Coming Up ...

Watch for a special Weekend Comments posting TOMORROW in Forgotten Hits ...

 

And don't miss our special look back at 

every Easter #1 Hit of The Top 40 Era ...

 

Coming up THIS Easter Sunday - 

April 9th 

 

 EXCLUSIVELY in Forgotten Hits!

 

 

Shelley's Back!

And you won't believe who she's seen this time.

(Well, actually, you probably will ...  but that's OK ...

We're feeling especially generous today in a sharing sort of way!)  kk

We recently wrote ...

>>>Frequent Contributor and East Coast FH Rep Shelley Sweet-Tufano has sent us a recent concert review ...

And it's NOT Peter Noone this time!!!  (lol)

KENT, THIS ONE'S FOR YOU!

I just can't disappoint Kent! 

 

So when Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone came within 40 minutes of me, I just had to go and write a review. 

 

I spent my concert in one of my favorite ways ... next to concert NEWBIES:  people who have not seen the performing group before in concert. I can get an unbiased opinion from people who are newcomers to a viewing. 

 

This couple were so gracious and glad to let me mingle with their experience. They had not even purchased the tickets but had been given their seats by others who could not attend and asked them if they wished to go. The only "catch" was that they had to send them pictures (which they did easily.) They were almost giddy with not knowing what to expect. 

 

We discussed concerts in general, and Tom Jones, in particular. They have attended several of Tom's concerts and at times, were among the youngest watching, but at others, among the eldest watching. We kidded about the fact that if underwear could have been removed before the concert ended, there would still be undies flying high at his shows. 

I fill them in on the basics of the banned, and the names involved. Unfortunately, drummer Dave Ferrara is not here so I inform them that guitarist Billy Sullivan will be at "beat" for tonight.  I did not bring extra glowsticks ... but find extra Union Jacks in my bag. (No, I don't know why I have extra flags, but no glowsticks) So when 'Vindaloo' begins we all join in on the wave ...

 

Their first reactions and comments:

 

"The band is so good together."

"How long have they been together?"

They ask the whereabouts of the original Herman's Hermits. I fill them in.

So true about the banned! They marvel throughout on how the banned is in tune with Peter's antics and occasional foibles and maintain a high standard of musicianship. 

 

As for Peter himself?

 

"He's so funny!"

"OMG! Listen to his voice!"

"This is so much fun!"

"He's so funny!"

"He's so good!"

"I just looked him up on my phone. It says he's 75."

"He's so funny!"

"He can't be 75"

"I love this song!"

"He doesn't act like he's 75."

"He's so good."

"He just doesn't seem like he's 75."

OK! So much happiness is swirling around, but since I, like the rest of us, am getting older on a continuous basis, I wonder what a 75 year old is supposed to look and act like? Anyway, he is a baby in the industry of the British Invasion and his dad, Mick Jagger, is still going strong. Yes, Peter does 'Jumpin' Jack Flash,' which sparks more speculation.

 

"Look at him go!"

"He's so funny!"

They had a BALL! They were so glad they said yes to the tickets and plan on attending more shows. 

 

Did I have fun? How could I not? I was next to virgin concert goers at a Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone concert. 

Thank you, Peter, Vance Brescia, Rich Spina and Billy Sullivan! Welcome back to Connecticut.

The set list:

SOMETHING GOOD

WONDERFUL WORLD

LOVE POTION #9

DANDY

A MUST TO AVOID

RING OF FIRE - with Johnny Cash singing

DAYDREAM BELIEVER

SEA CRUISE

LEANIN' ON A LAMP POST

a 30 sec. snippet of Jumpin Jack Flash

ALL MY LOVING

JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER

SILHOUETTES

LISTEN PEOPLE

I'M AT THE WALL STREET THEATRE IN NORWALK, CT TONIGHT

NO MILK TODAY

END OF THE WORLD (ooooooooh)

JUMPIN' JACK FLASH 

CAN'T YOU HEAR MY HEARTBEAT

MRS. BROWN

HENRY VIII

THERE'S A KIND OF HUSH

And a reminder folks! Autograph lines are back! Peter had one tonight and Jay and the Americans had one in March.

Adios from your Northeast Concert Correspondent. 

See you soon.

Shelley J Sweet-Tufano

More Cool Stats and Stuff!

I remember well the shorter radio versions.  The special call letter drop ins.  The Pointer Sisters Fire ...I'm riding in your car, you turn on WLS. I recall a special mashup song WLS would play.  When Billy Don't Be a Hero was near the top,  and played every 2 hours.  When it got to the chorus, instead of Billy Don't Be a Hero..they dubbed in Doesnt Somebody Want to Be Wanted by the Partridge Family.  It actually didn't sound bad.  

Phil Nee

 

Paul Haney of Record Research ran a nice tribute to Seymour Stein the other day …

Music industry veteran Seymour Stein started working at Billboard magazine in New York as a teenager.  In 1966, he formed Sire Productions with record producer Richard Gottehrer, which eventually lead to Sire Records.  A huge fan of the Record Research books, Seymour and Joel Whitburn became fast friends, sharing a mutual passion for music and the charts. 

Seymour had a great eye for talent and signed many artists, including the Ramones, Talking Heads, The Pretenders and Madonna.  

Here’s a sampling of some of Sire’s biggest chart hits through the decades …

1970s

Hocus Pocus – Focus

Couldn’t Get It Right – Climax Blues Band

Rockaway Beach – Ramones

Rivers Of Babylon – Boney M

Pop Muzik – M

 1980s

Tainted Love – Soft Cell

Genius Of Love – Tom Tom Club

Back On The Chain Gang – Pretenders

Burning Down The House – Talking Heads

I Melt With You – Modern English

Like A Virgin – Madonna

White Horse – Laid Back

People Are People – Depeche Mode

Chains Of Love – Erasure

1990s

I’ll Be Your Everything – Tommy Page

Constant Craving – k.d. lang

Far Behind – Candlebox

Kiss From A Rose – Seal

I worked with Seymour Stein when I was at ZE Records in the crazy 80's ... Kid Creole & The Coconuts, ZE's group, were signed by Stein and Sire. Working mostly with Sire's Audrey Strahl was a delight as Sire was able to take them to the next level (two in fact) through Warner's distribution network.

Stein was a sharp-eyed gunslinger for sure. I first met him at Billboard eons ago when I was just starting out. True legend for sure. Look at who was on Sire! Lou Reed to The Pretenders ... amazing label.

David Salidor

 

Several years ago, Fred Bronson compiled a list of Sire Records’ 30 Biggest Hits for his “Billboard’s Hottest Hot 100 Hits” book.

 

Here’s how they ranked in 2003 …

(It’s no secret who Sire’s biggest recording artist was!!!  Lol  

Madonna’s got 18 of The Top 30 positions locked down!!!)

 

# 1 - KISS FROM A ROSE – Seal

# 2 - LIKE A VIRGIN – Madonna

# 3 – VOGUE – Madonna

# 4 – JUSTIFY MY LOVE – Madonna

# 5 – LIKE A PRAYER – Madonna

# 6 – THIS USED TO BE MY PLAYGROUND – Madonna

# 7 – PAPA DON’T PREACH – Madonna

# 8 – LIVE TO TELL – Madonna

# 9 – POP MUZIK – M

#10 – OPEN YOUR HEART – Madonna

#11 – WHO’S THAT GIRL – Madonna

#12 – MATERIAL GIRL – Madonna

#13 – I’LL BE YOUR EVERYTHING – Tommy Page

#14 – CAUSING A COMMOTION – Madonna

#15 – EXPRESSS YOURSELF – Madonna

#16 – CHERISH – Madonna

#17 – I’LL STAND BY YOU – The Pretenders

#18 – TRUE BLUE – Madonna

#19 – LA ISLA BONITA - Madonna

#20 – COULDN’T GET IT RIGHT – The Climax Blues Band

#21 – LUCKY STAR – Madonna

#22 – BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG – The Pretenders

#23 – TAINTED LOVE – Soft Cell

#24 – BORDERLINE – Madonna

#25 – BRASS IN POCKET – The Pretenders

#26 – ANGEL – Madonna

#27 – CRAZY – Seal

#28 – ENJOY THE SILENCE – Depeche Mode

#29 – DON’T GET ME WRONG – The Pretenders

#30 – PRAYER FOR THE DYING – Seal

 

Both nights of Eric Clapton’s Tribute Concert to the memory of Jeff Beck (who left us earlier this year) have already sold out …

But one look at this line-up helps to explain why …

And more superstar names may still be added to the list!

 

As of right now, scheduled to perform are:

Doyle Bramhall; Eric Clapton; Gary Clark, Jr.; Johnny Depp; Billy Gibbons; Imelda May; John McLaughlin; Joe Perry; Robert Randolph; Olivia Safe; Rod Stewart; Joss Stone; Susan Tedeschi; Derek Trucks; Ronnie Wood and, from the Jeff Beck Band: Rhonda Smith, Anika Nilles and Robert Stevenson.

The concerts will take place May 22^nd and 23^rd at The Royal Albert Hall in London.  (kk)

 

>>>"Agent Elvis" is probably one of the WORST things I've seen on TV in ... well, maybe forever.  (We didn't even make it all the way thru the first episode.  Man, this is bad!)  kk

HA!  I didn't even make it to the end of the "Trailer/Preview!!"

Buell

 

I am still constantly amazed how decades later, long lost / forgotten and unknown Beatles recordings are still showing up.

No matter how crude these may sound, it’s a historical artifact that warrants attention.

We first heard about these from Clark Besch … and then saw this article posted in Ultimate Classic Rock …

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/beatles-1963-live-recording/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ugh&utm_term=UCR

 

From Clark, early Tuesday Morning …

 

I got this yesterday and this is so awesome. 

 

It’s a BEATLES hour long tape from April 4, 1963, never heard before. 

"C'mon Man! That cannot be in today's age." 

Yes, hard to believe the Buckinghams and Who played a concert TOGETHER for a Wichita, Ks high school in 1967, but imagine the Beatles doing a concert for your school on April 4, 1963!  Then, imagine someone taping it and no one hearing it for 60 years! 

Here's the short version of what we heard just yesterday on the BBC featuring a small bit of the tape and lots of photos!  Note that the famous Beatles logo was still the script they used on Ringo's drums back at beginning.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIrVGg68X2Y

 

The full show on BBC with same amount of the tape here:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001kpq1

 

The story behind the tape from BBC site here:

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65167799

 

NOW, my take on April 4, 1963 …

 

I agree with the BBC that THIS tape can be enhanced much better than the Lingasong tape made at the Cavern.  It is STILL an audience mic tape of which I have many radio tapes like that.  I am accustomed to that sound, but many won't be.  I THINK it will be great to hear with enhancement, but some won't care for it, maybe.

 

April 3, 1963, was my 7th birthday!  60 years later, today, I am 67 and still enthralled by radio, reel to reel tapes, records, the Beatles and 60's music.  60 years ago is etched in my memory still. 

 

Clark also shared his own personal list of favorites, exactly as he wrote them down, one month later in May of 1964 …

 

To say the list is a little heavy on The Beatles side is a bit of an understatement …

 

Much like the Madonna / Sire list above, EIGHTEEN of Clark’s Top 20 Favorite Songs were by The Fab Four!!!

 

And, of course, April 4^th, has some OTHER Beatles-related significance in their long list of accomplishments …

 

That’s the week that they occupied ALL FIVE of the Top Five positions on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart, a feat that had NEVER occurred before but today, thanks to the charts being based on being able to download an entire album’s worth of material and have it ALL show up on the chart at the same time, this feat has been eclipsed by Drake and Taylor Swift, each of whom have now captured The Top Ten positions during the same week.  (It hardly seems fair … if Beatles albums tracks were allowed to chart with equal weight, they might have held down the Top 25 between their ”Meet The Beatles,” “Introducing The Beatles” and “Beatles Second Album” releases … and more coming right around the corner.)

 

Still, a pretty remarkable feat from back in the day when (as we always remind people) you had to get up out of your house and ride your bike or drive your car to an actual record store and physically plunk down the money to buy your favorite hit records of the day … then cart ‘em back home to play them on your portable little record player until you wore the grooves out!!!  Now THAT’S how the charts should be compiled … not just lying back in your bed, downloading whatever songs you want on your phone!!!  (kk)

 

And, since we’re talking Beatles, here’s another new Billboard Chart Achievement that brings BTS into some pretty exclusive company … with The Beatles … and The Supremes!!!

https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/bts-beatles-supremes-hot-100-achievement-1235297800/#recipient_hashed=fa7e92da6f6e66bffcf0bcbf863670c6eb37d7159eb4d0ea1e44fecd5ec87eeb&recipient_salt=3a1d6b09af3b92ad7e38f8327cf18febeb049fd1c9a251b66957a07d9375735c

 

But still … as amazing of a feat as this truly is … NO OTHER ARTIST can boast about EACH MEMBER having their own series of #1 Hits as solo artists in addition to their still record-breaking 20 #1 Hits as a group!!!  (Yeah, I’m partial … but those are the facts, Jack!!!)  kk

Tuesday This And That

Offering up a few more "short takes" with your pancakes this morning ... 

In response to my earlier comment in Forgotten Hits that I don't remember playing "shortened" versions of many songs on air at WLS or not, and that perhaps that it was done with some in particular, Clark Besch offered ( albeit a bit harshly!  {:~)  ) "Here's the Mary Hopkin song off Chuck Buell on WLS and indeed every time it comes to the chorus, WLS chopped it mercilessly (and not very well done either.")

So I did some digging and I discovered this in my Official Chuck Buell Radio Archives "Great Moments in Radio History" Division ~~~ 

1968 - Station Programmers in the Music Programming Department of WLS Radio Calculating Record Lengths ~~~

 

 

And apparently, there you have it!

CB ( which stood for "Clueless Boy!" )

LOL ... I Love It!!!

(Yep ... who knew that we were going to come along all these years later!!!)

But the truth of the matter is, this has been the premise ... and the purpose ... of Forgotten Hits all along ...

Since Day One, we have always maintained that those of us who listened to the radio back then DO remember what we heard ... it made that big of an impression on us ... and my argument and plea since Day One was that Oldies Radio today (meaning 1999 when Forgotten Hits first launched) was insulting their listeners' intelligence on a daily basis by believing that their audience "couldn't handle" more than the same 200-300 songs they kept feeding them every single day.

Thankfully, Oldies Radio has improved light years since then thanks to the Internet and outlets like Me-TV-FM and The True Oldies Channel ... Rewound Radio and several others who have committed themselves to keeping this great music alive ... and NOT just the "obvious" hits that everyone else is playing.  (I can't tell you how many times we heard, "Well, if everyone else is playing these, they must be the tunes folks want to hear" ... or "Our researchers and consultants tell us ...." ... ALL just an ENORMOUS crock of crap that we have helped to prove wrong over the past 25 years.

So yes ... we DO care ... and we most certainly DO remember!!! (kk)

More from the Micky front ...

David Salidor sent us "the first review" of Micky Dolenz's new concert tour ... 

Along with a couple of pics!

https://www.cltampa.com/music/review-in-clearwater-the-monkees-micky-dolenz-remembers-bandmates-and-takes-to-headquarters-15401349

 photos by Josh Bradley / Creative Loafing

Seymour Stein, one of the founders of Sire Records, died on Sunday, April 2^nd, after a long battle with cancer.

Stein, 80, had an ear for innovative “new” hit music, signing Madonna and Talking Heads. The Ramones, Depeche Mode, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cult, k.d. lang, Seal, Madness, Modern English and many others to his new label.  (When he signed The Talking Heads, he referred to them as being part of the “new wave” in music, a catch-phrase term that stuck and soon became the genre for many of these new artists that were taking rock music to a new level.)

Along the way, he helped promote everything from the #1 Hit “Pop Muzik” by M to Soft Cell’s revival of “Tainted Love,” all with great success.  He spent 40 years with the label and was inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2005 in the Lifetime Achievement category.  (Stein was also a co-founder of The Hall.)  kk

 

From Andrew Loog Oldham ...

 

Keith and I trolled the Brill Building for songs in the summer of '64. Nobody would see us except Seymour. He was at Red Bird Records doing promo for Leiber and Stoller. He gave us 'Down Home Girl' by Alvin Robinson. We cut it with the Stones. Seymour had the ears of an angel and vinyl blood.

And a nice tribute from Joe Marchese ...

https://theseconddisc.com/2023/04/03/in-memoriam-seymour-stein-1942-2023/

 

The list of music industry people we’ve already lost during the first quarter of 2023 is staggering.

Best Classic Bands paid tribute when we flipped the calendar page to April:

https://bestclassicbands.com/musician-deaths-2023-4-2-23/

 

Foreigner posted an April Fools message, thanking The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for FINALLY recognizing the band and honoring them with a special induction into their hallowed halls.

Although intended as a spoof, the sentiment was no joke … these guys belong in there as much (and, in many cases, more) than an awful lot of artists who are currently enshrined.

Their April 1^st Facebook Page read:

“In an unprecedented move, the entire board of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame met especially to nominate Foreigner. The board recognized that Mick Jones’ and Foreigner’s major contribution to music over the years warranted a very special place in the history of the Hall Of Fame. Said manager Phil Carson, ‘Needless to say, we are all delighted to learn of this unique privilege. I believe that the entire board realized that Foreigner had as many hits as Fleetwood Mac, just one less than the Eagles, and more than Journey and many other Hall Of Fame alumni. We are greatly looking forward to the induction ceremony.”

Perhaps the attention it draws will open the eyes of some of the members of the nominating committee, who thus far have never recognized Foreigner with so much as a nomination.  (kk)

 

Paul McCartney has produced a track on the new Michael Buble album “Higher.”

It’s a reworking of McCartney’s own “My Valentine” (which certainly fits the Buble comfort zone!)  The two reportedly got along famously … and the new album was just released at the end of March.  (kk)

 

From Bob Lind, who is returning to one of his favorite performance venues ...

TO MY FRIENDS AND FANS IN SOUTH FLORIDA -- and those who may be visiting South Florida this month:

Looking forward to a sweet April.

On Sunday, April 16th, I'll be live on Michael Stock's FOLK AND ACOUSTIC radio show. Mike's a high-quality interviewer and a great Lind supporter. I always have a good time doing his show.

I'll be there promoting my upcoming show at my favorite South Florida venue, THE LUNA STAR CAFE, in North Miami on Saturday, the 22nd.

Details are here on the gigs page of my Web site:  http://boblind.com/gigs/

Love to all of you,

Bob Lind

www.boblind.com

 

We're still singing the praises of "Daisy Jones and the Six," whose album is doing so well right now that there are actually rumors about have the band hit the road and do some REAL concerts!!!  (Could this be The Monkees reborn?!?!)

I say the get Eddie and the Cruisers back together to serve as their opening act!!!

Seriously, tho, it is a VERY well done mock-rockumentary about a fictitious '70's band that looks SO authentic, you genuinely begin to care about these characters.  (Episode Eight was the series' only weak moment ... I felt like it could have been eliminated completely without damaging the story in any way ... but the final "tug-at-the-heartstrings" episode MORE than made up for it.)  HIGHLY recommended.  (kk)

NOT recommended ... "Agent Elvis" ... probably the WORST things I've seen on TV in ... well, maybe forever.  (We didn't even make it all the way thru the first episode.  Man, this is bad!)  

How Priscilla, who is one of the ones behind the making of this God-awful animated series, felt that THIS is the light she wanted Elvis portrayed in, only makes me further question her sanity these days.  Avoid at all costs.  (Which I know will only make you want to check it out more to see for yourself how really bad it is ... and that's a shame ... but it's kinda like not being able to look away at the scene of an accident I guess.  And THIS one is a MAJOR catastrophe!!!)  kk