Mohegan Sun and I have been on
the same page all month. Four out of the last five concerts I saw were there: three
in the Arena, one in the Wolf Den. The timing was perfect as I had the entire
month available to go to as many concerts as I could handle. We will be
emerging into the holiday seasons soon and the stores have already started
celebrating HalloThanksMass. Time will be tighter and not as readily available.
So, let's celebrate this month with my final September concert: The Beach Boys.
The Beach Boys Endless Summer
Gold was a tumultuous stream of non-stop songs that put us on the beach in the ‘60s,
even if the snow was drifting outside our windows. The electricity of this
music emanating from the stage kept the floor of the Arena dancing and jumping
throughout the two hour show. As I looked around, I had to concede that much of
the audience was older than I wish to admit, but the sparks we were still able
to shoot out and the energy we absorbed and utilized to get past physical
difficulties and romp around as though we were pre-teen once more brings tears
to the eyes.
I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING ...
WE WERE CRYING BECAUSE IT HURT,
AND FELT RELIEF WHEN WE COULD SIT DOWN AGAIN?
Nevertheless, it was a
recreation of our own endless summers.
Opening with their string of
beach and surf songs (Surfin' Safari, Surfer Girl, Surfin' USA, etc.) they are
strong with the high and low harmonies and speed of tempo (excluding the
romantic Surfer Girl) that we danced and drove around to. The next section was
of car tunes (409, Little Deuce Coupe, I Get Around, etc.) and did not deliver
the same. It became slower and deeper in tone, losing the falsetto tops that
scream BEACH BOYS. At first this seemed accidental with Mike Love and
Bruce Johnston seeming to want to pick up the pace, but with the car section
continuing, it started to appear that the drag was purposeful.
The members of the Johnson/Love
group are each amazing in voice and musicianship. Almost all (including drummer
John Bolton) take over lead vocals at some time.
In 2024 we have:
Brian Eichenberger - guitar
Christian Love - guitar
Tim Bonhomme - keyboards
Keith Hubacher - bass
Randy Leago - sax and other
horns
John Bolton - drums (John is
obviously a lover of the Muppet character Animal. He has a stuffed replica
sitting on his percussion set and his likeness to Animal's technique of just
get wild and funky also brings memories of Keith Moon)
John Wedemeyer - guitar
Of course, Bruce Johnston is
still the mainstay on keyboards with Mike Love picking up the majority of
vocals.
Unlike last year's show, the
emphasis was not on the original members' tributes. The names Dennis Wilson,
Brian Wilson and Al Jardine were never mentioned. Carl Wilson's name and video
tributes were, however, and his tingling, emotional hit 'God Only Knows' was
performed by Christian Love. A simple "We miss you, Carl." adorned
the back video screen when the song was completed. Carl's personal legacy has
always been held up in esteem, so add in his talent quotient and it follows
that his loss still stings his friends, co-workers and fans.
The show goes out with rapid
fire non-stop wild singing and dancing top songs!
California Girls
Kokomo
Good Vibrations
Fun, Fun, Fun
The albums Endless Summer and
Pet Sounds were featured, but there were songs aplenty from the early, mid and
late sixties.
The Beach Boys bow, wave and
look satisfied and exhausted as they leave the stage. No encores. The
fire-cracker stream of songs ended on such a high that we are all satisfied and
ready to breath, walk out slowly smiling and wrapped in the wealth of nostalgic
blankets.
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
NE Correspondent
Forgotten Hits
This video (sent in by FH Reader Mike Wolstein) tied in
so perfectly with Shelley’s review that I just HAD to run it!!!
As expected, "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" moves into the top spot, knocking Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" down a notch. Martha and the Vandellas hold at #3 with "Dancing In The Street" ... and this has got the makings of another awesome Top Ten!
"Baby Love" makes another incredible move from #34 to #11 ... it's a sure-fire #1 Hit to come ... while "Have I The Right" by The Honeycombs, "Come A Little Bit Closer" by Jay and the Americans, "Ride The Wild Surf" by Jan and Dean, "The Door Is Still Open To My Heart" by Dean Martin, "I'm Crying" by The Animals and "Everybody Knows (I Still Love You)" by The Dave Clark Five all make moves of ten places or more within this week's Top 40.
"I Don't Want To See You Again" by Peter and Gordon, "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" by Elvis Presley, "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks, "Leader Of The Pack" by The Shangri-Las, "She's Not There" by The Zombies, "Is It True" by Brenda Lee, "Wendy" by The Beach Boys and "Time Is On My Side," the new one by The Rolling Stones, are definitely records to watch as they make their way up the chart.
Yesterday we told you that Dolly Parton personally donated one million dollars to the hurricane relief fund ...
And today we found out that Taylor Swift has donated FIVE million dollars!!!
The footage has just been devastating ... SO glad to see that a couple of the Queens Of Country have been able to help out ... and put their compassion out there for the whole world to see. (kk)
Hi Kent,
As Music Director of KDKA radio
in 1972, we played Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” without any concern for the
lyrics “School’s been blown to pieces.” In the wake of increasing
prosecutions of students for threats against their schools, I Googled the
lyrics and found that they had been changed to “I’m bored to pieces” on the
first site that came up.
I’m reminded that Charlie
Daniels re-recorded alternate lyrics for “Long Haired Country Boy.” Instead of
“I get drunk in the morning, get stoned in the afternoon” he changed them to “I
get up in the morning, get down in the afternoon.”
Ed Salamon
What a shame that this ever even became a thing … but it
certainly has … and I feel for young parents today having to deal with the horror
and torture of not being able to safely send their young children off to school
anymore, whether it be fear of unwelcome intruders or fellow students.It really is sad what we have degenerated
into as a society that something like this could happen.(I wonder if Alice also changes the lyrics
when he performs the song in concert these days … I would hope so.)kk
Paul Simon is saying now that, while giving up touring, he
would love to be able to perform a full-length concert again.(We told you about his recent appearance for
a seven song set at The SoHo Sessions.)His issues with hearing loss has been a huge, determining factor in
Paul’s original decision to quit the road … but enhancements in this regard to
help alleviate this condition have made him hopeful and optimistic again.
In fact, he disclosed that he has recently written and
recorded a couple of new songs, including a duet with his wife Edie Brickell.Let’s hope we all get the chance to hear and
enjoy them!(kk)
Clark Besch has his latest list of Top 40 surveys ready to
go up for auction …
If you’re interested in receiving a copy, just shoot him an
email at wlsclark@aol.com
Kent,
My latest list with LOTS of WLS
charts cheap! There's even a Drake-Chenault story in Billboard with pic
of Gary Theroux in it! There's an ad for a lithograph company selling
lithos including Whipped Cream, but its over 50 years ago, so ...
This one?
Burton Cummings is out on his 60th Anniversary
tour right now …
But FH Reader Mike Wolstein reminds us that there is also a
theater in his name up in Canada …
Here's the theater named for one of the greatest musical
entertainers of all time!
Mike
Bruce Springsteen announced his 2025 tour dates as well as
his endorsement for Kamala Harris last week.And Stevie Wonder is doing his mini pre-election tour, too, to generate
awareness and his support of Vice President Harris.
Add in the Taylor Swift vote and it becomes pretty clear who
the influential rock artists are backing in this upcoming election.(kk)
Justin Hayward tells us that tickets for next year’s Blue
Cruise are already on sale …
And check out this concert line-up!
Justin Hayward, Alan Parsons, Dave Mason, Starship
(featuring Mickey Thomas), Colin Blunstone of The Zombies, Al Stewart, Leonid
and Friends, Ambrosia, April Wine, Wishbone Ash, Ricky Nelson Remembered
(featuring Matthew and Gunnar Nelson), Pat Travers, Top Of The World (Tribute
To The Carpenters), Dueling Pianos, and many, many more.
We're seeing The Alan Parsons Live Project TONIGHT at The Genesee Theater! (kk)
Hey, Kent!
On the Subject of GR8 PL8s ~~~ !
BYOUEL!
Love your GR8 PL8s idea …
Reminds me of L8 4A D8 …
Which, of course, belonged to Nicole Brown Simpson …
Another trivial fact permanently etched in my mind.(kk)
ABBA has released a beautifully restored vide of their 1979
recording, “Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight” …
How is it even possible that this was not a MONSTER hit?!?!?
The Cowsills Announce Global To
Be Released on November 8th via Omnivore Recordings
The Elusive 1998 Release
Restored and Remastered on LP For 1st Time and on CD/Digital with Three Bonus
Tracks
Featuring guest appearances from
Vicki Peterson (The Bangles, Continental Drifters), Berton Averre (The Knack),
Peter Holsapple (The dB’s, Continental Drifters), John Stamos, and more
The Cowsills
have announced the release of Global, a recovered album
from the chart-topping family band whose story was the inspiration for
television’s The Partridge Family. A piece on Global for
NBC’s Dateline would not be out of place. The story includes not
only the musical siblings, but also Dick Clark, Daryl Dragon (“The
Captain” of Captain & Tennille), the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, a world-famous TV actor, power-pop superstars, and
renowned industry figures. Global first appeared in 1998, but
was difficult to find; for the few who did, it was a revelation of pure
pop greatness. For the many who missed it, it will be a new revelation
now. Global will come out on November 8 via Omnivore Recordings
on vinyl for the first time ever, and on CD/Digital with three
previously unreleased bonus tracks. Along with the announcement, The
Cowsills have also shared the album’s lead single “What I Believe.”
That’s
the secret reason why this wonderful album exists, and why The Cowsills
are still going strong three decades later. In 1990, more than a decade
since The Cowsills had worked together, singer/guitarist Bob Cowsill
was working on new demos when they were offered a spot on one of Dick
Clark’s package tours to strictly play their “oldies” hits. They agreed
to forgo their new music for the tour but when they went to sign the
contract, no writing implement could be found.
“The
contract was in front of us, and we were ready to do it,” Bob Cowsill
recalls. “Nutty as this sounds, they couldn’t locate a pen, then Dick
had to go do something. It was decided we’d take a break and sign it
after lunch. That’s when we started talking–Did we really want to do
this? Should we take the oldies moniker on now? We felt young for an
oldies tour, Susan [the youngest] was only 36. That’s when I said
‘Well, I got these songs.’ So, we walked out of that lunch, said no to
Dick Clark and said ‘Okay, let’s do this.’”
The
Cowsills quit their day jobs and were a full-time band again. Those new
demos they were working on would ultimately become Global – a
batch of 14 tracks written primarily by Bob and his wife Mary Jo, with
contributions from Barry and Paul Cowsill. The album was recorded at
Rumbo Recorders, owned by Daryl Dragon (“The Captain” of Captain &
Tennille). The Cowsills began booking live shows, and anyone who came
for nostalgia was in for a surprise.
Unfortunately,
the record didn’t get a major-label release, although it did come
close. Atlantic Records A&R Marc Nathan fell in love with the Global
track “Is It Any Wonder” and was sure he could get the band signed.
Nathan’s boss Doug Morris loved what he was hearing but once Nathan
revealed it was The Cowsills, he was immediately fired. The funding for
the album also disappeared overnight when the band’s financier was
arrested by the FBI for insurance fraud. The Cowsills were questioned
by Federal authorities and identified as victims of this scam artist.
The family scattered once again and since they couldn’t ransom the
tapes, the tracks they had recorded sat at Rumbo for years.
Then
the internet came along, and the band had a new way of distribution.
Bob rescued the album and brought in mastering legend Doug Sax to work
on the DAT rough mixes. The Cowsills created a label, Robin Records,
and a website to sell the CD-only album, of which only very few were
made. While preparing the release, Bob made the eleventh-hour decision
to leave out three of the 14 songs. The missing three are finally
reinstated on the new CD and streaming editions of Global.
With
full cooperation from the band and Executive Producers Rock Positano
and James Ferr, Global has been restored and remastered by
multiple Grammy-winner Michael Graves and is definitively back. Bob,
John, Paul, and Susan Cowsill, as well as veteran bassist Robby Scharf
are joined by guests Vicki Peterson (The Bangles, Continental
Drifters), Berton Averre (The Knack), Peter Holsapple
(The dB’s, Continental Drifters), members of the extended Cowsills
family, and even John Stamos, who was one of the biggest names
in Hollywood at the time of recording. It’s a joyous noise spanning
decades of pure pop and songcraft.
Featuring
updated artwork, the packaging contains new liner notes from Brett
Milano and Bob Cowsill outlining, explaining, and bringing this “lost”
album’s story to life.
Chicago’s 1971 concert at The John F. Kennedy Center For The
Performing Arts has just been released … and captures the band at the beginning
of their remarkable success …
And now comes word that their recent television special, “Chicago
And Friends: Live At 55” willsee home
video release on November 22nd.
Mercury Studios to Release Chicago & Friends “Live At 55” ~
November 22, 2024~ On DVD+2CD, Blu-ray+2CD, 4K UHD, 2CD, 3LP, digital audio &
digital video
Click here to
view “Hard To Say I’m Sorry / Get Away”
New York, NY – Chicago & Friends “Live At 55,”
celebrating the 55th anniversary of the band’s groundbreaking
double-platinum debut album Chicago Transit Authority will
be available via Mercury Studios on November 22, 2024. The film is
offered in various formats including DVD+2CD, Blu-ray+2CD, 4K UHD, 2CD,
3LP, digital audio & digital video. Fans can also order exclusive
Chicago & Friends merchandise, including t-shirts, hoodies, a hat
& wine tumbler, at store.mercurystudios.co.
Chicago, the
legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band with more than 100 million
albums sold worldwide, are captured in this 2½ hour event recorded this
past November at Ovation Hall at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic
City, NJin front of a live audience of 10,000 fans over two
nights. The film, produced by Award Winning Producer Barry
Summers as part of the critically acclaimed Decades Rock Live concert
series, features the band who play songs from the album, including some
never-before-performed songs as well as “unplugged” versions of some of
Chicago’s classic tunes.
Joined by special guests Robin Thicke, Chris Daughtry,
Steve Vai, VoicePlay, Judith Hill, Robert Randolph and Christone
“Kingfish” Ingram, each performance is visualized in vibrant video
and animation.
“This concert film is a unique approach to any of our
previous live performances,” said Chicago founding member Lee
Loughnane. “We very rarely play with guest artists, much less seven
of them. It was very interesting to work with each guest and experience
their interpretations of our music.”
To celebrate the 55th anniversary of their double-Platinum
debut album, Chicago TransitAuthority, the
band plays songs from the album, their biggest hits, and “unplugged” a
cappella arrangements of some of Chicago’s classic tunes captured
in an emotionally moving centerpiece, with each visualized in all
original full-length animations shown against an an amazing custom LED
backdrop.
3LP TRACK LISTING
Side A
Introduction
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Beginnings
Questions 67 and 68
Listen (with Robert Randolph)
Side B
South California Purples (Short Version) (with Steve Vai)
Poem 58 (with Steve Vai)
I’m A Man (with Chris Daughtry & Robert Randolph)
Dialogue Part 1 and 2 (with Robert Randolph)
Side C
(I've Been) Searchin' So Long
Mongonucleosis
Street Player
Make Me Smile (with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram)
Colour My World (with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram)
Now More Than Ever (‘Smile’ Reprise) (with Christone
“Kingfish” Ingram)
Side D
Call On Me (with Robin Thicke)
Alive Again (with Judith Hill)
Wishing You Were Here (with VoicePlay)
Happy Man (with VoicePlay)
If You Leave Me Now (with VoicePlay)
Look Away (with VoicePlay)
Side E
Old Days
Hard Habit To Break (with Chris Daughtry)
Just You ‘N’ Me
Hard To Say I’m Sorry / Getaway
In The Country (with Robert Randolph)
Side F
Saturday In The Park (with Robin Thicke)
Free
You’re The Inspiration (with Judith Hill)
Feelin’ Stronger Every Day (with Judith Hill)
25 or 6 to 4 (with all guest artists)
4K Tracklisting:
Introduction
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Beginnings
Questions 67 and 68
Listen (with Robert Randolph)
South California Purples (Short Version) (with Steve Vai)
Poem 58 (with Steve Vai)
I’m A Man (with Chris Daughtry & Robert Randolph)
Dialogue Part 1 and 2 (with Robert Randolph)
Call On Me (with Robin Thicke)
(I've Been) Searchin' So Long
Mongonucleosis
Street Player
Make Me Smile (with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram)
Colour My World (with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram)
Now More Than Ever (‘Smile’ Reprise) (with Christone
“Kingfish” Ingram)
Alive Again (with Judith Hill)
Old Days
Hard Habit To Break (with Chris Daughtry)
Wishing You Were Here (with VoicePlay)
Happy Man (with VoicePlay)
If You Leave Me Now (with VoicePlay)
Look Away (with VoicePlay)
Just You ‘N’ Me
Hard To Say I’m Sorry / Getaway
In The Country (with Robert Randolph)
Saturday In The Park (with Robin Thicke)
Free
You’re The Inspiration (with Judith Hill)
Feelin’ Stronger Every Day (with Judith Hill)
25 or 6 to 4 (with all guest artists)
Bonus Features: Interviews with Chicago and all guest artists
I wasn’t aware that this little video had blown up into
accusations of “elder abuse” …
But here’s an article about 90 year old Frankie Valli … who
says he’s happy doing exactly what he’s always loved doing …
Jim Roup sent us another nice selection of photos to share …
I noticed that Angie Dickinson tuned 93 last week … also Johnny
Mathis 89 and Marilyn McCoo 81!
Happy Birthday! 🥳
Jim
One more ...
John Forsythe was the star of the first made for TV movie.
Here he is ... with his Julie at The Bel Air Hotel.
And I like this photo from Timmy, too …
L-R: Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson ...
(Hey, we told you they were outlaws!)kk
Grammy Winning songstress Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney, passed away earlier this week at the age of 91.
Although she never really scored any major chart hits under her name, Houston sang background for everyone from Elvis Presley to Aretha Franklin ... Luther Vandross to Paul Simon ... Chaka Khan to Roberta Flack ... and even Jimi Hendrix and her own daughter!!! Cissy DID make The National Top 20 as part of The Sweet Inspirations, who scored with their hit of the same name, "Sweet Inspiration," in 1968. (It peaked at #14 in Record Word, #18 in Billboard and #20 in Cash Box ... and I used to love hearing it back in the day.) kk
I was blown away by the fact that last week marked the seven
year anniversary of the passing of Tom Petty …
How on EARTH could that much time have passed already?!?!And where does it go?
It’s like the blink of an eye …
Which leads us to this closing smiler from Chuck Buell …
I've been an Appreciator of the
Highly Creative, Relatable Videos this couple has produced for many years
now!
Here's one of theirs that I think
quite possibly personifies both you and me!
"How Old Are
You?!" 1:25
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
( Thanx to Son Craig who passed this
along to me saying, "This Reminded Me of You, Dad!" )
Chuck!
60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
10/11/64 – Roy Orbison and Connie Francis appear on The Ed
Sullivan Show
