Recent Reviews ...

re:  Alan Parsons:

[SCROLL BACK TO SUNDAY, MAY 31st, FOR REVIEW]

Alan told me I am his brother in Chicago ... and the Arcada is his home.

Ron Onesti

ALWAYS a good show.  And, thanks to Lou, we've been able to add a couple of photos to the website, too.  Be sure to check out Ron's "backstage" story this Friday as Alan discusses what it was like to engineer the very last "live" Beatles recording session ... on the rooftop of Apple Records.  (kk) http://www.dailyherald.com/topics/ron-onesti/ 

Here's one you haven't seen yet ...

Lead singer PJ Olsson (with Alan Parsons in the background) playing my personal favorite "Time" 

- photo courtesy of Luciano Bilotti - Thanks, Lou!

After reading your write up about Alan Parsons I regret not making the trip to St. Charles for that show.  Ron Onesti makes everyone feel like they are family!  Thanks Ron for the hospitality!

Marlee Harrison  
Based on the fact that Parsons has sold out The Arcada every time he's performed there, my guess is he'll be back ... see Ron's comment above ... don't miss it next time ... it truly is amazing!  (kk)  

Based on your first Alan Parsons review from last year I decided to check this out for myself.  So glad I did.  Professional musicianship of the highest caliber ... what a great show.  It was exactly as you described it ... rock royalty on stage.  
Alan

I wasn't all that familiar with a lot of the music performed by the Alan Parsons Project Friday night at the Arcada theater  I knew the hits, of course, but felt a bit in the dark on some of the other material.  However it was so perfectly executed that I was still able to enjoy the show to the fullest.  A perfect night of music, perfectly executed. 
Scott  

Kent, 
Your review of The Alan Parsons Project pissed me off ... only 'cause I couldn't be there  LOL 
Great job. One of these days I HAVE to get to Chicago to meet you and Frannie. 
Pete

re:  Peter Noone:

[SCROLL BACK TO TUESDAY, JUNE 2nd, FOR REVIEW]

Kent,

It was nice visiting with you in line after the Peter Noone concert and meeting your wife.  Peter Noone was wonderful as always and the sound check for the fan club in the afternoon was fun as he answered questions and sang a few songs.  I enjoyed your review of the Marty Grebb benefit and remember what an incredible evening we had at the Arcada with all the great Chicago talent!   

Marlee Harrison

Hi Kent,  

Great review!! 

I was there ... I saw you at the back stage entrance and was going to run over to say Hi and how much I enjoy the Forgotten Hits blog and all your history and insights. But before I could decide, yes no, yes no, you went back stage and I didn't see you again.I had a great time at the Arcada ... just wish it wasn't so far away ... we came from the Detroit area. I've been on your mailing list a long time, have won a few of your prizes and, like I said, always enjoy hearing about the entertainers we grew up with. Never in a million years would have thought I'd EVER meet Peter and get pictures and all that fun stuff. He a great entertainer and your review was spot on - the music takes you back to when you were young. He is SOOO patient and treats his fans great. And like you say, he enjoys it just as much ... or seems to - ha, his sound check / noonefests gives you a up close and personal feel. So, I just wanted to say thanks and keep it up!Judi Glatfelter
Livonia, Michigan

Nice to see you at the Peter Noone concert - I think you described the evening perfectly.  I had never seen his show before so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  Needless to say, I loved it.

Steve

I ran into quite a few Forgotten Hits Readers that night ... still adjusting to getting recognized at some of these shows!  I know I say it a lot but I'm still ... and always will be ... a fan first.  I get just as excited seeing these artists as all of you do ... especially when they're as "spot on" as Peter and the band were Saturday Night!  (kk)

Kent, 

How fun to sit with Peter AND enjoy the show. Glad for you!   
Phil

Hi Kent,
Great Peter Noone blog!
(I feel like its godfather for introducing you two!)
I just emailed Vinny Martell of Vanilla Fudge and told
him about you (unless he already knows) and suggested he
contact you.  He's a real good guy ... and an *extremely* underrated talent.
I hope all's well.
Best,
Bob Rush
I've not spoken to anyone from Vanilla Fudge (but from what I understand, I have been indirectly responsible for a couple of their bookings recently.)  They're coming to Chicago later this year.  (They hit The Arcada Theatre on Sunday, August 7th, with opening act Nazareth!)
(For those who don't know, Bob got our interview with Peter Noone published in a British Music Magazine called "The Beat" a few years back ... in fact, they liked it so much they split it into THREE consecutive cover stories ... first time I think that's EVER happened!!!)  
We've been buddies ever since ... he's the Philadelphia Cheese Steak to my Chicago Italian Beef!  (lol)  kk  

Excellent review of the Herman's Hermits show - Peter Noone sounds exactly the same and he looks great - obviously the crowd loved him.  As you said, the Nooneatics were out in full force Saturday Night - but they were having a GREAT time so it was hard not to just go with the flow.  Downright infectious! 
Stan

Nice to finally meet you at the Arcada show.  Thanks for all you have done for me and the band over the years - it truly is appreciated. 
Vance Brescia 
Glad we finally had the chance to say hello.  I love the work that you're doing bring musical joy to some of our senior citizens who can't make it out to a show like this one ... it truly is commendable and I am ALWAYS happy to help spread the word.  Thanks, Vance!  (kk)
http://www.vancebrescia.com/memoirs/index.shtml   

Great review on Peter Noone ... I used to see Peter at the East Bank Club about 25 years ago when he was performing - help me on this - Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat?
Truly one heck of a nice guy. 

Chet  
"Joseph" would have been Donny Osmond ... but Peter Noone has made NUMEROUS (Noonerous???) appearances in Chicago over the years ... big at Star Plaza just across the border, too ... maybe it was for one of those?  (kk)  

I was at the Peter Noone show at the Arcada on Saturday, too.  A Noonatic from across the Lake in Michigan.  
I concur that it is one of the best performances that Peter has delivered, and I overheard some people leaving the theater speaking of how obvious it is that Peter loves what he does.  It's his enthusiasm and his desire to make sure the audience and the band are having fun which keeps me coming back for more, year after year.  

Alice M 

Wonderful review.  You're correct ... Peter Noone and Jody Klein are getting along very well together ... and it’s so nice to see Eric Burdon and Peter together … two Mickie Most veterans (they live fairly close to each other in Santa Barbara County); Eric told me he borrowed Peter’s guitar player (with Peter’s consent) for a gig when Eric’s guy had to attend a family wedding ... warms my heart to hear this.
Bob Merlis 

Double K - 
Just a quick note to say thank you for suggesting that I take my wife to the Peter Noone show at the Arcada for our anniversary.  We had a great dinner before the show and then laughed and sang our way through the entire performance.  I never realized how many big hits he really had.  Loved his performance of Daydream Believer, too.  We had a fantastic time.
Spent the night down the street at beautiful Pheasant Run and did the nasty till the wee hours of the morning.  One of our best anniversary celebrations ever.
So thanks to you for making this recommendation - and thanks to Peter for an incredible and inspiring performance.
Dave
I knew you guys would love it ... ALWAYS a great show when Peter comes to town.  
On a related note (?) here's a picture we ran a few years ago from backstage at The Star Plaza in Indiana ... we call it "Peter Noone With Wood" ... sound like he wasn't the only one this past weekend! (lol)  kk

Just read your Peter Noone concert review ... I think it was one of your best.
Shelley

You would!!! (lol)

Then again, turn-about's fair play ... so here's one of Shelley's more recent reviews ... 

re:  And A NEW One ... :

The sound system wasn't that great to begin with at the 1st Armed Forces Day Rock and Roll Show.  I attributed it to all the necessary changes in mics, monitors, instruments, and other changes needed from performer to performer.  Then as Shirley Alston Reeves and The Shirelles finish a song selection, the entire sound system quits.  I mean NADA!!!  NO sound at all!  My eyes pop open wide, my mouth forms the sympathetic, "oh nooooooo ... " shape and I sit stunned.  Maybe they should never have started with 'Mama Told Me There'd Be Days Like This'.  OK, what happens next?  

Well, some of the crew jump into problem-solving mode, some (shockingly) start unplugging and removing the equipment from the stage (WHAT??? WHO said the show was over?) and Shirley and The Shirelles STAY on stage and start DANCING with whatever musicians would stay and softly (even the trumpet was on mic) accompany them.  CLASS A1 PROFESSIONALS, LADIES!!  And when they start to tire?  We, the audience, start singing 'Soldier Boy' to THEM!  Shirley leads us on, and then we stand and give them the ovation they deserve.  Shirley is crying.  They are kind of hurried off the stage and the emcee comes out to talk into a non-working mic.  Looks like he is mouthing, "Can you hear me?" 

My appreciation and thanks to the stage crew who insisted on fixing the situation and succeeded in bringing back the sound system ... somehow.  And to the crew who bailed and then were told to set the equipment back up to finish the show ... phhhhhhhttttt!!  I belong to a union, too.  There are such things as extenuating circumstances and just caring for others more than yourself.  Shirley comes back out, carrying her sparkly heels to complete her part of the show.  And as she and The Shirelles do a better rendition of 'Soldier Boy' than we did, we again rise up in applause.  This audience is not that young, but we insist on standing. 

The final act is next and guess who it is?  Lou Christie, who explains that the building was struck by lightning.  What?  BEFORE he performs?  

(Seriously?!?!?  Lightning Strikes ... at a Lou Christie Concert?!?!?  kk)

I am not totally confident that is the reason, but it makes for a grand evening after all.  Lou and his Crayons still have issues with mics, mic stands, and ill-working monitors as stage crew are still bustling to re-install everything.  One stage hand comes out, removes the mic from Lou and tightens it on the stand so that it does not fall off ... as it had been doing.  Lou talks Italian sign language to his audience till this is finished.  I know sign language and this is NOT what I usually teach my students.  But we love it, and laugh openly, which breaks the tension.  Lou, you were great.  Your music director must have looked more my age after this, but everyone pulled through.  Thank you for hanging around backstage till we could give you the stage back.  

My respect for Shirley Alston Reeves, The Shirelles, Lou Christie, The Crayons, Hell's Kitchen Horns, and Lou's other musicians grew so much during this night that I will hold you all in high esteem forever now.  No matter what.  Professionals!  Good people!  60's Musicians!  

Who else appeared?  Oh yes, it is not their fault they had sound.  (yes, sarcasm)  I will name them ...  

Linda Jansen and the Angels:  great job.  

Louis Vanaria, actor/performer opened.  Good job from a Bronx homeboy.  

Tally Lauriti, performing an Elvis tribute.  He gives a good tribute, but it was long for this type of show.  The audience grew restless.  

So, will there be a 2nd Armed Forces Day Rock and Roll Show in White Plains, NY?  ??????

-- Shelley J Sweet-Tufano

Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone

It was another wild night ... ALWAYS a good time when Peter Noone takes the stage ... and last Saturday (May 30th) was no exception.  In fact, this time around they performed the whole show as two sets with no opening act and a brief intermission, giving the fans even more of what they'd come to see, including a little more schtick, a few more British Invasion hits and some rarely performed Herman's Hermits B-Sides.    

I had the chance to visit with Peter backstage before the show.  He had already done a fan club appearance earlier that day ... and several of the VIP fans with meet and greet privileges were invited to his sound check as well.  As we all already know by now, Peter's legion of Noonatics are second to none when it comes to loyalty to their hero, often traveling from show to show to catch his act in an almost Pied Piper fashion.  (It's a very reciprocal love fest ... making for an incredible connection ... Peter truly does love and appreciate these fans who have stuck by him from the very beginning.)   

Having cut back on his number of appearances this year, Peter's mantra for 2015 is "This show will be the best one ever" ... and he did not disappoint.  He seems to have a built-in "entertainer switch" and once it's clicked on, he's in high gear from that moment forward, truly appearing to be having the time of his life up there while taking all of the rest of us along for the ride.    

He was in fine voice and fine spirits as he took the Arcada stage for his first set, still sounding and looking incredibly youthful, cranking through the hits ... both his and those of several other British Invasion Artists as well ("Love Potion Number Nine" by The Searchers, "Ferry 'Cross The Mersey" ... or in this case "The Fox", a river that runs through St. Charles about a block away from the theater ... by Gerry and the Pacemakers, "I'm Telling You Now" by Peter's very close friend from the '60's, Freddie Garrity and the Dreamers, "A World Without Love" by Peter and Gordon, "For Your Love", the popular Yardbirds track (first recorded by Herman's Hermits by the way), "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" by Manfred Mann and a few others (including the obligatory Mick Jagger spoof, this time on "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and the Johnny Cash classic "Ring Of Fire", still one of the most popular songs in the set for some crazy, unknown reason!)

Incredibly, even at the ripe old age of 67 (he'll be 68 in November), Noone maintains his child-like voice, which has only gotten purer and richer with age.  He can completely transport you back to a time when he was 17 years old and on tv here in The States nearly every week performing his latest hits.  And when the music starts, it's like he's 17 all over again in an almost Peter Pan sort of way ... and the whole audience is off to Neverland and memories of a happier, carefree time.  I swear, he never ages ... and this music still has the same kick and appeal just as it did (as Peter points out) over 20 years ago when they were making records as the original Herman's Hermits.  (As always, Peter's crowd is a mixed bag of original fans ... their children who grew up listening to and loving this music ... and now even some grandchildren who have come out to enjoy the whole feel good '60's experience.  Never more than during a Herman's Hermits concert is my point driven home more clearly regarding this music being timeless ... we saw five year olds singing along with every word and dancing in the aisles!)  

The show-stopper for me Saturday Night was "The End Of The World", a song he has long claimed to be his Herman's Hermits favorite ... I have NEVER heard him perform it better ... absolutely goosebump-inducing ... a simply beautiful reading of a classic.  Since about 70-80% of the show is played for laughs, one forgets just how well Peter Noone can still sing ... but when it's time to play it straight for a few minutes the quality of his voice really shines through.  He has clearly taken very good care of himself over the years ... and, having seen him perform at least 20 times in the past 12 years I can confidently say that this was the very best I've ever heard him sound ... so kudos to you, Peter, and your remarkable band for keeping things fun, fun, fun some 50 ... I mean over 20 years later!  

With the expanded set we were treated to a few Herman's Hermits B-Sides as well. Besides "The End Of The World" the band also performed "Sea Cruise", "I Gotta Dream On" (one of my all-time favorites), "Traveling Light", "Hold On!" and "No Milk Today", a hit in its own right once DJs started playing the other side of "There's A Kind Of Hush", which just happened to be his show-closer.  (At the fan club convention earlier that day he asked those in attendance what other songs they'd like to hear, which is what prompted "I Gotta Dream On" being added to the set.  Should you be open to any other suggestions, another personal favorite B-Side of mine would have to be "What Is Wrong, What Is Right" ... it's got a whole different sound to many of the other ones typically performed each night.)  

Most of the hits were there ... the only ones I noticed missing were "Leaning On The Lamp Post" (which he usually does ... I got the feeling that they were straying from the set list a little bit every now and then trying to keep things moving, so, during a different set of circumstances, some of these may be featured from time to time as well), "East West", "Don't Go Out Into The Rain", "Museum" and "I Can Take Or Leave Your Loving" ... otherwise we heard them all ... from the biggest ("Silhouettes", "I'm Henry The VIII, I Am", "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter", "I'm Into Something Good", "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat', "Wonderful World") to the bit more obscure Forgotten Hits favorites like "Listen People", "A Must To Avoid" (performed Saturday as "She's a muscular boy"), and another personal favorite "Just A Little Bit Better", a song I still believe to be one of their all-time greatest.  Non-stop fun and mayhem from start to finish ... which is EXACTLY what they are going for!   

He told us that he still does his Sirius / XM Radio Program and has recently written the liner notes for a brand new Herman's Hermits compilation CD put out in Germany (but available here in The States as well both through his website or places like Amazon.com ...66 tracks covering their whole career.) He has also mended fences with the Klein family since the passing of patriarch mogul Allen B. Klein, who tied up the music of Herman's Hermits for decades, often preventing their songs from being used movies, television and advertising commercials.  Since Allen's passing, Peter has been working directly with Allen's son Jody (a sometimes FH contributor) and they truly have been working together to get this music back out to the public with several new releases planned and/or already available (including a couple of films starring Herman's Hermits, long out of print.)  All of this is being done with Peter's input this time around (as it should be) with a common goal of mining those vaults for the very best material.  (Peter confided in me that Klein always had the best mixes anyway, so he's pleased to see these releases finally seeing the light of day.  Believe it or not for the first time EVER Herman's Hermits is selling Allen Klein material at their shows ... and being compensated for doing so!  Seriously, could there be a happier ending to this story?)

When I mentioned that Alan Parsons had performed at The Arcada the previous night, Peter told me that they were neighbors ... and had recently been out celebrating Eric Burdon's birthday.

Two COMPLETELY different types of shows ... both entertaining as hell ... completely sold out and performed back to back at the historic Arcada Theatre.  Man, what a weekend we had!  

COMING UP:  Peter has agreed to do an updated Forgotten Hits Interview ... stay tuned for more details ... coming soon to these pages!  

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?:  Prior to the show when I returned to my seat after visiting with Peter Noone back stage, a woman to Frannie's left asked if we knew if there was going to be an opening act this evening.  Because I had just spoken to him about this subject, I told her "No, they'll be doing the whole show themselves as two sets", to which she replied, "The last time I saw him, he performed with The Ides Of March, who opened the show."  She then said, "I went to school with Jim Peterik" to which I replied, "Really?  You went to Morton West?"  "Yes."  "So did I!  What year did you graduate?  I'm Class of '71."  And, before she could answer, the woman to MY right said, "I graduated Morton West in 1971!"  We were all flabbergasted.  What are the odds that all three of us ... COMPLETE strangers ... would all be at the same concert sitting in the same row, having all graduated from the same high school?!?!?  It helped kick the show off to an even better beginning.  (Blackhawks updates throughout the night kept the fans cheering as well, since this is the night they earned their spot at the Stanley Cup Play-Offs.)  But it was the music of Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits that united us all ... and kept us all up on our feet, clapping and singing along.  For two hours anyway, we were all 17 years old again, just like Peter ... and we were lovin' it!  (kk)

50 Year Flashback - June 1st, 1965

Here's another LA Chart, this time spotlighting the first of June, 1965.

Sam The Sham and the Pharaohs are holding on to the #1 Spot with "Wooly Bully", a hit that Billboard Magazine would later name The Biggest Single of 1965, despite it never reaching the #1 position in their magazine!

Sitting at #6 are Herman's Hermits with their big hit "Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter", a HUGE US Hit that was never released as a single back home in England.  On THIS chart, however, KFWB is showing it at a two-sided hit ... which means we get to feature one of my all-time favorite B-Sides, "I Gotta Dream On".  (We saw Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone last Saturday Night and it was a VERY welcome surprise to hear them feature this one, LONG one of my favorites, in their set that night.  I still say this one could have been a major hit on its own had it been given A-Side status, much like "No Milk Today" a couple of years later.  Herman's Hermits EASILY could have had two more Top Ten Singles under their collective belts had the record label - MGM - chosen more wisely.)  You'll also find Herman's Hermits at #25 and #36 this week with "Wonderful World" and "Silhouettes" respectively.  (These guys were clearly hot at the time ... second only in popularity to The Beatles on the US Charts!)

The Four Tops jump 23 places with their soon-to-be #1 Hit, "I Can't Help Myself" ... and Roger Miller's got another hit on his hands as "Engine Engine #9" climbs from #17 to #8.  The Yardbirds are also up ten places with their first big US Hit, "For Your Love", #9 this week in 1965, with another song originally first recorded by Herman's Hermits!

The Alan Parsons Live Project - 2015

We see a lot of shows ...    

And the second best show we saw all of last year was The Alan Parsons Live Project at The Arcada Theatre.   

It was topped only by their SECOND show later that same night!!! 

(After a full-throttle 7:30 performance the band came back out at 10:00 to do a second show that kicked the energy level up another 200%.  We've never seen anything like it ... and I still don't know how they did it ... but it was truly incredible.  After it was over, I committed myself to total fandom ... and have been listening to their collected works virtually non-stop ever since.)

Last Friday Night (May 29th) we were treated to a return performance of this incredible band at the same venue ... and once again they completely blew us away with their unparalleled talent and musicianship.

The Alan Parsons Live Project transformed the small, friendly confines of the sold out, historic Arcada Theatre into The Royal Albert Hall for the evening through their musical magic ... it was literally rock and roll royalty putting on a majestic performance of the highest caliber ... the show was nothing short of magnificent.

To a man, this has to be one of the most accomplished collections of musical talent to ever grace one stage.  Song after song ... EVERY song ... they continued to amaze their very receptive audience, who awarded them with standing ovations throughout the evening as each stellar performance seemed to surpass the last.

All the hits were there ... everything from "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You" to "Games People Play" to "Time" to "Don't Answer Me" to "Sirius / Eye In The Sky", a Chicagoland favorite thanks to its long-standing ties to The Chicago Bulls during the incredible Michael Jordan era.  Album favorites like "Breakdown", "Old And Wise" and the entire suite from "Turn Of A Friendly Card" were featured in a two hour show broken into two sets.  It all culminated with a final applause, the likes of which I'd never seen before ... this audience simply did NOT want the band to leave the stage.  Parsons himself was beaming ... and the band was almost giddy ... they, too, were aware of the connection they had made that night .. and it was a reciprocal soul grabbing accomplishment, nothing short of a spiritual experience ... top notch musicianship and vocals throughout ... in fact, the sight of all eight band members singing together at various crescendos of certain songs was truly goosebump-inducing.  (Drummer Danny Thompson gave our buddy Tommy Scheckel a run for the money in the who can sweat off the most weight during a concert performance Friday night ... he was absolutely drenched at the end of the show!  I can only imagine it took a couple of hours to wring him out afterwards!)

And, in a day and age where most artists are looking to see how they can best approximate their sound by minimizing the number of players on stage, The Alan Parsons Live Project has taken the opposite approach, adding new members over the past few years to expand their on stage ensemble to eight.  The newest addition is Dan Tracey on guitar and vocals and he proved to be a valuable asset, allowing veteran fellow guitarist Alastair Greene to wail even more on his guitar solos (while still taking on quite a few amazing solos of his own.)  PJ Olsson was in FINE voice Friday night as were ALL of the members of the band ... Guy Erez on bass, Todd Cooper on saxophone and percussion and Manny Focarazzo on keyboards.  Parsons (who alternated between keyboards and guitar) also paid homage to his recently departed partner Eric Woolfson, who passed away in 2009, referring to him as "the other half of The Alan Parsons Project" ... it was in respect of Eric's passing that prompted Parsons to rename the current line up as "The Alan Parsons Live Project".

Since being TOTALLY captivated at last year's performance and picking up the box set of complete works (available through Alan's website shown below ... or Amazon.com for about $20-25 less) and listening to this music nearly non-stop in between, I have come to find many musical similarities in structure and melody that help to define the Alan Parsons sound.  Intentional or not, some songs almost seem to blend well right into others ... but I prefer to think of this as more of a universal "theme" rather than a "borrowing" from the past.  (John Fogerty already proved that you can't plagiarize yourself years ago!!! lol)  Still, in overall execution, you won't find a better example of musical synchronicity than these guys ... it is nothing short of pure perfection on stage.  (Although I will agree with you, Alan ... the inclusion of the "contract obligatory" final album is exactly as you describe it ... horrible! ... a complete throw-away without a vocal to be found ... and not befitting of the other material recorded and released in a different cosmic spirit.)

That being said, their brand new material recorded under their own terms is outstanding and holds up perfectly with all that has come before it.  Last year we were treated to "Fragile", the then brand-new single, in concert ... and this year they presented "Do You Live At All", both also available through Alan's website and the usual sources like iTunes and Amazon.  Give a listen to the sound samples ... they're great.  (In this day and age, Alan explains, people buy singles ... they don't buy albums anymore ... so he's making available individual tracks for downloading to feed the current "mode of operation" and buying habits amongst music lovers.  Meanwhile, he has ALSO released all of his albums on vinyl for all of us true, old-school die-hards ... and you can purchase autographed copies of these LPs on his site as well for about $75 each.)

Parsons is sticking around Chicago through the weekend to participate in a Master Training Class at RaxTrax Recording studio where purchasers of a ticket are able to witness an actual recording session produced by this musical genius.  ($1000 tickets to sit in the studio completely sold out ... or for $500 you could sit in an adjacent room and watch the whole proceedings on a video screen!)  That event is happening today, as a matter of fact, and is an all day affair, kicking off at 9:30 am and running well into the evening with a champagne reception afterwards.

There are only a few shows left on this leg of the current tour ... the band stops in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and New York on June 5th and 6th ... and then has dates in California the following weekend (June 11th and 12th) before taking a break.  Again, you'll find more information on the official website.

HIGHLY recommended ... in fact, this show gets the Forgotten Hits highest standard award as an experience worth seeing ... you'll leave the theater as a major fan and want to delve deeper into their collection just as I did to find out what else you may have missed over the past few decades. (I nearly ran out of superlatives describing this incredible concert experience ... and can only assure you that each and every one of them was well earned and well  deserved ... a phenomenal show you won't want to miss.)  kk 

Official Alan Parsons Website:

http://alanparsonsmusic.com/

Our Alan Parsons concert review from last year:

http://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-alan-parsons-live-project-concert.html

(special thanks to Luciano Bilotti for use of these photos in Forgotten Hits)

The Top 200 #1 Hits Of The Beatles Years ( 1964 - 1970 )

A few years ago we compiled a chart designating The Top 200 Biggest #1 Hits of "The Beatles Years", 1964 - 1970. 

Utilizing statistics from all three major publications (Billboard, Cash Box and Record World), we took the ACCUMULATED total number of weeks spent at #1 during this era and then put together the ultimate #1 Hits Countdown.  (Because #1's were considered from all THREE publications, records that you don't typically find designated as a #1 Record were now given equal consideration, even if they only topped the chart in one of the national trades!)

The whole series is permanently posted here:
http://www.forgottenhits.com/the_top_200_1_hits_of_the_beatles_era_1964_-_1970 ...

But here's the recap (in its entirety):

THE TOP 200 #1 HITS OF

THE BEATLES ERA, 1964 - 1970

We've compiled a list of The Top 200 Biggest Number One Records of the Beatles Era.

Many, many years ago Casey Kasem did a special American Top 40 Countdown saluting The Beatles Era and it was one of my favorite "special countdown" shows.  I decided to take it another step further ... and expand the list to 200 songs ... but only included the records that actually made it all the way to #1!

Another big difference THIS time around is that we've compiled a list of EVERY Number One Single from ALL THREE of the major music trade publications for this era ... and, as such, you'll see some titles appear that might surprise you.  (Casey's countdowns were always based on the Billboard Charts ... long recognized as "The Music Bible" when it comes chart information.  OUR list takes into consideration ALL of the national research used to assemble these charts way back when ... hopefully presenting an even clearer and more-accurate consensus of how these records really performed on the national charts.)

As such, using OUR methodology, we'll finally be honoring some songs that we have always felt were #1 Hits despite the fact that they never "officially" reached the summit in Billboard Magazine ... songs like LAST KISS by J. FRANK WILSON AND THE CAVALIERS (#1 in both Cash Box and Record World but NOT #1 in Billboard), THOSE WERE THE DAYS by MARY HOPKIN, GEORGY GIRL by THE SEEKERS, THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS by THE COWSILLS, SHE'S NOT THERE by THE ZOMBIES, SPIRIT IN THE SKY by NORMAN GREENBAUM, I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME by DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS, BARBARA ANN by THE BEACH BOYS and many, many more.  (In addition, for the first time you'll see #1 Records included by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Blood, Sweat And Tears ... artists that couldn't get past the #2 spot in Billboard!  All-in-all, we feel a better cross-representation of what the charts were REALLY like during this exciting and inventive era.)

And, since this countdown spotlights "The Beatles Years", you can count on seeing 24 #1 Records by The Fab Four in the countdown as well.  (Although Billboard "officially" counted 20 #1 Records by The Beatles, this new expanded list now includes "Twist And Shout", a #1 Hit in both Cash Box and Record World, as well as "Nowhere Man", "Yellow Submarine" and "Something".) 

In all fairness, we DID make a couple of "judgement call" eliminations.  For example, even though George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" reached #1 during 1970, we couldn't really include a record by a SOLO Beatle if we were saluting "The Beatles Years".  Too bad for The Quite Beatle ... had it been included, "My Sweet Lord" would have earned eleven weeks at #1 between the three publications ... and that would have been good enough to make The Top 20!!!  (We eliminated Diana Ross' first solo #1 Hit for the same reason ... but The Supremes are well-represented with TWELVE #1 Records of their own!  But the solo careers of George Harrison, Diana Ross, et al, are really of "another era" ... and NOT The Beatles Era.)   

The only other criteria required that the record had to have hit #1 between the weeks of January 1, 1964 and December 31, 1970 in order to qualify.  (In the event of ties ... and there were several ... we let the record's performance in Billboard, long considered to be the Pop Music Bible, determine the rankings ... and, if further ties developed ... and they sometimes did ... we weighted the record based on its long-standing popularity over the past 40-45 years.)

The list includes ONLY #1 Records ... so records that may have charted longer or earned more points in a conventional countdown will not appear here unless they reached #1 in one of the major trade publications.



  1.  I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND - The Beatles
  2. HEY JUDE - The Beatles
  3. I'M A BELIEVER - The Monkees
  4. AQUARIUS / LET THE SUN SHINE IN - The Fifth
      Dimension
  5. LOVE IS BLUE - Paul Mauriat
  6. IN THE YEAR 2525 - Zager and Evans
  7. CAN'T BUY ME LOVE - The Beatles
  8. GET BACK - The Beatles
  9. HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro
 10. I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE - Marvin Gaye
 11. BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER - 
       Simon and Garfunkel
 12. THE BALLAD OF THE GREEN BERETS - S/Sgt. Barry
       Sadler
 13. ODE TO BILLIE JOE - Bobbie Gentry
 14. THIS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU - Herb Alpert
 15. I'LL BE THERE - The Jackson Five
 16. TO SIR, WITH LOVE - Lulu
 17. SATISFACTION - The Rolling Stones
 18. DAYDREAM BELIEVER - The Monkees
 19. SUGAR, SUGAR - The Archies
 20. HONKY TONK WOMEN - The Rolling Stones
 21. THE LETTER - The Box Tops
 22. PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE - The Rascals
 23. BABY LOVE - The Supremes
 24. CHAPEL OF LOVE - The Dixiecups
 25. MRS. BROWN, YOU'VE GOT A LOVELY DAUGHTER -
        Herman's Hermits
 26. MRS. ROBINSON - Simon and Garfunkel
 27. WINDY - The Association
 28. I THINK I LOVE YOU - The Partridge Family
 29. YESTERDAY - The Beatles
 30. RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD - B.J. Thomas
 31. GROOVIN' - The Young Rascals
 32. DIZZY - Tommy Roe
 33. SOMETHIN' STUPID - Nancy and Frank Sinatra
 34. THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN - The Animals
 35. I FEEL FINE - The Beatles
 36. WE CAN WORK IT OUT - The Beatles
 37. I GOT YOU BABE - Sonny and Cher
 38. HELLO GOODBYE - The Beatles
 39. LOVE CHILD - Diana Ross and the Supremes
 40. LET IT BE - The Beatles
 41. COME TOGETHER - The Beatles
 42. CLOSE TO YOU - The Carpenters
 43. CHERISH - The Association
 44. MONDAY, MONDAY - The Mamas and the Papas
 45. A HARD DAY'S NIGHT - The Beatles
 46. YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELING - The Righteous
       Brothers
 47. EIGHT DAYS A WEEK - The Beatles
 48. EVERYDAY PEOPLE - Sly and the Family Stone
 49. OH, PRETTY WOMAN - Roy Orbison
 50. HAPPY TOGETHER - The Turtles
 51. WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL - The New Vaudeville Band
 52. HELP! - The Beatles
 53. SOUL AND INSPIRATION - The Righteous Brothers
 54. WEDDING BELL BLUES - The Fifth Dimension
 55. RESPECT - Aretha Franklin
 56. MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME - Three Dog Night
 57. VENUS - Shocking Blue
 58. AMERICAN WOMAN - The Guess Who
 59. TURN, TURN, TURN - The Byrds
 60. SUMMER IN THE CITY - The Lovin' Spoonful
 61. WAR - Edwin Starr
 62. RAG DOLL - The Four Seasons
 63. DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY - Manfred Mann
 64. WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO - The Supremes
 65. THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD - The Beatles
 66. I'M TELLING YOU NOW - Freddie and the Dreamers
 67. GRAZING IN THE GRASS - Hugh Masekela
 68. HANKY PANKY - Tommy James and the Shondells
 69. I HEAR A SYMPHONY - The Supremes
 70. THOSE WERE THE DAYS - Mary Hopkin
 71. THERE, I'VE SAID IT AGAIN - Bobby Vinton
 72. LIGHT MY FIRE - The Doors
 73. SHE LOVES YOU - The Beatles
 74. I GET AROUND - The Beach Boys
 75. DOWNTOWN - Petula Clark
 76. I CAN'T HELP MYSELF - The Four Tops
 77. THIS DIAMOND RING - Gary Lewis and the Playboys
 78. YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE - The Supremes
 79. CRIMSON AND CLOVER - Tommy James and the
       Shondells
 80. HELP ME, RHONDA - The Beach Boys
 81. WILD THING - The Troggs
 82. WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN - Percy Sledge
 83. ABC - The Jackson Five
 84. PAPERBACK WRITER - The Beatles
 85. THE LOVE YOU SAVE - The Jackson Five
 86. JUDY IN THE DISGUISE - John Fred and His Playboy
       Band
 87. THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE - Simon and Garfunkel
 88. THANK YOU FALETTINME BE MICE ELF AGIN -
       Sly and the Family Stone
 89. LOVE THEME FROM "ROMEO AND JULIET" - 
       Henry Mancini
 90. COME SEE ABOUT ME - The Supremes
 91. YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON - The Supremes
 92. SUSPCIOUS MINDS - Elvis Presley
 93. PENNY LANE - The Beatles
 94. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE - The Beatles
 95. LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE - The Monkees
 96. I'M HENRY THE VIII, I AM - Herman's Hermits
 97. HELLO DOLLY - Louis Armstrong
 98. HARPER VALLEY P.T.A. - Jeannie C. Riley
 99. SOMETHING - The Beatles
100. HAIR - The Cowsills

101. DOCK OF THE BAY - Otis Redding
102. TIGHTEN UP - Archie Bell and the Drells
103. HELLO, I LOVE YOU - The Doors
104. GET OFF OF MY CLOUD - The Rolling Stones
105. STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE - The Supremes
106. PAINT IT, BLACK - The Rolling Stones
107. LIGHTNING STRIKES - Lou Christie
108. HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys
109. EVE OF DESTRUCTION - Barry McGuire
110. LEAVING ON A JET PLANE - Peter, Paul and Mary
111. GOOD LOVIN' - The Young Rascals
112. INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS - 
        The Strawberry Alarm Clock
113. RUBY TUESDAY - The Rolling Stones
114. LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU'RE GONE - 
        The Supremes
115. SPIRIT IN THE SKY - Norman Greenbaum
116. I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME - Diana Ross and the
         Supremes and The Temptations
117. BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP - The Foundations
118. VALLERI - The Monkees
119. MY GUY - Mary Wells
120. NA NA, HEY HEY, KISS HIM GOODBYE - Steam
121. THE TEARS OF A CLOWN - Smokey Robinson and the
        Miracles
122. KIND OF A DRAG - The Buckinghams
123. MY LOVE - Petula Clark
124. EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL - Ray Stevens
125. REACH OUT, I"LL BE THERE - The Four Tops
126. 96 TEARS - ? and the Mysterians
127. THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN' - 
        Nancy Sinatra
128. GOOD VIBRATIONS - The Beach Boys
129. GAME OF LOVE - Wayne Fontana And The
        Mindbenders
130. SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER - Diana Ross and the
        Supremes
131. MR. TAMBOURINE MAN - The Byrds
132. TICKET TO RIDE - The Beatles
133. LEADER OF THE PACK - The Shangri-Las
134. CRACKLIN' ROSIE - Neil Diamond
135. OVER AND OVER - The Dave Clark Five
136. SUNSHINE SUPERMAN - Donovan
137. MAKE IT WITH YOU - Bread
138. STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT - Frank Sinatra
139. POOR SIDE OF TOWN - Johnny Rivers
140. LOVE ME DO - The Beatles
141. GREEN TAMBOURINE MAN - The Lemon Pipers
142. MR. LONELY - Bobby Vinton
143. THE HAPPENING - The Supremes
144. CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU - Frankie Valli
145. BARBARA ANN - The Beach Boys
146. LAST KISS - J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers
147. A LITTLE BIT ME, A LITTLE BIT YOU - The Monkees
148. A LOVER'S CONCERTO - The Toys
149. I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU - The Temptations
150. A WORLD WITHOUT LOVE - Peter And Gordon
151. I WANT YOU BACK - The Jackson Five
152. RINGO - Lorne Greene
153. BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN - The Supremes
154. TWIST AND SHOUT - The Beatles
155. IN THE GHETTO - Elvis Presley
156. A GROOVY KIND OF LOVE - The Mindbenders
157. SPILL THE WINE - Eric Burdon and War
158. LET'S HANG ON - The Four Seasons
159. THEME FROM "VALLEY OF THE DOLLS" - Dionne
        Warwick
160. LOOKIN' OUT MY BACK DOOR - 
        Creedence Clearwater Revival
161. LADY WILLPOWER - Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
162. LOUIE LOUIE - The Kingsmen
163. SUNNY - Bobby Hebb
164. GEORGY GIRL - The Seekers
165. FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE - Stevie Wonder
166. WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN - The Carpenters
167. MELLOW YELLOW - Donovan
168. CECILIA - Simon and Garfunkel
169. NOWHERE MAN - The Beatles
170. YOUNG GIRL - Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
171. THEY'RE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY, HA-HAA!!! -
        Napoleon XIV
172. SOUL MAN - Sam and Dave
173. EASY TO BE HARD - Three Dog Night
174. I GOT RHYTHM - The Happenings
175. YELLOW SUBMARINE - The Beatles
176. LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD - Sam the Sham 
        and the Pharaohs
177. THE RAPPER - The Jaggerz
178. SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, I'M YOURS - 
        Stevie Wonder
179. MY GIRL - The Temptations
180. NEVER MY LOVE - The Association
181. THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS - 
        The Cowsills
182. 1, 2, 3 - Len Barry
183. JUMPIN' JACK FLASH - The Rolling Stones
184. SHE'S NOT THERE - The Zombies
185. WOOLY BULLY - Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs
186. SNOOPY VS. THE RED BARON - The Royal Guardsmen
187. BAD MOON RISING - Creedence Clearwater Revival
188. ONE - Three Dog Night
189. CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION - Tommy James and the
        Shondells
190. TIME OF THE SEASON - The Zombies
191. I GOT YOU - James Brown
192. PROUD MARY - Creedence Clearwater Revival
193. A LITTLE BIT OF SOUL - The Music Explosion
194. IN THE SUMMERTIME - Mungo Jerry
195. CLASSICAL GAS - Mason Williams
196. DAYDREAM - The Lovin' Spoonful
197. CANDIDA - Dawn
198. TOUCH ME - The Doors
199. LITTLE WOMAN - Bobby Sherman
200. A TASTE OF HONEY - Herb Alpert and the 
        Tijuana Brass

RUNNERS-UP (in alphabetical order):
AND WHEN I DIE - Blood, Sweat and Tears
BALL OF CONFUSION - The Temptations
BAND OF GOLD - Freda Payne
BEND ME, SHAPE ME - The American Breed
A BOY NAMED SUE - Johnny Cash
BREAD AND BUTTER - The Newbeats
CAN'T YOU HEAR MY HEARTBEAT - Herman's Hermits
CHAIN OF FOOLS - Aretha Franklin
I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE - Gladys Knight and the Pips
INDIANA WANTS ME - R. Dean Taylor
JEAN - Oliver
LIKE A ROLLING STONE - Bob Dylan
LOVE POTION NUMBER NINE - The Searchers
19th NERVOUS BREAKDOWN - The Rolling Stones
PATCHES - Clarence Carter
SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER - The Happenings
SHE'D RATHER BE WITH ME - The Turtles
SIMON SAYS - The 1910 Fruitgum Company
SOULFUL STRUT - Young-Holt Unlimited
THAT'S LIFE - Frank Sinatra
TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME - Tyrone Davis
WE'LL SING IN THE SUNSHINE - Gale Garnett
YOU SHOWED ME - The Turtles