OK, it's gotta be one of the coolest videos ever ...
And 60+ years in, The Rolling Stones are still making their mark!
Even after only hearing the 6-second teaser they posted a week ago, I already thought "Angry" was probably their catchiest hook since "Start Me Up" back in 1981! (The fact that it's been 18 YEARS since The Stones have released an album of all new, original material speaks volume in and of itself!)
Clark Besch weighs in on their interview with Jimmy Fallon, broadcast live around the world yesterday morning ...
I hope any Stones fans got to view
this live interview because it was AWESOME!
For promoting their new
song "Angry," it sure was a hilarious interview! The boys were on their
quick witted best and made you wish John and Paul could have been this
happy beside each other.
They spoke of their new LP and about
recording two tracks with Charlie Watts before his passing ... and one of those has
Bill Wyman!
[We're talking about a full-blown, official reunion of four of the original Rolling Stones, recorded in 2019 - kk]
Of course, over the top Fallon had to get them to sing Off
the Hook with Fallon singing the lead. The only ego NOT in check here
was Jimmy.
They had all kinds of great comments and it was great
to see them all seemingly in great spirits and health! They said they
recorded 23 songs (of which half are on the new LP I guess), making me
think this should have been the 2-LP "Stones White Album." The Beatles gave us
"Misery" and now the Stones gave us "Angry."
IF you watched and
waited, you heard what I would have called "Another Stone in the Wall"
type music for five minutes when they premiered the song "Angry" video. It
resembled some crap Pink Floyd-like 40 year old boring dreck. The
comments were saying stuff like "I'm outta here" and "THIS makes me
angry." It was horrible for five minutes and I was thinking "This cannot
be the first single from this LP can it?" Then, after many had tuned
out, the actual song and video started, making me think "They wanted us
to get Angry BEFORE they played the song!" BRILLIANT!!!
The
song itself is straight ahead rock n roll and not bad at all. The best
was the interview. Just a blast of great fun for 20 minutes.
Clark Besch
Incredibly, on Monday when the Fallon teaser was first released,announcing that he would be hosting their official launch party, we
posted that promo clip of The Stones calling Jimmy Fallon on his official, secret Rolling Stones Hotline to ask him to
help them launch the blitz for their brand new album, "Hackney
Diamonds," now officially out October 20th ...
It was actually a pretty funny and clever three minute clip ... and definitely worth seeing.
But before we even knew it, that clip was then automatically replaced with the then live
broadcast of a very entertaining interview about the new LP. So the Rolling Stones / Jimmy Fallon interview was immediately posted on Forgotten Hits without me even knowing it!!! (lol) VERY
cool!!!
(Scroll back to yesterday's post and view the whole thing ... as Clark says, it really is quite a bit of fun.)
As for the new album, we can't wait to hear the whole thing ... and pre-ordered it immediately!
The Rolling Stones ... still blowing us away, some 60 years on! (kk)
And leave it to Chuck Buell to crack us up at the end of what proved to be a VERY long day ...
A day late and a dollar short ... the story of my life! (kk)
Not
surprisingly, the overwhelming success of the “Barbie” movie has triggered movie marketing mania everywhere with a myriad of Barbie Products, Restaurant Barbie Tie-ins
to Retail Stores’ Barbie Décors!
And
now this!
The
“Barbie House” in Hudson, Wisconsin!
This
is a real house bathed in “Barbie Pink” Inside and Out!
And,
it’s also an Airbnb with rentals available by the day, the week or the month. And
upon further investigation, I found one can actually rent it by the hour
for $150! Now that just “sounds” so
Barbie wrong on so many levels!
But
nevertheless, for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in “Barbie Pretty in
Pink,” this is one way to go!
Then
there’s this! Here’s a photo of Kent with the star of the film, Margot
Robbie, at Chicago’s Navy Pier sporting their Iconic Barbie Striped Swimsuits during
her Windy City visit for the Chicago Premier of her movie!
You
don’t think they turned heads!
But
circling back around to “The Barbie House,” here’s my “Barbie Houses Chuck Buell Minute Medley!”
CB ( which stands for Barbie “Carnation-Pink Boy!” )
P.S. Somehow it just seems appropriate
with a story about the Barbie Movie starring Margot Robbie, a picture of her
should also be included!
So
here you go!
I have to admit that I barfed a little bit after seeing all that Barbie Pink ...
But recovered nicely once I got to the above Margot Robbie pic.
(I'd like to say seeing her has a calming effect on me ...
But it's quite the OPPOSITE, to tell you the truth!!!) kk
Now
be a good journalist and feature what so many others are currently
enjoying and are interested in and for a reward I'll buy you some Pure
Pink Sugar Cotton Candy, Sweet Pink Dubble Bubble Bubblegum and Sugary
Pink Wedding Cake Buttercream Frosting!
Your Secret Friend,
Ken!
(Now go take a good, strong shot of . . . . . Pepto Bismol!)
I offered to take the girls to see the Barbie movie each of these past two weekends ... but got no takers! (And this is much more geared toward THEIR audience than mine!!!)
Guess I'll just have to wait for it to hit cable ... because after all THIS hype, how can you NOT watch it?!?! (kk)
The Rolling Stones will do a live streaming promotional
piece this morning, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, to announce their new album
“Hackney Diamonds.”(Fans can watch live
on YouTube at 9:25 am Eastern.)This promo clip
was released on Monday Morning …
Timmy sent us some photos of Gary Wright with George
Harrison to share …
Their bond solidified during the recording of George’s “All
Things Must Pass” album, when George came to his defense during a Phil Spector
session.
Wright would later recall the incident this way …
Producer
Phil Spector’s voice rang out from the control room into the studio where all
the musicians were: 'Wait a minute, wait a minute; who’s that on the Wurlitzer
piano making all those mistakes?' Devastated and utterly embarrassed, I meekly
raised my hand and said, 'Sorry it’s me, Gary. I’m still learning the structure
of the song.' George immediately walked over to me and said consolingly, “Take
all the time you need, we’re in no rush.” He was so kind at that moment; I
immediately felt a rapport with him."
They would go on to play on each other’s albums for
several years to come.(kk)
kk
…
I
Just Got A Call From DJ Kojak …
Larry
Chance, Lead Singer Of The Earls, Died ... 83 Years Old.
Kojak's
1960's Jukebox Revue Was Going To Be About Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil.
It
has been Canceled ... Remember Then Radio Shutting Down For 24 Hours.
FB
I got the
chance to visit a little bit with Larry Chance when he and The Earls played at
The Arcada Theatre a few years back.A
very good, well-seasoned performer, who really knows how to play to the crowd.
Yes, The Earls
only had one hit … but it was a big one … and “Remember Then” has gone on to be
the theme song for more than a few oldies radio programs.(kk)
Larry & Willie Will Sing "LIFE IS BUT A DREAM" / A Duet We'll Never Forget /
One Fast & One Slow - That Much I Know.
The Platters Will Sing "REMEMBER WHEN" After Larry Sings "REMEMBER THEN."
We'll All Sing "CRY-CRY-CRY" As We Look Up Towards The Sky.
Larry Palumbo & Larry Chance Will Sing "I BELIEVE" At The Heavenly Dance.
My "EYES" Are Full Of Tears.
Although We Never Met, I Feel Like I Know You All These Years.
As Larry Sings "REMEMBER ME BABY" I Say For Sure --- Not Maybe.
FRANK B.
Proud Member Of The Larry Chance Fan Club
About a month back we told you about Bruce Belland’s fascinating
-- and very funny -- memoir Icons,
Idols and Idiots of Hollywood,noting it
would be coming out in September. The book is now available … and one of those
stories is, of course, about the creation of The Four Preps’ most resonant hit,
“26 Miles (Santa Catalina).” Bruce was inspired to write the song years before
he and co-composer Glen Larson authored it. His family hadn’t yet moved to
Southern California from Chicago but 10-year old Bruce, a Chicago Cubs fan,
found out the team spent spring training on the island before the war. The
Cubs, like the island, was owned by chewing gum magnate William Wrigley.
Once Bruce relocated to Los Angeles (West Hollywood, be
specific), his obsession with Catalina grew, as it was visible from the beach
where he body surfed as a young teen. After The Four Preps came together
for a talent show at Hollywood High and were signed to Capitol Records, the
fabled island became the subject of the group’s breakthrough hit shortly
thereafter.
In 1958, the Preps’ record had a 20-week run on Billboard’s
chart and reached #2 and stayed there for three weeks. Records that kept
it out of the top spot were “Sugartime” by the McGuire Sisters, “Catch A
Falling Star” by Perry Como and “Don’t” by Elvis Presley just before he was
drafted. The Four Preps, by the way, all served (together!) in the Air
National Guard.
Things are about to come full circle: this Saturday, September 9th,
Bruce returns to the island to participate in The Catalina Museum for Art and
History’s 70th Anniversary gala, at which he’ll be signing copies of
Icons, Idols and Idiots of Hollywood, with sales to benefit the
museum.
Bruce’s close relationship with Catalina is underscored by this
photo of a recent visit to the Museum’s Four Preps / 26 Miles display that is
part of its permanent exhibition. He composed the song on the ukulele in
the center and that’s him, second from right, with his fellow Preps. We’ve
pasted the book’s one-sheet below.
Bob Merlis
I just started reading Bruce’s book and am thoroughly
enjoying it -
He’s a great storyteller
(Who knew The Four Preps were this cool!!!)kk
I knew when I
was a kid, based on hearing “More Money For You and Me"
Bob
A very sincere “Thank You” to each
and every one who played a part in making WLS/WCFL Rewound a reality again in
2023. Labor Day Weekend was truly a Labor of Love Weekend as people all
over the nation helped to make this happen.
Whether you are a listener, a radio
personality, a tech person, a music person, or just one who loves to have fun,
we hope that WLS/WCFL Rewound and Rewound Radio made you smile as you felt your
memories come back to life in 2023. Thanks for being a part of this
“virtual radio reunion”.
Hope to “see” you all again next
year.
Ted Gorden Smucker
I was able to listen
to considerably more of the weekend than I thought I would be able to … and am
already thinking about things we can do NEXT year to make things even more
exciting!(kk)
I read in Forgotten Hits this morning where Ted
Smucker told you ~~~
"Next year marks WLS' 100th
Anniversary."
Wow, I did NOT realize that!
A
Century of Moos, Moo-sic, and Moods!
C Dah-B!
It's True!!!
Radio station WLS — for “world's largest store” — was started by Sears, Roebuck & Co. in 1924. Their first broadcast was on April 12th of that year.
Four years later, Sears sold it to the Prairie Farmer newspaper, which made its Barn Dance a national hit.
Labor
Day itself was the day I was able to put Rewound on and have it playing
in the background while I "worked(?)" around the house.
Of course I loved
the music, but was so able to fall into the realm of "past lives" that I
needed to remind myself that it was NOT the Wednesday before
Thanksgiving, Nixon was NOT president, and (looking at the sky) there
was not a 40% chance of rain. Do they even use percent anymore when
talking about weather? It seems it was hip and vogue and then died a
quick death.
Shelley
Oh
and I received an email from my former boyfriend that day ... the one I
mentioned in the Peter and Paul review. Really a throwback day. I better
be careful who I mention from now on. There are some people I do not
want to pull back in.
What I really enjoy about these flashbacks is the deejay patter ... and the commercials and references to products and places that don't even exist anymore. The music I can listen to anytime (and let's face it, AM Radio was pretty repetitious in that regard) ... but the little gems that aired BETWEEN the music were every bit as fascinating for me. (Do we REALLY have to wait a whole year again now till this happens again?!?!) kk
ACTUALLY NO ... EVERY Saturday Rewound Radio features the DJ Hall Of Fame, playing vintage clips by some of the most famous jocks in Top 40 Radio History. And then, immediately afterwards, Allan Sniffen does his live show.
Things kick off every Saturday at Noon Eastern ... and run for about three hours before Allan takes over. Check it out! Chicago wasn't the only city playing great Top 40 Radio! (kk)
DOLENZ'S BREAKFAST WITH KLOS'
CHRIS CARTER AND KTLA'S SAM RUBIN
Micky Dolenz is set for Chris Carter's KLOS' Breakfast with The Beatles on Sunday,
September 17th. This show will be broadcast from LA's Hard Rock Cafe on
Hollywood and Highland; and then, Dolenz will also appear as a guest of KTLA's
AM show, Wednesday, September 20th, with Sam Rubin.
DIS
I
went to a pool party over the weekend and the music being played was on a Pandora Deep
Cuts Station or something like that. You could kind of tell by the sound of the
songs which band recorded them, but you had no idea as you could not see the
iPhone screen in the bright sun. So my guess is that I did not own any of these
albums.
After about four hours of this, two songs came on that I
was familiar with back to back … A Town I’d Like to Go Back To and The Warm by
The Cryan’ Shames.
The songs did not sound exactly right and I went over to
the speakers in order to hear them better. Sure enough, they were not the exact
same songs recorded on the albums and singles.
My question is …
Where do these songs come from?
They are obviously unreleased recordings and how do these
internet music apps acquire them?
Robert Campbell
Wow, I have no idea … but we have long discussed this fear
here in Forgotten Hits that the people PROGRAMMING these stations have become
so young that most of them have absolutely connection to the music … and
wouldn’t know if they were playing the right version or not.
And the fact that so many of these “alternate takes” now
find their place on to new CD releases and compilation sets as “bonus tracks,”
that somebody not paying attention (or simply using the “shuffle” feature)
could just as easily program the wrong tracks for broadcast.(Just for the heck of it, I looked at my
copies of The Cryan’ Shames albums and checked to see if any alternate take
bonus tracks were included … and only “The Warm” is featured in both its LP and
45 variations … nothing extra noted about “The Town I’d Like To Go Back To.”
Anybody else got any ideas on this one???(kk)
Johnny B remembers one of his encounters with Jimmy Buffett
…
Jimmy Buffett on the Jonathon Brandmeier Show Live at the
Skyline Stage Navy Pier - Chicago!
Jimmy rolls up on his bicycle at 7 AM, walks out to the
jampacked audience, and plays "Stumpo El Bando" where Parrottheads
try to see if Jimmy can remember and play his own songs! He did
and he didn’t! The show ends with Jimmy singing one of his
classics!
It was one beautiful crazy Chicago morning, with one
of the nicest human beings and entertainers I've had the great
pleasure to know! He will be sorely missed.
nJohnny B .... "our lives change
like the weather, but a legend never dies" -- Jimmy Buffett
Timmy also sent us this photo of Jimi Hendrix, playing at a
KRLA-sponsored gig in 1969 …
A weird one ...
What other musicians are onstage with Jimi here?
Timmy
Which inspired some more dialog along the way …
The bass
player looked like Carl Radel and it looked like the back of Delaney so I
looked up “Delaney and Bonnie KRLA event with Jimi Hendrix” and found this:
I asked our resident Jimi Hendrix expert, Ken Voss (who publishes the awesome online Jimi Hendrix newsletter/fanzine "Voodoo Child") if he could she any light on this concert event ... and here's what he came back with ...
The date was actually March 30, 1969 ...
Hendrix jams with Delaney & Bonnie at their
concert at the Teen Expo concert at the Hollywood Paladium, doing “Room Full of
Mirrors” and an untitled blues jam. Jimi was using a borrowed Strat from a Fender booth. He
is jamming with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, which included Carl Radle on bass, Jim
Gordon on drums and Bobby Keys on sax.
I don't know about you, but when I saw and
played CB's September songs, the first one I thought of was Neil Sedaka's
CALENDAR GIRL where September lights up when she's sweet 16. Also, somewhat
Jimmy Durante's SEPTEMBER SONG in 1963.
Larry
And a belated Happy Birthday to Freddy Mercury (who would
have turned 77 yesterday)
A Reflection from our in-Resident ... ah ... Reflector, Chuck Buell ...
The Kids are Back in School . . .'
The last Summer Bar-B-Que has Bar-B-Qued . . .
Rewound Radio’s Labor Day Weekend Special has Come and Gone . . .
Stores are selling Halloween, Thanxgiving, and Christmas Decorations.
Summer is Unofficially Officially Over.
[ sigh ]
But it’s not all sad . . .
I will not miss . . .
Mediocre Ice Cream eaten from a Wet Paper Cup with a Wooden Spoon that
tastes like a Medical Tongue depressor!
Personally judging that Famous Fashion Disaster worn by others, Sandals with Socks
Summer Holidays’ Forecasts that say, “Possible Light Afternoon Showers!”
And . . . Public Unisex Bathrooms!
For
we now have now entered September, the month those Forgotten Hits sang
about last Spring and was what then a time far off in the future.
And
now with about 290 Days until the beginning of Summer 2024 in my mind,
and that there are others who look forward to September for their own
personal reasons, here’s my “Summer’s Over Chuck Buell Minute Medley.”
CB
( which stands for “Contemplation Boy!” )
THIS AND THAT:
We heard the rumors all day long ... but nothing to OFFICIALLY announce the death of Gary Wright. Even late Monday night, most of the headlines read that he "reportedly died"
But when we saw postings by some of his friends saying goodbye, we pretty much knew it was true ... and official.
After co-founding the rock band Spooky Tooth, Gary made quite a name for himself as a session keyboardist ... and buddied up with George Harrison, who produced some of Gary's solo tracks once he went off on his own. (Wright returned the favor by playing on some of George's albums, including "All Things Must Pass.")
Wright hit pay dirt three times on the pop charts, first hitting #1 with his debut solo single, "Dream Weaver" in 1976. He followed that up with a #2 showing for "Love Is Alive" later that year (from the same album.)
And then five years later he was back in The Top 20 with the #16 Hit "Really Wanna Know You."
Gary had been having health issues for the past few years, having to cancel several gigs along the way (including one appearance that we were supposed to see as part of Jim Peterik's annual World Stage show.) He also made several appearances over the years as a member of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band.
I remember seeing Gary Wright for the very first time on The Dick Cavett Show when he was booked as the musical guest (at George's urging) during an appearance by George Harrison, who had come on the program to promote the upcoming "Concert For Bangla Desh" concert soundtrack album. (George "mysteriously" sat in with the band during Gary's performance.)
One of the lines that cracked me up that night as George kicked into full promotional mode was when Cavett mentioned something about having John and Yoko on his program recently to promote something THEY were doing (most likely John's "Sometime In New York City" album), George responded by saying, "Yes, I've learned a lot from the Lennons." (kk)
Did you get a chance to listen to any of the WLS / WCFL Rewound Labor Day Weekend radio special?
Kent ...
I couldn't turn it off!
I've been
running it around the clock since Saturday morning on my little
neighborhood FM station here in suburban Detroit. It is a freaking
masterpiece! ART
Art Vuolo Jr.
Radio's Best Friend
Due to a constantly changing and evolving schedule this past weekend,, I got to listen to a lot more of it than I thought I would be able to.
My favorite hour was at 5 am Chicago time on Monday ... my alarm went off as it always does ... but since there was no work this past Monday, I was able to just lie there in bed and listen to the whole hour.
Of all things, it was an hour of Robert E. Lee filling in for vacationing Art Roberts, now doing mornings at WCFL ... an hour I probably wouldn't even have bothered with when it first came on back in 1971!
However, I was astounded and transfixed ...
It was proof once again that back then, there was no etched-in-stone, set-formula that radio had to follow ... and in the course of the SAME hour ... the SAME hour mind you!!! ... I was able to hear ...
The Donnie Elbert version of "Where Did Our Love Go," one of my favorite Forgotten Hits, "Don't Say You Don't Remember" by Beverly Bremers, "Cherish" by David Cassidy ... a commercial for one of the great cult-favorite movies "Harold And Maude," the JERRY LEE LEWIS version of "Me And Bobby McGee," Roberta Flack's soft and sensuous take on "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," "Stones" by Neil Diamond, a Coca Cola commercial sung by Tammy Wynette (!), another GREAT Forgotten Hit, "Five Hundred Miles" by Heaven Bound (which flopped nationally but went to #5 on the WCFL chart ... I don't think WLS even played this one!!!) ... followed by my all-time favorite New Colony Six song, "Long Time To Be Alone." Before the hour was over, Robert E. Lee also played "Kiss An Angel Good Morning" and the track "Tomorrow" from the then brand-new, debut Wings album!!!
Throw in a couple of oldies ("It Hurts To Be In Love" by Gene Pitney and "You Were On My Mind" by We Five) and the ONLY bona-fide, current Top 40 Hit played the entire hour was Don McLean's "American Pie!!!" In the meantime, listeners were treated to ALL of these obscurities in THE SAME HOUR, exactly as it was first broadcast on December 21st, 1971!!! Pretty frickin' amazing!!!
UPDATE: I just HAD to know how all of these rarities fared on The WCFL Survey back then ... that was just SO many obscurities in the same hour!
"Where Did Our Love Go" by Donnie Elbert peaked at #3 on the WCFL chart (and #15 nationally); "Don't Say You Don't Remember" reached #4 (#13); "Cherish" hit #3 (#3); "Me And Bobby McGee" went to #25 (#40); "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" never actually charted on 'CFL (#49 in Record World ... but only #76 in Billboard); "Stones" to #7 (#10); "Five Hundred Miles" #5 (#79); "Long Time To Be Alone" went to #13 (#93 ... and I remember the back of an old WCFL survey showing it in The Top Ten in Hawaii!) and "Kiss An Angel Good Morning" #9 (#19). (The national peaks for each of these records is shown in red ... again, proving that WCFL was charting its own course, REGARDLESS of what the national trades were promoting as "the hits.")
Talking with Ted Gorden Smucker during the weekend broadcast, he reminded me that next year marks WLS' 100th Anniversary ... so all kinds of really cool options exist to make for a very special celebration. Can't wait!!! (kk)
