Every time we mention The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, we get HUNDREDS of comments from our readers regarding the whole nominating / selection process ... so naturally last week was no exception.
Here are just a few of the more thought-provoking things you guys had to say:
Hi Kent:
I'm amazed that any Oldies Fans can have a conversation about who should be in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ... and not mention Jack Scott.
The Problem with the choices made for induction into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ... and most other Hall of Fames ... comes down to one simple thing ... Criteria.
They don't have one.
Let's see if we can come up with Criteria For PERFORMERS:
1) Career Dates: The earlier you began your success, the more points you achieve. Making Rock and Roll Records in The '50s when many churches were burning them and many radio stations were breaking them ... did not appear to be a long term career option.
5 points for Pre-1955 (true pioneer)
4 points for 1956-1959 (Elvis takes it Mainstream)
3 points for 1960-1963 (post payola.)
2 points for 1964-1975 (contributing to The Beatle Wave or succeeding in spite of it)
1 point - 1975-Present (being inspired by Everyone)
2) Number of Top 40 Chart Records (Billboard) One point for each record.
3) You ALSO wrote / co-wrote (one point for each Top 40 record)
4) You ALSO Produced (one point for each Top 40 record )
5) You ALSO played a Musical Instrument (one point for each Top 40 record)
The Next Step is to decide how many "points" are required to be inducted. I'd suggest it might be between 10 and 15. We would have to establish a different Criteria for nominees who were exclusively writers, producers etc.
What do you think Kent?
Cheers
Warren Cosford
Co-producer The Story of The Beatles (12 hours 1970)
Production Manager The Elvis Presley Story (12 hours 1975)
Production Manager The Evolution of Rock (64 hours 1977)
Manager: CHUM / CHUM-FM Toronto, WDRE New York, CJBK / BX-93 London, CKLW / 89X / CKWW / 93.9 THE RIVER, Windsor / Detroit
P.S. I almost forgot ... my purpose was to make an argument for Jack Scott. With 19 Billboard Charted Records in the 41 months between June 1958 and November 1961, I think he'd make it under the "Chart Criteria" alone.
That he wrote all his Chart Records with the exception of 1 ... I think he'd make it as a writer.
That he produced all his Chart Records on the Carlton Label ... I think he'd make it as a producer.
Scroll down to see Dick Clark introduce Jack Scott on American Bandstand singing The Way I Walk. Jack felt he hadn't finished the song but label owner Joe Carlton convinced him to record what he had done so far ... and then, to Jack's surprise ... released it as a single. http://www.myspace.com/screaminweekender
Robert Gordon's version was ... somewhat notoriously ... featured in Natural Born Killers (at the 2:20 mark of this clip from the movie)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4ijc-P5nhc
And then ... of course ... there was The Cramps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIW7KJXKfQ
And for The Last Word on the earliest days of U.S. Rock and Roll check the attached
WC
As you know, my BIGGEST beef with The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame all along has been their failure to determine a criteria for consideration regarding induction to their hallowed halls. Your point system seems to make perfect sense ... but The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame seems to go out of their way to tell us that popularity and chart success carry absolutely NO weight with their choices ... and, to their credit (or would that be DIScredit) they successfully continue prove this point year after year after year.
Actually, I am of the belief that they really DO have a point system ... they just don't publicize it.
For example, if Jann Wenner likes you and wants you in, you earn forty points ... and an immediate spot on the ballot, forcing all voting members to consider you, whether they actually believe that you're worthy or not.
If you were at one time an Atlantic Records recording artist (this was particularly true when Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame co-founder Ahmet Ertegun was still alive), that earns you twenty points. (And the ghost of Ahmet still holds some clout ... witness this year's nominees Joe Tex, Chic, Chuck Willis, Dr. John and The J. Geils Band!)
And, if you're willing to shell out $10,000 a piece for a table or two at the induction ceremony, you can probably get one of YOUR label artists on the ballot, too.
Of course NONE of this has anything whatsoever to do with talent, artistic achievement or inspiration ... or furthering the genre known as "rock and roll" .. all of which was supposedly the very foundation the museum was reportedly built on in the first place ... but trust me ... there IS a criteria point system in place ... they just don't like to talk about it! (kk)
P.S. While Jack Scott put together an impressive run of hits in the late '50's and early '60's ... and he has been mentioned by a few of our readers in the past as being worthy of consideration ... he is hardly what we'd consider a "front runner" in the over-looked, Deserving And Denied category ... not based on the opinion of the "masses" out there anyway. Besides, how many Canadian Artists does The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame really need?!?!? They continue to ignore the likes of The Guess Who, Paul Anka, Bryan Adams, Gordon Lightfoot and Bachman-Turner Overdrive on a regular basis ... why on earth would they consider Jack Scott??? (In fact, is there ANY Canadian Artist in The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame other than Neil Young???) kk
Here are a few of my Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame comments:
Bon Jovi -- I am not a fan. I consider them to be lower class Springsteen. However they have legions of fans, sell out arenas and are definitely RRHOF worthy.
Neil Diamond -- wrote and sang many classics -- a definite YES.
Donna Summer -- don't tell me disco is not rock and roll. I definitely consider her to be more rocking than let's say James Taylor. I see disco as a late 70s extension of Motown and Philly soul. Donna, along with KC and the Bee Gees, was one of the three dominant disco artists. She rocked out on Hot Stuff -- definite YES.
The rest are either cult artists [Dr. John, Tom Waits], writers [Laura Nyro], minor Atlantic artists [Chuck Willis, Joe Tex] or second tier rockers [J. Geils, Alice Cooper] or others.
I'm a huge fan of Darlene Love. Her solo hits should have hit #1 but they didn't come close. She did great backup work with the Blossoms, especially on the Johnny Rivers records. I'd consider her.
Chic had a four hit career [two #1s] and the nucleus was involved in many big disco / dance hits of the 70s and 80s including We Are Family, I'm Coming Out, Upside Down, the entire Bowie Let's Dance album, and the Honeydrippers album.
I hate rap but it is included and LL Cool J was a big 80s artist. I guess I'd include him.
Mark the Shark
While I do believe Darlene Love belongs in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, I really have to question how HER name made the ballot before Johnny Rivers' did, especially in light of the fact that you cite her as worthy for her background vocal work on Rivers' hit records!
Overall, I think it's a pretty good list this year ... as I mentioned the other day, we've seen more and more of our Deserving And Denied Artists making the ballot since we started publicly bitching and complaining a few years ago. (Not that I believe for a millisecond that Jann Wenner has ever read a single word I've written ... but The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Museum in Cleveland certainly knows who we are ... we got all kinds of correspondence from them when our big Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Series ran a few years ago! Museum President Terry Stewart even cancelled his scheduled Forgotten Hits Interview after we published the Fox News Report regarding The Dave Clark Five being snubbed in favor of a Rap Act ... and when we started appearing on a variety of oldies radio shows around the country, letting fans know who ISN'T in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, I don't think we won over any RRHF staff or supporters! (kk)
Hi Kent:
Do they really pay some fool $400,000 to make up the finalist list for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame? That seems completely insane, being that almost anybody could do it in a half hour with a six pack! Sounds like a Government job!
Ken
Hey, on numerous occassions I've offered to take on the job for HALF the money ... but still no takers! (kk)
Hey Kent ...
Have you seen this article?
Hall of fame should consider Spaniels, Vee Jay matriarch :: Entertainment :: Post-Tribune
I say YES to the Spaniels ... what do you say ?
If they ever recorded an album with Joe Cocker, they'd be known as The Cockerspaniels. Lol!
Sorry about that one.
Frank B.
Now THAT's a show I would pay to go and see! (kk)
Kent,
IMHO, the most overlooked group that doesn't even make the overlooked list is Jan & Dean. They had solid (and #1) hits in several eras and styles. Baby Talk. Surf City. Their comedic approach (T.A.M.I. and the Batman comedy album) . . .
Phil
PrayForSurf.net
Actually, there have been quite a few votes cast for Jan and Dean amongst our readers ... and personally, for all that's been written over the years regarding Jan Berry's "musical genius", I'm a little surprised that they HAVEN'T been inducted yet. (Maybe it's the novelty songs that have made their rightful place there seem a little bit doubtful??? I believe this factor has also drastically hurt The Monkees in this regard.) I, for one, absolutely agree that there should be a spot for these guys in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. (kk)
Kent,
I thought I'd send along a little Neil Diamond stuff after reading how he was on the "sick list" of possible Hall of Fame inductees.
I am certainly happy with Donovan and Alice Cooper, while Bon Jovi and J. Geils would deserve consideration if there were about 100 more deserving in there already.
The rest?
Some are good writers or R&B or rappers or whatever, but not really rock 'n roll. Donovan deserves it mainly because he was a huge influence on the 60's rock scene, even if most of his songs were more folky.
That brings us to Neil Diamond.
Personally, I am sick of this guy's departure from his 60's roots. In the 70's, he went all mellow on us. "Forever in Blue Jeans" was his most upbeat song? He did good songs in the 70's and 80's, but what happened to "Brother Love" and "Cherry, Cherry"?? Oh yeah, the great "Crunchy Granola Suite" was 70's, so he did one, right?
And Please, NO MORE "Sweet Caroline" at sports events!
Neil had great music in the late 60's and great music in the 70's, too, but it was just too much mellow stuff.
Bang actually helped us believe in the early 70's by re-releasing old rock songs to battle the new Uni "Walk On Water". It's no wonder "Do It" almost over took the new track, "He Ain't Heavy" when they were released simultaniously.
Bang should have warned us of the upcoming schmaltz by reissuing "I Got the Feelin' (Oh No No)".
Neil deserves Hall of Fame votes, but for his 60's days only.
The 80's? He was "Headed for the Future and the future was BAD!"
Don't get me started on his screaming live concerts today.
Maybe you'll "laugh when it (is) all done, for (him) being done to soon"??
Clark Besch
When we put together our list of Top 20 Greatest Neil Diamond songs for The True Oldies Channel (airing tomorrow, by the way, all over the world thanks to their online streaming ... and on about a hundred terrestrial radio stations around the country, too ... check the website for complete "Listen Live" details or a radio station near you) ... I was AMAZED by how Neil's Top 20 Biggest Hits actually fell when put in "hit order" ... I ultimately had to RE-DO the list to better reflect the music that made him Hall Of Fame-worthy in the first place. (That's why we're calling it Neil Diamond's 20 GREATEST Hits instead of his 20 BIGGEST Hits ... an actual list of Neil Diamond's Top 20 Biggest Hits puts his duet with Barbra Streisand, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" at #1 ... and also includes schmaltz like "Love On The Rocks", "Hello Again" and "America" from "The Jazz Singer" Soundtrack, his tribute to E.T. "Heartlight", "Longfellow Serenade", "September Morn", the aforementioned "Walk On Water", "Play Me", "Desiree" and "If You Know What I Mean".
Factor in dreck like his "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" hits "Be" and "Skybird", along with often over-the-top ballads like "Play Me", "Soolaimon", "Until It's Time For Me To Go" and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" and pretty soon all you've done is built an iron-clad case as to why he should NOT be inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame!!!
And that's the LAST thing we want to do ... we've campaigned for Neil's rightful inclusion for YEARS now ... and we heartily congratulate him on FINALLY making the ballot!
Our purpose tomorrow is to salute the songs that got him there in the first place. (As far as I'm concerned, most of Neil's post-1975 recordings seem to fall into the "Spoken Word" category rather than the "Rock And Roll" category!)
But we have to remember that along the way Neil ALSO gave us GREAT rock and roll tracks like "Solitary Man", "Cherry Cherry", "I Got The Feelin'", "You Got To Me", "I Thank The Lord For The Night Time", "Kentucky Woman", "Red Red Wine", "Two Bit Manchild", "Sunday Sun", "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show", "Shilo", "Cracklin' Rosie", "Do It", "Crunchy Granola Suite", "Done Too Soon", "Song Sung Blue", "I'm A Believer", "Sweet Caroline" and "Forever In Blue Jeans". His early ballads "Holly Holy", "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" "I Am, I Said" and "Stones" spoke to us in a very special way. Then he went all theatrical on us, leaving all of his '60's rock fans behind and building instead an audience of screaming, panties-throwing blue-haired ladies!!!
Tomorrow's Top 20 Countdown encompasses the best of BOTH worlds ... yes, you'll still find tracks like "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" and "Love On The Rocks" on the list ... because there's simply no denying that these were HUGE hits in their own right ... but you'll also find some of the "rockers" that you just don't hear on the radio all that much anymore, too ... and, depending on how many "extras" Scott Shannon is able to slip in along the way, maybe even a few surprises.
So please tune in tomorrow to The True Oldies Channel and listen to our very special Tribute To Neil Diamond ... Click here: True Oldies Channel
THIS JUST IN: I'M GOING TO DO A TRUE OLDIES TRIBUTE TO NEIL DIAMOND ON TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY, IN CELEBRATION OF HIS ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME NOMINATION!!!
SCOTT SHANNON
Even better ... now we'll get an even BIGGER variety of Neil Diamond hit music (including a few of my obscure favorites like "Brooklyn Roads", "You Got To Me" and "Kentucky Woman"!) kk
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The Sunday Comments ( 10 - 03 - 10 )
Welcome to another Super-Sized Edition of The Sunday Comments Page!
re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ... :
Hi Kent ...
I just checked Ron Smith's Music Calendar. Today, (10/3/10), is Alan O' Day's 70th Birthday. It wasn't long ago we were dissecting his hit "Undercover Angel". Are you going to wish him a Happy Birthday or should I?
Why don't we do it together.
Frank B.
Happy Birthday, Alan! In fact, picture this if you will ...
Nearly 2000 Forgotten Hits Readers ... all up early on a Sunday Morning ... most of us still in our pajamas ... (or less since Frank just HAD to mention "Undercover Angel"!!! lol) ... arm in arm ... singing and swaying in unison ...
"Happy Birthday To You ... Happy Birthday To You ...
Happy Birthday, Dear Alan ...
Happy Birthday To You ....
I say, Oooo-oooo-oooo-weeee!!!"
Have a GREAT one, my friend!
(kk)
re: NEW RELEASES:
BEATLES INSIDER LON VAN EATON FEATURED
ON NEW APPLE RECORDS ALBUM
Lon Van Eaton was one of the first singer / songwriters signed to The Beatles’ historic music company, Apple Records in the 1970s. One of his songs, “Sweet Music,” which he recorded with his brother Derrek, will be featured on a new compilation album, entitled Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records, due in stores on October 26, 2010.
The Lon & Derrek Van Eaton hit song “Sweet Music” is culled from the highly acclaimed album — Brother — which is now in high demand by Apple-era vinyl record collectors. It was produced by George Harrison, and features Ringo Starr on drums.
Lon and Derrek’s song will be in very good company on Come and Get It, as the album also includes exciting Apple tracks by James Taylor, Badfinger, Mary Hopkin, Billy Preston, and Ronnie Spector.
Since his days at Apple Records, Lon appeared on hit solo albums by Martha Reeves, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Harry Nilsson. According to Lon, “Even though I have had a multi-media career in the entertainment business that spans four decades, I will forever be associated with The Beatles, which is a great distinction. Hopefully this long-awaited Apple compilation album is going to help launch several new projects I have up my sleeve!”
This Apple compilation is LONG overdue ... this stuff has been out of print for DECADES. It'll be really nice to have pristine copies of this material after all this time. (kk)
Check out the tracks on this new CD ... it's a collector's dream!
Click here: Amazon.com: Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records: Various Artists: Music
Endless Summer Quarterly Celebrates Summer With A New CD
With The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary over six months away, Endless Summer Quarterly (now celebrating its 23rd year) is pleased to be bringing subscribers of the fanzine the Fall 2010 edition featuring interviews with Brian Wilson, Alan Jardine and The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz on their new album releases.
The rest of 2010 looks great for subscribers of ESQ, with an upcoming special edition on the 40th Anniversary of Sunflower … as well as a new ESQ pod-cast series titled ESQcast. Subscribers of ESQ can look forward more quality reading and fun online, and that’s what each edition delivers for the fans in celebration of The Beach Boys’ amazing legacy.
Endless Summer Quarterly was established in 1987 by editors emeritus Rick Edgil and Phil Mast in San Diego. Editor emeritus Lee Dempsey and current editor David Beard began publishing in Charlotte, NC with just over 200 subscribers in the summer of 1993. Within a few years the East Coast team had established a new following of readers with an incredible increase of over 1,000 readers. With the passing of Carl Wilson in February of 1998, ESQ maintained its focus on the band’s history as well as covering the group’s individual endeavors. Considered the world’s leading Brian Wilson / Beach Boys / Jan & Dean publication by the group members, their associates and historians worldwide, ESQ continues to create historically memorable editions with its positive vision and celebration of The Beach Boys’ great legacy.
ESQuarterly.com now includes a complete back issue order form (dating 15 years back to 1993) with a breakdown of every edition as a downloadable PDF file.
For further information on ENDLESS SUMMER QUARTERLY, ENDLESS SKY and ESQUARTERLY.COM contact: Editor@esquarterly.com
Hi Kent
Davie Allan has a new cd coming out Tuesday 10-05-10.
I did the design and layout for him want to send you the front and back covers'
Mickey Cooksey
I've mentioned the new Bob Lind DVD "Perspective" a couple of times now in the newsletter ... but FINALLY had a chance to watch it this weekend. It's a VERY interesting, appropriately titled piece ... introspective, candid, honest and entertaining, all at the same time ... guaranteed to hold your attention (and make you both smile and cringe) for 93 straight minutes!
It's also a GREAT chance to hear some of Bob's newer material ... (no, as he points out in the video, he did NOT die in 1969 ... he's been doing ... and is STILL doing ... the same thing ... making music ... and observing and relating life's experiences for the entertainment and enjoyment of us all. Unfortunately, it just hasn't always been out there and accessible for many of us ... but this new release helps get us all up to date!)
In addition to his musical stories (and there are plenty ... my personal favorite is a piece called "Looking For You" ... and you'll find a video clip for this one on Bob's website), Bob also shares some of his own life stories and experiences. (His remembrance of his time spent working as a staff writer for The Weekly World News is priceless!)
There are moments where his soul is stripped naked for all the world to see ... and we get a much better understanding as to just what makes up the man as well as the "tortured artist" ... and we're all the richer for it.
(By the way, Bob, for ANY paranoia you may have experienced while putting together the band for the concert sequences, you needn't have worried ... you couldn't have assembled a better group of musicians to bring to life your musical visions. Kudos to ring-leader Jamie Hoover on lead guitar, Matt Cook on keyboards, Dave Carpenter on bass and Kevin Jarvis on drums ... they truly do bring your thoughts and dreams to life on stage.)
All in all, an interesting and enlightening way to spend an hour and a half.
You can pick up YOUR copy at Bob's website:
www.boblind.com ... and also find out where to catch Bob in concert (where copies of the DVD are also made available.) kk
re: COOL OLDIES STUFF:
HEY KENT ... get a load of this ... I left my mp3 player home (big rain) and listened to (gasp) non-satellite radio ... 4 years later and like I never gave it up ...
same music, same talk ... same playlists?
ANYWAY ... a commercial on NJ101.5 FM happened to be advertising an appearance by NANCY SINATRA at a local liquor store (a big one) ...
Call ahead to reserve your bottle of SINATRA VINO ($113 per) and she will sign it for you ...
NANCY, NANCY, NANCY ... what hath god wrought? has it come to this?http://woodbridge.injersey.com/2010/09/27/nancy-sinatra-coming-to-joe-canals-in-iselin/
I have a feeling that the supply of wine is NOT as limited as they imply ...
THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR 'STOMPIN' (grapes)?
(gary) RENFIELD
www.RIPRenfield.com
I met Nancy at one of those celebrity shows here a few years back ... really strange to see her "live" (and in an "unretouched photo" sort of way!!! ... as evidenced by this newspaper clipping photo that Gary sent me!) kk
Hi Kent,
My friends found this link which included one of our songs " I'll Never Tell" by Tony and the Daydreams. I don't have any idea where they got our record from it or why they even know about the record ... it was not a hit.
They have tons of recordings on the link!
Best wishes ~
Don "Young" Albano
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEQah05qFy0
Thanks, Don! (We'll have an exclusive interview / feature on Don Albano's career coming up soon in Forgotten Hits, too ... if I can ever free up enough time to finish it!!! Thanks, too, Don, for being so patient!) kk
Hi Kent,
I just found the Jimi Hendrix piece you did on your website. Very interesting read with very few spelling and grammatical errors, a real surprise these days. I got a good laugh with the Fighting Irish little league team mention.
All the disparaging remarks about the Monkees all these years really get old. Despite them being dubbed the "Pre-Fab Four" and despite studio musicians providing the music on their albums, despite the fact that they were created by TV producers, they were all very good musicians in their own right (Davy played a mean tambourine!) and each hasdistinctive vocals that I can still recognize after 44 years of their existence. They had great live shows even in the early years.
I took my 8 year old daughter to see them in 1988 and she loved them. They were apop / cultural phenomena, like it or not. They just happened to be liked by screaming teeny boppers back then. They actually made some very cool psychedelic music in their day.
I was always a Hendrix fan *AND* a Monkees fan. Once I heard Hendrix's guitar solo on Watchtower, I was hooked. And you mentioned Stephen Stills and the Monkees, but unless I missed it, you didn't mention that, ironically, Stephen Stills (along with John Sebastian, among many others) auditioned for the Monkees but didn't make the cut. But then, your article was about Hendrix, not the Monkees, so maybe it wouldn't be appropriate.
And not only did the Beatles love Hendrix, they also were fans, to some degree, of the Monkees. And despite, Chas and Jimi being ashamed of the Monkees coming to the UK, there had to have been a huge demand or they wouldn't have went there.
Bill Smith
You're preaching to the choir, Bill, when it comes to The Monkees ... I've always been one of their biggest fans. (In fact, if anything, I was more of the opinion that it was HENDRIX who was over-rated!!!)
And you're also right about why so little of this other stuff was mentioned ... the whole focus of this piece was to spotlight Jimi Hendrix and not The Monkees. (We've covered them HUNDREDS of times over the past twelve years of doing Forgotten Hits ... for another interesting read, be sure to check out our Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart piece ... it can ALSO be found on the website ... and there's a FH Exclusive Interview with Bobby Hart on there, too!)
The whole purpose of our Hendrix piece was to "discover" TWELVE THINGS YOU PROBABLY NEVER KNEW ABOUT JIMI HENDRIX ... we probably named two or three TIMES that many, figuring that the real die-hard fans would know too many of the obvious ones! (lol)
Anyway, I'm glad you liked the piece ... and hope that you will take time to browse around the site a little bit longer ... and check out our OTHER site, too, where we publish all of our NEW postings ... including your letter here today! (kk)
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Jimi Hendrix
Click here: Forgotten Hits - THE MUSIC OF TOMMY BOYCE AND BOBBY HART
Click here: Forgotten Hits - FORGOTTEN HITS INTERVIEWS BOBBY HART
Kent,
My "retirement" is officially over. It was really more of a sabbatical than a true retirement and the fact is I posted three interview shows (Susan Jacks, Mike Clifford, author Stanley J. Blitz) during my "time off.
"Since my "time off" is now OFF, this is my first post-sabbatical interview. And it's only the second one that I've done for the Jersey Girls Sing website that is with a primarily-70s act. The previous one was with the "Rubber Duck," C.W. McCall.
Kent, you were so nice giving me that wonderful tribute page. With that in mind my next retirement will probably be right before next summer.
My latest interview subject, Walter Egan, is best-remembered for singing and writing the 1978 smash hit "Magnet And Steel." But he also had three others which made the national chart and you'll hear all four of them on this show.
He was born in Jamaica, NY. Though he is primarily considered a 70s act, he cut his musical teeth in the 60s, first surfacing with a surf-rock band dubbed the Malibooz (pun intended!) which earned a devoted local following and performed at the 1964 New York World's Fair. He eventually formed a folk-rock group called Sageworth and became a big fan of the rock and roll supergroup the Byrds. Little did Walter know that several years later one of the members of that group would record one of his songs on what would become a legendary album.
It wasn't until 1977 that a good portion of the musical world became aware of Walter Egan, the recording artist. His single "Only The Lucky" peaked at #82 on the Billboard Hot 100. The following year "Magnet And Steel" became a giant hit, peaking at #8 and staying on the chart for 22 weeks. It was one of the backup singers who was the "magnet" who inspired him to write that song. He followed up with another original composition, "Hot Summer Nights," which missed the top 40 but peaked at #18 the following year in a version by a group called Night. And, oh yes, rapper Eminem got into the act in 2009 when he used so much of the essence of "Hot Summer Nights" in his new song "We Made You" that Walter was given one-fifth songwriter credit on the Eminem hit! Yes, you'll hear a small portion of that (but only a few lines) and they are rated G.
There's a lot more but I'll let you and others who choose to listen be surprised. This was a fun show and it was a joy for me learning so much more about the artist whom I previously knew only from "Magnet And Steel."
This Walter Egan radio interview show, recorded exclusively for the Jersey Girls Sing website is on this page: Ronnie's Radio Page
Coming attraction: my next radio interview show to be posted is with a man who had a monster hit and whose professional last name is almost always mispronounced. Let the guessing begin!Ronnie Allen
Glad to have you back, Ronnie! (It brings to mind that old saying "How can we miss you if you never really go away?!?!?" lol) And you know, a plug or two on your show and website for Forgotten Hits would be kinda nice, too!
BIG fan of "Magnet And Steel" ... one of the ones I used to sing back in the day ... looking forward to many more interviews in the future. (kk)
Now this is just WAY too cool!!!
How cool was it this week when David Letterman and Paul Shaeffer mentioned Dick Biondi on the Late Show during a Top 10 about Rahm Emanuel? I saw this live and about fainted when they were trying to remember who had been a Chicago mayor besides the Daleys and said one was DICK BIONDI! Obviously, Dave and Paul both grew up hearing him! Certainly, Dave must have heard him and was on the air at ball State when Dick was at WCFL. Here's the cool tribute. I'll try to send some scans of stuff from my collection to go along with "the Man the Street is named after."
WLSClark
http://www.examiner.com/dupage-county-conservative-in-chicago/dave-letterman-s-top-ten-other-reasons-rahm-emanuel-is-leaving-the-white-house-video
Congratulations to Scott Shannon of The True Oldies Channel. The other night during the presentation of the 2010 Marconi Radio Awards, The National Association of Broadcasters named Scott Shannon, midday host on Citadel Broadcasting Oldies outlet WLS-FM 94.7 here in Chicago, (and syndicated around the entire globe via The True Oldies Channel streaming worldwide Internet broadcast from The TOC Mothership), Network / Syndicated Personality of the Year. Winners were announced Thursday night at the annual NAB Radio Show in Washington, D.C.
(For news about our next Forgotten Hits / True Oldies Channel feature, be sure to check out the Neil Diamond article below!) kk
re: ROCKET RIDE:
>>>When I was 13 in the summer of 1965, my friend Art and I built a "wireless broadcaster" out of some radio parts we bought at the Six Corners Olson Electronics, all screwed to a piece of scrap 1 X 6. We hooked it up to his shortwave listening antenna (about 30 feet of wire strung from his house to his garage) connected it to his record player, and grabbed a 45 from the pile of records he had just sitting on a basement shelf. Then we took a transistor radio and ran around the neighborhood seeing how far away we could hear it. When the 45 ended, we went back to the basement and put it on again and then ran in the other direction. You could literally hear it a block away, west past Overhill and east past Oriole. It was a fun stunt and I've always wondered if anyone else in the neighborhood swung past the frequency then and heard it too.
(Jeff Duntemann)
You too, Jeff? Some pals and I did the same thing. We could be heard about a block away when we transmitted from the back yard SWL antenna. Interesting thing is, we all became ham operators like you, worked in radio a while and eventually were forced to go straight and ended up in technology jobs too. And just to close the loop, my gal and I danced a stroll to a Pat Boone tune at a party last weekend.
David Lewis
Ahh, I love it ... Pirate Radio (without the boats!!!) kk
re: 1969:
Kent --
I listened to "1969" by Ross Hannaman ... Terrific record!!!
From the ongoing dialogue, I gather she was Canadian, not being familiar with New Rose Records. Great voice and great arrangement. Another would-have-been from my favorite music genre.
"Hey....I hate to picture.....1969..... (clap of thunder)"
If she only knew!!!!
Bob Rashkow
I just listened to 1969 by Ross Hannaman. Imagine my surprise to find out it is Beethoven's Fur Elise!! Gotta love the world of music!
Hil
I know, isn't that AWESOME?!?!? I love it! (kk)
Hey Kent,
I like that "1969" song. It's amazing how people can find these songs with only a few clues. Your readers are the best!
Thanks for your help,
Eddie Burke,
Orange, CT
Here's something REALLY amazing ... when you consider the tens of thousands of songs we've all been exposed to over the past 40-50 years, you need to ALSO consider the fact that probably less than 2% of the music recorded ever gets heard! If a track doesn't catch an immediate audience ... or the ear of a deejay or record producer or promotion man, it probably went unnoticed by the majority of us out there. That's why it's such a treat to discover a "brand new" track like 1969 ... something that never even made the charts at all but still has an immediate hooking appeal.
And you're right about our readers ... I am amazed time and time again. (Honestly, I believe our hit-ratio is well over 90% ... not quite 100%, but damn close!!!) We have an absolutely AMAZING group of readers out there and their passion for this music shows each and every day. It's all what makes doing this so worthwhile. (kk)
P.S. Watch for a brand new edition of "Helping Out Our Readers" later this week!
re: CHI COLTRANE:
>>>What's the weather look like outside? (kk)
When I saw this topic line I started hearing the WLS weather jingle that sang "What's the weather for the weekend gonna be ... will it be hot, cold, rain, snow, ooohh" Haven't heard that in well over 40 years, but some of those jingles still play clearly in my head. Just don't ask me the name of a person I met last week, or what I was looking for when I opened the refrigerator a few minutes ago ....
David Lewis
lol, I hear that!!! My mind is chock-full of useless information!!! (kk)
And here's that weather jingle you're referring to, courtesy of Clark Besch (aka WLSClark!)
Those WLS Anita Kerr jingles are just so good! Put em in the RNR Hall of Fame too! Here's a comp of thru the years WLS Jingles including that weather jingle. They also used one with DJ voice over like this one that sang ""Temperature" (DJ says temp), "Time" (DJ again with time) and then "That's the time and the temperature in Chicago ... WLS"
WLS. I LOVE IT!
That's why I am Sparticus, err, I mean WLSClark
>>>You remember Chi Coltrane's "Thunder & Lightning" from '72? Well, Columbia didn't record it, others did and all Columbia / Sony has is the master tape, not the session tape - so it can't actually be "Remastered". Would love to find who actually holds the session tape(s), if they still exist!!! (John)
>>>According to Wayne Janck's book "The Billboard Book Of One Hit Wonders", Chi Coltrane caught the attention of talent scouts for Columbia Records while performing in a variety of local clubs in and around Chicago. Contracts were signed, arrangements were made, and songs were recorded. But, with the exception of her lone tuffy, 'Thunder And Lightning', Chi's self-titled debut disk featured only humdrum hoofers. The LP did place on Billboard's top pop albums chart, and 'Thunder' rumbled the airwaves, but lightning did not strike twice for Chi. Based on THAT information, I would have to say that if anybody has or owns the master, it would be Sony Music / Columbia Records / Legacy. (kk)
As Bob Irwin (AKA Sundazed) wrote, "Columbia / Sony may have the (existing) master, but nothing to remaster." Obviously, others recorded it, not a Columbia production, in other words.
Let me explain, if I may. When collecting those things called vinyl records, I came across The Marcels record. It had an early take with studio talk with at least "Blue Moon", as heard below. But even though Rhino scarfed up The Marcels recordings to get rich, I do not think they have this particular Take in their archives, others do. I have yet to find it on CD ... http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/blue.mp3
Thanks, Mr. Kent!!!! You're wonderful! :-)
Best,
John
I still have the original copy of "Thunder and Lightning" that I bought back in late 1972 or early '73. I still had to listen to this attachment TWICE! I thought it was a great, innovative and original song back then and I still do today. GOOD STUFF! Narvel Felts' "Rocket Ride" was a cool listen too.
Dube
Yep, "Thunder And Lightning" sounds good EVERY time it comes on the radio ... which, unfortunately, isn't very often. Hopefully some of the jocks on the list will give it a spin after this little FH nudging!!! (kk)
Hi Kent,
It seems a little strange to me that you consider Chi Coltrane a one-hit wonder. In my part of the world she has an almost legendary status ... Could it be that she was more successful in Europe than in the US? I dunno ...
The good news about Chi is however that she is alive and kicking and has just re-signed (for a second spell) with Sony, which will give her the opportunity to release her first record for more than two decades ... exciting prospects!
Dave
www.mysterylyrics.info
Then she must have been bigger in Europe ... 'cause Stateside she had EXACTLY one Top 100 Hit. ("Thunder And Lightning" peaked at #15 in Cash Box Magazine ... and was a #4 Hit here in Chicago where, by 1972, Chi Coltrane was calling home.) While I don't have a reference source citing German Chart Statistics, I see that Coltrane never hit the charts at all in Great Britain!
Checking Chi's website, there's complete information to be found about the new release you mentioned ... and, apparently she's still doing very well in Europe ... there's even a Holland / Germany link showing her upcoming tour dates! (kk)
Click here: Chi Coltrane's Official Website
Dave featured some Chi Coltrane coverage on HIS website last week as well ... here's a link to his new "Music Movement" feature:
Click here: The Music Movement » Blog Archive » Chi Coltrane signs with Sony
I did a short feature on Chi Coltrane's comeback on my new blog "The Music Movement" only a couple of days ago, so the timing is great. The idea behind this venture is to make people aware of the state of the recording industry and the effects it has on artists that aren't young, beautiful and who shun commercialism. Especially our heroes from yesteryear are finding it difficult (as you well know of course)
The English version of the blog is still very new, so its maybe a little early to plug it, but for anyone who is interested (there are a couple of interesting features) here's the link: http://www.music-movement.com/en/ ...
or, for the German speakers amongst us: http://www.music-movement.com
Cheers
Dave
re: TRUTH OR DARE:
>>>Have you ever done a comparison between the My Sharona picture sleeve and the cover for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass' Whipped Cream And Other Delights to try to figure out which one was better? (Tom Diehl)
Ah, kids stuff, Tom. For the real deal, look-up Joey Heatherton on CD!!! A naturally nice cover - I think that may be part of the Bonus!!!!!
Go on, Kent, put THAT one up ... I dare you! :-)
John
http://cgi.ebay.com/Joey-Heatherton-THE-JOEY-HEATHERTON-ALBUM-W-12-BONUS-/380273462295?pt=Music_CDs&hash=item588a108c17
There will also be a Special Pre-Show Concert Event where Tommy Roe and some of the other special guests will be performing live on stage in the ballroom.For updates and further information, call (203) 795-4737. You may also e-mail LiverpoolTours@aol.com.
Website is: www.ToursAndEvents.com/BEATexpo.htm.
re: STACEE AND THE TYGERS:
Oh, I see how it is, the females get the free autographed CDs and LPs, while us males get a hard time. That does it, I'm changing my name to Joan, not John!!! LOL!!
Thanks, John ... err, Joan ... I mean, John! (kk)
What a great story!!
Phil Beckman
Kent,
The autographed material went out in the mail yesterday. Should arrive next week.
Lanny / The Tygers
Hey Kent,
Thank you for the follow up with The Tygers and the way you put the whole story together. That was really nice. I look forward to owning their new album and it just so happens that I have a turn table.
Stacee
Well, as you can see from Lanny's note above, it's on its way to you ... enjoy! And thanks again for sharing your memories with our readers! It's what we're all about! (kk)
re: NEIL DIAMOND:
Forgotten Hits congratulates Neil Diamond on FINALLY being nominated for consideration into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame! This honor is RIDICULOUSLY long overdue ... and well-deserved.
Next week Forgotten Hits teams with Scott Shannon and The True Oldies Channel to bring you Neil Diamond's Top 20 Greatest Hits (with a few surprise "extras" thrown in along the way, too!) Watch the web page for more details (and a "Listen Live" link!)
We'll also be bringing you some of your Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Comments again, too ... so stay tuned! (kk)
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
Thank you for featuring "You Little Trustmaker" ... I love this song!!
I always thought it was called You Will Trust Me Girl, until a couple years ago!
Eileen
It's a goodie ... and one that went all the way to #4 here in Chicago!
I always thought The Marshall Tucker Band were singing "Pretty Little Love Song" rather than "Heard It In A Love Song" ... and I STILL sing it that way most of the time. (kk)
Kent,
I always enjoy reading FH and thinking "If only I had time to find and send ..."
Just reading it tonight and thought about a tape I have of Wolfman Jack talking with Daddy Dewdrop, but have no time to search these days.
Then, Neil Diamond in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame brought up thoughts of my tapes of Ron Riley doing his best Carl Bonafede impersonation intro-ing "Two Bit Manchild," a brilliant Diamond classic that was a hit in Chitown.
Then all the talk of the Ides of March. LOVE all their records!! I just read on another site yesterday about someone thinking "Melody" should have been a hit. Agreed! "Melody" got airplay on KEYN-FM Wichita when I lived in Dodge City, Ks.
Always want to comment on FH topics, but no time at present, so THANKS for keeping me updated on stuff!
Clark Besch
Keep reading and you'll see that Scott Shannon and I are doing a little tribute to Neil Diamond FINALLY being recognized by The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Unfortunatley, "Two Bit Manchild" WASN'T one of his biggest hits, so it's unlikely you'll hear it played on The True Oldies Channel that day ... that's why I'm featuring it here today. See if THIS one doesn't ring a few memory bells along the way!!! (I actually heard Jeff James play this track on Y103.9 not too long ago ... and you're right, it WAS a big hit here in Chicago, where it went all the way to #24, despite a #66 Billboard showing.) kk
The B side is a real kick too! Non-Lp (but is on CD now) track that is obviously a demo recorded at 6 AM and finds Neil not at his optimum time of day for hassling with singing a finished track. It's a lot of fun, as it is 1968 studio nonsense that reminds one of all the same era Beatles demos that are out there. "Artie" and "Tommy" his other "Wrecking Crew-like" members are told to "keep it groovin'" while he eventually comments "If you think I'm putting my name on this, you're outta your mind!" Just a fun track for B side to "Two-Bit Manchild"!!!
Clark
Kinda sounds like Neil's fun interpretation of "Hanky Panky" ... "I don't care WHO wrote it!" lol Thanks, Clark ... we'll feature "Broad Old Woman 96 AM Insanity)" here today, too! (kk)
re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ... :
Hi Kent ...
I just checked Ron Smith's Music Calendar. Today, (10/3/10), is Alan O' Day's 70th Birthday. It wasn't long ago we were dissecting his hit "Undercover Angel". Are you going to wish him a Happy Birthday or should I?
Why don't we do it together.
Frank B.
Happy Birthday, Alan! In fact, picture this if you will ...
Nearly 2000 Forgotten Hits Readers ... all up early on a Sunday Morning ... most of us still in our pajamas ... (or less since Frank just HAD to mention "Undercover Angel"!!! lol) ... arm in arm ... singing and swaying in unison ...
"Happy Birthday To You ... Happy Birthday To You ...
Happy Birthday, Dear Alan ...
Happy Birthday To You ....
I say, Oooo-oooo-oooo-weeee!!!"
Have a GREAT one, my friend!
(kk)
re: NEW RELEASES:
BEATLES INSIDER LON VAN EATON FEATURED
ON NEW APPLE RECORDS ALBUM
Lon Van Eaton was one of the first singer / songwriters signed to The Beatles’ historic music company, Apple Records in the 1970s. One of his songs, “Sweet Music,” which he recorded with his brother Derrek, will be featured on a new compilation album, entitled Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records, due in stores on October 26, 2010.
The Lon & Derrek Van Eaton hit song “Sweet Music” is culled from the highly acclaimed album — Brother — which is now in high demand by Apple-era vinyl record collectors. It was produced by George Harrison, and features Ringo Starr on drums.
Lon and Derrek’s song will be in very good company on Come and Get It, as the album also includes exciting Apple tracks by James Taylor, Badfinger, Mary Hopkin, Billy Preston, and Ronnie Spector.
Since his days at Apple Records, Lon appeared on hit solo albums by Martha Reeves, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Harry Nilsson. According to Lon, “Even though I have had a multi-media career in the entertainment business that spans four decades, I will forever be associated with The Beatles, which is a great distinction. Hopefully this long-awaited Apple compilation album is going to help launch several new projects I have up my sleeve!”
This Apple compilation is LONG overdue ... this stuff has been out of print for DECADES. It'll be really nice to have pristine copies of this material after all this time. (kk)
Check out the tracks on this new CD ... it's a collector's dream!
Click here: Amazon.com: Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records: Various Artists: Music
Be watching next week for an EXCLUSIVE Forgotten Hits Interview with Lon Van Eaton. (In fact, if YOU have a question that you'd like us to ask, shoot me a quick email and I'll see what we can do!)
And, not only will we be talking with Lon but, thanks to David Salidor, we'll ALSO have a free, autographed copy of this new Apple CD to give away to one lucky Forgotten Hits Readers!!!
So PLEASE stay tuned ... and get your entry in now!!! (kk)
NEW RELEASE FROM THAT PHILLY SOUND:
THE DAWN OF CORRECTION -- THE SPOKESMEN
That Philly Sound is proud to announce that our newest CD, THE SPOKESMEN--THE DAWN OF CORRECTION has just been released and is available for the first time on CD to purchase through CD Baby.
In the mid '60s, John Madara, David White and D.J. Ray Gilmore formed a group called The Spokesmen. They released "The Dawn Of Correction," an answer song to the enormous hit "Eve Of Destruction" by Barry McGuire. The song was very controversial. Time Magazine did an article on the two songs, comparing The Spokesmen lyrics with the Barry McGuire lyrics. In some cases they were not permitted to sing the song on the air and had to replace it with another song.
The LP was recorded in October of 1965 and reached #21 on the National charts. This is the first time that it has been released on CD. The CD includes all 12 songs from the LP, including "The Dawn Of Correction."
Click here to preview and purchase this CD and individual songs
Also, please go to THAT PHILLY SOUND to purchase other rare Philly CDs, and learn more about the artists and people behind the Philadelphia music scene.
Click here to go to THAT PHILLY SOUND.
THAT PHILLY SOUND is presented by songwriter / record producer, John Madara, who co-wrote and co- produced with partner, Dave White, such timeless classics as AT THE HOP (Danny and The Juniors), ROCK AND ROLL IS HERE TO STAY -- Producer (Danny and The Juniors), THE FLY (Chubby Checker), 1-2-3 (Len Barry, who also co- wrote the song with Madara & White) and YOU DON'T OWN ME (Leslie Gore). These and countless other hits helped to make up "The Sound Of Philadelphia."
The recent That Philly Sound reissue features the entire Spokesmen LP in its entirety ... but no bonus tracks. Thanks to our many conversations with John Madara over the years, we've got a rare track to share with you today ... it's The Spokesmen doing THEIR cover version of The Beatles' classic "Michelle"! (kk)
Endless Summer Quarterly Celebrates Summer With A New CD
With The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary over six months away, Endless Summer Quarterly (now celebrating its 23rd year) is pleased to be bringing subscribers of the fanzine the Fall 2010 edition featuring interviews with Brian Wilson, Alan Jardine and The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz on their new album releases.
The rest of 2010 looks great for subscribers of ESQ, with an upcoming special edition on the 40th Anniversary of Sunflower … as well as a new ESQ pod-cast series titled ESQcast. Subscribers of ESQ can look forward more quality reading and fun online, and that’s what each edition delivers for the fans in celebration of The Beach Boys’ amazing legacy.Endless Summer Quarterly was established in 1987 by editors emeritus Rick Edgil and Phil Mast in San Diego. Editor emeritus Lee Dempsey and current editor David Beard began publishing in Charlotte, NC with just over 200 subscribers in the summer of 1993. Within a few years the East Coast team had established a new following of readers with an incredible increase of over 1,000 readers. With the passing of Carl Wilson in February of 1998, ESQ maintained its focus on the band’s history as well as covering the group’s individual endeavors. Considered the world’s leading Brian Wilson / Beach Boys / Jan & Dean publication by the group members, their associates and historians worldwide, ESQ continues to create historically memorable editions with its positive vision and celebration of The Beach Boys’ great legacy.
ESQuarterly.com now includes a complete back issue order form (dating 15 years back to 1993) with a breakdown of every edition as a downloadable PDF file.
For further information on ENDLESS SUMMER QUARTERLY, ENDLESS SKY and ESQUARTERLY.COM contact: Editor@esquarterly.com
Hi Kent
Davie Allan has a new cd coming out Tuesday 10-05-10.
I did the design and layout for him want to send you the front and back covers'
Mickey Cooksey
I've mentioned the new Bob Lind DVD "Perspective" a couple of times now in the newsletter ... but FINALLY had a chance to watch it this weekend. It's a VERY interesting, appropriately titled piece ... introspective, candid, honest and entertaining, all at the same time ... guaranteed to hold your attention (and make you both smile and cringe) for 93 straight minutes!
It's also a GREAT chance to hear some of Bob's newer material ... (no, as he points out in the video, he did NOT die in 1969 ... he's been doing ... and is STILL doing ... the same thing ... making music ... and observing and relating life's experiences for the entertainment and enjoyment of us all. Unfortunately, it just hasn't always been out there and accessible for many of us ... but this new release helps get us all up to date!)In addition to his musical stories (and there are plenty ... my personal favorite is a piece called "Looking For You" ... and you'll find a video clip for this one on Bob's website), Bob also shares some of his own life stories and experiences. (His remembrance of his time spent working as a staff writer for The Weekly World News is priceless!)
There are moments where his soul is stripped naked for all the world to see ... and we get a much better understanding as to just what makes up the man as well as the "tortured artist" ... and we're all the richer for it.
(By the way, Bob, for ANY paranoia you may have experienced while putting together the band for the concert sequences, you needn't have worried ... you couldn't have assembled a better group of musicians to bring to life your musical visions. Kudos to ring-leader Jamie Hoover on lead guitar, Matt Cook on keyboards, Dave Carpenter on bass and Kevin Jarvis on drums ... they truly do bring your thoughts and dreams to life on stage.)
All in all, an interesting and enlightening way to spend an hour and a half.
You can pick up YOUR copy at Bob's website:
www.boblind.com ... and also find out where to catch Bob in concert (where copies of the DVD are also made available.) kk
re: COOL OLDIES STUFF:
HEY KENT ... get a load of this ... I left my mp3 player home (big rain) and listened to (gasp) non-satellite radio ... 4 years later and like I never gave it up ...
same music, same talk ... same playlists?
ANYWAY ... a commercial on NJ101.5 FM happened to be advertising an appearance by NANCY SINATRA at a local liquor store (a big one) ...
Call ahead to reserve your bottle of SINATRA VINO ($113 per) and she will sign it for you ...
NANCY, NANCY, NANCY ... what hath god wrought? has it come to this?http://woodbridge.injersey.com/2010/09/27/nancy-sinatra-coming-to-joe-canals-in-iselin/
I have a feeling that the supply of wine is NOT as limited as they imply ...
THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR 'STOMPIN' (grapes)?
(gary) RENFIELD
www.RIPRenfield.com
I met Nancy at one of those celebrity shows here a few years back ... really strange to see her "live" (and in an "unretouched photo" sort of way!!! ... as evidenced by this newspaper clipping photo that Gary sent me!) kkHi Kent,
My friends found this link which included one of our songs " I'll Never Tell" by Tony and the Daydreams. I don't have any idea where they got our record from it or why they even know about the record ... it was not a hit.
They have tons of recordings on the link!
Best wishes ~
Don "Young" Albano
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEQah05qFy0
Thanks, Don! (We'll have an exclusive interview / feature on Don Albano's career coming up soon in Forgotten Hits, too ... if I can ever free up enough time to finish it!!! Thanks, too, Don, for being so patient!) kk
Hi Kent,
I just found the Jimi Hendrix piece you did on your website. Very interesting read with very few spelling and grammatical errors, a real surprise these days. I got a good laugh with the Fighting Irish little league team mention.
All the disparaging remarks about the Monkees all these years really get old. Despite them being dubbed the "Pre-Fab Four" and despite studio musicians providing the music on their albums, despite the fact that they were created by TV producers, they were all very good musicians in their own right (Davy played a mean tambourine!) and each hasdistinctive vocals that I can still recognize after 44 years of their existence. They had great live shows even in the early years.
I took my 8 year old daughter to see them in 1988 and she loved them. They were apop / cultural phenomena, like it or not. They just happened to be liked by screaming teeny boppers back then. They actually made some very cool psychedelic music in their day.
I was always a Hendrix fan *AND* a Monkees fan. Once I heard Hendrix's guitar solo on Watchtower, I was hooked. And you mentioned Stephen Stills and the Monkees, but unless I missed it, you didn't mention that, ironically, Stephen Stills (along with John Sebastian, among many others) auditioned for the Monkees but didn't make the cut. But then, your article was about Hendrix, not the Monkees, so maybe it wouldn't be appropriate.
And not only did the Beatles love Hendrix, they also were fans, to some degree, of the Monkees. And despite, Chas and Jimi being ashamed of the Monkees coming to the UK, there had to have been a huge demand or they wouldn't have went there.
Bill Smith
You're preaching to the choir, Bill, when it comes to The Monkees ... I've always been one of their biggest fans. (In fact, if anything, I was more of the opinion that it was HENDRIX who was over-rated!!!)
And you're also right about why so little of this other stuff was mentioned ... the whole focus of this piece was to spotlight Jimi Hendrix and not The Monkees. (We've covered them HUNDREDS of times over the past twelve years of doing Forgotten Hits ... for another interesting read, be sure to check out our Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart piece ... it can ALSO be found on the website ... and there's a FH Exclusive Interview with Bobby Hart on there, too!)
The whole purpose of our Hendrix piece was to "discover" TWELVE THINGS YOU PROBABLY NEVER KNEW ABOUT JIMI HENDRIX ... we probably named two or three TIMES that many, figuring that the real die-hard fans would know too many of the obvious ones! (lol)
Anyway, I'm glad you liked the piece ... and hope that you will take time to browse around the site a little bit longer ... and check out our OTHER site, too, where we publish all of our NEW postings ... including your letter here today! (kk)
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Jimi Hendrix
Click here: Forgotten Hits - THE MUSIC OF TOMMY BOYCE AND BOBBY HART
Click here: Forgotten Hits - FORGOTTEN HITS INTERVIEWS BOBBY HART
Kent,
My "retirement" is officially over. It was really more of a sabbatical than a true retirement and the fact is I posted three interview shows (Susan Jacks, Mike Clifford, author Stanley J. Blitz) during my "time off.
"Since my "time off" is now OFF, this is my first post-sabbatical interview. And it's only the second one that I've done for the Jersey Girls Sing website that is with a primarily-70s act. The previous one was with the "Rubber Duck," C.W. McCall.
Kent, you were so nice giving me that wonderful tribute page. With that in mind my next retirement will probably be right before next summer.
My latest interview subject, Walter Egan, is best-remembered for singing and writing the 1978 smash hit "Magnet And Steel." But he also had three others which made the national chart and you'll hear all four of them on this show.
He was born in Jamaica, NY. Though he is primarily considered a 70s act, he cut his musical teeth in the 60s, first surfacing with a surf-rock band dubbed the Malibooz (pun intended!) which earned a devoted local following and performed at the 1964 New York World's Fair. He eventually formed a folk-rock group called Sageworth and became a big fan of the rock and roll supergroup the Byrds. Little did Walter know that several years later one of the members of that group would record one of his songs on what would become a legendary album.
It wasn't until 1977 that a good portion of the musical world became aware of Walter Egan, the recording artist. His single "Only The Lucky" peaked at #82 on the Billboard Hot 100. The following year "Magnet And Steel" became a giant hit, peaking at #8 and staying on the chart for 22 weeks. It was one of the backup singers who was the "magnet" who inspired him to write that song. He followed up with another original composition, "Hot Summer Nights," which missed the top 40 but peaked at #18 the following year in a version by a group called Night. And, oh yes, rapper Eminem got into the act in 2009 when he used so much of the essence of "Hot Summer Nights" in his new song "We Made You" that Walter was given one-fifth songwriter credit on the Eminem hit! Yes, you'll hear a small portion of that (but only a few lines) and they are rated G.
There's a lot more but I'll let you and others who choose to listen be surprised. This was a fun show and it was a joy for me learning so much more about the artist whom I previously knew only from "Magnet And Steel."
This Walter Egan radio interview show, recorded exclusively for the Jersey Girls Sing website is on this page: Ronnie's Radio Page
Coming attraction: my next radio interview show to be posted is with a man who had a monster hit and whose professional last name is almost always mispronounced. Let the guessing begin!Ronnie Allen
Glad to have you back, Ronnie! (It brings to mind that old saying "How can we miss you if you never really go away?!?!?" lol) And you know, a plug or two on your show and website for Forgotten Hits would be kinda nice, too!
BIG fan of "Magnet And Steel" ... one of the ones I used to sing back in the day ... looking forward to many more interviews in the future. (kk)
Now this is just WAY too cool!!!
How cool was it this week when David Letterman and Paul Shaeffer mentioned Dick Biondi on the Late Show during a Top 10 about Rahm Emanuel? I saw this live and about fainted when they were trying to remember who had been a Chicago mayor besides the Daleys and said one was DICK BIONDI! Obviously, Dave and Paul both grew up hearing him! Certainly, Dave must have heard him and was on the air at ball State when Dick was at WCFL. Here's the cool tribute. I'll try to send some scans of stuff from my collection to go along with "the Man the Street is named after."
WLSClark
http://www.examiner.com/dupage-county-conservative-in-chicago/dave-letterman-s-top-ten-other-reasons-rahm-emanuel-is-leaving-the-white-house-video
Congratulations to Scott Shannon of The True Oldies Channel. The other night during the presentation of the 2010 Marconi Radio Awards, The National Association of Broadcasters named Scott Shannon, midday host on Citadel Broadcasting Oldies outlet WLS-FM 94.7 here in Chicago, (and syndicated around the entire globe via The True Oldies Channel streaming worldwide Internet broadcast from The TOC Mothership), Network / Syndicated Personality of the Year. Winners were announced Thursday night at the annual NAB Radio Show in Washington, D.C.
(For news about our next Forgotten Hits / True Oldies Channel feature, be sure to check out the Neil Diamond article below!) kk
re: ROCKET RIDE:
>>>When I was 13 in the summer of 1965, my friend Art and I built a "wireless broadcaster" out of some radio parts we bought at the Six Corners Olson Electronics, all screwed to a piece of scrap 1 X 6. We hooked it up to his shortwave listening antenna (about 30 feet of wire strung from his house to his garage) connected it to his record player, and grabbed a 45 from the pile of records he had just sitting on a basement shelf. Then we took a transistor radio and ran around the neighborhood seeing how far away we could hear it. When the 45 ended, we went back to the basement and put it on again and then ran in the other direction. You could literally hear it a block away, west past Overhill and east past Oriole. It was a fun stunt and I've always wondered if anyone else in the neighborhood swung past the frequency then and heard it too.
(Jeff Duntemann)
You too, Jeff? Some pals and I did the same thing. We could be heard about a block away when we transmitted from the back yard SWL antenna. Interesting thing is, we all became ham operators like you, worked in radio a while and eventually were forced to go straight and ended up in technology jobs too. And just to close the loop, my gal and I danced a stroll to a Pat Boone tune at a party last weekend.
David Lewis
Ahh, I love it ... Pirate Radio (without the boats!!!) kk
re: 1969:
Kent --
I listened to "1969" by Ross Hannaman ... Terrific record!!!
From the ongoing dialogue, I gather she was Canadian, not being familiar with New Rose Records. Great voice and great arrangement. Another would-have-been from my favorite music genre.
"Hey....I hate to picture.....1969..... (clap of thunder)"
If she only knew!!!!
Bob Rashkow
I just listened to 1969 by Ross Hannaman. Imagine my surprise to find out it is Beethoven's Fur Elise!! Gotta love the world of music!
Hil
I know, isn't that AWESOME?!?!? I love it! (kk)
Hey Kent,
I like that "1969" song. It's amazing how people can find these songs with only a few clues. Your readers are the best!
Thanks for your help,
Eddie Burke,
Orange, CT
Here's something REALLY amazing ... when you consider the tens of thousands of songs we've all been exposed to over the past 40-50 years, you need to ALSO consider the fact that probably less than 2% of the music recorded ever gets heard! If a track doesn't catch an immediate audience ... or the ear of a deejay or record producer or promotion man, it probably went unnoticed by the majority of us out there. That's why it's such a treat to discover a "brand new" track like 1969 ... something that never even made the charts at all but still has an immediate hooking appeal.
And you're right about our readers ... I am amazed time and time again. (Honestly, I believe our hit-ratio is well over 90% ... not quite 100%, but damn close!!!) We have an absolutely AMAZING group of readers out there and their passion for this music shows each and every day. It's all what makes doing this so worthwhile. (kk)
P.S. Watch for a brand new edition of "Helping Out Our Readers" later this week!
re: CHI COLTRANE:
>>>What's the weather look like outside? (kk)
When I saw this topic line I started hearing the WLS weather jingle that sang "What's the weather for the weekend gonna be ... will it be hot, cold, rain, snow, ooohh" Haven't heard that in well over 40 years, but some of those jingles still play clearly in my head. Just don't ask me the name of a person I met last week, or what I was looking for when I opened the refrigerator a few minutes ago ....
David Lewis
lol, I hear that!!! My mind is chock-full of useless information!!! (kk)
And here's that weather jingle you're referring to, courtesy of Clark Besch (aka WLSClark!)
Those WLS Anita Kerr jingles are just so good! Put em in the RNR Hall of Fame too! Here's a comp of thru the years WLS Jingles including that weather jingle. They also used one with DJ voice over like this one that sang ""Temperature" (DJ says temp), "Time" (DJ again with time) and then "That's the time and the temperature in Chicago ... WLS"
WLS. I LOVE IT!
That's why I am Sparticus, err, I mean WLSClark
>>>You remember Chi Coltrane's "Thunder & Lightning" from '72? Well, Columbia didn't record it, others did and all Columbia / Sony has is the master tape, not the session tape - so it can't actually be "Remastered". Would love to find who actually holds the session tape(s), if they still exist!!! (John)
>>>According to Wayne Janck's book "The Billboard Book Of One Hit Wonders", Chi Coltrane caught the attention of talent scouts for Columbia Records while performing in a variety of local clubs in and around Chicago. Contracts were signed, arrangements were made, and songs were recorded. But, with the exception of her lone tuffy, 'Thunder And Lightning', Chi's self-titled debut disk featured only humdrum hoofers. The LP did place on Billboard's top pop albums chart, and 'Thunder' rumbled the airwaves, but lightning did not strike twice for Chi. Based on THAT information, I would have to say that if anybody has or owns the master, it would be Sony Music / Columbia Records / Legacy. (kk)
As Bob Irwin (AKA Sundazed) wrote, "Columbia / Sony may have the (existing) master, but nothing to remaster." Obviously, others recorded it, not a Columbia production, in other words.
Let me explain, if I may. When collecting those things called vinyl records, I came across The Marcels record. It had an early take with studio talk with at least "Blue Moon", as heard below. But even though Rhino scarfed up The Marcels recordings to get rich, I do not think they have this particular Take in their archives, others do. I have yet to find it on CD ... http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/blue.mp3
Thanks, Mr. Kent!!!! You're wonderful! :-)
Best,
John
I still have the original copy of "Thunder and Lightning" that I bought back in late 1972 or early '73. I still had to listen to this attachment TWICE! I thought it was a great, innovative and original song back then and I still do today. GOOD STUFF! Narvel Felts' "Rocket Ride" was a cool listen too.
Dube
Yep, "Thunder And Lightning" sounds good EVERY time it comes on the radio ... which, unfortunately, isn't very often. Hopefully some of the jocks on the list will give it a spin after this little FH nudging!!! (kk)
Hi Kent,
It seems a little strange to me that you consider Chi Coltrane a one-hit wonder. In my part of the world she has an almost legendary status ... Could it be that she was more successful in Europe than in the US? I dunno ...
The good news about Chi is however that she is alive and kicking and has just re-signed (for a second spell) with Sony, which will give her the opportunity to release her first record for more than two decades ... exciting prospects!
Dave
www.mysterylyrics.info
Then she must have been bigger in Europe ... 'cause Stateside she had EXACTLY one Top 100 Hit. ("Thunder And Lightning" peaked at #15 in Cash Box Magazine ... and was a #4 Hit here in Chicago where, by 1972, Chi Coltrane was calling home.) While I don't have a reference source citing German Chart Statistics, I see that Coltrane never hit the charts at all in Great Britain!
Checking Chi's website, there's complete information to be found about the new release you mentioned ... and, apparently she's still doing very well in Europe ... there's even a Holland / Germany link showing her upcoming tour dates! (kk)
Click here: Chi Coltrane's Official Website
Dave featured some Chi Coltrane coverage on HIS website last week as well ... here's a link to his new "Music Movement" feature:
Click here: The Music Movement » Blog Archive » Chi Coltrane signs with Sony
I did a short feature on Chi Coltrane's comeback on my new blog "The Music Movement" only a couple of days ago, so the timing is great. The idea behind this venture is to make people aware of the state of the recording industry and the effects it has on artists that aren't young, beautiful and who shun commercialism. Especially our heroes from yesteryear are finding it difficult (as you well know of course)
The English version of the blog is still very new, so its maybe a little early to plug it, but for anyone who is interested (there are a couple of interesting features) here's the link: http://www.music-movement.com/en/ ...
or, for the German speakers amongst us: http://www.music-movement.com
Cheers
Dave
re: TRUTH OR DARE:
>>>Have you ever done a comparison between the My Sharona picture sleeve and the cover for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass' Whipped Cream And Other Delights to try to figure out which one was better? (Tom Diehl)
Ah, kids stuff, Tom. For the real deal, look-up Joey Heatherton on CD!!! A naturally nice cover - I think that may be part of the Bonus!!!!!
Go on, Kent, put THAT one up ... I dare you! :-)
John
http://cgi.ebay.com/Joey-Heatherton-THE-JOEY-HEATHERTON-ALBUM-W-12-BONUS-/380273462295?pt=Music_CDs&hash=item588a108c17
We've run some pretty hot pictures of Joey Heatherton over the years ... but then she was an INCREDIBLY hot woman!!! (One of my brother's all-time faves, in fact ... and sometimes the ONLY reason we watched The Dean Martin Show!!!) But DIDJAKNOW? that Forgotten Hits Regular John Madara DATED Heatherton for quite some time during the '60's???? (Obviously, this ISN'T the way her album was originally released but rather a "sex sells" tactic for the compilation CD advertised on eBay ... but it certainly caught our attention ... and evidently has YOU "standing at attention", too! (kk)
HEY, you put Sharona vs. Whipped Cream photos, but what about that FH girl logo you sent in your email recently? Her too? :)
Clark Besch 
Oh yeah, she's a hottie all right!!! (If you look REAL close, you can even see her knees peaking out underneath that skirt!!! lol) kk
re: BEAT EXPO:
I have to hand it to Charles Rosenay ... this guy sure knows how to throw one hell of a party!!! Charles is the guy who puts together all those Beatles conventions and U.K. tours ... and recently staged the very first RockCon out on the East Coast, assembling over 100 recording artists for a weekend of fun, autographs, meet and greets with the fans and on stage jams and performances. Check out the line up he's put together for this year's Beat Expo! (kk)
Come celebrate the music of The Beatles and 60's pop music at Liverpool Productions’ "BEATexpo 2010," a convention for fans on Saturday, November 27 and Sunday, November 28th, 2010 at the Holiday Inn Downtown Stamford, 700 E. Main Street in Stamford, Connecticut.
After a 12 year hiatus, the convention returned to Connecticut last year where it was such a resounding success that it is back again in 2010 with a great line-up of very special guests of honor and speakers, concerts by tribute bands, a rock & roll flea market / memorabilia marketplace; rare video shows and feature-length films; special exhibits and displays; art galleries and many other features, events and attractions.
In the 80’s and 90’s, Liverpool Productions’ shows were the first (and, in some cases, only) U.S. conventions to host such Special Guests as original drummer Pete Best, John’s first wife Cynthia Lennon, John’s sister Julia Baird, “Love Me Do” drummer Andy White, “A Hard Day’s Night” actor Norm Rossington, Brian Matthews and Bernie Andrews, Joey Molland of Badfinger, early Beatles promoter Sam Leach, Woodstock legend and George Harrison’s friend Richie Havens, Davy Jones and Peter Tork of The Monkees, Beatles bodyguard Horst Fascher, Liverpool’s Billy J. Kramer, Hamburg’s Tony Sheridan, Lennon associate May Pang and many others. This year, once again there are some guests appearing who have never been to a convention before.
Special guests of honor at BEATexpo includes:
TOMMY ROE: Tommy Roe played on the same bill as The Beatles and he is coming out of retirement to join us at BEATexpo. This isn't only his first BEATexpo -- it's the first convention he's appeared at -- ever! The international hit-maker wrote or co-wrote and recorded six Top 10 hits between 1962-69, more than any other single artist/songwriter during this period of the sixties. Four were certified gold records. Two of his hits, "Sheila" and "Dizzy," topped the Billboard chart at #1. "Sweet Pea," "Hooray for Hazel" and "Jam Up & Jelly Tight" were his other pop rock classics. On March 9, 1963, The Beatles began their first British tour opening for Tommy Roe (and Chris Montez). In that month, they played 21 dates throughout England, including a showcase concert at Liverpool's Empire Theater. Tommy is coming out of retirement to make this very rare appearance to meet fans, talk onstage, sign autographs and play a few songs.
The Beatles ... with Tommy Roe and Chris Montez, circa 1963
DENNY LAINE: Originally with the Moody Blues (“Go Now”), Denny Laine is beloved by fans as the longest member of WINGS along with Paul and Linda McCartney. He co-founded the band in 1971 and stayed with Paul for 10 years, along the way co-writing one of the largest-selling singles of all time, “Mull of Kintyre.” Albums included “Red Rose Speedway,” “Band on The Run,” “Venus And Mars,” “Wings at the Speed of Sound,” “Wings Over America,” “London Town” and “Back to the Egg.” Denny was scheduled to make his first-ever convention guest appearance in Trumbull, CT back in the mid-80’s and couldn’t get into the U.S. at the time, but his ex-wife, Jo-Jo, and his children Laine and Heidi attended. After several convention appearances in Liverpool and at such shows at ROCK CON, it is an honor to have Denny finally make his first Connecticut convention appearance where he will meet fans, talk onstage, sign autographs and play a few songs.
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Denny Laine today ... did he REALLY name one of his kids Laine Laine?!?!?
RICHARD LANGHAM: Richard Langham was the Second Engineer at EMI / Abbey Road Studios where he worked with The Beatles on their “Please Please Me’ album, the “From Me To You” single sessions and so many more. All the way from his home base in London, we are delighted to have Richard join us for his first-ever convention appearance - anywhere! He is looking forward to telling stories and reminiscing about The Beatles’ early EMI recordings, meet fans and sign autographs.
CARLOS ALOMAR: Carlos Alomar is the guitar virtuoso who co-wrote "Fame" with John Lennon and David Bowie. He has performed or recorded with Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Mick Jagger, Chuck Berry, James Brown and others. In all, Alomar has played on a total of 32 gold and platinum albums, including John's "Double Fantasy" and Paul's "Press to Play." This is his first-ever appearance at a convention for Beatles fans, and he will meet fans, talk onstage, sign autographs and hopefully jam on a few songs.
JULIE GRANT: Julie Grant is a special addition to BEATexpo, and this is her first-ever convention appearance ever! Julie was signed to Pye Records in England and toured with many stars of the time including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals, Searchers and Yardbirds. Julie also appeared on "Top of The Pops," "Ready Steady Go" and “Thank Your Lucky Stars.” She released 15 singles, 5 of which made the top 20. Julie befriended the Beatles in 1963 and became a back-stage staple and part of their inner circle. Julie was a guest at countless Beatles shows and has endless stories to tell, including the performance where Julie watched the lads from behind the scenes accompanied by Paul's Dad. Julie dated Mike Pinder of The Searchers and they double-dated with Paul when he was together with Jane Asher. She was close friends with The Beatles, but because she was managed by The Rolling Stones' manager at the time, professionally Julie was to the Stones as Cilla Black was to The Beatles. She will tell stories of The Beatles’ earliest years, meet fans and sign autographs.
SID BERNSTEIN: Sid is the legendary promoter who worked with Beatles' manager Brian Epstein to bring The Beatles to America. He produced their historic 1964 Carnegie Hall concert and both their 1965 and 1966 Shea Stadium shows, the first stadium concerts in history. He imported the British Invasion to the shores of New York City and helped build the dreams of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, the Moody Blues, the Kinks, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Denver, Joan Baez, Miles Davis, the Rascals, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Elvis Presley, Barbara Streisand, ABBA, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and the list goes on and on. He is always happy to meet fans and sign autographs.
GARY VAN SCYOC (ELEPHANT'S MEMORY): Gary's professional performances, experience & knowledge of the music / recording industry has continued for over forty years. His concert and recording credits include such notable artists as John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Neil Sedaka, Keith Moon, Paul Simon and others. He is featured in John Lennon’s “Live in NYC,” and TV performances with John include the Mike Douglas show and the Dick Cavett show as bassist for John’s 70’s NYC band, Elephants Memory. He will talk about his time with John, meet fans and sign autographs.
DENNIS FERRANTE: Grammy award winning recording engineer returns to BEATexpo to talk about his years of producing and engineering John Lennon's albums from "Imagine" thru "Rock n Roll." Ferrante worked closely with Lennon throughout the '70s on such classic albums as "Imagine," "Some Time in New York City," "Mind Games," "Walls and Bridges," and "Rock 'N' Roll." He will meet fans, answer any questions and sign autographs.
JUMA SULTAN: Juma Sultan was Jimi Hendrix' percussionist (Juma played at one of the most historic concerts in history, Woodstock!). Hendrix was the 1st artist to cover "Sgt. Pepper" live onstage, which blew away The Beatles. It's Jimi's birthday on 11-27-42, so the timing couldn’t be better for Juma’s first BEATexpo appearance. He will be more than happy to meet fans and sign autographs, and perhaps play some bongos.
LADA EDMUND: The lovely Lada is the famed 60's Hullabaloo TV "Caged Go-Go Dancer." She was a pop sensation and recording artist who posed in photos with The Beatles and sang on the bill for Murray The K's show at the Brooklyn Fox Theatre. She will be on hand to talk about the sensational 60s, meet fans and sign autographs, including a great shot of her with The Beatles.
Special Guest authors include JUDE KESSLER, who penned the historical fiction book “Should Been There” and the brand-new “Shivering Inside;” DAVID BEDFORD, author of the great Beatles book on Liverpool called “Liddypool,” and fellow Liverpudlian KEVIN ROACH, author of “The McCartneys: In The Town Where They Were Born.”
There will be a video room where rare films and footage will be screened, including a new feature-length film on John Lennon making its New England premiere, “Let Him Be.”
Performing both on Saturday night and Sunday as official convention band will be the New York Beatles tribute group“The MerseyBeat,” making their first-ever BEATexpo concert appearance. Also performing a set of Beatles music will be the team of Ian Lloyd and John Ford. Ian Lloyd was the lead singer of The Stories ("Brother Louie") and John Ford of The Strawbs. who lived at - and recorded at - John Lennon's Tittenhurst Park for two years.
Advance tickets available online at
www.ToursAndEvents.com/BEATexpo.htm.There will also be a Special Pre-Show Concert Event where Tommy Roe and some of the other special guests will be performing live on stage in the ballroom.For updates and further information, call (203) 795-4737. You may also e-mail LiverpoolTours@aol.com.
Website is: www.ToursAndEvents.com/BEATexpo.htm.
re: STACEE AND THE TYGERS:
Oh, I see how it is, the females get the free autographed CDs and LPs, while us males get a hard time. That does it, I'm changing my name to Joan, not John!!! LOL!!
Thanks, John ... err, Joan ... I mean, John! (kk)
What a great story!!
Phil Beckman
Kent,
The autographed material went out in the mail yesterday. Should arrive next week.
Lanny / The Tygers
Hey Kent,
Thank you for the follow up with The Tygers and the way you put the whole story together. That was really nice. I look forward to owning their new album and it just so happens that I have a turn table.
Stacee
Well, as you can see from Lanny's note above, it's on its way to you ... enjoy! And thanks again for sharing your memories with our readers! It's what we're all about! (kk)
re: NEIL DIAMOND:
Forgotten Hits congratulates Neil Diamond on FINALLY being nominated for consideration into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame! This honor is RIDICULOUSLY long overdue ... and well-deserved.
Next week Forgotten Hits teams with Scott Shannon and The True Oldies Channel to bring you Neil Diamond's Top 20 Greatest Hits (with a few surprise "extras" thrown in along the way, too!) Watch the web page for more details (and a "Listen Live" link!)
We'll also be bringing you some of your Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Comments again, too ... so stay tuned! (kk)
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
Thank you for featuring "You Little Trustmaker" ... I love this song!!
I always thought it was called You Will Trust Me Girl, until a couple years ago!
Eileen
It's a goodie ... and one that went all the way to #4 here in Chicago!
I always thought The Marshall Tucker Band were singing "Pretty Little Love Song" rather than "Heard It In A Love Song" ... and I STILL sing it that way most of the time. (kk)
Kent,
I always enjoy reading FH and thinking "If only I had time to find and send ..."
Just reading it tonight and thought about a tape I have of Wolfman Jack talking with Daddy Dewdrop, but have no time to search these days.
Then, Neil Diamond in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame brought up thoughts of my tapes of Ron Riley doing his best Carl Bonafede impersonation intro-ing "Two Bit Manchild," a brilliant Diamond classic that was a hit in Chitown.
Then all the talk of the Ides of March. LOVE all their records!! I just read on another site yesterday about someone thinking "Melody" should have been a hit. Agreed! "Melody" got airplay on KEYN-FM Wichita when I lived in Dodge City, Ks.
Always want to comment on FH topics, but no time at present, so THANKS for keeping me updated on stuff!
Clark Besch
Keep reading and you'll see that Scott Shannon and I are doing a little tribute to Neil Diamond FINALLY being recognized by The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Unfortunatley, "Two Bit Manchild" WASN'T one of his biggest hits, so it's unlikely you'll hear it played on The True Oldies Channel that day ... that's why I'm featuring it here today. See if THIS one doesn't ring a few memory bells along the way!!! (I actually heard Jeff James play this track on Y103.9 not too long ago ... and you're right, it WAS a big hit here in Chicago, where it went all the way to #24, despite a #66 Billboard showing.) kk
The B side is a real kick too! Non-Lp (but is on CD now) track that is obviously a demo recorded at 6 AM and finds Neil not at his optimum time of day for hassling with singing a finished track. It's a lot of fun, as it is 1968 studio nonsense that reminds one of all the same era Beatles demos that are out there. "Artie" and "Tommy" his other "Wrecking Crew-like" members are told to "keep it groovin'" while he eventually comments "If you think I'm putting my name on this, you're outta your mind!" Just a fun track for B side to "Two-Bit Manchild"!!!
Clark
Kinda sounds like Neil's fun interpretation of "Hanky Panky" ... "I don't care WHO wrote it!" lol Thanks, Clark ... we'll feature "Broad Old Woman 96 AM Insanity)" here today, too! (kk)
And, there was JUST enough time this morning to include Clark's Wolfman Jack / Daddy Dewdrop clip, too!
Good morning Kent,
First just wanted to make an observation about you these days -- don't worry, it's a positive one.
A while back you seemed to be getting very worn down by all the maintenance regarding the list. Of course that is understandable, but I was worried that the whole thing might be going away so you could, in Commander Kirk's words, "Get A Life!!"
Now you seem to have gotten a new energy for all things oldies. If that's true, I'm glad that things are smoothing out for you We really would miss what you do if you weren't doing it. I know you hear this all the time, but just thought you should hear it once again.
Bill
Thanks, Bill ... and you're right, it doesn't hurt to hear it once in a while!
There are ALL kinds of things in "the real world" that drag me down from time to time ... this hasn't been the easiest of the past two years (not by a long shot!) ... but hopefully Forgotten Hits provides a few minutes of "escape" for everybody each day (myself included) ... so it's good to know that we're appreciated! Thanks again. (kk)
Tony Curtis was one of my most admired Actors, and each time an icon leaves us it brings home the reality of time and the fortunes of our Era.
I dread the day you will no longer be here, Kent ... surely then the music will die and most likely be forgotten.
Dreadful as it sounds, it's the truth ... so saddened to know that this millennium generation will lose our time capsule forever.
Bagawire
Thanks, Bag ... I don't know whether to feel depressed or flattered! (lol)
Hopefully, this will prove NOT to be the case ... the best of this music will live on forever (and I TRULY believe that.) I'm just glad to be able to do MY part to help keep it alive while I'm still here, too! (kk)
Friday, October 1, 2010
The Happy Together Again Tour, 2010
The Happy Together Again tour has just ended ... and we want to extend our thanks and congratulations again to all of the artists for putting together a GREAT show this year ... and for staying in touch with us via Forgotten Hits in order to be able to pass along some of your "Fun From The Road" Comments to some of the fans who weren't able to see the show this time around or live in cities where there wasn't a scheduled stop!
We heard some VERY positive things from our readers over the summer and (with the possible exception of some disappointed fans who experienced a Rob Grill "no show" situation at some of the later concerts), it sounds like a wonderful time was had by all ... including the artists themselves.
All of the acts are back out on their own again now ... please check their respective websites to see when they might be headed out to your area.
Click here: The Buckinghams - Home Page
Click here: RobGrill.com - Rock Vocalist, Songwriter & Bass Guitar Legend - Rob Grill - The Grass Roots!
Click here: Mark Lindsay, Former Lead Singer of Paul Revere & the Raiders
Click here: MickyDolenz.Com
Click here: http://theturtles.com/
Meanwhile, here are a few final comments:
re: TRUTH IN ADVERTISING:
I just returned form the final show of the Happy Together tour and indeed Rob Grill did not appear and was instead replaced, with no mention of such. They were still announcing his name at the beginning of the show. I was disappointed. If Rob Grill was not going to perform due to illness, etc., an announcement was in order. Having said that, overall the show was great ...
Rahod
Agreed! But I can't believe they announced the act as "The Grass Roots, featuring Rob Grill", knowing that he really wasn't there to perform ... now that's just WRONG!!! (kk)
re: AND, SPEAKING OF THE HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR ... :
The tour is over ... some of your all-time favorite '60's artists ... The Buckinghams, Rob Grill and the Grass Roots, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, Mark Lindsay (former lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders) and The Turtles (aka Flo And Eddie ... and, occassionally, Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman!) ... entertained thousands across the country as enthusiastic, sell-out crowds flocked to see their teen idols live in concert. By all accounts, the tour was a rousing success ... and plans are already in the works for The Happy Together Tour, 2011!
If there WAS a sour note, it was the absence of Grill on the last leg of the tour. (The thing about a tour like this is you've got all top-of-the-line, name act performers on the bill ... yet each artist also attracts their own legion of loyal fans, making the OTHER acts on the bill "sugar on top"! Truthfully, you can't go wrong with a line-up like this ... between these artists, they had over a hundred hits in the '60's and early '70's!)
That being said, for the fans who came specifically to see Rob Grill perform, I wondered if something should be said regarding any new health issues he may be facing. (Rob's had a rough go of it these past few years, especially after a couple of hip-replacement surgeries that went wrong.) I had hoped that we might receive SOME kind of note from Rob directed to his fans, if only to let them know that he's doing all-right and will be back out there entertaining them again real soon ... but so far, we haven't heard anything. (Maybe after he sees today's posting we'll get a response.)
Meanwhile, I asked ALL of the artists if, now that the tour has wound down for the year, they might like to say something to all the fans who came out to see them ... and here's what I got:
It was one of the best tours I was ever part of. Everyone was a consummate performer and we were excited to share each others fans. Each group brought their own energy to the tour and we hope that next summer to do it again.
Rob Grill was missed and for all that know him, they should know he is doing well. The Grassroots sounded great on the tour and people loved hearing their great songs and we all hope that Rob will be able to rejoin them for Happy Together 2011.
Most every review spoke only positively about the show and that is a testament to everyone doing their part to make it a great time. It was a professional tour and we did not have to cancel one date for any reason.
See you next year!
Mark Volman / The Turtles
The HAPPY TOGETHER tour was very happy and VERY together!
I LOVED it!
Micky Dolenz
The tour was great and it's because of the fans ... without them, there is no tour. We are hoping to do this again next year, so if the fans want to see this again, they need to let the producer know how much they enjoyed the show.
Flower Power Concerts
853 Broadway, Suite 1711
New York, NY 10003
Nick Fortuna / The Buckinghams
Regular FH Readers know that we were getting tour reports from Howard Kaylan of The Turtles and Carl Giammarese of The Buckinghams from the road ... how exceptionally cool to hear from Mark Volman, Micky Dolenz and Nick Fortuna this time around!!!
Thanks, Guys! (kk)
Hiya Kent;
Things were really wonderful this summer for the Happy Together Tour's 25th Anniversary Celebration. We had Mickey Dolenz out with the Turtles this year as well as Mark Lindsay, The Grass Roots and the Buckinghams ... Wonderful crowds, beautiful theaters, and the best summer tour ever!
If you're sixties music fans, or just want to turn your children on to the great hits that you experienced while growing up, I guarantee you'll always get a lot of bang for your buck with a show like this. Thanks to all our fans for their continued support!
Oh, and let us know who you'd like to see on NEXT year's Happy Together Tour at: www.theturtles.com
Thanks, everyone.
Howard Kaylan
Hi Kent,
The Happy Together 25th anniversary tour was fabulous! Sellout shows! The show has been so well received. We played to packed houses and that's fabulous considering they are big venues ... outdoor amphitheaters along with some very nice old theatres, too.The fans came out in strong numbers. We are so fortunate to have the wonderful support they give us ... our audience has been so receptive.
I think everyone on the tour performed their hits with authenticity, but what was really great to see was the wonderful audience response. It's so much more than just performing the songs. It's the way we relate to our fans and bring back the experience of the late 60's.
It has been a pleasure getting to know Mark Lindsay and Micky Dolenz, too ... what great, talented people they are.
It wouldn't surprise me if there we a Happy Together Tour 2011!
Also The Buckinghams, Turtles, Grass Roots, Mark Lindsay and Micky Dolenz want to extend our thanks to Forgotten Hits for all your support. You've done some great write ups and we really appreciate it.
Best regards,
Carl Giammarese / The Buckinghams
We heard some VERY positive things from our readers over the summer and (with the possible exception of some disappointed fans who experienced a Rob Grill "no show" situation at some of the later concerts), it sounds like a wonderful time was had by all ... including the artists themselves.
All of the acts are back out on their own again now ... please check their respective websites to see when they might be headed out to your area.
Click here: The Buckinghams - Home Page
Click here: RobGrill.com - Rock Vocalist, Songwriter & Bass Guitar Legend - Rob Grill - The Grass Roots!
Click here: Mark Lindsay, Former Lead Singer of Paul Revere & the Raiders
Click here: MickyDolenz.Com
Click here: http://theturtles.com/
Meanwhile, here are a few final comments:
re: TRUTH IN ADVERTISING:
I just returned form the final show of the Happy Together tour and indeed Rob Grill did not appear and was instead replaced, with no mention of such. They were still announcing his name at the beginning of the show. I was disappointed. If Rob Grill was not going to perform due to illness, etc., an announcement was in order. Having said that, overall the show was great ...
Rahod
Agreed! But I can't believe they announced the act as "The Grass Roots, featuring Rob Grill", knowing that he really wasn't there to perform ... now that's just WRONG!!! (kk)
re: AND, SPEAKING OF THE HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR ... :
The tour is over ... some of your all-time favorite '60's artists ... The Buckinghams, Rob Grill and the Grass Roots, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, Mark Lindsay (former lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders) and The Turtles (aka Flo And Eddie ... and, occassionally, Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman!) ... entertained thousands across the country as enthusiastic, sell-out crowds flocked to see their teen idols live in concert. By all accounts, the tour was a rousing success ... and plans are already in the works for The Happy Together Tour, 2011!
If there WAS a sour note, it was the absence of Grill on the last leg of the tour. (The thing about a tour like this is you've got all top-of-the-line, name act performers on the bill ... yet each artist also attracts their own legion of loyal fans, making the OTHER acts on the bill "sugar on top"! Truthfully, you can't go wrong with a line-up like this ... between these artists, they had over a hundred hits in the '60's and early '70's!)
That being said, for the fans who came specifically to see Rob Grill perform, I wondered if something should be said regarding any new health issues he may be facing. (Rob's had a rough go of it these past few years, especially after a couple of hip-replacement surgeries that went wrong.) I had hoped that we might receive SOME kind of note from Rob directed to his fans, if only to let them know that he's doing all-right and will be back out there entertaining them again real soon ... but so far, we haven't heard anything. (Maybe after he sees today's posting we'll get a response.)
Meanwhile, I asked ALL of the artists if, now that the tour has wound down for the year, they might like to say something to all the fans who came out to see them ... and here's what I got:
It was one of the best tours I was ever part of. Everyone was a consummate performer and we were excited to share each others fans. Each group brought their own energy to the tour and we hope that next summer to do it again.
Rob Grill was missed and for all that know him, they should know he is doing well. The Grassroots sounded great on the tour and people loved hearing their great songs and we all hope that Rob will be able to rejoin them for Happy Together 2011.
Most every review spoke only positively about the show and that is a testament to everyone doing their part to make it a great time. It was a professional tour and we did not have to cancel one date for any reason.
See you next year!
Mark Volman / The Turtles
The HAPPY TOGETHER tour was very happy and VERY together!
I LOVED it!
Micky Dolenz
The tour was great and it's because of the fans ... without them, there is no tour. We are hoping to do this again next year, so if the fans want to see this again, they need to let the producer know how much they enjoyed the show.
Flower Power Concerts
853 Broadway, Suite 1711
New York, NY 10003
Nick Fortuna / The Buckinghams
Regular FH Readers know that we were getting tour reports from Howard Kaylan of The Turtles and Carl Giammarese of The Buckinghams from the road ... how exceptionally cool to hear from Mark Volman, Micky Dolenz and Nick Fortuna this time around!!!
Thanks, Guys! (kk)
Hiya Kent;
Things were really wonderful this summer for the Happy Together Tour's 25th Anniversary Celebration. We had Mickey Dolenz out with the Turtles this year as well as Mark Lindsay, The Grass Roots and the Buckinghams ... Wonderful crowds, beautiful theaters, and the best summer tour ever!
If you're sixties music fans, or just want to turn your children on to the great hits that you experienced while growing up, I guarantee you'll always get a lot of bang for your buck with a show like this. Thanks to all our fans for their continued support!
Oh, and let us know who you'd like to see on NEXT year's Happy Together Tour at: www.theturtles.com
Thanks, everyone.
Howard Kaylan
Hi Kent,
The Happy Together 25th anniversary tour was fabulous! Sellout shows! The show has been so well received. We played to packed houses and that's fabulous considering they are big venues ... outdoor amphitheaters along with some very nice old theatres, too.The fans came out in strong numbers. We are so fortunate to have the wonderful support they give us ... our audience has been so receptive.
I think everyone on the tour performed their hits with authenticity, but what was really great to see was the wonderful audience response. It's so much more than just performing the songs. It's the way we relate to our fans and bring back the experience of the late 60's.
It has been a pleasure getting to know Mark Lindsay and Micky Dolenz, too ... what great, talented people they are.
It wouldn't surprise me if there we a Happy Together Tour 2011!
Also The Buckinghams, Turtles, Grass Roots, Mark Lindsay and Micky Dolenz want to extend our thanks to Forgotten Hits for all your support. You've done some great write ups and we really appreciate it.
Best regards,
Carl Giammarese / The Buckinghams
Thursday, September 30, 2010
THESE Are The Kind Of Emails We LOVE!!!!!
Dear Forgotten Hits,
I was sitting at my computer this very warm Saturday afternoon and I decided to take a romp in my old neighborhoods in Wisconsin. I have lived in Missouri for many years but my roots are not here and never will be.
I go on google and type in my old addresses in Milwaukee and Mequon and I see what my old houses and my old neighborhoods look like now. This got me to thinking about the last few years I lived in Wisconsin when I lived in Mequon. I attended Homestead High my freshman and part of my sophmore years. One of our dances featured a local band called Tony's Tygers.
I developed a big crush on the keyboard player. I thought he was the dreamiest. He smiled at me a lot.
At the start of my sophmore year my parents informed us that we were moving to Springfield, Missouri. Needless to say, I was not happy about the idea of leaving Wisconsin. The last night before we moved my parents let my older sister and me go the the Strobe teen center in Thiensville. This was one of our hangouts. I had heard that the Tigers were playing there that night. We had another group in the area with a similar name to Tony's Tygers but I knew they were not the same band. I still went cause I love to dance.
When the band came out, I almost fainted. It was Tony's Tygers and my heartthrob keyboard player Craig Fairchild. I found out his name that night. I just stood in front and fell in love. After the show I waited in line for his autograph. I wanted to be the last one so I could look at him for a long time. He asked my name. I could barely say it. He wrote, "Stacee, always remember I love you, Craig". I was over the moon.
I kept that autograph for many months and every time I was feeling sad about this horrible place my parents had moved us, I would take it out and it made me smile. The second year we lived here I was invited to the fair. I went on the one of those rides that has you in a cage and turns you upside down among other things. My purse came open and all the contents spilled. I lost my precious autograph.
Today I googled Tony's Tygers Milwaukee and I found your website. I loved reading about the band and I had forgotten that Little by Little was theirs ... it runs through my head from time to time. I so enjoyed seeing the pictures of some of the guys from way back especially my Craig. He was just as cute as I remembered him being.
I left Wisconsin in 1968. I will be 57 this year. How is that possible??????
Thanks for listening,
Stacee McDermott
Thank you, Stacee ... these are the kind of emails we LOVE receiving here in Forgotten Hits. Although Craig is no longer a member of The Tygers, I have passed your message on to the band ... I believe all these guys have stayed in touch with each other ... so it'll be interesting to see what kind of response (if any) we get back.
Thanks again for sharing your memories with our readers ... obviously, this was a VERY special time in our lives growing up ... and these artists meant SO much to us back then. (I'll tell you what ... the brand new Tygers CD is better than ANYTHING they recorded back in the day ... I'm hoping these guys get a whole 'nother career out of this thing!!!) kk
Thank you, Kent, for the kind words about my letter. I enjoyed writing it. I got to be 14 going on 15 again for a little while. I am happy that I know about your website now. I plan to use it often.
Stacee
I passed Stacee's email on to The Tygers ... and I they're going to be sending her an autographed copy of their new CD as well as a special vinyl edition of the LP ... and, they've even arranged to have Craig Fairchild sign it for her!!! (Now how cool is THAT?!?!?)
You can read our exclusive Forgotten Hits Interview with The Tygers here:
Click here: Forgotten Hits: The Tygers - Part One
Click here: Forgotten Hits: The Tygers - Part Two
Click here: Forgotten Hits: Forgotten Hits Interviews The Tygers
And listen to their first local hit "Little By Little" right here:
I was sitting at my computer this very warm Saturday afternoon and I decided to take a romp in my old neighborhoods in Wisconsin. I have lived in Missouri for many years but my roots are not here and never will be.
I go on google and type in my old addresses in Milwaukee and Mequon and I see what my old houses and my old neighborhoods look like now. This got me to thinking about the last few years I lived in Wisconsin when I lived in Mequon. I attended Homestead High my freshman and part of my sophmore years. One of our dances featured a local band called Tony's Tygers.
I developed a big crush on the keyboard player. I thought he was the dreamiest. He smiled at me a lot.
At the start of my sophmore year my parents informed us that we were moving to Springfield, Missouri. Needless to say, I was not happy about the idea of leaving Wisconsin. The last night before we moved my parents let my older sister and me go the the Strobe teen center in Thiensville. This was one of our hangouts. I had heard that the Tigers were playing there that night. We had another group in the area with a similar name to Tony's Tygers but I knew they were not the same band. I still went cause I love to dance.
When the band came out, I almost fainted. It was Tony's Tygers and my heartthrob keyboard player Craig Fairchild. I found out his name that night. I just stood in front and fell in love. After the show I waited in line for his autograph. I wanted to be the last one so I could look at him for a long time. He asked my name. I could barely say it. He wrote, "Stacee, always remember I love you, Craig". I was over the moon.
I kept that autograph for many months and every time I was feeling sad about this horrible place my parents had moved us, I would take it out and it made me smile. The second year we lived here I was invited to the fair. I went on the one of those rides that has you in a cage and turns you upside down among other things. My purse came open and all the contents spilled. I lost my precious autograph.
Today I googled Tony's Tygers Milwaukee and I found your website. I loved reading about the band and I had forgotten that Little by Little was theirs ... it runs through my head from time to time. I so enjoyed seeing the pictures of some of the guys from way back especially my Craig. He was just as cute as I remembered him being.
I left Wisconsin in 1968. I will be 57 this year. How is that possible??????
Thanks for listening,
Stacee McDermott
Thank you, Stacee ... these are the kind of emails we LOVE receiving here in Forgotten Hits. Although Craig is no longer a member of The Tygers, I have passed your message on to the band ... I believe all these guys have stayed in touch with each other ... so it'll be interesting to see what kind of response (if any) we get back.
Thanks again for sharing your memories with our readers ... obviously, this was a VERY special time in our lives growing up ... and these artists meant SO much to us back then. (I'll tell you what ... the brand new Tygers CD is better than ANYTHING they recorded back in the day ... I'm hoping these guys get a whole 'nother career out of this thing!!!) kk
Thank you, Kent, for the kind words about my letter. I enjoyed writing it. I got to be 14 going on 15 again for a little while. I am happy that I know about your website now. I plan to use it often.
Stacee
I passed Stacee's email on to The Tygers ... and I they're going to be sending her an autographed copy of their new CD as well as a special vinyl edition of the LP ... and, they've even arranged to have Craig Fairchild sign it for her!!! (Now how cool is THAT?!?!?)
You can read our exclusive Forgotten Hits Interview with The Tygers here:
Click here: Forgotten Hits: The Tygers - Part One
Click here: Forgotten Hits: The Tygers - Part Two
Click here: Forgotten Hits: Forgotten Hits Interviews The Tygers
And listen to their first local hit "Little By Little" right here:
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