Helping Out Our Readers

>>>Please let me know if you are familiar with a song called Mr Sebastian from I believe the 60s. (Joe)
>>>I'm guessing that you mean "Father Sebastian" by The Ramblers ... a big hit here in Chicago in 1964. (kk) 
Hey Kent,

I think that I can answer Joe's question about a 60's song called, "Mr. Sebastian". The mid-60's rock group, The Distant Cousins, recorded the song, "Mr.Sebastian" as a single on the Date label (Date label# 2-1560) in either 1966 or 1967 ... I have a white label promo copy of the 45 in my collection. You can also hear it on YouTube.

If this isn't the song that Joe was referring to, Lenny Welch recorded a song called, "Father Sebastian" as a single for the Cadence label (Cadence# 1446) in 1964. I think this one is also on YouTube as well.

Hope this helps out ...

Jerry Schollenberger

And I (who you didn't consult first :-P) am guessing Joe means this one from the Distant Cousins ...

Tom Diehl   
I never heard back from Joe so I honestly don't know if we found this one or not. Meanwhile, here is the Distant Cousins YouTube clip Jerry is referring to ... while I've never heard this song before, maybe this is the correct answer. (I like the Lovin' Spoonful line!) I couldn't find the Lenny Welch track mentioned ... and am wondering if it is the same song that we featured by The Ramblers. Anybody know for sure? (kk)

Click here: DISTANT COUSINS - MR SEBASTIAN - YouTube  

>>>I am looking for the song "Life" by the Joe Leahy Orchestra, released in 1965 or 1966. It was on a 45 by Tower Records and also an album entitled "Tabasco And Trumpets". I would also like to find the album "Surfin' Guitar Hits" by The Wipeouts. Would appreciate your help in locating the music. (Jim Cox)
>>>Well, Jim, I'm happy to put it out there ... let's see if anything comes back. (kk)  

I can help out with one, at least. 
Tom

 
Not a bad track. Now if somebody can find that "Surfin' Guitar Hits" album, I think Jim'll be all set! (I checked Gemm and eBay but didn't see it listed there.) kk    

I'm looking for "Leave Me Alone" by Lesley Gore, from the flick "The Girls On The Beach". Can't find it anywhere.

Ed   
I'm sure somebody out there has an MP3 for this ... meanwhile, I found this clip right away on YouTube:  
Click here: Lesley Gore - Leave Me Alone (stereo) - YouTube

Your site is so huge, it is hard to find anything in particular. I am looking for a recording of the “Alliance genie automatic garage door picker upper” commercial. If you can help direct me to it I would be most appreciative. Please send me a link or even the MP3 to johngaj1957@yahoo.com

Thank you.

I'm happy to post your request. I'm sure you've already checked the obvious places like YouTube??? Commercials are pretty hard to find otherwise ... but we'll give it a shot. (If you scroll back far enough ... or simply type "commercial" into the search engine, you'll find that we have covered this topic numerous times in the past ... a very popular topic here in Forgotten Hits!) kk

I was out for a run in Jeff Park (northwest side of Chicago) and it turned out American English was playing (Beatles tribute band) at a festival nearby. Here is a question to your readers ... while everyone was fawning over the BEATLES I preferred the DC Five. Are there any DC Five tribute bands anywhere in the world??

As always thanks for all you do!!!
Mike De Martino
President of the Lovejoy Music Club

Wow ... that's a tough one! Anybody know of any? I remember at the Benefit For Mike Smith Concert, The Beatles sound-alike / tribute band Fab Faux did an OUTSTANDING cover of The Dave Clark Five classic "Catch Us If You Can" ... incredibly good version.

Checking YouTube I found a couple of clips ... some are kind of old (so who knows if these bands are even still together) ... and I don't know that ANY of them really offer a fitting tribute to The Dave Clark Five.  
Click here: DAVE CLARK FIVE Tribute by England - Live 3/23/07 Anyway You - YouTube

Click here: ''Because'' The Dave Clark Five Cover- B-men - YouTube

In fact this second one is God-awful!!! (kk)

Hey, guys,
I just listened to Sam Hawkins' No Time For Tears for the first time in fifty-three years! And like the other commenter, I never thought I was going to hear that recording again in my lifetime! It doesn't appear in Joel Whitburn's Record Research, based on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1955 through 1969. So without you guys I guess I may as well have given up. Wow! 
I can say with absolutely 100% certainty it was a mid-1960 hit. The memories are just too vivid to ever doubt. The same summer were other forgotten hits like Tommy Roe's "I Got A Girl", also passed over by the fifty-dollar Whitburn publication (and $50 was a lot of money in 1971...). Someone told me he recorded that one under the name Tommy Roe and the Four Satins. But I looked and none of those names were listed. They had Sheila as his first. Yeah. Have a signed copy of that one. But didn't learn for another ten years (by word of mouth) the other was, in fact, his also.
That leaves me with one last forgotten hit from that year (1960). It doesn't appear on any searches but I can almost recite it word for word. The title (pretty sure) was "Let Her Go". Singer was male, solo artist, sounded a little like Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon or maybe Johnny Tillotson. George Hamilton IV and Bobby Vee would both be a bit of a stretch and in reality I think it was a one-hit wonder who just had a good-sounding voice. So far nothing appears when I do a search.
I can almost recite the entire song lyrics if that will help. It starts out this way:
"Let her go - - run away. Let her go I - - didn't say.
I'll pretend - this will end, so I won't have to -
Let her go. No, no, no, no - 
(Second verse) similar to first.
Chorus: 
"I know she'll never find love as ah... true as mine.
"One day she'll find me away and -
"She - will pi-i-ne" 
"Let her go ... (repeat first verse) ...(repeat last line). (Fade & end)" 
Best I can do after fifty-three years. I was twelve then. I'll be sixty-five this year.
I'd just like to find out who did this one before I kick the bucket. 
Thanks for all you do. You guys are tops. Really you are.
Best Always-
Bill Fife,
Ocala, FL

Somebody out there is going to know this one.  (Nothing in Joel's Billboard book titled "Let Her Go" from the early '60's) ... but these lyrics I'm sure will spark somebody's memory out there ... so stay tuned!  (kk)

re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:  
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for your http://forgottenhits.com/top_20_favorite_psychedelic_songs page!
Driving home from a road trip to the Rockies across the flats of Kansas in the Summer of '68, my friend and I hooked into a hot radio station that kept playing Hendrix's Spanish Castle Magic and another song with a biting guitar lead that has played in my head many times since. But what was its name?
I scrolled and scrolled through your page, Youtube-ing this song and that, and finally: I got to Status Quo's Pictures of Matchstick Men. Ahhhh, yessss!
Those two songs on that trip changed my musical life. "Must. Have. More. of. this. Music!" 
And I did, I so did.
- Bob Loy  
GREAT tune ... and one of my favorites from '68 as well ... really didn't sound like anything else on the radio at the time. (Some of you guys out there ought to feature this one today ... seems to be yet another great track that has slipped through the cracks!)  
Glad you're enjoying Forgotten Hits ... you never know WHAT you're going to find here! (kk)

Coppock's Topics

You may love him ...  

Or you may hate him ...  

But you sure as hell can't ignore him!!! (lol)  

Congratulations to our FH Buddy Chet Coppock on the announcement of his induction into the Chicagoland Sports Hall Of Fame.   

And, to help celebrate ... here's another healthy helping of Coppock's Topics ...  

EXCLUSIVELY in Forgotten Hits!!!   

Hi, double k ...   

If Elton John was on the square, wouldn’t he admit that he overdosed on "Bennie and the Jets" and "Philadelphia Freedom" at least 18 years ago? 

Bar None - hands down - E.J's most underrated song has got to be "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)", his stirring tribute to John Lennon.

Every time I hear "Owner of Lonely Heart", I hear a call from the I.R.S. about a tax audit or fingernails grinding into a blackboard. Did Yes really like that misplaced piece of junk?

Book it ... If Classic Rock Radio ran weddings, the bride and groom would leave the alter to Steve Miller doing "Abracadabra." I'm not kidding. Frankly, waking up to Steve Miller is like waking up in the Joliet Correctional Center.

Did anybody ever do more with less than Gary Glitter?

This may sound like a reach, but hear me out ... Think about the edgy falsetto Eddie Kendricks brought to the original Temptations. Think about Eddie on "Get Ready", the song that truly woke up white America to the Temps.  Now, have you heard Usher? I think the guy is outta sight. His vocal range is magnificent. I truly believe he could have filled the Kendricks spot with Motown's greatest group - had he been born a mere 40 years earlier.    

Stop! Think about Cannibal and the Headhunters. If their hit "Land of One Thousand Dances" doesn't define "garage band" rock, I don’t know what does.

After all these years, the New Colony Six have a right to be ticked off. Why? Because Mercury never gave their melodically beautiful material the big "push." The Colony should have been bigger than the Association. Man, I felt like the coolest young dude in the world when I was traveling as a roadie with the Colony when we played Don Webster's "Teen Beat" in Cleveland and Jerry Blavat's TV gig, "Geator with the Heator" in Philly.   

Let's face it. When Little Richard sang, "Good Golly Miss Molly … sure like to ball" in the 50's, White America had absolutely no idea what the guy was talking about.   

I'd give a hundred bucks or issue my football picks for the 2013 season - at no charge - to hear any classic radio station play the Music Machine's raging "Talk Talk." "I got me a complication and it's an only child."   

Thinking about seeing Jimi Hendrix with Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding at the Civic Opera House as they toured off the "Experience" album back in, I believe, '67. May well be the most simple, but most engaging rock show I've ever seen. For the record, "The Soft Machine" warmed up the crowd. Jerry G. Bishop was the emcee. The post show party featured blondes and Ganja. However, the Stones in '73 at the Amphitheatre with Stevie Wonder in the leadoff spot was an education in where rock was and where it was going.   

Stevie's "Black Man" off "Songs in the Key of Life" should be played in every public school in every major urban market on God's earth.  

Now, be honest, if the temps are above 68 degrees and you hear the Kings knock down rocker, "This beat goes on - switch into glide", do you roll the windows down and begin singing along?   

If you know this one, you’re way ahead of me. What's the "Syndicate of Sound" been doing in its spare time since they scored big with "Little Girl" in 1966.   

I know Rod Stewart, my favorite rocker, had to change with the times. But do you suppose he gets queasy when he hears "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?"    

If the Newbeats were on tour could you resist going to see them? Good God, "Bread and Butter" is inching towards its 50th anniversary.   

I need to mention this to you and all your pals. Every time I hear J. Geils' horrific "Centerfold", I feel like I'm somehow avoiding the eventuality of post concussion syndrome.   

I'd like your support. I want to implement a new rule that every time we're forced to hear "Jack and Diane" we should get to hear Bob Seger's majestic "Roll Me Away" at least three times.   

Have to run, I think there might be a song by Journey coming up.

 

Chet Coppock

Video contributor / host - Chicago Blackhawks

Host - Notre Dame Football Wls Radio

Noozebox.com

Want more?

Then flash back to the previous installment of Coppock's Topics here:

Click here: Forgotten Hits: Coppock's Topics

 

re: RAY MANZAREK:

The news was all over the Internet and the Radio yesterday ... Rock lost another iconic figure yesterday when Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek passed away.  

 

Here's the first announcement we received from Celebrity Death Beeper ... ironically, earlier reports that day were never confirmed and thus ruled a hoax. But the official word came just after 5:00 last night.  

 

Ray Manzarek, a founding member of the 1960s rock group The Doors, whose versatile and often haunting keyboards complemented Jim Morrison's gloomy baritone and helped set the mood for some of rock's most enduring songs, has died. He was 74.

Manzarek died Monday in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family, said publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald. She said the musician's manager, Tom Vitorino, confirmed Manzarek died after being stricken with bile duct cancer.

The Doors' original lineup, which also included drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robbie Krieger, was only together for a few years and they only made six studio albums. But the band has retained a large and obsessive following decades after Morrison's death, in 1971. The Doors have sold more than 100 million records and songs such as "Light My Fire" and "Riders On the Storm" are still "classic" rock favorites. For Doors admirers, the band symbolized the darker side of the Los Angeles lifestyle, what happened to the city after the sun went down and the Beach Boys fans headed home.

Next to Morrison, Manzarek was the most distinctive-looking band member, his glasses and wavy blond hair making him resemble a young English professor more than a rock star, a contrast to Morrison's Dionysian glamour — his sensuous mouth and long, dark hair. Musically, Manzarek's spidery organ on "Light My Fire" is one of the most instantly recognizable sounds in rock history.

But he seemed up to finding the right touch for a wide range of songs — the sleepy, lounge-style keyboards on "Riders On the Storm"; the liquid strains for "The Crystal Ship"; the barrelhouse romps on "Roadhouse Blues." The Doors always considered themselves "more" than a rock band and Manzarek, Densmore and Krieger often managed a flowing rapport that blended rock, blues and jazz behind Morrison's self-consciously poetic lyrics.

"There was no keyboard player on the planet more appropriate to support Jim Morrison's words," Densmore said in a statement. "Ray, I felt totally in sync with you musically. It was like we were of one mind, holding down the foundation for Robby and Jim to float on top of. I will miss my musical brother."

The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Their records have been reissued frequently and the band was the subject of a 1991 Oliver Stone movie, "The Doors," starring Val Kilmer as Morrison and Kyle MacLachlan as Manzarek, who complained that the film stereotyped Morrison as a hopeless drunk and also omitted calmer, more humorous times. The Doors' fame has hardly faded even though they're one of the few groups not to allow their music to be used for commercials, a source of great tension among surviving members. Manzarek and Krieger reportedly supported licensing the songs, and Densmore has resisted. The group also feuded when Krieger and Manzarek formed a new group, Doors of the 21st Century. Densmore objected, and Krieger and Manzarek performed under various names.

Other Doors albums included "The Soft Parade," ''Waiting for the Sun" and their last record with Morrison, "L.A. Woman."

Manzarek briefly tried to hold the band together on the albums "Other Voices" and "Full Circle," neither of which had critical or commercial success. He played in other bands over the years, working with X and Iggy Pop among others. He also wrote a memoir, "Light My Fire," and a novel, "The Poet In Exile," in which he imagines receiving messages from a Morrison-like artist who had supposedly died.

Born and raised in Chicago, Manzarek studied piano as a child and briefly considered a career in basketball. After graduating from DePaul University, he headed west to study film at UCLA. A few months after graduation, he and Morrison met in 1965 on Venice Beach in California. As Manzarek would often recall, Morrison read him some lyrics — Let's swim to the moon / Let's climb through the tide / Penetrate the evening that the / City sleeps to hide" — that became the start of "Moonlight Drive."

"I'd never heard lyrics to a rock song like that before," Manzarek told Billboard in 1967. "We talked a while before we decided to get a group together and make a million dollars."

By 1966, they had been joined by Krieger and Densmore and were a sensation live, especially during the theatrical, Oedipal epic, "The End." They were the house band at the famed Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles before being signed by Elektra Records and releasing a self-titled album in 1967, one of the most talked-about debuts in rock history.

"Well, to me, my God, for anybody who was there it means it was a fantastic time," Manzarek told The Republican in Massachusetts during an interview last year. "We thought we could actually change the world — to make it a more Christian, Islamic, Judaic Buddhist, Hindu, loving world. We thought we could. The children of the '50s post-war generation were actually in love with life and had opened the doors of perception. And we were in love with being alive and wanted to spread that love around the planet and make peace, love and harmony prevail upon earth, while getting stoned, dancing madly and having as much sex as you could possibly have."

Manzarek is survived by his wife, Dorothy; his son Pablo and two brothers, Rick and James. Funeral arrangements are pending.  

I just heard that Ray Manzarek, founding member of The Doors, has died at 74.

Bish

 

(CNN) -- The Doors' founding keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, died in Germany Monday, May 20, after a long fight with cancer, his publicist said in a statement. He was 74. The artist had been diagnosed with bile duct cancer.

The Doors formed in 1965 after Manzarek happened to meet Jim Morrison on California's Venice Beach. The legendary rock group went on to sell 100 million albums worldwide, establishing five multiplatinum discs in the U.S.

Morrison died in 1971, but Manzarek carried on The Doors' legacy, continuing to work as a musician and also as an author.

"I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today," said Doors guitarist Robby Krieger. "I'm just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him."

Manzarek is survived by his brothers Rick and James, his wife Dorothy, his son Pablo, and three grandchildren. Instead of flowers, the family's asked that a donation be made in Manzarek's name at www.standup2cancer.org.

submitted by Ken Voss

 

And this from official Forgotten Hits Grim Reaper Ron Smith (www.oldiesmusic.com) ...

 

Ray Manzarek, keyboardist with the Doors, died Monday (May 20) at a German clinic of complications from bile duct cancer. He was 74. Born in Chicago in 1939, he received a degree in economics from DePaul University there, then moved to Southern California to study cinematography at UCLA. It was there he initially met Jim Morrison and the two later hooked up and formed the Doors with drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robbie Kreiger. They soon were playing the Sunset Strip (first at the London Fog, then at the Whisky A Go Go) and came to the attention of Columbia Records. A lack of quick success there led them to Zak Holtzman, who signed them to his eclectic Elektra Records. Their first, self-titled, album in 1967 went to #2 on the charts and while its first single, "Break On Through," stalled at #126, the second single, "Light My Fire" zoomed to #1 for three weeks solidifying their place as psychedelic poets supreme. Six more albums made the top ten for the group (all told fifteen have charted over the years) and six singles reached the top 20, including "Hello, I Love You" (#1 - 1968), "Touch Me" (#3 - 1969) and "Love Her Madly (#11 - 1971). A series of drug and alcohol fueled incidents (including a conviction for public indecency) led Jim flee to Paris, where he died of a suspected drug overdose in 1971. The Doors struggled to continue (with Ray singing lead at one point), but eventually called it quits in 1973. Ray did participate in the Doors 21st Century revival group which John bitterly opposed. The group was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Ray's autobiographical book, "Light My Fire," was published in 1998.

 

The Doors were the band that all the OTHER bands went to go see! Their Whisky A Go Go appearances are legendary ... and Manzarek was probably the most easily recognizable and vocal source for the band since Jim Morrison's passing. Their contribution to the history of rock and roll is immeasurable ... he will be missed. (kk)

 

re: ALAN O'DAY:

First from Dawn Lee Wakefield ... 

On Sunday, May 19, when Kent Kotal’s Forgotten Hits blog announced the passing of singer/songwriter Alan O’Day, thanks to the information from oldies music writer Ron Smith, sharing the news, the first song that came to mind was “Rock and Roll Heaven.” Alan O’Day had left us for the very place he’d written of long ago.

The history of “Rock and Roll Heaven” begins with iconic record producer Artie Wayne, who tells a story better than most, and who was once at the very epicenter of all rock music at Warner Brothers Music, as general professional manager (among other titles). It was at Artie’s suggestion that songwriter Johnny Stevenson take his (then) new song, “Rock and Roll Heaven,” and collaborate with Warner songwriter Alan O’Day and “turn it into a tribute to rock stars who have passed away.”

Many who love rock music might not know O’Day’s music beyond his own 1977 hit “Undercover Angel,” but they should. Just a few of his hits for other artists include “Train of Thought,” recorded by the legendary Cher (today celebrating her 67th birthday), “Angie Baby,” instantly identifiable with Australian songstylist Helen Reddy,” “Heavy Church,” recorded by “Three Dog Night” and “Flashback,” written by O’Day and Artie Wayne, recorded by The Fifth Dimension. That’s for starters.

In September 2012, Artie Wayne posted in his blog entitled, “The Alan O’Day Video Jukebox,” a most gracious tribute to their friendship of more than 40 years. Particularly in the past three years, whenever Artie shared thoughts, some happy, others not so happy, on his “Artie Wayne on the Web” blog, throughout his personal medical challenges, Alan O’Day’s comments on Artie’s blog were usually among the first, and most prolific.

Whether or not you knew the backstory about how the two came to meet and develop an excellent business friendship in the music business, all-too-often shark infested and backstabbing, Alan O’Day’s peace and calm shone through virtually everything he said, the yang to Wayne’s yin. Whenever Wayne took a fiery stand on an issue, whether or not he thought it right or wrong, O’Day posted a comment, just to make sure Artie knew he’d been “heard.” In a friendship, that’s really all you need, is someone you trust to say, “I hear you.”

Full story here: Click here: Alan O’Day, singer-songwriter to the stars, passes away at 72 - National classic rock music | Examiner.com

 
And then this from Artie Wayne himself ...

ONE OF THE HAPPIEST TIMES OF MY LIFE WAS WHEN I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA AND WORKED AS A SONGPLUGGER FOR VIVA MUSIC (WHICH WAS LATER BOUGHT BY WARNER BROTHERS). I WORKED WITH SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED SONGWRITERS IN THE BUSINESS, KENNY LOGGINS “THIS IS IT”, DEWAYNE BLACKWELL (“MR. BLUE”), JERRY CAPEHART “SUMMERTIME BLUES”, AND A TALENTED NEWCOMER WHO HADN’T HAD HIS FIRST HIT YET … ALAN O’DAY.
IN ADDITION TO KNOWING HOW TO PUT A POP SONG TOGETHER ALAN KNEW HOW TO MAKE INCREDIBLE DEMOS THAT SOUNDED GOOD ENOUGH TO BE ON THE RADIO AND WERE COPIED MORE OFTEN THAN NOT BY ARTISTS AND PRODUCERS! EVEN THOUGH I COULDN’T DRIVE AT THE TIME I GOT SO EXCITED WHEN I HEARD “THE DRUM” I HITCHHIKED TO METROMEDIA RECORDS AND GOT BOBBY SHERMAN TO CUT IT!
WHEN I HEARD “HEAVY CHURCH”, A RECORD “SNUFF GARRETT HAD PRODUCED ON HIM, ONCE AGAIN I GOT EXCITED AND HITCHHIKED OUT TO THE VALLEY TO RITCHIE PODOLOR’S AMERICAN RECORDING STUDIO … WHERE I GOT HIM TO CUT IT WITH 3 DOG NIGHT!
WHEN I FINALLY LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE ALAN COULDN’T WRITE FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND FOR HIS SONGS, THE LAST PROJECT ALAN AND I WORKED ON WAS “ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN”. JOHNNY STEVENSON WROTE A SONG WITH A CHORUS THAT I LOVED, AND I ASKED HIM TO COLLABORATE WITH ALAN ON THE VERSES AND CREATE THE SONG YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH TODAY.
EVEN THOUGH WE TOOK DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS, WE’VE REMAINED FRIENDS FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS, WHICH MAKES ME ESPECIALLY HAPPY TO INTRODUCE THE ALAN O’DAY VIDEO JUKEBOX FILLED WITH SOME OF MY FAVORITES, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE BIGGEST HITS OF THE ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s including, “UNDERCOVER ANGEL”, “ANGIE BABY”. ”ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN”, “FLASHBACK”, AND MORE!
THANKS AND REGARDS,
ARTIE WAYNE
Jukebox link: Click here: THE ALAN O’DAY VIDEO JUKEBOX | Artie Wayne On The Web
 

Here's the video to Alan's latest recording, "You Don't Say". I agree with you - it's a great track.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTO_N26P2ZI   

David Lewis

re: And, rounding out the "Nothing But Sad News Today" report ...:
This, too, from Ron Smith's website:
Judith Durham, lead singer of the Seekers, suffered a brain hemorrhage Tuesday (May 14) while the group was on tour in Melbourne, Australia. She was hospitalized, but was described as "lucid and comfortable" as she undergoes further tests. The group's 50th anniversary tour has now been scrapped.


re: ON THE PLUS SIDE:
Congratulations to our FH Buddy John Madara!
The Philadelphia Music Alliance announced Tuesday (May 14) that they will honor composer/producers John Madara and David White (who gave us Danny & the Juniors' "At The Hop," "1-2-3" from Len Barry, "The Fly" by Chubby Checker and Lesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me") with a plaque on the Phildelphia Music Walk of Fame at an unspecified date in October.

And congrats, too, to Chet Coppock, on being inducted into The Chicagoland Sports Hall Of Fame!
You'll find the full story here: Click here: Chet Coppock, Eddie Olczyk, Others Named To The Chicagoland Sports Hall Of Fame
(Hey, they left out the part about him writing "Coppock's Topics" for Forgotten Hits!!!)

re: AND, SPEAKING OF PHILLY ROCK:  
 Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon did a rare U.K. appearance earlier this month in London and performed before a soldout SRO audience. 
Here are some video links:  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN2amnGlOno
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWQLuESi__Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKz7Hz60P1s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSk37WPVKns

Monday Morning Melodies

Who would have ever thought that Generation 2010 would embrace some of these vintage tracks as part of their musical landscape?









But, thanks to repeated use in movies and television commercials, we've found that even some of the most unlikely candidates can be popular again with a whole new generation ... you just need to introduce them to it!


Makes you wonder how they might react to some of these pseudo-vintage "other era" oldies!









Why not give a couple of these tracks a spin ... and test drive this theory yourself.  We would LOVE to hear the results.  (Who knows ... you just might win over a new listener or two along the way!)   

re: ALAN O'DAY:  
Wow - I hadn't heard the news about Alan O'Day, though I knew he had been declining over the past couple of months. We were fortunate enough to see him a couple of times at some writers' night gigs here over the past couple of years. A super nice guy all around - not to mention some incredible talent.  
David Lewis

Alan's last release, "I Hear Voices", holds up well against anything I've heard these past few years. He was enormously talented and gifted as a songwriter and I am so happy I got to know him a little bit over the past few years. This one hit me hard ... he knew what he was up against (and really didn't want that information shared with the rest of the world) ... yet he stayed active and dynamic through it all. (Witness his newest track from the film "You Don't Say".)  An under-appreciated talent for sure. (kk) 

Hello Kent, 
Thank you for all of your wonderful help on my Monkees book. I received an email this morning about the passing of Alan O'Day. What a shock! I had the chance to meet him a couple of times. He was a very funny and joyful human being. I was planning to interview him about Davy Jones recording his song "Rubberene." I wonder if anybody ever talked to him about that song. I certainly would like to include Alan in my book. As each day passes by, we are losing family members and friends who have touched our lives in a very special way. Embrace the moment and make every minute count. We lost our undercover angel to rock & roll heaven. 
Peace & Love, 
Gary 

Hi Kent, 
Very sad to hear about the passing of Alan O'Day. I called him about a year ago to ask him some questions out of the of the blue. He was recording in his studio but took the time to speak with me for a few minutes. What a talented man and a class act. He will surely be missed.

Cory Cooper

At 2:00 on Sunday Afternoon the #1 Search on Yahoo was "Alan O'Day Dies" ... who would have ever thought? What a GREAT honor to this man. (#2 was "$600 Million Dollar Powerball Winner" ... man, how is that even possible?!?!?) Whodathunkit? But his music ... "Undercover Angel", "Rock And Roll Heaven", "Angie Baby" and others ... touched our lives. Isn't it sad that so many of these artists never see or hear this recognition and appreciation when they're still with us? I'm sure radio stations all over the country were playing some of Alan's tunes this past weekend and recognizing his contributions then. Alan, I am happy to have known you ... but SO sad to see you go. (kk)     

re: THE TRUE STORY BEHIND "ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN":  
Several years ago Forgotten Hits did a little bit of digging to get to the bottom as to who really wrote the song "Rock And Roll Heaven", the #3 Hit for The Righteous Brothers back in 1974. The "controversy" began after we (and a few other FH Readers) heard Sonny Geraci talking about how HE had a hand in the writing of this song. This was news to me ... and to quite a few other people as well, who actually WERE involved in the writing of this song! 
Now Sonny Geraci is generally recognized as being the first artist to RECORD this song ... he cut it with his group Climax in the early '70's (albeit a slightly different version lyrically, as you can hear by the sound clip included below.) We talked to a couple of the principles who where there at the time and asked them to share their recollections with our readers. (kk)

'60's FLASHBACK:  
>>>I didn't know that Sonny Geraci wrote "Rock & Roll Heaven"!  (Mitch Schecter / The Rip Chords )  
>>>Huh? Alan O'Day wrote it. (David Lewis) 
The impression Mitch got from the concert was that Sonny had the original idea for the song and co-wrote at least some of the lyrics. FH Reader Tom Cuddy (who was at the same show) explains that a member of Sonny's band started the song ... but then Sonny turned it over to his friend Alan O'Day to finish. I can only tell you that when I saw Sonny last July, he ABSOLUTELY gave the impression that he had a hand in writing the song. (I believe that he was also the first artist to record it when he was fronting the group Climax, who had the huge hit with "Precious And Few" back in 1972 ... but it went absolutely NOWHERE until it landed in the hands of The Righteous Brothers a few years later.) 
I asked Alan O'Day about this last year when I first heard Sonny's story but never got a response. I'm hoping that this time he can shed a little light on this for our readers ... if only to help us once again present "The Most Accurate Truth". The publishing papers that I've seen do NOT list Geraci's name on this song ... but what I heard with my own two ears certainly implied that he not only had a hand in writing it but that it was his original inspiration that kicked the whole thing off in the first place. (Also, a quick check of Joel Whitburn's book doesn't list John Stevenson as a member of Climax so, again, I'm confused as to his connection to Sonny and / or Alan.) Help us out, Alan!!! (kk)
Hi Kent,
Thanks for asking!
"Rock 'n' Roll Heaven" as a title was being performed live by Johnny Stevenson in a Los Angeles club when Warner Brothers Music Professional Manager Artie Wayne heard it, took Johnny aside, and told him that the chorus and the title was a hit concept, but the verses needed to be written better. I was a staff writer with WB Music at the time. Artie put Johnny with me and we wrote it together, with verses referring to rockers who had passed on. Sonny Geraci was not present at that point and I don't believe I even met him until sometime later. I demoed the song on my analog 4 track recorder, with Johnny and me singing ... then WB "showed" the song and got it cut by "Climax, featuring Sonny Geraci".
I have never heard Sonny claim that it was his idea, although I know he sings it in his show; and I don't remember Johnny ever saying anything to that effect. But as often happens, memories get cloudy over time (including mine) and everyone has their own perspective. Whatever dialogue or inspiration might have occurred between Johnny and Sonny, I was not aware.
I can't put my hands on the O'Day / Stevenson demo, but attached is Sonny's version from the vinyl single. You may notice that the people mentioned in the verse are different than those on the Righteous Brothers' later version (also attached). For that story, I'll quote (with permission) from Artie Wayne's book "I Did It For A Song": 

Dennis Lambert remembers, “I had signed the Righteous Brothers to my label, Haven, in 1974. Brian Potter and I were gathering songs and writing for them when Al Coury (President of Capitol) sent me a demo of “Rock And Roll Heaven”. After listening to it and recognizing its potential for the Righteous Brothers, Brian and I realized that it could really benefit from an “updating” in light of who had passed away in recent years (Jim Croce, Bobby Darin, etc.) I asked Alan if he and Johnny would consider doing a rewrite. Alan suggested WE do it and run it by him and John when we were done. That’s what we did … they were happy (we didn’t ask for anything) … we were happy (an already good song was made timelier) … the Righteous Brothers were happy (they really liked the production) and we had a smash hit in the weeks and months that followed.”
© 2011 by Artie Wayne 
http://artiewayne.com
I was always impressed that Dennis and Brian didn't ask for a piece of the song for doing such a great rewrite. But this turned into a win - win situation with the Righteous Brothers' "comeback" hit.
Fast forward to 2007. Still friends with Artie Wayne, who reminded me (repeatedly) that R&RH needed another update. Finally, with his help, I crafted new lyrics to celebrate more recent "icons", and we produced a demo in Nashville with talented artist and session singer, Ronnie Kimball.
I hope your readers will visit my site and click on the updated tribute: alanoday.com. (We're certainly open to suggestions for current artists to record the song!) There's also a cool YouTube video, produced by Sebastian Prooth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2cijNKu9qc
Best to you and all your subscribers!
Alan

THE MOST ACCURATE TRUTH: Once again, we're presenting "The Most Accurate Truth" regarding "Rock And Roll Heaven", as told to us by one of its principle songwriters. Our intention here is only to set the record straight (and nothing more) and if Sonny Geraci would like to offer an opposing point of view, additional facts and insight or share a few more memories in this regard, we're certainly welcome to hear them. (Johnny Stevenson passed away a while back so his "back story", unfortunately, is not an option. And, since this piece first ran, Sonny Geraci had some serious health issues of his own. However, we never did hear an opposing view to the story we presented so we're sticking by our findings.)  
My feeling is, simply put, that Geraci is not (nor has he ever been) regarded as a songwriter ... a great singer, to be sure, but a successful track record in songwriting really isn't part of his resume. However, Sonny very well may have been instrumental in the original concept of this tune ... but if he was, Alan was not aware of it, nor did Stevenson ever convey this to him. In that two very well known and successful songwriters (Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter) did, in fact, contribute to the writing of this hit ... without even taking any credit for doing so ... it just doesn't seem right to have someone who quite likely had NOTHING to do with the actual writing of the song imply that they did. Makes for a great story on stage, I'm sure ... not unlike Micky Dolenz recently telling fans how he partied with The Beatles and then went into the studio to watch them record "Oh! Darling" ... great story ... but the simple fact is, it NEVER really happened. (kk)   

re: GREAT SHOW:
Hi Kent -
Saw the Ides of March and Peter Noone and Hermans Hermits at the Aurora Paramount Theater. 
They were great ...  
The Ides opened the show and shared stories that the originals have been friends since "Cub Scouts". They will celebrate their 50th anniversary next year!! 

Peter Noone and Hermans Hermits were FANTASTIC! They did all their hits plus Peter did imitations of Mick Jagger, Tom Jones and Davy Jones! He added a lot of funny jokes and his band were colorful and very upbeat, dancing on the stage!!! He is adorable and I would definitely see them again!!!!  He was giving autographs in the lobby after the show, but I couldn't stay. The British Invasion is well and alive!!!!   Carolyn  Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits NEVER disappoint ... ALWAYS a rousing show ... and a GREAT time! The Ides Of March were an odd choice as the opening act but their performance is always solid an entertaining. We didn't make it to this one (talked about it but it never happened). Glad to hear that you had a great time! (kk) re: IT'S HIP TO BE SQUARE:   I haven't seen this posted here before so thought I'd pass this along.  Bobby Vee, Freddy Cannon, Connie Francis, Fabian, Dick Clark, and more on Hollywood Squares in the late 70's. Here's the link for part 1. You'll see the link to part 2 at the site.   Reminded me how much I loved that show. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YNIajiD5rA=   Click here: Bobby Vee & More on Hollywood Squares Rock and Roll Legends Week 1978 Part 2 - YouTube   Bill  VERY cool ... no, I'd never seen this before.  I was talking to Scott Shannon last night and we hit on the topic of The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame ... and how they don't ever seem to go back to correct so many of the oversights they've made along the way. Instead they just keep focusing on the brand new "eligibles" passing the 25-year mark since their first recording, continuing to ignore so many of the artists they've snubbed before ... artists like Connie Francis, Chubby Checker, Freddy Cannon ... and so many others that helped shape the very sound of rock and roll. Not to mention '70's staples like Chicago, The Guess Who, The Moody Blues and Hall and Oates, the most successful duo of all time. Sadly, at this rate SO many more of these artists will leave us before they ever get their due ... if they ever do at all. Meanwhile, cool clip ... I don't even remember them ever doing this! (kk)