Lou Gramm, former lead singer of Foreigner, is retiring … again.
It seems like only yesterday that we ran Lou’s announcement that he was through with live shows. (He had been having some health issues at the time and had tired of the rigorous pace of touring.)
Well, believe it or not, it WASN’T yesterday … it was way back in 2018 …
And Lou’s been touring ever since!!!
Now, after nearly six more years on the road, Lou says that this is it … no more.
Yes, he will
perform with Foreigner if they are inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
this year. (Seriously, how could he
not?!?!) Foreigner has also recently
been on their Farewell Tour as well … Mick Jones, who rarely performs with the
band anymore, has also been having his own share of health issues of late.
Gramm says:
"This
is my last year ... I've been doing it, jeez, for almost 50 years. I would like to turn my attention to my
family and my muscle cars and just enjoy myself knowing that when I lay down at
night, it'll be in my own bed.
"This
is gonna be it. I've been putting it off
and putting it off. And I still enjoy performing, but when you've been doing it
for as long as I have, the travel is the worst. It really takes its toll. And
that's a sign that you're getting old."
Back in 2018, Gramm announced that he had just played his last show …
“You get real excited when you start out in this business, but you’ve got to be smart enough to know when to walk away from it, too. I just feel it’s that time for me.”
We saw Lou a few years ago in concert and he still had the goods … his voice sounds the same as ever … but the travel and rigors of living on the road have apparently taken their toll … especially if you're not feeling particularly well ... so he says this is definitely it.
(Until, of course, Foreigner’s induction into The Rock Hall spurs a whole new wave of Foreigner-mania for the group to formerly reunite for one last final tour … something ELSE that was supposed to happen over the last year or two. In fact, word was at the time that Gramm and Jones had reconciled and even written and recorded some new music together … as well as dusted off some older recordings that they were going to do some updating to. By now I think we’ve all learned, never say “never” when it comes to rock and roll!!!)
By the way, Foreigner is currently in second place on the Fan Vote for The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Class of 2024, trailing leader Ozzy Osbourne by only about 10,000 votes. (I think they’re a shoe-in!) kk
Somebody ELSE got back together for "one show only" last week …
And it was pretty big news in the ‘90’s pop world.
Justin Timberlake performed with *NSync for the first time in decades!
Boy, I hope they filmed this thing so the rest of us can eventually see it, too! (kk)
Kent,
Always love CB's minute medleys.
Here's two I thought of …
The first is Crispian St. Peters I'M THE PIEd
PIPER and one of my all time favorite gospel tunes, IN THE SWEET PIE AND PIE.
(UGH)
Larry
Hmm … “Pied Piper,” huh??? Now that’s a bit of a stretch. (I don’t think I would have ever even thought of THAT one!!! Lol) kk
And, speaking of CB, here he weighs in on a rock and roll urban legend …
>>> 10cc hasn’t toured The United States in over thirty years … but they’re coming … (kk)
When 10cc first arrived on the scene, I, too, heard the then-common story of what their name stood for.
This might be a good time to clear that up for those who may not know the true story!
CB
How 10cc got their name: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/10cc/
At Chuck’s urging, we are NOT going to attribute ANY speculation as to what the “CB” might stand for in this instance …
Only to say that Chuck SPECIFICALLY told us: the "C" does NOT stand for THAT!
Lol (kk)
Speaking of 10cc, a new book written by Harvey Lisberg tells how Neil Sedaka helped to create the band when Lisberg took a new song Neil had been working on back to England … and then eventually Sedaka himself … to help inspire a new band being launched by Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart.
You can read an exclusive excerpt from this chapter here:
https://bestclassicbands.com/neil-sedaka-10cc-solitaire-3-25-23/
A new completely updated version of The Beatles Monopoly Game has just been released. (We bought the original version back in 2008!) It’s available now, in stores and online. (kk)
Cool to see Chicago Radio saluted in this week’s Ross On Radio column …
Not one, but TWO kudo’s, first for the brand new batch of WLS jingles airing here on 94.7 FM … and another for next weekend’s upcoming Rewound Radio DJ Hall Of Fame salute to John Records Landecker. (We’ll have more for you on that mid-week!)
https://radioinsight.com/blogs/266052/fresh-listen-the-jingles-return-to-wls-fm/
Hear the jingles here: https://tmstudios.com/jingles/wls-classic-hits/
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/266091/where-the-rock-of-chicago-keeps-rolling/
kk ...
On Tuesday (3/19/24), My Pal Kojak Will Be Playing My Songs On His "1960's JUKEBOX REVUE."
If You Can, Please Listen To A Bit Of It & Let Me Know What You Think.
I Call It Pairs / Songs That Go Together ...
"TOSSIN' & TURNIN'" + "TOSSIN' & TURNIN' AGAIN"
"DREAMIN'" + "I'M STILL DREAMIN'"
+ ANSWER SONGS.
8 - 11 PM EASTERN on REMEMBER THEN RADIO (WRTR)
FB
I had to share this quote with two MAJOR Status Quo fans on the list …
Ian Paice of Deep Purple tells Noise11.com about the two bands he would NEVER follow on stage ...
(This in response to the fact that Deep Purple will be opening for Alice Cooper at The Pandemonium Festival in Australia next month):
There are two bands that are the hardest bands in the world to follow.
Alice Cooper is one, because it is pure, glorious theatre with some good musicians ...
and Status Quo is the other one.
They’ve had about 5000 hits. They sound very similar but they just go hit, hit, hit, hit, hit. Those two are a nightmare to follow.
I don’t care if Alice goes on after us. That is fine and dandy.
Response from Nick Frankart …
I guess that’s a supreme compliment, Kent. And largely explains why I’ve made four pilgrimages (so far) across the pond to see the Mighty Quo in person! And Alan has me beat by a few dozen, at least.
Doing fine out here on the Left Coast, and still follow FH on a daily basis. Thanks for that! Time to pop in a Quo CD.
Nick
The “Alan” he’s referring to is Alan Benson …
You can read Alan’s piece on Status Quo from a few years ago here …
https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2022/01/everything-is-status-quo-with-status-quo.html
Fact Check: Badfinger / Raspberries 1972 Rockford Armory
This kind of rang a bell as I was part of a group that promoted a show at the Rockford Armory on February 10th 1972. My only responsibility was coming up with the money as I was the only one in the group with a full-time real job that I held while attending college at the same time.
According to the archived Badfinger tour dates, the line up was Badfinger, REO Speedwagon and Pure Prairie League. I do not remember Pure Prairie League’s performance at all. Badfinger was somewhat boring and it would have been the early version of REO with Gary.
Robert Campbell
I went to the so-called “official” Rockford Armory site, which supposedly lists all of the concert events held there, and all I can tell you is that it is FAR from complete … or, apparently, accurate.
For example, I saw Chuck Berry play there at least three
times … and he’s not even mentioned on the list once. I also saw Malo … have always LOVED their song “Suavecito”
… which they didn’t perform very well live … very disappointing … and they’re
not on this list either. I’ll betcha
SOMEBODY has a more accurate list … and I’d love to see it, because we made the
90 mile trek more than a few times to see shows there … and, as I recall, even on a week night with
work the next day to see Badfinger and The Raspberries. (Ahh, to be young again!)
I can tell you that I’ve never seen Pure Prairie League in my life, so that in and of itself is wrong (unless Badfinger played there more than once … which I suppose is possible.)
I probably saw REO Speedwagon there at least six times … fell in love with the band (and this was WAY before they made it big with “Hi Infidelity.”) Always loved their early stuff like “Ridin’ The Storm Out” and “Keep Pushin’,” which I used to sing with our band.
But as often as they played there, they were not part of the Badfinger show I saw either … so that, too, is wrong.
The Raspberries were the opening act … and they played a pretty short (and very loud) opening set.
Badfinger were the headliners and they played way too loud, too. (I don’t think the Armory was ever built with sound considerations in mind! Lol)
Saw Badfinger two other times after that show and they were MUCH better in a much better controlled theater environment.
Wish I could have seen The Raspberries (or better yet, one of Eric Carmen’s solo shows) but it just wasn’t meant to be.
I was always hoping that there might be one more Raspberries reunion before he hung it up for good. Too late now. But I’ve been listening to him almost constantly since he died. And I’m not the only one … his stuff is selling like crazy right now. (Of course there’s ALWAYS going to be the asshole who takes his “Essentials” CD and bumps up the price from $29.98 the day before to $129 the day after!!!) kk
And how is it even remotely possible that I missed seeing Eric when her performed with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band in 2000? (Also onboard that year were Dave Edmunds and Jack Bruce. Simon Kirke of Bad Company was also part of the band that year.
Looking up an old set list, it looks like Eric typically performed three songs each night ... "Hungry Eyes," "All By Myself" and either "Boats Against The Current" or "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again." DAMN, that would have been a show to see ... and apparently NOT available on home video. (kk)
Another nice Eric Carmen tribute …
And here, Billboard Magazine recaps chart career, both as a solo artist and as a member of The Raspberries …
When The Raspberries burst on the scene in 1972, their timing couldn’t have been better. The Beatles had split up (Badfinger was now the closest thing we had to their sound, but by 1972 even their string of hits was already winding down.)
The Raspberries brought back that ‘60’s sound … infectious pop with a bit of an edge … very Beatle-ish sounding (some might even say with a hint of The Who with some of those power chords) and it gave the charts a new infusion of excitement in what was now considered the era of the singer/songwriter. They called it “Power Pop” (and not in a derogatory way … this was garage band rock, buffed and shined.)
I’ve been listening to an awful lot of Eric Carmen music since his passing (and it seems to be playing in my head all day and night as well … which is VERY frustrating when you’re trying to sleep! Lol)
From David Salidor …
THIS JUST IN ...
Felix Cavaliere is interviewed by Cousin Brucie, Saturday April 13th, for the forthcoming RASCALS WORLD TOUR-PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE - with dates:
April 26 - Patchogue Theater; Patchogue, New York
April 27 - Keswick Theater; Glenside, PA
May 17 - SONY Hall; NYC
May 18 - Stadium Theater; Woonsocket, RI
June 29 - The Beach Stage; Seaside Heights, NJ
Also from David …
DIRECTOR DAVE KRAMER DEBUTS
JIMI HENDRIX - THE DOCUMENTARY -
AT THE NYACK FILM FESTIVAL - APRIL 6th
For the last 30 years, a small team led by two-time Emmy Award winner David Kramer have been quietly working on preserving and unearthing the unexpurgated story of the life and death of Jimi Hendrix.
Kramer has amassed a cast of well over 400 on camera interviews, hours of unseen footage of Hendrix and hundreds of previously-unseen photographs. This makes the film unique, because no subject in the history of documentary filmmaking has ever been given this level of first-person detail.
“There's so much misinformation out there in movies, documentaries and the internet, it's as if there's a deliberate campaign of disinformation to mislead in an attempt to rewrite history” says Kramer. “The Hendrix-story has taken on urban myth-like proportions – stories abound that many people believe to be true but largely are not.”
The story of how it all came to be, from the moment of his signing to the instant of his death, as well as the impact he had on those around him and society at large is explored in rich detail, filled with his joy and humor as well as the tragedy that surrounded his life and music.
The sixties were a volatile time in American history, a time when musical, sexual, social, racial and even sartorial revolution was everywhere. Jimi Hendrix in the sixties was the focal point of all of it, and represented a quantum leap forward with everything he touched.
From FH Reader David Lewis …
Remembering Bob Wilson of The New Colony Six
https://www.nashvillecremationcenter.com/obituaries/robert-wilson
And, from Pam Pulice …
Can you believe it’s already been TEN YEARS that we’ve been trying to get this Dick Biondi documentary off the ground and into release?!?!
Pam tells me we’re closer than ever … but still about $25,000 short of covering the licensing fees.
Please check out the latest below … and let us know if you’re able to help!
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60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
3/17/64 – Actor Rob Lowe is born
