Thursday, November 4, 2021

Thursday This And That

From our FH Buddy Bob Lind …

Hi to all my FB friends and fans,

Most of you already know this,  but I’m sending this just in case.

This coming Sunday, November 7th, at 2 p.m. Eastern, I'll be doing my first concert in more than two and a half years. Totally free.

Just sign on to FaceBook, go to my page, kick back and listen.

(Don't forget the time change. We "fall back" and leave Daylight Savings the night before.)

If you haven't seen the preview, you can watch it any time by going to my page and scrolling down till you see an empty stage with a tapestry, a piano, a potted palm and part of my guitar. Click and wait a minute and a half. I sing a couple songs and plug the show.

Hope to see a slew of you there.

Yers,

Bob Lind

www.boblind.com


Monday night was the official launch of the new Yorkshire Publishing title, Band of Gold - A Memoir by Freda Payne and Mark Bego.  

Held at Steve Walter’s Cutting Room in New York City, it was a pretty media intensive affair. So many of the attendees told me it was their first real night out since the pandemic, so everyone was in a terrific mood. Payne, who looked deliciously elegant in red, was a total pro as she spoke and signed almost every book there. Bego, who came up with the Band of Gold cocktail which was served, was resplendent in a Roy Lichtenstein-like red jacket, was front and center with Payne, greeted the likes of Roger Friedman; Rhonda Ross (Diana Ross' eldest daughter); WOR’s Tom Cuddy; writer-par excellence Anthony Hayden-Guest; Mark Scheerer; Dina Pitenis from Celebrity Service; Ken Simmons; Universal’s Andy Skurow; Bego’s manager Dave Marken; Flo Anthony; Danny Fried; Jane Berk; Elliot Hubbard; Dan Zelinski; Billy Amendola; Maria Milito from Q1043; Harry Haun; Joe Marchese from Real Gone Records; and, Bego's PR-man, David Salidor.

Payne’s book is pretty terrific; revealing several never before-told tales, as well as an affair with the-late Senator John Tunney. As Adam White said in his West Grand Blog: she names names. Great event as always at the club. 

Bego said people keep asking whether his next book (his 68th) will be a tribute to his great-friend Mary Wilson. Says Bego, "I have all the research material from my 45-year friendship with her and it seems like a natural project for me and a fitting tribute to Mary."

David Salidor


>>>Look for a new Elvis And The USS Arizona, a PBS documentary airing on the PBS network November 11, 2021.  (Frank B)

As to the new Elvis documentary, I love that.  He REALLY was one of the early pop music star fundraising people and most do not know how he helped so much with raising money for the great WWII memorial that so many of us have visited.  I know I and my father, who fought in the European war were moved.  Now, it is time for the nation to hear about Elvis’ greatest moment.  The first I ever knew about this was when this photo appeared in the December 11, 1965 Billboard Magazine.  I was pretty surprised a pop star like him would be doing something like that.  NOW, so many do similar and many not knowing who was one of the early ones to do so.




>>>As I look at Randy's Super Charts compilation for this week, I noticed a minor trend.  Four songs this week … Imagine, Peace Train, One Tin Soldier and I'd Love To Change The World … all deal with an optimism for the future.  Fast forward 50 years and it's sad to say that much of that optimism has disappeared.  (Jack)

And many of us anti-war mongers had posters like these on walls.  We also had "Suppose they gave a war ... and nobody came."

That said, today, I greatly appreciate everything every soldier has given for me and the country.

Clark Besch




America under attack certainly had a lot to do with revitalizing patriotism here at home.  It’s a shame it took something of this extreme to make us all “Proud To Be An American” again.  It was quite uplifting for several years to see soldiers being thanked for their service in airports and public places by complete strangers who suddenly realized the cost and of freedom when our “rights” to this were challenged.  Twenty years on, it’s waning … and that’s a shame.  We’ve been thru a lot since then that has rocked our consciousness … everything from the Me, Too and Black Lives Matter movements to a global pandemic wiping out millions … even today the conflict over whether or not to get vaccinated and public attacks against our government buildings by our OWN citizens.  Really makes you wonder (and, quite often, leaves your head spinning.)  Maybe as we get older, we better appreciate the lives we’ve been allowed to live here in The United States.  Hey, I protested The Viet Nam War, too … and for good reason … it was wrong to keep our country involved for as long as we did and lose so many lives and destroy so many families in the process.  But today we see the need for having our military up to snuff … and appreciate what these folks do for us on a daily basis, laying down their own lives to help protect ours … rights so many of us took for granted for so many years.

I saw a comment the other day that said something like “Sometimes I shake my head and laugh.  Other times, I just shake my head.”  With age comes wisdom and better perspective.  Another popular saying back then was “Too bad youth is wasted on the young.”  I find myself feeling THAT way much of the time these days, too.  (kk)

 

Chicago's great singer Major Lance has a daughter who is mayor of Atlanta.  She's planning a parade for the chop boys on Friday!!!

FINALLY, Braves World Champs again!!!  Do the Monkey!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0KlRpQeyvo

Clark Besch

Although The Houston Astros looked clearly outmatched for much of the series, every game still brought some fun and excitement to the plate.  SO many key and unexpected plays … watching the combined 7-inning no-hitter (FAR from a “perfect game!”) … witnessing the World Series Grand Slam … I didn’t think I’d watch much of it at all, not particularly feeling any allegiance to either team, yet ended up tuning in for all six games.  (And I have to admit that there was a certain bit of satisfaction in watching the team that knocked our White Sox out of the race get a little bit of their own medicine.)  Fun Fact:  The last time a team won The World Series by way of a shut-out (Atlanta beat Houston 7-0 in the finale) was 2005 … when our Chicago White Sox shut out those very same Houston Astros to sweep the series in four games!  (kk)

 

November 2nd … Five years ago today, the curse ended!
This 1992 song, by The Cleaning Ladies, can now be entered into the Hall of Shame.
Mike Wolstein


 

Here’s the first trailer released for the new ABBA Avatar Concert …


 

As well as a feature on the band’s comeback album (out this next week) from a recent CBS Sunday Morning profile …


 

Look for Bruce Springsteen to be the next artist to sell their recording legacy and publishing rights to a large conglomerate.  The Boss is currently in negotiations with Sony Music … and the deal could fetch upwards of $350 - $400 Million!  (This substantially raises the bar for other artists to cash in on their legacies … but how many other artists are there out there of this caliber?  Even Bob Dylan, who Springsteen has perhaps most been compared to during his long and illustrious career, didn’t get that much when he cashed in his chips earlier this year.)  An official announcement could come as early as next week.  (By the way, despite his new deal, Dylan is still recording new music and has just announced a new tour!  So these guys are NOT simply resting on their laurels.)  kk

 

Don't know if you guys saw the latest Four Seasons mega box info (30+ CDs when released, I think), but this is pretty cool and nice stereo.  I’m guessing the songs cut off are possibly by the guy doing this set, but maybe not.  I think once in Save It For Me, they stop because Frankie kind of makes one word sound a bit off.  It’s nice stereo and cool to hear.  Obviously, the stereo track is being played as made ahead so that Frankie can do his vocal.  Looks like this is where the version of Dawn came from WITHOUT the solo vocal beginning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxd9KpcGQzI&t=125s

Clark Besch

Ironically, my 18-CD Box Set of every Four Seasons album came yesterday.  (I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever owned a Four Seasons album before, other than several Greatest Hits compilations and box sets.)

Since I completely missed this phase of their career as it was happening, I am looking forward to rediscovering (for the very first time!) what they were contributing at the time.  (kk)

 

FROM OUR “EVERYBODY’S A SMART ASS” DEPARTMENT:

>>>On the subject of Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, I'm a bit surprised that they don't come to Chicago.  (Mike Wolstein)

It might have something to do with Lani filing a protection order against some guy named Kent in the city?

Clark Besch

 

>>>If you got scared half to death, you’d then be half dead … but if you divide that half by another half, you’re still only a quarter dead … and then, if it happened again, you’d be 1/8 dead. No matter how many times it happened, you’ll never actually be 100% dead!  (Tom)

That's Great, Tom! Thanx for your easy-to-understand, definitive example of the Law of "Diminishing" Returns! 

CB  ( which can now also stand for "Calculating Boy!" )

 

"Vi iz dus geseleh?" … a Yiddish song featuring a JAY BLACK vocal - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRhVF8LGYw0 

kk:

"WHERE IS THE VILLAGE?"

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME I SENT YOU A YIDDISH SONG?

FB

I’m gonna have to go with never …

And please don’t let it happen again! 

(Just kidding … just another fine example of Jay Black’s vocal talent.)  kk