The Radio Edition

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!!

Some last minute thoughts and comments before the big feast ...

>>>The Rolling Stones "Senior Citizen Tour" is coming to Chicago. Tickets go on sale November 30.  Are you going? Mick needs the money.  (Frank B.)

A while back, I read somewhere that the next Stones tour would be called the "Steel Wheelchairs Tour."
Mike Wolstein

And about twelve years ago I remember Mark Volman, at one of the Happy Together shows, thanking security for keeping the wheelchairs from crashing into the stage!

I love the fact that we … the audience AND the artists … have all grown older together … and can joke about it. 

Years ago, when Forgotten Hits first started, you didn’t dare use the “O” word … and radio stations did not want to be identified in any way, shape or form with the term “oldies” … it was deemed derogatory and insulting … and then Scott Shannon started The True Oldies Channel … and Real Oldies sprung up on the dial here in Chicago and suddenly “oldies” wasn’t an age anymore, it was a genre of music … and a damn good one at that.

We’ve always said that we have NO problem with the term “oldies” … because we’re OLD!!! And this is the music that made us feel good then … and still makes us feel good now.  I don’t know that you can say that about ANY other era of music as oldies now encompasses Classic Rock, the ‘50’s and Elvis, the ‘60’s and the British Invasion and even the dreaded Disco Era!!!  It all fits neatly under one big umbrella where, musically, anything goes … not like today’s radio where everything has to fit the exact desired demographic in order to get played. 

A couple of years ago we did a whole series on “What Is An Oldie?”  Think about this for a second … if a song is 25 years old, that now means that it came out in 1993!!!  Is that an oldie in YOUR book?  Yet if you were born in 1980, then yes, in your mind, it IS an oldie.

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame says you’re not even eligible for consideration until your first recording is at least 25 years old … that’s a quarter of a century ago … “old” by most definitions.  (What’s an “antique” … fifty years old?)

I’m guessing that our perfect demographic for the ideal Forgotten Hits Reader means you were probably born between 1948 and 1972 … but this, too, is expanding as we gain more and more younger readers who are discovering our music through its use in movies and television and advertising and want to hear more of it and learn more about it.

You just don’t see that happening with the music of the ‘20’s or the ‘30’s or the ‘40’s.  Classic Rock represents a HUGE segment of the listening audience today with Pop / Top 40 Oldies not far behind it (although I am a bit discouraged that more and more ‘50’s music is disappearing from the dial.  It is that “roots of rock and roll” that spawned and inspired all that came after it, beginning with The British Invasion, who were simply feeding our own music back to us with a whole new spin.)

We still tend to include the music of the ‘50’s, ‘60’s, 70’s and now all of the ‘80’s in our subject matter … and will continue to do so.  (The fact that oldies artists like Roy Orbison and The Beach Boys were continuing to have hits with NEW material in 1988 and 1989 with songs like “You Got It” and “Kokomo” has necessitated that we expand OUR criteria as well.)

I’d love to say we specialize in “good music” … if it sounds good, if it feels good, if it makes YOU feel good … then we’re all for it.  As Rock And Roll Heaven DeeJay Mason Ramsey used to say, “Music For The Ages” … and as Allan Sniffen and Rewound Radio continue to say … “It’s not about how old it is … but how GOOD it is.”  We grew up listening to it all … so that concept works for me!  (kk)

And, speaking of Scott Shannon … 

Here’s a photo of Scott Shannon and Jonathon Brandmeier taken at the Radio Hall Of Fame Ceremony last week in New York City.

(OMG … Johnny B looks like Chachi in this picture!!!  Lol)  kk

From Chuck Buell … 

As a Radio Brother, I thought you might find this as interesting as I did! 

In the 1930s, the newspaper industry felt increasingly threatened by a brand new technology that was becoming extremely popular …

Radio!  

People were tuning in for free for frequent news and entertainment, so the conventional wisdom of the day was, who would buy a newspaper anymore?

Enter the “Radio Facsimile Device!”  An invention that would hopefully and successfully address this new threat. 

This 1938 RCA contraption is what you and I know today as . . . a FAX machine. Each machine cost between $125 and $260, which was pretty much out of reach for most “listeners” during the Great Depression. And if that weren’t enough, it could only print three pages per hour! 
Shoot!  In MY day, I could “Rip and Read” three pages of AP or UP wire copy in 30 seconds! 
CB  (which stands for “Contraption Boy!”)

Three pages per hour?!?!?  Heck, the story could already be out of date before it even finished printing!!!

Who could have EVER predicted the “immediacy” of news events today … beamed around the world for ALL to see literally as it happens.

There are people I know who still prefer to read their news in the newspaper … but odds are it’s at least 24 hours old by the time you see it.  And, because newspapers have given up on themselves, there is very little content there to draw you back every day anymore. (We had a big stink here in Chicago a couple of weeks ago when a couple of cartoons and the daily crossword puzzle were dropped … only to be reinstated a few hours later due to public demand!)  Unreal!  (kk)

And a final smile from Frank B, courtesy of the Larry Chance and the Earls Facebook Page ...

 

Tuesday This And That

Folks who’ve been waiting for a Rolling Stones US Tour announcement got their wish yesterday when the band announced that Mick and Keith and the boys would be playing thirteen shows here in The States in 2019 … kicking things off at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on April 20^th and then wrapping things up here in Chicago at Soldier Field on June 21^st. 

In between, they will also make stops at IAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL, on April 24^th, NRG Stadium in Houston, TX, on April 28^th, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, on May 7^th, The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on May 11^th, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, on May 18^th, Century Link Field in Seattle, WA, on May 22^nd, Broncos Stadium at Mile High in Denver, CO, on May 26^th, Fed Ex Field in Washington, D.C., on May 31^st, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA, on June 4^th, Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, on June 8^th and Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, on June 13^th.  Rumors that a new album is also in the works have yet to be confirmed. 

When it was mentioned that Drummer Charlie Watts will turn 78 years old during the course of the tour, Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone Magazine “I never really think about stopping.  I’m always thinking about what the next tour is.  I’m not thinking about retirement.” 

Tickets for the announced dates go on sale on November 30^th.  (kk)

kk:

The Rolling Stones "Senior Citizen Tour" is coming to Chicago. Tickets go on sale November 30. 

Are you going? Mick needs the money.

Frank B.

 

Frank B. also sent us this cool clip ... 

‘60’s Pop / Rock singer Tom Jones is now a judge / mentor on the British version of The Voice … and the other night he was prompted (after a little bit of coaching from his fellow judges) to belt out a couple of verses from his 1965 monster hit “It’s Not Unusual” … and it was GREAT!  (You can’t help but smile as you see Jones get more and more into the whole idea as the song develops!)

“It’s Not Unusual” was Tom Jones’ first US Chart Hit … and it went to #8 in 1965 after topping the chart in Great Britain.  He followed that up with eight more US Top Ten smashes including “What’s New Pussycat?” (#2, 1965); “Green, Green Grass Of Home” (#10, 1967); “Love Me Tonight” (#7, 1969); “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” (#5, 1969); “Without Love” (#3, 1970); “Daughter Of Darkness” (#10, 1970)’ “I (Who Have Nothing)” (#10, 1970) and “She’s A Lady” (#1, 1971).

LISTEN TO THE FULL RECORDING!
THERE’S A BRAND NEW CHARLIE GRACIE SINGLE available at iTUNES!
“CAN’T STOP ROCK’N!” … Produced by Gary Lefkowith and Mike Rogers (Baby Doll) ... and recorded at Grammy Winning Phil Nicolo’s Studio 4!
PHILLY’s first  R&R Star heads back to the UK this month for his third overseas tour of 2018 – he truly is Philly’s global music ambassador!

Check out Charlie’s new tune here: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8BjwrxZ0s8&feature=youtu.be

And finally, it sure is reassuring to hear that Casey Kasem's family is still battling over his money four years after his death!  (Sounds like both sides have kept their feet firmly planted on the ground ... while reaching for the purse!)

CBS News will air a special edition of 48 Hours on Saturday, November 24th exploring "The Mysterious Death Of Casey Kasem."  

More here:     
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/family-feud-erupts-over-casey-kasems-fortune-years-after-his-death-48-hours/?fbclid=IwAR3_Y1zt8P5meqMR-qTS0zcsLqg8BiCAhpmzPLajigHmQdCjbgjYLtCdh0M

A Monday Morning Quickie

As we predicted here a couple of weeks ago, the new Freddie Mercury / Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” has just become the second biggest music biopic in history, pushing past the Joaquin Phoenix / Johnny Cash flick “Walk The Line.”  

Taking in another $15 million at the box office in week three, “Bohemian Rhapsody now stands at $127 million … which is still $35 million less that “Straight Outta Compton”’s total receipts … but hey, it’s early!  (When you factor in overseas box office receipts, it has actually PASSED “Straight Outta Compton,” with $384 million in worldwide sales to “Compton”’s $201 million.)  

Queen music is ALSO doing extremely well with “Bohemian Rhapsody” (both the single and the soundtrack album) still climbing the charts. (The Beatles’ White Album, in the meantime looks to come in at #6 for the week once all the final sales are tabulated.  It was first expected to hit #1 … which was then revised to #4 … and now has dropped to #6 based on the latest statistics.  Watch for our overview of this hot new release in the days to come.)  kk  

kk:
11/16/ 2018 =  Elvis Presley posthumously received the "Presidential Medal of Freedom," the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Elvis defined American Culture to billions of adoring fans around the world.
In the field of music, Elvis is only the third performer to posthumously receive this award. The other two are Meredith Wilson and Band Leader and Jazz great, Count Basie. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQB-vSmN0To 
FB  
A great honor, to be sure … and FINALLY a rare opportunity for millions of Americans to stand up together and say “See … Trump did SOMETHING right while he was in office!!!”  (kk)  

When Joe Perry collapsed onstage at the Billy Joel / Madison Square Garden concert last week, he was rushed to the hospital, saying simply that he didn’t feel well.  (Perry collapsed at another show a couple of years ago with The Hollywood Vampires, also stating that he “felt unwell” … so fans of the Aerosmith guitarist became concerned.) 

Still, based on past experiences, I don’t think that anyone was expecting this incident to be quite so serious … however when reports began circulating that Perry died at a New York hospital, we received several emails from concerned fans.  Fact is, it’s all apparently just been a hoax … and a pretty sick onte at that.  Perry is alive (and semi-well) and planning to return to the concert stage next month.  (kk) 

kk:

Scott Shannon hosted a Radio Hall of Fame event last night.  He stayed at a hotel in the city, instead of going home.  Scott said it took him two hours to travel from his hotel to the event he was hosting, eleven blocks away.  A lot of listeners were saying it took them over five hours to get home.

Frank B.

I’ve only been to New York City one time and it was many years ago.  Not knowing any better, I booked a three day stay downtown.  As we were driving to the hotel, we accidently passed it because we couldn’t get over to the left lane fast enough to make the turn … so I had to go around the block in order to hit it again.  That four block square took just over one hour to do … and then when we got to the hotel we were told that the room didn’t include overnight parking … so we had to pay $35 (in 1976 dollars so probably at least $100 in today’s money!  Actually, it’s more like $155 … I just looked it up!) to leave our car for the night … and that was without any “in and out” privileges … so we ended up just eating dinner at the hotel!  Needless to say, we checked out the very next morning and stayed across the bridge in New Jersey at a fraction of the cost (save the daily bridge toll) for the rest of our stay. 

We told you about that Hall Of Fame Ceremony a couple of months ago because we were so proud that Jonathon Brandmeier was being honored.  Johnny B was all the rage here in Chicago in the early ‘80’s … a real “must listen” every morning on The Loop. 

Here’s what Johnny had to say about the event … (apparently the delays were all snow-related) when he stepped up to accept the award … (kk)  

Our hotel is six blocks from here … we’re in the car for two hours and my wife of 37 years says, ‘Let’s make a run for it’ — and we did! That’s a queen!” 

Jonathon Brandmeier 

(Photo: Michael Kovac / Getty Images)