Chuck Buell sent us this photo to share in celebration of Shotgun Tom’s recent induction into The Radio Hall Of Fame …
>>>Actually, we love ol' Shotgun Tom ... so congratulations again on this milestone achievement. (kk)
I had the pleasure of meeting Shotgun this weekend. My sister, who has been possibly his biggest fan for years found he was coming to Chicago for the award and asked if she could meet him. Shotgun agreed and they arranged to meet at the Radio History Museum. My sister invited me to come along.
Since it was a big weekend for Shotgun, I figured he'd show up, say "hi" and "bye" and that would be it, but he stayed around for about an hour. We talked, took pictures on the Steven Colbert set, and made a video of Shotgun interviewing my sister. I was impressed by his geniality and his accommodating a fan. I'll have to look into subscribing to Sirius myself.
Ed Erxleben
>>> Watch for a new PBS special celebrating the music of Jimmy Webb (kk)
>>>I talked to Joey Dee just about a year ago ... we discussed running some in-depth features spotlighting some of the chapters of his book ... Joey seemed to like the idea but was heading out for a short tour and was supposed to get back to me once he got back home ... unfortunately, it never happened. (It's supposed to be a REALLY good book ... in a Tommy James sort of way.) kk
kk …
There’s A Great You Tube Clip Of Johnny Maestro & Brooklyn Bridge On Mike Douglas,
February 18, 1969 -- They Sing Jimmy Webb Songs & Talk To Mike / Runs About 14 Minutes.
Writing About Joey Dee's Book Sounds Like A Great Idea. Maybe You Should Remind Him About It.
Tonight Wild Wayne's Flashback Interview With Connie Francis.
How Could A Guy Named " FRANKIE " Not Like Connie.
FB
Tom Cuddy sent us this photo with a subject line that just said “Saddening” …
SO many more to add to this list ... makes you wonder if they'll ever make things right. (kk)
Sadder still is this recently posted clip of The Beach Boys' last live "comeback" performance with Mike Love sitting in a chair on stage ... (or what Frannie called the "Weekend At Bernie's" version of The Beach Boys) ... where Mike's vocal is piped in from old recordings or covered by other band members while the band (and John Stamos in particular) try to rally the audience to cheer for what at best looks like a comatose Mike Love propped up in a chair.
This story has been literally everywhere you turned for the past five or six days ... I started my commentary here back on Saturday but had no opportunity to post until today so it may seem a little bit "dated" already ... but I felt a need to get my views out there, so here we are.
WHY on earth do they feel a need to present him this way? Can't he just let it go and take care of himself? Why would ANYONE want to leave Beach Boys fans with this final HORRIBLE memory that you just can't erase? I'm sorry, but this can't be fun, fun, fun for ANYBODY at this point. (kk)
John Stamos posted this before the band took off for Nashville, Tennessee, for a performance at The Ryman Theater on Sunday, October 11th ...
My beloved friend, father figure, musical hero and mentor, Mike Love, is facing serious health challenges. We hope he’ll be doing what he loves for years to come, but we don’t know what the future holds. We have tonight.
Mike is a fighter. Despite doctors, family and friends urging him to focus on his health, he insists on being on stage. He says he needs his band, the audience, his friends and drummer surrounding him to lift him up.
I’ve played with Mike for 41 years. I never imagined how deeply it would affect me to see someone larger than life face something so human and fragile.
The Mike Love we see tonight may not be exactly the Mike we’ve always known. But he’s still every bit the Mike we love.
His lyrics, optimism, unforgettable hooks and more than 7,000 concerts have brought joy to generations. What he’s given me personally is immeasurable.
Forty-one years of stages, airplanes, hotel rooms, laughter and moments nobody else saw. He married Caitlin and me. He’s shared experiences with my family, and now my son.
Mike didn’t just give me a place in his band. He gave me a place in his life.
He taught me how to entertain, hold a stage, connect with an audience and make people feel something. I carry those lessons everywhere. He’s made me a better musician, entertainer and man.
This life with Mike and the Beach Boys has become part of my identity. I’ve felt entrusted with being a steward of this extraordinary music, carrying it to new generations.
Tonight, at the Ryman, sharing the stage with Mike, I want to be completely present. Hear every harmony, familiar joke and cheer. Feel that first chord hit and watch age, illness and time disappear. Just a bunch of guys making music together.
Maybe the hardest part of loving someone is becoming so accustomed to the miracle of having them there that you forget it’s a miracle at all.
Tonight, I won’t forget.
I want to cherish every second without feeling those seconds slipping away.
That’s what I’m giving him.
We don’t know what tomorrow brings. But we have tonight.
“One thing about him is he’s stubborn and he’s steadfast, and he did not want to miss the Ryman. I mean, for good reason. Look at this place. So we are happy. We’re gonna be positive. We’re gonna sing along. But I remember something he told me when I was a child, and it stuck with me. I said, ‘Dad, why do you do so many shows?’ I mean, we’re talking about a guy who’s done over 100 concerts a year well up into his 80s. That’s just incredible, right? So he told me, ‘Well, if you don’t do as many concerts, you don’t see as many towns, and then that means less people get to hear the amazing Beach Boys personally.’ So he’s always cared for the small towns, the fairs … This is obviously a much more well-known, beautiful venue. But he cares about the listener, and I think it’s such an honor to be part of that. And we’ve gotta live in the moment.”
to which John Stamos added:
“All we have is tonight, really, and I think it’s gonna be very, very special. Mike, he insisted on being here … He’s done over 7,000 live shows. And tonight’ll be 7,422, I think, exactly. I think that’s where we’re at. He’s counting! We love you, and have the greatest night ever, and God bless you all.”
The Beach Boys only have three more shows scheduled thru the end of the year, with the next one still a month away (November 11th at Epcot at Walt Disney World) ... so Mike can do a little more "recharging" as necessary. I can't really imagine them scheduling any more shows beyond this point. Let Mike take a final bow for an AMAZING career and let's all just remember the great music and memories The Beach Boys brought us along the way. (kk)
In other Beach Boys news, Mark Dillon and Phil Miglioratti Talk Present, Past and Future with AL JARDINE in a newly posted Pray For Surf Podcast.
From their new posting:
In this new episode, we welcome the one and only Al Jardine, founding member of The Beach Boys.
Al talks all about his current tour, in which he goes deep on The Beach Boys Love You and celebrates the 60th anniversary of Pet Sounds. He gushes about his Pet Sounds Band, many of whom played with Brian Wilson.
We also get the scoop on a new live album soon to see release, with Love You sounding more orchestrated than ever.
He argues that Brian's songwriting on the 1977 album was even a step ahead of his work on the classic Pet Sounds.
He talks dueling versions of "Hang on to Your Ego" and "I Know There's an Answer," cowriting the track "Good Time" with Brian, why he loved The Wrecking Crew, how engineer Chuck Britz made the boys sound great, the frustrations of working with producer Joe Thomas on That's Why God Made the Radio, resurrecting the single "It's A Beautiful Day," the last time he saw Mike Love, and upcoming meetings to discuss future Beach Boys directions. You don't want to miss it!
Available wherever good podcasts are shared, including all the great platforms below:
https://on.soundcloud.com/MrPh1jRYSklTu3Vd46
https://podcasts.apple.com/.../a-good.../id1492360854...
https://music.amazon.ca/.../surf's-up-a-beach-boys...
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2PwLuWstjKopBIqkQIkpzF...
And as a final note ...
60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
10/14/66 – Grace Slick performs with The Jefferson Airplane for the first time at San Francisco’s Fillmore West
