Love the Ides of March - sounds like a great, great concert,
Can't believe it was
April of 1970! Bravo!
DIS
I remember going to The Ides Of March’s Farewell Show at (where else) Morton West High School in the mid-‘70’s … so it is a REAL treat to see that the band is still together after a brief hiatus (which also gave us Survivor.)
We didn’t get the “official” photos of their 60th Anniversary Concert in time to run them on the website last week … so we had to run shots taken by that illustrious photography team of Mr. and Mrs. K, both armed with iPhone cameras. As such, we are very pleased to run several more today, provided by the VERY talented Kristie Schram! (kk)
Dear,
Jim, Larry, Bob, Mike and Scott …
MEGA CONGRATULATIONS!
I feel honored and am grateful to have been able to be part of your amazing journey.
It's been heart warming to witness the life long friendships, sincere care and bond you guys have.
Thank you so much for having me!
Love you guys :)
Cheers!
Kristie Mayfair Schram
Thanks, Kristie … these are AMAZING! (kk)
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Jim with his fluorescent kryptonite socks ...
And shoes from The Michael Jackson Collection
(I love it!) kk
Bob Sirott welcomes Billy J. Kramer, live to his program, Tuesday Morning at 8:40 am (Chicago Time) as part of his on-going salute to The British Invasion of 60 years ago.
This should offer some very interesting perspective on what it was like to be part of The Beatles Bubble during the peak of Beatlemania. (Kramer charted here in The States with three tunes penned by Lennon and McCartney ... and had a #1 Hit back home with his version of "Do You Want To Know A Secret.")
Listen live here: https://wgnradio.com/on-air/
Or catch up on Bob's podcast, posting after the show
We did a nice piece on Billy a few years ago ...
https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2016/08/forgotten-hits-interviews-billy-j-kramer.html
And got to hang out with British Rock Royalty at The Fest For Beatles Fans that year, too ...
Congratulations to Dion …
His latest album, “Girl Friends,” debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Blues Album Chart this week. It follows his previous two chart-toppers, “Stomping Ground” and “Blues With Friends,” making the ‘60’s legend Three For Three in his new, chosen format.
And these are all really good albums, too. Dion is a natural, and I guarantee you, you’ll enjoy them … each and every one. (kk)
Check this out …
Some long lost and forgotten ABBA footage has turned up and will be shown as part of a BBC Television Special, “When ABBA Came To Britain.”
It’s all part of the Eurovision celebration, honoring ABBA’s victory some 50 years ago! (A couple of other ABBA specials will also air that night, including “More ABBA At The BBC” and long-forgotten news footage showing what it was like when ABBAmania took its foothold in the UK. (kk)
If you’re planning on going to a John Mellencamp concert, you’d better prepare yourself for an unscheduled shortened show if any member of the audience pipes up during John’s performance or recitation.
It’s been happening more and more lately … and an angry Mellencamp will threaten to leave the stage if those “cocksuckers” in the audience don’t behave.
The most recent outburst happened Sunday Night at John’s concert in Toledo, Ohio.
The complaint (from many in the audience from what I hear) is that Mellencamp is using the stage to express his views on his audience … the most common response being “Play Some Music!,” which is, after all, the reason fans bought their tickets in the first place. (I can see both sides of this … and Mellencamp would do well to take a hint from his fans and maybe lay things on a “little less thickly” if he wants to RETAIN any of those fans!!!)
John was mid-story Sunday Night when an audience member shouted for him to “play some music.”
While most of the audience booed the heckler, Mellencamp reacted y threatening to cut his show short (which he has ALSO done on a couple of occasions now … TOTALLY unfair to the fans who laid out good money for these tickets and then had the concert hijacked away from them by some asshole in the audience out to get John’s goat.)
"What do you think I've been doing, you cocksucker? Here's the thing, man. You don't know me. You don't fucking know me.” And then to his handlers, “Hey Joe, find this guy and let me see him after the show."
When Mellencamp attempts to continue his story, ANOTHER heckler shouts out, demanding to hear "Authority Song."
At this point, Mellencamp loses his cool …
"Guys, I can stop this show right now and just go home. Tell you what I'm gonna do ... Since you've been so wonderful, I'm gonna cut about 10 songs out of the show. Here we go."
He then played a few seconds of "Jack & Diane" before announcing, "Know what? Show's over."
Previously, Mellencamp came back at a heckler in Cleveand, who had shouted at the stage, "Play the fucking music!" … to which Mellencamp responded, "Listen, hey, you guys, if these people don't shut the fuck up I'm just going to leave, OK?" Because I'm not used to this crap. Look, guys, if I wanted to play in this type of drunken environment, I'd play outside or I'd play in an arena."
A few months before that, John instructed the audience at a show in Grand Prairie, Texas to “leave the entertaining to me. This is the quiet part, so keep your fucking mouth shut." When a woman promptly shouted out his name, Mellencamp snapped back, "What did I just fucking say? But thank you."
It’s almost as if it’s become part of the show. (Not quite as exciting as watching Joe Cocker throw up on stage every night as spelled out in Mark Bego’s new book … but exciting none the less.)
Maybe a little more music … a little less politics and lecturing … and all of a sudden, it’s an enjoyable show again … because honestly, this doesn’t sound like ANY fun at all! (It just seems kinda crazy to punish all the legitimate fans out there who paid good money to see one of their idols on stage, only to have the show cut short because of one asshole in the audience … throw him out and get on with the show … or sooner or later there won’t be ANY fans, no matter HOW loyal they may be, shelling out the big bucks to see a show that could be cut short at any point in time. You’re punishing the wrong people!) kk
After a number of postponements due to health issues, Bruce Springsteen is finally back out on the road again. His resumed tour kicked off last Tuesday night (3/19) in Phoenix … and the stamina is back as The Boss performed a 30-song set to a very enthusiastic and receptive crowd. (Most of his remaining dates are make-ups for 2023 cancellations … but then he takes off for a series of European appearances before returning to The States for the next wave of concerts.) kk
Billboard Magazine offers a glowing review of Springsteen’s return to the stage …
Also back on the road is John Lodge, formerly of The Moody Blues, who also had to postpone a number of dates due to health issues.
He’ll be performing the album “Days Of Future Passed” in its entirety as part of his show, along with a number of other Moody Blues and solo classics.
John resumes live shows in July in Clearwater, FL (kk)
Look for a brand new concert film featuring the iconic rock group Chicago, only in theaters, coming next month.
More details here …
CHICAGO & FRIENDS IN CONCERT
NATIONWIDE & CANADIAN FILM RELEASE, APRIL 18 AND APRIL 21
FANTRACKS DIGITAL, ICONIC EVENTS RELEASING AND MERCURY STUDIOS PROUDLY CELEBRATE THE THEATRICAL DEBUT OF CHICAGO & FRIENDS IN CONCERT - NATIONWIDE & CANADIAN FILM RELEASE APRIL 18 AND APRIL 21 –
FIND THEATRE LOCATIONS & TIMES HERE
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: Chicago & Friends In Concert - Film Official Trailer
Hailed as one of the "most important bands in music since the dawn of the rock and roll era.”
The theatrical release of Chicago & Friends in Concert will premiere on April 18 and April 21, in select theatres via Iconic Events Releasing, Mercury Studios and FanTracks.
“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.”
Chicago, the legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band with more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, bring their iconic sound to moviegoers across North America in this 2½ hour cinematic event. Recorded this past November at Ovation Hall at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ in front of a live audience of 10,000 fans over two nights, the band was 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 once-in-a-lifetime event showcases Chicago’s greatest hits and celebrates their 55th Anniversary of their groundbreaking Double-Platinum debut album, CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY. The film also captures the “unplugged” a capella arrangements and re-imagined Chicago's hits in an emotionally moving centerpiece.
Chicago & Friends In Concert’s Executive Producer Barry Summers worked directly with co-producer, Chicago’s Lee Loughnane, and each special guest on song selections. Loughnane also acted as music director and managed the post-production audio mix.
Barry Summers, Award Winning Producer & Creator of the Decades Rock LIve series of which this film is the latest, exclaims “We are very excited to be presenting "Chicago & Friends in Concert" 4K UHD Dolby 5.1 at cinemas in North America.
Ty Roberts, CEO, FanTracks added “We are thrilled to showcase the Decades Rock Live series in theatres which brings multiple generations together to celebrate iconic music.”
The Decades Rock Live Chicago & Friends production was filmed on a custom-built LED stage set with nine 4K cameras. This film premiere contains Chicago’s greatest hits and classics with each visualized in all original full length animations shown against an amazing custom LED backdrop.
Visit HTTPS://CHICAGOANDFRIENDSINTHEATRES.COM for theaters and showtimes near you.
Tom Cuddy sent us this clip of Tony Orlando performing his last show – with a reunited Dawn, no less!!! – at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut last week … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZXNpsdOON4
Tom also sent us this ...
HERE'S A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH 89 YEAR OLD FRANKIE VALLI ...
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-10-25/frankie-valli-four-seasons-beggin
I love how they're going to "repurpose" Four Seasons music and turn these hits into lullabies!!!
Jersey Babies indeed!!! (kk)
Future Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Peter Frampton is appearing at The Genesee Theatre here locally next Saturday Night, March 30th …
And the show is a complete sell out!!!
If any of our readers are attending, we would love to hear from you! (kk)
With all the focus on *NSync of late, let’s not forget their female counterpart on the charts back then, Miss Britney Spears!
In fact, Billboard Magazine counts down Britney’s Top 20 Chart Singles this week in an article that starts of with this …
Very few stars have risen as fast or burned as bright as Britney Spears in the late ’90s, becoming an icon almost as soon as she dropped her debut single “… Baby One More Time.” But hey, that’s Britney, bitch!
(Truer words were never
spoken!)
According to the new Joel Whitburn / Record Research book, Britney has made their Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart a total of 32 times …
This tally includes FOUR #1 Records, 13 Top 10 Hits and 25 Top 40 Singles.
What Did You Think Of Kenny Vance's "HEART & SOUL.?"
I enjoyed it.
“Heart And Soul” is a good title for this film … because that’s what the artists featured put into their music to have it heard. (A good subtitle might be “I Only Did It For A Song,” because MOST of them never got properly compensated for their efforts.)
It wasn’t just these predominately black artist who were getting ripped off …
Virtually EVERYBODY in the record business was getting ripped off at the time, either by way of unpaid royalties, dummied up sales records, or record label owners adding their names to the songwriting credits to dip into the publishing pot, too. It was commonplace … and it happened every single day.
The fact that all of the artists featured in the film have come to accept this is rather sad … but it’s also the only option. (Let’s face it, they’ve been living with this reality for 50-60 years now … there’s really no way to go back and recoup the money now … so you go on simply for the love of the music itself.)
Other than the obvious stars who actually built and sustained careers (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Little Anthony and the Imperials and Kenny Vance’s own Jay and the Americans), most of these artists never really made much of an impact on the pop charts … not in a major way anyway … a hit or two and that was it …
But THEIR audience knows their music. (Doo Wop to Frank is like The British Invasion to me … it’s what I first heard and fell in love with … and it looms large in my DNA to this day.)
I had to cross check many of these artists against the national trades to see which records made the pop charts that I would (or should) know … and they were few and far between. Still, it was great being exposed to this music (some of it for the very first time) … and there is no question that it was an important factor and influence to much of the music that came afterwards.
I recommend it …
And you can view the trailer here: https://watch.showandtell.film/preview/heart-and-soul
Unfortunately, the opportunity to watch the whole film for $10.50 has apparently ended … so you may have to do a bit of searching online to see how and where you can take advantage of a specials screening.
As with all films of this nature, the hope it to eventually get it airing on PBS … so I’m sure efforts in that area are also in motion. (We’ve certainly been down that road with The Dick Biondi Documentary!) I’ve been talking with a couple of people involved with the film and you just may be able to catch a special screening right here in Forgotten Hits down the road … so stay tuned for more details on that! (kk)
As we get older, we sometimes forget some of the language skills we learned back in grade school …
So as a public service to all of our Forgotten Hits Readers, Timmy provides this brief reminder …
A few more of Kristie Schram's photographs to round out the day ...
Happy 60th Anniversary, Guys! (kk)
60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
3/24/64 – The Kennedy half-dollar issued
