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Post by Slam_Bradley on Feb 20, 2017 20:31:39 GMT -5
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Feb 20, 2017 20:52:52 GMT -5
You just bowled me over with this news. I was a huge Larry Coryell fan for the early part of his career when he was one of the best jazz fusion guitarists. He mellowed out and dropped the rock influence as the years went on but I always enjoyed his playing. I spent big bucks getting his early albums on CDs when they were only available as European or Japanese imports. Here are 2 songs from Larry Coryell's 2nd album from 1969. Great Jimi Hendrix inspired fusion guitar. I must have played this album a hundred times back then R.I.P. Larry Coryell. A huge influence to my musical experience |
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,202 
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Post by Confessor on Feb 21, 2017 7:35:19 GMT -5
OK, here's mine... 1-What was the first pop song you remember being a favorite?The earliest record/band that I can remember liking was the Bay City Rollers' "Money Honey", which Wikipedia tells me was released over here in the UK in February 1976, when I was a mere 3 and a half years old! At the time, the Rollers were a teeny-bopper phenomena and the nation was in the grip of Rollermania. I didn't buy the record, of course, but I can definitely remember singing it to myself around the house and watching the band perform it on Top of the Pops... 2-What was your first favorite radio station?I've never really been much of a radio fan, but when I was 11-years-old, a pirate radio station called Laser 558 began broadcasting from a ship in the North Sea. They had American DJs hosting the programs, which gave the station a degree of "cool" that homegrown radio didn't have. They also used to more or less play records in their entirety -- no DJ talking over the beginning or end of a song -- which was ideal for home taping purposes.  Laser 558 was by far the favourite radio station for me and my friends for a year or two in the mid-'80s, but it unfortunately went off the air in late 1985, never to return.  3-What was the first single/ albums/CD you bought (any of the formats that applies)First 7" single I bought was "Monkey Magic", which was the theme tune to the cult Japanese TV series Monkey and was performed by Japanese rock group Godiego.  Monkey was based on the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en and took in kung-fu action, pop-Buddhism and some unintentianally hilarious dubbed English dialogue -- and I loved it! The single of the show's theme tune was released in early 1980, when I was 7-years-old, and I saved up with my pocket money to buy it. I am well aware of what a weird single this is to have been my first.  My first LP album, is kind of trickier to identify -- I discovered The Beatles' red & blue compilation albums ( 1962-1966 and 1967-1970) in my parent's record collection in 1980 and basically stole them, storing them in my bedroom and listening to them over and over again on the record player/radiogram that my great aunty had given me. The first album that was ever solely mine was Adam & the Ants' Kings of the Wild Frontier, which I got given for my 8th birthday in October 1980. The first album that I ever actually bought with my own money was probably Welcome to the Pleasuredome by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, which came out in October 1984. So it's any one of these, depending on how you wanna decide it...     The first CD I bought was Paul Simon's Graceland. I didn't get a CD player until 1989 and I had already owned this album on cassette for a number of years, but I absolutely loved it and knew that it would sound excellent on CD. So, I picked it up the same day that I purchased my CD player.  4-What was the first concert you attended?The Shadows at the Apollo Theatre in Oxford, circa 1981 or 1982. My Dad, who was a big fan of the Shadows, took me to see them. I really didn't know much about the band, but I enjoyed the concert anyway and I can vividly remember being really excited to see actual real electric guitars being played live on stage, as opposed to seeing them on television. Nowadays, I know much more about what a highly influential group the Shadows were on British rock groups of the '60s and '70s, and I think having seen them as my first gig is pretty damn cool.  |
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Post by Rob Allen on Feb 21, 2017 15:38:56 GMT -5
1-What was the first pop song you remember being a favorite?
I think that would have to be "The Name Game". Before that, I remember liking "The Surrey with the Fringe On Top" from my parents' "Oklahoma!" cast album.
2-What was your first favorite radio station?
For a few years in the 60s, there was a country music station called WJRZ, based in Hackensack, NJ. For pop/rock-type music, WABC, but I didn't start listening until 1972, and quickly switched to WNBC when I discovered Don Imus. He was hysterically funny then.
3-What was the first single/ albums/CD you bought (any of the formats that applies)
Hmmm... probably "Johnny Cash at San Quentin". I went thru a Johnny Cash period while listening to WJRZ.
4-What was the first concert you attended?
Damned if I know. I don't think I went to any in high school, so maybe it was the Billy Cobham concert my freshman year of college, which was also the first time I experienced marijuana. Or maybe the jazz band concert that same year that led to my lifelong interest in jazz.
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Post by berkley on Feb 21, 2017 23:21:40 GMT -5
1-What was the first pop song you remember being a favorite? It's lost in the mists of time but I'm pretty sure it was something by the Beatles (as opposed to "Something", by the Beatles). I think She Loves You, because I remember at a very young age singing "yeah, yeah yeah" and trying to swing my hair like they did. I also have a very specific memory of playing my older female cousins' record of "I Saw Her Standing There" at their house and at the same time reading a Fantastic Four comic one of them must have had - I even remember the issue, FF #83. But I think this was a little later. 2-What was your first favorite radio station?Until my late teens, we only had two AM stations, CFCB, which played the usual Top 40 stuff plus a few local, Nfld music; and CBC. Once I was into my teens, CBC was my favourite: they had a lot of good shows, including several excellent pop music shows, with informative discussions and interviews, and where I first heard bands like the Sex Pistols and the Ramones. But I must give CFCB some credit, because they would very occasionally and in a completely unpredictable way, play some non-obvious song that had not been released as a single, as far as I know. I remember running to the radio to turn up the volume hearing things like The Who's Behind Blue Eyes or Eric Clapton's Bellbottom Blues, for example. 3-What was the first single/ albums/CD you bought (any of the formats that applies)For Christmas one year I was given, I'm pretty sure at my own request, much as I'd like to deny it, the 45 of Knock Three Times by Tony Orlando and Dawn. The first single I remember buying in the record store myself was the Stones' Brown Sugar (flip-side Bitch - it's a wonder they sold it to a little kid!). I had a similar experience to Confessor's with the Beatles' red album compilation. Played it over and over and still know most of those songs as well as I know anything. The blue album we didn't have, but we borrowed it from a neighbour (who borrowed the red one from us in return) for an extended period of time so I got to know that one pretty well also. But the two albums I recall as being amongst the very first I bought myself were Steppenwolf's Rest in Peace - a compilation of some of their lesser-known tracks, though I didn't know that at the time and thought for years it was a regular album; and Alice Cooper's School's Out, both of which I see came out in 1971, so I would have been 9 years old. 4-What was the first concert you attended?My mother and my aunt took me with them to see The Stampeders, a Canadian band that came to our town in I think 1971 or '72. They had only had a couple hit singles at that time, the annoyingly infectious Sweet City Woman being the big one that made them famous in Canada. They did many much better songs than that later on, very big Canadian hits. I remember they played a lot of CCR covers and also a long version of the novelty song Along Came Jones, I suppose because at that point they didn't have a lot of original material of their own.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Feb 22, 2017 0:54:21 GMT -5
50 Years Ago Today-Week 4 February 1967
We'll wrap up February with 2 beautiful ballads and 2 oddities
Kind Of A Drag by the Buckinghams repeated at #1, a bit of a miracle with both The Rolling Stones and The Supreme's latest releases in the top 5 as well as the new Beatles single just getting landing on the charts. Kind Of A Drag will be dragged down next week
Aaron Neville, a r&b singer from New Orleans had his biggest hit at the beginning of the year, peaking at #2. He's still making music-even had a #8 song on the US charts in 1991-"Everybody Plays The Fool" (originally done by The Main Ingredients) . His duet with Linda Ronstadt "Don't Know Much" topped off at #2 in 1989 . he also records with his siblings as The Neville Brothers. This particular week, Tell It Like It Is had just dropped off the top 10 after 13 weeks on the charts
The Lovin' Spoonful started as a folk-rock band and a Greenwich Village mainstay. Headed by singer/songwriter John B. Sebastian, they had 7 top 10 songs in 1965 and 1966. Their classics include Summer In The City, Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind, Daydream and You Didn't Have To Be So Nice. This week their song "Darling Be Home Soon" climbed to #27 and would peak at #15. It would be one of the last singles from the original group. In May 1967, guitarist Zal Yanovsky was busted for marijuana possession. He was a Canadian citizen and fearing deportation he gave the cops the names of his suppliers. The news of his informing hit the rock press and he was vilified. There was even a full page ad in the Los Angeles Free Press to boycott the group. He split from the group as did John Sebastian. Sebastian went on as a solo, had a magnificent debut album, was a big hit at Woodstock and toured extensively for many years. Just when you thought he was fading away in the late 1970's his theme-song for Welcome Back Kotter was a smash. He still sporadically records and performs and was seen plenty of times on TV hawking infomercials for Time-Warner CD oldie collections
Instrumental group The Brass Ring seemed to be a knock off of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Their single The Disadvantages Of You was #50 this week and would peak at #36. But it was used as the theme-song for cigarette maker Benson and Hedges for all their TV ads (the company that introduced 100mm smokes). The song will forever be associated with those ads
Leslie Gore from Brooklyn NY became a huge pop star at the age of 16 when she had the 1963 #1 hit "It's My Party". She had a total of 7 top 20 hits through 1965 including Judy's Turn To Cry, She's A Fool, You Don't Own Me and more. By 1967 her star was fading and the song California Nights would be her last top 20 release. Maybe the reason that song charted as high as it did was because it was featured on this TV show
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Post by berkley on Feb 22, 2017 2:26:23 GMT -5
For some reason I like Aaron Neville from this period more than I do his comeback in the late 80s and 90s, even though it's much the same style. I think he was just a shade more restrained in the 60s; not a huge difference, objectively, but the effect on how much I enjoy listening to it is significant.
Sad story about Zal Yanovsky. That particular Lovin Spoonful song isn't one of my favourites by them: I much prefer their other hits, especially Summer in the City, You Didn't Have To Be So Nice, and Do You Believe in Magic.
Don't think I've ever heard those Brass Ring or Lesley Gore songs but I like them both. It's great to hear new things from this era.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,202
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Post by Confessor on Feb 22, 2017 7:01:00 GMT -5
I really love the Lovin' Spoonful and totally agree about John Sebastian's debut album being a real underrated corker!
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Post by Farrar on Feb 22, 2017 11:20:12 GMT -5
1-What was the first pop song you remember being a favorite? Probably a Beatles song, as I loved their cartoons and that's how I knew their music. I recall really liking "I'm Looking Through You" and "We Can Work It Out" in particular. 2-What was your first favorite radio station? Like Prince Hal , WABC and WMCA. One birthday I received a gift of a transistor radio and for months I took it with me everywhere. I listened to WABC's pop music all day long, the radio hosts were Harry Harrison, Ron Lundy, Dan Ingram and Cousin Brucie, and Chuck Leonard and Jim-someone on the weekends. WMCA was for my sports fix; I started out as a Yankee fan but a year later switched over the Mets (they were on WHN IIRC). But I still listened to WMCA's sports talk show, hosted by Jack Spector (later John Sterling). I called up a few times and in one call I waxed poetic about my favorite Mets pitcher. No, not Seaver or Koosman--anyone remember Jim McAndrew? 
3-What was the first single/ albums/CD you bought (any of the formats that applies)I received Beatles '65 as a birthday present. The first album I bought myself was CSNY's Deja Vu. I still have the Deja Vu album. 4-What was the first concert you attended? I'm pretty sure it was Led Zeppelin.  
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Feb 23, 2017 1:02:28 GMT -5
50 Years Ago Tomorrow-A Music InnovationI thought I had already covered all the innovations and technological achievements that came into play during 1967. And now I discovered one more and just in time for it's birthday  On February 24, 1967 the wah-wah guitar pedal was patented by Warwick Electronic Inc. The wah-wah pedal quickly made it's way to the public and was used by some of the most popular musicians immediately. You can hear it on the 1967 recordings by Eric Clapton for the group The Cream on Tales Of Brave Ulysses and Jimi Hendrix on his Burning Of The Midnight Lamp Happy Birthday Wah-Wah
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Post by berkley on Feb 23, 2017 12:06:40 GMT -5
Those three songs alone justify the invention and continued existence of the wah-wah pedal. Excellent examples!
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,202
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Post by Confessor on Feb 23, 2017 12:23:36 GMT -5
I'm just gonna leave this here... |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Feb 23, 2017 14:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Feb 26, 2017 14:38:54 GMT -5
I'm going to recount the 6 meeting/conversations that I've experienced in my life with some music notables. A few I've mentioned in other threads and a few revealed for the first time. Now, these where casual encounters and I was not acting as a journalist but they were quite interesting, especially in hindsight. I'll go through them in chronological order and probably post these chapters once per week Close Encounters Part 1-Joey RamoneFor most of my life, I was raised in Forest Hills,Queens-a borough of New York City. I went to Forest Hills High School and graduated in 1971. During the years 1970 and 1971 there was a park a few blocks from the school where, during the warmer weather evenings, the neighborhood teens congregated and did what most teens would do back in those days. There would be nights where 100 or more would hang out. It was a nice park, a city block large, grass and trees,some basketball hoops, benches and a children's area with swings and see-saws. A varied group of teens, boys and girls, mostly sticking with their cliques but also milling around. The guys were mostly long-hairs, some where jocks, some were what we called "hitters" (hard-drinking motorcycle types). But the fights were relatively rare. This was the time when I and a few friends had the notion we were talented enough to have our own rock band. We jammed in my bedroom since I had the tape recorder to capture our genius for posterity. Ahem. And then once in awhile we might take our instruments over to the park and perform live because, after all, being in such a phenomenal band like ours was a veritable babe-magnet And so we did and we were not the only ones with that idea. And that's were I got to meet Jeffrey Hyman and his brother Mitch who also brought their acoustic guitars and harmonica. I've seen Jeffrey in the neighborhood and at school but we traveled in different circles and never spoke until then. So he and his friends would play music in the park and so would we and occasionally we would watch and join in with each other and share a drink or share a smoke and talk about music. Jeffrey back then looked exactly as he would for the decades to come. Long hair, skinny,and a gawky gait. Of course we all loved the Beatles but we also shared a passion for mid-sixties garage rock-Mony Mony by Tommy James, Louie Louie by The Kingsmen, All Day and All Of The Night by The Kinks. We didn't play them well but we knew most of the words and could make up the ones we didn't I actually thought his brother Mitch was the better guitarist. I also thought my band was much better than Jeffrey's group. And I thought Jeffrey was a nce, slightly shy guy and other than music was a freakin' idiot. Seriously, any other subject besides music and he seemed totally lost at sea. Now, I see when I look up his bio info on the internet he was 3 years older than I but I know I saw him around the high school for more than a year which leads me to think he might have been left back a grade. I would not be shocked over that fact. The park was the only place we occasionally met and spoke. Otherwise when passing each other in the neighborhood it was just Hi and a wave. When did I first hear about The Ramones? Couldn't say for sure but once I saw a picture of the group I just busted out laughing. Never thought he'd get far. Joke's on me. So Jeffrey Hyman became Joey Ramone professionally. The other members of the group were from Forest Hills as well but I never met them to my knowledge. And even though The Ramones played in the city at spots I had attended myself such as CBGB's or the Mercer Arts Center, I never did see The Ramones in concert. Oh and I see according to the bio info that his brother's name was officially Mickey but I swear he called himself Mitch back then.  |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Mar 1, 2017 20:11:44 GMT -5
50 Years Ago Today-Week 1 March 1967
However you define the beginning of the 1960's (calendar date, Kennedy, Beatles) it kicks into high gear with the approaching summer of 1967. And music will play a part of it. But before we get there, we have a new #1 Top Of The Pops hit this week. Fresh from their marijuana bust in London and touring while on bail
It was The Rolling Stones 4th #1 hit in the USA. Oddly, this single only got to #3 in England
Here is a rarity/oddity. Before being cast for The Monkees TV show, Mickey Dolenz recorded some songs he wrote and sung in early 1965. They were never released. Now with Monkeemania in full effect, a single from that session came out this week.
The Mamas and The Papas were the most successful folk/rock group at this time (California Dreamin', Monday Monday etc) .Dedicated To The One I Love first came out in 1957 by the 5 Royales. The Shirelles had a #3 cover hit with it in 1961. The Mamas and Papas version got up to #2 eventually and I consider it the best of the 3. This week it was climbing the charts at #26
Speaking of The Mamas And The Papas, this song , written by band member John Philips,appeared on their first album but when released as a single did not perform well. The R&B vocal group, The Versatiles, got a hold of it, changed their group name to something more modern, and released their version-practically note for note identical to the original .And it worked. The 5th Dimension would go on as one of the biggest vocal groups of the 1960's. This week it's at #16-it's peak
Here's The Mamas and Papas version as a comparison
The Young Rascals, fronted by Felix Cavaliere, already had a #1 song with Good Lovin' in 1966 and a #20 with You Better Run ( later covered by Pat Benetar) The Rascals would continue throughout the 60's churning hit after hit and they started 1967 with this at #28, to peak at #16
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Laser 558 was by far the favourite radio station for me and my friends for a year or two in the mid-'80s, but it unfortunately went off the air in late 1985, never to return.
