Saturday, November 6, 2021

THE WEEKEND COMMENTS

I love it!

After a bar in Dallas banned the playing of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” on its jukebox before December 1st, Kurt Hanson, founder and CEO of Chicago-based AccuRadio decided to do something about it.

 

Hanson launched a new channel called “One Song Radio: All I Want for Christmas Is You,” featuring nothing but the holiday classic as performed by dozens of artists.  (In addition to the popular Mariah Carey version, you’ll also hear artists like Dolly Parton, Michael Buble, Lady A, Justin Bieber, Straight No Chaser, Idina Menzal, She and Him, My Chemical Romance and several others.

 

General Manager Laura Garrison of the bar Stoneleigh P’s said they posted a sign on their jukebox last week, stating that Mariah’s tune “will be skipped” if played before December 1st, and that after that date it can only be played “one time a night.”

 

Actually, she says, the sign has been put up there for the last three or four years now … but this year it went viral and now she’s being interviewed by The Washington Post!!!  “Every holiday season we hear the song so much when you get alcohol involved,” Garrison said, adding that ANY song that gets played more than once per night gets skipped. “Carey’s Christmas hit just seems to creep in earlier each year, and we throw up the sign — I think this year it was played in September.”  The rule, she added, started as an inside joke among the bar’s longtime regulars. “It’s like a family inside joke that went viral.”

 


Funnily enough, when Mariah Carey heard about it, she first took to Twitter and posted a photograph of herself dressed in battle armor, surrounded by flames, with a caption asking the question “Is this the war on Christmas I’ve heard about?”



Funnier still is the 30-second video she posted next … titled “It’s Not Time”

 

Hey, I have ALWAYS loved the song … but they really DO play it to death around the holidays.  Still, it will likely chart again this holiday season … and may even go all the way to #1 again like it did last year.  (Of course, a little incident like this can only help matters, right???)

 

After 21 Years, ‘60’s on 6 is no longer.  The Sirius/XM mainstay has rebranded itself as ‘60’s Gold … and moved all the way up the dial to Channel 73!!!

WTF?!?!

‘60’s on 6 is the whole reason I got XM way back when! Their decades channels (‘50’s on 5, ‘60’s on 6, ‘70’s on 7, ‘80’s on 8 and now ‘90’s on 9) were where you had the greatest potential of hearing the songs we grew up with with the fewest number of repeats.  (Some of the other SXM channels seem to have a playlist of about 200 songs … kinda crazy that we’re all PAYING for this service to eliminate commercials but then aren’t being treated to the variety of music a satellite station could easily provide.)

"'60's on 6" also represents the "brand" of SXM's decade channels ... it has always had a magical ring to it ... the whole tone of the station has changed by eliminating this key part of the channel's name.

What this REALLY is is a blatant slap in the face, once again driving home the point that the music of the ‘50’s and ‘60’s isn’t relevant anymore … that most of the audience for this music has already died off … when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

The music from this era (and these two decades in particular) paved the way for all that was to come after it.  There has never been a more exciting and inventive period of music.  The fact that listeners are still tuning in to hear songs that are already 60 years old is unheard of.  (To keep things in perspective, in the ‘60’s when music trends were changing almost daily due to experimentation and pushing things to the limit was there ANYBODY out there longing for the good ol’ music of the 1900’s? 1920’s??  1940’s???

No … Rock And Roll Music restructured the game for keeps.  This music will NEVER die … because new people are discovering it (and falling in love with it) every single day.

Shame on Sirius XM for insulting us like this … and destroying the brand that YOU invented.  (The ‘70’s, ‘80’s and ‘90’s channels remain intact in their dial placement … only the ‘50’s Channel and ‘60’s channel were subjected to this demeaning movement.  In fact, you’ll find the previously relocated Elvis Channel right up there, too, at Channel  75.  Meanwhile, “Coffeehouse Radio” has replaced the ‘60’s at Channel 6.  Seriously?!?!  Are you telling me that they feel there is a greater appeal and desire to hear THIS channel over the music of the ‘60’s???

I’m not so sure I’ll be renewing my subscription this year … not when there are so many other internet choices available these days that revere the music of the ’50’s, ‘60’s and ‘70’s.   (kk)


kk:

I enjoyed reading about this new Elvis Presley and the USS Arizona PBS-TV documentary airing on November 11th

A while ago, I interviewed my dear friend, actor/poet Harry E. Northup. You would know his work from his roles in “Mean Streets,” “Taxi Driver,” “Blue Collar,” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”

Harry and I were discussing Elvis.

In 2008, I wrote the liner notes to the 40th anniversary reissue box set Elvis Presley The ’68 Comeback Special for Sony/Legacy Records.

I had seen a half a dozen Elvis concerts 1970-1977. Harry mentioned he saw Presley's monumental March 26, 1961, last public appearance before he resumed live touring in 1969.

I asked Harry what he remembered about this landmark gig. I seem to recall Elvis did the longest set of his career ... well over an hour. Chet Atkins and Boots Randolph flew in for the show.  

“When I was 17, I joined the U.S. Navy. After Radio School, I was sent to Oahu where I was stationed at Pearl Harbor. On March 25, 1961, I saw Elvis in a concert at the Bloch Arena, in Pearl Harbor.

It was a benefit on the behalf of the Memorial Fund for the battleship the U.S. S. Arizona. The audience was mostly service men. I sat in the balcony, stage right.

He sang ‘Love Me Tender,’ ‘Don’t Be Cruel,’ among many others. He was electric; each time he made a move, even if it was with his little finger, the audience went wild. He was the King. Men and women loved Elvis.

I remember seeing a man dressed in a suit. He was carrying an attaché case. A sailor buddy told me it was Colonel Parker.

That was Elvis’ last public appearance for many years because he started making movies. ‘G.I. Blues’ is one of my favorite films of his because of the Army setting, the love theme and the lyrical songs that he sang.

I feel grateful to have seen Elvis in such a perfect setting when he was young, clean cut and handsome.”    

Harvey Kubernik

 

More to look forward to!!!

 

The week after The Beatles / Get Back three part series airs on Disney+ over Thanksgiving Weekend, The Epix Network will premier a brand new two-part documentary called “Mr. A and Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records,” an in-depth profile of Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss and their A&M label that was home base for SO many artists during the ‘60’s, ‘70’s and ‘80’s … of virtually every genre of music.  (In addition to Herb’s own group, The Tijuana Brass, A&M released records by artists as diverse as The Carpenters, Peter Frampton, Joe Cocker, The Police, Procol Harum, Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66, Cat Stevens, Bryan Adams, Janet Jackson and SO many other great acts that filled our heads with memorable music over the decades.

This should be a goodie … and it premiers on Sunday Night, December 5th.  (kk)

 

Did you happen to watch that ABBA clip from last Sunday’s CBS Morning program?  It offers some great insight into the band, their reunion project and their one-of-a-kind avatar concert venue.

The return of ABBA - YouTube

 

Here’s another one of those videos that you just have to see!!!


 

And here is today’s Rolling Stones clip …

 

We ran this once before a long time ago …

 

But when I saw it again on the Best Classic Bands website the other day, I just HAD to share it again!!!

 

Here are The Rolling Stones, singing their Snap! Crackle! Pop! hearts out for Rice Krispies!!!


 

kk …

Last night, Billy Joel was back at Madison Square Garden … first time since March, 2020.

He talked about his first time ever at MSG … his parents took him to a Gene Autry Christmas Show.

This Is My Favorite Billy Song … It Sounds Like A 1950's Doo-Wop Song.

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

FB

 

Tommy James has a new CD available thru his website …

“Rock Party” features live versions of several of Tommy’s hits (“Draggin’ The Line,” “Hanky Panky,” “Crimson And Clover,” “I Think We’re Alone Now,” “Mirage” and “Mony Mony” … a couple of these redone as “uptempo dance versions”) as well has his versions of “Tighter, Tighter” (the Top Five Hit he wrote for Alive ‘n’ Kickin’), “Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah),” a song done by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, who also covered Tommy’s “Crimson And Clover” with great success, “Devil Gate Drive,” “Annie Come Knockin’,” “Go” and “Say Please.”

 

From Tommy’s manager, Carol Ross …

 

"WE NEED TO SMILE AGAIN"...

The times demand it.

Throughout his career, Tommy James has been doing exactly that ...

Making people smile ... Making people dance ... Making people groove ... 

It’s more than just the 23 gold singles, 9 platinum albums,100 million records sold worldwide, 32 Billboard "Hot 100" hits and, most impressive of all, the long string of hits heard on the radio over 21 million times. 

Clearly Tommy James music is inextricably bound within America's pop-culture DNA. 

Are you ready to smile again?

One listen to his new ROCK PARTY takes 10 well-known slices of Americana, plus two surprise deep-cuts from the '90s - highlights 'ANNIE COME KNOCKIN' and "SAY PLEASE" - remixed/revitalized, adding oomph, spark, crowds and thrills to the point where the ones you know like DRAGGIN' THE LINE, CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION, CRIMSON and CLOVER, MONY MONY, I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW and more add up to a frenzy of rock 'n' roll craziness just like when we were all kids. 

And that's just it.  This music is teenage music, Tommy James never grew up. He's still singing HANKY PANKY like he was 16 again when he first realized that, "Yeah, his baby DOES the hanky-panky". We should all be so lucky ...

Carol Ross, 

Manager

“The Complete Roulette Recordings, 1966 – 1973” is also available.  It is a very impressive 6-disc set covering EVERYTHING that Tommy James and the Shondells recorded for Roulette Records, along with Tommy’s first three solo albums … and bonus tracks including non-LP singles, B-Sides and alternate singles mixes.

 

You’ll find them all on Tommy’s website:

Tommy James and The Shondells

 

(And don’t forget Tommy’s weekly “Getting’ Together” Sirius / XM radio program, airing Sundays from 4 – 7 PM (Eastern) on (what is now called) their ‘60’s Gold Channel.  (kk)

 

So sad to hear about the passing of Billy J. Kramer’s wife Roni, who I had the pleasure of meeting at one of the Chicagoland Fests For Beatles Fans (as well as communicating by email for years.  She was a very, very sweet lady … and definitely the light of Billy’s life.

Because Billy performs so rarely these days, it was Roni’s income that kept them going, leaving Billy in rather dire straits right now financially.

His friends have helped to set up a GoFundMe page to help with Billy’s expenses.  (My understanding is that he is also selling his house in order to bring some money in.)

A sad situation, to be sure.

Here is Billy’s plea for help, first published on The Fest For Beatles Fans site a couple of days ago … and now circulating thru Billy’s fans and friends in an effort to help him out.  (kk)


 

Please watch Billy's personal message 

 

Hi Everyone,

Billy J. Kramer here.

I'm sorry to say these are sad times for me:

My loving wife Roni, my best friend and love of my life, died of a sudden heart attack a few weeks ago, and I am devastated.
What's worse, on top of this horrible emotional loss, it turns out I'm in need of some financial support until I can get back on the road again and earn a living. Roni was a good part of our family income, and with her gone, it is hard to make ends meet.
I know that everyone is struggling these days, and it pains me to even have to ask, but my friends encouraged me to set-up this Go Fund Me page, and I'm hoping you might be able to help out in some way.
Thank you for your time, thank you in advance for any consideration, and here's to happier days ahead, when we can all be together and I can do what I love and do best, entertain you all and rock on stage!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/billy-j-kramer-fund-raiser

Several of Billy's friends have helped him set up this GoFundMe to help with the current financial turmoil. The link to the fundraiser appears above, if you want to help out.
Billy is a dear friend, and so was Roni. Billy has been a special guest at dozens of FESTS around the country since the mid 1980s, and we told him we would let fans know about this unfortunate situation he finds himself in.
Peace and Love,
The Lapidos Family

I consider myself SO fortunate to have been a friend of Billy J. Kramer over the years.  He has always been so supportive of Forgotten Hits and all we try to do here to help keep this great music and memories alive … and was such a big part of my discovery of this music as a pre-teen during The British Invasion.  (I’ve told this story many times but the first time I ever discovered WLS and Top 40 Radio was during Dex Card’s daily Top 40 Countdown Show of The Silver Dollar Survey … and the very first time I ever heard it was in May of 1964 when Billy J. Kramer topped the chart with his two-sided hit “Little Children” / “Bad To Me” … a very special memory for sure.

My heart goes out to you, Billy, during this VERY difficult time.  (kk)

 

Paul McCartney just did a recent Q&A in regards to his new Lyrics book that came out last week.  (It’s a beautiful, massive set, by the way, split into two volumes of 154 songs that Paul wrote … or had a hand in writing … that also acts as a biography / diary as he looks back and reflects on the circumstances of the times.  A LOT to devour here … but I can’t wait to dig into it.)

Meanwhile, here are some of the questions other McCartney fans were looking for answers to …

You Gave Me The Answer - 'The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present' Special | PaulMcCartney.com


We discovered that we lost several emails over the past 10 days or so to spam again … I just don’t understand how this keeps happening … and from regular readers who write in all the time, too.  Very frustrating and aggravating as material that I WOULD have used as timely tie-ins are now already too far out of date to matter.  I have marked these correspondents as “Not Spam” numerous times now … and that seems to work for a few weeks and then all of a sudden, mail is being diverted again.  (And it’s not like the subject matter is questionable or objectionable in any fashion!)  It’s just weird.  (If anybody out there knows how to PERMANENTLY mark these readers as “Not Spam” within the confines of Yahoo Mail, please let me know … as this has become VERY annoying!)  kk

Anyway, here are a few that I would like to share from Tom Cuddy …


Here is confirmation from Kenny Vance on Jay and the Americans opening for The Beatles as part of their first US concert …

Kenny Vance confirms Jay and the Americans opens for the Beatles

Kenny Vance and Jay Black of Jay & the Americans - YouTube

 

And this, too …

 

THE ENDURING POPULARITY OF "YOU ARE EVERYTHING" …

‘You Are Everything’: The Stylistics Lead The Way For Diana And Marvin

The Philadelphia group debuted the elegant song, written by the peerless team of Thom Bell and Linda Creed.

By Paul Sexton. U  Music

 

Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye’s 1973 version of “You Are Everything,” from their Diana & Marvin album, holds a rightful place among Motown’s most soulful entries of the 1970s, and its most beautifully-turned duets. But the original version of this elegant song, written by the peerless team of Thom Bell and Linda Creed, rarely gets the limelight it deserves. It was by those prolific 1970s hitmakers from Philadelphia, the Stylistics, and it took its bow on the R&B chart on October 30, 1971.

 

That was a memorable debut year for the soul troupe, in which they had already enjoyed their first two soul chart entries, both Top 10 successes, in “You’re A Big Girl Now” and “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart).” The first had been a regional hit in 1970 before the Stylistics were snapped up by Avco Records, and the second was another Bell & Creed original, which indeed Ross and Gaye would cut as their follow-up to “You Are Everything,” again from Diana & Marvin.

The Stylistics’ version of the song featured the distinctive lead vocals of Russell Thompkins Jr., and while he didn’t attempt the ad-libbed inflections so familiar in Gaye’s part of the later version, the Stylistics’ single was a classy recording in its own right. It entered Billboard’s Best Selling Soul Singles list at No.43 and, a week later, started its ascent of the Hot 100. It rose steadily on both charts to spend two weeks at No.9 pop in January and reach No. 10 on the soul side. It became the group’s first gold disc.

Inexplicably, Diana and Marvin’s fine remake of the song was never released as an American single, but it became a firm favorite across the Atlantic, reaching No.5. “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)” then followed up with a No.25 peak. Later versions of “You Are Everything” included one by Rod Stewart, for his 1991 album Vagabond Heart, and the track has been repeatedly sampled by soul stars, including by Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Craig David, and Usher.

 

Also from Tom …

 

2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Stuns With Surprise Guests, Magical Performances
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/2021-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-induction-review-1251077/

Highs and lows from the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony
https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2021/10/highs-and-lows-from-the-2021-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-ceremony.html

 

Now see … this is MY idea of a proper Record Store Day display …

(Here’s hoping it catches on all over the country!!!)  kk



And a friendly reminder from Chuck Buell to Fall Back tonight before you go to bed …

 

From Forgotten Hits Public Service Director, Chuck Buell ~~~

 

Remember to set your clocks BACK One Hour before you go to bed tonight!

 

And then beginning Tomorrow ~~~

 

 

CB ( which stands for "Clock Boy!" )


Friday, November 5, 2021

Rekindling Some Sullivan Memories

TEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

Forgotten Hits Salutes The Ed Sullivan Show

 

Exactly ten years ago this week, Forgotten Hits began a three week salute to The Ed Sullivan Show, the most successful variety show of all time.

 

Over his 23 year television run, Sullivan introduced the world to the biggest names in show business … and single-handedly brought the latest rock and roll acts right into our living rooms every Sunday Night.

 

If an artist was fortunate enough to be asked to appear, it was a pretty safe bet that their record sales would skyrocket in the days that followed.  It gave us kiddies at home the chance to see our rock and roll heroes up close and personal, most often in a live (and sometimes “edited”) performance.


And the editing wasn't always just for the purpose of song length and live broadcast time  restrictions ... (“Let’s spend some TIME together,” anyone???  Of course, Jim Morrison and The Doors more than made up for that blunderous decision a few years later!)

 

We kicked things off on Halloween, 2011, with The Top Ten Rolling Stones Performances, as hand-picked by Andrew Solt, who for decades now has owned and controlled the complete library collection of every available Sullivan broadcast.  The occasion was the release of the new DVD series spotlighting The Rolling Stones’ six appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.  (Solt has since struck a deal with UME to digitally share his extensive Sullivan library thru The Ed Sullivan YouTube Channel, who have regularly been posting full-length performances for the past couple of years now.  New posts go up almost daily of vintage, full-length clips, most not seen in their entirety since their original airdates.)

 

We followed this up on November 1st with our own personal look back at some very special and memorable Sullivan performances.  On the 2nd, we gave you the lowdown on Solt himself, which we followed up with our very own exclusive interview with Andrew on November 3rd.

 

On Friday, November 4th, 2011, we fondly remembered The Beatles’ appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and then on Saturday, the 5th, it was your guys’ turn to reminisce.

 

The tribute continued the following week with more looks back at special Sullivan moments as well as the rest of our interview with Andrew Solt.

 

But we didn’t stop there …

 

The FOLLOWING week we ran more comments and memories … including several from artists who had appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, thus achieving the pinnacle of their show-biz career in the process … if you made it to The Ed Sullivan Show, that meant that you had REALLY made it!

 

The fun continued thru November 21st … three solid weeks of Sullivan Memories.

 

You can scroll back to discover (or re-enjoy) the whole thing here:

Forgotten Hits: 10/30/11 - 11/6/11 (forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com)

 

Start your journey here on October 31st via the link above and then just click the “Newer Posts” link at the bottom of each page to jump to the next several chapters.

[You’ll see that several of the clips we featured then appear as unavailable now …

That’s because these links have since been replaced over the past decade by newer, cleaner full-length clips, now featured regularly on The Ed Sullivan YouTube Channel.  Please allow yourself some time to browse around here because you are in for a REAL treat as you discover more and more of these timeless appearances.  Links to The Ed Sullivan Show YouTube Channel (The Ed Sullivan Show - YouTubeand EdSullivan.com appear here and below.]

 

A lot has changed in The Sullivan Universe since our series first ran ten years ago. 

In June of 2020, Solt’s SOFA Entertainment struck a deal with UME to digitally share performances from the vast Sullivan library thru the newly launched Ed Sullivan YouTube Channel.  Andrew's son Josh Solt to over the reigns on this project ... and by August of this year, the new channel had already passed 150 million views and continue to post new clips daily, proving the long-lasting, universal appeal of this prime time television classic and the quality of artists it presented.  (With literally thousands of clips to choose from, UME has structured a three year plan to make most of this material available for viewing again.  Forgotten Hits has been posting highlights of the latest postings every month since this new project began.)

 

The Ed Sullivan YouTube Channel doesn’t only deal in rock and roll clips (although this is certainly the area where most of our readers will find interest.)  Vintage performances by the day’s most popular comedians, live on stage recreations of scenes from Broadway’s hottest shows, puppets for the kids, tumblers, jugglers and American Icons from Ethel Merman and Louis Armstrong to Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays all made appearances.  The Sullivan Show DEFINED variety … and performances from all of these various walks of life live on thru these newly posted streams.  (The Ed Sullivan Show prided itself on presenting entertainment for the entire family ... who could gather together on Sunday Nights AS a family and all find not only something of interest, but discover something brand new along the way as well.  Sadly, these memories today are of a bygone era.)

 

While their first US television appearances may not have been on The Sullivan Show, it was their appearances on Ed’s program that catapulted the careers of Elvis Presley and The Beatles literally overnight.  SO many other acts followed in their wake.  The Sullivan stage welcomed everyone from Buddy Holly, Paul Anka and The Everly Brothers … to Connie Francis, Bobby Darin and Bill Haley and the Comets … to The Supremes, The Temptations and The Jackson Five … The Mamas and the Papas, The Fifth Dimension and Dionne Warwick ... to The Doors, Janis Joplin and The Byrds … Sly and the Family Stone, The Beach Boys and Ike and Tina Turner … along with The Four Seasons, Simon and Garfunkel and Creedence Clearwater Revival.  The list goes on and on.  Nearly everybody who was anybody made their way to the Sullivan stage.

 

The British Invasion years were especially fruitful as Sullivan introduced us to The Dave Clark Five, Herman’s Hermits and Petula Clark … Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Animals and Freddie and the Dreamers!  Peter and Gordon, Chad and Jeremy, Manfred Mann ... and so many more.

 

Browse around these sites to discover a massive number of vintage, one-of-a-kind clips of your all-time favorite artists, doing what they do best …

 

The Ed Sullivan Show - YouTube

Artists - Ed Sullivan Show

 

Ed Sullivan brought the biggest names in show business and popular music into our homes every Sunday Night for 23 years.  He made Rock And Roll Music acceptable to the parents of teenagers who otherwise may have just figured their kids had gone off the deep end. 

 

And yet this man is NOT in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

 

In fact, he has never even been so much as NOMINATED for this honor!

This is just one more example of the short-sighted injustice in a long list of Rock Hall oversights and blunders ... and it REALLY needs to be rectified.


Alan Freed is recognized for bringing rock and roll to radio.  Squeaky clean Dick Clark is a Rock Hall inductee for his American Bandstand program.  But Ed Sullivan, who brought us everyone from Elvis Presley to Buddy Holly to The Beatles to The Rolling Stones to The Supremes to The Doors to Topo Gigio (all right, we can forgive him for that last one) has never even been nominated … and that’s just wrong.  (kk) 




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