GREAT RESPONSE!

re:  IAN LLOYD:

We've been receiving some GREAT response to our recent Ian Lloyd Interview.  

(Missed it?  Scroll back to Tuesday, May 31st to read the whole thing!) 

Here are just some of the comments we've received so far (including a response from Ian Lloyd himself!)

KK -

Thanks - It looks really good! 

I especially love the youtube "Louie" intro / theme. Had not seen that on youtube before.  

I think it turned out real well.

And thanks for sending along those comments. 

It's nice to see that people still remember the music [and the band].ROCK!

Ian Lloyd  :)

KENT:

I really enjoyed the Ian Lloyd profile.  It was the most comprehensive interview I’ve ever read with Ian.  I’m glad I was able to turn Ian on to Forgotten Hits.  I recommended that he check it out last December when we re-connected for the first time in over a decade.  Having heard him sing last winter, I can assure you he still has incredible pipes!  

--Tom Cuddy  

Thanks, Tom!  I believe you were instrumental in getting Ian to share his Christmas tune with us last year ... and I'm glad we were able to put the interview together around his schedule.  (Honestly, I can't wait to see him next time he's in Chicago ... the new stuff sounds great!)  And, the response to this interview has been great, too!  Hopefully, Ian is also hearing positive things and will direct a few more "movers and shakers" to the website.  (kk)

Here's what I love about Forgotten Hits:  Sure, I bought 'Brother Louie' when it came out, just like millions of other people did ... and I'm sure that at one point in time I even knew that Ian Lloyd was the lead singer ... but memories fade over time.  Forgotten Hits helps to bring it all home.  I would have never thought to search out Ian Lloyd on my own to see what he's up to these days.  I just considered 'Brother Louie' a fond memory. But then to find out that Ian has been lending his vocal talents to great music by Foreigner and Yes and Billy Joel ... and is still making great music himself (I LOVE the 'Goosebumps' track!) ... it's like rediscovering all of this music again.

Keep up the good work.  Oldies fans like me depend on Forgotten Hits to remind us just how great some of this old music was ... but also to inform us that so many of these artists are STILL making great music today.

Colleen

Doraville, GA

Thanks, Colleen ... and that's EXACTLY what we do it for.  We can't stress enough how we LOVE putting the word out about some of our favorite artists ... I keep saying that I wish we could get 200 MORE artists on the list, helping our cause ... which is helping THEIR cause!!!  And you hit the nail right on the head ... if you were a HUGE Stories fan and knew EVERY detail about the band, you might search out Ian Lloyd or Michael Brown to see what they're doing today.  But if you're just an  AVERAGE fan who simply LOVED the music, you may not even know how to dig a little deeper.  MOST of these artists maintain their own websites ... but if you don't know EXACTLY what you're looking for, you may not find them.  However, a good feature on Forgotten Hits helps draw music fans to these sites ... let's them know about new releases and upcoming appearances ... and helps expand their fan base.  Hopefully, all our readers (and all the artists we feature) will continue to help spread the word so that OTHER artists may wish to participate more in the future.  It's a win / win for EVERYBODY!  Thanks again for the kind words. (kk)

Stellar interview with Ian Lloyd of Stories.  Who knew he was even still making music!

The new stuff sounds great -- in fact, I went and downloaded about 20 tracks yesterday from both the O-De-Po and the Goosebumps CDs!  Thanks for sharing some terrific insight from this great artist.

Rick 

Nice interview!

Just the other week, my Soul Brothers were asking me who did that "Brother Louie" song!
An interracial type song highlighting change in the US! About this time, you'd begin to see black models appearing in major mail-order catalogs, and magazine ads, though scarce!
Today, I feel the "Brother Louie" song doesn't have to impact it used to - you see many interracial couples!Cool song! I want the session tapes and demos! :-)
Looks like it was covered by a Modern Talking group, #1 hit in Germany, 1986!
Thanks!
Best,
John

Hi Kent,

There is a WI connection with Stories. A 1972 release on Appleton's Target label by Bungi included guitarist Rich Ranno, who went on to join Stories. He also worked with Starz..

Gary E. Myers / MusicGem

Great interview with Ian Lloyd.  I would love the chance to talk to him.  I have never had the pleasure.  The clip of them doing the song Brother Louie on my Midnight Special DVD is great since I remember seeing it when it first aired on TV.  I like the way they did Mammy Blue.  Let me know how to get on the interview list.

Phil Nee / WRCO

Thanks, Phil ... happy to pass your request along to Ian Lloyd ... response to our interview has been immediate and very positive ... I think he'd LOVE to talk with you!  (Great excuse to play some of his old AND new music, too!)  kk

I would've never thought that "I'm Coming Home" didn't make Billboard's Top 40.

It was really, really big here.
Excellent interview, Kent! Nothing comes close to Forgotten Hits.

David Lewis

I think I heard that LOUIS CK is back on FX channel on June 23rd.  I'm hoping they let everyone catch-up with first season shows ... watch two ... that way you'll be hooked ... funny stuff!

I heard Louis talk about Ian Lloyd on Ron & Fez.  He told Bennington that LLoyd would have made more for the (Louie,Louie) theme by having them go thru 'channels' instead of getting personally involved ... oh well ...
gary renfield

lol ... I'm sure that JUST what Ian's gonna wanna hear!  We watched "Louie" last season on FX ... but honestly, I'm at about 50 / 50 on this one. I think there are some GREAT ideas presented ... but the execution isn't always there.  (But I truly believe I have a way to fix that ... so Louie, if you're reading this ... CALL ME!!!)  kk

Great stuff on the interview with Ian Lloyd of Stories. With so much interesting information in Forgotten Hits, I quit my subscription to Goldmine and just read your newsletter. If you ever see the Ides of March, ask how they got signed to the Parrot label,  I always forget to ask Jim and the guys when I see them and doubt I will make it to Cicero on the 25th.

Thanks again for the great stuff!

Mike

Wow, thanks for the high praise!!!  (Now see, if "Goldmine Magazine" would approach me about running some of my interviews in their publication, EVERYBODY would be happy!!!)  kk

Excellent job on the Ian Lloyd interview, Kent.  That definitely filled in some much - needed info in my Ian / Stories / Left Banke knowledge - database! 

I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed those Stories albums in my teens, and the new stuff sounded great, too.  Your strategic placement of the sound clips made this a great, one-stop music history lesson.  I think the format hints at the way print media will be presented to us in the future.  Ooops, wait!  

I think I have another great business idea that someone else will make a million off of ...
By the way, in 1973, some of my fellow classmates and I were planning one of the big annual dances at my high school in Maryland.  We usually contacted a local talent agent out of D.C. who provided us with several choices of local bands.  Remember when school dances featured live talent?  Well, one of the kids in our group said 'I know someone who can get us Stories.'  "Brother Louie" Stories?  Yeah right.  We thought the kid was full of shit.  I mean, I had heard of nationally - successful acts playing high schools in the '60s, but not anymore.  And this band was coming off a Number One Billboard hit. 
But upon further investigation, it turned out to be true.  This kid's dad apparently had a friend that was a booking agent and, as Stories was being routed through the region and had a night off in between gigs, they were looking to fill the date, even if it was at a great discount.  I think it was going to cost about two-grand to sign them for the dance ($500 - $600 was the usual norm).  We couldn't believe our good luck, and we started calculating how much we'd have to increase the price of tickets to raise the $2k.  Just as we'd figured out a plausible plan to make this huge event happen, our school administration put the kibosh on it, claiming that there were some bad elements associated with Stories.  What!?
If there was ever a load of B.S. dumped on us from the front office, this was it.  Some administrator or teacher had probably dropped by the local Harmony Hut, spotted a photo of the band on the album cover and, dismayed by the long hair, decided that that was an indicator of some potential trouble.  So instead of Ian Lloyd & Stories, we had Harvey Hubcap & the Doo-Ron Rons play our dance for the umpteenth time.  Damn!  And that might have been the start of my career as the next Fred Vail! 
Sorry, Ian.  I hope you guys picked-up a gig in the next county or enjoyed the night off.  But it could have been a legendary night in the history of Glenelg High School.
Regards,
Scott Paton

Here's one Ian got after one of his fans checked out our interview:

Ian, thanks for the email. I checked the video and read the interview. The interview bowled me over as I never realized how much you've done over the years. What's the chance of either of your bands coming to the midwest? I'm in St. Louis and we are in need of really good music coming in. We have a good music scene but it could use a kick once in a while.

-- Gary Feldman

I will let you know as soon as we have new SOCIAL HERO recordings finished. We're planning on staggering the releases [2 0r 3 at a time] over the rest of 2011 with the complete CD being released in 2012 [with extra stuff - video+ remixes, etc].

Best of luck -

Ian

*** 

re:  BOBBY DARIN:

Kent ...

According to Ron Smith's book, here's another Bobby Darin anniversary fact for you:        

6/2/1960 = Today is the anniversary of Bobby Darin's first time at the Copacabana in New York.

Loved the Bobby Darin excerpt. Great stuff. 

I'm giving you fair warning. Jamie , Laura & I are going to triple team you, till we get to read the whole series. 

Frank B.

lol ... I think it's already started!!!  (kk)

Hi Kent .... 

Your Big Sur piece just about brought me to my knees this morning. 

You write so beautifully and so knowledgeably and seem to be able to crawl under Bobby's skin. 

I can't tell you how much we Darin fans appreciate work such as this, well researched work that tells the truth and illuminates facets of this complex man and his music. 
You're so terrific and we are  so greedy for intelligent pieces about Darin that we can't help but hope for more.  You really do get it!!! And, you should pardon the expression ... you rock!  

Thank you SO much. 

Jamie

Queen Of The Hop (1958) - Bobby Darin
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/queenhop.mp3
I am still seeking musician information on the above song! It APPEARS a black female MAY have been a (second) pianist!
On another Take (to follow), I believe a Jesse is mentioned; I'm guessing he is a saxophonist!

I assume Jesse Powell. Looks like he played Trumpet and Saxophone!Any help, so I can give credit where credit is due, is appreciated!

And you did not tell me Johnny Carson's band leader, Doc Severisen, played trumpet on Mack The Knife!!  Cool trivia!
Here'ssssssssssss Johnny!
Best,
Jersey John 

Having done an extensive amount of research on my Bobby Darin article several years ago, I can honestly say that this is the first time I recall hearing anything about Doc Severinsen playing on "Mack The Knife".  A quick spot-check this morning turned up only one mention of this ... and that item simply states that Doc was just one of an ensemble of "big band" musicians assembled to back Bobby up on his "That's All" album.  Since this pre-dates his time on "The Tonight Show" by about three years, I think it's pretty safe to say that he wasn't what one might considered a "featured" player.  In fact, Doc doesn't even mention this experience on his own website or discography ... which makes me question just how legitimate a "fact" this may be.  Perhaps somebody else on the list can shed some more light on this???

"Queen Of The Hop" was Bobby Darin's second big smash.  (It peaked at #9 in 1958)

Normally a song like this (and his debut hit "Splish Splash", too, for that matter) quickly dates itself because of so many current pop culture references ... but Bobby nailed some pretty significant icons in these lyrics.  Listen closely and you'll hear references to "Lollipop", "Peggy Sue", "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Mary Lou", "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Bandstand"!

And, as dated as this whole concept may seem on the surface, give a listen to Dave Edmunds' remake version from the "Porky's Revenge" Soundtrack ... this song STILL cooks all these years later!  (Now will some of the jocks on the list PLEASE play "Queen Of The Hop" on their program today?!?!?)  kk

As a member of a large group of Bobby Darin fans, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation for the pieces you have written about him.  I was part of the group that gathered in Carmel & Big Sur
last month to honor his birth date - May 14.
I don't know if anyone has told you that we have gathered together on May 14 each year since 2006.  2006 was our first glorious "Darinfest."  We had dinner at one of his favorite restaurants,
"Patsy's", took a tour of the Bronx, where he grew up.  While in the Bronx, we visited his high school, and each of us had our photo taken next to the Bobby Darin street sign.  The last evening of our get-togethers, we always close by singing "A Simple Song of Freedom."  It was written by Bobby.
Our group also was successful in having a star for Bobby installed on the Las Vegas Walk of Fame.  His star is right outside the entrance to the Flamingo Hotel.  Just to give you a small idea of how devoted we all are to him, the first star that was installed deteriorated and began to look bad.  So
we had it replaced with a bright and shining new star for Bobby.
As you know, Bobby had rheumatic fever as a child.  It badly damaged his heart andhe died at the very young age of 37.  We have held Darin auctions to raise money and donated it all to The Children's Heart Foundation in Las Vegas, in Bobby's name.  We have no doubt that this is something that Bobby would love.
Again ... a very heartfelt thank you.
Ann Hopka
Dearborn, Michigan

I was at the star dedication ceremony ... VERY moving!  In fact, here's a shot of the star on The Walk Of Fame right after they unveiled it:

Love what you've done!  We'll take what ever you've got --- present & past!
What a whirlwind trip we had in Carmel-By-The-Sea, Big Sur, Pfeiffer Beach, Monterey: you name it, we did it!

Our gang has been getting together since 2006!  We've managed to bring Bobby's band members back together ... got his name back up on the Marquee in Vegas, Jamie and the gang was instrumental in getting Bobby his Vegas Walk of Stars in front of the Flamingo -- and replaced when the first didn't hold up! We are grass roots, just people who GET DARIN ... you get him, too, so keep on sharing your stuff!!!

Susan, 

(who's always dropping the delicious Darin name!!! )

Speaking of "The Bobby Factor" ... did you happen to catch the Saturday Night Live Season Finale a couple of weeks ago?  Justin Timberlake (who has turned into QUITE the all-around entertainer!) was the host ... and his opening monologue was fantastic ... couldn't you just see Bobby Darin doing something exactly like this 50 years ago if given the chance?  (kk)

Click here: Saturday Night Live - Justin Timberlake Monologue - Video - NBC.com 
  

Big Sur ... And Bobby Darin

re:  BOBBY DARIN / BIG SUR:

>>>Fans walked in Darin's footprints in the sands of Carmel and Pfeiffer beaches, and the redwood forests of Big Sur, serene and contemplative places that meant a great deal to him during his brief but meaningful lifetime.  Yellow rose petals were tossed into the Pacific in tribute to Darin, as his rendition of Beyond The Sea murmured in the breeze. Trips to local attractions such as the acclaimed Monterey Bay Aquarium and Carmel mission rounded out the weekend's day travels.  The Darin fans ranged in age from 18 to almost 80 and came from all parts of the country. They exchanged thoughtful Darin-themed gifts such as goodie-filled tote bags, jewelry, imprinted Wayfarer style sunglasses, and decorative bottles in which to collect Pfeiffer beach sand. Because Darin escaped to Big Sur in the late sixties to reprioritize his life and ponder his work as a peace and civil rights activist.  (Jamie Ney) 

This sounds like it was a blast! I've hiked all of these places numerous times and keep returning every few years. Johnny Rivers wrote this song about the most surreal beauty found in the USA, and it appears on his personal favorite LP. 

David Lewis

After hearing all that Bobby Darin had to say about Big Sur ... and Al Jardine of The Beach Boys as well ... Frannie and I just had to see it for ourselves.  We took the long (and, I might add, somewhat treacherous) drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles one weekend, stopping at Big Sur and Carmel along the way.  While we didn't get to spend much time at either location (the trip, normally about 7-8 hours, I'm told, took closer to 12 or 13 due to intense heavy fog and rain ... and, thanks to the single lane highway running along the mountainside ... with signs every half mile or so warning "Beware of Falling Rock" ... we were admittedly being more than a little cautious!!!), I would love to see both again under less stressful circumstances ... especially Carmel, which seems to be one of the most charming towns I've ever visited.

In addition to the Johnny Rivers song submitted by David Lewis (which I had NOT heard before, by the way), I've also included a couple of Al Jardine / Beach Boys tracks ... along with ... as an extra special bonus ... another excerpt from our still-unposted Bobby Darin piece.  (kk)

'60's FLASHBACK:

After the hits stopped coming at Atlantic Records, Bobby decided to form his own record company.  (Why not ... he had already been a successful music publisher!)  As such, in September of 1968, Direction Records was formed.

Bobby had released a wide range of material in his short term back with Atlantic.  Whereas "If I Were A Carpenter" and "Lovin' You" were reaching a more folk-oriented audience, he was still putting out albums like "In A Broadway Bag", "Bobby Darin Sings 'The Shadow Of Your Smile', and, perhaps strangest of all, "Bobby Darin Sings 'Doctor Doolittle'".

However, inspired by the loss of his friends Dr. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, Darin 

felt he had more important things to say in his music than would probably be allowed by a mainstream record company ... it was with this thought in mind that he started Direction Records.

"Events in the past eight months have affected me deeply and it's only through my music that I can express myself," he said in a press statement.  "The purpose of Direction Records is to seek out statement-makers."  Prior to the release of his first album for the label, "Bobby Darin, Born Walden Robert Cassotto", his spokesman Ed Burton said, "For years, Bobby Darin has had a reputation as a finger-snapper, but his first album on this label will establish a new image."  And that it did ... the tuxedo and toupee were gone ... and, while not a hit with most of his old audience, songs like "Long Line Rider", "In Memoriam", "Change", "Questions" and "The Harvest" certainly showed a much deeper, thought-provoking Bob Darin than the Las Vegas show-machine.


Bobby's point may have been best-proven when CBS Television refused to let him perform his new single "Long Line Rider" on "The Jackie Gleason Show" unless he edited out the lines "All the records show so clear, not a single man was here.  Anyway, anyway, that's the tale the warden tells as he counts his empty shells by the day, by the day.  This kind of thing can't happen here ... 'specially not in an election year."  (The song was based on a real-life incident that happened at an Arkansas State Prison where the skeletons of a number of prisoners were found buried underground ... the event was followed by a subsequent attempted cover-up by the state prison officials.) 




Bobby was infuriated ... he had already performed the song unedited on both ABC and NBC without incident ... and it was a regular part of his stage act.  And, Jackie Gleason, of all people ... these two went back to "Stage Show", Bobby's first television appearance EVER back in 1956!!!  He stormed off the show (and ultimately sued Gleason and CBS for damages, stating that they had not given him enough time to prepare another song to substitute in its place.)  Bobby publicly announced, "I don't care if I never do another TV show in my life" and then flew off to make his other nightclub commitments.


The "new" Bob Darin wasn't going over very well with the nightclub crowd, however.  They bought tickets expecting to see the guy in the sleek tuxedo singing "Mack The Knife" ... 

instead, they got some balding, mustached guy in blue jeans and a denim jacket singing folk and protest songs.  Bobby had lost his connection ... and his identity.  He didn't know where to go from here.

In 1969, Bobby chucked it all, sold or gave away nearly all of his belongings, and took off for Big Sur.  He bought a 14-foot house trailer and began a life of seclusion.  He withdrew from his friends, his family, his fans and ... perhaps as some sort of self-help therapy ... began to sort out what his life had become.


One can only imagine what Bobby Darin was feeling at this time.  He had just found out that his real mother had denied him his whole life ... the men he most believed could change the world for the better were both gunned down in senseless fashion ... his audience only wanted the OLD tuxedoed, toupeed Bobby Darin ... he hadn't had a hit record or a hit movie in years ... his remaining days were numbered due to his health ... and you thought YOU were having a bad day!!!


Once he settled in, he wrote to Nina:  "I am now a turtle.  Virtually everything I own is on my back and suffice it to say I am one ton lighter and therefore 2000 pounds happier.  All the houses are gone.  All extraneous items have been sold and I am out from under.  I wish all of you the serenity of this area and the peace of these mountains."  It was the only letter she ever received from Bobby the entire time he was there ... although he would call from time to time just to let her know that he was all-right.


It is said that Big Sur is one of the most beautiful, breath-taking spots on earth.  (Having visited there last year to see what all the fuss was about, Frannie and I can also add "one of the most nerve-wracking, treacherous places to drive" to that description!)


Bobby spent his days chopping wood, reading, listening to music, strumming his guitar and relaxing his mind, trying to sort out all the pressures that had built up over the years.  He says that he gave up his mind and his body to the earth's beauty and was able to relax as he never had before, seeing things clearly for the first time.  He had very few visitors and seldom ventured out of the area surrounding his new trailer home.


According to biographer Al DioRio, Bobby spent his time analyzing and contemplating the fates of the world, jotting down ideas to resolve the starving in India, the political problems in Africa, the erosion of the relics of Rome and the threat of communism.  If he did leave home, he would visit the library in Carmel and read Nietzsche and Dickens ... he would listen to the music of Mozart and Tchaikovsky ... he would stare endlessly at the water and the rocks surrounding him.  Best of all, he had absolutely NO contact with the press.  (But this, of course, had OTHER repercussions ... soon, the tabloids were writing about the acid trips and orgies that were going on up at Bobby's place in Big Sur!  He was often portrayed as a "freaked-out hippie, undergoing one psychedelic experience after another.")  Of course, none of this was true ... but that didn't stop the rumors from circulating.  Whatever he was doing, it seemed to be working ... for the first time, Bobby seemed at peace with himself and his surroundings.  He enjoyed his private connection with the mountains, the trees and the sea.


Out of the blue, Bobby was offered a small acting role in the film "The Happy Ending", 

starring Jean Simmons, John Forsythe, Lloyd Bridges, Dick Shawn, Nanette Fabray and Tina Louise.  He traveled back to Los Angeles to film the movie, the only time he was ever billed in a film as Robert Darin.  Inspired by working in the movies again, he began work on his OWN film, called "The Vendors".  (As we told you earlier in this series, Darin's motion picture never saw the light of day.)


He also flew to Las Vegas and Los Angeles periodically to fulfill previous engagement commitments.  One trip to The Sahara (for which Bobby was paid $40,000 a week ... not bad wages for a hermit!!!) was a complete disaster.  Bobby erected a life-size figure of the new Bob Darin in the lobby, decked-out in a Levi suit and cowboy hat.  His audience that night was not the LEAST bit interested in Bobby's peace songs or lyrics about dead convicts.  After a couple of songs, quite a few members of the audience began to walk out.  Bobby had never experienced this sort of reaction before ... he had always KILLED in Vegas ... he lit up the Strip!  This had to be more confusing than ever, coupled with his newfound peace in Big Sur.  He refused to compromise and would not put any of his old songs back in the act, stating at one point (when requested to perform "Artificial Flowers"), "That was yesterday."  More and more he began to lose his audience.


He finally called his old friend Dick Clark for advice.  Clark called him "a latter-day hippie."  When Bobby argued that this wasn't an act ... this, finally, was the REAL Bob Darin ... "that other guy just wasn't me ... the super-showbiz character I've been playing for years is dead and gone" ... Clark pooh-poohed it.  He told Bobby that he was simply going through an identity crisis ... it happened to ALL performers at some point in their careers ... Dick had seen it a thousand times.  "Go back and put on the tuxedo and go to work," he told his friend ... "Do what the people expect of you.  They don't want to see a balding hippie sitting on a stage in Las Vegas."


After returning to Big Sur ... and some deep soul-searching ... Bobby thought that maybe his friend was right ... maybe he could do BOTH ... sing "Mack The Knife" AND some of his new, deeper peace songs.  His appearance at The Sahara was a disaster ... his film "The Vendors" had never gotten off the ground ... and he missed the stage ... he missed the feeling he only got in front of a live audience.  Maybe putting on the tuxedo and the toupee was the costume he needed to wear to please his audience ... and, if in the process he could do some of his new material, perhaps he could please himself as well.  When The Landmark Hotel in Las Vegas asked Bobby if he was interested in appearing, this time he said "Yes."

TOO BAD:  It sounds as if Bobby simply overdid it with his new protest material.  After recording "Earthy!" and "Golden Folk Hits" in the early '60's, Darin successfully moved some of that material into his stage act ... in fact, reviews I've read say that some of THIS material was the most moving part of the show.  Had he simply mixed-up the material a little bit more in the later years, he might have found more acceptance from the Vegas crowd.  Instead, he refused to compromise ... and tried to force his new style down the throats of the folks who paid good money to see him.  Bobby finally realized that he was, first and foremost, an actor ... and an actor has to put on his costume, go out and do his scene, and leave the people wanting more.  If Bobby's costume was the tuxedo and the toupee ... and the crowd-pleaser was "Mack The Knife" ... then that's what he needed to do.


NEW RELEASES:  A recent CD release titled simply "Bobby Darin:  Songs From Big Sur" features some of the hard-to-find music that Bobby recorded during this period, including a couple of previously unreleased tracks.  It's available on the Varese Sarabande label.

Bobby's return to the Las Vegas stage was triumphant ... his two-week stint at The Landmark Hotel was extended to six weeks ... the mix of old and new material was working.  Bobby's newer songs like "long Line Rider" and "If I Were A Carpenter" played well alongside his standards like "Mack The Knife", "Beyond the Sea" and "Splish Splash".  "Simple Song Of Freedom" became his closing anthem, bringing the audience to their feet night-after-night with its moving crescendo becoming the fitting finale to each performance.  ("Variety" even ran a headline that read "Bobby Darin is back ... and he brought Mack The Knife with him!")




Soon Bobby was in demand again ... in 1970, he filmed a television special for Canadian TV called "The Bobby Darin Invasion" (now available on DVD).  Everything seemed to be on the upswing for Bobby again ... and then his health took another turn for the worse.


Backstage at the filming of the Canadian television special, Bobby had collapsed.  His old friend Harriet Wasser happened to be visiting when she found Bobby sitting on the floor in the corner.  He looked terrible ... his skin was gray and pasty and he was shivering uncontrollably.  "Bobby, what's wrong?" she demanded.  With tears in his eyes, Bobby finally replied, "Hesh, I've been sitting here for half an hour, doing nothing, and my heart feels as if I've been running a marathon.  I'm scared ... I'm really scared."  While waiting for the doctor to arrive, he whispered to her, "No one must know, Hesh ... if my family hears about this, I'll know where they found out."


In early 1971, Bobby began to experience more heart problems ... his heart was beating at "double-time":  140-160 times per minute instead of the normal 60-80 times.  With these "fibrillations of the heart," surgery really became the only option.


Bobby was booked at The Desert Inn in Las Vegas for a four-week stint, scheduled to begin on January 10th.  He told his doctors, "You give me these six weeks to work ... the first six weeks in 1971 ... somehow, you keep me alive by remote control ... and the moment I close, I'll go home, spend four hours with my son, and then I'll check into the hospital and give myself to you."  Bobby's biggest fear was that he wouldn't survive the surgery ... or, even if he did, he'd be unable to perform afterwards.  He wanted to hear the crowds one last time.


Amazingly, the audience never even knew.  He was sneaking oxygen between songs to keep himself going.  After the first show, he'd eat a bowl of spinach and a large steak to bolster his energy and then do another show the same night.  He kept this routine up for 28 straight days ... and his on-stage performance was never better.  If deep down in his weakened heart he felt this would be the last time he ever performed before a live audience, then he wanted EVERY show to be sensational ... and they were.


Once Bobby finally agreed to have the heart surgery, he timed the operation to coincide with his closing at The Desert Inn in February of 1971.  Backstage, on the night of his final performance, he told his lifelong friend Dick Lord in complete seriousness, "Well, Dick, this was the last time we'll ever perform together.  I'm going into the hospital tonight for open heart surgery.  The doctor said my chances are one out of ten.  I called the hospital and they said the last nine people lived, so I guess this is it." 


SPECIAL BONUS:
Last week we printed a report about the West Coast Celebration of what would have been Bobby Darin's 75th Birthday, courtesy of Jamie Ney.  (Scroll back to 5/29/11 if you missed it.)

Today, we've got a special report from Laura Rice about the East Coast Sanction!  (Thanks, guys ... I'm sure that a number of our readers would have LOVED to have attended one of these special tributes.  Please keep us posted regarding any other up-coming Bobby Events so that we can help to spread the word!)

This past May 14^th marked the 75^th anniversary of Bobby Darin’s birth.  Fans on both the East and West Coasts gathered to remember and celebrate the life and career of this remarkable entertainer. 

The East Coast fans met in New York City and spent a jam-packed weekend exploring sights associated with Bobby Darin’s life and career.  The weekend began on Friday, May 13^th, with a visit to the Bronx High School of Science, from which Bobby graduated in 1953.   This was not the building where Bobby attended school, which the group did get to visit later in the weekend, but a new location to which the school moved in 1959.  The group met with the Alumni Director to discuss the Bobby Darin Scholarship that is given to the most promising graduating student in Music each year and to view a display on Bobby showing a copy of the Class of 1953 yearbook and other memorabilia that is housed in a case outside of the library.  Later that afternoon the group visited the Paley Center (formerly the Museum of Television and Radio) for a private screening of rare Bobby Darin video, such as episodes of the Bobby Darin Show from 1973 and the Edie Adams Show from 1964 that are not currently commercially available.

On Saturday, May 14^th, the group toured the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem where Bobby appeared early in his career in 1957 with Alan Freed’s Rock ‘n Roll Revue.  In the evening a celebratory dinner was held at Patsy’s Italian Restaurant which was a favorite of Bobby’s and located right next door to the original location of the Atlantic Records studio where Bobby recorded his first top ten hit, “Splish Splash” in 1958.  Guests partook of Patsy’s legendary Italian fare and exchanged Bobby-themed gifts to add to the birthday party atmosphere.

Sunday, May 15^th, saw a four-hour custom tour of sights important to the life and career of Bobby in Manhattan and the Bronx.  Everything from Bellevue Hospital where he was born in 1936 to his first apartment on West 71^st Street to the original Copacabana where he played to sold-out crowds several times during his career was visited. 

This group of dedicated fans was sad to see the weekend come to an end, but is looking forward to future commemorative trips like those that have been held every year since 2006 in such varied locales as New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Big Sur. 

-- Laura Rice

Thanks, Laura!!!

Forgotten Hits Interviews Ian Lloyd

We've got another EXCLUSIVE Forgotten Hits Interview for you today ...

Ian Lloyd of Stories has joined us!!! 

With the second season of "Louie" scheduled to premier on FX next month (June 23rd to be exact), we thought that this would be the PERFECT time to talk with Ian Lloyd, lead singer of the '70's band Stories, who sings the title track to the Louis C.K. FX Comedy, a reworked version of his band's biggest hit, "Brother Louie", which topped the charts here in The States back in 1973. 

Some of you may recall that Lloyd "sneak-peeked" his brand new Christmas single in Forgotten Hits last season ... and we wondered what he's been up to lately ... 

FORGOTTEN HITS:  How did you come to snag the theme song to the hot new FX adult comedy "Louie"?  Were you friends with Louis C.K.?  Did he personally approach you about it? 

IAN LLOYD: I woke early and found an email from Louis asking to speak with either my representative or myself about doing a recording session. At the moment I didn’t connect Louis w. C.K. [even though I’ve seen and loved him on late night talk shows forever!]. I replied back with my phone number. Within an hour we had spoken and by mid-afternoon I was back home, having done the session. I have not had the opportunity to meet Mr. C.K. but we have spoken frequently. I’m trying to get him out to a local show and have him introduce me and my band. Louis????  

FH: Was there any reluctance initially to go back and revisit that track? (It really does make for a pretty cool show opening!) 

IL: I love the show and yes, it’s a really cool opening [being a New Yorker, I love the subway sequence] and don’t forget the nice shout-out they give me in the closing credits. To answer the question, I had no reluctance at all. Take note that my current CD “In The Land Of O-de-PO” contains a cover version of ‘… Louie’. I chose to add it to the record because it made sense to revisit my biggest hit.  

FH:  "Brother Louie" has a bit of an unusual history, having first been done by the group Hot Chocolate in England, where their version went all the way to #7 on the U.K. Charts.  How did you first discover the song? 

IL: Sitting in Bob Reno’s A&R office at Buddah records, I went through a lot of different, demo tapes & discs. When I heard the chorus to “… Louie” I told Bob –“This is a number one record – let’s do it”. At the time I did NOT know that I was listening to Hot Chocolate’s finished master [I thought it was just another demo]. I think both versions were released around the same time ... the rest is rock history.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  The Hot Chocolate version was released in April of 1973 in The U.K.  It never charted here in The States.  Stories' version hit The U.S. charts a couple of months later ... and then stayed there for four and a half months, ultimately peaking at #1. 

FH:  We recently covered the Hot Chocolate version ... it's not what you'd call by today's standards "politically correct" ... in fact, it's down-right slanderous!  I don't know that this record would get played today ... yet in 1973 it became a Top Ten Hit in Great Britain. 

IL:  STORIES' version of “… Louie” has appeared in lots of different films, as well as ‘other’ TV shows, and, of course, it still gets airplay on the radio, so I guess it’s not bothering anyone. I mean it does make an important statement in any decade. 

FH:  No question that it addressed a sensitive issue ... although The Rolling Stones were singing about "Brown Sugar" a couple of years earlier, interracial dating was still somewhat taboo back then and not nearly as common (and accepted) as it is today.  Your version cleaned things up quite a bit ... and is a much "smoother" recording, to say the least.

(EDITOR'S NOTE:  The Hot Chocolate version actually had spoken interludes that said"I don't want no HONKY in my family!" and "I don't want no SPOOK in my family!"  NO WAY that would get past The FCC today!!!)  
Meanwhile, Stories' "cleaned-up" pop version went right to the top of the charts in America and today is considered a '70's Classic ... you still hear it on the radio all the time.  Do you recall running into some resistance back then, simply because of the subject matter of an interracial couple?  This, too, seems to be far more common today. 

IL: Well the music industry [radio, TV, etc] jumped all over it. It charted Top 20 in the BILLBOARD “R&B’ charts which, at the time, was very rare for a white artist to cross over. Other than a few ‘death threats’, everyone loved our performance and here we are today with President Obama!  It’s nice to be AHEAD of your time. 
(EDITOR'S NOTE:  "Brother Louie" officially peaked at #22 on Billboard's R&B Chart in 1973.) 

FH:  I have to admit that I was a Stories fan right from the get-go.  I'll never forget the very first time I heard "I'm Coming Home" ... I was driving around with a friend (who was also a HUGE Beatles fan) and we just happened to catch the tail-end of the song, right after the piano break in the middle ... when it was over, both of us looked at each other and, almost in unison, blurted out "Do you think that's the new Paul McCartney song?"  (lol) 

IL: Thanks. Well, needless to say both Michael [Brown] and I were HUGE BEATLE fans. Big surprise. (ha ha).  [Let’s not forget “I’m Comin’ Home” was STORIES 1^st  single release – hitting the local Top 40 and even Top 10 slots in various parts of the US]. 

FH:  Truth is, it was better than most of what McCartney was doing at the time ... he had just recently formed Wings and was still refusing to perform any Beatles music ... his output for 1972 included "Give Ireland Back To The Irish" and "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and then along comes this GREAT "sound-alike" record that blows McCartney's stuff away! 

IL: Funny, I remember The Cal Rudman report, [a weekly? sheet that went out to all the radio stations across the U.S. to report new releases], saying something like “Paul McCartney should listen to this song”.  In retrospect, I guess that’s why. 

FH:  Did you get a lot of that at the time ... comparisons regarding the sound of Stories vs. The Beatles and / or McCartney? 

IL: Yes all the time. I believe mainly because of the song structure and the thick backing harmonies…. [listen to “Please Please” or “Love Is In Motion” as obvious examples]. 

FH:  I LOVE that record ... played the heck out of my 45 to the point that it's almost unplayable today!  Luckily, I've since replaced it with a good, clean CD copy! 
(EDITOR'S NOTE:  For all our "stat fans" out there, "I'm Coming Home" just missed Billboard's Top 40, peaking at #42.  However, it was a #26 Hit in Cash Box Magazine, who monitored their chart positions more by sales than by radio airplay.  Here in Chicago, where WCFL played the hell out of it, it rose to #22).
Then you guys disappeared for about a year and when "Brother Louie" came out and first hit the radio airwaves, a number of people were saying "Man, that sounds JUST like Rod Stewart!!!"  lol  Did you feel at the time that the band (and you in particular) needed to form your own identity?  Complimentary and flattering as they may have been, did these comparisons also bother you at the time? 

IL: After  “Brother Louie” hit the charts, people either thought I was black ["as the night”] or Rod Stewart. I actually got some fan mail from some of Rod’s biggest fans saying that they were positive that I was Rod Stewart.
Hmmmm! 
We spent time in the UK recording our second record “About Us’ [which eventually included … Louie”]. I was very lucky to develop what I feel is an identifiable vocal sound, so I never really gave it much thought. 

FH:  "Brother Louie", of course, went on to become a HUGE #1 Hit ... and still gets played virtually every day today ... it's definitely a '70's "keeper"!  How did things change for the band at this point with a #1 Record on the charts? 

IL: We loved the attention and airline / hotel upgrades. But in reality I felt the bulk of Michael and my compositions kind of got ignored by our new “Louie” fans. A lot of the ‘older’ fans felt we had sold out.  ‘We got stuck between a rock and a hard place.’ This eventually broke up the band. 

FH:  Prior to Stories, what was your background?  Had you done some earlier recordings?  

IL: I was lucky enough to sign a  recording deal with United Artists [One single: A / B side] in 1964 - 65 and it was actually released. (Let's see if your readers can do some detective work and find out what artist name I used.) The A side title was "Let's Build A World Of Our Own". It was actually a hit in upstate NY, and when I attended college it was on the Juke Box at the campus hangout. Quite exciting! 

FH:  Much has been made about the fact that Stories was formed with Michael Brown, who was a founding member of the '60's soft rock band Left Banke.  (They had a couple of MAJOR '60's hits, too, like their version of "Walk Away Renee", #2, 1966, and "Pretty Ballerina", #12, 1967.)  But the truth is, the vocals of Ian Lloyd pretty much came to define the "sound" of Stories. 

IL: Thanks again. Michael and I had a great writing partnership and my vocal style and range fit the songs perfectly that we were creating! 

FH:  How did you happen to first hook up with Michael Brown?  Had you known him during his Left Banke days?  And what did you think of the Left Banke material ... some of it was pretty avant garde for its time, no? 

IL: Both our Dads were session violinists and played on everything from AJAX to SINATRA. A chance meeting  with his dad at a recording session led me to Michael Brown's door and the rest is history. You know I don't believe I met Mike when he was in ... THE BANKE. I loved the Baroque style and especially their stage outfits! My personal fave was "Pretty Ballerina". A classic group.  

FH:  You mentioned being a huge Beatles fan ... Who were some of the other artists that most influenced you early on as a musician? 

IL: Well, the obvious would be DALTRY, PLANT, ROD THE MOD but TERRY REID was someone I really listened to a lot and who effected my vocal style. All of the late 50's [AVALON; ANKA; LITTLE ANTHONY; DION & THE BELMONTS, & on & on] and of course ALL CLASSICAL MUSIC! 

FH:  Once Stories started doing major tours and tv appearances, who were some of your contemporaries that you had the pleasure to work with? 

IL: Boy that's a tough one. I'll just ramble out some names as they come to me: BB KING and GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS [we shared the same management]; SLADE; ALICE COOPER;  JOE WALSH;  ELO; CHARLIE DANIELS; RENAISSANCE; CANNED HEAT; [my brain is starting to throb], THE RASPBERRIES; LOOKING GLASS; REDBONE; BOZ SCAGGS; FOCUS; BLACK OAK ARKANSAS + ... OK - there were more, but I can't remember any more at the moment. 

FH:  It sounds like you feel that Stories lost their direction after they started having hits with outside material.  What were the original goals of the band?  Where there certain avenues you wanted to explore that you felt were derailed in some fashion once the major hits started coming? 

IL:  The success was great and I will forever be proud of the "Louie" factor. I just wanted to do more progressive stuff like "You Told Me" and "Darling'" [I play both these great 'progpop' songs in my live show]. Even on the third and last record TRAVELING UNDERGROUND, with "Mammy ... " charting, I still got "Bridges" and "Earthbound / Freefall" tracks out there. I guess I was / am such a fan of GENESIS / PETER GABRIEL / YES / KING CRIMSON ... that I wanted to fit into that catagory. I mean we were one of the first American bands to record and tour with a mellotron! Remember that Mike and I formed the band around our writing partnership. After Michael left the band, I had to refocus the band's direction, which included finding outside material. This really did create some stylistic confusion for the band and our listeners, which led to the end of the group. All things happen for a reason, I'm just not sure what the reason was [haha]  

FH:  Are you and Michael still in touch at all? 

IL:  Mike and I have had an occasional writing session in the past decade [see: "Sensetize" demo track on In The Land Of O-de-PO] and I'm hoping to have a Brown / Lloyd composition on my next solo project. 

FH:  Going back to your run of hits with Stories, your next chart single was also a HUGE hit here in Chicago ... "Mammy Blue" went all the way to #7.  Billboard charted your version of "Mammy Blue" at #50 while Cash Box placed it at #21.  This was another remake, this time of a mid-chart single by Los Pop Tops.  How did you come to select this song and give it the Stories treatment? 

IL: At this point the record company was desperate to follow up “Louie” with another similarly-styled tune. “Mammy” fit the bill. It was brought to my attention, once again, by the Buddah A&R department. This tune was covered by EVERYONE. Unbelievable – Roger Whittaker, Demis Roussos, Julio Iglesias, Celine Dion, etc. STORIES version was the highest charted of them all.  

FH:  The hits pretty much stopped after that ... and you started working as a solo artist.  But didn't you also do some work with some of the other big name bands of that era?  Foreigner immediately comes to mind ... and Chicago's own Survivor, too, if I'm not mistaken.    

IL: After STORIES, I began my solo career. For my 1^st album I introduced Mick Jones [SPOOKY TOOTH] to Ian McDonald [KING CRIMSOM] and brought them together for the record [they eventually formed FOREIGNER] This led to my involvement with the mega band. I sang backing vocals on all their records, including most of their hits [ “Feels Like The First Time”; “Cold As Ice”, “Ive Been Waiting ..., “Juke Box Hero”, etc]. 
Survivor, on the other hand, was a one CD appearance. I sang most of the backing vocals with Tommy Shaw [of STYX] on “Too Hot To Sleep’. That was fun.
Other than FOREIGNER, my other most memorable contribution was on the YES “Union” CD.  I was even featured, singing the lead hook on “Dangerous”. Being a monster YES fan, this was a dream come true.
Oh yes – and let’s not forget my backing vocals on the #1 Billboard hit by Billy Joel “I Go To Extremes”. I even had the opportunity to do some group shouting on KISS’s “I Wanna Rock & Roll All Night” back in their early days.

If anyone is curious, they should checkout my discography.[www.machinedreamrecords.com]. 

FH:  Now this was primarily session work, right?  But more so as a VOCALIST than a musician? 

IL: I actually don’t look at myself as a musician, but as a recording artist. I love being in the studio and writing new songs is the ultimate creative process. Bringing the end product to the live stage is the final piece in the rock puzzle. 

FH:  Have you continued to tour and perform?  Anything coming up in the near future that we can tell our readers about? 

IL: I keep busy working with my band [Ian Lloyd’s Stories] as much as possible. My show consists of slightly more than half-Stories tunes followed by solo songs [including “Slip Away”] and a cover or two [“Feels Like The First Time” and "21st Century Schizoid Man” are two that are fun to do]. SOCIAL HERO keeps me the most occupied. We are playing constantly, having rocked through DC, Detroit, Chicago, Boston and of course the Big Apple in the last few months.   

FH:  You mention performing with your current band Ian Lloyd's Stories ... but then say that your work with Social Hero keeps you the most occupied.  Tell me more about your relationship with Social Hero ... is this more of a "side project"?  In what way are you involved ... is this a second band, so to speak, that you're involved with?  Does Social Hero allow you to take your music in other directions that you find you can't really explore in a solo vein?  

IL: I am a member of SOCIAL HERO and function as the principle second vocalist. David Lloyd, lead vocalist, is my son and we blend tight BEATLE / YES / FOREIGNER style harmonies. David writes most of the songs, along with the Lotti brothers [bass & lead guitarist].  SOCIAL HERO is real ROCK in the style of those mentioned above and has been compared to STP, AIC, PEARL JAM. Oh yeh there's one tune that has a definite JETHRO TULL influence and we do a mean cover of "She Loves You" and "Substitute" from time to time.  
As far as live performances - I am there on stage performing with the lads. My favorite live situation is both SOCIAL HERO and IAN LLOYD's STORIES playing on the same bill together. This happens several times a year and it's like a 2 hour rock fest!!! I keep my writing and 'other directions' for my solo projects.[...O-de-PO, FORD / LLOYD + next solo CD, etc.] 

FH:  I think it's great to hear that you've still been recording new music ... your website mentions that you released an album in 2009 called "In the Land of O-De-Po" ... what's that album like? 

IL:  “In The Land Of O-de-PO” is a unique blend of Progressive Pop Rock tinged with just a hit of ‘Hip Hop’. The title track, “O-de-PO”, won the 2009 Marijuana Music Awards for “Best Rock Track” and that helped open up airplay for other tracks from the CD like “Hi2Fly” to be played on NORMAL radio. I plan on releasing a 2^nd ‘single’ track, “”City Of Dreams”  for promotion this summer.  

FH:  What else have you got in the works that we can look forward to?  

IL: Coming up next is SOCIAL HERO’s next recording. At the moment we are finishing up our second CD [readying it for staggered mp3 track releases starting this summer].  
In addition I’ve got a project with John Ford Of The STRAWBS  [FORD / LLOYD] that I’m very excited about. We’ve got three working tracks at the moment and will hopefully have something for release by this Fall. 

FH:  Do you find that you are writing more these days?  What kind of music do you listen to these days?  Who are some of your favorite artists ... and where do you feel your music should fit (if given the proper chance.) 

IL: At this point I just want to keep making music in what ever style I feel like doing at the time. I'm thinking about doing a Space Rock [mellotron] style approach for my next solo project. We'll see.
Here's a short list of my fave current artists. [I purchase their CD's - yes CD's! as soon as they're released]: MUSE / THEM CROOKED VULTURES / RADIOHEAD / INCUBUS  / BECK / MALISSA AUF DER MAUR / plus! 

FH:  Speaking of which ... it's no secret that it's tougher than ever to get airplay these days ... what's your take on the record industry circa 2011?  How has the Internet helped you promote your new music ... and in what ways can you take advantage of this resource in getting the word out there that Ian Lloyd is still making great contemporary music all these years later?  (Obviously, Forgotten Hits is a GREAT source to let the fans know ... and by sneak-peeking a track here and there, give them so idea as to what you've been up to musically.  Radio, on the other hand, isn't quite so forth-coming.  Once they pull off an artist, it's almost impossible to come back.)  

IL: We're all trying to figure out how to reach our respective fan bases. It looks like we're in a singles market with no real radio outlets [unless you're with a major], so online marketing / promotion and music sites like yours really help to connect.  Other than that, good old fashion touring your ass off is always a great way to bring more fans to the table. 

FH:  We ALWAYS end our Forgotten Hits Interviews with this question ... 
Is there any particular piece of music that you've been involved with that you feel people should know about ... maybe something that just didn't get as much attention as you felt it deserved ... or was overlooked for some reason, whether it be bad timing or lack of promotion reasons ... something that you're especially proud of that shows more of who you are as an artist?  We'd like to share something with our readers that you feel best represents the way you'd like your audience to perceive you as an artist.  

IL: I’d have to say that “Goosebumps” is a very special recording, featuring many classic rockers [either playing on or contributing songs to the record] and is a piece of work that I am most proud of. 
(EDITOR'S NOTE:  Ian Lloyd's "Goosebumps" CD becomes available on Tuesday, May 31st, for digital downloading ... you can check out the ordering link here: Click here: Amazon.com: goosebumps ian lloyd: MP3 Downloads)  
Also, check out “Real World” [on FOREIGNER’s Mr. Moonlight CD]. Not unlike YES “Dangerous”, I’ve got  a featured lead vocal in the bridge. This was the closest I got to singing lead with my buds.
My most recent solo effort - “Everybody’s Happy 'Cause It's Christmas Time” is a recording that I’m very excited about. I missed last year’s Thanksgiving release deadline [most radio stations have all their holiday programming set by T-day], but it will be out in time for Holiday play this year. Having written and recorded it at home, with David Lloyd [SOCIAL HERO] producing, it is perhaps one of my more personal creations to date. [This track also gives my fans a clue to the direction of my next solo project! – out at the end of 2012???] 

FH:  Tell me more about "Goosebumps" ... in the "timing is everything" department, it's GREAT news to see that this CD is finally being released here Stateside ... and on the day our interview runs no less! 

IL:  The CD was released as a German import only and is no longer available. [although I did find a copy on Ebay]. The good news is that all the tracks should be available as individual downloads from I-Tunes / Amazon, etc., by the end of this year, along with tracks from various other solo records, so keep an eye open for ALL THAT IS IAN!  

FH:  Available TODAY on Amazon.com!!!  (See link above ... I just ordered MY copy!!!).  
Can you elaborate a bit more on "Goosebumps"?  You refer to it as "a very special recording, featuring many classic rockers either playing on or contributing songs to the record, and is a piece of work that I am most proud of."  Anything from this that we can share?  A personal favorite track?  And please tell us about this "Who's Who" of recording cohorts who helped you make this album! 

IL: Let me grab a copy of GOOSEBUMPS. 
Here's the line up of guest star appearances:
Mick Jones, Lou Gramm, Dennis Elliott [Foreigner]

Jim Vallance [Bryan Adams]

Jimmy Crespo [Aerosmith; Rod Stewart]

Ric Ocasek, Ben Orr [The Cars]

Larry Fast [Synergy; Peter Gabriel; Nektar]

Jimmy Maelin [Peter Gabriel; Roxy Music; Bryan Ferry]

Steve Buslowe [Meat Loaf]

Michael Brecker [Brecker Bros]

List of writers who contributed to this record:

Russ Ballard [Argent] "First Heartbreak"

Ric Ocasek [The Cars] "Slip Away"

Barry & Robin Gibbs [Bee Gees] "Holiday"

Bryan Adams & Jim Vallance - "I'm Ready"

Rod Argent [Zombies] "Time Of The Season"

Corky Laing [Leslie West & Mountain]  "Easy Money"

Ian Hunter [Mott The Hoople] "Easy Money"

Having a hit single with "Slip Away" was especially satisfying for me as I brought together The Cars [classic pop rockers] and Larry Fast [Prog-synth keyboardist] for a special moment on the record. 
I am also proud of my arrangement of "Time Of The Season" [spacerock meets disco meets Yes/Foreigner Harmonies!]  

FH:  Well, I'm kinda partial to the title track ... and your re-working of the old Bee Gees' tune "Holiday" ... so I'm going to run with those two to close out this piece. 

FH:  Ian, thanks SO much for taking the time to talk with us here in Forgotten Hits ... I really do appreciate it.  I wish you continued success with your new musical ventures and if you find yourself headed out Chicago-way, please let me know ... would love to come out and see you play! 

IL: Always my pleasure, Kent. You will be informed about any Chicago appearances. 
ROCK ON!

For more on Ian Lloyd, be sure to check out his website here: 
Click here: www.machinedreamrecords.com   
Click here: www.myspace.com/ianlloydsStories

           www.myspace.com/ianlloydStories

           www.myspace.com/socialhero

**********************************

INSTANT UPDATE!!!!!   STORIES FANS REJOICE!!!!

Both Stories [self titled] and Stories "About Us" are now available as mp3 downloads on I-tunes.

 

For more on the program "Louie", click here:

http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/louie/

[LOUIE Official Website | Only on FX]

Thanks, Ian!
kk
Kent Kotal
Forgotten Hits