Wham’s “Last Christmas” has now hit a new chart career peak, coming in at #3 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 Chart. It comes in right behind “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee at #2 and (of course) Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” which has again hit #1. (This is Mariah’s SIXTH time topping the chart with this song … and she’s done it in six consecutive years, dating back to 2019.) In all, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has now logged FIFTEEN weeks at #1, counting this week’s return to the top of the heap. “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helm and “A Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives also have Top Ten showings this week. (kk)
This just in from Frank B ...
kk ...
"ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE" SURPASSES ONE BILLION SPOTIFY STREAMS!
FB
I just heard that a great radio website shutting down.
We get so dependent on our fave internet sites to always be there for us. It's so tough when one with tons of great info and a “go to” site closes down.
Reel Radio was the big one and Both Sides Now is telling us that the "440: Satisfaction" radio site will closing down at the end of year.
This site has been great for finding what DJ was at what station in the past or what DJs have been on what stations in the past or WHAT CITIES a station is located in. Many uses and ways to search. IF you want some info on your fave DJs, stations, cities, you’d better look now as it closes up end of year.
440: Satisfaction - Radio People, Radio History, Radio Stations
Clark Besch
More from Clark …
Do you guys have TUBI TV? It’s a free download with tons of TV and movies. Hard to find everything, but they do have some music films that are sometimes a little hard to locate.
They've recently added the 2023
documentary "What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat and Tears?"
The only way I found it was to use "search" for the title.
That all said, I just finished watching the BS&T film. Altho a bit tedious as to its length and downer feelings, it REALLY brought home how great their music was and how BS&T got a raw deal. As a 14 year old in 1970, I was in love with this band and saw no reason to stop loving them. I still see no reason to stop. They were great.
I have Clive Davis' book, published in 1974, and it is very worth owning if you can find a copy. BS&T is covered in the book.
Anyway, I did not see any end to BS&T at that time, ESPECIALLY due to government intervention of the underground culture, of which I knew nothing of then. Rolling Stone Magazine was just something I picked up if free copies were offered (after their time had passed) by our local head shop/record shop, called "Dirt Cheap Records."
In hindsight, despite all that the film offered up that supposedly closed off BS&T's success story, I really think that their course was going to end like Three Dog Night’s did, no matter the Iron Curtain tour or not. They did NOT write their own music after Al Kooper's leaving and thus, they would eventually run their course of non-original material and lose the interest of the public by doing cover versions. Later covers like "So Long Dixie," "Roller Coaster" and "Got to Get You Into My Life" all sit in my fave 45s but the public wanted to move on as they do and BST's non-original songs were not in vogue by then. Sad but true, despite being GREAT music.
The film certainly showed how great BS&T was with David Clayton Thomas and before as well. Thanks for pointing me to this film!
THIS was the Wichita station that I was glued to suddenly in 1969 (thanks to brother Roger). It was my intro to STEREO and I loved it and BS&T was a huge part of my life 1969-73 mainly.
BS&T hit #1 with “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” #2 with “Spinning Wheel” and #4 with “And When I Die.” My personal favorite has always been the Carole King tune “Hi-De-Ho,” which topped out at #11 here in Chi-Town. (That was the record that made me go see them in 1971 at The Arie Crown Theater here in Chicago, where their warm-up act was Linda Ronstadt, whose back-up band still consisted of three future members of The Eagles. I’ve told the story before about how she let them take center stage to perform “Take It Easy” and “Witchy Woman” after announcing that they would soon be leaving her to start a career of their own.
Three Dog Night (always one of my favorites, then and now … got to see them several times back in the day, one concert in which an unknown guy from England opened the show … he was just about to release his first album in America … so that was the very first time I ever saw Elton John!)
Three Dog Night hit #1 here with “One,” “Easy To Be Hard,” “Mama Told Me Not To Come,” “Joy To The World,” “Black And White” and “Shambala,” several of these hits outperforming their national chart popularity.
I still haven’t seen the BS&T film yet … will have to make it a point to do so now that I know where to find it! Thanks, Clark! (kk)
And finally,
Changing gears ...
Just heard this awesome 1966 Bee Gees song! VERY Billy J musically and kinda like Lennon/Macca's "Love of the Loved" as well. VERY cool lyrics and VERY Beatlish sounding beautiful song. Sometimes, I think these guys have written a song about EVERY TOPIC!
Clark
I wasn’t familiar with this one … but I like it. I think they sound like half a dozen other British bands at the time … LEAST of all like The Bee Gees! (lol) kk
Some GREAT pix of Micky Dolenz performing at The City Winery / Boston …
Micky did TWO sold out shows there and the audience is just loving hearing him reminisce about his days in The Monkees …
https://www.followingbackstage.com/the-legendary-micky-dolenz-rocks-boston/
At the New York City City Winery on Tuesday night Paul Shaffer introduced him and played “Gimme Some Lovin'."
Micky’s new “Live At The Troubadour” CD is available now for streaming thru all of the usual sources … and if you order it as a physical CD thru his website, you have the option of having Micky sign it for you!
(And stick around … you just may have the chance to WIN one … more details to come!) kk
This’ll be a very hot ticket next summer …
Toto, Men At Work and Christopher Cross will be touring together. Between them, these acts had 23 Top 40 Hits between 1978 and 1989, including #1 hits by each of them: Toto (“Africa); Men At Work (“Who Can It Be Now” and “Down Under”) and Christopher Cross (“Sailing” and “Arthur’s Theme.”) In addition, Toto reach #2 with “Rosanna” as did Cross with “Ride Like The Wind.”
Steve Lukather of Toto and Colin Hay of Men At Work have been touring together for years now as part of Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band (who are also hitting the road in 2025 … see below)
Confirmed dates so far:
Toto's 2025 Tour With Christopher Cross and Men at Work
7/18 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK
Financial Amphitheatre
7/19 – Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit
Union Amphitheatre
7/21 – Birmingham, AL @ Coca-Cola
Amphitheater
7/22 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank
Amphitheatre
7/24 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion
at Star Lake
7/25 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts
Center
7/26 – Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion
7/28 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion
7/30 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford
HealthCare Amphitheater
8/ 1 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Hard Rock
Live at Etess Arena
8/ 3 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music
Center
8/ 5 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino
Amphitheatre
8/ 6 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music
Center
8/ 8 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom
Music Center
8/ 9 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1
Amphitheatre
8/11 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music
Theatre
8/13 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
8/14 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music
Pavilion
8/15 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend
Amphitheater
8/17 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Zoo
Amphitheatre
8/18 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at
Toyota Music Factory
8/21 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial
Theatre
8/23 – Las Vegas, NV @ Fontainebleau
8/24 – Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
8/25 – Concord, CA @ Toyota Pavilion at
Concord
8/27 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Utah First
Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/29 – Puyallup, WA @ Washington State
Fair
8/30 – Ridgefield, WA @ RV Inn Style
Resorts Amphitheater
“I am happy to announce these new All Starr shows in June,” Ringo Starr said in a press release. “I absolutely love playing live and I love this band. It’s been so great playing with these guys, I just want to keep this line up going and that’s why I haven’t changed the All Starrs in a while. So here we go again, and we look forward to seeing you on the road this Spring.”
The All Starr Band features Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Warren Ham, Hamish Stuart, Gregg Bissonette, as well as Buck Johnson on keyboards. Grammy Award-winning artist Ringo Starr releases his second country album “Look Up” ahead of the tour, on January 10th. Live Nation has not yet said when tickets will be available for purchase.
Visit the Live Nation website for updates.
June 12th – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare
Amphitheater
June 13th – New York City, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
June 15th – Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion at The Mann
June 17th – Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap
June 18th – Greensboro, NC @ Tanger Center
June 20th – Hollywood, FL @ Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
June 21st – Clearwater, FL @ The BayCare Sound
June 22nd – St. Augustine, FL @ The St. Augustine Amphitheater
June 24th – Tuscaloosa, AL @ Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater
June 25th – Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
But before he does that, Ringo has shows scheduled at The Ryman Auditorium on January 14th and 15th WITHOUT The All-Starr Band to help promote his new country album. (kk)
In fact, the drumming legend recently held a private launch/listening party at Third Man Records in London, attended by Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Ronnie Wood, David Gilmour, Bob Geldof, Melanie C of the Spice Girls, and Olivia
Harrison. The event also included a Q-and-A, hosted by Jools Holland. The album, produced and co-written by T Bone Burnett, arrives on January 10, 2025. (kk)
And this one was a new discovery for me ...
So maybe it will be for some of you, too.
I found this the other day while surfin' around looking for other stuff and was blown away.
(Let's just say that I'm sure Eric Clapton would be proud!)
Evidently recorded during lock-down a few years ago, I didn't even know this existed until I stumbled across it quite by accident ...
It's The Doobie Brothers with Peter Frampton doing Eric Clapton's "Let It Rain!"
(and quite well if I do say so myself!) kk
