February 25th

On a program that features Van Johnson, Liza Minnelli (performing "Cabaret") and Mickey Rooney, it's kind of a shocker to find The Hollywood Palace running the two new Beatles promotional clips for "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever"!!!

Speaking of The Beatles, George Harrison celebrates his 24th birthday today. 

Here in Chicago, Tommy James and the Shondells take over the top spot on both the WLS and the WCFL weekly surveys.

*****

Tommy James tells this story of hearing "I Think We're Alone Now" for the very first time. 

He and the Shondells had just gotten back from a show in Bemuda and was at a meeting in Henry Glover's office at Roulette Records.  Also there were songwriters Ritchie Cordell and Bo Gentry.

Bo sat down at the piano - Ritchie grabbed my arm and said "Listen to this.  We've been working all night."  Bo played single notes on the bass keys, an octave apart, while Ritchie sang:  "Children behave ... that's what they say when we're together". And then he played me a hook that blew me away ... "I think we're alone now ... there doesn't seem to be anyone around."

No matter how badly Bo played the piano, no matter how off-key Ritchie sang, this was a smash.  They played it again and again and I liked it more every time.

"You guys wait here," I said and I ran into Morris Levy's office.  He was on the phone but he hung up and waved me right in.  "So what's up, kid? You got the next single?"  I said "Ritchie and his new partner just played me a fucking number-one record."  

Ritchie booked time at Allegro Studios in the basement of 1650 Broadway.  First we raised the key from G to A and then started toying with the arrangement. Ritchie and Bo originally wrote the song as a mid-tempo ballad.  I said no way and started speeding it up.

I began playing the staccato eighth notes on the bass strings, Bo began pounding out quarter-notes on the piano, Ritchie grabbed some drumsticks and did the best he could.  I then put on a nasally, almost juvenile-sounding lead vocal and, without realizing it, we invented "bubblegum" music.

"I Think We're Alone Now" was released the first week of January, 1967.  Radio loved it and it exploded.  Within two weeks, we had virtually every major station in the country playing the record.  It climbed the charts steadily through February, March and April in jumps of eight to ten points a week.  It ensured we would keep our bullet in the trade papers which, in turn, kept radio playing the record which, in turn, kept the record selling.
-- Tommy James

February 24th

This week's hot shot debuts include "Strawberry Fields Forever" by The Beatles, premiering at #49 and, for the time being anyway, ahead of "Penny Lane", which sits at #62.

Also new on the chart this week is "Dedicated To The One I Love" by The Mamas and the Papas, which premiers at #55 and still to this day remains one of my favorite recordings of all time.  

"The 59th Street Bridge Song" by Harpers Bizarre (another timeless classic), is new at #75, "The Return Of The Red Baron" by The Royal Guardsmen, the obvious follow-up to their previous #2 Snoopy Hit, debuts at #82 and "Jimmy Mack" by Martha and the Vandellas", one of those great Motown hits that you will NEVER get out of your head, comes in at #86.  

Paul McCartney records his lead vocal for "Lovely Rita" at today's EMI Session for the upcoming "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album.  

The Bee Gees sign a five year manger's contract with Robert Stigwood  

In an ABC Television Special titled "The Songmakers", profiles of popular artists of the day are featured via interviews, rehearsals, recording sessions and live performances on stage.  The All-Star Line-Up includes The Mamas and the Papas ("Boys And Girls"), Simon and Garfunkel ("The 59th Street Bridge Song"), Dionne Warwick ("I Say A Little Prayer"), Smokey Robinson and the Miracles ("Mickey's Monkey"), Judy Collins, The Byrds (who, with Judy, perform "Turn Turn Turn"), Burt Bacharach, Hal David, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Henry Mancini and others.  (Be cool to see THAT one again!)  

The Supremes begin recording "The Happening" at Motown Records in Detroit.  The Motown "house band", The Funk Brothers, are joined by Wrecking Crew Drummer Hal Blaine for this session.

February 23rd

The Monkees' television series is renewed for a second season.  

That afternoon they re-record "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" ... this time with Micky handling the lead vocal.  (It will wind up as the B-Side of their next single.) 

Elvis Presley records the title track to his 25th motion picture, "Clambake".  (Wow ... Elvis thought the music for this movie was weak?!?!  Wonder what ever gave him THAT idea?!?!)

Across the pond, The Beatles record the basic tracks to "Lovely Rita" for their new Sgt. Pepper album.  (They will finish this up on March 21st.)

The 25th Amendment to The Constitution is enacted.   

It states:  

Section 1:  In the case of the removal of the President from office or his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President  

Section 2:  Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall  nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.  

Section 3:  Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the power and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.  

Section 4:  Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.  

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.  Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session.  If the Congress within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.  

The Fifth Dimension perform three songs on "Where The Action Is" this afternoon:  "Go Where You Wanna Go", "The Hard Times" and "Fortune Teller".  Dick and DeeDee are also on hand to sing "All Strung Out".

February 22nd

The Beatles overdub the famous last chord to "A Day In The Life", perhaps the most famous final chord in music history.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and assistant Mal Evans, sitting at three different pianos, simultaneously struck an E-Major chord.  (In all, it took nine takes before all four struck the chord in perfect unison.)  Producer George Martin then overdubbed the same chord on a harmonium to extend the effect.   

The entire chord recording (lasting 53 seconds) was then overdubbed three times (thus tripling it to NINE pianos!) and attached to the end of the song.  The length of the fadeout was extended even further by gradually bringing up the volume control in the studio.  (Listen closely at high volume and you'll hear rustling papers and a creaking piano stool)  

Can you imagine what the playback of this must have felt like that night?  (One who would know would be David Crosby of The Byrds … he just happened to be visiting in the studio that evening!)  

Buffalo Springfield perform "For What It's Worth" on "Where The Action Is".

February 21st

Big movers outside The Top 40 include "Happy Together" by The Turtles (#44, up from #65), "Ups And Downs" by Paul Revere and the Raiders (#56, up from #74), "No Milk Today" by Herman's Hermits, up twenty spots from #80 to #60, "The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage", also taking a twenty point leap from #87 to #67 for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" by Sam and Dave, which climbs 22 places from #100 to #78.  

Ford recalls 217,000 vehicles to check for faulty brakes and steering.  

The Beatles finish "Fixing A Hole",  a track they started on the 9th of February.  (Monkee Micky Dolenz is present for the session.)  

? and the Mysterians are back on "Where The Action Is" performing "96 Tears" as is Jimmy Castor, doing his latest hit "Hey Leroy, Your Mama's Calling You".  

Elvis was scheduled to begin filming his new motion picture "Clambake" today but has been so preoccupied with his ranch and horse collection of late, The Colonel arranges for Elvis to begin recording the soundtrack music in Nashville instead.  (He arrives by Lear Jet for these sessions!)  Elvis found the movie music to be typically weak but will continue to work on these recordings over the next three days.  

Of greater interest to him is waxing a version of "You Don't Know Me", for which he records 21 takes at a session that runs from 5:30 PM until 6:00 am the following morning.

February 20th

Kurt Cobain of Nirvana fame is born.  This won't mean ANYTHING to anybody for another 24 years.  

Elvis Presley's "How Great Thou Art" album is released.  It will go on to become Elvis' very first Grammy-winning record when it wins the 1967 Award for Best Sacred Performance.  

In the "Captain Crocodile" episode of The Monkees, the boys perform "Valleri".  The song would not officially be released by the group for a year … but deejays around the country tape this performance from the television broadcast and it quickly becomes the most requested song on the radio, outpacing the tracks on their brand new LP.  Monkemania is in full swing!  

Read the "Behind The Scenes" story of the song "Valleri" here …  (Chapter 6) …   

http://forgottenhits.com/the_music_of_tommy_boyce_and_bobby_hart

February 19th

The Rolling Stones knock The Buckinghams out of the #1 spot after only one week as "Ruby Tuesday" climbs to the top of this week's Super Chart.  "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone" seems poised to overtake it as it continues its climb in The Top Ten, this week moving from #5 to #3.  "Gimme Some Lovin'" by The Spencer Davis Group and "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" by The Casinos finally reach The Top Ten this week as well, climbing from #12 to #7 and #13 to #9 respectively.  

Johnny Rivers continues his climb up the chart, moving from #30 to #15 with his version of "Baby, I Need Your Lovin'", as does Ed Ames with his new hit "My Cup Runneth Over", up from #28 to #20.  

The Buffalo Springfield crack The Top 40 for the first time with their '60's anthem "For What It's Worth", climbing from #45 to #28 this week.  "Darling Be Home Soon" by The Lovin' Spoonful make an impressive move from #56 to #32, as does Herman's Hermits, leaping from #51 to #33 with "There's A Kind of Hush".  

"More Of The Monkees" tops the album chart for the third week in a row.  

The Four Tops perform a hits medley on The Ed Sullivan Show including "Reach Out, I'll Be There", "I Can't Help Myself", "Bernadette" and "Climb Every Mountain".  Pat Boone is also in the line-up tonight, performing a soliloquy from "Carousel".  

Number One at the Box Office:  Hurry Sundown

February 18th

Tickets to The Monkees' April 2nd appearance at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens sell out in less than four hours as fans wait in sub-zero degree weather to snatch up their seats.  

"Kind of a Drag," the first national hit single by the Buckinghams, knocked the Monkees' "I'm a Believer" from the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 18, 1967. For the Buckinghams chapter in "Where Have All the Pop Stars Gone? Volume 2"  (http://www.editpros.com/WHATPSG_Vol_2.html)
The band's current lead singer and original guitarist Carl Giammarese told authors Marti Smiley Childs and Jeff March, "We started rehearsing ["Kind of a Drag"] in my parents' basement. And I remember my mother coming down and saying, 'You know, guys, that's a great song. I really think it's got something. It's very catchy.' So we went into the Chess Studio over at 2120 South Michigan, and Carl Bonafede and Dan Belloc produced it." Released on the U.S.A. label, "Kind of a Drag" held on to the top spot for two consecutive weeks in Billboard Magazine before relinquishing it to the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday." The Buckinghams' tune remained on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart for 13 weeks.

"No Milk Today," the 15th chart single by the British group Herman's Hermits, made its debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 18, 1967. 

"No Milk Today" was written by Graham Gouldman, who also wrote the Hollies' hits "Bus Stop" and "Look Through Any Window"; the Yardbirds' hits "For Your Love" and "Heart Full of Soul"; and another Hermits tune, "East West." 

Gouldman eventually became a member of the band 10cc, for which he wrote "I'm Not in Love" and "The Things We Do For Love."  
On the MGM Records release in the United States "No Milk Today" was the flip side of "There's a Kind of Hush," while on the Columbia release in the United Kingdom, "No Milk Today" was the "A" side, with "My Reservation's Been Confirmed" on the "B" side. In the States, "No Milk Today" peaked at No. 35 and remained on the chart for 10 weeks.  
Lead singer Peter Noone, speaking to authors Marti Smiley Childs and Jeff March for the Hermits chapter in their book "Where Have All the Pop Stars Gone? Volume 1," (http://www.editpros.com/WHATPSG_Vol_1.html) said he has many fond memories of performing in the '60s. "The whole thing was actually quite a very good time. We were young guys, so everything was a new experience. We played in Hong Kong, Israel, America, the Philippines, France. Every day was a new experience," he said.   

New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison claims that he can prove the Kennedy assassination was a conspiracy planned down in New Orleans.  As a result of his investigation, New Orleans Businessman Clay Shaw was put on trial in 1969 … but acquitted of all charges within an hour of going to the jury.  Garrison's story was made into the Oliver Stone film JFK in 1991 with Kevin Costner in the Garrison role.  Garrison died of cancer in 1992, a year after the release of the film. 

DIDJAKNOW?:  When Garrison left office in 1978, he was defeated in the election by Harry Connick, Sr., father of popular entertainer (singer, musician, actor, American Idol Judge and talk show host) Harry Connick, Jr.

The Mojo Men and Jimmy Castor appear on American Bandstand.
 

February 17th

This week's biggest debuts include the new one from Paul Revere and the Raiders, "Ups And Downs", #74, "One More Mountain To Climb" by Ronnie Dove (#78), "No Milk Today" by Herman's Hermits (a Top Ten smash in The UK … but the B-Side to "There's A Kind Of Hush" here in The States) and "Morningtown Ride" by The Seekers, their follow-up to their #2 hit "Georgy Girl", premiering at #91 this week.  

"Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever", described as a "double A-side", is released by The Beatles.  It will top the charts in America a few weeks later.  (Thanks to "Release Me" by Engelbert Humperdinck, it did NOT reach #1 in the UK).  

"Where The Action Is" features The Palace Guard (featuring Emitt Rhodes) performing "London Bridge" along with P.J. Proby doing his hit "Niki Hoeky" and series regular Steve Alaimo performing "Birth Of The Blues".

February 16th

Outside The Top 40 … and showing moves of twenty spots or more this week … we've got "There's A Kind Of Hush" by Herman's Hermits (#77 to #51), "Darling Be Home Soon" by The Lovin' Spoonful (#80 to #56), "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tommy James and the Shondells (#84 to #60), "Happy Together" by The Turtles (up from #89 to #65), "The People In Me" by The Music Machine (#91 to #71) and "I Dig You Baby" by Jerry Butler (now sitting at #77 after last week's #97 showing)  

This week's episode of Star Trek, "Space Seed", introduces the character of Khan, played by actor Ricardo Montalban.  The character would be revived for one of the most popular Star Trek movies of the '80's, "The Wrath Of Khan".  (Actually,  I think this is the ONLY Star Trek movie I have ever seen!)  Montalban is back, along with Kirstie Alley, in the role she's probably most famous for (other than her stint on "Cheers".)  Spock dies at the end of the film, leading to yet ANOTHER film sequel, "The Search For Spock".  

Actor "Smiley" Burnette passes away from leukemia.  We knew Lester Alvin "Smiley" Burnette from television shows like "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres" but he was also well-known as a "cowboy sidekick" in films like "Saginaw Trail", "Back In The Saddle", "Billy The Kid Returns", "King Of The Cowboys" and countless others, dating back to the 1930's.      

The Seeds are back on "Where The Action Is" this afternoon, singing their hit "Pushin' Too Hard".  

Speaking of The Seeds, they top The WLS Silver Dollar Survey this week as The Monkees finally relinquish their hold on the top spot on the chart after seven weeks at #1.

WCFL is showing "Ruby Tuesday" as the #1 Record in town (for the second consecutive week).  Please note that big movers on the national chart like "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tommy James and the Shondells and "There's A Kind Of Hush" by Herman's Hermits are already Top Ten Hits here in Chicago!

February 15th

Tommy Roe appears on "Where The Action Is".  In an interview he did with Forgotten Hits last year, Tommy told us he was a semi-regular on the series.  Today he performs THREE of his biggest hits … "It's Now Winter's Day", "Hooray For Hazel" and "Sheila".  

It wasn't all fun and games back in 1967 … The War in Viet Nam was raging … and today thirteen US helicopters were shot down in one day.  

On the local scene there's a brand new band that'll soon be hitting the bars called "The Big Thing".  Featuring original rock and jazz arrangements augmented by a horn section, they will eventually change their name to The Chicago Transit Authority and then simply to "Chicago" and enjoy GREAT success (and … FINALLY, in 2016 … induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame) for decades to come.  They held their very first rehearsal in the basement of sax player Walt Parazaider on this date in 1967.  Also on board are fellow DePaul University students Terry Kath (guitar), Jimmy Pankow (trombone), Lee Loughnane (trumpet), Danny Seraphine (drums) and, from Roosevelt University, keyboardist Bobby Lamm.  Bassist Peter Cetera would be recruited to handle the high-end vocals and it was those original seven that cut their very first C.T.A. album a year later.  (Cetera had been with The Exceptions, which also included keyboardist Marty Grebb, soon to join The Buckinghams and drummer Billy Herman who, the following year, would join The New Colony Six.)

The success of Chicago surpassed ALL of the local heroes who filled our charts in the late '60's and early '70's ... and fifty years later they are still playing to sold out crowds all over the world (with four of the original "founding fathers" ... Loughnane, Pankow, Lamm and Parazaider ... still onboard.)

February 14th

Valentine's Day, 1967 finds Aretha Franklin in the recording studio in New York City waxing her future #1 (and signature) Hit "Respect".  

The Mojo Men are back on "Where The Action Is" this afternoon, performing "Sit Down, I Think I Love You".  Paul Revere and the Raiders also do their hits "Good Thing" and "Ups And Downs".  

Chad and Jeremy appear on The Red Skelton Show, performing "It Was A Very Good Year".  

Actor Sig Ruman (Stalag 17, A Night At The Opera, To Be Or Not To Be, The Fortune Cookie, A Day At The Races, White Chritmas, The Glenn Miller Story, The Errand Boy, Houdini, Ma And Pa Kettle On Vacation, Give My Regards To Broadway, and many many others) died of a heart attack.

February 13th

The Supremes appear (along with host Jimmy Durante and guest Jimmy Dean) on an NBC presentation of  "The Ice Follies".  They perform "Stop! In The Name Of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love".  

Tonight's episode of The Monkees finds The Pre-Fab Four working at the circus.  TV Guide reports "This episode marks a return to the Big Top for Monkee Micky Dolenz, once TV's 'Circus Boy.'"  The Monkees perform "She" and "Sometime In The Morning", two tracks from their brand new (and now #1) album.  

The Beatles begin work on George Harrison's "Only A Northern Song", which was intended to be his contribution to the new "Sgt. Pepper" album.  However these tapes are later shelved (in favor of the far more fitting "Within You Without You"), only to be resurrected nearly two years later for use in the "Yellow Submarine" soundtrack.

February 12th

After seven weeks, The Monkees are FINALLY knocked out of the #1 position on the singles chart by Chicago's very own Buckinghams as "Kind Of A Drag" climbs from #3 into the #1 spot.  (Incredibly the record doesn't hit #1 here at home ... The Bucks won't score their first local #1 Hit until the follow-up release, "Don't You Care", in spring.

"I'm A Believer" falls to #4, behind "Georgy Girl" by The Seekers at #2 and "Ruby Tuesday" by The Rolling Stones at #3.  

Two new songs crack The Top Ten for the very first time as "The Beat Goes On" by Sonny and Cher climbs from #14 to #9 and "Green, Green Grass Of Home" by Tom Jones inches up two places from #12 to #10.  

Other big movers within The Top 40 include "Sock It To Me Baby" by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, which climbs up 29 places from #49 to #20, "Epistle To Dippy" by Donovan, up from #45 to #22, "You Got To Me" by Neil Diamond", now sitting at #26 after last week's showing at #37, "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" by Johnny Rivers, up 29 spots from #59 to #30 and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" by The Marvelettes, which sits right behind it at #31, up from last week's #46 position.  

The Monkees continue to hold on to their berth atop the album chart, however, as "More Of The Monkees" spends its second week at #1.  

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Marianne Faithfull are busted for possession of drugs in London at the home of Keith Richards.  Rumors that this was a direct retaliation to a defamation of character Mick Jagger had filed the week before pertaining to an article run in the British Tabloid "News Of The World" quickly circulated … but with such rampant drug use going on amongst musicians at the time, there was now a heightened awareness (and incentive) to bust a pop star.  Rumor has it that George and Patti Harrison had been visiting this same flat earlier that day and that the bust was timed to happen after their leaving so as not to have to arrest a Member of the British Empire.  

The Turtles appear on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.  

The Young Rascals appear on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing "I've Been Lonely Too Long", "Come On Up" and "Mickey's Monkey".  Joan Rivers does some stand-up comedy ... and Ed also shows The Beatles' videos for "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever".

CBS airs "The Wizard Of Oz" for the ninth straight year.  It would ultimately be shown annually for 32 consecutive years.  

 

Number One at the Box Office this week:  The Fox

*****

The Buckinghams were the first Chicagoland band to score national attention when "Kind Of A Drag" reached the #1 Spot.

Carl Giammarese remembers these very exciting times ... 

1967 was an incredible year for The Buckinghams! Leading up to '67, we were following the WLS and WCFL charts closely ... The Silver Dollar Survey, the Big 89 Countdown.

In 1966, The Buckinghams would often visit both stations to say hello and try to get a record played. Our manager, Carl Bonafede, would take us up to say hello to Clark Weber, Art Roberts, Gene Taylor and all the rest. We monitored and listened to WCFL and WLS constantly, listening for the possibility that they'd put “I Call Your Name” or “I’ll Go Crazy” in rotation.

I was obsessed with getting the latest addition of Billboard magazine, just hoping our song would appear in the bubbling under section. We were looking for recognition … we wanted a hit badly.

Of course all that changed with “Kind Of A Drag.”

After touring extensively around the Midwest and playing all the local clubs and dances around Chicago in 1965 and '66, we found ourselves on the national stage. By January, February of 1967 we had a #1 Hit with Kind Of A Drag, all because of luck and a great song. We pretty much disappeared from the Chicago scene by the time Don’t You Care was released on our new label, Columbia. We found ourselves playing nationally all over the country and appearing on national TV shows. The hits kept coming for The Buckinghams through 1967 and part of '68 when “Susan” made its debut on The Ed Sullivan show.

The Buckinghams were a cover band in 1965 - 66, performing everything that was on the charts from Beatles songs to James Brown. So when we finally had the opportunity to record for Chicago’s USA records, Carl Bonafede and Dan Beloc brought us to Chess studios at 2120 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Chess was a world class studio back then, known for the blues. It’s where the great Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf made history along with many blues artists. We didn’t know that much about Chess’s legendary history. So naturally we started by recording our cover material. We covered The Beatles “I Call Your Name,” James Brown’s “I’ll Go Crazy,” and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy” to name a few. It was Dan Beloc’s idea to add horns to our recordings. We had some success with these cover songs thanks to WLS and WCFL who put them in their rotation. It certainly helped build a following around Chicago and the Midwest. The Buckinghams were determined to find an original song that could put us over the top. So our manager Carl Bonafede tapped on songwriter Jim Holvay, who also played guitar in a band called The Mob. Bonafede showed up at Holvay's with a reel to reel tape player and a microphone and recorded “Kind Of A Drag” as Holvay strummed on guitar and sang it into the recorder. We loved the song, and I remember the band working up an arrangement in my parents' basement when my mother came down and said she thought that song could be a hit! Once again we went into Chess and recorded “Kind Of A Drag” with a full blown horn arrangement. We thought it was a great record but for some reason USA maybe didn’t think so. We begged them to release it. Well, it sat in the can for at least a couple months before they finally did, and the rest is history. It took off overnight, picking up radio stations all over the country. USA records couldn’t keep up with the demand. The other incredible thing was USA no longer had us under contract. So by February of 1967, we had the #1 Record in the country and no record company! All I can say is when you have a major hit, everyone comes knocking on your door, so our choice was Columbia Record and James William Guercio because we felt they would give us our best opportunity to continue making hit records and not becoming a one hit wonder … we were right. 
Carl Giammarese
THE BUCKINGHAMS 
www.thebuckinghams.com
www.facebook.com/thebuckinghams 
www.facebook/carlgiammarese 

kk / FH:  It is AMAZING to me that The Buckinghams ... who pioneered the whole horn-rock sound ... toured during all this time WITHOUT a horn section!  So much has been made of Jim Guercio's paving the way for this sound thanks to groups like Chicago and Blood, Sweat and Tears ... after "learning the ropes" with The Buckinghams ... but the fact of the matter is, you guys were well into the horn sound BEFORE Guercio even came onboard.  The entire "Kind Of A Drag" album is laden with horns throughout, especially punctuating the local hit singles "I Go Crazy", "I Call Your Name", "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" and the nationally #1 title track. You mentioned Dan Beloc as being instrumental in adding the horns to The Buckinghams' sound ... can you describe his role in all of this ... and why the band toured and performed without a signature part of their sound?  

Carl Giammarese:  First of all, we didn’t have horn players in the band. I don’t think we really ever thought about adding horns to our live shows back in the 60’s. It was all about dressing up the recordings and making them bigger and fuller sounding. We all wanted to be Beatles. Also you have to remember we were playing through a 60’s sound system with NO monitors. The girls were screaming throughout the concert so you couldn’t hear anything. There was absolute hysteria. I remember turning to look at Nick Fortuna as two girls were dragging him off stage ... they eventually tore the sleeve right off his suit coat before they could be stopped. 

But because of Dan Belloc we became the pioneers of that horn sound. Dan was a big band leader.  He also wrote some hits back in the day including “Pretend” for Nat King Cole. Belloc owned the Holiday Ballroom and was impressed with us when we played there. The Buckinghams sort of became the Friday Night House Band, we were there so often. Anyway, Dan was impressed with us because when all the other bands would play, everyone danced, but when The Buckinghams performed, everyone stopped and watched. So when Belloc and Bonafede finally brought us into Chess to record, Dan Belloc felt we needed to add horns for a bigger fuller sound. One of Belloc’s horn players Frank Tesinsky wrote the charts. Frank was a trombone player, so it was natural that the arrangements would be bone heavy. The intro to Kind Of A Drag says it all … powerful! 

When Jim Guercio took over as producer from Don’t You Care on, the horn arrangements reflected that trombone heavy sound. Guercio went on to produce Chicago with that same horn sound. If you listen to our last Guercio-produced album, Portraits, and Chicago’s first album, CTA, you can really hear the connection. Guercio also produced BS&T’s second album with that horn sound. Al Kooper once commented in an article that he got the idea for Blood, Sweat & Tears from our album, Time and Charges. In the last 25 years the Buckinghams hardly ever play a date without horns.

Thank you Dan Belloc.  

kk:  An unsung hero in the History Of Rock And Roll if there ever was one!

After hearing about Al Kooper's Buckinghams comment, I asked him point blank ...

kk / FH: Quick question ... Jim Guercio has taken an awful lot of the credit for pioneering the horn / rock sound over the years ... and his ties to the post-Al Kooper Blood, Sweat and Tears and CTA / Chicago lend some credence to that ... but before Guercio ever honed his oats with The Buckinghams, The Bucks were already creating that sound with their pre-Guercio first album that launched the #1 Hit "Kind Of A Drag" (and local chart hits like their versions of "I'll Go Crazy", "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" and "I Call Your Name", all heavy, horn-driven rock and roll tracks. Where do you rank The Bucks in all of this?  Were you inspired by their sound at all when launching BST?

AL KOOPER:  The Buckinghams album that Guercio produced ("Time & Charges") that had some Chicago members arranging and playing and preceded both the BS&T AND the Chicago albums was a very influential album and was the first album to pioneer a jazzier sound than most. I LOVED that album but I was trying to do something else on the first BS&T album. 
John Simon, the producer, was extremely helpful in getting what I wanted on that album. I could NOT have made that album without his assistance. I learned so much about producing records from just watching and listening to him during the making of "Child Is Father To The Man". Later in my career, I joined up with him again to do the album "Naked Sons". Again. I couldn't have done it without him and I learned even more stuff from watching him work. 
When Chicago came out, I thought their first album ran circles around "Child Is Father". Their first three albums are masterpieces, largely due to the songwriting, the production and the arrangements and vocals. I became good friends with them when they moved to LA and spent a great deal of time with them. 
Once when I was recording in one studio in Columbia's LA studios, they were recording in the other. I ran into Terry Kath in the lounge and asked him if he wanted to play a solo on a track I was working on. He told me that Guercio forbid them to play on other peoples' records and at the time.  Guercio managed them. 
"What if I just didn't give you credit? No one would know, and no damage would be done, and there would be a much better solo than the one I was planning on playing." He laughed and said "Okay, lets do it NOW, real quick."
So he got his guitar and did it in one take. It was perfect and STILL sounds great! It's on the "New York City (You're A Woman)" album and it's the track "Can You Hear It Now (500 Miles)", based on the old folk song. Check out his one take solo ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJZ15CzSoeI

I don't think Terry or Jim Guercio will mind after all this time. 

I really miss Terry as a person and guitarist.