Monday, October 31, 2011

The Rolling Stones: Today's The Day!

As promised, today we've got a very special Top Ten Countdown of the Ten Greatest Performances of The Rolling Stones on The Ed Sullivan Show (as selected by Andrew Solt ... Andrew owns the rights to the entire Ed Sullivan video library ... and we'll be talking to him later this week in Forgotten Hits!)    
The brand deluxe DVD Set, featuring ALL of their performances from their six appearances on the program, hits stores TODAY!!!  Check it out ... you won't want to miss it!

Top 10 Rolling Stones Performances on The Ed Sullivan Show

In celebration of the releases of the  
4 Ed Sullivan Show Starring The Rolling Stones 
and the collector’s edition 
6 Ed Sullivan Show Starring The Rolling Stones, 
here is a list of our top 10 Stones’ performances from Sullivan:

1. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”



The Rolling Stones open their February 13, 1966 appearance with their iconic “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”  The song, now ranked #2 in Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” is written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and becomes the Stones first #1 hit in the US, remaining #1 for four weeks in a row.  The performance is highlighted by close-ups of Jagger in full command of the stage.  

2. “Let’s Spend The Night Together”



This classic Rolling Stones’ song is the crux of a pivotal moment in television censorship history.  Due to its “suggestive” lyrics (for the time), CBS refuses to allow the Stones to sing the song as “Let’s Spend The Night Together” on the show.  A compromise is reached and the band agrees to change the lyrics from “let’s spend the night together” to “let’s spend some time together.”  During the singing of the censored line, Mick Jagger sarcastically rolls his eyes letting the audience know what he thinks of the whole charade.

3. “Gimme Shelter”



On November 23, 1969, the Stones perform “Gimme Shelter” off their soon to be released album Let it Bleed.  These are turbulent times in the world, and in the history of the band (Brian Jones had died just months earlier).  This performance really captures the turmoil of the late 60’s and the forces at war with one another.

4. “As Tears Go By”



On February 13, 1966 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards perform this song as a stripped down duet with Richards softly strumming the chords on his acoustic guitar and Jagger singing directly into the camera.  This performance is a rare look at the two normally flamboyant superstars as they sing this ballad simply and purely.  It is a moving counterpoint to the better known fast-paced Stones rock ‘n roll.

5. “Paint It, Black”



On September 11, 1966, The Ed Sullivan Show has a star-studded lineup to kick off its fall season that includes Louis Armstrong, Joan Rivers and The Rolling Stones.  The Stones perform “Paint It, Black,” the first single off their Aftermath album.   Brian Jones plays the signature riff on his sitar. 

6. “Time Is On My Side”



The Rolling Stones perform this song to close out their debut appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on October 25, 1964.  Throughout the performance, Mick Jagger, dressed in a loose-fitting sweater, does his best to sing over the raucous crowd that shrieks each time he looks to the audience or into camera.   

7. “Ruby Tuesday”



The Stones appear on Sullivan to perform this classic ballad on January 15, 1967.  For the acoustic performance, the band plays a variety of instruments.  Bill Wyman switches out his bass for a cello, Brian Jones plays a recorder instead of a guitar and Keith Richards takes a seat at the piano.

8. “Honky Tonk Women”



This twanging country tune is performed by The Rolling Stones on Sullivan on November 23, 1969.  Having topped the nation’s charts just months earlier with this song, the performance is powerfully delivered by the band that is now atop the world of rock ‘n roll.   This is the last song The Rolling Stones will ever perform on The Ed Sullivan Show.

9. “Lady Jane”



The Stones deliver an intimate performance of this song on September 11, 1966.  Brian Jones, who had broken his hand, provides a haunting instrumentation as he sits Indian style playing the dulcimer with a cast on his left hand.  This is an especially rare performance, since following Jones’ death in 1969, the Stones stop performing the song.

10.  “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love”



For their final black and white Sullivan appearance, the Stones perform their classic hit on May 2, 1965. Perhaps in an attempt to avoid further complaints about their unrefined image, The Stones don sports jackets and drummer Charlie Watts even wears a tie.   Throughout the performance, Jagger involves the crowd in the song, pointing and singing “I need you, you, you!”   The audience responds with shrieks and screams.


Kicking off tomorrow in Forgotten Hits is our EXCLUSIVE Interview with Andrew Solt of SOFA Entertainment.  In 1990, Andrew purchased the rights to the ENTIRE Ed Sullivan Video Library ... and he has been releasing more and more of this material on home video.  (Recent releases include not only this Rolling Stones collection but also recent collections spotlighting Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Temptations, a "Best Of Motown" compilation ... as well as individual sets spotlighting the complete performances of both The Beatles and Elvis Presley.

In addition, several OTHER compilation disks are available ... featuring The Rock And Roll Years, Comedy Highlights, the best of the "highbrow" arts (he calls it "The Classic Arts") ... and even a disk dedicated to Topo Gigio!!!

Complete information can be found here: 

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Ladies And Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones

Last month we told you about a hot new video release spotlighting the appearances of The Rolling Stones on The Ed Sullivan Show.  The initial release featured FOUR of the band's performances on the program and this version of the disk has been available now for about a month.

But on Tuesday, November 1st, the DELUXE version of this series comes out on DVD ... an incredible set featuring ALL SIX of The Rolling Stones' performances on The Ed Sullivan Show ... that's right ... EVERY single performance in full program format, complete with original commercials.

Here's more on this hot new release (available through EdSullivan.com as well as all of the usual outlets):




The Ed Sullivan Show Starring The Rolling Stones is being released on November 1st.  
And, speaking of important dates, October 25th marked the 47th anniversary of the band's very first appearance "right here on our stage."

You can watch the official trailer here:   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7JEGcWGbKE 
And enjoy a few photo stills here: 








Tomorrow in Forgotten Hits we'll have an exclusive "Top Ten List" of the best Rolling Stones appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show (as selected by Andrew Solt, curator of the Ed Sullivan Video Estate ... in fact, on Wednesday, November 2nd, our Tribute To The Ed Sullivan Show kicks off in earnest with our interview with Andrew, who truly is "The Keeper Of The Castle" when it comes to the complete Ed Sullivan Video Library.)


Meanwhile, here's the scoop on the new DVD Deluxe Edition: 


The Ed Sullivan Show, the legendary live Sunday night variety show with a viewership of more than 35 million, was the unwitting catalyst that helped ignite music’s British Invasion.  That musical assault kicked off a new sound that would change the world forever.  One of the most significant and enduring forces in that invasion was a group of young upstarts who called themselves the “Rolling Stones.”  They offered their own brand of gritty, rhythm and blues-inflected, down-and-dirty rock ’n’ roll that would eventually conquer the music world, making them one of the all-time greatest bands in history.  In fact, they came to be universally known as “The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band.”

The Rolling Stones, the bad boys of rock ’n’ roll, first performed on The Ed Sullivan Show, as part of their introduction to the American public in 1964. The Ed Sullivan Show gave the Rolling Stones a national platform by broadcasting them into millions of living rooms across America and, in turn, helped catapult them to the top of the music charts.

The Ed Sullivan Show Starring The Rolling Stones (DELUXE EDITION) - features 6 full episodes starring the Rolling Stones and includes:

The Rolling Stones’ very first appearance on October 25, 1964, with the band whipping the audience into a frenzy with the Chuck Berry classic “Around and Around,” and their Top 10 hit, “Time Is On My Side.” This show captures the excitement and hysteria of their fans in the Sullivan Theater as they nearly drown out the Rolling Stones’ performances. The screams lasted throughout the entire performance, continuing after they finished and the curtain had dropped with Sullivan’s futile attempts to calm the crazed teenage crowd as he tries to say a few words to Mick.
The Rolling Stones making their triumphant return to the Ed Sullivan stage on May 2, 1965, performing an early original composition by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards - the Top 10 hit “The Last Time”; a rendition of the Willie Dixon blues classic “Little Red Rooster”; a cover of Solomon Burke’s “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love”; and closing out the show -- the rarely performed instrumental homage to Chess Records, “2120 South Michigan Avenue.”


Their February 13, 1966, Ed Sullivan Show appearance, presented in gorgeous CBS color, performing their No. 1 smash hit “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” against a backdrop of screaming fans and a touching rendition of their hit “As Tears Go By.”  Performed as a duet, the song features the vocals of Mick Jagger and the soft chords of Keith Richards’ acoustic guitar.  They end this Sullivan appearance with their newest hit, the manic “19th Nervous Breakdown.”

The Rolling Stones returning to the Ed Sullivan stage on September 11,1966, after being chased by a mob of fans down Broadway following the dress rehearsal, with a unique performance of their No. 1 hit “Paint It, Black” with Brian Jones sitting and playing the signature riff on his sitar; their hit “Lady Jane,” featuring Jones on dulcimer as the band showcases their versatility by closing the show with their smash Top 10 hit “Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadows?”


The Rolling Stones final appearance on the Ed Sullivan stage with founding member Brian Jones was on January 15, 1967, performing their No. 1 hit “Ruby Tuesday” which was followed by their now historic version of “Let’s Spend The Night Together” with the lyrics changed to, “Let’s Spend Some Time Together” by CBS network’s standards and practices department.  This was a memorable moment of TV censorship.  In true Stones’ fashion, the chorus is defiantly delivered with a sarcastic roll of Mick Jagger’s eyes as he looks into the camera and lets the audience at home know he’s fully aware of the absurdity of the situation. 
 
Their November 23, 1969, appearance which marked their final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show where the band introduced their newest member, guitarist Mick Taylor, who replaced Brian Jones had left the band was soon thereafter found dead in his swimming pool.  The Stones performed “Gimme Shelter,” a song that summed up the tumultuous period of the late ’60s; the Robert Johnson blues classic,  “Love In Vain” and their latest No. 1 hit, “Honky Tonk Women.”


Additional highlights on this collection include:
·        Tom Jones singing “Watcha Gonna Do When Your Baby Leaves
         You.”

·        The legendary Louis Armstrong performing “Cabaret.”

      ·      Petula Clark giving us “Elusive Butterfly” and “Color My
             World.”  

·       Standup comedians Phyllis Diller, Stiller & Meara (featuring
         Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara),
         Robert  Klein and Rodney Dangerfield doing one of his classic “I
         Don’t Get No Respect”
         routines.

·       Two routines by Jim Henson’s Muppets.

·       The legendary Ella Fitzgerald performing “You’d Better Love
         Me” and “Open Your Window .”

      ·      Bonus material - 24 page booklet featuring lines notes, rare
             documents, contracts and photos. 


Also, included in each Deluxe Collector's Edition set is a 1966 replica ticket for entry to The Ed Sullivan Show.    
Each episode hais been fully restored and presented in its historical entirety, complete with all of the other performers as well as the original commercials.  For the first time, these historic shows featuring classic Rolling Stones’ performances will be officially available in a single collection.
The Ed Sullivan Show changed the landscape of American television and music history. Sullivan’s stage was home to the most iconic performances by groundbreaking artists, bringing people and families together every Sunday evening.  It is the longest-running primetime variety show in TV history, and an institution in American pop culture.



Andrew Solt, executive producer of these releases and president of SOFA Entertainment, also produced “25 x 5: The Continuing Adventures of The Rolling Stones,” documenting the band’s phenomenal career from the earliest days through their “Steel Wheels” tour (1989-1990).

The Sunday Comments ( 10 - 29 - 11 )

re:  MOTOWN:
Hi Kent!
Here's an article from the Wall Street Journal in which Smokey Robinson reveals how he wrote The Temptations' #1 Hit "My Girl" ...
David Lewis
Just weeks after it was released on December 21, 1964, the Temptations' 11th single began racing up Billboard's Hot 100 chart, becoming the group's first No. 1 hit in March of 1965. Over time, the song — written and produced by Smokey Robinson — has become a pop-soul anthem and arguably Motown's best-known and most successful hit.  
Mr. Robinson, who continues to actively tour at age 71, recently reflected on "My Girl"'s inspiration and creative evolution — and talked about how the song's famous guitar lick nearly was discarded.  
I didn't set out to write "My Girl" for the Miracles and me to record. My wife at the time wasn't the inspiration, either. And "My Girl" wasn't conceived as an answer to "My Guy" — a No. 1 hit I had written for Mary Wells earlier that year. I wrote "My Girl" in 1964 specifically for the Temptations, with hopes they would make it a hit. 
Months earlier, I had written "The Way You Do the Things You Do" for them — with Eddie Kendricks singing lead. But after the song became the group's first big hit, all of Motown's staff writers and producers began trying to duplicate my success by writing songs for the Temptations, with Eddie singing lead. I had to come up with something different.  Fortunately, Eddie wasn't the only one in the group with a fine voice. I had heard David Ruffin sing lead while we were all on the same bill at a series of Detroit clubs. So while everyone else at Motown focused on Eddie, I sat down at my piano in Detroit and composed a song for David.
But unlike Eddie, David had this gruff, tough baritone voice. You know, "Come here girl and let me love you" — that kind of thing. I figured that if I he sang something sweet and sincere, the contrast would connect with girls who listened to the radio and bought records. To bring that out, I imagined a pulsating, heartbeat tempo. I already had the key and chord changes in mind. The melody just came. 
A short time later, we [the Miracles] were out on the road again with the Temptations. At New York's Apollo Theater, we went down to the stage and I played them "My Girl" on the piano. Then the Temptations gave it a shot. While David sang lead, the rest of the guys in the group began to add things. They made up their own background vocals, like "hey-hey hey" and a series of "my girls" echoing David's vocal. The Temptations were the greatest background maker-uppers ever [laughs]. When we were finished, they said they loved the song. 
That September, I went into the studio to produce the instrumental tracks. All of the Funk Brothers [Motown's studio band] were so great at adding little touches, provided you had the music's basics down. We did two rundowns of "My Girl" to get comfortable. 
At the start of the third rundown, guitarist Robert White stood up and started walking around the studio playing a riff [sings the song's signature line]. But halfway in, Robert cut it off, saying "No, no, no, no, no." He didn't think what he had was right. I said, "No, no, no, my butt. That's going to be in the song." Now, of course, that line has become one of the most famous guitar riffs ever recorded. 
The Temptations' vocal tracks were overdubbed in November. [Arranger] Paul Riser added the strings, which highlighted David's sweetness and the sincerity of the words. Then the single was released. 
In February, 1965, the Miracles and I were out touring. After we returned to Detroit, Berry [Gordy, Motown's owner] called me into his office and handed me a $1,000 bonus check. He said, "You've got a No. 1 record coming." I thought he was talking about something the Miracles had recorded. When I asked which one, he said, "My Girl." I couldn't believe it.
Today, I sing "My Girl" in every one of my shows, and audiences know what's coming from the opening bass notes. It's every songwriter's dream to compose something that touches so many people like that for so long. "My Girl" is my dream come true.  
-- Edited from an interview by Marc Myers

Motown Monday???
I'm waiting for Tamla Tuesday!!!
Jersey John
You know, that's actually not a bad idea!!!  (lol)  kk

re:  THE WRECKING CREW:
Before they were The Wrecking Crew ...
They were "The Phil Spector Wall of Sound Orchestra"?
Jersey John
Yep, sure were ... and that's the way most of the industry insiders referred to them, too.  More and more I'm thinking that "The Wrecking Crew" were self-christened by Hal Blaine!!! (kk)
By the way, regular Forgotten Hits contributor Bob Rush (aka Dr. Robert of "The Beat", a British publication that focuses on good old American rock and roll, too!), recently did a piece on The Wrecking Crew for this publication ... and he's just given us permission to rerun it in Forgotten Hits.  So watch for THAT to pop up soon (after our Ed Sullivan Series runs its course!)  kk



re:  THE BEACH BOYS:
SO much cool Beach Boys stuff going on right now ... Brian Wilson's new Disney album ... the release (FINALLY!!!) of the "SMiLE" album on CD (in ALL kinds of deluxe editions) ... talks about the 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour ...

Here's just SOME of the latest buzz:  
If you’re anything like me you’re counting down the seconds until The Beach Boys SMiLE Sessions are released on November 1 domestically (October 31, internationally). And, like me, you’ll probably disappear for weeks … This collection goes deeper into the sessions than any bootleg has ever gone before. These sessions explain away a lot of misconstrued ideas about what Brian intended, or was thinking at the time as hypothesized by historians through the years. Let each session speak for itself, and enjoy the multiple surprises in the “Heroes and Villains” sessions, and the sheer brilliance of each little musical minuet … no matter how short or unrealized. (more)  
Read the complete review here: Beach Boys Examiner

re:  COOL READS:
I recently picked up a copy of Harvey Kubernik's brand new book "A Perfect Haze: The Illustrated History of the Monterey International Pop Festival" ... and what a BEAUTIFUL book it is ... over 250 pages of amazing photos and stories.  In fact, I just saw my first review for this ... (the book officially becomes available on Tuesday, November 1st) ... and I may even write a review myself (if I can ever find the time to sit down and actually read it!!!  lol  Yep, between 65 hour work weeks and the brand new Ed Sullivan Series, virtually EVERY spare minute of my day has been taken up for weeks now ... but once life returns to semi-normal, I can't wait to tear into this one!!!)  
Meanwhile, check this out ... it looks like something that would be right up our readers' alley!!! (kk)

Before Woodstock, thousands of hippies descended on Monterey for the first ever International Pop Festival. At the height of the 1967 summer of love, many were unaware of the part they were about to play in the forthcoming "cultural explosion." Decorated producer Lou Adler cheerfully recalls the conception of the groundbreaking event, which gathered artists who represented the festival's harmonious principles. The authors provide sumptuous documentation through telegrams, contracts, newspaper clippings, line-up posters, and other rare paraphernalia. The work of celebrated photographers captures the atmosphere of this terrific spectacle: the rawness of Janis Joplin; the audacity of (then relatively unknown) Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar alight; the showmanship of The Who; and the "cultivated relaxation" enjoyed by the crowd spacing out to The Grateful Dead and Ravi Shankar before being blown away by Otis Redding. The Kuberniks's combined knowledge and passion make for a thoroughly entertaining retrospective. As David Crosby says: "What happened at Monterey was the flowering of an entirely different set of values." Festival organizer Michelle Phillips closes proceedings with reflections on this genuine happening, and the dawn of a far out philosophy that keeps on giving. (Nov.)