The Sunday Comments ( 10 - 09 - 22 )

The scramble was on to get a Sunday Comments Page up and posted this weekend.  (The issue has been time ... I simply haven't had ANY of late ... so once again I'm processing emails that are well over a week late.  Still, I wanted to get SOMETHING up here this morning ... and I think we ended up doing a pretty damn good job!!! ... so here you go!)

I found this to be a pretty fascinating commentary …

As you all know, we have been extremely critical of the choices of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame candidates for some time now …

So many great artists continue to be overlooked …

And much of that blame has fallen squarely on former “Chief Of Staff” Jann Wenner, who founded the organization (many years after he founded “Rolling Stone” Magazine.)

We’ve been told by far too many members of the voting committee (several of which have since left the fold because of the “legitimacy” of the process) … it seems that, despite what he says here, Wenner had the last word on everything … and often times a given year’s inductees had already been predetermined WITHOUT the process of the vote because if Jann wanted them in, they were getting in … period.

More telling is the era that today stands as The Mount Rushmore of Classic Rock Artists who Jann says have never even been CONSIDERED or discussed as RRHF candidates.

(Look how long it took artists like Chicago, The Doobie Brothers, The Moody Blues and ELO to get in!)

In an interview with Marc Maron on his WTF podcast, when pressed, Wenner told Maron:

Marc Maron: Are there bands — and I know you’ve been accused of this before — that you just will not indulge at all? There’s been talk of you maybe stifling some people’s membership into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, that feel like they deserve it.

Jann Wenner: There is talk of that, but I don’t control that. I’m not on the Nominating Committee. (Note: Wenner served on the committee from its inception in 1986 until 2006.)

MM: Nothing against Foreigner per se?

JW: Nothing against Foreigner per se. In fact, I was very good friends with [singer-songwriter Mick Jones, who co-founded the band in 1976], and I like their work. But Foreigner’s name has never come up in the nominating committee to be nominated.

MM: REO Speedwagon, no?

JW: No. There’s that era. Not them, not Boston, Styx. That whole era, it does not come up at all.

These artists … these Classic Rock Artists … are well-represented on our list of TOP 3333 MOST ESSENTIAL CLASSIC ROCK SONGS OF ALL TIME chart

And how do you deny others (like Jethro Tull, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, The Guess Who), who each contributed new avenues for rock music to grow?  It just doesn’t make sense … and yet each and every year they induct a bunch of head-scratcher artists instead, many of which aren’t even on the radar of the fans who follow the genre of music.  (Seriously, Lionel Richie and Dolly Parton are more deserving “Rock Artists” than the three I’ve mentioned above???)

As for The Classic Rock Era (say 1967 – 1980), here is how some of the “non-candidates” fared on our list …

Bryan Adams (8 songs / 3 in the Top 1000 / “Summer of ‘69” #49 – highest)

Bachman Turner Overdrive (8 songs / 4 in the Top 1000 / “Takin’ Care Of Business” #187 – highest)

Bad Company (10 songs / 4 in the Top 1000 / “Bad Company” #280 – highest)

Blood Sweat And Tears (9 songs / “I Cant Quit Her” #1025 – highest)

Boston (13 songs / 8 in the Top 1000 / “More Than A Feeling” #20 – highest)

Joe Cocker (12 songs / 2 in the Top 1000 / “With A Little Help From My Friends” #125 – highest)

Emerson Lake And Palmer (4 songs / 3 in the Top 1000 / “Lucky Man” #270 – highest)

Foreigner (14 songs / 10 in the Top 1000 / “Cold As Ice” #62 – highest)

Peter Frampton (4 songs / 3 in the Top 1000 / “Show Me The Way” #252 – highest)

J. Geils Band (7 songs / 3 in the Top 1000 / “Centerfold” #548 – highest)

Grand Funk Railroad (10 songs / 5 in the Top 1000 / “We’re An American Band” #343 – highest)

The Guess Who (20 songs / 6 in the Top 1000 / “American Woman” #103 – highest)

Tommy James and the Shondells  (9 songs / 4 in the Top 1000 / “Crimson And Clover” #414 – highest)

Jethro Tull (8 songs / 4 in the Top 1000 / “Aqualung” #318 – highest)

Kansas (6 songs / 3 in the Top 1000 / “Carry On Wayward Song” #45 – highest)

Kenny Loggins /  Loggins and Messina (16 songs / 5 in the Top 1000 / “Your Mama Don’t Dance” #621 – highest)

Love (5 songs / “My Little Red Book” #1621 – highest)

Eddie Money (10 songs / 4 in the Top 1000 / “Two Tickets To Paradise” #216 – highest)

The Monkees (18 songs / 4 in the Top 1000 / “Pleasant Valley Sunday” #728 – highest)

Ozzy Osbourne (7 songs / 1 in the Top 1000 / “Crazy Train” - #588 – highest)

*note:  Black Sabbath IS in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Alan Parsons Project (9 songs / 3 in the Top 1000 / “Eye In The Sky” #641 – highest)

Poco (7 songs / “You Better Think Twice” #1751 – highest)

Rare Earth (4 songs / 1 in the Top 1000 / “Get Ready” #585  - highest)

REO Speedwagon (13 songs / 6 in the Top 1000 / “Keep On Lovin’ You” #370 – highest)

Paul Revere and the Raiders (5 songs / “Kicks” #1266 – highest)

Johnny Rivers (6 songs / 2 in the Top 1000 / “Rockin’ Pneumoina and the Boogie Woogie Flu” #840 – highest)

Steppenwolf (9 songs / 2 in the Top 1000 / “Born To Be Wild” #29 – highest)

Styx (14 songs / 7 in the Top 1000 / “Come Sail Away” #99 – highest)

Supertramp (9 songs / 6 in the Top 1000 / “Take The Long Way Home” #183 – highest)

Three Dog Night (16 songs / 4 in the Top 1000 / “Mama Told Me Not To Come” #461 – highest)

Toto (9 songs / 3 in the Top 1000 / “Africa” #30 – highest)

Turtles (5 songs / “Happy Together” #1378 – highest)

Joe Walsh (4 songs – plus two more with The James Gang / 5 in the Top 1000 / “Life’s Been Good” #134 – highest)

War (7 songs / 2 in the Top 1000 / “Low Rider” #309 – highest)

Steve Winwood (7 songs / 6 in the Top 1000 / “Higher Love” #314 – highest)

Every artist shown above is worthy of such an honor …

ALL of these acts belong in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame  (kk)

This just in …

 

Peter Asher is recuperating in the hospital after having emergency brain surgery on Friday Night (10/7)

 

Asher posted on his Instagram account:

 

As some of you may have heard, I had quite the scare yesterday. I wasn’t feeling 100% for a few weeks so I went to get an MRI after my wife and daughter insisted I check things out. Good thing I did because I had to be rushed into emergency brain surgery from there. Two small holes in my head, but I am on the mend and should be outta here by next week, which I am really excited for. I am honestly just bored because I’m usually so active and can’t stand having to stay in one spot … but I am grateful things went so well.
In the meantime I’ll be watching movies from the bed with my daughter @vickyt and the little teddy she gave to keep me company. Thanks for the kind messages! 💖💪🏻

 

We wish him the very best for a speedy recovery.  (kk)

Today would have been John Lennon's 82nd birthday.  We pause for just a moment to remember all of the great music that he gave us.  Thank you, John, for enriching our lives ... and the lives of so many.  (kk)

The Eagles are booking dates into 2023 as their “Hotel California” tour continues into the new year.  Backed by a full orchestra, the band performs their “Hotel California” album in its entirety and then, after a short break, comes back on stage to perform a second hits-filled set billed as “Every Other Song We Know.”  (And to think that they actually considered calling it a day when Glenn Frey died!  Short of Covid, they’ve been on the road literally every day since!)

Acknowledging that there probably won’t be any new music coming from the band (it just doesn’t draw the appeal they would like to see … and with a catalog this vast and deep, they don’t EVER have to record another song!!), fans have really taken to “newbie” Vince Gill (who is still able to go out and tour on his own … or make appearances with his wife, Amy Grant) and “sometimes” member Deacon Frey, Glenn’s son.  (We have yet to see this line-up … and I guess it’s something we REALLY have to do, having seen other versions of the band numerous times now.  Besides, we’re both big Vince Gill fans.)

Speaking of Vince, David Leaf tipped me off to a stellar performance by Vince, David Crosby and Jimmy Webb of Brian Wilson’s “Surf’s Up” that is definitely worth watching …

We all love One Hit Wonders (One Hit Wonders Day was just a couple of weeks ago) so it was cool to see Ultimate Classic Rock single out Twenty Great One Hit Wonders from the ‘70’s …

(I’m not sure I agree with their “Top 20 Hit” criteria … seems a little bit too lenient to me … and then, even when they apply it, they still manage to work their way around it a time or two!)

Back in the day, a One Hit Wonder meant exactly ONE chart appearance in The Top 100 … no exceptions …

Then, to allow more “forgotten hits” on to the list, the criteria was expanded to say “only one Top 40 hit,” which allowed folks to ignore some other failed efforts that came in between or along the way …

Then even that idea was expanded to where it was now MEMORABLE Top 40 Hits … meaning an artist could have another Top 40 Hit … or two or three … but those other tunes just don’t get the airplay and recognition of their big hit.

In any event, these lists are always fun to look at …

So here’s theirs!

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/70s-one-hit-wonders/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Ugh&utm_term=UCR

More on “Love Me Do” turning 60 …

(and some of the celebrations that went along with this very special anniversary)

https://www.noise11.com/news/the-beatles-love-me-do-turns-60-20221006

Investment groups are definitely stocking up on music …

Blake Shelton is the latest artist to sell their catalog of work. It includes his entire recorded work for the past twenty years.  (No purchase price was disclosed)  kk

While Ringo’s current All-Starr Band tour is currently sidelined due to its leader testing positive for Covid, Starr has announced the November release of a live set featuring  The All Starr Band’s performance at The Greek Theater in 2019. (It’ll be available on CD, DVD and BluRay)

Backing Ringo up on this particular tour were Steve Lukather of Toto, Colin Hay of Men At Work, Gregg Rolie (of Journey and Santana), Gregg Bissonette, Hamish Stuart (of The Average White Band) and Warren Ham.  (Joining the group on stage for the big finale were Joe Walsh, Nils Lofgren, Jim Keltner, Edgar Winter, Eric Carmen and Richard Page.

It all makes for a killer set of music …

RINGO – Matchbox / It Don’t Come Easy / What Goes On
GREGG ROLIE - Evil Ways
STEVE LUKATHER - Rosanna
HAMISH STUART - Pick Up the Pieces
COLIN HAY - Down Under
RINGO – Boys / Don’t Pass Me By / Yellow Submarine
HAMISH STUART - Cut the Cake
GREGG ROLIE - Black Magic Woman
RINGO - You’re Sixteen
COLIN HAY - Overkill
STEVE LUKATHER - Africa
STUART HAMISH - Work To Do
GREGG ROLIE - Oye Como Va
RINGO - I Wanna Be Your Man
COLIN HAY - Who Can It Be Now?  

STEVE LUKATHER - Hold the Line
RINGO – Photograph / Act Naturally
ENSEMBLE - With a Little Help From My Friends

Kent,

I always did like Gerry and the Pacemakers' version of IT'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT where the vocal starts 4 seconds into the record, not the 19 seconds which you posted.

Is your version the LP version?
Larry Neal

Laurie Records chopped off the rest of Gerry’s original introduction for US release.

I’ve always thought this was a jumpin’ little record – and first heard it in The Pacemakers’ film “Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey.”  (“It’s Gonna Be Alright” opened the film – and caught your attention right away!)  It was actually released as the follow-up single to the movie’s theme song.  (I always liked their version of Bobby Darin’s “I’ll Be There,” too!)  kk

LONG OUT OF PRINT SLY & THE FAMILY STONE: AN ORAL HISTORY BY JOEL SELVIN SET FOR REISSUE THIS MONTH    Long considered the definitive account of the meteoric career of the pioneer funk-rock band, Sly & the Family Stone: An Oral History by Joel Selvin, the 1998 classic that has been out of print for years, returns in a new, updated edition next week from Permuted Press.  Selvin, an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, conducted more than forty interviews from all the group’s original members – the sole exception being the notoriously reclusive Sylvester Stewart himself – and the group’s closest associates in a spell-binding account of the dizzying climb and terrifying descent of the band’s career. The book is an unflinching look at one of music’s most influential and enigmatic figures. Writing in Vanity Fair, David Kamp noted the classic status of the work: “Joel Selvin, the veteran music critic of the San Francisco Chronicle, published a thoroughgoing, book-length oral history of the group in 1998 that is as disturbing and chilling a version as you'll ever find of the ‘dashed 60s dream’ narrative: idealism giving way to disillusionment, soft drugs giving way to hard, ferment to rot. It's agreed upon by everyone Selvin interviewed — which is pretty much everyone in Stone's family, band, and circle of hangers-on, apart from Sly himself — that the bad craziness began when he forsook the Bay Area for Southern California in 1970. Exit the music of hope and the gorgeous mosaic; enter firearms, coke, PCP, goons, paranoia, isolation, and a mean-spirited pet pit bull named Gun.” Sly and the Family Stone was the groundbreaking aggregation of Blacks and Whites, men and women, that symbolized the Woodstock generation and crossed over to dominate pop charts with anthems like “Everyday People,” “Dance to the Music” and “I Want to Take You Higher.” The book offers first-person accounts of the rise of the band not only from its members, but also from Sly’s parents, other members of the family as well as rock figures including Grace Slick, Sal Valentino, Bobby Womack, Mickey Hart, Clive Davis, Bobby Freeman, and many more. In their own words, they candidly share the triumphs and tragedies of one of the most influential musical groups ever formed. It’s a collection of “different strokes” from the immensely talented folks who were there when it all happened that tells a story that is both compelling and cautionary. The key to unlocking the real story of Sly and the Family Stone was finding Hamp (Bubba) Banks, a character of immense proportions; a former Marine and pimp, young Sly’s best friend, brother-in-law and de facto manager, who had never before shared his story. Selvin embarked on a quest to locate him by knocking on hair salon doors up and down Third Street in San Francisco’s Hunter’s Point neighborhood. Banks not only gave hours of riveting interviews, but also arranged for Selvin to speak with many other subjects including some of the career criminals who surrounded Sly Stone at his height. Along with Freddy Stewart, Sly’s brother and Family Stone band member, and San Francisco mayor London Breed, Selvin was one of three speakers at Banks’ funeral earlier this year. The new edition of the book is dedicated to Banks in recognition of the role he played in setting the Sly and the Family Stone record straight. The world Banks and his associates revealed to Selvin was a scary, drug-crazed planet without clocks or even common sense, where Banks would eject Miles Davis from Sly’s apartment because Sly objected to the music Davis was playing on keyboards, where Gun, the vicious pit bull, would be set loose on marathon recording sessions while musicians ran for cover, where the mercurial and magisterial Sly Stone presided over every detail of everyone’s lives and treated all with reckless abandon. This nightmare vision comes even more alive in the words of the people who lived through it. With the passing of key players like Hamp Banks, the band’s manager David Kapralik, and others interviewed for the 1998 book, the story Selvin captured can never again be told so fully. In fact, the interview transcripts from the original book have been subsequently utilized in both Selvin’s own August ,2001, Mojo magazine cover article and the 2009 Sly Stone biography I Want to Take You Higher by Jeff Kaliss, prompting a disclaimer from Sly himself: “I don’t even know no Joel Selvin.” Selvin is the author of more than twenty books on pop music. Director Rob Reiner has announced plans to make a feature film of Here Comes the Night, his biography of R&B songwriter / producer / label chief and mob intimate Bert Berns. His book with rock star Sammy Hagar, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock, was a number one New York Times best-seller, and his recent Hollywood Eden tells the story of the kids whose music launched the myth of the California dream at the dawn of the 1960s.  This sounds like a good one … I’m surprised I wasn’t more aware of it when it first came out.  (Does anybody know if that Sly and the Family Stone documentary ever came out???  I was looking forward to that one!) I’m a big fan of Joel Selvin’s work … and can proudly say that I’ve read “Hollywood Eden” THREE TIMES already.  (Yes, it’s THAT good!) It was a crazy, crazy time in the music business … and by all accounts, Sly Stone was at the forefront of craziness during this era.  His fusion of rock, soul, funk and more gave The Family Stone their unique sound, churning out a series of hits between 1968 and 1975, including THREE #1 Hits.  I think I’m going to have to read this one!!! (kk) I finally had the chance to listen back to the entire program of Those Were The Days from a couple of weeks ago when Phil Nee and I counted down our Top 40 Favorite Songs from 1972 … and was surprised to hear that one of my all-time favorites was missing from the show … so I wanted to feature it today. I picked “Baby Let Me Take You” by The Detroit Emeralds as my #21 fave … and this is another one of those songs that never leaves my head.  (I have explained before that there is music playing in my head every moment of every day … it just never stops.  I don’t know if any of you others out there experience a similar tendency but this has plagued me for my entire life!) And there is a select group of songs that are “constants” … always there and always playing in some fashion.  Among them:  the opening guitar riff to The Beach Boys’ “Dance Dance Dance” … the opening riff to Glenn Frey’s “The Heat Is On” … and this one.  (I featured it several months ago when it started showing up nightly on tv as part of some liquor commercial … something about a “smooth” taste … and boy, this one has always done it for me.) I couldn’t figure out why this one was missing (wasn’t sure about “American City Suite” by Cashman and West … I’m not sure if I heard that one or not) but I think in the case of The Detroit Emeralds tune it was just a matter of “mistaken identity.” During the “post-game show,” Phil played “Baby, Take Me In Your Arms” by Jefferson, and song from 1969 that really had no place in a countdown of 1972 Favorites (lol!) so I think it was just a slip up of perhaps a more familiar title when he went to slug in the music. So, now for all of you to enjoy, is “Baby, Let Me Take You” by The Detroit Emeralds … a song that went all the way to #6 here in Chicago on the WCFL Chart … and hit #17 nationally in Record World / #24 in Billboard.  (kk) (Hey Phil … if you ever decide to do a rebroadcast of this show, let me send you this one, a much cleaner version of “Mary Had A Little Lamb” by Paul McCartney and Wings … and a WAY cleaner, unwarped version of Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey” to drop in!!!  lol)  kk Tommy James’ Manager Carol Ross sent us this link to share … Sirius XM’s ‘60’s Gold Channel is now taking your votes to determine the Top 1000 Favorite Songs of the ‘60’s … And here is the ballot for 1969, on which Tommy has FOUR songs eligible:  “Crimson And Clover,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion,” “Sweet Cherry Wine” and “Ball Of Fire.” Good luck narrowing down your choices to just 25 tunes … I had to redo my ballot about seven times before I was able to cut it that tight.  (I tried to revote for the 25 that I had to cut but it will only allow you to vote once! Lol) Still, some GREAT, great choices here on this list … So have some fun with it … but get your votes in early before the polls close!  (kk) https://blog.siriusxm.com/vote-1969/ Vote "Crimson and Clover!  Carol

And, speaking of 1969, Chuck Buell sent us this little tid-bit!

(I voted for “Mah-Na Mah-Na” by the way on my Sirius XM ballot!)  kk

“The following story is rated “R” for Mature Readers only.

Reading and Viewer discretion is advised!”

 

The song, Mah Nà Mah Nà was a Legitimate Forgotten Hit in October of 1969, and you might remember it best as a classic Muppets Song. It’s an earworm of a song that seems quite suited for a crazy trio of Muppet characters, but its original, questionable background is something else entirely.

 

It was written by Italian composer Piero Umiliani for the 1968 movie “Sweden, Heaven and Hell” which was a "Swedish Documentary," about . . . ah . . . the sexual habits of Scandinavians! When the song is heard as the soundtrack for a scene in the film, a group of beautiful young Swedish women are seen simply entering and taking their seats in a cabin sauna. Pretty racy stuff, huh! But pretty mild by today's standards.

 

Mah Nà Mah Nà did reach number 12 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary Chart, but peaked on Billboard’s Hot 100 at only 55. 

Here then are The Muppets followed by the Infamous Scene from the Swedish Movie.

 

CB ( which stands for "Cabin Boy!" )

 

OK … I am SO turned on right now!!!

WLS charted this tune as by Pete Howard, which I never understood, because you could not FIND this record at the store to actually buy it.  The single available was by Piero Umiliani, which is the one that I purchased (and played the heck out of at the time.)  This song also enjoyed a resurgence of popularity when it was used on “The Benny Hill Show” a few years later.  (kk)

The Mama Cass / Mamas and Papas Hit List fell off our post the other day ...

So we're going to give it another shot today

 

1966 - California Dreamin' (#2)

1966 - Monday, Monday (#1) 

1966 - I Saw Her Again (#4)

1966 - Look Through My Window (#14)

1967 - Words Of Love (#5)

1967 - Dancing In The Street (#73) B-Side of "Words Of Love"

1967 - Dedicated To The One I Love (#2)

1967 - Creeque Alley (#4)

1967 - Twelve Thirty (#12)

1967 - Glad To Be Unhappy (#19)

1968 - Dancing Bear (#36)

1968 - Safe In My Garden (#33)

1968 - Dream A Little Dream Of Me (#8)*

*released as Mama Cass with The Mamas and The Papas

1968 - For The Love Of Ivy (#48)

1968 - Do You Wanna Dance (#43)

1969 - Move In A Little Closer, Baby (#49) - Mama Cass

1969 - It's Getting Better (#22) - Mama Cass

1969 - Make Your Own Kind Of Music (#22) - Mama Cass

1970 - New World Coming (#24) - Mama Cass