Monday, March 18, 2024

A Record Collector's Dream!

 A look at a couple of remarkable collections ...

(and I will tell you that these are both MUST WATCH videos!!!)

Can you even imagine having access to this kind of libary?!?!

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1583837855762782

And to think that all this material is stored in a barn!!!

(How do they protect it from the elements?!?  If you so much as dare to leave your albums in the garage, they'll be warped the next time you go to play them!  And that's practically overnight!)

And speaking of that, how can you really even enjoy and appreciate the music you've collected here - to be able to play or listen to a particular record, for example, only to find that it's buried on skid #47, covered by a tarp, and if you want to get to it to dig it out, you've first got to get a forklift to move the other 80 skids that are sitting in front of it!!!

And what about security???  There has just GOTTA be a better home for these than out in an old pig barn!

And then again, there's Joel Whitburn's collection ...

A copy of every record to ever make any of Billboard's music charts.

(At least these are stored in an underground, steel, climate controlled vault, cataloged and organized to be able to find whatever you're looking for with relative ease!)

But, unlike the ARChive Collection shown above, where many of these are collectibles are signed and (in some cases) personally donated by the artists themselves, Joel's collection is more designed to encompass the impact these records made on the Billboard charts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3m1DwU0ImI

Between these two collections, you cannot help but wonder where will all of these incredible gems will wind up ... 

Hopefully some organization can find a music museum of some sort where these can not only be on display for music lovers to tour and experience, but all most this music can also be piped in to listen to as you tour the facility.  (Talk about your "no repeats" weekends!!!)

And, as we know, vinyl has made a remarkable comeback over the last two decades, meaning that an awful lot of record players are also being sold again.

Music lovers have always found a way to keep their music with them, whether it be transistor radios, car stereos, cd / cassette / and 8-track players for your cars, iPods, your iTunes library ...

But, as Chuck Buell shows us below, this idea really isn't anything new ...

At one, time in-car record players could also be found in the marketplace.  (I'm just not sure how well these held up when driving over railroad tracks, bumpy roads and pot-hole infested city streets!  Not only a skipping issue, but a permanent damage issue to your cherished vinyl as well.)

And, as you'll see, it wasn't just 45's (although that was certainly the most popular concept) ...

There were even ALBUM players for your cars back then!!!

We offer you this Historical Musical Note from our In-Resident Forgotten Hits Professor of "Music Presentation," Chuck Buell ...


Sometime in the mid-1950s, Chrysler introduced the first In-car Record Player, the “Highway Hi-Fi,” as an option in the 1956 Chrysler, Desoto, Dodge and Plymouth. This Original Highway “Hi-Fi in-car Record Player” was designed by Dr. Peter Goldmark, head of CBS Laboratories in the 1950s and was the same inventor of the 33Long-Playing Microgroove LP.

 

 

What was surprising was that these unique new car record players were actually relatively stable and seldom skipped when a car was in motion. The stylus hardly ever jumped over the grooves, even when driving over ruts and minor bumps thanks to a design of a spring enclosure around the turntables and increased downward pressure on the stylus.

 

These Players were a hot, highly-in-demand item for those who could find a place in their new car budget for one. They were pricey at $200 ( more than $1,800 today ).  But well-known Early Adapters like Lawrence Welk, who could easily afford one, jumped right on this new, must-have, Audio Concept and had one of the first in his 1956 Chrysler Convertible.

 


Soon, many other makers followed, like with the “Philips Auto Mignon Turntable.”

 

Muhammad Ali had one of those in his 1959 Cadillac Eldorado.

 


 As did Beatle George Harrison in his 1965 Jaguar XKE.

 


Spin forward to today, and here’s Forgotten Hits' Kent Kotal showing a rare and original built in Car Record Player in his Collectible mid-1960s Custom “Forgotten Hits Mobile Unit 45!”

 

Oh, and yes ... there was an Album-playing model, too!

 


And while Dr. Goldmark had taken extreme care to tune the system in his personal car for nearly skip-free performance, the same attention was not exercised when Chrysler began installing the systems into their wide range of lower-end Dodges and Plymouths, whose suspensions were not as cushy as the high-end Chryslers. Predictably, records skipped often and warranty claims quickly rose.

 

So, with that issue and even with all those many different styles and models to choose from, in-car record players never became standard in cars the way other audio features later did. When eight-track tape cartridges and then music cassettes came along, that changed everything and in-car record players soon performed a “self-eject” and became a novelty of the automotive past.

 

So, you'll just have to continue to be content with listening to your Forgotten Hits in your car as you have been.


CB ( which stands for In-Car Record Playing "Convenience Boy!" )

 

Seriously ...


Who doesn't love their Car Tunes!!!

 

 

Gotta have 'em!  (kk)

Sunday, March 17, 2024

The Sunday Comments ( 03 - 17 - 24 )

Lou Gramm, former lead singer of Foreigner, is retiring … again.

It seems like only yesterday that we ran Lou’s announcement that he was through with live shows.  (He had been having some health issues at the time and had tired of the rigorous pace of touring.)

Well, believe it or not, it WASN’T yesterday … it was way back in 2018 …

And Lou’s been touring ever since!!!

Now, after nearly six more years on the road, Lou says that this is it … no more.

Yes, he will perform with Foreigner if they are inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year.  (Seriously, how could he not?!?!)  Foreigner has also recently been on their Farewell Tour as well … Mick Jones, who rarely performs with the band anymore, has also been having his own share of health issues of late.

Gramm says:

"This is my last year ... I've been doing it, jeez, for almost 50 years.  I would like to turn my attention to my family and my muscle cars and just enjoy myself knowing that when I lay down at night, it'll be in my own bed.

"This is gonna be it.  I've been putting it off and putting it off. And I still enjoy performing, but when you've been doing it for as long as I have, the travel is the worst. It really takes its toll. And that's a sign that you're getting old."

Back in 2018, Gramm announced that he had just played his last show …

“You get real excited when you start out in this business, but you’ve got to be smart enough to know when to walk away from it, too. I just feel it’s that time for me.”

We saw Lou a few years ago in concert and he still had the goods … his voice sounds the same as ever … but the travel and rigors of living on the road have apparently taken their toll … especially if you're not feeling particularly well ... so he says this is definitely it.

(Until, of course, Foreigner’s induction into The Rock Hall spurs a whole new wave of Foreigner-mania for the group to formerly reunite for one last final tour … something ELSE that was supposed to happen over the last year or two.  In fact, word was at the time that Gramm and Jones had reconciled and even written and recorded some new music together … as well as dusted off some older recordings that they were going to do some updating to.  By now I think we’ve all learned, never say “never” when it comes to rock and roll!!!)

By the way, Foreigner is currently in second place on the Fan Vote for The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Class of 2024, trailing leader Ozzy Osbourne by only about 10,000 votes.  (I think they’re a shoe-in!)  kk

Somebody ELSE got back together for "one show only" last week …

And it was pretty big news in the ‘90’s pop world.

Justin Timberlake performed with *NSync for the first time in decades!

https://www.billboard.com/lists/nsync-reunion-justin-timberlake-la-concert-recap-wiltern/tobe-nwigwe-is-the-first-special-guest/#recipient_hashed=fa7e92da6f6e66bffcf0bcbf863670c6eb37d7159eb4d0ea1e44fecd5ec87eeb&recipient_salt=3a1d6b09af3b92ad7e38f8327cf18febeb049fd1c9a251b66957a07d9375735c

Boy, I hope they filmed this thing so the rest of us can eventually see it, too!  (kk)

Kent,

Always love CB's minute medleys.

Here's two I thought of …

The first is Crispian St. Peters I'M THE PIEd PIPER and one of my all time favorite gospel tunes, IN THE SWEET PIE AND PIE. (UGH)
Larry

Hmm … “Pied Piper,” huh???  Now that’s a bit of a stretch.  (I don’t think I would have ever even thought of THAT one!!!  Lol)  kk

 

And, speaking of CB, here he weighs in on a rock and roll urban legend …

>>> 10cc hasn’t toured The United States in over thirty years … but they’re coming … (kk)

When 10cc first arrived on the scene, I, too, heard the then-common story of what their name stood for. 

This might be a good time to clear that up for those who may not know the true story!

CB

How 10cc got their name:  https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/10cc/

At Chuck’s urging, we are NOT going to attribute ANY speculation as to what the “CB” might stand for in this instance …

Only to say that Chuck SPECIFICALLY told us:  the "C" does NOT stand for THAT!

Lol  (kk)

Speaking of 10cc, a new book written by Harvey Lisberg tells how Neil Sedaka helped to create the band when Lisberg took a new song Neil had been working on back to England … and then eventually Sedaka himself … to help inspire a new band being launched by Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart.

You can read an exclusive excerpt from this chapter here:

https://bestclassicbands.com/neil-sedaka-10cc-solitaire-3-25-23/

A new completely updated version of The Beatles Monopoly Game has just been released.  (We bought the original version back in 2008!)  It’s available now, in stores and online.  (kk)


Cool to see Chicago Radio saluted in this week’s Ross On Radio column …

Not one, but TWO kudo’s, first for the brand new batch of WLS jingles airing here on 94.7 FM … and another for next weekend’s upcoming Rewound Radio DJ Hall Of Fame salute to John Records Landecker.  (We’ll have more for you on that mid-week!)

https://radioinsight.com/blogs/266052/fresh-listen-the-jingles-return-to-wls-fm/

Hear the jingles here:  https://tmstudios.com/jingles/wls-classic-hits/

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/266091/where-the-rock-of-chicago-keeps-rolling/

Hey Kent,
I enjoyed your recent concert review as much as Shelley's but ...
Steely Dan didn't perform "Do It Again"?? 
That would be like Eagles skipping "Hotel California", no?
Sam Tallerico
We were quite shocked, too ... their first big breakthrough hit missing in action ... but it was a really quick set, over before you knew it.  (The only other thing I can think of is that Donald Fagan didn't sing that song on the record, so maybe that was why???)
I don't know if I'd quite equate it to "Hotel California" status ... but definitely Take It Easy" status!  (lol)  kk
 

kk ...

On Tuesday (3/19/24), My Pal Kojak Will Be Playing My Songs On His "1960's JUKEBOX REVUE."

If You Can, Please Listen To A Bit Of It & Let Me Know What You Think.

I Call It Pairs / Songs That Go Together ...

"TOSSIN' & TURNIN'" + "TOSSIN' & TURNIN' AGAIN"

"DREAMIN'" + "I'M STILL DREAMIN'" 

+ ANSWER SONGS.

8 - 11 PM EASTERN on REMEMBER THEN RADIO (WRTR)

FB

I had to share this quote with two MAJOR Status Quo fans on the list …

Ian Paice of Deep Purple tells Noise11.com about the two bands he would NEVER follow on stage ...

(This in response to the fact that Deep Purple will be opening for Alice Cooper at The Pandemonium Festival in Australia next month):

 

There are two bands that are the hardest bands in the world to follow. 

Alice Cooper is one, because it is pure, glorious theatre with some good musicians ...

and Status Quo is the other one. 

They’ve had about 5000 hits. They sound very similar but they just go hit, hit, hit, hit, hit. Those two are a nightmare to follow. 

I don’t care if Alice goes on after us. That is fine and dandy.

Response from Nick Frankart …

I guess that’s a supreme compliment, Kent. And largely explains why I’ve made four pilgrimages (so far) across the pond to see the Mighty Quo in person! And Alan has me beat by a few dozen, at least. 

Doing fine out here on the Left Coast, and still follow FH on a daily basis. Thanks for that! Time to pop in a Quo CD. 

Nick

 

The “Alan” he’s referring to is Alan Benson …

You can read Alan’s piece on Status Quo from a few years ago here …

https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2022/01/everything-is-status-quo-with-status-quo.html

 

Fact Check:  Badfinger / Raspberries 1972 Rockford Armory

This kind of rang a bell as I was part of a group that promoted a show at the Rockford Armory on February 10th 1972. My only responsibility was coming up with the money as I was the only one in the group with a full-time real job that I held while attending college at the same time.

According to the archived Badfinger tour dates, the line up was Badfinger, REO Speedwagon and Pure Prairie League. I do not remember Pure Prairie League’s performance at all. Badfinger was somewhat boring and it would have been the early version of REO with Gary.

Robert Campbell

I went to the so-called “official” Rockford Armory site, which supposedly lists all of the concert events held there, and all I can tell you is that it is FAR from complete … or, apparently, accurate.

For example, I saw Chuck Berry play there at least three times … and he’s not even mentioned on the list once.  I also saw Malo … have always LOVED their song “Suavecito” … which they didn’t perform very well live … very disappointing … and they’re not on this list either.  I’ll betcha SOMEBODY has a more accurate list … and I’d love to see it, because we made the 90 mile trek more than a few times to see shows there … and, as I recall, even on a week night with work the next day to see Badfinger and The Raspberries.  (Ahh, to be young again!)

I can tell you that I’ve never seen Pure Prairie League in my life, so that in and of itself is wrong (unless Badfinger played there more than once … which I suppose is possible.)

I probably saw REO Speedwagon there at least six times … fell in love with the band (and this was WAY before they made it big with “Hi Infidelity.”)  Always loved their early stuff like “Ridin’ The Storm Out” and “Keep Pushin’,” which I used to sing with our band.

But as often as they played there, they were not part of the Badfinger show I saw either … so that, too, is wrong.

The Raspberries were the opening act … and they played a pretty short (and very loud) opening set.

Badfinger were the headliners and they played way too loud, too. (I don’t think the Armory was ever built with sound considerations in mind!  Lol)

Saw Badfinger two other times after that show and they were MUCH better in a much better controlled theater environment.

Wish I could have seen The Raspberries (or better yet, one of Eric Carmen’s solo shows) but it just wasn’t meant to be.

I was always hoping that there might be one more Raspberries reunion before he hung it up for good.  Too late now.  But I’ve been listening to him almost constantly since he died.  And I’m not the only one … his stuff is selling like crazy right now.  (Of course there’s ALWAYS going to be the asshole who takes his “Essentials” CD and bumps up the price from $29.98 the day before to $129 the day after!!!)  kk

 

And how is it even remotely possible that I missed seeing Eric when her performed with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band in 2000?  (Also onboard that year were Dave Edmunds and Jack Bruce. Simon Kirke of Bad Company was also part of the band that year.

 

Looking up an old set list, it looks like Eric typically performed three songs each night ... "Hungry Eyes," "All By Myself" and either "Boats Against The Current" or "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again."  DAMN, that would have been a show to see ... and apparently NOT available on home video.  (kk)

 

Another nice Eric Carmen tribute …

https://rockcellarmagazine.com/eric-carmen-memorial-tribute-the-raspberries/?utm_source=Rock+Cellar+Magazine+Subscribers&utm_campaign=5653e3568c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2021_9_13_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_951cfef8de-5653e3568c-162343372&mc_cid=5653e3568c&mc_eid=f8f75f98ed

 

And here, Billboard Magazine recaps chart career, both as a solo artist and as a member of The Raspberries …

https://www.billboard.com/lists/eric-carmen-biggest-hot-100-hits/overnight-sensation-hit-record-raspberries/#recipient_hashed=fa7e92da6f6e66bffcf0bcbf863670c6eb37d7159eb4d0ea1e44fecd5ec87eeb&recipient_salt=3a1d6b09af3b92ad7e38f8327cf18febeb049fd1c9a251b66957a07d9375735c

When The Raspberries burst on the scene in 1972, their timing couldn’t have been better.  The Beatles had split up (Badfinger was now the closest thing we had to their sound, but by 1972 even their string of hits was already winding down.)

The Raspberries brought back that ‘60’s sound … infectious pop with a bit of an edge … very Beatle-ish sounding (some might even say with a hint of The Who with some of those power chords) and it gave the charts a new infusion of excitement in what was now considered the era of the singer/songwriter.  They called it “Power Pop” (and not in a derogatory way … this was garage band rock, buffed and shined.)

I’ve been listening to an awful lot of Eric Carmen music since his passing (and it seems to be playing in my head all day and night as well … which is VERY frustrating when you’re trying to sleep!  Lol)

From David Salidor …

 

THIS JUST IN ...

Felix Cavaliere is interviewed by Cousin Brucie, Saturday April 13th, for the forthcoming RASCALS WORLD TOUR-PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE - with dates:

April 26 - Patchogue Theater; Patchogue, New York

April 27 - Keswick Theater; Glenside, PA

May 17 - SONY Hall; NYC

May 18 - Stadium Theater; Woonsocket, RI

June 29 - The Beach Stage; Seaside Heights, NJ

Also from David …

DIRECTOR DAVE KRAMER DEBUTS 

JIMI HENDRIX - THE DOCUMENTARY - 

AT THE NYACK FILM FESTIVAL - APRIL 6th

For the last 30 years, a small team led by two-time Emmy Award winner David Kramer have been quietly working on preserving and unearthing the unexpurgated story of the life and death of Jimi Hendrix.

Kramer has amassed a cast of well over 400 on camera interviews, hours of unseen footage of Hendrix and hundreds of previously-unseen photographs. This makes the film unique, because no subject in the history of documentary filmmaking has ever been given this level of first-person detail. 

“There's so much misinformation out there in movies, documentaries and the internet, it's as if there's a deliberate campaign of disinformation to mislead in an attempt to rewrite history” says Kramer. “The Hendrix-story has taken on urban myth-like proportions – stories abound that many people believe to be true but largely are not.”

The story of how it all came to be, from the moment of his signing to the instant of his death, as well as the impact he had on those around him and society at large is explored in rich detail, filled with his joy and humor as well as the tragedy that surrounded his life and music.

The sixties were a volatile time in American history, a time when musical, sexual, social, racial and even sartorial revolution was everywhere. Jimi Hendrix in the sixties was the focal point of all of it, and represented a quantum leap forward with everything he touched. 

From FH Reader David Lewis …

Remembering Bob Wilson of The New Colony Six

https://www.nashvillecremationcenter.com/obituaries/robert-wilson

And, from Pam Pulice …

Can you  believe it’s already been TEN YEARS that we’ve been trying to get this Dick Biondi documentary off the ground and into release?!?!

Pam tells me we’re closer than ever … but still about $25,000 short of covering the licensing fees.

Please check out the latest below … and let us know if you’re able to help!

Greetings Biondi Lovers,
Can you believe it's our 10 year anniversary? 

Ten years ago on this date, I made a phone call to Dick Biondi to ask if I could tell his story. Hours before I made that call, I was fretting about what to say, and more importantly, asking myself, what if he turns me down? I knew he had turned down some other people that had way more credentials than me. I mean, who am I to tell the story of the greatest Top 40 disc jockey on the planet? I’m just a fan. I never made a documentary before. I was a nervous wreck. But. . .there I was. . making the call to Dick's private line at WLS-FM in Chicago, and when Dick answered, my words came tumbling out. He must have heard the passion in my voice because, before I could even finish explaining how I wanted to show the fan’s perspective, Dick said: 
"Yea, let’s do it!"

To say I was excited was putting it mildly. But I was also mortified because I knew the time had come for me, the girl who was afraid to go on Facebook to speak her mind, to interview some of the most famous radio and rock stars in the world.

But here we are! It's been one heck of a journey, and I'm excited to tell you that the film is being looked at by the folks at PBS right now. In the coming months as we wrap up the licensing process and put on the finishing touches, I just want to say thank you to all of the wonderful people who have been with me, and who've contributed to making Dick's movie!  It's often said, it takes a village, and I'm grateful for you being part of Dick's village.

We’ve got a lot of fun things planned leading up to the release of the film, and still a bit more funding yet to be secured.  If you’d like to see your name or your loved ones name up in the credits, and be part of Dick’s legacy, (many of you have not yet donated and we would love you to join us), please visit
DickBiondiFilm.com or click the DONATE buton to make your tax-deductible contribution. Thanks to so many of you, we're almost there!

 

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

3/17/64 – Actor Rob Lowe is born