Boy, I am getting more and more excited about next weekend’s WLS / WCFL Rewound Radio Labor Day Weekend Salute …
I have seen an outline of some of the segments that they are intending to run and I’ve gotta tell you, these are some GREAT clips … and, during the 66 hour broadcast damn near 85% of these clips run about an hour in length … so you’re going to get a REAL good feel for what Top 40 Radio sounded like in the mid-to-late 60’s and early ‘70’s, from a Chicagoland perspective.
All of the music has been restored to pristine sound … and you’ll hear the original radio station jingles, original commercials and bits and pieces of news broadcasts … and what a line-up of talent they’ve found to share!!!
Everything from the expected (Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards doing “Animal Stories”) to a snippet of Dex Card counting down The Silver Dollar Survey to Larry Lujack’s first show on WCFL, circa 1967, as well as his first show from his return to WCFL in 1972, Dick Biondi’s first show at WCFL, Bob Sirott’s 17th Anniversary Salute to WLS as well as 30-60 minute airchecks from the likes of Fred Winston, Joel Sebastian, Jim Stagg, Gary Gears, Barney Pip, John Landecker, Chuck Buell, Jeff Davis, Jerry Kaye, Yvonne Daniels, Clark Weber, Bob Dearborn, Tommy Edwards, Ron Riley, Scotty Brink, Kris Erik Stevens, Ron O’Brien, Ron Britain, Tom Kent, Steve King, Dick Shannon, Bob Hale (from 1960 no less!!!), Art Roberts, Bill Taylor and more.
And, on Monday at noon (11 am Central), you’ll hear the INCREDIBLE music montage that Tommy Edwards put together for WLS’ 1984 New Year’s Eve Countdown … expanded by Scott Childers to now run thru 1989 to show case WLS’ rock and roll years on the AM dial.
We’ll continue to update you as to some of the show times (unfortunately, most of these are still tentative at this stage … but they’re starting to nail down some of the final details as we get closer to showtime.)
We realize that nobody can listen to all 66 hours … but we can hopefully point out some highlights along the way to make sure you at least have the chance to listen to some of the very best stuff … so stay tuned!!!
Meanwhile, two more recent promos we were able to capture, from Fred Winston and Jeff Davis! (kk)
More from Ted Smucker, with whom I have been working collecting some of the many promos and drop-ins you’ve been hearing both here in Forgotten Hits and on Rewound Radio leading up to the big event … these will continue throughout the long, holiday weekend …
We are getting down to the wire (or wireless) with WLS / WCFL Rewound on Rewound Radio. Labor Day Weekend will mark the unofficial end of summer, and we will celebrate it with a sixty six hour “Blast from the Past.”
Over the past eight months, we have been harvesting old Chicago Radio Airchecks from folks all around the U.S., over the Internet, as well as pulling from my own private collection. What we have found is that most collectors in the “aircheck community” are more than willing to share their golden gems with others of like mind. This communal approach to our mutual interests is helping us to shape up one of the most comprehensive presentations of Top 40 Radio talent and music from the Windy City’s WLS and WCFL. This is fortunate, as many of us had thought some of these voices of the past were gone, except for the replay in our memories.
Long time friends of nearly 40 years, and brand new friends of 40 days, have contributed in this effort by volunteering their special talents of producing promos and restoring audio, merely because of the love of the medium. We’re also lucky to have tremendous support from those that are cyber-talking this event on Facebook, and on their blogs, such as this one. Let’s not overlook the amazing co-operation of the air talent of WLS and WCFL, as a dozen of these folks have stepped up and recorded voice tracks to assist in promoting this special event and even submitting airchecks of themselves from over 50 years ago.
But hats off to the proprietor of Rewound Radio, Allan Sniffen, who’s love for the medium has given us the platform to display these NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) over a long three day period. (These may not be true NFTs, but I wanted to use that in a sentence just once!) A hearty “Top 40 Salute” to one and all.
The most asked question we’ve had is, “How do I listen to this?”
Here are some ways.
2. I-Heart Radio Ap and search Rewound Radio
3. Amazon devices such as Fire TV and Alexa. Say, “Alexa, play Rewound Radio on I-Heart Radio”
4. TuneIn Radio Ap and search Rewound Radio
All in all we are anticipating a great weekend as we playback these two iconic stations.
Ted Gorden Smucker
Hey, Kent!
Remember when we were in our teens and we thought it was so cool when our Birthdays happened on a Saturday?! Like yours does this year?!
Then when we were 21+ Young Hot
Shots and we could party on a Saturday night with Real Purpose?!
And then as more years went by and instead of showering around 8 PM to head out
at nine for the first stop at the latest local sensory overload clubs of the
night, we now think seriously of going to bed around nine!
With no real expectations of celebratory sensual physical activities!
That being said, I just want to wish you a very~~~
And here's your Special' Buell Boy Birthday Card!'
CB ( which stands for "Cheers! Boy!" )
Also from Chuck …
You know, Kent, in yours and my Chicago Weekend Reports about the "Rock Radio Revisited'' event, we mentioned the places where we enjoyed some great Food and Beverage, Ed Debevic’s 50's Chicago Diner, Johnnie’s Charcoaled Italian Beef, and even Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Restaurant, but I don’t think we included the highly appropriate Restaurant and Bar we just happened across for our end of day Adult Beverages on Saturday … the highly appropriate restaurant and sports bar, the Radio Room! It was a very nice place even though the Manager, when I asked, did not know just why it was named that!
You'd think, if anybody he'd have, or find, an answer for, it'd be me!
Perhaps he didn't realize who I used to be. {:~}
CB ( which stands for Former "Celebrity Boy!" )
>>>With Shelley's Skill Set in writing her very detailed “Reviews,” too bad she couldn’t have been with us on this particular Adventure of ours to record and help protect our otherwise fragile reputations! (Chuck Buell)
>>>Yeah, we really need to put together a Forgotten Hits outing … for years, we’ve talked about doing a big meet-up at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland –
But I’ll tell you what … a trip downtown to see the sites in Chicago and a fun dinner at Ed Debevic’s would be an absolute BLAST!!! (kk)
Thank you for the compliment.
So many sassy responses to choose from! I pushed them all away to reply: "I agree."
I wish I could travel more. Opportunities may be opening up, but the cost has arisen exponentially. (Thank you, math teachers, for that one!)
However, I could only record what actually happens. "Protect our otherwise fragile reputations"? Sassy responses are trying to return so I will sign off with ... you didn't make the news, so at worst, you were under the radar.
Shelley
On second thought, with Shelley Sweet-Tufano’s Skill Set in writing detailed “Reviews,” I can’t help but think it was probably a good thing she wasn’t with us on this particular Adventure of ours!
Chuck
Hello, Kent -
I'm still here and I still check out your stuff.
I had to comment on Johnny Mathis, who is about to become my age in September, 87.
Just wanted to say that his music career extends far beyond the world of the top singles. He was and still is, as far as I know, a concert singer. During one stretch in his career, he put out a bunch of albums not intended for radio play but aimed at his legion of fans. He sang everything, covering anything that was ballad material. I bought them all. I think they'll stick the tag "Legend" on him.
Hil
Interestingly enough, we can continue our discussion of Great Geezer Balladeers (lol) thanks to this recent article in Billboard Magazine, spotlighting Engelbert Humperdinck!!!
Incredibly, Engelbert is hot on the charts again thanks to the use of his song “A Man Without Love” in the new Marvel series “Moon Knight!” It sounds like he has retained all of his vocal chops as well, as he hit the #86 mark in age.
This is a GREAT Billboard article and interview … and I love the humility he exhibits while explaining the period where he was waiting for his first hit to come … an eventuality that he never gave up hope on … he just KNEW he was destined to be successful as a vocalist!
You can check the whole thing out here:
… while we examine the ENGELBER HUMPERDINCK HIT LIST below as well …
Well, prior to his recent big comeback that is … I mean, now the guy’s a Tik-Tok star!!! (kk)
THE ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK HIT LIST
1967 – Release Me (US - #3 / UK - #1) - #1 in Great Britain for six weeks, long enough to prevent The Beatles’ “Penny Lane” / “Strawberry Fields Forever” from topping the chart there!
1967 – There Goes My Everything (US - #20 / UK - #2)
1967 – The Last Waltz (US - #21 / UK - #1)
1968 – Am I That Easy To Forget (US - #11 / UK – #3)
1968 – A Man Without Love (US - #13 / UK - #2)
[that’s FIVE straight Top Three Hits in a row, for those of you who are counting]
1968 – Les Bicyclettes De Belsize (US - #22 / UK - #5)
1969 – The Way It Used To Be (US - #24 / UK - #3)
[and then two more Top Five singles as well … before his first “miss” … miss??? A #15 record is a miss???]
1969 – I’m A Better Man (US - #35 / UK - #15)
1969 – Winter World Of Love (US - #13 / UK - #7)
1970 – My Marie (US - #24 / UK - #31)
1970 – Sweetheart (US - #35 / UK - #22)
1971 – When There’s No You (US - #36 / UK - #xx)
1971 – Anther Time, Another Place (US - #40 / UK - #13)
1972 – Too Beautiful To Last (US - #75 / UK - #14)
1976 – After The Lovin’ (US – 5 / UK - #xx) – his FIRST big comeback of sorts … nearly fifty years ago!!! Lol
1999 – Quando Quando Quando (US = #xx / UK - #40)
That’s FOURTEEN US Top 40 Hits! Not too shabby, ol’ boy!!!! Not too shabby at all! (kk)
With the Elton John / Britney Spears single finally available, Billboard also examined his penchant for duets … including a number of times that he has remade some of his OWN hits with other artists!
For all they hype surrounding the Britney Spears collaboration, I’m just not hearing “hit” on this one … yet I probably will be, just because of the iconic nature of the two artists who produced it … it would make for a HUGE comeback record for Britney after all her literal trials and tribulations over the past several years. (kk)
Speaking of hype, lots of talk about the next Beatles reissue box …
At one time, the thought was that Apple would do a combo box set featuring music from both “Rubber Soul” and “Revolver” … but it looks now like they’ve settled in on a “Revolver” only box (which, of course, paves the way for a “Rubber Soul” box set just in time for Christmas gift-giving for 2023!)
Although an official release date has yet to be announced, it is believed the “Revolver” box will be out in November … and fans are already speculating as to what “cleaned-up” tracks they may be able to replace their bootlegs with! Apple is expected to make an official, formal announcement in September. (Better get my pre-order money ready now!!!)
In addition, Bruce Spizer has just published a new book that DOES encompass the ”Rubber Soul” / “Revolver” sessions (and all the singles recorded and released during this time period)
THIS might be a good one to add to the Spizer library collection as The Beatles turned the corner with their work on these two LP’s. (Even George Harrison used to say that in his mind, the two album sort of lumped together … it was just a very creative and fruitful period in their careers as writers and recording artists.) Incredibly, they continued to tour right up to the time of “Revolver”’s release … although it was virtually impossible then to reproduce the sounds they were making in the studio on the live stage. (Performing has come a long way since then!)
A couple of related articles you might be interested in on this topic …
https://www.noise11.com/news/the-beatles-revolver-will-be-the-next-expanded-box-set-20220826
https://bestclassicbands.com/beatles-rubber-soul-revolver-book-bruce-spizer-8-25-22/
Former Rascals Felix Cavaliere and Gene Cornish have teamed up again for a series of shows on the east coast. (You may recall that it was during the last pairing of these two original members of The Rascals that Cornish had a heart attack on stage and had to be rushed to the hospital, thus ending his part of the reunion and collaboration!)
But that was 2018 … and Gene is ready to perform again. (Gene’s book, “Good Lovin’” My Life As A Rascal” is an entertaining read … we interviewed him a few years back about that one. I have yet to read Felix’s new biography, “Memoir Of A Rascal” … I can only assume that each of these two founding members were complimentary enough to each other in print to want to go back on the road together again after all these years!!! Lol)
Too bad Eddie and Dino don’t want to take part … their “Once Upon A Dream” stage show was outstanding … and I just know they would be playing to packed houses again if they chose to resurrect it.
Felix has been out on the road doing shows with Micky Dolenz of late … put this new tour (named the “Time / Peace” tour, after The Rascals’ first Greatest Hits album) is sure to attract many of the same fans again to see half of The Rascals reunited. (kk)
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I remember the big buzz around “We Love You” at the time (delegated to the B-Side of The Stones’ 1967 single “Dandelion,” but still charting on its own to #50), was the fact that John and Paul sang some of the background vocals (after Mick appeared seated at the feet of The Beatles in their “All You Need Is Love” video / live broadcast. (It was also considered to be yet another bit of following The Beatles’ trend in its wake.)
Not a great song (by any stretch) it IS pretty amazing to see this thing finally come out some 55 years later!
I have been totally digging and rediscovering The Stones of late … kicking myself a bit now for not taking part in their 60th anniversary tour … and since Frannie’s never seen them before (and they still apparently put on one killer, kick-ass show) we may just have to start saving up now … because you just KNOW they’re going to come back around again. (They simply had too much fun … and made too much money … not to!!!)
The new “My Life As A Rolling Stone” documentary series has only helped to fuel the fire … so I think a Stones concert may very well be in our future next year! (kk)
More background and insight from Harvey Kubernik, who talked to Rolling Stones Producer Andrew Loog Oldham about recording The Beatles and The Stones!
It was Andrew Loog Oldham who introduced Whitehead to the Rolling Stones, and made an earlier and seminal hookup of John Lennon and Paul McCartney to his band.
In a 2012 for Record Collector News magazine, Andrew Loog Oldham talked about Whitehead, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
“Sean Kenny, the maverick Irish stage and set designer, who worked closely with Lionel Bart on many of Bart’s musicals like Oliver!Sean was the resident art director at the Mermaid Theatre. Sean recommended the director Peter Whitehead to me.
“Whitehead had done this film Wholly Communion on beat poets at the Royal Albert Hall. Sean had heard about it, I had not. I offered Peter two grand and said 'Can you start on Friday?' he could, he did. Peter spoke from the upper ranks, and his demanding questions carried weight.
“Then I spent more than a few grand more because I had to make it look like a film. The credits and slow- motion stuff and mixing the soundtrack with Glyn Johns.”
During a 2000 interview we conducted, Andrew discussed the Stones and Beatles connection that he initiated that resulted in John and Paul singing on “We Love You.”
“I worked as a press agent for the Beatles, Chris Montez, Bob Dylan and the Little Richard / Sam Cooke / Jet Harris tour before I met the Rolling Stones. I worked for fashion designer Mary Quant in 1960 when fashion was the pop business - the only pop Britain had. It was a time when American Cinema gave us hope and attitude, and the pill gave us time and disposable income.
“Let us look at the bottom line, Brian was a passionate man who would not take a "no" on behalf of his lads and that is how we got to hear the Beatles’ music. End of story. My book Stoned celebrates the few months I worked for the Beatles and applauds the Brian I experienced and worked for.”
During 1963, Andrew worked for a handful of months doing publicity for the Beatles. He was a very key component in the launch of “Please Please Me” and placing the lads into newspapers and musician-themed periodicals like Beat Instrumental.
In his autobiography Stoned, Andrew has a wonderful anecdote about Lennon and McCartney concerning their “I Wanna Be Your Man” song given to the Stones. Andrew suggested a tune for his band from the songwriters when he saw them coming out of a taxi in Soho after they were honored at a Variety Club luncheon at the Savoy Hotel in central London.
He then guided John and Paul to the Stones’ basement rehearsal room down below Ken Colyer’s Studio 51 jazz club in Great Newport Street off Charing Cross Road after informing them he was looking for a record for the Stones’ next single. John and Paul taught Andrew’s group “I Wanna Be Your Man,” they had just been written but not done themselves.
During 2009, I interviewed sound engineer Andy Johns who worked on some recording sessions with Andrew Loog Oldham on the Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request album at Olympic. Johns shared a memory of the “We Love You” and “Dandelion” dates.
“I didn’t do that many sessions on Satanic Majesties Request. Just a few. It was bizarre. And I thought it was pretty silly stuff. You got Bill Wyman out there playing vibraphone? And some other bizarre instrument that Charlie (Watts) was playing. It was just a very poor attempt to compete with Sgt. Pepper’s.
"Andrew Loog Oldham was still around but not very much. The last time he was present was during the ‘We Love You’ and ‘Dandelion’ recording sessions at Olympic when the cops showed up at the door and Mick was smokin’ a big joint.
“These are a couple of Bobbies in uniform. And Mick was so brilliant. He puts this joint behind his back and says, ‘Andrew, what we need on this are two pieces of wood bein’ hit together in unison. Like claves.’
‘What about these,’ offered the Bobbies, as they voluntarily pulled out their truncheons.
"So, he escaped by puttin’ them on the record. And Andrew was spraying the control room to cover up the smell. At the time the Stones were having vast hassles with the cops and another bust would have been the end for them. So, it was a very narrow squeeze. Jimmy Miller their next record producer later gets me in on Sticky Fingers, which was about half done.”
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