Recent and Up-Coming Shows

We ran our review of the Al Kooper concert on Sunday ... that's the last show WE went to (although we've got tickets in November to see both The Rascals and Gino Vannelli ... so watch for reviews of THOSE shows in future editions of Forgotten Hits!)  

Meanwhile, here are a few other shows that we're all excited about!   

Hey Kent ... 
Just wanted to send this reminder about the show coming up in New Jersey next Saturday night, for any Forgotten Hits members who live in the Philly, NJ, NY, Delaware area.  Hey members ... come on up and say hi after the show!  Poster attached. This is gonna be a hot one!
Mitch Schecter / The Rip Chords 
Happy to help spread the word, Mitch ... ALL Forgotten Hits participants performing as headliners on this show!  The Rip Chords, Ron Dante, Dennis Tufano, Mark Lindsay and Lou Christie ... man, what a killer line-up!  (In fact, we got an email from Ron Dante about this show right after yours!!!)  kk

Hello Kent -

So happy to see my Archies "Sugar, Sugar" on the Top Hits of The 60's List at Number 4.  Jeff Barry and Andy Kim wrote it for us and Don Kirshner put us all together.

Doing a show this coming Saturday with my pals Lou Christie, Mark Lindsay, Dennis Tufano and The Incredble Rip Chords. Hope to see all my East coast friends there.

Rock on bud!

Ron 

More on The Rascals' return to Broadway here from Tom Cuddy ...  

Click here: Steven And Maureen Van Zandt Announce The Broadway Return Of Once Upon A Dream - Yahoo Finance  And, of course, The Rascals hit town this week for their "Once Upon A Dream" show at the Cadillac Theater.  It all kicks off tonight, Wednesday, November 5th, and runs through Sunday's matinee performance on the 10th.  (That's the one we're going to.  Watch these pages next week for our review!)  kk  

Tom also sent us the 2014 Happy Together Tour line-up ...

>>>TOMMY ROE's DEVIL'S SOUL PILE CD just received three stars in MOJO MAG in the UK ... the world's top music magazine ... another great achievement for Tommy!  (Rick Levy)  
DAMN!  I thought WE were the world's top music magazine ... well, maybe just the coolest!  (kk)  

Meanwhile, Tommy is also doing solo, acoustic shows ... here's the scoop!  
TOMMY ROE - Songs & Stories  
An intimate acoustic show ...

Tommy performs all his legacy classic hits, plus rarities, B-sides, and new material from his award winning new album Devil's Soul Pile.

[perfect for small theatres, clubs, PAC packages, private events.]

A UNIQUE opportunity to see a legendary artist / songwriter up close and personal

CONTACT:

Rick Levy 904 - 806 - 0817 - show information 

John Regna  201 - 394 - 5944 or 407 - 993 - 4000 - for BOOKING    

Hi Kent -
Enjoyed your articles on The Eagles.
A friend of mine was close friends with Alan Blazek, who helped produce the Hotel California album and she
kept the award he won for Hotel California, that was the album of the year in the seventies. Alan traveled a lot so he wanted her to keep it for him. I got to see it whenever I visited it her.
Since then she has passed on so I hope Alan got the award back.  She said he wasn't there to accept the award because he didn't want to wear a tuxedo!!
Please dont forget to review the Brian Wilson / Jeff Beck concert on October 29th.  I can't go but I hope he tours during the summer with Al Jardine and David Lee Marks.
I have been reading a lot of books about the Beach Boys and what a life they went through. Brian made a great comeback and survived them all. Carl had problems but recovered before his death with cancer but Dennis, always the rebel, didn't make  it and drowned at 39.
Keep up the good work !!!!! 
Carolyn  
Yeah, 40 years ago all bets would have been on Brian to be the first one to go (with all the drugs he was doing at the time) ... but he outlived them all!  Wish we were able to go to the show on the 29th but alas we were not ... would have loved to see him in that context.  Hopefully some of our readers were able to attend and report back to us.  If they do, you can count on reading it here!  (Then again a quick glance at the website shows the cheapest face value tickets are $300 each ... and a Grammy Award Winner sponsorship ticket is going for $30,000 ... each!!!  Jeez ... what's in YOUR wallet?!?!?  (kk)  
Hi Kent -   
Thank you for the info on the Brian Wilson / Jeff Beck Concert. Who can afford those prices?? Maybe because it's a charity event ...  
Guess I will have to be satisfied playing my Beach Boys tunes in my juke box!!!! Or watching their 50th Anniversary tour dvd. 
You have lots and lots of readers so maybe there may be ONE who will go???!!!  
When in doubt ask the MASTER ... he knows what's going on!  
Carolyn  
Without question it's because it's a charity event that the prices are jacked up the way they are ... and I'm sure it all goes to a very good cause ... but that leaves me at the gate.  I don't know of ANYONE who would shell out $30,000 to see this show ... even if that does include 15 tickets, a buffet dinner and free valet parking!!!  (lol)  kk   

Speaking of The History of the Eagles Tour, Vintage Vinyl News is reporting that they've extended dates into the Spring of 2014 ... but before this tour even started, Don Henley was talking about the tour OFFICIALLY wrapping up sometime in 2015!!!  (Heck they could come back through Chicago a couple more times at this rate!!!)  Meanwhile, you'll find the latest dates here (including extended stays at The L.A. Forum and The MGM Grand in Las Vegas!)  kk  

Click here: Tour : Eagles   

In what seems to be a new trend, Stevie Wonder has just announced that he will perform his entire album "Songs In The Key Of Life" for a special holiday concert at The Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on December 21st.  (The coolest part of this story is that Stevie plans on having many of the original artists who appeared on the album perform it with him live on stage that night!) 

More details here:    
Click here: VVN Music: Stevie Wonder to Perform Complete "Songs in the Key of Life" For Holiday Benefit 

Mike Nesmith has added six dates to his upcoming solo tour ... including a second stop here in Chicago.

Here's the latest: 

Just coming off a very successful tour with the Monkees, Michael Nesmith has slated a new group of solo shows that will take him through the month of November.
Nesmith described the tour, saying "The songs I'll play are a touch chronological and a touch thematic. I picked my favorites to play, the ones I have come to love over the years, and the ones that are most requested by fans of my solo work."
At this time, the tour opens on October 27 in Phoenix and runs through November 18 in Franklin, TN although additional dates may be added.10/27 - Phoenix, AZ - MIM Music Theater

10/29 - Austin, TX - One World Theatre

10/30 - Dallas, TX - The Kessler Theater

11/01 - Birmingham, AL - WorkPlay Theatre

11/02 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

11/04 - Vienna (Washington), DC - The Barns at Wolf Trap

11/05 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head On Stage

11/07 - Bay Shore, NY - YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts

11/08 - Phoenixville, PA - The Colonial Theatre

11/10 - Shirley, MA - The Bull Run Concert Series

11/11 - Fall River, MA - Narrow Center for the Arts

11/12 - Englewood, NJ - Bergen Performing Arts Center

11/14 - Elyria (Cleveland), OH - Stocker Arts Center

11/15 - Chicago, IL - City Winery

11/17 - Franklin, TN - The Franklin Theatre

11/18 - Franklin, TN - The Franklin Theatre

11/19 - St. Louis, MO - Old Rock House

11/21 - Ferndale, MI (Detroit metro) - The Magic Bag

11/22 - Bloomington, IN - Buskirk-Chumley Theater

11/23 - Chicago, IL - City Winery (encore performance)

11/24 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom 
 
Kent -
I hope there is someone who can tell us about the Sonny Geraci benefit concert being held on 11/15 and 11/16.  Wish I could make it to Ohio, but I will be lucky if I can see the Rascals next week (long story). You mentioned there is a possibility of some of the acts may be coming to Chicago for a benefit here for Sonny as well. Anything further? I hope someone would make a video of the benefit in Ohio and sell it on Sonny's behalf. Sounds like quite a show!!!
Mike De Martino
President of the Lovejoy Music Club

I went right to Dennis Tufano on this one ... one of the performers and organizers of this very special event.  I think the video idea would be a GREAT way to help raise additional funds for Sonny's medical bills (and it sounds like this IS, in fact, part of the plan ... which means even MORE fans will get the chance to see it.)
As for a Chicago-area performance, we talked with Ron Onesti about possibly putting together a second leg of this show at his Arcada Theatre in St. Charles ... plus it would have been a great way for some of these artists to defer some costs for a trip to the midwest.

Nothing concrete yet ... although there have been some discussions in that regard ... but with the concert dates so rapidly approaching I'd say it's pretty doubtful that we'll be able to take advantage of the proximity of all these artists being in the area.

Here's more from Dennis ...

Kent -  

Thanks for you help!

Below is a partial list and Benefit info. There are around 20 more artists waiting for schedules to open up. Due to area bookings that weekend there are five or six acts being billed as "Surprise Guests" so as not to conflict attendance-wise with their actual shows!!!!!

Again, if live participation is not possible an autographed piece from the artist for auction would be appreciated, too.

As it's been over a year for Sonny's recovery his family can use all the help financially they can get. We need to get this "Voice of the 60's & 70's" back on the boards!!!!

Thanks for all you do.

Be well.

Dennis

I personally contacted about fifty artists in the hopes that they might participate in this very special event.  Several found a way to clear their schedules and made the final list ... but most had a conflict of some sort, preventing them from attending.

Per Dennis' request, if any artists would still like to donate some piece of memorabilia that could be auctioned off at the show to help raise money toward Sonny's massive medical bills, please get in touch with me right away and I'll pass the info along.

(On the plus side, there could be several "surprise guests" showing up for this event per Dennis' note.)
Meanwhile, we can confirm appearances by:

DENNIS TUFANO (original lead singer of The Buckinghams)

TERRY SYLVESTER (formerly of The Hollies)

RON DANTE  (The Archies / The Cuff Links)

JOHNNY FARINA  (Santo and Johnny)

JIM GOLD  (Gallery)

JIMY SOHNS  (The Shadows Of Knight)

THE RIP CHORDS

PAT UPTON (Spiral Starecase)

THE 1910 FRUITGUM COMPANY

Plus some very special "surprise guests"

 

And check out the line-up on this one ...
It's the 2015 Rock Legends Cruise, this time featuring The Doobie Brothers, .38 Special, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dickey Betts and Great Southern, Blue Oyster Cult, Uriah Heep, Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown, Edgar Winter, Pat Travers Band and The Blue Lords along with other artists that have yet to be announced.  (Man, all they need to do now is hire Joe Dirt as Master of Ceremonies and this thing will become the "go to event" of the year!!!  lol)
More details below:  

Dig this ...   
You and a few thousand of your fellow rock fanatics get on board one of the biggest, fastest and most luxurious cruise ships in existence to spend three full days and four nights listening to your favorite classic rock bands performing their greatest hits for hours on end.   
Yes, it's back and better than ever!  
Welcome to ROCK LEGENDS CRUISE III, the spectacular classic rock music festival at sea that will set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas on February 19, 2015.    
Eat. Sleep. Rock!   
If you've done this before, you know what to expect.  
If not, you have no idea ... other than the fact that it promises to be one of the best times of your life.   
"It's everything you could imagine along with some things you could probably never imagine," quips Pam Myers of the Native American Heritage Association (NAHA), the charitable organization that hosts, and benefits from, the Cruise. "An experience like no other, it's simply the classic rock cruise of a lifetime."   
The forthcoming ROCK LEGENDS CRUISE III will feature The Doobie Brothers, .38 Special, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dickey Betts and Great Southern, Blue Oyster Cult, Uriah Heep, Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown, Edgar Winter, Pat Travers Band and The Blue Lords along with other artists that have yet to be announced.   
Call it the initial "Top Ten."   
It's a unique opportunity to see your favorite band not once, but twice ... maybe even three times!   
You can expect the typical day to be as follows ... get up by the crack of noon, get some food, find a reclining lounge chair on the pool deck and listen to such rock classics as "Black Water," "Hold On Loosely," "Can't You See," "Ramblin' Man" and "Easy Livin'."   
Think about it ... where else can you possibly hear "Godzilla" and "Frankenstein" on the same day?   
And that's just the beginning as additional artists will be announced in the upcoming months.   
Listen to the music with The Doobies and go rockin' into the night with the Wild-Eyed Southern Boys!   
More than 50 concert performances expected in all!   
This is the cruise you want to be on!   
ROCK LEGENDS CRUISE III will depart Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida early Thursday evening (February 19, 2015), then dock in Nassau, Bahamas the following Saturday (2/21/15) before returning to Fort Lauderdale on Monday morning, February 23, 2015.   
Only three "vacation" or "sick" days are necessary!   
In between the concerts, meet & greets, Q&A forums, and everything else "Rock Legends," passengers will be able to enjoy such on board activities as surfing (thanks to the ship's FlowRider surf simulator), basketball (full-sized court), boxing (full-sized ring), golf (mini course), rock-climbing (wall), cantilevered whirlpools and a variety of gourmet restaurants and casual dining.   
Have you ever seen Dickey Betts surf? Me, neither.   
But you will get to see him play guitar and that, alone, is worth the price of admission.   
This is truly something to look forward to and a vacation you will definitely remember.   
Cabins are moving quickly with a significant number already sold to those that have sailed the Rock Legends "journey" before ... this was prior to announcing any artists ... they know just how great an experience it really is!   
So book your cabins soon before they're gone!  
Think "Christmas!"   
Most levels are still available including Interior, Ocean View, Deluxe and Superior Ocean View with Balcony and a variety of suites, with pricing beginning at $1099.00 per person (double occupancy).   
Notice the money back guarantee if you're not happy with the line-up by January 20, 2014!   
For further information including specific details, ticket / cabin purchase, what's included and answers to FAQ's, please go to www.rocklegendscruise.com or call 888-666-1499.   
For information on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas, please see http://www.royalcaribbean.com/liberty

Liberty of the Seas Photo Gallery at: https://www.google.com/search?q=royal+caribbean+liberty+of+the+seas&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=lxpxUoL4G4HWkQfd0YHgCA&sqi=2&ved=0CFIQsAQ&biw=1173&bih=497

ROCK LEGENDS III INITIAL LINE-UP*

Doobie Brothers

.38 Special

The Marshall Tucker Band

Dickey Betts and Great Southern

Blue Oyster Cult

Uriah Heep

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown

Edgar Winter

Pat Travers Band

The Blue Lords

*More artists to be announced! Stay tuned.

ABOUT THE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION

The Native American Heritage Association is celebrating its 20th year working on reservations in South Dakota and has been a 4-star charity with www.charitynavigator.org for a total of nine years. Native American Heritage Association tractor trailers are on the road daily with supplies to the various far flung communities and 94% of the organization's total revenue goes towards program services which provide basic life necessities, including fuel assistance and medical transportation to 90,000 people. Many of these residents face an 80% rate of unemployment; 70% don't have transportation and many of those who do, don't have the means to purchase gas. These Lakota Sioux live in abandoned school buses, shacks or government housing with no insulation, some live without indoor plumbing, in homes with dirt floors, no beds or furniture. More information can be found at: www.naha-inc.org.

The Best Of The Rest - Your Comments

>>>The Top 40 Leftovers of the '60s -- I vote for cold pizza. (Ron Smith)  

Oh, this is like listening to my radio in the 60's!!  I can't listen and fully read till I get home, but what a time I will have.  I see my friend Lou Christie there as I quickly peruse. By the way Ron Smith, I ate hot pizza while I listened to 100-81.

Shelley J Sweet-Tufano   

I'm surprised that A Little Bit O'Soul placed that low of Dann's countdown.  Way back when we did a list of the top Chicagoland songs of 1967, using Randy Price's method of calculation, and the Music Explosion actually placed ahead of The Association tune.  I'm going to have to reread Dann's book again.   
Jack  

"Little Bit O'Soul" hit #1 here in Chicago so when you compiled The Top Songs of Summer, 1967, it ranked pretty high (#2, in fact!  That's one position ahead of "Windy" ... which doesn't hit OUR countdown until #26, but behind Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"which placed 14 positions higher than the Music Explosion Hit on our recap.)  When Randy Price put together a national version (based on our Super Charts Project) it showed the combined rankings of each record's performance in all three national trades (Billboard, Cash Box and Record World) ... yet those same three records all finished in the top three spots, albeit in a different order.  (The national charts had "Windy" at #1, "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" at #2 and "Little Bit O'Soul" at #3 ... which, when factored in with all of the other big hits of the decade is still the "ranked" placing on Dann's chart as well.  Dann Isbell's book ranks each record's performance EXCLUSIVELY on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart ... so there will be variations between the three lists. Meanwhile, interested folks can check out the complete Summer Countdowns on the other Forgotten Hits Web Page ... here's a link to the '67 Summer Of Love Chart we're referring to ... but the menu on the main page will also show you where to find summer countdown pages for EVERY year, 1955 - 1980.   
Click here: Forgotten Hits - The Summer Of Love Countdown    

Three notes on the "Best of the Rest" Countdown: 
*Just what was it that Billie Joe McAllister threw off the Tallahatchie Bridge? According to the later TV movie which Bobbie Gentry worked on, it was a rag doll named Benjamin. 
**The late '60s not only marked the dawn of "The Age of Aquarius" but also the start of its demise.   The same thing was true about Woodstock.  Rather than sparking the birth of an era, it was the crowning conclusion of one.  '60s-styled hippies quickly found themselves passe once the '70s got rolling and we drifted into disco.
***Regarding the status of "Honey" as "one of the most hated songs of all time," the fact is that not everyone likes every song and every song has its detractors.  We all have our own tastes -- but for a track to become the 11th biggest hit of the '60s, it's pretty obvious that a LOT of people then and now like "Honey" very much.   And you have to admit that it IS a masterwork of understated song construction and performance.   It WORKS -- as the guys who took part in the recording session realized after hearing the playback.  "Honey" does precisely what music is supposed to do: paint portraits of human emotion using sound which stir and speak for the hearts of listeners.  Aside from its stature above all but ten other singles on your list, "Honey" marks the finest career achievement of both songwriter Bobby Russell ("Little Green Apples," "The Joker Went Wild," "The Nights The Lights Went Out in Georgia," etc.) and sensitive singer-songwriter Bobby Goldsboro ("Little Things," With Pen In Hand," "Summer [The First Time]," etc.).  
I certainly agree with you that 1967 was the best year for music in the '60s, although the years which surrounded it all offered intense competition. 
Gary Theroux  
Comments on your comments ... 
I'll never forget listening to Jim Stagg's afternoon radio program on WCFL back in 1967 ... at the absolutely height of Billy Joe McAllister-mania ... when he had Mark Lindsay on as his guest.  EVERYBODY ... and I mean EVERYBODY ... was buzzing about what was thrown off that bridge when this record came out ... so much so that Stagg asked Mark Lindsay what HE thought it was as part of this otherwise totally different topic interview!!!  I'll never forget Mark's answer ... he said that he "heard it was flowers" ... and the rest of the week whenever 'CFL played the song, they referred to Lindsay's answer as being the solution to what was at the time considered to be the greatest mystery of all time!  (lol) 
Of course Mark didn't have any inside information ... this was just his guess ... and years later when they made a film inspired by the song, it very well may have been "a rag doll named Benjamin" ... but this countdown was a reflection of the music of the time AT THE TIME ... and it may be hard to believe in hindsight that this was such a HUGE topic of discussion ... but then again six years later the musical world was thrown into a tizzy trying to figure out WHO was so vain ... and what the symbolism was for every word uttered in Don McLean's "American Pie"!!! 
(Today's music questions seem to be more centered on the artists than the songs themselves ... perhaps because the lyrical content isn't anywhere near as compelling.  Did Mick Jagger REALLY hit on an 18-year-old Katy Perry?  And how many times did Chris Brown beat up Rihanna?  Has Britney Spears shaved her head again?  And will The Jonas Brothers stay together long enough to perform at Chicago's B-Bash later this winter?  You know, important stuff like that!)
As for your second point, I have often observed that during the '60's OUR generation believed they could change the world ... and in many instances, they did ... just not necessarily always for the better.  We may have had the very best of intentions ... as I believe EVERY generation probably does ... things were just so MAGNIFIED in the '60's that every action seemed larger than life.  Ultimately, we were proven right about The War in Viet Nam ... but how many other wars have there been since that one where we as a nation have felt compelled to get involved?  On the other hand, I think we can all unanimously agree that naked mud slides are probably NOT the greatest idea we've ever come up with ... I doubt that the concept ever really  benefited anyone (except, perhaps, James Taylor, who got a hit album with an LP titled "Mud Slide Slim"! lol) 
Finally, I would argue your point about "Honey".  Yes, it was, without question, the biggest record on the planet AT THE TIME ... which is why it ranks so high on this list.  But time has not been kind to "Honey" (or Bobby Goldsboro either for that matter!) in the 45 years since ... and Goldsboro made a number of other EXCELLENT recordings during his career that radio also chooses to ignore.  Instead, he seems to have been permanently "blacklisted" for this one. 
Truth is, you really haven't heard "Honey" much at all on the radio during most of that time ... so I'd have to disagree with your comment that "a lot of people then and now" favor the song.  Short of Scott Shannon's "Cheezy Easy Listening Song of the Day" (where it HAD to be the hands-down winner as cheeziest song EVER!), you really don't hear this one at all anymore ... nor do I ever hear it being requested on any of radio's numerous "All Request" radio programs, which begs to differ just how much people really miss it all.
Now that doesn't mean it isn't a great song ... and I agree with ALL of your commentary in this regard ... it just hasn't weathered well.  (Then again, I could also argue that the song was designed for the sole purpose of manipulating the listener to fall victim to the saccharinly sweet heart-tugs, the very root of which today is what makes it so incredibly nauseating!!!  And, of course, to make a TON of money ... which it also did.  In that respect, then yes, the songwriter and artist both achieved their original goals!)  
In fact, I would much rather watch, listen to and enjoy The Smothers Brothers' EXCELLENT "Honey House" spoof than listen to the actual record ... which is EXACTLY what we would have done today had this video not been permanently removed from every source I previously had available to me ... most likely a licensing thing.  (It doesn't appear on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour DVD's either!)  We ran links to it previously in Forgotten Hits and I'm sure it'll pop up again somewhere down the line.  While I was able to find an audio-only track, half the fun is WATCHING this thing ... so we'll run it again when we can. Meanwhile, here's a website devoted to "Honey" as the "worst song of all time"!!!  (kk)  

Click here: World’s Worst Songs: Bobby Goldsboro’s “Honey” | Popdose    

Kent ...
Harper Valley P.T.A.???  'scuse me while I kiss the sky and then drop dead from shock. Bobby Goldsboro's listlessly smarmy "Honey" at 10?  Jeez, were we all that square? Meanwhile, Tommy James' "Ball of Fire" remains number one on my all underrated 60's hit list. Now, let me pose this question. What was the greater song, the more dynamic song: "Like  a Rolling Stone" or "Hey Jude?" I'll hang up and listen to your answer. keep up the great work, my man.
Chet Coppock  
I'll bet you could split the jury on this one ... and for any variety of reasons.  Let's see what comes back!  (kk)  

>>>And before Ron Smith can ask "Does EVERY countdown have to end with The Beatles at #1?", the answer quite simply is ... YES!!!  "Hey Jude" was #1 for nine consecutive week on The Billboard Chart ... what else COULD it be???  (C'mon ... this IS the '60's we're talking about here!!!  Was there ANYTHING bigger than The Beatles?!?!)  kk  

YES, YES, YES, Ron Smith, YES!  Rock 'n Roll is innately American, but if the British had not invaded with their upbeat twists to our foundation, the rest of the sixties could have been mediocre.  As it was, they opened up the musical floodgates to allow ALL of the genres to have their say ... and keep on talkin'.  So let's give credit to the first to hit our beaches ... The Beatles.  (Does that make them the Marines of 60's music?) 
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano   

Speaking of "Hey Jude" ... have you ever seen the full-length version of the David Frost clip ... with the guys clowning around BEFORE going into the song?  First time for me ... and it's awesome!  Check it out here:

Hi Kent, 

Great job on the hits of the 60's. Did I miss Satisfaction by the Stones? It had to be on any list of 60's  songs Thanks for all effort you put in on Forgotten Hits I visit it every day.

Joe Fuller

See below ...  

I can’t figure out Isbell’s list as I Want To Hold Your Hand is not in the top 20. 

Using statistical chart info from Quirin and Cohen’s rock 100, the top 10 hits of 1964-1969 are 
1  Hey Jude 
2  I Want To Hold Your Hand 
3  I’m A Believer 
4  I Heard It Through The Grapevine [Gaye] 
5  Aquarius 
6  Sugar Sugar 
7  Love Is Blue 
8  Hello Dolly 
9  To Sir With Love 
10  Honey  
Mark the Shark  
That's because "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was part of our British Invasion Countdown of 1964 and 1965 ... and this countdown represents "The Best Of The Rest".  ("Satisfaction" by The Stones placed at #2 on that same list.)  And Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" topped our list of Top 100 Motown Singles of the '60's.  So you're absolutely right ... all three of these songs were MONSTER-SIZED Hits in the '60's ... they were just featured on other lists.  (Scroll back on the website and you'll find BOTH of these countdowns which ran earlier as part of our 60 Day Salute to the '60's.)  Dann's list uses the Billboard Chart rankings exclusively ... and really they're not THAT far off from your list (although "Hello Dolly" in The Top Ten doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.)  Other than that, you'll find "Hey Jude", "I'm A Believer", "Aquarius", "Sugar, Sugar", "Love Is Blue" and "To Sir, With Love" on BOTH Top 10 lists ... albeit in a somewhat different order ... and "Honey" just missed, coming in at #11 on Dann's list.  (There are a few other discrepancies ... Dann's list includes "Honky Tonk Women", "People Got To Be Free", "Everyday People" and "Dock Of The Bay", ALL of which I feel were bigger hits than "Hello Dolly".)  I would have figured "The Letter" to come in a bit higher ... but that's because it was #1 here in Chicago for something like SEVEN weeks while only topping Billboard's chart for four.  I think it's a pretty representative list overall, reflective of how these records did AT THAT TIME ... regardless of what 40 years of hindsight (and repetitive programming!) may tell you!  (kk)  

Of course the BEST way to appreciate these listings ... (and the only CORRECT way to determine how these songs REALLY finished ... and ranked for the decade) is to view the COMPLETE list as published in Dann Isbell's book "Ranking The '60's" ... available here:

Click here: Ranking the '60s: A Comprehensive Listing of the Top Songs and Acts from Pop's Golden Decade: Dann Isbell: 9781492     

Kent,

I really loved your overview of the music of the 60's ... that decade never lacked talent or variety ... and it was a crash course in music appreciation.  Look at the USA Today Mediabase charts today and you have three charts alone for Adult Contemporary -- so you have Adult Contemporary, Hot Adult Contemporary, and Urban Adult Contemporary -- maybe next year we'll have Rural Adult Contemporary and Kinda Adult Contemporary.  Do you ever feel like they are having focus groups for focus groups and consultants for consultants?  We definitely live in a different time ... as I sometimes say to my friends, "I think I'll be getting out of this world just in time!"  Ha!  As with so much media today, there is a exponential evolution going on -- for better or for worse, the giant record company powers and their studios are now being slowly swallowed up by individuals and their personally recorded music with grassroots buzz being generated by the internet but maybe that's a good thing, we can only hope.  The giant record companies are still big, but I don't think they have the same clout they once had.  I watch the late night talk shows and their music artist offerings, and I don't see a lot that is earth-shaking as of late -- the Beatles, Stones, Elvis, Sinatra, or Rod Stewart they ain't.  I keep hoping these late-night talent coordinators are going to go the bank and make a talent withdrawal with someone like Burton Cummings, Bob Seger, Steve Miller, or Heart but instead what I see lately is devalued currency in the talent department on their shows.  There is still a lot of talent touring out there but nine times out of ten, I am not seeing them on Letterman, Leno, Kimmel, or Fallon -- I know it's early but we'll see what Arsenio does.  But as you know, it's all about the money demos.  The Voice and the X-Factor have turned into Camouflage Karaoke with the judges doing their best to compete with the "talent."  As with the Viet Nam era and other times of strife and stress we reaped rewards of music and artists such as Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young or Credence Clearwater Revival, but not this time around, if it wasn't for pitch correction and auto-tune today we'd have to settle for a Miley Cyrus shock-strip!  I'm sorry my "sour grapes have already fermented into whine" tonight.  Where is Bob Dylan and the Left Banke when we need them!  Hey Kent, you don't think Miley is going to do a cover of "Dominique" do you?
Peace,
Tim Kiley

AL KOOPER CONCERT REVIEW

I went to see Al Kooper's show at S.P.A.C.E., the cool little rock theater in Evanston this past weekend.  There seems to be a weird vibe in the air every time Al and I connect.  

The first time we ever spoke by phone, the big music story of the day was the fact that legendary bassist Duck Dunn had just died.  (The occasion of that conversation was our Forgotten Hits interview about Al producing Rick Nelson's unreleased album "Back To Vienna".)  Then last Sunday Night, for the 45 minutes before Kooper took the stage, the theater was filled with the music of Lou Reed, whose death had been announced earlier that day.  

Stranger still was the fact that after the show when I went to thank Al for the complimentary tickets he had left for me at the door, he appeared to have absolutely NO idea who I was ... nor would he allow us to pose for a picture for the website!  Bummer!  This was ESPECIALLY odd in that I was there as his invited guest!!!  (Not to mention incredibly embarrassing in front of the coworker I brought along to enjoy the show, a long time Al Kooper fan himself!)

Now it wasn't as if I had played up the fact that Al and I were "best friends" or anything like that ... all of our previous encounters had all been via phone or email ... but we've probably talked at least half a dozen times in between that first conversation and last Sunday ... and each and every one of these conversations have always been fun, interesting and entertaining ... yet it was clear that he had absolutely NO clue who I was or why I was thanking him ... and this despite the fact that he had comped us the tickets!!!  (Now that's just weird!)

And I also know that Al reads Forgotten Hits ... he has been VERY complimentary and supportive of our efforts over the past several years.  In fact, I've mentioned a few times in the past that the highest compliment I've ever received from an artist came from Al, who one day sent me an email that simply said "Thank you for helping to spread the truth."  No other endorsement has ever meant as much ... and I have proudly displayed it on my "home page" ever since.

Click here: Forgotten Hits - Home   

In between the Lou Reed pre-show ... and the "awkward moment" ending, however, he entertained us for two solid hours in a one-man solo show, playing several of the songs he is best known for (closing with two Blood, Sweat and Tears favorites, "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" and "I Can't Quit Her") after mingling in several of his own personal favorite tunes ... everything from blues to rock-a-billy and then some.  

Al is a very entertaining storyteller ... his book "Backstage Passes ... and Back-Stabbing Bastards" is one of the best rock music biographies I've ever read ... an absolute "must read" for any music fan of this era ... nothing but fun anecdotes and observations about the music business from cover to cover from a guy who was right there in the thick of it ... but at times Sunday night he seemed to be rambling on a lot longer than necessary, especially at the beginning of the show ... almost as if the thought "Well, I've got to figure out a way to kill two hours here" was running through the back of his mind in some fashion.  Although he never really lost his audience, there were times when he certainly tried our patience!  This was particularly true of his opening rap, which can best be described as making a good number of us feel "uncomfortably patient" ... but I am happy to report that, moving forward, the pacing improved ... the stories got shorter and more to the point ... and the laughter got louder.  And even after the tedious opening monolog, once he finally got around to playing and singing, I've got to tell you that he sounded GREAT!   

The show opened with "Just One Smile", the Gene Pitney hit, which was written by Randy Newman.  (Ironically, he didn't perform the song that HE had written for Pitney, "I Must Be Seeing Things").  He also did a nice version of Harry Nilsson's "Without Her", a song I first heard done by Herb Alpert in 1968 ... and paid tribute to some of the great rock-a-billy guitar players he admired growing up, like Scotty Moore and James Burton, who Al hired for several sessions years later when he was producing other artists ... including one session with James that was recorded at Al Kooper's dining room table via remote due to a recording studio shut-down.  (Al and I discussed James Burton at great length during our Rick Nelson interviews ... he has been a life-long fan.)

It was definitely a "Kooper Krowd" ... Al's followers were in great abundance and hung on his every word as he recounted humorous life stories about his own personal journey through the history of rock and roll. However, amongst all of his entertaining anecdotes, I have to admit that I was a little bit surprised that he didn't mention anything at all about launching The Zombies' hit "Time Of The Season" here in The States ... or talk about discovering and producing Lynyrd Skynyrd (who failed to even mention him during their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, an honor not yet bestowed on Kooper himself.)  In fact despite playing alongside some of the biggest artists and musicians in the history of rock and roll, he really didn't do any "name-dropping" at all!  

He barely talked about Bob Dylan (other than to say that he has three saved phone messages that "would make you pee in your pants if you ever heard them") and Mick Jagger (except to say that it would be cool to see Mick's REAL thoughts projected to a big screen behind the stage when he's performing some of his best-known, most-loved songs for the two zillionth time.)  Al himself admitted to drifting off and thinking about whether or not he did his laundry from time to time when performing tracks like "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" ... which is a shame because I consider that to be one of his crowning achievements ... and certainly one of the highlights of Sunday Night's performance.   

Kooper switched off (quite ably I must say!) between keyboards and guitar throughout the night and gave a solid two hour performance.  (If he was distracted at all, it seemed to be more by the fact that he was missing his beloved Boston Red Sox playing in The World Series that night!)   

Let's face it, you're not going to get a "Greatest Hits" night of music at an Al Kooper concert ... he's not that kind of artist ... most of his biggest career milestones involve him more as a background or support player rather than as the "star of the show".  I understand he performed the night before in Milwaukee with a full band ... which I imagine really livened things up on stage ... but for a one-man performance, I found the whole experience to be very satisfying and entertaining.  (He's a very charismatic guy ... and in the intimate setting of the S.P.A.C.E. Theatre, there were times when it felt like it was just you and Al, sitting in the living room while he talked and doodled on the keyboard ... almost like a visit with an old friend ... although in MY case, probably more like a friend who didn't recognize you!)

That's because, as I mentioned earlier, Al Kooper is a GREAT storyteller ... so it was fun to hear what inspired some of these tracks in the first place.  A good friend of his once told him that he was getting back together to visit with an ex-girlfriend from seven or eight years ago ... and when Al asked him how it went, he smiled and replied "I took a drive through the old neighborhood" ... which Kooper IMMEDIATELY recognized as a GREAT song title ... and then proceeded to write about the event!   

For me, the best song of the night (other than "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know", Al's self-professed "laundry song" that I think couldn't have sounded any better than it did) was a new discovery for me ... a track called "Going Going Gone".  Kooper's monolog REALLY set the stage for this one ... and I don't want to ruin his perfect rap in case you ever get the chance to hear it ... but as you listen to it now (even if it's your first time), please go into this with the understanding that every line in this song comes from an actual real life observation or experience that Al experienced at some point in time, driving the point home that much stronger when you consider that it can also be played (much more emotionally) at the funeral of a friend ... which he has ALSO done over the years.  It's a great track ... so I wanted to share it with you today.  

Catching Al Kooper in concert was a real treat ... he simply doesn't do that many live shows anymore ... so getting the chance to see him was something I just didn't want to pass up ... so thanks again, Al, for the tickets.  (Thanking you publicly now ... since I didn't really get much of a chance to do so privately after the show!!!)  However, if any of you out there would like to know where else he'll be gigging soon, you won't find any recent updates on Al Kooper's official website ... unless you want to know where he was playing in 2011!!!  It looks like it hasn't been updated in YEARS!!!  (What's THAT about?!?!?) 

What he IS doing today is putting out his excellent jukebox list / newsletter "New Music For Old People" every week.  
You can tune in and listen here:  Click here: New Music for Old People: Gary Numan, Fats Domino, Keb' Mo', Burt Bacharach and More | The Morton Report    ... or simply sign up here and get a new list every Friday!  Click here: New Music For Old People : Mailing List Signup  

I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW -  
A couple of weeks ago, Al featured the Amy Winehouse version of this track ... which completely blew me away.  Here it is again for the benefit of anyone out there who may not have ever heard it before:  Click here: ? Amy Winehouse - I love you more than you'll ever know (STUDIO QUALITY). - YouTube   

And, since he wouldn't let us take a new one, here's a recent picture of Al from his website and advertisements:

As mentioned earlier, I ran a week-long interview with Al Kooper last year ... most of it centered around the Rick Nelson album he produced ... but you'll see that we also ventured off into other areas as well.  

You can check the whole thing out (or any parts of interest that may appeal to you) here:

Click here: Forgotten Hits: Rick Nelson ... and Al Kooper ... Perhaps Not Such Strange Bedfellows After All!

Click here: Forgotten Hits: Al Kooper and Rick Nelson (Part 1)

Click here: Forgotten Hits: AL and RICK (2)

Click here: Forgotten Hits: AL & RICK (Part 3)

Click here: Forgotten Hits: Al Kooper ... on Al Kooper

Click here: Forgotten Hits: Wrapping Things Up With Al Kooper

Click here: Forgotten Hits: Sharing Your Comments: Al Kooper and Rick Nelson

And finally, don't miss an opportunity to pick up a copy of Al's EXCELLENT book  "Backstage Passes and Back-Stabbing Bastards", one of the best rock biographies you'll ever read:

Click here: Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'N' Roll Survivor: Al Kooper: 9780879309220: Amazon.co

NEW MUSIC:
Every once in a while WE discover some great new music, too ... and this is one I wanted to share with you.   

A couple of weeks ago we featured a brand new version of "Angie Baby" by a Canadian duo calling themselves Wahl Collins. 

Well, since then, I've received a solo track from James Collins (one half of that duo) that just blew me away.  

Much like a good amount of Al Kooper's music, the story relates to a real-life experience that James was able to set to music ... this time telling the story about the time he just happened to be on a cruise ship where the entertainment one evening was provided by none other than Cyndi Lauper!  

But after the show when James asked if he could take a photo with the '80's pop star, "Cyndi Lauper Said 'No'" ... and a GREAT track was born!  (Hey, let's face it ... She's So Unusual ... on a GOOD day ... but OMG, shades of Al Kooper came rushing back to me after last weekend's experience after listening to this track!  lol)   

And, much like a good amount of Al Kooper's music, James was able to find the humor in the whole experience ... and relate it in a very fun and entertaining way.  (My guess is that when Cyndi Lauper first heard this track ... which I know she did ... her reaction would have been more of a "Well see ... what are you complaining about?  You got a GREAT musical experience out of that snub ... which is worth a WHOLE lot more than some dumb old picture!) Here's hoping that Al Kooper feels much the same way about today's concert review posted in Forgotten Hits.  Good show ... great experience ... but it still kinda hurts.   

Meanwhile, what a perfect and timely tie-in ... and what a great song!  Listen here:

By the way, this track became quite the hit in Canada, topping the charts in several markets in Quebec and winning the Socan Award in the process.  Great job, James ... I love it!  (kk)