Saluting Some Chicagoland Radio Royalty

(not) Much of what follows is true:

Back in the 1860's, Thomas Edison invented the radio. Extremely proud of his latest invention, he and his trusty sidekick Watson celebrated that evening with a glass of brandy in front of the wood-burning stove. They then spent the rest of the evening listening to Dick Biondi and Herb Kent as they beamed across the airwaves of Edison's brand-new contraption.

Who would have ever thought that nearly a century and a half later, while Al Gore was busy inventing the Internet, these two radio icons would STILL be on the air, broadcasting to their legion of fans and doing what they love best.

For the past couple of weeks we've been telling you about the upcoming tribute to two of Chicagoland's Radio Legends, Dick Biondi and Herb Kent. Hosted by Bob Sirott (no radio slouch himself ... when Bob first took to the airwaves here in Chi-Town, he was an IMMEDIATE hit and quickly became one of the most listened to deejays in town ... as well as a personal favorite ... he parlayed that success into a television career as well), the event was held last Saturday at Columbia College (where Sirott himself is an alum!)

We were unable to attend the ceremony (and have been kicking ourselves ever since) as a virtual Who's Who of Chicagoland Radio and Rock And Roll were on hand to wish these two radio legends well.

Here are a couple of first-hand reports (and photos) from some of our readers who WERE able to attend:

HELLO KENT!
I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN AT THE BIONDI / KENT EVENT.
IT WAS FAR BETTER THAN I EXPECTED, AND BOB SIROTT DID A MASTERFUL JOB OF HANDLING THE EVENT & THE AUDIENCE (ESPECIALLY ON SOME UNCOMFORTABLE AUDIENCE QUESTIONS).
I'VE KNOWN DICK A LONG, LONG TIME, AND HEARD SOME STORIES FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR BOTH ENDS OF THE RACE ISSUES. THEIR MEMORIES & INSIGHT WERE FASCINATING, AND THEY HAD PLENTY OF MORAL SUPPORT FROM MANY OF THE ARTISTS THEY'VE HELPED OVER THE YEARS. GENE CHANDLER, AND ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE CHI-LITES, THE BUCKINGHAMS, THE IDES OF MARCH, THE NEW COLONY SIX, THE FLOCK, FOUR DAYS & A NIGHT & THE CRYAN SHAMES WERE ALL IN ATTENDANCE.
THESE OLD SCHOOL DEE JAYS TRULY LOVE THEIR FANS & STAYED STILL EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO THEM. A CLASSIC EVENING OF CHICAGO MEMORIES.
YOU SURE MISSED SOMETHING SPECIAL IF YOU DIDN'T GO. KUDOS AGAIN TO COLUMBIA ALUM BOB SIROTT FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER.
A SPLENDID TIME WAS HAD BY ALL ...
MICHAEL G. BUSH
I had REALLY wanted to attend this thing ... in fact, I talked to Ron Smith Friday Night about it and he said they were expecting a couple thousand people to show up ... unfortunately, he ALSO told me that the auditorium seated about 300!!! (Biondi told Ron that he didn't expect 200 people to show up ... and Ron felt that there would be AT LEAST 2000!!!)
I heard from Carl Giammarese and Fred Glickstein earlier in the day that they had planned to attend ... now I wish I would have just shrugged it off and gone, too ... was hoping that maybe SOMEBODY filmed this whole thing for some sort of local broadcast.
Anyway, sounds like a GREAT time ... and you're right ... I wish I coulda been there!!!
kk
BOB SIROTT DID HAVE THIS FILMED, SO IT SHOULD COME OUT IN SOME FORM EVENTUALLY (WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET TOGETHER AGAIN REAL SOON!). HOWEVER, IT RAN FOR SEVERAL HOURS, SO YOU WILL MISS SEEING WHAT ENDS ON THE OLD CUTTING ROOM FLOOR, RATS! ... MGB

Hi Kent!
Your site is always INCREDIBLE!!!
Went to the Columbia event last night -- besides all the celeb radio folks there -- there were many of our beloved Chicago music artists -- Here are some pix if you want a peek -- I'm passing these around -- feel free to use any you want!
Connie

Me with the "DUKE OF EARL" - GENE CHANDLER --

(We were both born in July!)

THE BUCKINGHAMS - CARL GIAMMARESE & Me

IDES OF MARCH - JIM PETERIK & Me

THE NEW COLONY 6 - RONNIE RICE & Me

THE CRYAN SHAMES - JIM PILSTER (J.C. HOOKE) and Me

MARIANNE MURCIANO - BOB SIROTT - Me

HONORED GUEST - HERB KENT, THE COOL GENT & Me

HONORED GUEST - WILD ITRALIAN, DICK BIONDI

AND THE GUY WHO ALWAYS KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CHICAGO MEDIA -- ACE JOURNALIST -- ROBERT FEDER - VOCALO.ORG,

& ALUM OF THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Damn ... I really wanted to go to that last night ... but between the hassle of getting downtown and then the thought of having to stand all night, I decided to pass ... I've heard ONLY good things about it since and have been kicking myself all day!!! Would have been nice to finally meet you there, too!
Oh well ... I'm hoping somebody filmed this and will air the highlights later ... truly radio royalty on board that night ... and some major celebs in the audience, too!!!
kk

And this recap from Robert Feder's column on Monday:

Hundreds of fans packed the Columbia College auditorium and overflowed into three satellite rooms Saturday when Bob Sirott interviewed Chicago radio’s greatest living legends, Dick Biondi and Herb Kent, onstage together for the first time. What made a great night even more unforgettable was the presence of many local music legends in the audience to pay tribute to Biondi and Kent. They included Gene “Duke of Earl” Chandler, Marshall Thompson of the Chi-Lites, Ronnie Rice of the New Colony Six, Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna of the Buckinghams, Jim Peterik of The Ides Of March and Survivor, Fred Glickstein of the Flock, and Al Lathan of Four Days and a Night. Among radio luminaries in the crowd were Greg Brown, Connie Szerszen, Stan Lawrence, Marv Dyson, Michael Damsky, Michael LaCrosse and Sirott’s wife, Marianne Murciano. Even Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers was there.

-- Robert Feder

FOR THE RECORD: Although often attributed to Thomas Edison, the invention of radio was really a culmination of the efforts of MANY ingenious men along the way. (In fact, Edison was actually a later-comer to the mix.) For a pretty fascinating timeline showing the development of the medium that forever changed the world, we think you'll find these articles particularly interesting:

Click here: Invention of radio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Click here: The Invention of Radio
Click here: Through the Wires: Radio Invention
Click here: Guglielmo Marconi: The Invention of Radio

More For All The Collectors Out There ...

Hi Kent,
I am the worst record collector ever. I have purchased many things over the years just because I assumed they were worth more than I was paying for them. Although I have sold and traded a few things, it pains me to part with anything because I may never see another like it.
We have a few nice promo 45s at the station but most labels have writing on them about intro time and fade out info for the dj. Another station gave me a bunch of albums when they were remodeling but like most radio station copies, the covers are shot from being slid in and out on the shelf.
Several years ago I bought a Beatles item. It is a post card that is 'autographed'. I have discussed this item over the phone and internet with collectors over the years. Without seeing it they believe it is only worth $100.00 at the most. This card is from the final America tour. It is not a stamped autograph. It was signed by a pen. From what I have read, most autographs from that era were signed by secretaries or Mal Evans. Comparing the signatures with the Beatles, by my untrained naked eye, it appears they are very close to the real thing. Here are a few things that make it unique.
The lady I bought it from was a member of the press. She did not get proper credentials and missed out on a press conference with the Beatles. The cardboard envelope it was shipped in from Beatles headquarters in England is still in good shape including a red stamp on the back promoting Gerry and the Pacemakers. A personalized letter apologizes for the mix-up and has the actual signature of Tony Barrow. The Beatles postcard only has the first names of the Beatles signed. Most pictures of Beatle autographs, that I have seen, always have first and last names signed.
I have had collectors offer me $100 to $200 dollars (again without seeing it). I have had offers to appraise it but they always want me to send it in the mail, and I don't want to. I have never seen another one like it, and probably will not again, so it is worth more to me than $100 to $200 dollars.
I am very sure that it is not the actual first name signatures of the Beatles, but there is always that thought in my mind ... what if? Do you have any suggestions?
Phil-Wrco

Let's run your story (and picture of this rarity) here and see if we get any responses. Meanwhile, I'm also send a copy to noted Beatles Historian Bruce Spizer, a regular contributor to our list, to see if he has run across this item before. It sure sounds authentic to me ... and I can't imagine that there could be too many of these floating around.
On the other hand, The Beatles have got to be the most bootlegged and counterfeited artists around ... I'll never forget a dealer posting a sign at the second or third Beatlefest here in Chicago that basically said: "Can't Find What You're Looking For? Let Us Know And We'll Make It For You"!!! (lol) kk
Here's what Bruce Spizer had to say:
It is a cool item even though one can be 99% sure the post card was not signed by the Beatles. Documents pertaining to tours and press conferences do have value, but only to the right buyer. I’d value it at about $500, but the reality is that it is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. It’s cool , but may not be $500 cool to most collectors. Perry Cox, at perrydcox@aol.com, is better suited than me to give values and he may be interested in purchasing it or working on commission for an ebay sale.
Bruce
Looking at it, I'm pretty sure those aren't real signatures ... neat 'tho that Tony Barrow took the time to personally answer her request. (I can only imagine how many similar requests he must have been receiving at the time!!!) Still not something you're likely to see very many of! (kk)

Hello Kent:
Here is one of those “If I only knew then what I know now” stories.
When I was about 15 in 1968 I lived about 3 blocks away from WDGY 1130 AM in Minneapolis (actually Bloomington , but whose counting). We used to ride our bikes up to radio station in the evening when only the DJ at the time, Diamond Jim Dandy comes to mind, was at the station. We would go over to the dumpster and start dumpster diving. In amongst the half full Styrofoam cups of coffee and the dumped out ash trays, if we were lucky, we would find stacks of 45’s. These were the ones that they rejected. Over time we probably had hundreds of them. We would play them and if we didn’t like them they made great Frisbees or BB gun targets. Just think about what could have been in there! And demo tapes! Tapes that garage bands would send in or the girl groupies expressing their love for the on air talent. The small 3-1/2” or 5” reel to reel tapes. Best thing we did there was hold them flat to see how fast the tape would peel off the reel. Just think of what was left behind or we destroyed without knowing the upcoming value.
Pete Heger

1966 was about to turn into 1967 and I was already an over-the-top Beach Boys fan. I had done my best to stay current with the rumored release dates of the highly anticipated SMiLE album. Stories abounded of how Brian WIlson was breaking rock creativity barriers but in seeking rock perfection, missed deadline after deadline. Around the Christmas holiday, I noticed a Capitol promotion display in my local record store so I simply asked the owner if I could have it when the album was released and he agreed.
Of course that album has yet to be released. In 2004, Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE was released to high critical acclaim and several of the songs slated for the original Beach Boys album have been officially released (not to mention the many bootlegs that enable other over-the-top fans like me to construct something very close to what we would have heard in 1967). But the SMiLE comprised of the amazing vocals of the Beach Boys is yet to have an official mix and release.
As disappointed as I was back then (the possibility of a fan ever hearing SMiLE seemed remote back then), I took the life-size, full-color album cover home and still have it in my collection. A reminder of what might have been - some think, as I do, it would have more than held its own against (or with!) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles and, if so, would have completely alerted Beach Boys history. Probably no Bluebirds Over the Mountains or Smiley Smile. Probably no no-show at the Monterrey Pop Festival and no need for an Endless Summer resurgence. A very different trajectory for the Beach Boys, for certain.
A few years ago, a professional record collector of Beach Boys memorabilia told me that album was the first one he had heard of (it might be truly rare, not merely old like me!) and could fetch, he speculated, a thousand dollars. Wow. Not bad for a promotional display for an album that has still not been released.
SMiLING,

Phil Miglioratti
PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot.com

Although today I consider myself to be a HUGE Beach Boys fan ... and have done an ENORMOUS amount of research into the band and their music ... I have to admit that I was one of those who came late to the party. Their early albums didn't impress me ... whereas a new Beatles LP would rarely contain a cut I'd skip over, the same cannot be said for most of the early Beach Boys LPs ... once you got past the hits and an occasional surprise, MOST of the album seemed to contain a whole lot of "filler" to my ears. I've always considered The Beach Boys to be one of those VERY fortunate bands who GREATLY benefited by the fact that the record company always seemed to know EXACTLY which tracks to release as singles, as they NEVER seemed to miss with their latest 45 release. For me, this simply wasn't the case with their album releases and, after several disappointments, I simply stopped buying them.
Many years later, while researching the band, I came across the story of "Smile" and was FASCINATED ... I just HAD to hear this LP!!! Like you, I have, over the years, built up an incredible collection of "Smile" out-takes on bootleg albums and CDs and have read COUNTLESS articles about what the LP was SUPPOSED to be all about. But back around 1973 or 1974 I remember going to a Flea Market with my Dad and finding an album for $0.99 called "Smiley Smile". Being both naive and uneducated at this point about the release of this LP, I swear I thought that I had discovered the Holy Grail!!! I couldn't wait to get home and slap it on the turn-table. When I did, I thought it was AWFUL!!! I had built up the "promise of what was to be" SO high in my own mind that I couldn't believe that THIS is what all the fuss was about!!!
Of course, I learned later that this was NOT the case ... even Beach Boy Carl Wilson would later call the "Smiley Smile" LP "a bunt instead of a grand slam" ... and it remains one of my LEAST favorite Beach Boys LPs to this day.
I enjoyed Brian's "re-creation" of this long, lost LP from a few years ago ... and have the video concert where he performs in from beginning to end, too ... and it's all very nice ... but with all The Beach Boys reissues that have hit the market over the past 30 years, I've got to believe that the bulk of these tapes in their original form simply do not exist anymore. Stories abound about a freaked out Brian destroying the tapes himself ... and I tend to believe them. Thanks to the titles that were ultimately released (both on subsequent LPs and on some of the box sets and compilations over the years) ... and, of course, the trusty bootlegs ... we can pretty well assemble a reasonable facsimile of what "Smile" most likely would have been ... but again, any comparisons to ... or considerations of surpassing "Sgt. Pepper" ... just aren't there for me. I'm not hearing it.
I still have to rank "Pet Sounds" and the greatly under-appreciated "Sunflower" as my two Beach Boys LP favorites, even all these years later. And, contrary to just about every critique and review I've ever read, I really like the 1985 "Beach Boys" album, too. (kk)

In the mid '80's I'd listen to Bob Pantano on WOGL during his Saturday night show. He'd play songs that were popular around the Philadelphia area that I hadn't heard in ages. That alone was enough to make me seek out these fine songs on vinyl. It was a pleasure for my ears to listen to best quality obtainable - great sound quality intrigued me. Hearing first time Stereo was even more impressive.While collecting vinyl records, I came across recordings recorded on 35mm film audio tracks. The sound quality was very impressive! This was about the early '60's. This practice didn't seem to last, maybe because people didn't want to pay a premium price for premium sound.While collecting vinyl, I ran into a recording of "Blue Moon", by The Marcels. It was a raw non hit version and it included a bit of studio talk / chat. I went wild over it; I finally got to hear what went on in a recording studio!I was late to jump on the CD collecting bandwagon, since initial CD sound quality was not as good as on the vinyl records I found. However, since CD began to offer alternate versions and / or demos, some with studio talk, I began to collect them. When I discovered there were bootleg CDs of Beatles songs, I had to have them. This was about the late '80's. The raw sound quality of The Beatles, directly from session tapes, was more impressive than even the late Beatle Remasters. I learned, early on, record companies were out to milk my wallet dry, offering fair, then better, then even better sound quality, and so on.I wanted to find and collect as many alternate versions as I could, from the '50's and forward, of US Top 40 Hit songs. Doing so, it made me question why alternate versions seemed to fade about the late '60's.Something had to have changed in the way music was recorded. No longer was it common to record Take after Take wasting miles of recording tape. Tape recorders became more advanced with many tracks, that could record and play tracks simultaneously. If, for example, a guitar solo went sour, you could just record that over after sending the rest of the music group home. Faster, more efficient productions became popular so record companies could profit more or survive. The focus was lost onsound quality, what could be fabricated in a recording studio, the fastest way possible, was the new key issue.Granted, this practice of fabricated studio sound was not always approved by some, such as Tom Dowd. Not sure if Tom's emphasis was on sound quality or he didn't want the production to drag on until each member of the group individually recorded their part of the songs on tape. Thanks to Tom and other like-minded individuals, there are somealternate versions of '70's, Pop, hit songs. Even Paul McCartney learned from his Beatles days, you could dub this and overdub that to make a song without actually having an entire group, per se' re: Wings.Was this dubbing practice common with Country & Western music? I'm not sure, but thanks to Chris S., we found Tammy Wynette, in 1976, was recorded real-time, hence an alternate version and higher quality sound. Tammy was worth the cost of studio production time and recording tape.Not many music group members will admit what actually happened to make that hit record in the recording studio, because it would subtract from listeners admiration.As you may know, I love high quality Stereo sound. Anyway, this song was on a Prez Prado LP, about 1959. Have to assume it's a 35mm film sound recording. As with other 35mm recordings, a Big Band with dynamic sound is ideal for these type recordings. Know RCA, Mercury and some independents issued these type of LPs, but they probably didn't catch-on because of higher price. I'm certain the advent of Stereo brought them about. The audio quality of 35mm sound recordings rivaled Audio CD quality, maybe even surpassed it. This was the first time I found Rosemary Clooney singing on a various artists CD. She sounds good! You'd be surprised where it's marketed on CD! The LQ MP3 snippet may not be that impressive, but will give an idea of the quality ... Rosemary Clooney - Corazon De Melon (Watermelon Heart):

http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/watermelon-1.mp3

Best,

John

http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp
I asked John to elaborate a little bit about his unique hobby / obsession!!! (lol) He's truly going after a very specific (and very rare) niche here ... but has had some amazing success in many of his finds ... here, in greater detail, is (as Paul Harvey might say) the REST of the story!!!
Kent, how's this??? ...

In about the mid '80's, a couple Philadelphia radio stations were competing with "Oldies". Some of the DJs would play songs I hadn't heard in ages. I'd search the FM band to find other radio stations playing similar material. Some of the songs sparked a strange, eerie, odd feeling, like where was I when I first heard them.Maybe due to my divorce, I turned to music to past the time. I wanted to hear more, so I began collecting LPs and 45s. It was a rewarding hobby collecting music material. I was always a fanatic of stereo reproduction and concentrated on it initially. I subscribed to popular record collecting publications, such as Goldmine and Discoveries. I guess it was in one of those publications where I read about a Marcels album with some studio talk / chatter. It was so "cool" to hear what went on during a studio recording, the material that was typically edited out of "hit" songs.
My vinyl collection rapidly grew in size to four digit figures. I'd scour used bookstores, thrift shops and anywhere else I could think of to find a music collecting dream. Not too much later, Audio CDs hit the market; I was the first on the block to buy a player and a few CDs. I ended up returning the player when I heard tape hiss noise that did not exist on my vinyl collection. I eventually moved and sold my large vinyl collection for pennies on a dollar; just too much to move. I still miss my vinyl collection.Trying to fill an empty void, I tried Audio CDs again, but was turned off by a Rhino name that dominated the market. While at Tower Records in Cherry Hill, NJ, I found, by accident, a CD from EMI / Collectables that contained a bit of studio talk and wonderful stereo! I manually hunted for more, concentrating on record labels. Unlike I could do with vinyl collecting, the internet became popular and I could share with the world what I found while collecting CDs, in the form of song snippets on a "free" web site. It was like my portfolio.I found it difficult to find other CD collectors that were interested in what I wanted to find, so I became in competition with myself. I'd find and report search limitations when querying for "alt", "alternate", "out-take", "stereo" and similar words on popular music selling web sites. I'd even look for duplicate song titles on a CD; what was that second version? Even searched particular record label names. The Internet put me in touch with a couple undisclosed record companies that were so kind to allow me to have a small amount of material that was not ever published in the form I wished to hear it. I enjoy playing detective with what I hear, putting the pieces together.This music collecting obsession grew and grew. Before I knew it, I was collecting from around the world. I'd find oddities even in the food market CD budget bin. I began to learn the record labels; knowing they might have more of what I liked. The internet put me in touch with actual artists that recorded the music I admired and loved; I had many questions to ask. While many have a much greater (and admirable) music knowledge than I, I focused on what you'd might call, "The "Uncommon Top 40", including, but not limited to, rare stereo, out-takes, alternate versions, unedited versions, demos, highest sound quality versions, false starts, studio talk / chatter, foreign language versions, etc., from about the mid '50's onwards. Since I can "mix" (and sound enhance) songs, I can make my own stereo versions from various sources or even include the studio talk that was edited out, for a more "complete" version.While my "real" goal was to share with the world what I found and discovered, it's a struggle to find a radio station who wants to take a chance on me, especially with no radio experience, other than CB radio where I was "busted" by the FCC for excessive broadcasting power :D All I want, like others have done for me on radio, is to put a few smiles on peoples faces while airing my goodies. Life, to me, is no paradise, so why not make someone else happy.To date, after collecting CDs (and a bit o' vinyl) for about 18 years, I'm still a heavy buyer, hoping to fulfill a unique radio dream. I'm also grateful to Kent and his readers/contributors for keeping past music alive. A fine musical performance, in the form of a song, in my mind, never ages.

My Best,

John - in NJ -
jjaj1998@netscape.net

http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/

http://www.uncommonrecordings.com
A quick visit to either of John's websites will turn up an AMAZING assortment of "alternate gems", ripe for the picking. Here's another recent clip he sent me, regarding one of MY all-time favorite songs, "Magnet And Steel" by Walter Egan:
Kent,

Here's something interesting for your readers, Walter Egan, "Magnet And Steel", 1978, with vocal overlay highlighted. Seems the ending required some attention. Notice the music ends, but the singing continues. Even Walter (at the end) questions if it's a good Take. Can't say I hear Lindsey Buckingham here (Whitburn) ... http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/magnet-a.mp3

Best,

John

http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp
I've always loved this song (and used to perform this one myself back in the day!) I seem to remember buying the album and the song was, in fact, credited to "Buckinghams and Nicks" for the amazing background vocals as I recall. (I don't have the LP anymore because I ALSO remember thinking at the time that "Magnet And Steel" was the ONLY good song on there!!! lol) In fact, Egan never hit Billboard's Top 40 again! (I have to admit that I love hearing these "extended endings" that are ultimately faded-out during the final mix ... let's face it, at the time you're recording this in the studio, you don't know for sure yet just where the fade will hit, so you always record just a little bit more just in case. This one's a bit unusual in that they just kept going long after the musical track had stopped ... but I dig it!!!) kk

And one more worth listening to ...
Saturday, the 17th, is Record Store Day. I put together a sound collage honoring record stores including Jerry Lewis, Monty Python, Bill Kirchen (Little Bitty Record), Texabilly Rockets (Stack a Record), the Howling Diamonds (Record Collection). Ironically I put this together from running words like "record" through Napster. My favorite record mentioning records is Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lies by the Cosmic Rays. "I went down to the record shop without a worry on my mind ... "I am in love with the new Robbie Fulks album Happy. It is all Michael Jackson, Jackson 5 songs. I'll be playing some of it and records about records on my show tonight, 10 pm pacific time on KPOO. com.

Charlie Miller, the Autumn King

The British Invasion

For the past couple of months now we've been RAVING about the brand new British Invasion DVD Series just released by Reelin' In The Years Productions ...

The initial series features special discs spotlighting the music of Gerry and the Pacemakers, Herman's Hermits, Dusty Springfield and The Small Faces ... and, if you buy the special box set (containing all four of these DVDs) you also get a BONUS DVD featuring extended interviews and more musical highlights.


We first heard the good news that this was going to be an on-going series a few weeks ago ... and we were already chomping at the bit to see which artists might be spotlighted next.


Then we just received this announcement from Bob Merlis, along with some media coverage regarding the next series of releases ... and we can't WAIT!!!


Check this out:

We've been working to spread the good word about the British Invasion DVD series that's been out just a couple of weeks. Volumes cover the music of Herman's Hermits, Small Faces, Gerry & The Pacemakers and Dusty Springfield packaged together with a bonus disc that comes with the box set. I'm just back from NY where British Consul-General Sir Alan Collins hosted a wonderful celebration of those releases with a reception at the UK Consulate offices. The event was attended by a gaggle of media people as well as actual British invaders Ian McLagan of the Small Faces (now a resident of Austin, TX and a U.S. citizen) and Keith Hopwood, guitarist extraordinaire of Herman's Hermits. They were joined by some home-grown musicians who have a deep appreciation of the British Invasion era. These included Marshall Crenshaw (factoid: he played John Lennon in Beatlemania! before launching his career as a singer / songwriter and then played Buddy Holly in "La Bamba"), Handsome Dick Manitoba of the the seminal and legendary punk band The Dictators and Genya Ravan who fronted Ten Wheel Drive and, prior to that, Goldie & The Gingerbreads, the first all-female rock band to be signed to a major label. They formed in 1962, actually a bit in advance of the first wave of the British Invasion.
The big news at the event came from David Peck, Reelin' In The Years Productions' president and one of the producers of the series who announced three of the bands that will be chronicled in the next British Invasion series slated for release this fall: The Hollies (just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), Manfred Mann and cult faves The Pretty Things.
Check out Jim Bessman's account of the event that's pasted below; it's a wonderful tale about Robert Kenison, member of idiosyncratic midwestern rock band Dr. Bop & The Headliners, getting to meet Keith Hopwood again five decades after their original encounter in Madison, WI:


'British Invasion' DVD launch brings together rock 'n' roll legends
April 10, 2010 - Manhattan Local Music Examiner
Jim Bessman
It was a remarkable reunion of two rock 'n' roll legends from both sides of the Atlantic Thursday evening at the British Consulate-General in New York for Reelin' in the Years Productions' launch party for its British Invasion DVD series.
The series features single-disc documentaries of Dusty Springfield, the Small Faces, Herman's Hermits and Gerry & The Pacemakers. Consul General Sir Alan Collins hosted the event, which starred Small Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan and Herman's Hermits guitarist Keith Hopwood.
Also in attendance was Robert Kenison, a.k.a. Troy Sharmel of the legendary 1970s Madison, Wis.-based rock 'n' roll show band Dr. Bop & The Headliners. Kenison re-introduced himself to Hopwood, whom he recalled chauffeuring around in Dr. Bop's limo when Herman's Hermits performed in Madison.
"Our manager was Ken Adamany, who also managed Cheap Trick," said Kenison afterwards. "He would rent out our limo to touring acts when they came to town. But it was so long ago that now I'm not sure if it was Herman's Hermits or Rare Earth that I chauffeured! But I do know I ended up having drinks with Herman's Hermits at the Park Motor Inn across the street from the State Capitol."
And Kenison did indeed enjoy an animated conversation with Hopwood at the Consulate-General regarding the two guitarists' mutual guitar hero -- and Herman's Hermits' underappreciated influence in their own right.
"We were all influenced by Chet Atkins," said Kenison. "He had a signature thumb-and-fingers picking style and played a Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar -- which is what George Harrison played in The Beatles. Everybody wanted to be like The Beatles, and I salivated to get a Country Gentleman and eventually got one."
The guitar, Kenison noted, "had a button you could push to mute the three top strings and another one to mute the three low strings. I was always curious if Keith used one on [the group's No. 1 hit from 1965] 'Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter' to get the muted banjo sound."
Sure enough, an impressed Hopwood acknowledged that his guitar was indeed a Country Gentleman.
"He said that the original recording of 'Mrs. Brown' -- which Herman's Hermits covered -- used a banjo, so they were looking for a means of copying that sound," continued Kenison. "Then someone stole Keith's guitar when they were touring, so he inserted a feather duster between the strings and the replacement guitar's body to get the same effect as the Country Gentleman's!"
Kenison also quizzed Hopwood about the volume control on the guitar licks on "Listen People," Herman's Hermits' No 2 single in 1966.
"It sounded to me like he was using a Telecaster, which in those days -- before there were floor pedals -- had a volume control close to the strings so the little finger of the right hand could control the volume," said Kenison. Again, a surprised Hopwood confirmed Kenison's surmise, as he did moments later when Kenison suggested that Herman's Hermits' lead guitarist Derek "Lek" Leckenby was a student of guitarist James Burton -- as evidenced by his playing on the group's No. 7 hit from 1965, "Just A Little Bit Better."
"James Burton did all those great guitar licks on Ricky Nelson's records," Kenison noted. "Keith said that Leckenby just idolozied him. So we were listening to Chet Atkins and James Burton in the Midwest -- and so were these guys in England!"
The Herman's Hermits DVD Listen People 1964-1969 has been receiving rave reviews -- rightly, relates Kenison, whose own mid-'60s pre-Dr. Bop band, The Gentlemen, assumed the style and sound of The Beatles and their contemporaries.
"For a lot of guitarists in little bands across America, Herman's Hermits were very influential -- more than people realize -- in terms of learning how to play guitar," explains Kenison. "We didn't have Internet or youtube or guitar tablature -- you had to listen to records and try to figure out how they were playing. Herman's Hermits had two guitars, bass and drums and nicely-done arrangements -- similar to The Beatles -- and small groups could sound really good playing their music."
He points to "Silhouettes," Herman's Hermits No. 5 hit in 1965.
"It's opening guitar line was a scale -- which forced us to learn to play scales!" he said. "So it became a sort of pedagogical device -- a learning tool. And Keith noted that it later goes up half a step -- so you learn about modulation! We started playing it in thirds to make harmony, and it was fun to do."
Kenison adds that The Gentlemen also played "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" and Herman's Hermits' No. 4 hit from 1967 "There's A Kind Of Hush" in addition to "Silhouettes."
"A lot of bands were playing those songs because they sounded great, and were instrumentally challenging," he concludes.
Incidentally, it was announced at the British Invasion event that Reelin' in the Years' next set of British Invasion DVD's will be released in the fall and will include programs documenting The Hollies, Pretty Things and Manfred Mann. A short clip of The Hollies' Allan Clarke, Graham Nash and Tony Hicks singing the first chorus of their 1967 hit "On A Carousel" at the original Abbey Road Studios recording session left attendees gobsmacked.
(The Examiner saw The Gentlemen play at a junior high school dance and later wrote the "Bez Sez" column for the Dr. Bop & The Headliners newsletter; he also wrote the liner notes for the 2004 compilation Herman's Hermits -- Retrospective.)

You can read more here ... as well as check out a couple of video clips:
Click here: 'British Invasion' DVD launch brings together rock 'n' roll legends
(More clips from this series have been posted on YouTube!)

GREAT STUFF!!! (kk)

The Sunday Comments ( 04 - 11 - 10 )

re: THE T.A.M.I. SHOW:
I just got my copy of the T.A.M.I. Show (on sale last week on line at Best Buy's web site for $12.00 plus tax). It is awesome! It is even better than I thought it would be. It is one of those releases that lives up to its hype.
Phil Nee - Wrco
I've heard nothing but positive reviews for this one ... LONG out of print (and long overdue) ... hopefully when some of these companies see that there are folks out here who will buy this stuff, they'll begin to open more of their vaults and give us more memories to share! (kk)

re: BARRY McGUIRE:
Any mention of Barry McGuire is a great excuse to feature his long-neglected 1966 mini-hit "Cloudy Summer Afternoon (Raindrops)" -- nice combination of horns, piano, Barry -- perfect mood music for any rainy afternoon.
Plus, I had meant to mention it's also one of the few (only?) songs to "promote" newspaper reading -- and print journalists everywhere can use that support in these tough times!
http://www.last.fm/music/Barry+McGuire/_/Cloudy+Summer+Afternoon
Don Effenberger
WTG, Don ... now we can plug TWO of our Forgotten Hits Readers ... Barry McGuire AND Bob Greene, whose new book "Late Edition: A Love Story" talks in great detail about the demise of the daily newspaper!!! Good song, by the way ... I hadn't heard this one before! (kk)
Click here: http://www.amazon.com/Late-Love-Story-Bob-Greene/dp/0312375301/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270555062&sr=8-5
Click here: Barry McGuire's Trippin the Sixties

According to the liner notes on Tom Paxton's LP, Ain't That News, Tom Paxton wrote Bottle Of Wine back in 1963. It would have been perfect for the New Christy Mintrels. One wonders why they didn't record it and release it as a single.
Jack (Rock And Roll Never Forgets)

Yep ... and he reportedly HATED the way Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs did it ... until the royalty checks came in, of course!!! Did you see Barry McGuire's comment the other day??? Even HE thought it sounded like him!!! (lol) Check it out below:

>>>Well, to be totally honest, the first time I heard Bottle of Wine, I really thought it was me singing it, too, but I couldn't remember recording it ... lol! And then when the song became such a mega hit, I really wished it had've been me that recorded it, but alas, here am I, alive, healthy and enjoying every minute of my life in my 75th year. (Barry McGuire)

re: THE BEACH BOYS:
I have seen the Beach Boys 26 times. Saw them last year in Dayton,Ohio. The show and the music were excellent. Mike may have lost a little, but he never had a great voice ... neither did Jagger. It's the music. When I hear all those old car songs it takes me back to a good time in my life. I thought Mile sounded pretty darn good last year, and I will see him this year in Indiana. Keep going Mike, lets have some FUN,FUN,FUN.
Huge Beach Boy Fan --
Joe Fuller

re: JOHNNY MAESTRO:

Just got this notice from FH Reader Trade Martin ...

Len Azzarone will be producing the sensational Johnny Maestro Tribute with Rewind's DJ of the Stars, Jimmy Jay starting at 1 pm EST today from Queens College.
You can see it on the Rewind Show site and USTREAM worldwide.
Don't miss it ... there will be too many great artists performing to list here.

Best regards,

Trade

Thanks for the heads up, Trade ... you can catch the show here:

Click here: Rewind Radio Show with Jimmy Jay

re: CONGRATULATIONS TO JOHN MELLENCAMP:
Just a quick note to let you know that the nominations for this year's CMT Awards were announced today. "Ride Back Home" from John Mellencamp and Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild received a nomination in the Collaborative Video of the Year category.Click on the link to see the video for the song from John Mellencamp's much lauded "Life Death Love and Freedom," (album produced by T Bone Burnett):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjJsUaILYk4
Bob Merlis / Merlis For Hire

re: UP-COMING SHOWS:
Richard Nader’s Solid Gold Rock and Roll Show
May 1, 2010 - STARRING Lesley Gore - "It's My Party" (www.lesleygore.com); Joey Dee and The Starliters - “Peppermint Twist,” “Shout Part 1,” “ What Kind Of Love Is This” (www.joeydee.com); Lenny Welch - “Since I Fell For You,” “Ebb Tide,” “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” (www.lennywelch.com); The Dubs - “Could This Be Magic,” “Don’t Ask Me To Be Lonely,” “Be Sure My Love”.
Pre-Concert Classic Car Show - FREE & Open to the Public - 3 pm - 7 pm on Livingston Ave outside the theater. Hosted by HOLLYWOOD NIGHT CRUISERS.
State Theatre
State Theatre, New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901(Middlesex County)
Website: http://www.statetheatrenj.org

Joey Dee with Bill Haley's Comets (www.joeydee.com)

re: WE DON'T CARE HOW YOU FIND US ... BUT WHEN YOU DO, TELL A FRIEND ... OR TWO ... OR TWENTY!!!:

Thought this was an interesting story, submitted by our buddy Gary Renfield over at RIPRenfield.com ...

I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY AGAIN ... ANYTHING TO FILL UP SPACE ...

I showed my daughter the DONOVAN item / comment, and the response (Kent ran with it), that appeared on FORGOTTEN HITS recently ...

She glanced at the FORGOTTEN HITS site and said ...

"Oh, I've been to that site before!"

"HUH ? HOW DID SHE FIND IT?"

Seems she was googling some information about an off-beat 1960's movie ... and the FORGOTTEN HITS site came up first ...

She scanned until she found exactly what she was looking for ... but in the process of scanning, she ran across an itemfrom some jerk using the name GARY RENFIELD!

She was initially upset (for me) because someone else was using MY name !

THEN SHE SPOTTED THE TITLE riprenfield.com IN THE SIGNATURE ...
AND REALIZED IT WAS HER OLD MAN !!!

IT IS ESPECIALLY COOL TO BE 'FOUND' BY SOMEONE YOU KNOW ...

(without you sending them there)

ALMOST AS COOL AS RUNNING INTO SOMEONE WEARING A RIP RENFIELD T-SHIRT ... OR CARRYING A RIP RENFIELD TOTE BAG ... OR WEARING A RIP PATCH ON THEIR HAT!!!

I told you they let even ME post with the big shots!!!
You could always try (and subscribe) to ... FORGOTTEN HITS!!!http://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/

http://www.forgottenhits.com/

TOO funny!!! Hey, I'm just impressed that she not only visited the site ... but she REMEMBERED it!!! (lol) Thanks, Gary! (kk)

re: ODD!!!:
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.
-- Fred Glickstein
Alrighty then!!! I wasn't quite sure HOW to respond to this one ... and then it hit me ...
When was the last time you heard THIS Top 20 Hit??? (kk)

Meanwhile, I can forgive ol' Freddy his transgression ... because he ALSO sent me THIS amazing link: Best Card Trick Ever (Don'tcha just love stuff like this?!?!? AMAZING!!!) kk

Got a comment to share? Just drop us a line at forgottenhits@aol.com ... and then check the webpage often to see if YOUR comments appear!

The Weekend Comments - Part 1

re: THE OLDIES ARE BIGGER THAN EVER!:
We've been saying it for years ... now this from Robert Feder's column last week ... reiterating that old phrase "What goes around, comes around"!!! (kk)
I still remember sitting across from Joel Hollander, the arrogant and inept chairman and CEO of Infinity Broadcasting, as he tried to explain why oldies radio was dead in Chicago. The format had been drawing a solid audience of more than 722,000 listeners a week, but Hollander insisted that it wasn’t profitable enough. “Only time will tell if we’re right about it,” he told me in June 2005 — just after pulling the plug on oldies at WJMK-FM (104.3) in favor of the bland, soulless automation of “Jack FM.” Among the casualties was radio legend Dick Biondi, who wasn’t even allowed to say goodbye to his fans after 21 years on the station he’d helped launch.
Now, nearly five years later, one of Chicago media’s biggest success stories is — you guessed it — the oldies format on WLS-FM (94.7). Singling out the Citadel Broadcasting station for achieving the largest major-market turnaround in the country, Inside Radio this week reported: “The ‘True Oldies’ outlet increased its revenue by a staggering 86 percent last year, from $6.5 million in 2008 to $12.1 million.” In the latest Arbitron Portable People Meter ratings, the station ranks No. 5 in the market overall with a 4.4 percent audience share. It’s especially gratifying to note that the evening star of WLS-FM is none other than Dick Biondi. As for the unapologetic Hollander, he was finally was forced out of Infinity Broadcasting (which was renamed CBS Radio) in 2007.
-- Robert Feder
And then this reminder ...
Speaking of Biondi, he and fellow Radio Hall of Famer Herb Kent will share highlights of their amazing careers when Bob Sirott hosts “Inside the Radio Studio: 100 Years on the Air with Dick Biondi and Herb Kent” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Film Row Cinema of Columbia College, 1104 S. Wabash. The historic event is free and open to the public. In bringing together two of radio’s greatest living legends for the first time, Sirott observed: “To say these guys are part of our country’s pop culture history would be an understatement. Biondi shared the concert stage as an emcee for Elvis as well as the Beatles, and Kent used to book Michael Jackson and his family at South Side dances that he promoted. . . . [In so many ways], these guys transcend radio and records.”
-- Robert Feder
The big event is TONIGHT, folks, at Columbia College ... I'm hearing that there'll be a pretty good turn-out for this ... a GREAT opportunity to see three Chicago Radio Legends ... Bob Sirott, Dick Biondi and Herb Kent. If anyone out there is able to attend, please report back as I'd LOVE to hear this whole program!!! (kk)

Did you guys get a chance to listen to Rich Appel's I.R.S. Countdown last weekend? Just picked up this blurb from the "Ross On Radio" Newsletter:
Here's the latest on Rich Appel’s “I.R.S.” countdown — songs about which one could say “It Really Shoulda”-been a Top 10 hit. The songs that have made the countdown over the last three years have ranged from those that are radio staples now (ZZ Top’s “La Grange,” Modern English’s “I Melt With You,” Wilson Pickett’s “In The Midnight Hour”) to critical favorites (The Byrds’ “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better”) to those songs beloved by the jocks who played them and forgotten by many others. And we’re happy to say that our readers’ votes for the song we chose as “The Greatest Hit You’ve Never Heard” last December finally pushed it from No. 2 on last year’s countdown to No. 1 this year, ahead of last year’s winner, “Born To Run.” Appel will publish the entire top 104 in an upcoming issue of his Hz So Good newsletter in the next few days. But here’s the top 10:

1. Flirtations, “Nothing But A Heartache”

2. Orpheus, “Can’t Find The Time”

3. Bruce Springsteen, “Born To Run”

4. Critters, “Mr. Dieingly Sad”

5. Magic Lanterns, “Shame Shame”

6. Five Satins, “In The Still of The Night”

7. Formations, “At The Top Of The Stairs”

8. Peppermint Rainbow, “Will You Be Staying After Sunday”

9. Billy Joel, “Piano Man”

10. Knickerbockers, “Lies”

Meanwhile, “True Oldies” WLS-FM Chicago is doing its own “IRS” weekend for last-minute tax preparers this weekend, although its version will spotlight “Incredible Records from the Sixties.”
Want a copy of the complete Top 104??? Just drop Rich a note and he'll send it off to ya!!!
rich.appel@hzsogd.com

And here's some more news regarding some up-coming great radio ...
Hi Kent, Glad you enjoyed the Tommy James interview on April 1st. Had a nice chat on air this morning with Tim Conway, with a major focus on his early days on local tv in Cleveland. This coming Thursday, 4/15, I'll be talking to Robby Krieger about the new Doors movie, and on Thursday, 4/22, I'll have my long awaited chat with Tom Smothers. Big month. In fact, by popular demand, since we've had so many of these fine guests lately, we've launched the Best of Jim Shea Saturdays 6-10a starting 4/10 ... it's just another chance to catch some of these interviews (and other stuff on the show) you may have missed.
Jim Shea / Y103.9
Excellent ... happy to help to spread the word. Is this the Doors movie that now contains Johnny Depp's narration? It's supposed to be EXCELLENT. (And Johnny's readying a Keith Richards documentary right now, too ... conversations they had while making their "Pirates" movie together!) Tommy Smothers should be REALLY interesting ... lots of focus on their show lately ... full season DVDs and a new book ... various guest appearances ... love it! Thanks, Jim! (kk)
Yes, and I've got the movie soundtrack in hand from Rhino ... it's got a lot of Depp reading Morrison's poetry, giving the movie a mystic quality ... Rhino also plans to release Absolutely Live from New York within the next week or so ... probably the best taste of live Doors we've ever had. The footage of Jim is from a scuttled film project (shot in gorgeous 35mm that looks too good to be him) that's been sitting around ... it's a lot of them working out music, a la Let it Be. Morrison lives! Jim
According to "Rolling Stone Magazine", The Doors' flick ("When You're Strange") was first shown at The Sundance Film Festival back in 2009. At the time, it featured Director Tom DiCillo's narration ... but after the film was so well-received, he decided to "tighten up the pace" of the film and brought in Johnny Depp, replacing himself as narrator. "Rolling Stone" says Doors fans, new and old, will "find the experience hypnotic" and says the clips from a film that "Morrison made of himself in the desert are alone worth the price of admission." Sounds pretty amazing. (Morrison lives?!?!? Hmmm ... one has to wonder ... can an "Eddie and the Cruisers" revival be far behind???) kk

'Cause let's face it ... there's GOOD oldies radio and then there's BAD oldies radio ...

re: I JUST HATE IT WHEN THEY GET IT WRONG!!!:
The other day I had the chance to listen to Donny Osmond's syndicated "8-Track Flashback" daily drop-in on WLS-FM and came away TOTALLY annoyed with what I heard. First of all, he announced the anniversary of Chicago's 1969 appearance at Carnegie Hall as "the VERY first appearance by a rock band at Carnegie Hall". (I guess The Beatles' appearance there back in 1964 didn't count!!!) Then he introduced John Lennon's solo hit "Instant Karma" as the song that was coming out of EVERYBODY's 8-Track players on this date in 1970 ... except that Lennon's song was only released as a single at the time ... it didn't appear on an album until five year's later when it was included on his "Shaved Fish" / Greatest Hits LP ... meaning that not only was it not "coming out of everybody's 8-Track player" ... it wasn't coming out of ANYBODY'S 8-Track player!!! Unfortunately, we have to listen to this type of constant misinformation all the time ... and it's annoying as hell ... because we just know that several OTHER people hearing this on the radio today went out and repeated it to other family members, co-workers or music-lover friends as "fact" when, in reality, nothing could be futher from the truth. The mistruth then gets repeated time and time again until everyone just accepts it as "fact", regardless of how bogus the information may be. ("It MUST be true ... I heard it on the radio!!!" Or "It MUST be true ... Donny Osmond couldn't be wrong ... he was THERE!!!") I know we'll never be able to stop it ... but over the past eleven years we've done our very best to get the REAL truth out there ... and correct these "wrongs" when we see or hear them. Before history is completely rewritten with erroneous information (no, Charles Manson did NOT audition for The Monkees!!! And "American Pie" was NOT the name of the airplane that Buddy Holly crashed in!!!), we just HAVE to point out these errors, flaws and mistruths to anyone willing to listen. Don't get me wrong ... Donny Osmond wasn't trying to mislead anybody ... he's just reading the script as it was written ... but SOMEBODY needs to stand up for the truth once in a while. (Hey, wouldn't THAT make for an interesting "drop-in" on the oldies channels ... the TRUTH about some of these songs and artists?!?!? A program devoted to dispelling all the lies, rumors and innuendos that have been circulating for years!!! Gee, what a concept!!!) kk

re: THE LOCAL HITS ... MILWAUKEE STYLE:
Special thanks to Ron Smith for sharing this story with us ... as you know, we're ALL about the Local Hits!!! Guess who's FINALLY getting around to releasing their second album!!!
You might be interested in the "comeback" of one of Milwaukee's big acts from the sixties: http://pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=367949&Itemid=31
Now, if only the Unchained Mynds could mount a comeback (and what was with Milwaukee groups and vowels?).
- Ron

(Click chart to enlarge)

VERY interesting article on Tony and the Tygers ... who knew all the paths they crossed back in the day!!!
We're still chompin' at the bit to do our next "Show Me Your Hits" feature ... if you've got some local hits to share, please send 'em along! Meanwhile, be sure to check out the awesome Milwaukee chart Ron sent along ... I just LOVE seeing these vintage surveys, don't you?!?!? (What's the deal with so many radio stations using the "Silver Dollar Survey" theme?!?!? I thought that was OUR deal here in Chicago with WLS!!!)
In the #6 spot is our recently-featured "Bottle Of Wine". (BTW, I heard Jeff James play "Canned Ham" the other day on his program, a few days after our Easter Offering was posted on the web!!!) Tony's Tygers are in at #10, the Madeline Bell version of "I'm Gonna Make You Love" is in at #12, the recently-departed Alex Clilton takes a HUGE jump from #28 to #15 with his Box Tops Hit "Cry Like A Baby" ... and look at some of our Chicagoland Local Heroes on the chart!!! (The New Colony Six jump 20 points, from #40 to #20 with their soon-to-be #1 Hit "I Will Always Think About You" and The Cryan' Shames are holding strong at #14 ... up from #26 ... with their OUTSTANDING version of "Up On The Roof"!) Funnily enough, I was watching The Buckinghams' DVD "Up Close" over the weekend and got a real kick out of Carl Giammarese introducing their "last Top Ten Hit" as part of the program, right before the band launched into "Susan." Their last Top Ten Hit ... from 1967!!! lol By the way, it's a GREAT concert video that is also available from The Buckinghams' website:

Click here: The Buckinghams - Up Close DVD
(kk)

... and, speaking of our Local Heroes ...

re: PEPSI:
Hi Kent,
Just in case you don't have this, I thought you might like it.
Bill

Thanks, Bill! I know I have this here some place, but it's nice to now have it on the computer, too ... and to share it with our readers, too ... it's The Ides Of March doing their Pepsi Commercial, circa the "Vehicle" days. (All kinds of "Coke" commercials have been floating around for years on various CDs ... I imagine Pepsi could easily put together a decent compilation, too ... we just recently ran the cool video for The Turtles doing THEIR Pepsi Commercial, too! (kk)

re: SAYING GOODBYE:

'WIZARD OF OZ' MUNCHKIN CORONER MEINHARDT RAABE DEAD AT 94http://deathbeeper.com/0846022.html
The headline I saw said, "The undertaker in The Wizard of Oz is not only merely dead, but sincerely dead." (lol) kk

Malcolm McLaren, former Sex Pistols manager dead at age 64.

re: BROWN-EYED GIRL:
Meant to tell you that I just read the other week that Brown Eyed Girl just received an award from BMI for it's 9 MILLIONTH airplay. Perhaps FH members were on to something when they voted it one of the top 10 most overplayed songs.
Jack
Nine million plays ... and that was just last week alone, I think!!! I doubt that I've listened to this song all the way through in about three years now ... and that's a real shame because I used to LOVE this song ... but constant and repeated airplay has totally ruined it for me. (kk)

Got a comment to share? Just drop us a line at forgottenhits@aol.com ... and then check the webpage often to see if YOUR comments appear!

OK ... I Take It ALL Back!!!

IF I'M GOING TO SEE AN ACT LIVE JUST TO HEAR HIS MUSIC, THEN I WOULD STAY HOME AND LISTEN TO THAT CD! AND NOT WASTE THE MONEY!
FREDDY CANNON


While I agree that Mike Love should hang it up, keep in mind that Mike and every other rock star in their 60s, 70s and, in the case of Chuck Berry, B.B. King and others, in their 80s ... and Pete Seeger is over 90 and still makes a rare appearance now and then, these guys know of no other life, but the road. Back in the 50s and 60s, no one thought anyone past their 30s would be playing rock and roll, nor would anyone past their 20s listen to it. It was common belief that rock and roll was a fad and would go away. Indeed, well into the 70s, the music industry was still governed by those who were convinced that moon, June and spoon would be the standard again. Mick Jagger has been quoted more than once that he couldn't see himself singing Satisfaction when he's 40, yet if the Stones go back on tour, he will sing it for the umpteenth time. The Beatles thought being able to get a six pack of beer and a color TV was big time in the early 60s. Macca doesn't need the money, the fame or anything else at his age. But he's out there touring because what else is he gonna do?
We touched briefly on the subject of singers whose voices were gone when we talked about the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony. I know at age 60, my voice isn't what it was when I was 30. Neither is my guitar playing, but that's another subject. Each year that passes brings new revelations on how we perceive the music we call rock and roll. Our heroes are dying or the aging process has caught up with them. So let us not be too hard on Mike. If he wants to give us Fun Fun Fun, let him, What else is he gonna do?
Jack (Rock And Roll Never Forgets)


Regarding The Beach Boys' appearance on "Dancing With The Stars" ... the word on the message board is that Mike Love had bronchitis or some illness that compromised his singing. Plenty of BB fans say they have heard the band recently and that his singing was certainly better than that! If that was what happened, I can't understand why they did not shadow him on his leads. Most listeners do not have a clue as to which original sang what leads - they just love the songs!
Phil
With as much vocal support as The Beach Boys have always had on stage (let's face it, it's virtually IMPOSSIBLE to recreate the sound of their records without AT LEAST half a dozen top-notch singers), it certainly would seem that they could have lent Mike a little more support, especially live on national television. And I also mentioned that when my daughter saw The Beach Boys perform at Ravinia this past summer, she said they were EXCELLENT ... and let's face it, ANYBODY can have an "off" night ... but if Mike Love had bronchitis, then he must have had it for a while ... I've seen about half a dozen performances these past few years and in virtually all of them he can barely muster up a whisper while singing lead. (kk)

***

OK ... maybe I was just a little bit too hard on Mike Love the other day ... honestly, I don't think so ... part of my "job" here is calling 'em as I see 'em ... and their performance on "Dancing With The Stars" was disappointing to say the least ... but then I heard Neil Diamond "singing" "Sweet Caroline" at the Boston Red Sox / New York Yankees Fenway Park season opener and I was reminded once again about Neil's questionable "style of singing" ... in fact, I don't think I've actually heard Neil SING one of his hit songs in about three decades now!!! Instead, he seems to prefer narrating them with some COMPLETELY over-the-top theatrical booming voice, leaving the singing to his legion of fans out in the audience night after night after night. And, incredibly his fans allow him this pleasure ... they turn out in DROVES and treat this guys like some sort of a Demi-God or something!!! Have you seen or heard this performance?!?!?
Click here: YouTube - Neil Diamond sings "Sweet Caroline" at Yankees @ Red Sox 2010 Opening Day


As one who has heavily campaigned for Neil's rightful place in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, I cannot help but wonder if these past 30 years of lackluster performances has in some way diminished (or perhaps even cancelled out) all of the great music he gave us as a singer / songwriter in the late '60's and early '70's. I mean he's ALWAYS come across as pompous and arrogant but at least back then he had the vocal and writing chops to back it up ... now he's pretty much just become a caricature of himself, with each new performance offering less satisfaction than the last. Guys who "narrate" their songs don't belong in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, do they??? I dunno ... guess we should ask Leonard Cohen about that! (kk)