Friday, August 1, 2014

50 Years Ago This Weekend (August 1st and 2nd)

8/1/64 - A HARD DAY'S NIGHT moves into the #1 Spot this week on The Billboard Hot 100 Chart as The Four Seasons fall to #2 with their monster hit "Rag Doll".  Other Top 20 British Hits include WISHIN' AND HOPIN' by DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (#6), NOBODY I KNOW by PETER AND GORDON (#12) and CAN'T YOU SEE THAT SHE'S MINE by THE DAVE CLARK FIVE (#13).

Admittedly, The Top Ten has a decidedly "American" feel to it.  In addition to The Four Seasons at #2, you'll find Jan and Dean at #3 with "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena", their counterparts The Beach Boys at #8 with "I Get Around", a brand new Motown Hit "Where Did Our Love Go" by The Supremes, leaping from #18 to #5 and the Johnny Rivers remake of "Memphis" at #9.  There were also a few surprises.  Country Novelty King Roger Miller is enjoying his first Pop Chart Hit with "Dang Me" (#7) and two records that seem a bit out of place … "Everybody Loves Somebody" by Dean Martin and "The Girl From Ipanema" by Getz / Gilberto are holding down the #4 and #10 spot respectively.

Other British Hits on the list:  DON'T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING by GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS (#22), DON'T THROW YOUR LOVE AWAY by THE SEARCHERS (#25), YOU'RE MY WORLD by CILLA BLACK (#26), BAD TO ME by BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS (#35), TELL ME by THE ROLLING STONES (#36), I BELIEVE by THE BACHELORS (#39) and, cracking The Top 40 for the very first time, AIN'T SHE SWEET by THE BEATLES at #40, up from #67 the week before.  (This was another track The Fab Four recorded in Germany back in 1961 … and features one of my favorite John Lennon vocals ever.)

It doesn't end there … GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS are back at #43 with HOW DO YOU DO IT, BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS are up over 30 points to #54 with I'LL KEEP YOU SATISFIED, THE DAVE CLARK FIVE premier at #60 with their beautiful ballad BECAUSE (a song the record company fought Dave Clark on, saying it would NEVER be a hit here in America because that's not what the audience wanted to hear from THE DAVE CLARK FIVE), I'LL CRY INSTEAD, new at #62 by THE BEATLES, AND I LOVE HER (#65, also by THE BEATLES), I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER (#66 … ALSO by THE BEATLES), IT'S ALL OVER NOW, up nearly 20 points to #81 by THE ROLLING STONES, IF I FELL (#92) and I'M HAPPY JUST TO DANCE WITH YOU (#95), two more BEATLES tracks from the soundtrack to their new film A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, SHOUT by LULU AND THE LOVERS (#97), BACHELOR BOY (#99) by CLIFF RICHARD and YOU'RE NO GOOD (#100, and later a #1 Hit for Linda Ronstadt some ten years later) by THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS.

Don't think for a moment that The British Invasion was waning … that gives The Brits and incredible 23 of The Top 100 Hits in the country for this week in August, 1964.  Even Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops Orchestra got wrapped up in the mania … THEIR version of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" climbs to #55 this week!












Here in Chicago THE BEATLES move into the #1 spot with their two-sided hit A HARD DAY'S NIGHT / I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey.  DUSTY SPRINGFIELD's WISHIN' AND HOPIN' sits at #4 with NOBODY I KNOW by PETER AND GORDON at #6 and CAN'T YOU SEE THAT SHE'S MINE by THE DAVE CLARK FIVE, DON'T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING by GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS and DON'T THROW YOUR LOVE AWAY by THE SEARCHERS holding down the #10, #11 and #12 spots respectively.

GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS also have the #14 Hit this week on The Silver Dollar Survey with their latest, HOW DO YOU DO IT, a song turned down by THE BEATLES.  (They convinced Producer George Martin to release PLEASE PLEASE ME instead.)  I BELIEVE by THE BACHELORS is this week's #15 Hit, followed behind by BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS with their latest, I'LL KEEP YOU SATISFIED (#21), the two-sided hit I'M HAPPY JUST TO DANCE WITH YOU / I'LL CRY INSTEAD by THE BEATLES at #30 and SHOUT by LULU AND THE LUVERS at #37.
DIDJAKNOW? - The American version of "I'll Cry Instead" has an extra verse ... Capitol Records felt the song was too short.  (Its British counterpart ... NOT released as a single ... only timed out at 1:47 ... so Capitol edited in a repeated "middle eight" to stretch it out to another 22-seconds!  We've got BOTH versions of this one for you today ... one of those very RARE Beatles tracks that seems to be overlooked by radio today.  (They pretty much play EVERYTHING else!!!)


Posted by at

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Thursday This And That

Can't wait to read this one ... I feel like I grew up with this guy!!! (Actually, I practically did!  The Ides Of March were a HUGE part of my life growing up in Berwyn ... Jim Peterik and I graduated from the same high school a few years apart ... and the fact that he's finally telling his story in "no-holds-barred" fashion should earn him even MORE recognition that he genuinely deserves.)  Check it out!   
 
SURVIVOR / IDES OF MARCH FOUNDER JIM PETERIK’S THROUGH THE EYE OF THE TIGER OFFERS AN OVERVIEW OF A MOST UNLIKELY ROCK STAR ~ COMING SEPTEMBER 23 ~


The writer / performer of such classic hits as “Eye of the Tiger” 
and “Vehicle” reveals his life both on-stage and off, 
including having a chart hit as a 15-year-old, 
penning one of the great inspirational anthems of all time 
and touring with Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead

New York, NY (July 28, 2014) — You may not recognize the name Jim Peterik, but the songs he’s written have made an indelible mark on pop music history, an incredible first-person tale he relates in his biography, Through the Eye of the Tiger: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Life of Survivor’s Founding Member, published by BenBella Books on September 23.
It’s all here, from his beginnings as a 15-year-old in the Ides of March, which the Illinois native playfully dubs “The Beatles of Berwyn,” scoring a #2 Billboard hit in 1970 with the horn-laden “Vehicle,” to being personally asked by Sylvester Stallone to write a song for Rocky III, which turned out to be “Eye of the Tiger,” the triple-platinum, Grammy-winning inspirational anthem that gives the book its name.
“This is my chance to connect the dots and put a face behind those songs,” says Peterik about writing the book. “I love the past, but I don’t live there. And I’m not ashamed of it, either. I’ll be playing ‘Vehicle’ until the day I die, but I would feel unfulfilled if I wasn’t paying it forward, discovering new talent and writing with my heroes.”
Through the Eye of the Tiger offers a close-up view of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle – its pitfalls and triumphs along the way, as Peterik’s anecdotes include The Ides of March touring with Led Zeppelin (opening for them in Winnipeg), Janis Joplin (“I had to walk her home because she was too inebriated to get to her hotel”), the Grateful Dead (“I shared a deli tray with Jerry Garcia without getting dosed”) and the Allman Joys (the predecessor to the Allman Brothers).
It’s also a cautionary tale about the dangers of drugs and groupies, which Peterik carefully avoided during a 42-year (and counting marriage) to his wife Karen, whom he met when he was 17 and she was 15 during a Turtles concert at their high school. The two have a 24-year-old son, Colin, who is a musician himself, which makes Jim one proud father.
“I don’t think I could have written this book 10 years ago,” says Peterik. “I’ve finally reached a point where I see a very bright future for all the things I’m doing, but I can also appreciate what I’ve done. I thought the time was right to tell my story.”
That story includes a personal invitation from Sly Stallone, who left a message on his answering machine to call him, then asked if he’d write a song for Rocky III, which turned into “Eye of the Tiger,” a huge hit still ubiquitous at sporting stadiums and arenas everywhere. “I got the title from what Burgess Meredith tells Rocky in the movie,” says Peterik about the song he co-wrote with Survivor bandmate, guitarist Frank Sullivan, revealing it was the demo that made it into the final movie. “It had the mojo,” he said simply.
A world class tunesmith, Peterik’s songs have sold 30 million around the world, with 18 Top 10 hits, including “Hold on Loosely,” “Caught Up in You,” “Rocking Into the Night,” “Fantasy Girl,” collaborating most recently with Brian Wilson on the title track to the Beach Boys’ acclaimed album, That’s Why God Made the Radio. The artists Peterik has worked with over the years include .38 Special, Sammy Hagar, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, Buddy Guy, the Doobie Brothers, Cheap Trick, Night Ranger, Dennis DeYoung, Reba McEntire, David Hasselhoff, Johnny Rivers and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“I always lived in a creative bubble removed from the business,” he says. “For me the song is the ‘vehicle’… pun intended.  I did everything in the service of the song. It didn’t matter what happened on the bus or in the dressing room. I wanted my message of positivity to survive.”
To that end, Peterik’s first book, Songwriting for Dummies, is a best-seller about his own creative methods, and he travels around the world giving seminars on the subject.
As for his survival, he credits it to never losing his focus. “I’m a late bloomer,” says the 64-year-old. “I’m now the guy with the purple hair, red leather suit and striped guitar. It’s a delayed response to the fact I took a back seat all those years. I’m having the time of my life.
“I do this for the love of music, to hear my God-given voice echo across a filled auditorium.”
Later this year, Peterik will mark the 50th anniversary of his still-active The Ides of March with a deluxe, 70-song, three-disc reissue of the seminal band’s catalog, including a DVD featuring a live concert from Chicago’s House of Blues, Rare footage, interviews with the band and videos of “Vehicle” and “Last Band Standing.”
“Writing this book tore me apart,” he admits. “Going through the good times – those early idyllic years as a teenager with The Ides of March, and then with Survivor, surviving some rough times. It was very painful dredging all that up… the separation from my wife for months at a time, when the loneliness would just grip me, with music my only drug.”
Peterik captures it all in Through the Eye of the Tiger, the memoirs of a true rock ‘n’ roll Survivor.
FOLLOW JIM PETERIK AT:
Website: www.JimPeterik.com 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jimpeterik  (@jimpeterik)

I was at the Kenny Loggins show the other night, too. I live in the area so I rode my bike up there because I knew the crowd was going to be enormous ... and this would give me the freedom to shuttle around from spot to spot during the show to visit with friends and neighbors.  As you said, the crowd was massive ... and the only clear path I found was from the seats to the food vendors.  (My son works at the Jimmy Johns right there at the same plaza and he said they also experienced a non-stop line out the door before the show, selling over $5000 worth of sub sandwiches before the concert began!)
I agree with what you said about it being a bit boring ... and I, too, think it was because of the limitations of the band ... omitting any of his biggest hits from the first hour also helped to make the show drag ... everything sounded the same.  The new music was okay ... and Kenny still sounds great ... but there were no high points.  In fact, when he started "Celebrate Me Home", I took off on my bike to scout around the area to see who else I knew.  I stopped at a food vendor, saw some friends and talked for awhile ... shot on over to the library and saw some more people from the neighborhood there ... probably made about three or four other stops along the way ... and when I got back to my spot, he was still playing the same song!!!  And it's just not that good a song!  So I can TOTALLY relate to what you said there.
All of that being said, it was a BEAUTIFUL night for a concert ... perfect temperature ... a nice, cool night to be outside and, having ridden my bike, I escaped all of the traffic snafus you described in your review.  Sorry you ran into some rowdy and obnoxious fans ... why can't people just enjoy the night out and listen to the music?
As successful as these shows have been, I'm fully expecting Elk Grove to extend the concerts into August next year.  Why not?  Still great weather and each week the crowds got bigger due to good word of mouth.  The local merchants are making TONS of money off the concert-goers and it's almost turned into a mini-Ravinia ... without the expensive tickets.  All these acts -- Pat Benatar, America, Kenny Loggins, Survivor -- for FREE! You're going to draw some pretty big crowds this way!
-- Jim
From our seats you couldn't even make your way to the food vendors (so I ended up not eating that night.)  Was able to make one trip to the porta-potty but even at that had to literally climb over people to do so.  For the safety of ALL concert-goers, Elk Grove REALLY needs to rethink the structure of these shows.  Like I said, one major incident will shut this down and ruin a really good thing for everybody.  And don't get me wrong ... for the most part, the crowd was very well-behaved and attentive.  We just seem to always end up sitting next to assholes who aren't there to do much more than try and throw their weight around ... almost like you're invading their turf. (People were already setting up chairs and tarps at 8:00 in the morning for a show that didn't kick off until 7:30 pm!)
I've heard some really good reviews of the show ... and saw several postings from folks who really loved Kenny's new material with Blue Sky Riders.  I thought it was OK, too ... but NOT the kind of material that's going to put him back on the radio.  But several folks there bought copies of their first CD.  I just was completely turned off by the whole Kickstarter thing ... I think it's really abusing your fan base when a major artist does this.
Anxious to see who they book next year ... Elk Grove always seems to get the big acts.  I just hope the village figures out a game plan for better crowd control.  If not, I doubt that we'll go to very many more of these shows.  (kk)

Speaking of cool shows, Al Jardine and the Endless Summer Band are doing something truly interesting and unique on August 9th, performing at something billed as Aquapalooza.  The stage is actually set up in the harbor ... and the audience watches the show from their boats!  (Obviously a very elite audience!!!)  Our FH Buddy Billy Hinsche is the musical director ... I asked him if he could get us passes aboard The Beach Boys Yacht so that we could see the show, too!
Honestly, this sounds like a blast.  If you're in a position to participate in something like this, check out this website link below.  (And if any of you DO go, please send us a full report!)

And, speaking of The Beach Boys ...

Beach Boys fanzine "Endless Summer Quarterly" offers up a special 50th Anniversary celebration of the boys' 1964 release "Shut Down, Volume 2".  Here's a sneak peek (and subscription information):  Click here: The Beach Boys magazine celebrates 50th anniversary of Shut Down Vol. 2 - National Beach Boys | Examiner.com   

Hi Kent -
Thank you SO MUCH for the information on "Night Theme"!
Ray Peterson, from the record,  spelled his name that way ... I don't know if Ray from "Tell Laura I Love Her" fame spelled his Petersen??? Both records came out in the early sixties, too.
It will remain a "MYSTERY" unless one of your readers comes up with something!
You did a GREAT job checking it out ... but, well, you are the MASTER!
Carolyn
PS  I recently saw "Jersey Boys" and I give it thumbs up!! Clint Eastwood did a fine job, in my opinion. All the actors played their parts very well.

 
American Pop Rock Legend Tommy Roe will headline this year's International Beatle Week at the Cavern in Liverpool on August 266, 2014.
Roe has charted 23 singles in Billboard with 11 Top 40, 6 Top 10, Four Gold and Two International #1 Hits.
DIZZY -- SHEILA -- EVERYBODY -- SWEET PEA -- HOORAY FOR HAZEL -- JAM UP AND JELLY TIGHT -- THE FOLK SINGER -- CAROL -- HEATHER HONEY -- STAGGER LEE -- and more
Tommy Roe wrote and recorded more Top 10 songs than any other American solo artist during the '60's.
In 1963, The Beatles opened for Roe in the famed UK Tour
In 1964, they asked Tommy to open for them at their first US concert at The Washington, DC Coliseum on February 11, 1964.
On February 11, 2014, Tommy headlined Yesterday And Today - The 50th Anniversary Concert of the Washington, DC show.
His latest album, Devil's Soul Pile, gained three stars in Mojo Magazine
More information - contact Rick Levy Management (904) 806 - 0817
Booking information - contact John Regna  (407) 993 - 4000

FH Reader Tom Cuddy tells us Little Steven is busy with a brand new project that should interest many of you ...   

Kent:
Little Steven has moved his focus from the Rascals to Darlene Love.  
- Tom Cuddy    

I had a terrific time on Saturday, July 26th, at Ives Concert Park in Danbury, CT, hosting The Fab4 Music Festival, the first of a two day event honoring the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' arrival in the U.S.A.  (Ken Michaels of "Every Little Thing" fame" hosted the second day).  The mayor of Danbury even issued a proclamation declaring July 26th and 27th "Beatles Weekend" in his fair city -- partially because the sprawling event, now in its third annual incarnation, was also dubbed "Danbury Fields Forever."  Onstage I got to present ten different bands, solo singers or instrumentalists, all of whom specialized in Beatles and Beatles-related music.   It was a beautiful day -- one of those picture-perfect afternoons to both relive and create lifelong memories -- and a great time was had by all.      
"Age" was a track on Jim Croce's failed debut album for Capitol in 1969.  After that LP bombed, Jim pretty much gave up music and tried a new career as a truck driver -- but couldn't escape thinking up new songs like "Operator" and "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown."  He finally put down four new tracks on a demo tape and submitted it to ABC Records -- which rejected it!  He then submitted the same tape a second time and in that case it was accepted -- setting the stage for Croce's brilliant yet all-to-short rocket ride through the hit-making heavens.  Remarkably, Jim Croce scored more hits AFTER his death in a 1973 plane crash (6) than he had before (4)!  As I recall, "Age" was the only track on Jim's Capitol album that his wife, the still charming Ingrid, did not also sing on -- making it the closest to the solo sound of his later hit material on that debut disc.  There came a point over the 20 years in which I programmed and annotated CD box sets for Reader's Digest in which I wanted to include a Croce track but none of his ABC masters were available for licensing -- due to ongoing legal wrangling over the rights.  As those court battles did not include his earlier Capitol material, I dug out a copy of Jim's first album -- actually a budget line early '70s reissue of the LP released to cash in on Jim's newfound fame -- and selected "Age" from it, licensing the recording from Capitol.   It's a pretty good track and the one on that early album which most resembles Jim Croce's later work for ABC. 
Gary Theroux

Speaking of aligning of the planets ...
I just got home from attending The Happy Together Tour in Webster, MA, and your blog is all about ... The Happy Together Tour!
I was going to send you my thoughts but maybe I should wait until you see it?  I sat under an umbrella keeping dry in a torrential rain waving at Mark Volman giving me the 'What ya gonna do?' sign with a river running between us down the paved walkway.  Just 20 minutes before showtime:  the rain stops, the sun comes out, the seating fills up and ... (to be continued another day)
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
By all means, send it. (Wish I'd had it sooner ... I could have tied it into our little back-to-back feature on the tour!)  We'll see the Chicago-area stop on August 23rd at The Paramount Theatre in Aurora, IL ... fourth year in a row for us (so nothing you'll say will spoil anything!  lol) I'm actually working on interviews right now with Mark Volman and Mark Farner which I'm hoping to have wrapped up before the show hits town ... so stay tuned for that!  Thanks, Shelley!  (kk)

The guy that was singing "Mac Arthur Park" left out "I will drink the wine while it is warm and never let you catch me looking at the sun and after all the loves of my life, after all the loves of my life, you'll still be the one. I will take my life into my hands and I will use it, I will win the worship your eyes and I will lose it, AND THEN "I will have the things that I desire and let my passions flow like rivers through the sky", etc. He left out most of what I always felt was the redeeming part of the song. I have this song by Richard Harris on my ipod. I think I appreciate much more now that I am older.
Stacee

Hi Kent:  
At the time, I, too, despised Mac Arthur Park by Richard Harris. I listened to it on the Lettermen You Tube clip. I’m telling you, it sounded interesting to me. Melodic, Symphonic, Orchestral, with a little Punch as well. When is the last time we had songs with those ingredients? Most of these modern Glop hits don’t have anything Melodic, Symphonic, Orchestral, etc.  It always amazes how Good and Fresh 60’s songs sound to me after hearing modern drivel.   
Ken  

Hi Kent,
In Sunday's comments, Mr. Kelly Izaj was inquiring about an Internet Radio station that programmed British rock and pop.  Tell him to try www.oldiesproject.com
When he hears his first Radio London jingle, he'll know he's found a new home.
I love everything you do.  
Keep up the great work, Kent.
Bill in Ft. Worth
Thanks, Bill ... happy to pass this link along.  (kk)

>>>The voice for the airport announcer on the Rose Garden hit "Next Plane To London" is me on the front and middle of the song and there's a whole story that goes with it about how the reverb was broken in the studio at Nashville West next to KHJ on Melrose in Hollywood -- and I hung a Telefunken mic in the men's room to get the echo.  It was recorded on an Ampex 4- track by Engineer Charlie Underwood.   Originally the voice was supposed to be that of Sam Riddle, a KHJ Boss Jock who is also the TV host of the show called 9th St., West, later when I'm to put a show together called Star Search. We have been best friends for years working K rock together in the beginning. 
(Don Elliot)
Kent,
Even though Diana DeRose has been pretty much incognito for the last 45+ years, original Rose Garden lead guitarist John Noreen plays with local oldies band Boomerang here in Nashville. He is a superb guitarist, and the band does a great, accurate cover of "Next Plane to London." The gate announcements are done by band leader Frank Feinstein, who won't mind me saying he can't quite reproduce the sound of Don Elliot's voice echoing in the bathroom.
David Lewis
I've looked everywhere for our original piece on this song and FINALLY found it!  (Pretty cool that we came to the same conclusion nearly ten years ago!  lol)  kk
'60's FLASHBACK:
According to an on-air announcement that one of our readers heard on XM60's (who then played the song "Next Plane To London" by Rose Garden) ...
>>>that voice belongs to none other than STEVE MARTIN
Holy crap! I never made that connection before either ... then again I've always hated this song (it took me dozens of listens to determine whether the lead singer was a male or female regardless that the lyrics are sung from a female's standpoint!)        tomd
DIANA DiROSE was the lead singer (hence the name, THE ROSE GARDEN) ... and this is one of those FORGOTTEN HIT gems ... you hear it so rarely that it ALWAYS sounds good when it comes on the radio.  (kk)
UPDATE:  Tom and I no sooner had this exchange than he sent me THIS ... after doing a little research of his own ...
"Still, nothing they were doing looked very promising until Greene & Stone’s promotion man, Pat Pipolo, put them in touch with his cousin, a songwriter named Kenny Gist, Jr., who happened to be working on something new and quirky that bore no resemblance to a sunshine pop song. “That’s how we got [Gist’s] “Next Plane to London,” says Noreen. They went into Nashville West Studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood and recorded the song on such short notice that Noreen was unable to come up with a good guitar solo. Either Greene or Stone solved the problem with an on-the-spot decision that gave the song its most unique element: an “airport voice” announcing the plane’s departure at Gate 5. “Don Elliot was the program director for KBLA, which was near the studio,” Noreen says. “So someone called him to do [the voice]. We were not real thrilled with this, but G&S wanted it to stay, so it stayed. By the time I had a guitar part ready it was too late.” The moment Greene & Stone got their hands on a test pressing of “Next Plane to London,” they took it directly to Elliot - and the single instantly went on the air."
This all looks pretty legit to me ... which makes the XM60s guy wrong big-time ... but I'll tell you what ... it sure does SOUND like STEVE MARTIN, doesn't it?!?!?  (Especially once you get that idea in your head!)  kk

Hi Kent,
Speaking of Julie Budd, here is one of her songs that I have been listening to for several years. I like it! By the way, the intro reminds me of the 4 Seasons.
Mike Hartman
I hear that!  (Actually, The Happenings did their best to sound like The Four Seasons, too, so I guess it's really not all that clever an idea!  lol)  But it IS a very nice arrangement of a '60's standard ... and definitely worth a listen.  Thanks, Mike!  (kk)

Hi Kent, 
I've seen your mentioning that you were looking forward to the James Brown Biopic this summer.  Just read this article this morning and thought I'd send it along for you and the rest of the Forgotten Hits folk.  It sounds like it could be a good one. 
http://tinyurl.com/o9c2xl6
Bill
While I was never a James Brown fan, I have to admit that I cannot wait to see this movie ... it looks EXTREMELY well done ... and there's a hell of a story to tell.  It seems like forever since we first ran the trailer clip ... and now the release date is already here.  (It opens this weekend)  My guess is this one will put "Jersey Boys" to shame.  And this is a GREAT article so please check it out.  Thanks, Bill!  (kk)


Our FH Buddy Tony Hatch got the spotlight treatment recently with a "Life In Song" celebration.  FH Reader Clark Besch sent this clip along to Tony and I ... and you'll see several others available for viewing via the same link ...   
Tony and Kent,
It looks like someone was nice enough to post the video for your celebration on July 5th with Petula.  Here's "Downtown" ... and I assume Tony that you are in the white dress coat.  Looks like it must have been a quite wonderful night.  Do you have a set list of what was played that night? 
Thanks again for all the great music over the years.  Now, if I could only hear a Montanas / Tony Hatch reunion!! 
WLSClark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p9l2puyNe8#t=12
At my request, Tony sent a list of the songs played that night. 
They started with an overture medley of "I Know a Place" / "Don't Sleep in the Subway" / "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love"/"Other Man's Grass is Always Greener" / "Call Me" / "Joanna Neighbors" / "Sugar & Spice" / "Downtown".
Various singers took stage for vocals on his hits "Look For a Star" / "Forget Him" / "Where Are You Now?" (Song by then wife Jackie Trent) / "I Know a Place" / "Call Me".
Then, a medley of songs in which Tony conducted the orchestra.  Then, songs from musicals and a chat with Petula, followed by some of her songs sung by others ... then another chat with Pet and she herself sang "The Rainbow", "Don't Sleep in the Subway" and a finale with all involved of "Downtown".
Tony had chats throughout as well.  Sounds like it must have been a great night.  If only "You've Got To Be Loved" would have been used!
Here's a year old conversation on Downtown with Pet and Tony.  It has great commentary on the songs that were so much fun to hear in the 60's from these two. 
Clark
Sounds like a GREAT show.  I wonder if anybody filmed this for some type of future broadcast ... or if more clips will start to show up on YouTube.  Thanks Clark (and Tony)!!!  kk


THE BRITISH ARE COMING (AGAIN)! 
ABKCO’S CLEARLY CLASSIC SERIES ADDS THE BEST OF THE ANIMALS + 
HERMAN’S HERMITS: THEIR GREATEST HITS --
CLEAR VINYL LPS OUT AUGUST 12
In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the British Invasion, ABKCO Records will release clear vinyl editions of The Best of The Animals and Herman’s Hermits’ Their Greatest Hits on August 12. These titles are the newest additions to ABKCO’s Clearly Classic series, which saw the release of six clear vinyl Rolling Stones titles over the last few years.  Both releases are pressed on 180 gram vinyl with original art. Lacquers were cut by Carl Rowatti at Trutone Mastering from high resolution audio sources mastered at Gateway Mastering.   
Herman’s Hermits, hailing from Manchester, were among the British Invasion’s freshest faces.  The group, led by heartthrob vocalist Peter Noone, introduced a unique blend of infectious pop and traditional English music hall to the world in 1964, when “I’m Into Something Good” shot straight to No. 1 in the UK and pierced the top 20 in the U.S. The following year, Grammy-nominated “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” and “I’m Henry VIII, I Am” became No. 1 hits in the U.S., and the Hermits edged out The Beatles to become the top selling pop act in the nation in 1965. Their Greatest Hits covers the period of mid-1964 to early 1967, and features other top 5 singles like “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat,” “(What A) Wonderful World,” written and originally recorded by Sam Cooke, and “Dandy,” which was a bigger hit for the Hermits than fellow invaders The Kinks. The legendary Mickie Most produced all of the tracks on Their Greatest Hits.   
“I am really excited,” Peter Noone commented, “that my group Herman’s Hermits are now part of ABKCO’s Clearly Classic series with the release of the original recordings of our greatest hits on high quality, clear vinyl. I know our fans will appreciate hearing our music the way it was when we recorded it.”   
Fronted by charismatic lead singer Eric Burdon, The Animals exploded onto the world stage in 1964 with their transatlantic No. 1 hit “House of the Rising Sun.” Straddling the line between hard-edged blues and Brill Building pop, the group from Newcastle enjoyed a swath of top 20 singles under the guidance of producer Mickie Most, including “I’m Crying,” “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” and “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place.” Recorded entirely within a scant 20-month period ending in September of 1965, The Best of The Animals includes all the aforementioned hits as well as timeless gems such as “It’s My Life,” and “Animalized”, renditions of Chuck Berry’s “Around And Around” and Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me.”  All of The Best of The Animals tracks were also produced by Mickie Most.   
“For me the release of The Best of The Animals on vinyl is a journey back to a working world that doesn’t exist anymore,” said Eric Burdon, who is ecstatic about the upcoming release. “This is the way that all of those songs were originally intended to be heard. I am happy to see more and more young people discover the joy of putting on a record – and the elders rediscovering the thrill of the needle setting down into those grooves.” Burdon then vividly described the organic nature of the recording process in the 60s. “The Animals were a live, living band, coming off of the road and completing an album in two days and then going back on the road again. The moment was captured on quarter inch tape and now it’s returned to you in its original form, 50 years later. Enjoy the trip down memory lane!”

The Animals – The Best of The Animals 
Side 1
House Of The Rising Sun
I’m Crying
Baby Let Me Take You Home
Around And Around
Talkin’ Bout You
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
Boom Boom
Dimples
Side 2
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
I’m In Love Again
Bury My Body
Gonna Send You Back To Walker
Story Of Bo Diddley
It’s My Life
Bring It On Home To Me
All tracks produced by Mickie Most, 1964-1965
The Best of The Animals was originally released in 1987
Mastered by Adam Ayan, Gateway Mastering
Lacquer cutting by Carl Rowatti, Trutone Mastering 
Pre-Order The Best Of The Animals: http://smarturl.it/BestOfAnimalsLP

Herman’s Hermits – Their Greatest Hits 
Side 1
Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter
No Milk Today
End Of The World
This Door Swings Both Ways
Just A Little Bit Better
I’m Henry The VIII, I Am
There’s A Kind Of Hush
Silhouettes 
Side 2
I’m Into Something Good
Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat
Dandy
(What A) Wonderful World
Hold On
Listen People
Leaning On A Lamp Post
A Must To Avoid
 All tracks produced by Mickie Most, 1964-1966
Their Greatest Hits was originally released in 1987
Mastered by Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering
Lacquer cutting by Carl Rowatti, Trutone Mastering
Pre-Order Their Greatest Hits: http://smarturl.it/HermitsGreatestLP

Other ABKCO Clearly Classic series releases:
-       Rolling Stones – Hot Rocks 1964-1971
-       Rolling Stones – Beggars Banquet
-       Rolling Stones – Let It Bleed
-       Rolling Stones – 12 x 5
-       Rolling Stones – Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!
-       Rolling Stones – Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)
ABOUT ABKCO -  ABKCO Music & Records, founded over 50 years ago by Allen Klein, is one of the world’s leading independent entertainment companies.  It is home to iconic catalog assets that include compositions and recordings by Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Womack, Eric Burdon, The Animals, Herman’s Hermits, Marianne Faithfull, The Kinks as well as the Cameo Parkway masters by such artists as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Clint Eastwood, The Orlons, The Dovells, ? & The Mysterians, Charlie Gracie, The Tymes and Dee Dee Sharp. Soundtrack releases include Edgar Wright’s The World’s End and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2013 Academy Award®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom, the 2010 Academy Award®-nominated Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The Darjeeling Limited, Independent Spirit Award® Winner Safety Not Guaranteed, the international blockbuster Fast Five, Boardwalk Empire Volume 2: Music from the HBO® Original Series, the soundtrack to the first season of the hit Showtime® series Californication and through ABKCO Records Little World imprint, American Girl:Isabelle Dances into the Spotlight. ABKCO is active on many fronts including the release of critically lauded compilations and reissues from its catalog, film and commercial placement of its master recordings and music publishing properties in all media. ABKCO Films most recent release is Alejandro Jodorowsky’s The Dance of Reality. The renowned cult director’s classics El Topo and The Holy Mountain, fully restored and remastered to HD, were shown at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival (Classics section) and at the prestigious 44th New York Film Festival. Other releases include the 2014 GRAMMY Award®-winning The Rolling Stones Charlie is my Darling – Ireland 1965. In 2003 ABKCO won a GRAMMY® for the DVD release of Sam Cooke – Legend and the following year released the DVD of The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus to universal acclaim. Upcoming releases include a restoration of the Spaghetti Western Blindman starring Ringo Starr.  ABKCO Films is in pre-production on a biopic on the life of Sam Cooke.
Wow!  This one came as a bit of a shocker to me!  Honestly, I'm a bit surprised to see Peter Noone supporting ANYTHING that ABKCO is doing!  (He's certainly aired his views publicly about his distaste for all things Allen B. Klein-related over the years, including in these pages many times over.)  Then again with vinyl making a big comeback right now, maybe this is one of those "good for all parties concerned" deals ... so if you're into the idea of upgrading your record collection, be sure to check out the pre-order links above.  (kk)
 
 
Joel Whitburn's latest, "Top Pop Playlists, 1970 - 1984" is now available for pre-order.  (In fact, click on the link below and take advantage of a pre-order discount of $5 per book!)
This is the sequel to his 1955 - 1969 book released just a few months back ... a full-color month-by-month recap of the biggest songs in America according to the Billboard Charts.  You'll find some great programming ideas between these covers, including lots of "Forgotten Hits" that were very big at each point and time but have fallen off the airplay radar! (kk)


Kent ...
You're one helluva guy ... a 24 karat gold pro!
Chet Coppock
Thank you, Daniel-son ... you pretty OK too.  (kk)
Posted by at

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Kenny Loggins

I've been to a LOT of concerts over the years ... good ones ... bad ones ... incredible shows that literally took your breath away ... and some that left you feeling a bit disappointed (and perhaps even losing some affection for a particular artist you previously held in high regard.)  

 But amongst all of those mixed emotions, the one adjective I've never felt before was ... bored.  Yet last night, at the Kenny Loggins show in Elk Grove Village, I can't think of a single, more descriptive adjective to use.  

It's not that Kenny was bad ... quite the contrary ... he sang all the hits you'd want to hear and sounded good enough performing them ... he just never grabbed me.  (I should immediately point out that this was NOT the case with the greatest majority of the audience, most of whom seemed to be having the time of their lives out there on what turned out to be the most PERFECT night to sit outside and listen to music, despite threats of rain all day long.)

 He just never grabbed ME.  I don't know how else to put it.  I found the whole thing rather low-key and a bit lack-luster, almost like Kenny was just cranking out what he had to in order to fill his hour.  And that in itself was one of the things that annoyed me the most ... he played EXACTLY one hour and then left the stage.  It was SO contrived and calculated ... ALL of the big hits had been saved for last ... surely nobody else who has ever performed at one of these Elk Grove Village Mid-Summer Night Concert Series Shows has ever done a set this short ... so there was never any question that he'd come back to do an encore of all the songs everybody out there really came to see ... it was truly a pointless, aggravating and calculated moved ... and held absolutely ZERO surprise factor. (Was he really NOT going to do "Footloose"?  "Danger Zone"?  "Your Mama Don't Dance"?  I don't think so.)

 And here's another thing that annoys me more and more as I get older ... WHEN are these artists going to realize that we didn't come here to hear thousands of Elk Grove Village music fans sing "House At Pooh Corner" and "Danny's Song" ... we came here to hear YOU sing it.  All these artists who constantly turn the mic toward the audience to have them sing lose me immediately the moment they do this.  And SO many of them do this ... repeatedly ... that there's no longer anything the least bit unique about doing it!

 Taking it an annoying step further, Kenny even split the audience into "now the girls sing this part and the boys sing this part" on what ended up being about a fourteen minute version of "Celebrate Me Home".  It just wouldn't end!!! I can honestly state, without ANY fear of future contradiction on my part ... that I don't EVER have to hear that song again in my lifetime ... and may even die a happier man should this be the case.  Talk about milking it ... AND wasting fourteen minutes of your sixty minute set!  That's a quarter of the show spent on one song ... and not even one of your best!

 Another batch of time was wasted with Kenny promoting his "new band" Blue Sky Riders, sort of a country-trio that also includes songwriter Gary Burr and singer Georgia Middleman, sharing the spotlight for three straight songs that nobody knew.  Again, not that they were bad songs or weak performances ... they just never grabbed me ... or made me feel like Kenny would soon be on the comeback trail with this new musical venture.

 Worse yet was his plea for Kickstarter funds to allow them to record their next album.  Come on, Kenny ... you've written DOZENS and DOZENS of hit songs and, per your introduction, Gary Burr has written 14 #1 Hits and about 30 other Top 40 singles ... do you guys really need the fans' money to go in and cut a new album to launch your latest musical venture???  If you're so sure of this new direction, put your OWN money behind it and get it out there for people to hear.

 I believe Kickstarter has already outlived its purpose and is now being abused on a regular basis.  The whole concept behind this organization was to potentially give a break to a new, upcoming artist to launch a project that otherwise might never have gotten off the ground, no matter HOW good it was, because they simply didn't have the necessary funding to help get it to the public ... talented new upstarts getting that one big break for a shot at the big time.  Now it seems that there isn't a week that goes by where some MAJOR artist with a 40+ year career isn't trying to take advantage of their public by getting them to front the bill for a new project ... and it REALLY annoys me.

 Fact is, nobody buys CD's anymore.  Remember a few years back when N*Sync sold something like two and a half million copies of their brand new CD the first week?  Last week Weird Al topped the charts with sales of about 65,000 ... and THAT's considered high by today's standards.  Put the music out there if you believe in it ... even if it's one track at a time ... and if we like it, we'll shell out the $15 to buy it ... but don't ask us to kick in $85,000 in advance so you can go record the damn thing!!!

 Kenny performed with a stripped down band consisting of only three support players (shy of the Blue Sky Riders mini-set) which probably accounted for some of the lack-luster feel of the concert ... it's tough to reach highs and lows with that little musical and vocal support.  Honestly, until he hit the encore (which, by now was 75 minutes into the concert), I found very little to cheer or get excited about.  But the back-to-back readings of "Danger Zone" and "Footloose", two of Kenny's biggest movie hits, had the whole crowd up on their feet at last ... and he did them justice.  (I'm afraid I can't say the same for my personal favorite Kenny Loggins tune, "I'm All-Right" from "Caddyshack" ... kicked off as sort of a Louisiana stomp / bayou rendition, it just never jelled, again primarily because there just wasn't enough musical and vocal support behind it to pull of this complicated piece of work, my favorite simply because it IS so vocally challenging.)

 Kenny's show wrapped up a VERY successful series in Elk Grove this year ... record crowds turned out each week and last night was no exception.  (I waited about 50 minutes just to buy a sub sandwich before the show ... lines were out the door at all of the neighboring food venues.)  Organization needs to be better if these are the types of crowds Elk Grove can expect in the future.  (It took another 45 minutes just to get out of the parking lot!)

And the concert venue itself was an absolute mess ... there were literally chairs on top of each other, people were so crammed into the allowable space.  They need to clear aisles so people can navigate their way through the complex.  I overheard policemen talking about how if anything were to happen last night, they couldn't even get an ambulance in to tend to the issue ... and that's just wrong (not to mention incredibly unsafe.)

 And, naturally, (as ALWAYS seems to be the case at these Elk Grove shows) we had the usual crowd of belligerent concert goers surrounding us ... these folks seem to be a main-stay at the Elk Grove shows for some reason ... I don't know why ... people just want to come out and listen to some music and have a good time ... yet there seems to be a select percentage of the audience who will only be satisfied if they can turn the evening into something confrontational.  Worse yet, we saw more than a few dozen people who had WAY too much to drink and would soon be trying to drive themselves home.  For the safety of all concert attendees, Elk Grove REALLY needs to crack down on these issues for 2015.  They've got a GREAT thing going here and are drawing HUGE crowds out to these shows ... but one serious, mismanaged incident will end it all ... please rethink this arrangement in the future!


Posted by at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)