lightning Strikes’ begin, the women who will not take “No” for an answer fill the hall with their cries, and Lou begins “strip-teasing”. That is when the jacket is removed from the shoulders and then is coyly replaced, as the song hits a crescendo. (Yes, I DID think of synonyms for “crescendo” that apply more for these women, but face it … they’ve had enough for one night!) An encore of ‘Never My Love’ that is soulful, intense in feeling, and dynamic in vocal strength sends all home with a knowledge of money well spent.

I loved tonight. Every act was totally involved in their performance and each drew me in and made me love them. The photos are from Sonny Maxon of The Sonny Side of Rock and Roll. Given the restrictions of Westbury when taking photos, he was happy to be able to get what he could. Unfortunately, none of Jay Siegel’s Tokens came out so I am sending a video of another performance from them at Westbury for which I was also present.

I wonder if there is a Blue Moon outside tonight?

Shelley J Sweet-Tufano

A Monday Morning Quickie ...

But first a plea for help!

I spent the whole weekend working on THE TOP 3333 MOST ESSENTIAL CLASSIC ROCK SONGS OF ALL TIME Countdown and keep running into the same snag, again and again and again.

To help illustrate a fair percentage of the songs being featured, I have been uploading YouTube clips ... all of which properly transfer as they should ... all appear visually when you look at the preview ... all are there as they should be when you look at the code ... but then when you go to save the file as a prepost at least half of them disappear!!! And then have to be reloaded again (and, quite often, multiple times!!!)

Do the math, people ... if we count down 50 songs at a time, this series will last for about 70 days.  Each set of 50 songs takes about one hour to post, if they post properly ... which they rarely do.  Now add another half hour to go back in and fix that which has disappeared ... and we're very quickly up over 100 hours to knock this out ... (and I don't have 100 hours between now and October 4th, which is our hopeful launch date!)

So if ANYBODY out there can tell me what I may be doing wrong (although I don't think it's me because, as I said, everything appears properly until the final save), I would GREATLY appreciate your help (as it will greatly improve the amount of time needed to finish this off!)

So PLEASE ... if you are able to offer some constructive advice on how to solve this issue once and for all, get back to me as soon as you can ... because I'm as anxious to see the final list as all of you are!!!  (kk)

And now on with the show ...

After our "This Week in 1969" segment ran on Sunday, we got THIS from FH Reader Jack Levin ...   

When Paul McCartney dies, will anyone believe it? 
Jack
Kinda like when you see a dead possum on the road ... I'm always thinking "Yeah, right ..."  (kk)

One LP Cover that did it for me as a kid more than “Whipped Cream” was “Sugar” by Nancy Sinatra!!! Whew!

Ken

Oh yeah ... we've featured THAT one a few times here before, too!  (kk)

Lots of press hot on the heels of the 50th Anniversary of The Archies' hit "Sugar, Sugar" hitting Number One ...

From Tom Cuddy ... 
50 Years Later, The Archies' 'Sugar, Sugar' Is Still 'Really Sweet'
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/20/761616330/50-years-later-the-archies-sugar-sugar-is-still-really-sweet

Andy Kim dropped in on the morning gang at Zoomer Radio Toronto this morning and talked about his career, and about "Sugar, Sugar." 

Here's a clip from his hour-long interview ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ0Wr9XoUGQ  

Some guy from Tennessee asked him to talk about the famous session with Jeff Barry, Ron Dante, Toni Wine, and Ray Stevens - and he gladly talked about it in detail (confirming everything Toni and Ron have reported previously) - but that portion of the interview is not included in this clip.  

Here's the clip about the recording session ...  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXrDY8ePRrw&feature=youtu.be

Ron Dante has discussed "Sugar, Sugar" with our readers more times than I can even count ... including this most recent post, timed to coincide with the recording reaching #1 on The WLS Hit Parade ...

https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2019/09/sugar-sugar.html 

I was going through some old issues of The Illinois Entertainer and thought you might like to see this article from April, 1976.

Ken Voss

Yes, I remember it well ... and tuning in from time to time just to see if Lujack might say something funny, interesting or sarcastic ... but he pretty much played it straight while playing "The World's Most Beautiful Music." (Hey, he had a contact ... and they were paying him a WHOLE lotta money ... but you know deep down that both Uncle Lar and the radio station were hoping that WLS would come up with a deal that would free them both of their contractual obligation ... which they ultimately did.  Lujack would retire from The Big 89 a decade later.)  kk  





Hi, Kent ... 
I'm really enjoying all of the conversations that take place on this site, as they are really fun, and especially informative!  
I don't claim to be a "expert" regarding the introduction of the Beatles to the US, but I do have a few tidbits that might
be helpful.
I was listening to Dick Biondi on a Friday in February of '63 (the 20th, I believe), which MAY have been the first time he
played "Please Please Me" on WLS.  I say "MAY" have been because I truly have no idea how many times he played it
during the time period between Feb. 15th and the 25th or so ... we just know that it hit the WLS chart for the weeks ending March 8th and 15th.  There are at least two YouTube videos (audio only, of course) of Dick's show, where he announces and plays the song.  So at least we know it happened before May 2nd, which was when he left WLS.  Unfortunately, the only person (other than Dick or Gene Taylor, the GM) who might be the most qualified to verify when the promo 45s were delivered to WLS would be promoter Howard Bedno who, sadly, passed away a number of years ago.  
Dick Clark obviously had a good ear for discovering potential hits, too.  8000 copies of "She Loves You" were pressed by Swan Records of Cincinnati in late 1963.  It didn't sell, and 6000 of them were recycled.  After the Beatles made it to the US, that 45 sold millions of copies.  It's pretty easy to find on 45, but it has to have the black and silver label. The original had a reddish-on-white label and is extremely rare.  Bootlegs abound.
Capitol Records of CANADA released 170 copies of "Love Me Do" as a 45 single very late in 1962.  I read that only about
90 copies sold.  I wonder which Canadian rock station played it, if at all.  Back then, CKLW, Windsor, the hottest rock station in Canada, an American station with its studios in Detroit and transmitter in Canada (thus the Canadian call-sign), might have played it. "The Rise and Fall of the Big 8," that station's documentary video, makes no mention of this subject.  Nevertheless, I think CKLW would have been qualified as a U.S. station.  And, any Canadian station with an even low-power transmitter, would blanket the northern US at night, and someone would have sat up and taken notice.  Maybe.  Ringo was on drums on that early Capitol of Canada version ... this was before Andy White sat in for him (which then became the "hit" version of the tune).   
So, Dick played the Fab 4 here first, and the Canadian release of 1962 makes for a great detective project.  
Mike Wolstein
Actually this topic has come up before, too ... and we finally relented and acknowledged that a Canadian radio station was likely to be the first station in North America to play The Beatles ... but technically not the first deejay in America / The United States to do so.
But even that came allowance after much debate.
Somebody from the station "clearly remembered" playing The Beatles' record first ... but when pressed to identify it, his answer was something like "You know ... the one with the harmonica" ... which descibes "Love Me Do," "Please Please Me" and "From Me To You" ... so technically it could have been any one of those three ... and he couldn't be any more specific ... nor could anyone produce any air logs or surveys showing that the record had been played.  Still, I conceded that it was at least conceivable that Canada played them first in North America, because they were far more influenced by all things British at that time than the US was.  (It seemed as if virtually NO ONE from Great Britain was having success on the US Charts, other than a few exceptions like The Tornados and Laurie London back in 1958.) kk
You can catch another chapter of this research here, which we addressed back in 2010 ...
https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2010/12/special-beatles-edition.html
Re-reading it now, there is still not enough here to conclusively determine that Canada played The Beatles first ... but, as I said, I will concede that it is a possibility ... we just can't document it conclusively one way or the other.  (kk) 


Long-time Forgotten Hits Reader Ken Voss has just published the latest edition of his Jimi Hendrix Newsletter, Voodoo Child (#111).

If you'd like a copy, drop me a line and I'll be happy to forward it along.  (kk)

Meanwhile here are a couple more interesting Hendrix links:    

The first, one and only german Jimi Hendrix-Website!

Hey, JIMI HENDRIX Fans, why not stop on by my HENDRIX Website, to keep up on the latest info, meet fans etc.

Here goes: www.Hendrix-Fans.de   

Eckhard B.
spezializing in ... 

JIMI HENDRIX  - The Music, Man and Messag

HENDRIX & MARSHALL FOREVER !

The first, one and only german Marshall Vintage Amp Museum    

New Video:  Marshall Vintage-Amp Museum -``Tour``!

Click here:> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtt29xSX0NM

This video was taken at the Marshall Museum in Friedland, Germany, on August 19th, 2016. The video shows many of the vintage Marshall amps from over the years.  

The museum was set up for a wedding reception and later that evening four great bands played there. All the amps seen in the video are 100% functioning.  There is no other place on earth where a guitarist can sample every classic and vintage Marshall at full volume.

Highly recommend a visit.

Have fun!

Eckhard B.

Hendrix-Fans.de

Marshall-forever.de

And, once again, exploring the full gamut of musical choices ... we move from Jimi Hendrix to Mr. Rogers!!! 

We'll be looking forward to the new collection of Mister Rogers's songs. Holly Yarbrough (Glenn's daughter) recorded a CD a few years ago covering several of these same songs. Here's a sample:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQuet_nHDr0  

Still playing MAJOR catch-up here (thanks to the Top 3333 Countdown list) ... speaking of which, there'll be limited postings between now and the launch of this new feature on the Essential Classic Rock website here in Forgotten Hits so that I have at least half a chance to prepare for this.  Meanwhile, watch for two more "Guest Concert Reviews" from our resident East Coast Critic Shelley Sweet-Tufano over the course of the next two days.

Here are some articles that FH Reader Tom Cuddy sent us that we never got around to sharing ...

Here's an interview with Rod Argent (who, along with Colin Blunstone, is currently touring with Brian Wilson, giving fans the one/two punch of The Zombies and The Beach Boys!)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimryan1/2019/09/03/rod-argent-of-the-zombies-on-the-50-years-since-odessey-and-oracle-music-of-the-beach-boys-and-current-tour-with-brian-wilson/amp/

And then there's THIS interview with Tina Turner ...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/09/theater/tina-turner-musical.amp.html

Tom also shared this news about a show we are REALLY looking forward to seeing ... The 50th Anniversary of The Beatles' White Album, featuring Christopher Cross, Todd Rundgren, Micky Dolenz, Jason Scheff (formerly of Chicago) and Joey Molland (of Badfinger) ...
Monkees / Badfinger / Nazz Supergroup Gets Back to ’68 by Touring Beatles’ ‘White Album’
https://variety.com/2019/music/news/beatles-white-album-tribute-tour-todd-rundgren-micky-dolenz-1203343830/ 
The show scheduled for The Arcada Theatre on Tuesday, October 1st, sold out immediately ... so I am happy to announce that a SECOND show has been added for December 2nd.
We cannot wait to see this one ...
In addition to performing some of their favorite tracks from The Beatles' White Album, each artist will also be performing some of their OWN hits as part of the show.
There are still a few tickets left for the December 2nd show (but you'd better act quickly)  Meanwhile, Tom's link also highlights some of the other stops along the way.  (kk) 

Just wondering if anyone can steer me to a list of songs that peaked in the fall.  (Books won't help me unless they're in Braille.) <grin>

Thanks for any help.

Bill Scherer

We've had lists of The Biggest Songs of Summer up on the website for years now ... but Fall / Autumn is a completely different matter.

I'm sure they must exist somewhere but without a bit of checking, I'm afraid I can't point you in the right direction.

But perhaps someone else on the list can ... so we're posting this as part of our on-going Helping Out Our Readers segment.  (It'd be easy enough to compile from Whitburn's Pop Annual Books ... but, to the best of my knowledge, those aren't available in braille!)  kk

Congratulations to Svengoolie (aka Rich Koz) for making The Justice League!  (Hey, why not ... he's already got his own comic book!!!  lol)

We had the privilege of hanging with Sven at the Freddy Cannon concert a couple of years ago ...

So our salute to Berwyn now includes The Ides Of March, Svengoolie ... and ME!!!  (Morton West Graduate, 1971)

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ran a special tribute page for Ric Ocasek of The Cars last week.  You can check it out here:  https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/cars?utm_campaign=Marketing&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Y6cvPU6BLBXFCQdZa1ldhUUUWln3ySDw4s1m23uklxr492niueGDClGEjL44M_50RN4nhFBxqBsTJRLyYda1xt6QT_A&_hsmi=76905317&utm_content=76905317&utm_source=hs_email&hsCtaTracking=50b535c9-d926-4113-9004-7b7c43d36cb6%7C7ee3861c-0d47-4ea0-9d59-afeb21d33048

Counting a solo hit for Ocasek and bandmate Bejamin Orr, The Cars have EIGHTEEN songs that made our TOP 3333 MOST ESSENTIAL CLASSIC ROCK SONGS List ... and ten of those made The Top 1000.

We'll be unveiling the complete list shortly ... so stay tuned for more details!  (kk)