I was intrigued by Shelley’s review of A Tribute To ABBA … I think we just missed seeing them here. If you click on the link to their website, you’ll find a short clip of them performing bits and pieces of some of ABBA’s biggest hits … and they sound pretty darn good.
I’ve never been a “closet ABBA fan” … I’ve always respected the talent these folks had and sang their praises … enjoyed Mamma Mia when we saw it live (the movie not quite as much!) … and am looking forward to when the new “Voyage” Abbatar finally tours America next year. (kk)
It is amazing how well the songs sounded live. 'Take A Chance On Me' has been my favorite and when the audience roar grew ever louder at the first strains of "If you change your mind, I'm the first in line" ... I was captured in the time.
Shelley
I’m gonna add #26 to that list of items about ABBA from Shelley’s
concert review posted on 7/20.
One day, back in 1984, I was at a fellow record collector's basement, listening
to music. He was a HUGE ABBA fan. We were listening to the "ABBA's Greatest
Hits, Volume 2" LP (a HUGE selling LP in the states), when his phone rang.
He tossed his headphones to me so he could take the call, during the song
"Summer Night City" (which, I believe, was NOT a big hit in the US.) I turned the volume up, and as the song was
fading out, I noticed something unusual just before the song faded out
completely. The ending of the song, as the volume is "potted down,"
is repeated three times, and goes:
"Waiting for the sunrise, soul dancing in the dark
Summer night city....
Walking in the moonlight,
love-making in the park
Summer night city...."
I had the volume up fairly high, and when the phrase "Walking in the
moonlight ..." was repeated for the last (3rd) time, I noticed a shocking
change ...
The word "walking" had been sung as ... well ... a nasty word.
Nobody believed me, until they heard it for themselves.
About 8 years ago, I read a piece (on-line) of an interview with Bjorn, where
he admitted that he had "tossed a couple of F-bombs into the song."
So, I was right.
Try it for yourself. Remember that as you get close to the third time they repeat that chorus, the volume is pretty low, but loud enough to hear the nasty bit.
I've attached the trail-off from "Summer Night City.
Mike
And then, of course, there's this ...
After six months, Lisa Marie Presley’s cause of death has finally been announced. (Lisa passed away on January 12th of this year at the age of 54.) According to a report released by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office, Presley died due to complications resulting from a small bowel obstruction. The medical examiner explained that the obstruction was “in the form of a strangulated small bowel caused by adhesions that developed after bariatric surgery years ago.” They noted that obstruction is a “known long-term complication” from weight-loss surgery. The coroner also found that Lisa Marie had “therapeutic levels” of the painkiller oxycodone and trace amounts of other substances in her blood, but determined that they did not contribute to her death. (Lisa Marie had been complaining about abdominal pain in the months leading up to her death … hence the pain killers, perhaps.) The report ruled her manner of death as “natural.” (kk)
The State of Arizona is now offering an Alice Cooper license plate!
Cooper commented: “Arizona is known for great sunsets, cactus, the best Mexican food, monsoons and now, an Alice Cooper specialty license plate.” Cooper went on to say, “More importantly, this specialty plate will assist Solid Rock Teen Centers in providing free music, art and dance programs to all Arizona teenagers. We hope that many of my fellow Arizona neighbors will get this speciality plate for their cars and motorcycles to support teens in Arizona.” Arizona is proud of their “native son” … in 2018 they also issues an Alice Cooper lottery ticket, offering a grand prize of $50,000! (Cooper was actually born in Detroit … but raised in Arizona.) kk
The Eagles have added a couple more dates to their “Long Goodbye” Tour.
There’ll now be a second show in Newark, New Jersey … as well as a show in Pittsburgh, PA, at the PPG Paints Arena on October 15th.
Still no Chicago show announcement yet … but this whole idea of “we’ll play anywhere and for as long as people still want to see us” easily extends this tour through 2025 … and perhaps well beyond! (kk)
And, speaking of concerts, Al Jardine is performing three Family And Friends shows this weekend on the west coast. (Yes, Wendy and Carnie Wilson will be onboard.) kk
For more info & tickets: https://www.aljardine.com/shows
And did anybody out there know that Bachman-Turner Overdrive had reunited … WITH Randy Bachman?!?!
They’ll be appearing here in October at The Genesee Theatre in Waukegan … but have several other US dates booked as well. (Maybe losing a couple of members last year made them realize that they should go out and celebrate and spread the magic one more time.)
During a two year stretch between 1974 and 1976, BTO scored seven US Top 40 Hits, including the Top Ten Hits “Takin’ Care Of Business” (#6, 1974 … but #1 in more cities than I can count), “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” (#1, 1974) and “Roll On Down The Highway” (#8, 1975).
Their listed tour dates include:
August 15th - Pablo Center at the Confluence - Eau Claire, WI
August 17th - Horizon Events Center - Clive, IA
August 18th - Preservation Plaza - Arnolds Park, IA
September 22nd - The Big E - West Springfield, MA
October 19th - The Family Arena - Saint Charles, MO
October 20th – The Genesee Theatre - Waukegan, IL
November 2nd – The YouTube Theater - Los Angeles, CA
November 4th - Fantasy Springs Resort Casino - Indio, CA
November 5th - Magnolia Performing Arts Center - El Cajon, CA
A new live Fleetwood Mac album is about to hit the streets …
On September 8th, a concert that they recorded during the height of the success of their “Rumours” album will be released.
The Mac was recorded live at The Forum in Los Angeles on August 29th, 1977 … and it was quite a set list! (I mean this truly was AS it was happening. “Rumours” occupied Billboard Magazine’s #1 LP position for 31 weeks! Keep in mind that at the time, they had absolutely no idea just how timeless this music would become … and remain!)
“Rumours Live” will bring you live performances of their tracks “Say You Love Me,” “Monday Morning,” “Dreams,” “Oh Well,” “Rhiannon,” “Oh Daddy,” “Never Going Back Again,” “Landslide,” “Over My Head,” “Gold Dust Woman,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “I’m So Afraid,” “Go Your Own Way,” “World Turning,” “Blue Letter,” “The Chain,” “Second Hand News” and “Songbird.”
The liner notes describe it this way:
“Most of these live versions are more muscular, more ferocious, than the album recordings, driven by the powerhouse Mick Fleetwood-John McVie rhythm section and Lindsay Buckingham’s ferbrile guitar playing; and instead of a rote recital of the hits, the group stretches out in concert, as songs like 'Rhiannon,' 'World Turning' and 'I'm So Afraid' blossom into exuberant tours de force onstage."
And, speaking of Fleetwood Mac, rumor has it that Lindsay Buckingham may be reteaming with Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie one last time to do THEIR version of The Farewell Tour. (Sadly, Christine will be sorely missed for this go ‘round.)
More info as we get it. (kk)
>>>Ultimate Classic Rock recently ran a piece spotlighting “Songs Bands Won’t Play Live” that I found pretty interesting. (kk)
Billy Joel - JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Written for his first wife (and former business manager) Elizabeth Weber, "Just the Way You Are" lost much of its luster after the couple divorced in 1982. Occasionally, Joel's drummer, Liberty DeVitto, would jokingly substitute lyrics: "She got the house, she got the car." Joel rarely performed the song from the late '80s onward. "Every time I wrote a song for a person I was in a relationship with, it didn't last," Joel said. "It was kind of like the curse. Here's your song - we might as well say goodbye now."
Great comment by Billy Joel ... and great lyrics by Liberty DeVitto! (lol)
Actually, I believe he DOES perform this song from time to time today ... and how can you not ... it's a classic. (kk)
You can read the whole article here:
Joel has done "Just The Way You Are" at least once this year at the Gahden...
--Bob Frable
Peter Frampton’s live performance at Royal Albert Hall, recorded on November 8th, 2022, will be released as his next album.
(If I’m not mistaken, one of Frampton’s OTHER live albums did extremely well on the charts.)
His 16-song set list performed that night includes:
Baby
(Somethin’s Happening) (from Something’s Happening, 1974)
Lying (from Premonition, 1986)
Lines on My Face (from Frampton’s Camel, 1973)
Show Me the Way (from Frampton, 1975)
The Lodger (from Wind of Change, 1972)
It’s a Plain Shame (from Wind of Change, 1972)
Georgia (On My Mind) (Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra cover)
All I Wanna Be (Is by Your Side) (from Wind of Change, 1972)
Breaking All the Rules (from Breaking All The Rules, 1981)
Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
(I’ll Give You) Money (from Frampton, 1975)
Baby, I Love Your Way (from Frampton, 1975)
Do You Feel Like We Do (from Frampton’s Camel, 1973)
Encore:
Four Day Creep (Ida Cox cover)
I Don’t Need No Doctor (Nickolas Ashford cover)
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles cover)
And if you just can’t get enough of The Who’s 1971 album classic “Who’s Next,” you’ll soon have the opportunity to purchase the brand new 10-CD Box Set profiling this period in the band’s recording career.
Boasting an incredible 89 previously unreleased tracks (out a total of 155 spread out over the ten disc set, which also includes 57 brand new remixes and 38 live tracks.) kk
On October 16, 2023, ACC ART BOOKS LTD is publishing THE ROLLING STONES: ICONS. (312 pages, $75.00)
The introduction is penned by our Forgotten Hits buddy (and author) Harvey Kubernik!
Harvey Kubernik and Rolling Stone Bill Wyman - Photo by Heather Harris
Spanning six heady decades, and countless tours and album covers, this
thrilling portfolio features imagery from some of the most eminent names in
photography, alongside the photographers’ own memories and reflections.
Includes photographs by Terry O’Neill, Gered Mankowitz, Linda McCartney, Ed Caraeff, Dominque Tarle and founding member, bassist and photographer, Bill Wyman.
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Stones-ACC-Art-Books/dp/1788842383
And how about this closer from Chuck Buell …
Sometimes I think the only thing that’s missing from my day is an uplifting, personal and highly representative Forgotten Hits theme song exuberantly played by a world-renown orchestra.
Like the The Danish National Symphony Orchestra, for instance!
And you?!
CB ( which stands for “Cartoon Boy!” )
Can you imagine going out to see the symphony one night and then hearing them play this?!?! Seriously, I would be blown away!!! (kk)
