I had the rare opportunity to visit with Kim Bloxdorf (Joel Whitburn's Daughter), Paul Haney and Brent Olynick of Record Research this past week … which included a tour of the amazing Joel Whitburn Vault built under his residence in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. (And what an incredible experience it was … to see the results of all that work and research assembling a collection of EVERY charted item to ever make Billboard’s charts!)
These books have played such a HUGE role in my life for the past 50+ years ... as I've said many times before, not a single day has passed during that time where I haven't opened at least one of Joel's book for one reason or another to check or double check a fact or statistic ... they haven proven to be an invaluable resource for me over the years.
We’ll have more about this visit when we celebrate our Third Annual Joel Whitburn Day in November (on 11/29) and encourage our readers to once again share their thoughts and memories regarding how much these books have meant to them over the years.
Meanwhile, here’s a photo of me, Paul and Brent ... and another of me, Paul and Kim … to tide you over till then! (kk)
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By the way, that INCREDIBLE sale on their Top Pop Singles Book, 1955 - 1989, ends TODAY ...
So do yourself a favor and pick up a copy (or two) before they revert back to normal pricing. (Remember ... at just $33, they also make for great gift-giving ideas!) kk
- Tom Cuddy
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Your comments about Lassie reminded me of when I was a kid. My Godparents lived a block from Jon Provost's aunt in Santa Barbara. When I visited California, their kids and I would ride bikes all around the neighborhood. A couple of times we ran into Jon Provost, who was visiting, while production was on hiatus. What a treat for a kid from Illinois. Thanks for the story.
Jon M
Boy, talk about your television divas!!! Lassie was so determined to keep the spotlight focused solely on herself that she had her entire human cast fired!!!
(Yeah, I've heard that she could be a REAL bitch to work with sometimes!!!) kk
kk ...
Don"t Know If You Had A Chance To Listen To "WILD WAYNE's MEMORY MACHINE" / WWUH.org (6 - 8 PM) Sunday Night
He Did A Tribute To James Darren And Played Part Of An Interview He Did With Him.
Wayne's Show Is Now In Its 48th Year ... Longest Running Oldies Show In U. S.
I Still Learn Something New Every Week I Listen.
For Example ...
1956 = James Darren's First Movie / "RUMBLE ON THE DOCKS"
1959 = James Darren Was Moondogie In "GIDGET." He Also Sang The Movie's Theme Song.
1960 = He Recorded The "BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUNG" Movie Theme ... And Also Acted In Movie.
The Song Was An Instrumental Hit For Duane Eddy ... And Marked Dick Clark's Movie Debut.
1961 = " GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD " Was A #3 Billboard Hit.
The Song Was Nominated For A Grammy Award But Lost To "THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT" By The Tokens.
TRIVIA = That Calliope Sound That You Hear Throughout The Song Was Not Made By Musical Instrument ...
Songwriter Gloria Baker Taped Her Voice & Played It Back At A Faster Speed.
1962 = "HER ROYAL MAJESTY" Was A # 6 Billboard Hit.
James Darren Was A Regular On The TV Series "TIME TUNNEL" & "T.J. HOOKER."
FB
Richard Carpenter has put together a new Carpenters Christmas Compilation that will be released later this year in time for the holidays.
Tom Cuddy sent us this, explaining things a little bit more …
Carpenters To Release All-New
Christmas Collection
https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/carpenters-christmas-album-christmas-once-more/
Also newly available for pre-order is a new, updated ABBA collection called “The Singles: The First Fifty Years.”
(A previous release, “The Singles: The First Ten Years,” was released in 1982 …
And even though the group didn’t really issue any new material in the forty year interim, they DID release new music last year, which has now been incorporated into the set.)
You’ll find 38 tracks in all … and you can pre-order it now here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DD6C18RS/
Also from Tom, here's more from Lee Loughnane regarding another historical point for Chicago …
Lee Loughnane: Chicago Had to Shorten Their Name After Lawsuit (Exclusive)
Micky Dolenz spend some time with Dave Plier of WGN Radio, talking about his upcoming shows at The Arcada Theatre …
https://wgnradio.com/dave-plier/micky-dolenz-of-the-monkees-appearing-in-chicagoland-this-october/
More Micky news from David Salidor …
A ZOM-COM DEBUT AT THE CUTTING ROOM –
THE NYC PREMIERE OF THE ZOMBIE WEDDING –
WRITTEN BY GREG D’ALESSANDRO AND DIRECTED BY MICAH KAHN –
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 @ 9:00 PM New York –
Greg D’Alessandro’s THE ZOMBIE WEDDDING will have its NYC premiere on Friday, September 13th at The Cutting Room (44 East 32nd Street) at 9:30 PM ET.
The movie stars Heather Matarazzo; Cheri Oteri; Seth Gilliam; Vincent Pastore; Kevin Chamberlin; and Micky Dolenz, opens in selected cities as well as on select streaming channels on Friday, September 13th.
Alessandro, Editor and CEO of Weekly World News, will be present at the premiere as will selected cast members.
Attendees who come dressed as zombies for The Cutting Room event will be admitted at no charge.
>>>On September 5, 2001, a
song began playing at St. Burchardi Church in Halberstadt, Germany and it won’t
be over until . . . the year 2640! Composed by avant-garde
artist John Cage in 1987, his song is titled “Organ2/ASLSP “As Slow As
Possible” [correct]. And although the piece began in 2001, it opened with a 17-month-long
pause before the first tone began to sound! And its notes can
last much longer. This makes it the longest running
non-computerized music piece currently being performed. The most recent
note was played last February 5, 2024. The next note will be played on August
5, 2026. Cage’s drawn-out composition sounds its final note six
centuries from now! (CB)
Chuck has done it again! I even found a condensed 8 minute version on youtube! Maybe it is the DJ copy edit?
I think Chuck played this on his show on KIMN in ‘68 right before he left (or was transported out?) to WLS!
John Cage's Organ2/ASLSP “As Slow As Possible”
Toe tapper! Shoulda been played when WABC went all talk in 1981.
Macca says he gave them the idea with "Day In The Life" ending. Truth or consequences?
Clark Besch
>>>I think MOST deejays took advantage of these longer tunes and used them as bathroom breaks, didn't they??? (kk)
Yep! You're right about that!
At one radio station I worked, we were on the third floor with keyed access to get in the building's front door and another key to get in the station's front door on our floor. ( Not 'LS ) One of the jocks at the station was a smoker and, of course, the building was a no-smoking allowed building, so he actually took one or two or three of those songs and doubled their length so he could choose one from his personal long-songs library to play and go down and outside to have a 15-minute or so smoke break! With doors locking behind him.
As you probably know, there are two major "Occupational Hazard" Dreams of on-air people. In mine, the record ran out and I can't find another record or cart or commercial or anything to play next and I'm ad-libbing like crazy while I'm looking for something until all that wakes me up! ( STILL have that one once in a while! ) And the other, where an on-air person is locked out of the studio and there's nothing but dead air on the air! I don't know if that ever happened to him, but I do wonder if his dream was the second!
CB
>>>The new version of “It Was Fifty Years Ago Today” is on the road (and coming to The Genesee Theatre in November.) We saw it a few years back with Christopher Cross, Micky Dolenz, Todd Rundgren, Jason Scheff and Joey Molland … Scheff, Molland and Cross are back again this time around … (man, I swear Joey is EVERYWHERE these days!!!), joined by Maxi Priest and (depending on which ad you choose to believe) either David Pack of Ambrosia or Glenn Shorrock of The Little River Band. (kk)
It appears David Pack, original lead singer of Ambrosia, will be handling all US dates.
Since Little River Band’s lead singer Glenn Shorrock was originally announced for this tour, perhaps he ran into Visa problems flying in from Australia?
- Tom Cuddy
And a bit of fun from Chuck Buell ...
Except this one seems to be on the up and up!
(Some CRAZY stuff going on Down Under!)
Please welcome my new morning emails Commercial Sponsor Spokesperson, "Buell's Bush Barbie!"
We've both agreed you may have to watch this commercial twice, but as we all know "twice" is not a bad thing!
It's attached!
And just to help you get started, it's a Cockatoo!
CB!
So, for those of you who have had a bit of difficulty understanding my new spokesperson, here is the script to what she’s saying in the commercial.
And also for those of you who have asked, yes, this is actually a viral commercial for “MOMENT Condoms” that’s had over 100 million views worldwide. Including yours!
Again, her video is posted above so you can follow along with hopefully a clearer interpretation … and also refine your Aussie accent!!!
“Oh, sorry! You probably thought I was a Drop Bear!
Nah! It’s me, Bush Barbie! And today, I’m here to talk to you about Dingers! Because like you, this Bush has seen a Cockatoo!
Regardless, if you like it deep in the Bush or prefer it in the Outback, make sure you look after your Wombat Hole! So many critters can get down there, and believe me, it’s enough to make your dango go drier than a dead dingo’s donger in the desert so don’t do it! Even if he is a Fun Guy! Yeah, yeah! Duh! Yeah!
So, by all means, go wild! Just make sure you take a moment in the moment to use a MOMENT so you can keep the Devil out of your Tassie and the jelly out of your box!
That’s it!
CB ( which stands for . . . well . . . Condom Boy!" )
