Sad news this week (and sadder still, perhaps, as it came not at all unexpected) that Brian Wilson is being placed in conservatorship. He is suffering from dementia. A judge has ruled that he is unable to manage his own affairs and, in the words of the court, “lacks the capacity to make his own healthcare decisions.”
Brian’s wife of 28 years, Melinda, passed away earlier this year. The Beach Boys legend is 81 years old. (kk)
Meanwhile, The Beach Boys Channel has
returned to Sirius XM (Channel 79) … and we’ve also got the Disney+ documentary
coming up later this month (the 24th) ... so the joy that their music has brought so many of us these past 60+ years far outweighs the bittersweet end to their story. (That being said, The Beach Boys ... aka The Mike and Bruce Show ... aka Douche and Bruce ... will be performing here in Elk Grove Village on The 4th of July ... so we've got THAT to look forward to!)
I just started reading the
new book “The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys,” a coffee table “anthology” told of
The Beach Boys’ story, told in their own words. Not off to an especially strong start ... the book is told in The Beach Boys' own words, but appears to have been edited by a 3rd Grader ... I'm hoping things get better as their story moves forward.
Our FH Buddy Spud sends us a few more recent Beach Boys / Al Jardine details …
Aloha everyone!
The Beach Boys Channel returns Wednesday, 5/8, to SiriusXM on Channel 79:
https://www.siriusxm.com/blog/beach-boys-channel-good-vibrations
The next Al
Jardine Family & Friends show is Saturday, May 25th, in Orem,
UT:
https://scera.org/events/al-jardine-his-endless-summer-band-the-music-of-the-beach-boys
Here’s a new interview with Al Jardine in Maui with some info on new songs!
https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2024/05/beach-boys-cofounder-reflects-on-career-future
And, for
more Al Jardine pics, videos & interviews, visit:
https://www.aljardine.com/media
Spud
Tom Cuddy sent us this ABC News Report of Irma Thomas joining The Rolling Stones on stage to sing their “mutual” 1964 single, “Time Is On My Side” …
ABC News: The Rolling Stones perform at New Orleans Jazz Fest
https://youtu.be/R0oZ9THDjVk?si=fQcqu7i3t0dJWWAS
What isn’t covered here is the fact that after Irma joined The Stones on stage for their New Orleans Jazz Festival performance, Ronnie Wood repaid the favor by taking the stage at Irma’s midnight gig that same night at a small club in New Orleans! (This girl is 83 years old and still playing midnight shows!) Oh, the power and magic of music! (kk)
Meanwhile, The Rolling Stones continue to “shuffle up” their play list on the new Hackney Diamonds Tour. (Not sure if it’s quite the HARLEM Shuffle … but they are keeping things interesting by mixing things up a bit … and also playing the fan-voted favorite again each show as they’ve done before.)
When the tour reached Arizona last week, The Stones added “It’s Only Rock And Roll,” “She’s Cold” and “Monkey Man” to the set list. (“Monkey Man” was the “lost track” fans voted as “most wanted to hear.”
I've been seeing LOTS of really good press for “Revival 69,” the “Live Peace In Toronto” concert film we’ve been telling you about … nearly unanimous great reviews, stressing the importance and significance of this event. It opens in theaters next month with home streaming and dvd plans already in the works.
Harvey Kubernik sent us the review of the film by Bob Lefsetz, but it's too long to reprint here … if you’d like a copy, drop me a line and I’ll send it along. (kk)
Here are examples of the three types of cards I have:
original black and white, sepia from A Hard Day’s Night, and the final releases in color
As you can see, two of the sets have printed backs. The black and whites were plain with minimal markings on the bottom. That apparently meant to me, that I should write a caption on the back of each black and white card. They are cute. Ramblings of a pre-teen Beatles fan.
Shelley
Hey, I had them all, too … LOVED when the color cards came out … but even the earlier ones with their autographs on them … QUITE the collectible thing for a 10-12 year old Beatles fan! (kk)
And The Beatles have
released a new promotional video on behalf of the rerelease (on Disney+) of
their 1970 film “Let It Be.” (Still
waiting for word as to when the home video version will be released … hopefully
with TONS of extras!!! The Fest For Beatles Fans is predicting a Fall release.)
I was finally able to watch the restored film last night (going thru some crazy work hours again!) ... and it was really nice to see it again (although I don’t quite get the cropped screen view … that couldn’t have been fixed as part of the restoration process?) They’ve also revamped the end credits to include a nice John and Paul “duet” version of “Oh! Darling,” which was kinda cool to hear. (Lennon always said “Oh! Darling” was one of his Paul favorites … and wished he could have sung it.)
The program kicks off with a nice bit of back and forth between original director Michael Lindsay-Hogg and Peter Jackson, who used Michael’s footage to create his eight-hour companion piece, “Get Back,” a couple of years ago. (Jackson’s technology helped revive the now 54 year old “Let It Be” print … and he also put together the truly amazing video for “Now And Then,” the “Last Beatles Single,” last year. They mostly just compliment each other’s efforts … but the COMPLETE Get Back / Let It Be story has finally been told … and we now have nearly ten hours of documentation of what life was like in Beatleland, circa January of 1969. (kk)
Wait a minute … so far all of our CURRENT music news includes spotlight features on The Beatles, The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones …
What year is it again??? (kk)
OK! I'm going to say it ...
Music was so diverse, fruitful, and fantastic with so many good choices, not everyone could win a Grammy. Then music crashed and burned and that allowed Kanye, even in his limited talent, to win.
Shelley
I was surprised and pleased to hear, when flipping thru the channels last Sunday Morning, Sirius XM's Dave Hoeffel not only counting down The Top 40 Hits for this week in 1960, but also making numerous references to WLS switching over to Top 40 Rock And Roll on May 2nd of that year. It was a MAJOR turning factor in rock and roll finally being recognized here in The Midwest, albeit four to five years AFTER the launch really began with the early hits of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Everly Brothers, Bill Haley and his Comets, and morel
If you’re an XM subscriber, you can stream the show here:
And speaking of vintage WLS, don’t forget about the upcoming screening of The Dick Biondi Documentary, later this month (March 26th) at The Moonlight Theatre in St. Charles, IL …
And THIS is going to be a WHOLE lotta fun! (We went to this a couple of years ago, pre-Covid … a very nice gathering for music, food, friends and fans … and a way to help raise money for the ongoing film costs.)
Save The Date! (kk)
Hello Friends!
Get ready to
rock out! Join us on June 9, 2024, at 2:00 PM for an afternoon of
high-energy music and good vibes at 115 Bourbon Street. Let's sing and dance to
classic tunes of some of the greatest Chicago bands & solo artists, and
enjoy the delicious food, beverages, and retro atmosphere. Just look at this
lineup of amazing talents!
New Colony Six
The Cryan' Shames
Joe Cantafio
Hugo - ELVIS Tribute
Hundred Dollar Quartet
South Side Exiles
Bagshot Row
The Cave Dwellers with Jenny V James
Emceed by WLS Air Talent Scott Childers
Ticket price includes all you can eat buffet, including beer and wine, Silent
and Live Auction, Raffles, Merchandise Table, a Prevue of the Dick Biondi
Movie, and more!
Proceeds will go to release the long awaited film, “The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story". Bring your Biondi lovin' and music lovin' family and friends-- tickets available on DickBiondiFilm.com website. See you there!
Great interview with Felix Cavaliere here (sent in by David Salidor) …
Felix is back out on tour playing The Rascals’ Greatest Hits … WITH Gene Cornish again! (I’ve also heard rumors of a charity, fund-raising single being in the works … although I’ve yet to see a formal announcement.) If this happens to be true, you may soon be hearing a duet between Felix Cavaliere and Dolly Parton on a new Felix Cavaliere song, “My Hawaii,” set up to raise money for the rebuilding after the Maui Fire Disaster last year. Stay tuned for more details. (kk)
And, speaking of David Salidor ...
"Got their motors runnin'!.Headin' out on the Highway!"
>>>A competing US version (of “Yesterday’s Gone”) by The Overlanders also premiers this week at #99. Peter and Gordon will face similar competition when Bobby Rydell releases HIS version of "A World Without Love." In BOTH cases, it was the British artists who won these chart battles. (kk)
Far from being a U.S. group, the Overlanders were yet another band from England participating in the British Invasion. They topped the UK chart in 1966 with their version of the Beatles' "Michelle."
Randy Price
Oops!
I never knew that!!!
The Overlanders had TWO hits here in Chicago …
While we heard their version of “Yesterday’s Gone,” it failed to chart.
Meanwhile, their follow-up single, the VERY catchy “Don’t It Make You Feel Good,” made The Top Ten here in Chi-Town, peaking at #7 on The WLS Silver Dollar Survey … and at #6 on the Top Tunes Of Greater Chicago Chart. (kk)
>>>Taylor Swift set a new Billboard record … by achieving The Top 14 Songs on their Hot 100 Chart. Have you seen the video (with Post Malone) for her latest #1 Hit, “Fortnight,” the 12th Hot 100 #1 Hit of her career? (kk)
So radio is all over "Fortnight," right? No … they're still playing "Cruel Summer," which is almost a year old. What's wrong with them?
Ed Erxleben
Admitting that I don’t listen at all to what today passes as Top 40, I just figured Taylor Swift was ALL over the radio … featuring tracks from throughout her career. When all fourteen tracks of a brand new album earn enough sales, airplay, downloads and streaming, I figure SOMEBODY must be playing them. (Sorry, this just reinforces my lack of faith in how the charts are compiled today. A Top 14 Hit that then disappears after 2 or 3 weeks? That ain’t the way I remember Top 40 Radio!!!) kk
Look for a new Lindsey Buckingham box set this summer …
https://theseconddisc.com/2024/05/08/lindsey-buckingham-20th-century-lindsey-box-set/
Harvey Kubernik interviews Bob Seger …
https://bestclassicbands.com/bob-seger-interview-5-12-233/
It was just learned that John Barbata, drummer for The Turtles during their biggest hit-making years, has died, possibly as early as May 8th of last week. (John joined the group just in time to drum on their biggest chart hit "Happy Together" in 1967.)
After The Turtles, he was recruited to drum for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, which he did for several years ... before moving behind the skins for Jefferson Airplane (and Jefferson Starship) until a serious car accident (in which he broke his neck, arm and jaw) knocked him out of commission.
Once he recovered, he became a top LA session drummer, appearing on recordings by Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Rivers and The Everly Brothers among others.
No cause, place or exact date of death has been announced yet as I type this ... but his death has been confirmed by reliable sources. He was 79.
Speaking of CSNY, Graham Nash is going to take another lap around the concert pool …
He hits the road in August … with Judy Collins joining him in several cities.
The complete tour list is below:
Graham Nash 2024 Tour
August 3rd—Boulder, CO— Chautauqua
August 4th—Fort Collins, CO—Washington’s
August 6th—Denver, CO—Botanic Gardens
August 7th—Boulder, CO—Chautauqua
August 9th—Omaha, NE—Holland Center
August 10th—Salina, KS—The Stiefel Theatre
August 13th—Des Moines, IA—Hoyt Sherman Place
August 14th—Milwaukee, WI—The Pabst Theater
August 16th—Minneapolis, MN—Pantages Theatre
August 17th—Bayfield, WI—Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua
August 18th—Fish Creek, WI—Door Community Auditorium
August 20th—Kalamazoo, MI—Kalamazoo State Theatre
August 21th—Royal Oak, MI—Royal Oak Music Hall
August 23rd—Kent, OH—The Kent Stage
August 24th—Hammondsport, NY—Point of the Bluff Concert Pavilion
August 26th—Ocean City, NJ—Ocean City Music Pier
August 27th—Harrisburg, PA—Whitaker Center
August 29th—Charlton, MA—The Pavilion at Tree House Brewing
August 30th—Rockport, MA—Shalin Liu Performance Center
September 28th and 29th—Collingswood, NJ—Scottish Rite Auditorium*
October 1st—New York, NY—Carnegie Hall*
October 3rd—Boston, MA—Shubert Theatre*
October 4th—Northampton, MA—Academy of Music
October 6th—Albany, NY—The Egg Hart Theatre
October 8th—Quebec City, QC—Palais Montcalm (Raoul-Jobin Hall)
October 9th—Ottawa, ON—National Arts Centre
October 10th—Burlington, VT—The Flynn
October 12th—Ithaca, NY—State Theatre*
October 15th—Evanston, IL—Cahn Auditorium
October 16th—Evanston, IL—Cahn Auditorium
October 17th—St. Louis, MO—The Pageant
October 19th—Morgantown, WV—Metropolitan Theatre
October 20th—Athens, OH—Ohio Univ. Templeton-Blackburn
Alumni Memorial Auditorium
October 22nd—Hopewell, VA—The Beacon Theatre
October 23rd, 25th and 26th—Vienna, VA—The Barns at Wolf
Trap
*with special
guest Judy Collins
FH Reader Mike Wolstein reminds us that it’s been fifty years since Steely Dan first warned Rikki not to lose that number ...
This from a brand new reader ...
Concerning your page: http://www.forgottenhits.com/top_50_instrumental_hits_1955_-_1979
I’m puzzled!!!
Where are Fleetwood Mac’s Albatross and Love Sculpture’s Sabre Dance?
Have these great tracks really been forgotten?
Yours faithfully,
Peter Carman
(An instrumentalist fan)
You have to keep in mind that this list is made up of two parts …
The first list shows the overall popularity and chart success of these records at the time of their release … and “Albatross” and “Sabre Dance” just never racked up the necessary numbers to make this list. (“Albatross” only peaked at #98 nationally and didn’t even make Billboard’s Hot 100 List … while “Sabre Dance” didn’t chart at all.) You had to earn the chart points to make this list.
While I wouldn’t consider these tracks necessarily forgotten … although they didn’t make our Readers’ Favorites list either which was based exclusively on readers’ votes … I do remember “Albatross” getting quite a few votes … just not enough to make the list. (I remember hearing it here in Chicago back in the day … but it hasn’t had the staying power to remain in any kind of rotation on classic rock radio. “Sabre Dance” even less.
However, you might be happy to know that when we polled our readers to determine THE TOP 3333 MOST ESSENTIAL CLASSIC ROCK SONGS OF ALL TIME, “Albatross” DID make the list (it came in at #3192, again, not a very impressive showing!) while Love Sculpture once again failed to get recognized. You’ve simply got to appeal to the masses to make these lists … and unfortunately, these two tracks didn’t … or at least not long term anyway. (kk)
Kent,
Many thanks for the prompt reply.
Reading between the lines, it appears that we are on different continents.
So a genuine complaint is therefore in order, as your site does not state or even infer, that your poll is a USA only survey. Or did I miss that?
The outcome is totally different on this side of the pond in the UK.
Albatross was a No 1 Hit and Sabre Dance a No 5 in our charts over here.
It's sad that there aren’t more instrumentals in the charts no matter where we are in the world.
Peter
Forgotten Hits is read all over the world (and even translated to multiple languages) … but when we run a poll like that, we can’t control who does or doesn’t respond, (The poll was open to ALL readers … all we do is tabulate the results of those who responded.)
Taking nothing away from either track, they just didn’t make the cut … but I agree, familiarity was probably a very big factor.
Just curious … do you still hear these tracks a lot in England? (kk)
Sammy did a GREAT Forgotten Hits / Super Chart show this past week …
You can listen to it (and many more from the archives) here:
https://www.mixcloud.com/LAFOS/
Two tracks he played this week that I really enjoyed hearing were “Gonna Get Along Without You Now” by Skeeter Davis and “Soul Serenade” by King Curtis … not your standard radiofare by any stretch.
We’re featuring them today, too. And be sure to check out Sammy’s show! (kk)
Dennis Thompson, the last surviving founding member and the original drummer for MC5, died on Thursday (May 9, 2024). His death comes a month after suffering a heart attack … and just a month after the announcement that MC5 were finally being inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame (albeit in The Musical Excellence Category.) Earlier this year, the band’s guitarist and vocalist, Wayne Kramer, also passed away. Both men were 75. (kk)
Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there reading this today ...
Now here on this Very Special Day is Mother Buell’s Favorite Son with this historical Forgotten Hit Movie perspective …
It’s Mother’s Day and fortunately expectations about a Mother’s Role in the Family have changed dramatically over the last century.
From sometime around a hundred years or so ago, when it was common that many families overly depended on and basically expected that a Mother take care of many of their daily needs and chores, Buster Keaton and Big Joe showed, much to the chagrin of Moms everywhere, how a couple of Bachelors using only their ingenuity would have to manage by themselves in the attached 3-minute film, “What is a Home Without a Mother?”
CB ( which stands for “Child-like Boy!” )
From Timmy, here’s This Week’s Clip of the Week …
I knew all along we were trespassing in an alternate universe.
Cindy und Bert – Der Hund von Baskerville
Am I the only one here who's feeling a little bit paranoid after seeing this?!?! (kk)
And how about this closer from Chuck Buell ...
