FORGOTTEN HITS

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Thursday This And That

David Beard tells us about a great, free concert coming up this weekend, featuring The Surf City All-Stars, starring Dean Torrence ... along with a couple of VERY special guests ... Al Jardine, son Matt Jardine and David Marks!!!

Mayfest On Main 2014
Saturday May 10
Main Street
North Myrtles Beach, SC
FREE CONCERT!!
In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 the Legends of Surf Music, backed by the Surf City Allstars, performed for standing room only audiences @ MAYFEST ON MAIN. The group returns to North Myrtle Beach once again.
The Surf City Allstars are a great band as well. Gary Griffin (keys / vocals) started recording and touring with the Beach Boys in the 1970’s. Philip Bardowell (guitar / vocals) was hand picked by Beach Boy Carl Wilson for the Beach Boys band in the 1990’s. David Logeman (drums) was hired by Beach Boy Mike Love in 1994. Chris Farmer (bass / vocals) toured for 12 years as the musical director for the Beach Boys. Aaron Broering (guitar / keys / vocals) is the newest member to join the Allstars.
Additionally, Matt Jardine (Beach Boys band member, California Saga, California Surf Incorporated) will be joining the group on stage for this performance.
Each song performed by the Legends of Surf Music at Mayfest will be immediately recognizable. All the great surf, drag and fun-in-the-sun imagery is perfectly captured by the iconic trio. The combination of Al Jardine, David Marks and Dean Torrence together on stage creates a fresh harmonic blend for all the well-known classic hits.
It is guaranteed to be a great time for ages 6 - 80. Immediately following the show, Al, David, Dean and the Allstars will sit for an autograph session.
Be there or be square!
MAYFEST ON MAIN CONCERT INFORMATION
Aljardine.com
Jananddean.com
Surfcityallstars.com
©2014 David Beard / All rights reserved
The Surf City All-Stars just performed here in Chicago a couple of weeks ago and, unfortunately, I had to miss this concert. (Catch our official FH Review here: ) The added bonus of actual Beach Boys Al Jardine and David Marks ... along with the legendary Dean Torrence ... makes THIS the concert to see this Mothers' Day Weekend.
If any of our South Carolina readers are able to attend, we would love to run a full review of the show! (kk)

And speaking of great shows ...

I just bought my tickets to see the Monkees on June 1st at Milwaukees' Riverside Theater. Hopefully Micky saves his voice for that night.
I have not seen them since their 20th Anniversary tour in 1986 and am looking forward to seeing Mike Nesmith for the first time.
They were really hot at the time because of the MTV reruns and there were many young people at the show. Gary Puckett, the Peter Nooneless Hermans Hermits, and Rob Grill's Grass Roots were also on the bill.
You mentioned Air Supply is playing in the Chicago area this weekend. My wife and I saw them a couple of years back and Chris Nesmith (Mike's eldest son) was touring with them. I recognized him even before they introduced him because he looks like his dad. I have heard that he is in the Monkees band now.
Phil - WRCO
I've never seen Mike Nesmith before either ... he's the ONLY one I've missed ... so I'm VERY excited to report that I just found out yesterday that I WILL be going to The Monkees Show at Star Plaza Theater on May 31st (thank you VERY much, David Salidor!!!) ... and think I may just go check out Air Supply this weekend at The Arcada, too. (Just to show you the variety Ron Onesti brings there, he's got Air Supply on Friday Night, The Alan Parsons Live Project on Saturday Night and a special Mother's Day Sock Hop featuring The Bronx Wanderers on Sunday ... where they actually take out some of the seats and turn it into a dance floor!!!) Now if that's not something for EVERYBODY I don't know what is!!! (kk)

Sad news about the passing of Jessica Cleaves, a founding member of The Friends Of Distinction who also let her vocals shine with Earth, Wind and Fire as well as Parliament / Funkadelic ... Click here: VVN Music: Passings: Jessica Cleaves of the Friends of Distinction, Earth Wind & Fire, Parliament-Funkadelic (1948

Hi Kent,
Thought you might get a kick out of this ... it really does sound like a new Lennon / McCartney composition.
Woody
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE49bsxGTFM#t=55

Regarding "The Girl Can't Help It" ... I can't imagine a more appropriate place for Jayne Mansfield than in the titular role for anything.
Dube
Gotta agree with you there on that one! (kk)

Kent,
Talking about Pete Drake, I also remember a follow-up he had with this talking steel guitar with the Brenda Lee tune I'M SORRY.
As for the WLS DJ's taping some of their shows on weekends, I remember as a kid listening to Art Roberts on Sunday nights with his HEY BABY! THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG. I was told at the time that was on tape.
Larry

Drake's version of "I'm Sorry" bubbled under at #122 in Billboard. Here in Chicago it reached #26. (kk)

Kent,
After reading Monday's Comments and the Baby Boomer Legends Concerts Review, here are some items that immediately came to my mind.
I always did like the song LOOK FOR A STAR. Years ago it was classified, I believe, as the first song to hit the charts that was featured in a horror movie. There were three versions of the song out at the time which you know but I always liked Garry Miles' version best.
The group the Casuals was mentioned. Was this the same group that did SO TOUGH back in 1958? I know they had a followup on Backbeat records but can't think of the title now. I am told sometimes they were known as the ORIGINAL CASUALS.
Dallas Frazier's ELVIRA was very big here in OKC.
Finally, last week a friend of mine came over for a visit and when it was time for her to go, she got her purse and started looking for her (car) keys. She couldn't find them initially. She almost pulled everything out of her purse. Where is Paul Peterson when you need him?

Almost every other posted FH if not every posted FH, I read something that immediately reminds me of a record made years ago that I haven't heard in ages. I don't know if you or your other readers can say this. In Tuesday's FH, you mentioned the high school musical you went to with your daughter playing in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
Kent, I don't know if you remember it, but in 1957 singer Malcolm Dodds had a song called BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (DID THE ROCK AND ROLL). Haven't heard it in years, just got it out and played it as they used to say "one more time". This record definitely was the END of all records.
Larry

Haven't heard of that one ... nor did it chart in Billboard. All I can say is that Paige did an OUTSTANDING job in the role of Belle ... and then missed a couple of days of school this week, sick as can be. Thankfully she was in top voice for the performance!

As for a couple of your other mentions, Whitburn's book shows "So Tough" as being by The Original Casuals, stating that the first pressings of the record showed the band as simply The Casuals. It doesn't list any other charted records by the band.

He also lists FIVE charted versions of "Look For A Star", the biggest hit going to Garry Miles. (This was one of those where you have to wonder if they intentionally changed an artist's name to add confusion into the mix ... the version by Garry Mills charted at #26 at the same time. Confused record buyers probably weren't sure WHICH record to buy! Billy Vaughn, Deane Hawley and Nicky Como also had chart hits with this record.

And hey, let's feature that Paul Petersen track, shall we??? 'Cause you know damn well RADIO ain't gonna play it!!! (kk)

Here' an interesting link sent in by FH Reader Tom Cuddy regarding a new album that features 31 different versions of the timeless classic "Unchained Melody" ... http://theseconddisc.com/2014/05/01/i-hunger-for-your-touch-collects-31-recordings-of-unchained-melody-from-elvis-the-righteous-brothers-many-more/

Yep, it seems like this one's been covered by just about everybody over the years ... and there's a wide variety of styles represented here ... but one of MY all-time favorite versions is seems to be missing. Check out a VERY young LeAnn Rimes (age 13 at the time) and her powerful version from 1995. (kk)

And he sent us this one, too, regarding the latest goings-on of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... apparently still operating as a major profit center for a very select few ...

http://www.showbiz411.com/2014/04/09/rock-roll-hall-of-fame-2013-6-mil-in-income-0-to-musicians-or-anyone-else

And one more ... this time a conversation with Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers ...

http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2014/05/06/soul-inspiration-a-conversation-with-bill-medley-of-the-righteous-brothers/?utm_source=May+2014+Issue+Email&utm_campaign=May+2014+Issue&utm_medium=email#sthash.vlRdcQ3I.dpbs

Hola Kent,

Bueno Cinco De Mayo!

Regarding the item on the '63 Increase Records album, there was a CD put out for '63 but it was issued by Dunhill as a dual year offering combined with '62. They also had a combo CD for 56-57. There is a third company, G&C Music, that issued a triple CD for '61-'62-'63, with copyright credit to Increase Records. The kicker with the triple issue is that new Cover Art was added showing Eddie & Peg hugging in front of a Studebaker Avanti. Plus another triple CD was issued for '58-'59-'60, with Eddie & Peg getting ready to go see "The Blob" in a '58 Chevy Impala convertible with Peg begging off since Elvis is on the Ed Sullivan Show ! The triple sets are titled 'Cruisin' Years' and the discs themselves are in the same format as the single Increase issues. The two double year CD's use Dunhill Records on the CD, and preface the title with 'The History of Rock & Roll'.

The original issues were on LP vinyl records. I am unaware if there were ever cassettes made, but obviously Increase Records, the originator of the series, sold the rights for four years to Dunhill and then six years to G&C Music, maybe due to money or distribution issues. Nevertheless they offer a terrific glimpse into the Power of the Radio DJ's and the sounds of the times ... and the Jewel Case covers are treat by themselves, chronicling the times.

The CD circulated as 'Cruisin' '63' was of B. Mitchell Reed of WMCA, New York, so the WKBW / Joey Reynolds version noted by reader Clay Pasternack was replaced, obviously due to music rights. I have all the years plus two additional releases named 'Cruisin' Years' and "Cruisin' 1955 - 1960" and the last of the series titled "Cruisin' with Porky Chedwick" with no specific year.

It would be wonderful if Clay could somehow share the songs and promos and commercials from his unissued copy.

Here is a picture of the Cruisin' Series LP Covers. There used to be a great free site documenting the story, but now it has been replaced by a subscription type site ... I can't blame the guy ... he put a lot of effort into this. That is basically the entire run. The covers are wonderful depictions of the current events of the year represented.

Go easy on the Margaritas!

Enjoy,

CharlieOFD

Timeline is a local four-piece band that plays the sixties and seventies like no other band. They know the music very, very well and play it just like the records. Among other big name groups they cover, these guys perform complete Beatles LPs and harmonize just the way the Fab Four did. We've been dancing to them for a few years at various venues around town, and just last night I was chatting with their lead guitarist Bob Wilson and discovered he was originally from Chicago. He's a recently-retired Nashville High School principal. Once I learned he was from Chicago, the ensuing discussion revealed he knew and had worked with nearly every Chicago band member I've ever seen mentioned on FH. He played in bands thru the 1960s and reeled off the names of all the guys from NC6, Shadows, Shames, Bucks, CTA, etc. (He even knew The Robbs from Wisconsin) Bob told me he'd talked with Skip Griparis as recently as last week. He and Skip were in the band Trilogy, which many from Chicago will remember.

David Lewis
http://www.timelinetime.net

They sound great ... Bob Wilson was a latter-day member of The New Colony Six ... one of those "missing links" if you will ... so it's kinda cool to find out where he ended up ... and even cooler that he's still making music (and sounding so good doing it.) Thanks for sending.

kk

I think the ideal "solid gold hits" format would be a full comprehensive-playlist type of program featuring top-100+ songs from 1950 through 1989. About 40 years worth of hits, every style and every song ever played on radio at some point during this period (even if only for a week or two).
And supplement the programming with assorted classic B-sides and select non-single album tracks as well.
This way songs like KEY LARGO by Bertie Higgins can be followed up with the likes of SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU by The Skyliners (for example), and the term "oldies" can apply to all four decades: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
Anything 1990 and beyond, make that the responsibility of all the OTHER radio station formats.
Tal Hartsfeld

We did a very lengthy series a couple of years ago on "What Is An Oldie?" Unfortunately, you're asking for every bit of 15,000 songs to be on the playlist ... and today you won't find many radio stations willing to play 1500. And, truthfully, a good chunk of this music doesn't hold up very well ... and has disappeared for a reason. But I firmly believe there is a happy medium to be had ... if only somebody would be willing to hedge their bets long enough to give it a try. (kk)

From Frank B:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=563328057114002&set=gm.1498639167031545&type=1&theater

We've run this link before ... but it looks like they've added to their playlist so here it is again for all to enjoy ...

This is beyond incredible ... for the listener who can relive those wonderful music days of yesteryear... and for the artists and record companies.
http://www.45rpmdb.com/Top10.html

And here's another one we ran a short while back (courtesy of Clark Besch):

Oh my God! Holy Batrope! Here's 14 window climbing cameos including Dick Clark, Lurch, Colonial Klink and more! Who the Hell is Susie Knickerbocker?? Apparently, a west coast gossip columnist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d85gkOXeXG4&feature=player_embedded

The Dick Clark one would have been better if the Cryan Shames' JC Hooke would have stretched his arm out the window and pulled Dick back in "giving Dick the hook" as he did with the Shames on their never appearing on his shows due to Jim's Hooke!

Clark

Finally, here's another fun clip sent in by FH Reader Frank B:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Xv1tMioGgXI?rel=0

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

My Comments On Your Concert Comments and Reviews

Thanks again to Ron Onesti for giving away FIVE free pairs of tickets to the Micky Dolenz / Cowsills Show this past weekend. And thanks to our five winners for supplying their honest reviews of the show.

I decided to let all of those reviews run sans comments yesterday to give you guys the spotlight ... but today I'd like to address a few points noted along the way.

Randomly taking them one by one ...

I can honestly say that growing up I don't think I ever would have given a second thought to seeing The Cowsills perform live in concert ... although I loved some of their music ("The Rain, The Park and Other Things" and "Indian Lake" in particular), but I was just a little "too cool" and they were just a little bit too square and wholesome for my tastes at the time ... but over the years I have come to better appreciate the tremendous gifts this family has shared with us musically ... and, after seeing the Showtime documentary special, am more intrigued than ever by the way they soldiered on despite some incredibly difficult obstacles along the way. As such, I was REALLY looking forward to seeing them perform at The Arcada Theatre.

On the other hand, I've probably seen Micky Dolenz 25 or 30 times over the years ... so while his show may hold fewer "surprises" for me, I still enjoy and appreciate his presence on the stage. For me, Micky's has always been one of the most under-appreciated voices of rock and roll ... the man can SING!!! And, from my own personal experience, I've never seen him put on anything less than a stellar show. Based on the reviews we received it sounds like he was either having an "off night" ... or maybe just saving himself a little bit for all of the upcoming Monkees reunion shows right around the corner. (Micky returns to the Chicagoland area later this month, in fact, for a Monkees show at the Star Plaza Theater in Merrillville, Indiana.)

Some of you seemed genuinely surprised by the connection of The Cowsills to the old television favorite "Love, American Style". No, they didn't WRITE the theme ... but they performed it each week during the opening and closing credits. Funny to think that this one went over so well in concert ... but then again, is there anybody out there who doesn't know this song?!?!

Without a doubt, this family went through some incredible struggles internally ... if you haven't seen it, you have GOT to catch their documentary special ... it takes you through every high and low of their career ... happy and sad. With a couple of recent losses I have to give them props for carrying on. (Brother John currently drums with The Beach Boys!) And, by all accounts we received, they still sound great! (Some say they flat out stole the show!)

The story of how the real-life antics of The Cowsills inspired the watered-down television equivalent, The Partridge Family, is pretty well known. What some don't realize, however, is that the show was originally planned to be built around The Cowsills themselves. For whatever reason, it didn't turn out that way ... comments ranging from "they couldn't act" to "they have no charisma" to "they're not believable as a family band" (which in and of itself is the ludicrous type of comment only Hollywood could make ... they WERE a family band for God's sake!!!) prevented the series with them onboard from ever getting off the ground.

Instead, they decided to hire professional actors ... and Shirley Jones and her real-life step-son David Cassidy, assumed the lead roles. (Reportedly neither knew the other had been cast until the first day of rehearsal!) Even then the intention was to dupe in a real band and just have the actors lip-sync the tunes provided. (This actually happened on the pilot episode ... but after that, Cassidy insisted that he really COULD sing ... and play the guitar ... and why don't producers give him a shot?) They did ... and a brand-new teen idol was born, literally overnight. (Unfortunately, this was never the image David wanted for himself ... and he had a real hard time dealing with it. You'd be more likely to find him backstage jammin' to Jimi Hendrix than singing pop tunes like "I Think I Love You" or "Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted" ... but I digress.)

If you haven't seen the Showtime Cowsills Documentary Special yet, seek it out ... it's really quite amazing. (You can probably find it On Demand ... and it is also available as an "Instant Video" through Amazon.) No matter what you THINK you may know about their story, I guarantee you you'll find some real surprises here ... many at the expense of "happy endings."

As for Micky (part of yet ANOTHER TV Band ... and, some might argue, the very first "Boy Band" ... and why not? They were "manufactured" in much the same way The Backstreet Boys and N*Sync were. Hey, if Destiny's Child and TLC can be classified as "Girl Groups", then why aren't The Monkees a "Boy Band"?!?!?), the story is that he auditioned for the part on The Monkees by performing "Johnny B. Goode" to prove that he, too, really could sing. (Dolenz has NEVER gotten the credit he deserves for his amazing vocals.) He had done a bit of recording prior to the TV series but nothing ever really clicked for him. Once he sang their first two hits (two MONSTER #1 Records, "Last Train To Clarksville" and "I'm A Believer") his whole life changed ... and, as noted in the reviews, he's been singing them ever since.

Dolenz has always been capable of more, however, and he normally showcases this in concert. One of the most moving performances I've ever seen was Micky singing "Since I Fell For You", a real torch song that he nails as well as anybody I've ever heard ... in fact, BETTER than anyone I've ever heard. Unfortunately, that's not the kind of music his fans come out to hear.

It's nice to see that he featured "Crying In The Rain", a duet with his sister and long-time performing partner Co-Co. It comes from his EXCELLENT "King For A Day" album, a tribute to Carole King (who also happened to write a few songs for The Monkees, a couple of which Micky reimagines within the context of this LP). The bluesy rendition of "Sugar Sugar" happens to be my favorite track from his "Remember" album, released a couple of years ago ... the highlight of the disk for me. It's also a nod to the fact that Don Kirshner first presented this song to The Monkees to record and they reportedly turned it down, saying that they were trying to break away from that bubblegum image. (Kirshner was fired shortly thereafter and The Monkees took complete control of their recording output beginning with the "Headquarters" album.) Kirshner never gave up on the song, however, and a couple of years later resurrected it with Ron Dante on lead vocals, masquerading as The Archies. (Guess he figured he could execute COMPLETE control over a non-existent "cartoon" band ... plus at least they could never fire him!!!)

The "Oh Darlin'" story, however, is a complete myth. Yes, Micky DID go to the studio to watch The Beatles record ... but that was in 1967 when they were making their "Sgt. Pepper" album. The song he actually sat in on was "Good Morning, Good Morning". (McCartney recorded "Oh Darlin'" as nearly a solo track two years later, long after The Monkees had fallen off the charts. In fact, John Lennon himself has remarked how he wishes HE could have been involved in the track ... and there's absolutely NO way Micky would have been there if the rest of The Beatles were not!) We shot a ton of holes all over this story a few years ago in Forgotten Hits. Just consider it a GREAT excuse to do a BRILLIANT job covering a Beatles classic. (By the way, Micky also recorded "Good Morning, Good Morning" on his "Remember" album as a tribute to that REAL landmark moment.)

The Jimi Hendrix story, however, is true. Hendrix finally quit the tour after six dates, fed up with all the screaming 13 year old girls begging for Davy! (Some related articles you might enjoy are listed below):

Click here: Forgotten Hits - THE MUSIC OF TOMMY BOYCE AND BOBBY HART

Click here: Forgotten Hits - FORGOTTEN HITS INTERVIEWS BOBBY HART

Click here: Forgotten Hits - Jimi Hendrix

What would have made for an EXCELLENT Arcada Experience Bonus was the fact that Bobby Hart was also in town the night before Micky performed on the 2nd. How cool would it have been to be able to reunite these two for the Q&A session! (Personally, even as it stood, I think I would have enjoyed the Question and Answer segment as much as either show ... a great, rare chance to see the artists open up and respond to their fans.) Had I only known ahead of time, I'm certain I could have arranged this. (A short while back Jeff Foskett was here with Brian Wilson the night after Micky performed a free concert in Elk Grove Village. Jeffrey produced Micky's "King For A Day" album ... another potential great reunion that never happened.)

Regarding the sound and the seating at The Arcada Theatre, I, too, have experienced some sound issues in shows in the past. There seem to be a few "dead areas" in the theater where the sound doesn't reach you quite as well ... and it tends to have a bassy overtone some of the time, making it difficult to hear and understand the artists when they are speaking rather than singing. And I will agree that the seating is rather tight ... I'll even add a comment that the bathroom is nearly impossible to navigate, holding maybe three people (if one of them turns sideways!) This is the nature of an old, vintage theater dating back to the 1920's. (Guess we were all much smaller then!!!)

That being said, I think Ron Onesti has done a GREAT job of preserving and renovating this theater. And that's a fine line to walk. You want to retain as much of the old look and feel as possible (they've even got the old pump organ that rises up out of the floor which they use from time to time for some of the pre-concert music, just like they used to do back in the old days before the movie started.) All of this adds to the charm and ambiance of the theater. I know that Ron is planning more expansion and renovations in the future ... and hopefully issues like more comfortable seating, larger bathrooms and improved sound are all on the list. I know that he wants to provide the ULTIMATE in theater / concert experience ... while still retaining the charm of this beautiful theater. Overall, it's a GREAT place to see a show ... and it photographs beautifully ... several of these concerts have been filmed for television over the years and The Arcada has quickly become THE hot spot to see a show in the Chicagoland area. (Ron himself will tell you that while the theater has some truly historic mega-memories ... acts like The Three Stooges, Martin and Lewis, Mickey Rooney, Groucho Marx and others have performed there over the years ... its RICHEST history has really been the past six or seven years as it has reinvented itself as a showcase for today's favorite stars.) EVERY person who I've EVER talked to has RAVED about their first Arcada experience. It's just a GREAT place to see a show ... and no matter WHO you came out to see, odds are you have left as a fan of the theater ... and that's really saying something. More improvements will come ... so visit often ... you just can't get a better concert experience than this.

Speaking of which, you can catch two more great shows at The Arcada this weekend ...

Soft Rock '80's band Air Supply will be performing Friday night at 8:00 ... and on Saturday, The Alan Parsons Live Project will be doing TWO shows (7:00 and 9:30). Tickets and more information (as always) at the OShows Website: oshows.com.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

More Concert Reviews: MICKY DOLENZ and THE COWSILLS

Thanks to the kindness of Ron Onesti and Onesti Entertainment, we were able to send five lucky winners to The Arcada this past Friday Night to see Micky Dolenz of The Monkees with The Cowsills.

There wasn't a concert I was looking more forward to this Spring than this one ... but as things timed out we were unable to go. (All cards on the table, I wouldn't have missed our Friday Night for the world ... Youngest Daughter Paige starred in the lead role of Belle in her final High School Musical Production of "Beauty And The Beast" ... and it was nothing short of outstanding. A stellar performance through and through ... and with Prom the very next night let's just say that we were hopping all weekend!!!)

So, please allow US to live vicariously through these reviews as well. (From the sounds of things, Ron REALLY needs to bring The Cowsills back ... GLOWING reviews across the boards for this one!!! Plus I really wanna see 'em, too!!!)

Thank you, Kent, for the Forgotten Hits tickets to the Mickey Dolenz / Cowsills concert!

It was my first visit to the Arcada Theater. Either the seats became narrower, or I've gotten wider ... guess which!
I had heard a few takes on the sound system, so I'll give my opinion. The venue could benefit from adding more speakers to the areas on both sides of the stage, and although I couldn't see the subwoofers, possibly there as well. The opening act was muddy on the low end, the bass being undefinable. By the time the headliner was on, the engineer had it backed off and dialed in as well as possible. But there was simply not enough "sonic space" to allow for great reproduction of the drums, bass, and vocals at the same time. The Cowsills keyboards were generally not audible. On to the performance.
The Cowsills were a very pleasant surprise! The original three vocalists were terrific. Simply put, excellent singers. Most notably Susan Cowsill. The backing band is all family ... sons, husband, etc. Their choice of material was great ... "You Were On My Mind", "Monday Monday", a couple of more obscure folk tunes ... but we didn't mind because they were perfect for the moment ... and rendered so professionally. And of course, all the hits and charted numbers the band had back in the day. I have to admit that I enjoyed the Cowsills more than Micky's set, the reason being the strongest vocal work ... plus, the Cowsills seemed to have the energy and spirit going for them. They really were having fun, and we knew it. I believe that comes from their relatively recent formation of this touring band. It was fresh for them.
By the time Micky Dolenz came on, a couple of hundred fans were still in the long hall outside the seating, waiting to meet the Cowsills. And it didn't appear to be a sold out performance to begin with, so there were quite a few empty seats ... and I think the Dolenz crew were a little disappointed. But that didn't stop any of them from performing as the pros they are. Micky's backing band was very good, the highlights being his sister CoCo on vocals, a young lady on second keyboard who also played a mean sax, and his bandleader guitarist, who had excellent tone! Micky himself is absolutely a better vocalist and showman than he was as a young man. He hasn't lowered the keys of any of the material, and he only had a problem with Pleasant Valley Sunday at the tail end ... which any normal human would! His choice of covers were all linked to a personal story he shared ... "Oh Darlin'", "Purple Haze", "Johnny B Goode" ... mildly entertaining. Micky left the stage twice to allow Coco to do a solo vocal, which she did very well, each time saying he was leaving to get a lobotomy ... and when he returned he said it was successful and he could now do another song or two. That comment wasn't lost on us, as you knew he was tired of performing the songs for the millionth time. Although the Monkees allowed him to make a comfortable living, as an artist I'm sure there are times you wish you could move on.
So all in all, an entertaining evening. I probably wouldn't see Micky again at today's ticket prices, but I'd make every effort to see the Cowsills again. And you should, too ... if you love 60's music like I do, you won't regret it!
Woody Johnson

First of all, thank you, and thank Mr. Arcada a million for those tickets. I'm so happy I could go ... it was worth only getting a little bit of sleep. Mitch loved it, too!!

I'm surprised at how many Cowsills songs I actually know. I was expecting to know about two. Yeah, they did some covers (and did them QUITE well) but I was so pleasantly surprised by them. I have to say ... and you know what a huge statement this is for me to make ... they were better than Micky. *gasp*!!!
Here's their set list with a few comments:
- The Rain, The Park And Other Things -- GREAT way to open the show. Their harmonies were flawless.
- You Were On My Mind (We Five) -- Susan, while she looked a little uncomfortable, nailed it.
- I Miss You Most of All
- Deliver Me
- We Can Fly
- The Boxer (Simon and Garfunkel) -- really very well done. I was so pleased.
- Indian Lake -- complete with brother Paul's extremely spastic, hand over the mouth "Indian holler". That dude is one serious spazz!

- Be My Baby -- Still not minding all these covers. They treated them perfectly.

- If I Had My Way

- Helplessly Hoping (Crosby, Stills and Nash) -- this was a surprise. I could have done without this one, but again ... so well done.

- Monday, Monday -- haha, this one took the wind out of all three of them. Such a hard song to maintain, but they did it

- I Believe In You

- Love American Style -- I NEVER KNEW THE COWSILLS WROTE THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!! How did I live my entire life not knowing this???? I think this made me the most excited of the whole show! My son Mitch was laughing at me!

- I Think I Love You -- How could they not do this song?

- Hair -- I really appreciate their version most of all because it's so much like the original Broadway recording. As it turns out, per their story, they were given the original Broadway recording and told to learn it, so they did. And it was a big hit for them.
They were adorable, they were down to earth, they are in extremely good voice. I was sorry to learn about them losing two of their brothers pretty much at the same time, one in hurricane Katrina. I wiki'd this, and he (Barry) was found floating in water. He'd had his name and either number or address (I can't remember which) written on a piece of paper, stuck in his pocket. He must have known he wasn't going to make it. Terribly sad story.

Brother Paul ... my god, what a tall, hyper drink of water he is. He fell of his chair, twice, during the Q&A. They don't seem to notice so much, I'm sure they're used to it. (lol)

So then ... the moment I've been waiting for my whole life ... that I've seen quite a number of times now. Micky Dolenz. We were sure we were going to hear many of his original songs, but he didn't do one of them. They were mostly Monkees songs with a few covers thrown in there.

I'm sorry to say, his voice has pretty much lost it. He either scooped the notes too much, or he syncopated them too much. On only two songs did I notice that he was really singing. He's got the volume and the projection, just not able to sustain notes, pretty much at all. It was still a cool show, and I'm so glad my boy could finally see it. I felt so guilty seeing the Davy memorial tour without him.

Here's the weird thing ... and I might have missed the explanation for this, as I had to go to the bathroom: He opened AND closed the show with I'm a Believer. I found that to be really odd. Of that enormous library to choose from, he does he do the same song twice??

I told my son, word for word ahead of time, how the Jimi-Hendrix-opening-for-the-Monkees story was gonna go, and I was totally accurate. One nice surprise was sister Coco doing Mike Nesmith's "Different Drum".

Here's his set list:

I'm a Believer

Steppin' Stone

That Was Then, This is Now

She

Words (Mitch seemed VERY excited to hear this one) This was one of the ones he seemed to really be singing.

Sometime in the Morning

DW Washburn

Last Train to Clarksville

Johnny Be Good -- there was a story attached to this, and now I can't remember it

*Purple Haze / Hendrix Story* ... into the rest of Purple Haze

Crying in the Rain

Different Drum

Daydream Believer

A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You. Mitch and I both LOVE this song ... this was exciting!

Sugar Sugar ... odd choice

Oh Darlin' ... after an amusing story about meeting the Beatles and being called "monkey man" by Lennon. The band was super good on this one.

Goin' Down ... meh. Big meh ... but he did that little dance ... and that tickled me greatly!

White Rabbit -- sister Coco again

Pleasant Valley Sunday ... also "meh"

Gimme Some Lovin' ... loved it, but too many covers at this point

I'm a Believer ... again.

So I get in my car this morning to get to my job, and when the radio came on, it was the Cowsills' Rain, Park andOther Things. Thank you satellite radio!!!!!

We stayed for only part of the Q&A. I'm working two jobs right now and it was a long drive home. So we cut out of there when I noticed that there were big lines at the mic after just one question. Micky was, as always, charming and witty. It was very gracious of him to sit down and take, what I assumed to be, a ton of questions. Mr. Arcada (Onesti??) seemed to be truly a fan and not just a music business man. That's always nice to see. And he was a really good host. It was a super night, and Mitch and I very much want to go back for Peter Noone and Jay & the Americans. (Mitch has played with members of J&TA before). So thanks again!! I loved it!! And I loved sharing it with my rock-god son.

Kristy White

Had a wonderful time. I thought the Cowsill's were there to truly entertain and meet their fans. We all know they really only had three major hits, and they didn't disappoint by performing those. They led off with The Rain, The Park and Other Things and it sounded wonderful. (20 second film clip attached)
Micky Dolenz was fine as well, but being a true Monkee fan, I was hoping for more Monkee hits. I guess I will have to save that for my box seats I already purchased for May 31st at Star Plaza when Michael and Peter will join Mickey. (If you decide to go to that show, please text me ... I would love to meet you and say hello!)
Song List for Cowsills in order:
EDITOR'S NOTE: Same as shown above but I've listed Bob's personal comments where applicable
We Can Fly (also as noted done by Al Hirt and Lawrence Welk )
If I Had My Way (originally done by Peter, Paul and Mary) Helplessly Hoping (Beautiful acoustic version by the three original members of Cowsills)
Just Believin - written by Susan Cowsill
Love American Style - from the tv series
Songlist for Mickey Dolenz

Johnny B. Goode (as Mickey noted, this was his audition song that got him the job in The Monkees)

Crying in the Rain (tribute to Carole King from Micky's "King For A Day" album)

Different Drum (written, of course, by Michael Nesmith ... and sung by Koko Dolenz, Micky's sister

Sugar, Sugar (very Bluesy version)

Oh Darlin (Mickey was at Abbey Road to watch the Beatles record this)

I'm a Believer - Closed with this repeated song

I was surprised that Mickey didn't perform Valleri, especially since he had quite the gifted guitar player.

The most amazing part of the evening was the Q 'n' A session Ron Onesti held with the members and fans (after the concert), who were invited to walk up to the mike and ask questions.

Micke explained the Head album, different perspectives with Michael and Peter, The Cowsills talked about how Carl Reiner invited them to do a song for his tv show to perform, and gave them the song Hair to work with ... and that Susan lost many, many valuables and keepsakes from Hurricane Katrina.

Funny story about "Gonna Buy Me A Dog" ... they were in the studio, tired and not really wanting to record such a silly song, which is why they are heard laughing and being downright silly in the recording of this.

The Cowsills spoke about the Showtime Special (If anyone has this to share to watch, I don't have access to Showtime) but they lamented about suing Universal and that they had "won" but not talking about any major windfall of money.

Thanks to Forgotten Hits for the chance to attend and to Kent Kotal!

Bob Morrow

Kent,

Thanks again for the tickets for Micky Dolenz and the Cowsills.

The show was presented by Ron Onesti at the Arcada Theater in St Charles, IL. Ron is on a mission to present us fans with the very best entertainment in the midwest. Ron is also a super fan of the 50s - 60s - 70s - 80s - and 90s. There was a full house at the theater. Ron did his introduction of the Cowsills talking about their hits starting in 1965-66 and how they were the motivation behind the Partridge Family tv show and how their show was based on the Cowsills Band. I have to say it again ... Ron Onesti and the Arcada Theater in St. Charles, IL is the best music venue in the midwest.

The Cowsills walked out looking fantastic. They started singing The Rain and The Park. I have to say that it was like going back in time with the sound and music ... I got goose bumps. They literally, after all these years, sounded of "perfection". They played all of their hits and had lots of fun kidding each other. They played Indian Lake, Hair and all of their other hits right up until intermission. They had left music for over 30 years and about 10 years age they got back together for one show and they were amazed how good they sounded and had a great time. They decided to reform the Cowsills and have been back in the music industry ever since. For anyone that sees this review, do yourself a favor ... if the Cowsills come to your town, definitely go see them. You will not be disappointed. Go to Facebook Cowsills or Cowsills.com and you can hear the music and some other very interesting stuff about the band and their surprising trials and tribulations. The Cowsills lit up the stage and the way they rocked perfection, made them a hard act to follow.

Micky Dolenz came walking out, also looking fantastic. He does not look his age (69). I was in awe of how he looks and his physical shape. Micky has not aged since the sixties. I have seen Micky Dolenz a few times and he never disappoints. He is a true entertainer. His high energy on stage and his voice is perfect. When he sang his first song, I'm A Believer, his voice missed the first few notes. I said to myself, oh no. He never missed another note for the whole performance. He did sing most of the hits and the song he sang for his audition performance for The Monkees tv show, that being the Chuck Berry song Johnny Be Goode. I have to say that Micky's band was great and Micky's sister CoCo was a perfect vocal blend with Micky's.

After the show Micky talked about how there are other versions of all of the Monkees songs by Peter, Mike, Davy and Micky. It was nice hearing Micky's telling of how at the recording by the Beatles studio sessions for Sgt Peppers Lonely Hears Club Band. John would keep calling Micky "monkey man". If you ever have the opportunity to see Micky Dolenz, definitely go.
-- Tom Crowe

Hi Kent,

I so enjoyed the Cowsills and Micky Dolenz in concert Friday night at the beautiful Arcada Theatre in St. Charles! Thanks to Forgotten Hits and Ron Onesti for a wonderful evening.
The concert started right on time and "I knew, I knew, I knew" I liked the Cowsills, but I didn't realize how MUCH I liked them! Wow!  They came out with so much enthusiasm, raring to go. I could tell they were genuinely thrilled to be playing for us and opening for Micky.
First song was the iconic "The Rain, the Park and Other Things", which they nailed. It sounded exactly like it did in 1967. Their harmonies were perfect. The band consists of the three Cowsill siblings, Bob , Susan and Paul. Susan's husband plays the drums and two of the Cowsill children play guitar and keyboards. Their energy was contagious and they had the crowd on their feet, singing along. Next was the We Five classic "You Were On My Mind", followed by Deliver Me, We Can Fly, Simon and Garfunkle's The Boxer and Indian Lake. Susan then sang, Be My Baby, and this was followed by a few folk songs, which they said was their true roots. Next, Monday, Monday (which Susan joked that she always thought this was a Cowsill song, not the Mamas and Papas), Just Believing, and the Love American Style TV program theme song. Can you believe that was their song?! The crowd sang along with I Think I Love You, the Patridge Family classic and we heard great stories as to how the Patridges were copies of the Cowsills. The one-hour set ended with a rousing rendition of "Hair". Everyone was on their feet, a definite fun blast from the past. I loved it and I know the crowd did too.
After the intermission, it was time for Micky. Of course he came out singing "I'm a Believer" and quickly sang seven more songs: I'm Not Your Stepping Stone, That Was Then, This Is Now, She, Words, Sometime In The Morning, and D.W. Washburn. He was dressed all in black, as was his band, and wearing his signature hat. He then picked up his guitar and said hello to all of us Monkee fans. He didn't make us wait and sang Last Train to Clarksville, which sounded great. This song is a Boyce and Hart classic. (Thursday night I went to the Logan Theatre in the city to see the world movie premier of a Boyce and Hart documentary, "Boyce and Hart: The Guys Who Wrote 'Em", for the CIMM festival. It was a great film dooumenting the songwriting of this duo, who were so instrumental in the Monkees' success. After the film, Bobby Hart himself answered questions and talked to the audience. What a thrill!)
Micky then talked about his audition for the Monkees and the song he sang, which was Chuck Berry's Johnny Be Goode.   He also told us the story of how at one time early on, Jimi Hendrix opened for the Monkees! He even treated us to Purple Haze. Mickey's sister, Coco, is in the band and she sang a few songs for us as well ... Crying in the Rain and the Mike Nesmith song, Different Drum. This song was submitted to the Monkees to sing, but was rejected, and of course became a huge hit for Linda Ronstadt!   Then the closest we got to a tribute to Davy Jones was a sing-a-long to Daydream Believer. There were a few tears in the crowd as everyone remembered Davy, including the band.   The mood switched gears and this next song, A Little Bit Me, ALittle Bit You, even had the Cowsills dancing in the aisle. Next Micky sang a slow version of the Ron Dante song, Sugar, Sugar. I thought it was a great version of this song ... in fact, I liked it better than the original arrangement.
Micky talked about meeting the Beatles and sang Oh Darling. This was followed by Coco singing White Rabbit. As you can see, this concert had a little bit of everything.   The last song, before the encore, was Pleasant Valley Sunday and he had the crowd on their feet. The encores were Gimme Some Lovin, followed by I'm a Believer again. The show was an hour and 25 minutes of pure fun!
Ron Onesti opened the floor to a Question and Answer period and the Cowsills and Micky came out and talked to us. There were many jokes, much remembrance of Davy Jones, and some inside information that they were willing to share. We learned, among other things, that Carl Reiner (Rob Reiner's dad, Micky clarified) sent the Cowsills "Hair" to record!   Susan Cowsill joked endlessly about her massive crush on Davy Jones! The Question and Answer period went on for about an hour. So the entire night lasted four hours! How's that for getting your money's worth! And I do have to say, there is not better place to see a concert than at the Arcada Theatre.   Thanks again Forgotten Hits for a memorable night.

Janet

re:  Up-Coming Shows At The Arcada:
Alan Parsons will be making a VERY rare live appearance at The Arcada Theatre on May 10th for TWO Shows (7:00 and 9:30 pm). Parsons has had his hands on the boards for some of the most memorable music ever recorded, including albums like "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" by The Beatles and "Dark Side Of The Moon" by Pink Floyd. In addition, he racked up quite a few hits of his own as The Alan Parsons Project ... but he hasn't done a lot of touring ... and has been absent from the music scene for quite a while ... so this will be a REAL treat to see him live in concert on the 10th.

Examiner / AXS Entertainment Columnist Peter Roche tells us a lot of this has to do with the brand new, massive box set being released to commemorate Parson's extensive body of work ... and he had an opportunity to sit down with Alan recently to discuss not only this new release, but also his return to live performance. You can read it all here:
Click here: Alan Parsons releases box set, returns to Cleveland for greatest hits concert - Cleveland Music | Examiner.com

Meanwhile, a limited number of tickets to see The Alan Parsons Live Project are still available through the OShows website: www.oshows.com.

And, later this month, don't miss your chance to see Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits along with Jay and the Americans. They'll be appearing at The Arcada Theatre on May 30th. This show is ALWAYS a good time ... Peter is one of the most entertaining performers around and we guarantee he'll keep you smiling and singing along all night long.

Other shows in May include Air Supply THIS FRIDAY NIGHT (May 9th) and Blue Oyster Cult (May 17th). And don't forget the very special "Wrecking Crew" screening on May 13th!!!

More details and ticket information for ALL shows can be found at the oshows.com link above.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Baby Boomer Legends Concert Review

Baby Boomer Legends

The Franklin Theater, Tuesday April 29, 2014

Artist / writer / producer / studio owner and Nashville’s “go to” guy for benefits, Buzz Cason, put this show together as a fundraiser for 2^nd Chance 4 Pets. Chris Lucky, morning air personality at media sponsor Hippie Radio 94.5, emceed the event. The show was preceded by a “meet and greet” for sponsors and premium ticket holders. It actually turned out to be a “meet, greet and eat” since they served food and had an open bar! I arrived for the soundchecks, which began about noon.

The Franklin Theater is a fully restored 1930’s movie house with a capacity of about 300. It has a magnificent sound system and there is not a bad seat in the house. A concert there is truly an upscale experience.

All of the artists who performed live in the Nashville area. Pat Upton, of the Spiral Starecase, was also scheduled to perform but couldn’t make the drive from his home in Alabama because of storms and tornado warnings. Nashvillian Mark Volman of the Turtles did not perform, but attended and donated some memorabilia to the silent auction.

In the interest of brevity, I’ll say upfront that EVERY artist did a great job and the Sons of the Beach, who backed most of the artists on the show, made the songs sound just like the records. Each artist was well received, even though I suspect many in the sold out audience were there to support the cause and not necessarily familiar with the music.

The Sons of the Beach opened with leader Steve Jarrell performing “Walking The Dog”, an appropriate start for at pet benefit. Vicky Carrico, of the Beachettes followed with “Think”. The Sons of the Beach is largely composed of Nashville studio vets who, as Chris Lucky pointed out, “have played on more hits than the sum of tonight’s performers”.

Dickey Lee was the first legend on the bill and he performed “Patches” and “I Saw Linda Yesterday” accompanying himself on the left handed guitar in addition to the band. I never get tired of seeing him perform those songs. I asked him to sign a poster for the event, saying “Dickey, I hate to bother you … " ... he cut me off and said (smiling) “Ed, you have been bothering me for fifty years”. Not much of an exaggeration.

Buzz Cason followed singing the hit recorded as Garry Miles “Look For A Star”. He was then joined by Richard Williams, who with Buzz was a member of Nashville’s first rock and roll group, The Casuals – which later backed Brenda Lee on her live shows. They performed the Casuals’ local hit “My Love Song For You” which Buzz and Richard wrote and recorded in 1957.

Billy Swan then sang “Lover Please”, which he wrote and became a hit for Clyde McPhatter, followed by his own million seller “I Can Help”. Although Billy is proficient at many instruments, he chose to just do the singing tonight.

Bucky Wilkin (Ronny of Ronny and the Daytonas) was next up. Backing him on vocals were Ted Hillary, Steve Jarrell and Buzz Cason who have constituted the Daytonas when Bucky has played most recently. Bucky played his signature lick on “Little GTO” on an acoustic guitar and he received the first standing ovation of the evening. He followed with “Sandy”, with Buzz doing the harmonies as he did on the original recording.

Dallas Frazier next performed his song “Alley Oop”, a 1960 hit for The Hollywood Argyles (and for Dante and the Evergreens on some mostly east coast stations). He closed with his 1966 single “Elvira”, better known from the Oak Ridge Boys’ multi-million selling version. It’s always special to me to hear songs interpreted by the person who wrote them.

Jimmy Gilmer then performed his number one hit “Sugar Shack” followed by his later hit “Bottle of Wine”. He added a verse to the latter which was written by the songs’ composer Tom Paxton, but not recorded on the Fireballs’ version. I told Jimmy he was having too much fun on stage.

Bruce Channel sang “Stand Up”, his song that was a 1985 country hit for Mel McDaniel, but still a good fit with the rock and roll songs of the night. Before finishing his set, he told the audience that Delbert McClinton, who played harmonica on Bruce’s biggest hit, was recovering from triple bypass surgery so could not join him this evening. That song, “Hey Baby” received the second standing ovation of the evening.

There was a ten minute intermission.

Henry Gross resumed the show with a version of “Blue Moon” reminiscent of his days with Sha Na Na. It was not the song he did at soundcheck, but that didn’t matter because instead of using the band, he was accompanied only by his own guitar and by bass player Mike Chapman, who I recognized from his playing with Garth Brooks. The instrumentation seems to have worked well for him, because Henry’s performance of his 1976 hit “Shannon” brought the crowd to their feet for another standing ovation. Of course the pet loving crowed could have also been swayed by Henry’s introduction, where he explained the song was inspired by his and friend Beach Boy Carl Wilson’s dogs, who were coincidentally both named Shannon (a story detailed in Forgotten Hits). He also mentioned that it had been named “best dog song of all time” by some organization.

Chris Lucky then reminded the audience that Henry had performed at Woodstock (as a member of Sha Na Na) and introduced the other act on the bill that had performed at that festival, Melanie.

Melanie, accompanied by her son Beau Schekeryk, performed “What Have They Done to My Song, Ma” with verses in German and French and interrupted by short comments. No, this was not “just like the record”, but kept the crowd thoroughly entertained and in the palm of her hand and won her a standing ovation. She then performed “Brand New Key” with the same audience response. Melanie then asked permission to do a third song – all previous acts had only performed two. She apparently got approval and sang “Candles In The Rain”, into which she now incorporates “Give Peace a Chance”. Yet another standing ovation for “The Queen of Woodstock”.

Garry Talley, lead guitar for The Box Tops, then performed their hits “Cry Like A Baby” and ‘The Letter” with the Sons of the Beach. Afterwards I overheard some of the other artists saying that they were surprised that without Alex Chilton, these songs could sound so much like the records.

Robert Knight followed with his hit “Everlasting Love” backed by, in addition to the Sons of the Beach, the song’s writers Mac Gayden and Buzz Cason - who had backed Robert on the original recording session. Robert is so smooth; he’s one of the acts the other acts come out in the wings to watch.

Clifford Curry, billed as “The King of Beach Music”, closed the show, as he has closed every show where I’ve seen him perform. I don’t care how many hits you have had, you don’t want to follow Clifford Curry on stage. If you have never seen him, he was an inspiration for the band in the movie Animal House and can work a crowd like no other artist that I have ever seen. He performed his hit, “She Shot A Hole In My Soul”, with the song’s co-writer Mac Gayden remaining on stage to play, as he did on the original record. He then went into “Louie Louie” and by then everyone in the house was out of their seats and dancing. The other artists on the bill joined Clifford on stage as he went into an extended version of “Shout” as the show’s finale. I don’t think I will ever forget Clifford Curry with Melanie beside him as they and the entire cast of the show sang “Shout”.

Behind the scenes stuff: right before the show, Henry Gross picked up a guitar that was hanging on the wall of the green room and he and Bucky Wilkin lead all of us who were there in several Beach Boys songs. Henry said “that’ll get you warmed up”.

And a good time was had by all, but especially me.

Questions, comments and corrections are welcome.

-- Ed Salamon