Thursday, November 15, 2012

Helping Out Our Readers



>>>Ok .. so here is a really way out question that has been bothering me for years. Maybe you can help put my mind at ease. I lived in the West Rogers Park area of Chicago - on the 3000 block of Sherwin Avenue. We moved to the suburbs in 1970 when I was age 14. I could swear that THE FLOCK lived down the block from me at the corner of SHERWIN and ALBANY. I have a vivid memory of trick or treating one Halloween and several (ahem) long haired rock star looking guys answered the door in boxer shorts. For some reason, I heard that this was the house where The Flock lived. As I muddled my way as a teenager in the early 1970's I think I 'fogged up' that area of memory in my brain.
Is there any way you can check with Fred Glickstein and see if he was indeed my neighbor? This has been nagging me for awhile and affirmation would convince me that that portion of my brain has started to make a comeback nearly 40 years later. I have a wispy shadow of a memory that he may have lived near my cousin on Fairfield Avenue - but that is more of a Deja Vu. (Garry Berg)
After we posted Garry's query on our website, we heard back from Fred Glickstein of The Flock ... who told us:
Yes! That was Ricky Canoff's house. There certainly may have been people there running around in their boxer shorts.
All The Best!
Fred G.
Isn't it cool to be able to get a completely off-the-wall question like that ... and then be able to go directly RIGHT to the source and get an answer?!?!? Well, I happen to think it's INCREDIBLY cool!!! Thanks, Fred! (kk)   

Hey Kent,
I really enjoy reading and contributing things to your site. It makes me reflect on the great music I grew up with! It's also fun to do some research on things I'm not so clear about. If I discover that I'm not so accurate on what I have sent to you, I must immediately rectify the problem!
A few months ago, we talked about that great 1963 instrumental hit by Jack Nitzche, "The Lonely Surfer". I was correct to say that David Gates, of Bread fame, DID play the bass on that track. He did lots of studio work at that time, but I was in error to say that his bass was the featured instrument, that played the melody on the recording. The lead guitar was actually an electric BARITONE guitar, performed by studio guitar ace, Bill Pittman. The 6-string guitar was made by the Danelectro Company. I believe they were the only manufacturers of the instrument at the time, and they may have even invented the electric version. The guitar had five additional frets of a standard one. Glen Campbell played the same model at the close of his hit, "Galveston". Composer, Ennio Morricone, inspired by "The Lonely Surfer", featured the instrument on all of the Spaghetti Western soundtracks he scored. Here is a demo of the guitar, that shows its low-end range. Listen all the way to the end, as the player has some fun with it.
 

Click here: Baritone twang rockabilly - YouTube
- John LaPuzza  

Kent, 
Many thanks for running the photo of Chase. And thanks to John LaPuzza for identifying the guys. My wife took a look at the photo and said "No, Jerry Collins isn't in that picture." We're still looking for Jerry, and I may contact a couple of the band members to see if they remember Jerry.
FH is still the best by far!
David
    
 


Your Jim Holvay profile tells us who wrote The Buckinghams' biggest hits ... but I want to know who wrote Back In Love Again!!??Also, did the Bucks actually play instruments, or were studio musicians used? Anyone see them on tour?
And what is this, "Take #1" of USA Records
hit? I'd like to think they were that good to record it in one Take! But, I'm guessing the Take # refers to the added horns, who the Bucks were not aware of!
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/kinddrag-1.mp3
 

John  

"Back In Love Again" has proven to be a fan favorite ... and it deserved a better fate than it got on the charts. It was written by their keyboardist Marty Grebb. The Buckinghams were clearly headed in a new, more sophisticated direction with this one but the record broke their string of five straight Top Ten Hits when it petered out at #45.




We talked to all four surviving members of the 1967 Buckinghams ... Grebb, former lead vocalist Dennis Tufano, and current Bucks Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna ... about their studio work a while back in an exclusive interview with Forgotten Hits.  All confirmed that studio musicians were used to supplement their tracks (which is, quite simply, the way it was done back then.) In fact, the ONLY Buckingham to appear on EVERY record was most likely Tufano, because he was the lead singer.  You can catch this multi-part interview by scrolling back to June 15, 2011 - June 22, 2011. (kk)  

Good day,
This morning I woke up with a song (words and tune) in my head and I have spent the past two hours searching for it to no avail. The lyrics were The Lord's Prayer. It was a folk / pop type song in the 70's, maybe earlier. It was popular when I was a boy. I keep thinking it was "The Mamas and the Papas" or "Peter, Paul and Mary" but I can't find anything with those two groups. I have done a search with Our Father and Lord's Prayer but the title must not match the song that easily.
If you can help I would appreciate it.
Buck Lam
My guess is it's "The Lord's Prayer" which, when set to music (with a bit of a rock band backbeat), became a Top Five Hit for Sister Janet Mead in 1974. (You over-thought this one ... the title STAYED "The Lord's Prayer".) It's yet another legitimate Top 20 Hit COMPLETELY ignored by radio today, even as a "novelty" piece ... so it makes for a GREAT choice for our recently resurrected "Today's Forgotten Hit" feature. (kk)
By George THAT'S IT! 
Thanks Kent.
Buck 


 


Stereo Knowledge Wanted ...  
Re: Three Coins In The Fountain (1954): I'd like to know when this stereo rendition was recorded. I found nothing on the internet. I compared it to the "original" by the Four Aces, on a Decca Records 78 RPM record, on YouTube, it's close, but not quite, but not a shabby remake!
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/3coins-s.mp3
Actually, I looked in my fine Joel Whitburn Top 40 book, but it was not listed. How was I to know it was prior to 1955!!!?? :-)
Thank You!
Best,
John
We've got a couple of real stereophiles on the list ... so we'll let THEM take a crack at this one. (kk)   

QUESTION?
HAS ANYONE EVER ASKED ABOUT THE WRITERS OF "ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK" ...
IF YOU LISTEN TO HANK WILLIAMS' "MOVE IT ON OVER", IT'S A DIRECT STEAL FROM THE HANK WILLIAMS SONG.
THE WRITERS AND PUBLISHERS SHOULD BE SUED.
FREDDY CANNON
No question about it, there are some similarities ... anybody else out there ever pick up on this? (kk)

Kent,
I have an opportunity to purchase 10,000 MINT (I've seen them so I know they are) WLS surveys from 1961 - 1969. You can contact privately some of your readers if they'd like some or throw it open to the whole group, or you can say thanks but no thanks. I leave it to your discretion. You may give out my email.
Jack Levin
Happy to help out ... there are a LOT of survey collectors out there ... and (as we all know) mint copies are nearly impossible to come by ... so let's open this up to the whole group. If you're interested in purchasing some of these, please contact Jack at rockandrollneverforgets@yahoo.com. If you're working from a specific want list ... or you simply want to start your own collection, drop Jack a line and let him know what you need. (And be sure to save one mint copy of each for me!!! lol) kk