This Day In Music History: Gogi Grant and The Wayward Wind

This day in music history, June 16, 1956, the #1 song in the country was “The Wayward Wind” by Gogi Grant. Gogi was born Audrey Arinsberg on September 20, 1924 in Philadelphia. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was 12. She always loved singing but never thought of it as a career. She was thinking of being a teacher or a commercial artist. All that changed when she entered a local talent contest at the Macambo nightclub. The orchestra leader at the club introduced her to a voice coach. Later she made a demo tape of the song “I’m Yours” at the Gold Star recording studio. Stan Ross was the studio owner and he set up an interview for her with a talent agent for MCA. However, the agent and Gogi agreed that she was not ready. A few days later Mr. Ross told Gogi that MCA wanted her. She left behind her demo and when the head of the music department returned from vacation he heard it and gave orders to “Find that voice.” It seems that she didn’t mean to leave it behind and they didn’t know who it was for three days.
Through MCA she signed with RCA records but none of her songs charted. Then Dave Kapp left RCA and started his own company. He was able to sign Gogi to a label called Era Records run by Herb Newman. During all of this Gogi had gone by her married name of Audrey Brown. Later her manager had her change her name to Audrey Grant. Later Dave Kapp had her change her first name to Gogi. He said that it came to him in a dream but some people doubt that is true. You see Kapp ate lunch at Gogi’s La Rue and some think that is where her name came from.
Some writers met with Gogi and showed her a song that was selected for her and played other songs that they had written. One of them was “Suddenly There’s a Valley.” She told them she liked it and wanted to record it. They were surprised as they thought it was more for a male voice. They let her record it and Gogi went on tour to promote the song. By the time she got to her first city on the tour there were 5 covers of the song. She said “If I hadn’t gone on that publicity trip, I would have lost that record.” It charted at #9. The follow up to that record was “Who Are We.” While recording it Herb Newman showed her a song he wrote in school with Stan Lebousky. They also thought it would be a good song for a man to sing. But, with some changes in the lyrics made, Gogi Grant recorded “The Wayward Wind” in the last 15 minutes of her recording session. “Who Are We” only reached #62 but “The Wayward Wind” went all the way to #1.

Troubles with Rhino

Kent of The60sshop@aol.com saw the post on the trouble I had with ordering from Rhino's site on the new Monkees CDs and sent me an e-mail. He gave me premission to post it so I will with only some minor editing. Thanks Kent.

Hi Rick!

Saw your post about problems ordering from the RHINO Website. I've had the exact same problem trying to place orders for my last four or five purchases dating back to well over a year now. It NEVER seems to be working properly!!! And then when you call, the "customer service" person almost seems to have a snotty, sarcastic attitude about it. (I cannot help but wonder how the REAL powers that be would feel about how many potential orders they're losing due to this problem ... in three cases, I simply went and purchased the product somewhere else instead!!! With the "bonus" MONKEES single, I didn't have that option so I just went ahead and dealt with the customer-servicely-challenged on the phone! (lol) I addressed this problem recently in FH, too ... it's a REAL shame because (as we all know) RHINO has done an INCREDIBLE job of making this great music available to us ... yet how do you get to the RIGHT people to make them aware of the problem???

Thanks Kent. If you had trouble ordering from Rhino any of their items we need to send mass e-mails to customer service and mass calls to them. Perhaps this will get their attention. If that doesn't work then we need to find out who is at the top of Rhino these days and write to them directly. As Kent said how many orders did they miss from those not persistant enough to get the items they wanted? How many went to another internet site or a local store where they had to pay a little more for friendly service? The gentleman I delt with was very business like but not real friendly. Let Rhino know how you feel.

Silver Surfer Coin

It seems that the Government put an ad on the back of some new quarters for the movie Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. It was released without the premission of the US Mint as they do not allow advertising on money. They didn't let most of the quarters out but some did and made there way to e-bay. You can get this one if you click here.

Another way to order the new Monkees Single

If you saw my last posting on pre-ordering the new editions of Headquarters and PAC&J LTD. to get the new single "I Didn't Know You Had it in You Sally" you may have had trouble ordering on the internet. I did as I kept getting a security certificate violation. I e-mailed Rhino's customer service and asked them why I was having this problem. The response I got back was that I should try again and if I still had a problem I should call them. I tired again but still could not place the order. So I called (888) 440-4232 as their e-mail suggested. It was there I had no problem placing the order. Just an FYI to all Monkees fans.

New Monkees Single

This just in from The Monkees Home Page and Rhino.com. On July 10th Rhino is releasing double editions of mono and stero versions that Rhino have been remastered and a new Monkees single that was finished in 1969 but never released. Here is what The newsletter from The monkees home page had to say.
HEADQUARTERS:Presented in both original mono and stereo mixes, this landmarkrecording has been newly mastered. In particular, the stereo mix issourced from a different tape than the 1995 Rhino CD. As for thebonus tracks, they hail from a variety of sources. Let's run themdown and explain.Disc One:"All Of Your Toys" (stereo remix) ­ this is a newly created stereomix compiled by resynching the various stages of the production multitracks. This resynching allowed for greater separation of theinstruments in the mix and fuller fidelity."The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (version one, stereo remix) ­ The MichaelNesmith sung recording of this song appears on this collection forthe first time in stereo. This new mix was achieved by resynchingvarious stages of the production multi tracks allowing for adifferent and longer mix."A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (stereo remix) ­ This is perhapsthe first complete stereo mix of this track that has ever appeared.Previous stereo mixes lacked the final overdubs heard on the single.They're all here in wide stereo and superior fidelity."She Hangs Out" (single version ­ stereo remix) ­ The legendarywithdrawn version of this song appears on this collection for thefirst time in stereo! Listen out for some extra studio chat and acool vocal ad lib at the end from Davy and Jeff Barry."Love To Love" (stereo remix) ­ This fresh remix of "Love To Love"features a better representation of what appeared on the originalmono mix."You Can't Tie A Mustang Down" (stereo remix) ­ This remix featuressome previously unheard vocal work from Davy and appears in fullfidelity stereo."If I Learned To Play The Violin" (stereo remix) ­ All the elementsof this track were resynched for a first time true stereo mix with alonger fade."99 Pounds" (stereo remix) ­ A first time true stereo mix for thisChanges album track!"The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (single version ­ stereo remix) - This isa newly created stereo mix compiled by resynching the various stagesof the production multi tracks. This resynching allowed for greaterseparation of the instruments in the mix and fuller fidelity, as wellas a nice long fade."Randy Scouse Git" ­ This is one of the alternate takes thatpreviously appeared on the Headquarters Sessions set."Tema Dei Monkees" ­ A new stereo mix of the raw multi-track. Youhear every last little bit of Italian that Micky muttered at theMarch 1967 session.Disc Two:"All Of Your Toys" (mono mix) ­ This is the original mono mix made inearly 1967 for the aborted single release of "Toys." Note that thismix lacks some of the final overdubs that are heard on Disc One'sstereo remix."The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (version one, mono mix) ­ This newlydiscovered original Mike sung mono mix from 1967 is previouslyunissued."A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (mono single mix) ­ Forty yearsafter it was first issued, "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You"appears for the first time on CD in it's original hit single mono mix!"She Hangs Out" (mono single mix) ­ The legendary withdrawn versionin its original mono mix from 1967 (with a bit of pre-song warm-up)."The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (mono single mix) ­ The original mono hitsingle version!"Nine Times Blue" (demo) ­ Nesmith's '67 solo demo newly mixed andmastered."She'll Be There" & "Midnight Train" (demo) ­ newly mixed in stereo."Peter Gunn's Gun" - A vintage Headquarters jam, newly mixed."Jericho" & "Pillow Time" (demo) ­ both appear as heard on the rareHeadquarters sessions set.PISCES, AQUARIUS, CAPRICORN & JONES, LTD.Presented in both mono and stereo mixes, this landmark recording hasbeen newly mastered. In particular, the stereo mix is sourced fromthe first generation original stereo master mixes. Also of note, themono mix has never appeared in full on CD. As for the bonus tracks,they hail from a variety of sources. Let's run them down and explain.Disc One:"Goin' Down" ­ the original stereo mix from 1967."Salesman" ­ a new stereo mix featuring a longer fade, Nez'scigarette rolling rap, plus some previously unheard chat and vocals."She Hangs Out" ­ a new stereo mix of the four track master prior tothe addition of Shorty Rogers' brass arrangement. Features a longerintro, a longer outro and other anomalies."Love Is Only Sleeping" ­ a new mix of the version that appeared onthe '95 CD with some extra studio chat."What Am I Doing Hangin' `Round?" ­ features a never before heardlead vocal performance from Michael Nesmith (and a longer ending)."Star Collector" - a new stereo mix of the four-track master prior tothe addition of the Moog synthesizer overdubs. Features a longerintro, a longer outro and other anomalies ­ this is the longestversion ever!"Riu Chiu" ­ the original television recording featuring all fourMonkees on vocals appears here for the first time on CD.DISC TWO:"Special Announcement," "Salesman" (alternate mix), "Cuddly Toy"(alternate mix) ­ these tracks are the original 1967 mixes as theywere set to appear on an early line-up of the album. By programmingyour CD player, you can recreate the original sequence for theoriginal sequence."Goin' Down" ­ the original hit single mix (albeit with a longerfade)."The Door Into Summer" (alternate mix) ­ the previously issuedalternate mono mix from 1967 featuring a different vocal performancefrom Nesmith."Daily Nightly" ­ a previously unissued mono mix of this song lackingMicky's Moog synthesizer overdubs."Star Collector" ­ a previously unissued long mono mix of this songfeaturing Moog aplenty!And what about the single?If you buy both CD's from monkees.com or rhino.com you get a free 7-inch vinyl single (a limited edition of 2500) of two unissuedtracks. "I Didn't Know You Had It In You Sally" was taped for thegroup in February '67, but Micky didn't lay his vocal on the tracktill '69. The flipside is an alternate mix of "Daydream Believer"before the addition of brass and strings. It features a cool extendedending. The single comes in an old-fashioned picture sleeve that issure to delight.
So order now. You can go directly to the page to order them if you click here.

Monkees Documentary Part 4

Monkees Part 4 Documentary.

Monkee Documentary Part 3

Here is Part 3 of the Monkees Documentary.

Monkees Documentary Part 2

Here is Part 2 of the Monkees Documentary.

Monkees Documentary Part 1

Here is part 1 of a documentary on the Monkees. I believe that it is part of a DVD that Rhino release earlier. If you have not seen it here is the first part and the rest will be added later.

Paul McCartney New Video

Here is the Paul McCartney new video for the single release of "Dance Tonight" from the CD Memory Almost Full.

A New Action Hero?

Verizon has a way to make you the star of you own short action film. This is suppose to be me but they got the hair color slightly wrong. Still it was fun.

Here it is

I just found that Amazon.com sells Good Morning World on DVD. You can get it if you click here on the link below or on the one to the right.

Good Morning World on DVD

One of my favorite TV flops, and we all have them shows that that should have been hits but were not, is the 1967 series “Good Morning World.” It featured Joby Baker and Julie Parrish as a young married couple in Los Angeles. Joby is David Lewis an early morning DJ on the popular radio show Lewis and Clark. Clark is Larry Clark played by Ronnie Schell. Larry is a confirmed bachelor but mostly dates the loveable, daffy neighbor Sandy played by Goldie Hawn in her first series. I know it was her next series, “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In”, in 1968 and her Oscar win in “Cactus Flower” that brought her more fame but it was really “Good Morning World” that started her on the road to superstardom. The great Billy DeWolfe plays Dave and Larry’s boss at the radio station. Billy DeWolfe is a scene stealer without trying. He is that good. In one episode he gets a laugh just by asking the question “Having a drink of water?” Why is that funny? Because it is asked in Billy DeWolfe’s style.
When I first viewed this DVD set I didn’t remember seeing Mr. Baker or Miss. Parrish in anything. Once I saw the first episode I remembered Mr. Baker from a couple of episodes of the Dick Van Dyke Show. The extras fill you in on what the others have done but really as they were either famous before the series or after you pretty much know what they had been up to. I was surprised that the series reminded me so mush of the Dick Van Dyke Show as I watched the first episode. Then I noticed the names behind the scene. It was created by Bill Persky and Sam Denoff who were writers on the Dick Van Dyke Show and the executive producers were Carl Reiner and Sheldon Leonard who created and produced the Dick Van Dyke Show.
The series was innovative with its opening sequence using real photographs and sort of pastels to tell how the earl morning DJ starts the day. The whole series was very funny but the funniest in my opinion was when Sandy misunderstood Larry and she asked him to marry her. Surprised Larry said yes when he meant no. The rest of the episode was Larry trying to get out of it by telling her that he only a few months to live so he can’t get married. Everyone thinks he is dying so to get out of it he says that a cure was recently found and he is taking it. Sandy tells Mrs. Lewis that she figured out it was really that Larry didn’t want to get married but “I’ve got a good thing going on up there.”
In an extra that is an interview with Ronnie Schell we find the answer to something that I have always wondered. Why did he leave “Gomer Pyle USMC”? He played Duke on the show and it was a top ten hit. He left because he was to be one of the stars of this show and since it was created by those who did the Dick Van Dyke Show he thought it might be a big hit. The show flopped because it was on against the Tuesday Night Movie of the Week. Its ratings never put it in the top so the show was canceled and he was able to get his job back on Gomer Pyle and got more money when he came back. This is a very funny series and if I can find where you can buy it on line I will put a link to it on this site

Happy Anniversary Sgt. Peppers

This weekend is the 40th anniversary of the release of the Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album by the Beatles. At the time it was revolutionary in its musical scope. Everything before it seems tinny and rushed. The production of the music seems fuller and each note carefully thought out. However, as time went on we seem to have lost sight of how much influence it had at that time. It overshadowed albums that came before it and ones that had been recently released like the Monkees Headquarters. I point out the Monkees album as it was the first that was completely under the group’s control. It was to shatter the myth that they couldn’t play their own music. As well produced as the album was a few weeks later Sgt. Peppers was released and no one cared about the musical talents of the Monkees. The Beach Boys were working on the one album, Smile, which could have rivaled Sgt. Peppers in influence if it had been completed back then. Instead they released what they had as Smiley Smile. Years later in the 21st Century Brian Wilson would complete Smile on his own. The Bee Gees were even working on a concept album and Sgt. Peppers put a stop to that album in pre-production.
Since then every group has tried to emulate the production style Sgt. Peppers. To this day when a group completes a huge undertaking they announce it as the best album since Sgt. Peppers. Its influence is felt to this day as kids still buy it and enjoy the music of all the Beatles albums. No matter what your favorite Beatles album is you have to say that they set the bar high with Sgt. Peppers.
These days many performers who set the bar high for their art are now considered just ordinary performers. That has never happened to the Beatles and I hope this posting helps to keep it from happening to their Sgt. Peppers album. Music lovers keep the album in high demand and it keeps getting special releases. Perhaps one day a band will release an album/cd that will overshadow Sgt. Peppers. However, I don’t think that will happen for a long, long time.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band...the movie

I was planning on talking about this movie earlier but put it off. Seeing this post at Booksteve's Library reminded me that I had not yet written about it. I saw this movie when it first came out years ago in the late 1970's and hated it. For some reason I was thinking about it recently and saw it was available at my local library. I checked it out and watched it to see if it was as bad as I remembered. Now this was not a musical in the traditional sense. It was a rock opera where most of the story is told by the songs. Music videos had not been invented (or should I say discovered?) yet so music lovers had to get to see their favorite bands either in concert, on TV shows or in movies.

The movie starred my now neighbor across the river Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees. When the acts were signed it was to showcase Peter Frampton as he recently had the best selling live album of all time. By the time the movie came out his star was falling and the Bee Gees had reached their height of fame. So most were going to see and hear the Bee Gees. Others in the film are Frankie Howard, Sandy Farina (she has a beautiful voice as she sings "Here Comes the Sun"), Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Earth, Wind and Fire, Paul Nicholas (known for his hit song "Heaven on the 7th Floor), Billy Preston, Steve Martin and George Burns.

Now at the time Steve Martin was considered a Rock and Roll comic so I understand why he was in it and by playing Dr. Maxwell Edison it probably gave him insight on how to play the dentist in the movie Little Shop of Horrors. But I always wondered why George Burns was in it. At the time he was being offered many movie roles due to winning the Oscar for the Sunshine Boys so I guess this movie could come up with the amount of money that he asked for. Another possible reason is that George Burns was a frustrated musician. The story that I have heard is that Mr. Burns started out as a singer. One night he was sick and not able to sing at the theater where he was booked. The theater owner threatened him with a lawsuit so he sang for the audience. Since then he ruined his voice and was not able to sing very well after that so he turned to comedy. Of course Mr. Burns did enjoy a late career in music and I am sure that he loved that he got to sing "I'm Fixing A Hole" in the film.

George Burns played Mr. Kite the Mayor of Heartland and as the narrator he holds the film together with the only spoken part in the movie. Sgt. Pepper and his Lonely Hearts Club Band are war heroes for helping to end the world war with their music. When Sgt. Pepper dies he leaves his band to be reformed by his grandson Billy Shears (Peter Frampton) much to the chagrin of Billy's brother Dougie. When he is older Billy does reform the band with his friends the three Henderson Brothers Mark, David and Bob (the Bee Gees). Dougie is made the bands manager. Sandy Farina plays Billy's girlfriend named...Strawberry Fields.

The film starts with the band making it big and B.D., played by Donald Pleasence, of Big Deal Records offers them a contract. I thought that this might be better then I remembered as it seemed to be a movie about four small town boys who hit it big and get use to their new success. However, it quickly falls as while they are gone Mean Mr. Mustard played by Frankie Howard comes in and steals the original band instrumnts as they are magical and as long as they remain together in Heartland peace will rein over the world. He divides them up and Strawberry Fields leaves town to get Billy and the Hendersons to find them and win back the town. During the final battle it seems like it will have a sad ending as the good guys win but at a terrible price with the death of Strawberry Fields. Suddenly by magic the weather vane of Sgt. Peppers comes to life in the form of, the only person in the movie who had anything to do with the song he sings, Billy Preston. Billy sings "Get Back", he played on the song with the Beatles, and magically brings Strawberry back to life.

This is the only Rock Opera I have ever seen. While it was not as bad as I remembered it still was not that good. One day I hope to see the one that The Who made as I have heard they are the best.

One thing struck me as I saw this movie. Barry Gibb looked great on the screen. He didn't say anything so I don't know how well he can act. If he can he could have had a great career in the movies. Then again maybe not. With the exceptions of Ringo, Phil Collins and Roger Daltry most rock stars don't do to well as actors.

When it came out much was said about the sountrack. George Martin was hired as the musical director and he said he stayed true to the songs. However, my friend Jeff was livid at what they did with the song "Got to Get You Into My Life" when it was preformed by Earth, Wind and Fire. It was turned into a dance tune. Someone must have liked it as it was a hit on the Billboard charts as was Aerosmith's version of "Come Together."

The ending was fun as it tried to emulate the cover of the Beatles album. It have every pop culture figure from the 1970's, from Peter Allen and Keith Carradine to Wolfman Jack and Gary Wright, in a group shot singing the repraise.

If you have never seen this then you should get the DVD to see this time capsule of 1970's pop culture. Just don't expect it to be like Tommy.

Star Wars Memories

Well until a few days ago it escaped my attention that this month was the 30th anniversary of the first Star Wars. Now many refer to it as A New Hope. However, until the first prequel everyone refered to it as Star Wars. I have always been a science fiction fan and Star Trek is my all time favorite. These days good science fiction is everywhere but in the 1970's the best sci-fi was from the 1960s Star Trek and even it was starting to look dated. Then came George Lucas and Star Wars.

I remember seeing the TV commercials for it but they weren't aired that much and it didn't seem to be showing in any theatre near me. A few weeks later my cousin Steve called. He had seen in at a theater too far for me to travel but saw that it was playing now closer to my home as it had opened in wider release. They had not expected this little science fiction film to do well but it did so they released it to more theaters. He wanted to see it again and asked me to go with him. Neither of us had our license to drive so he took the bus to my house and we walked almost a mile to the theater. Along the way he took a picture of me as a memory of that day. We got there and it was being treated as a bigger event then any movie I had seen at that time. I had never been to a movie where they gave away anything then and they were giving away a booklet with photos from the movie. Once inside as the movie began my bounderies of my imagination were streached as I saw the best science fiction movie I have ever seen. THanks to Star Wars the Star Trek franchise was given new life. Star Trek fans had been wanting a big budget movie version for years but Hollywood didn't think there was any money to be made from it. Syndication had encreased its fan base and with Star Wars a hit it wasn't long before the Star Trek franchise was given the green light for a movie. But back to Star Wars.

A few months later I was old enough to drive and took a part time job at that very theater as an usher. I was there to see one of the first people ever to dress as Darth Vader for Halloween. He just came in on a slow night and shook hands and waved to the people there and left. We never did know who it was who showed up that night. In May of the following year we celebrated the 1 year anniversay of Star Wars at that theater.
When I worked there they allowed us to take our breaks and go into the movies to watch them for a bit. It seemed that no matter when I took my break I would always see the scene with Luke and the gang about to be crushed with the garbage. No matter how hard I tried to time it to see another scene it was always the garbage scene. I almost got tired of seeing it. Eventually I did see other scenes on my breaks. Most of the time when I saw the film it was with someone who had already seen the movie. However, there was one time when I introduced someone to the movie for the first time. I took my friend Linda to a school dance. Half way through the dance we were bored and decided to leave. During our conversation on the way tomy car I found out that she had never seen Star Wars. So that is where I took her for the rest of the night. It was also the first of thankfully few times I was pulled over by the police. On the way to the movie he said I went through a red light. I truthfully told him I thought it was green and when he asked Linda what color she thought it was she said was looking for a tape to put in the 8-track (remember them?) player. I guess he didn't get a good look at the light so he let us go. Anyway I saw the film about 7 or 8 times. 7 times with seeing it with friends and dates and if you add up all the scenes I saw on my breaks you can add on an additional time to make it 8.

So this month is its 30th anniversary and as Bob Hope would say to George Lucas "Thanks for the memories."

Happy Anniversary Star Wars.

The Fall Guy Complete First Season on DVD

The complete first season of the Fall Guy with Lee Majors and company will be release on June 5th. So order now to see Colt Seavers stop the bad guys. Click Here to buy the Fall Guy the complete first season. I have loved Lee Majors in almost everything. This was a high concept series with Lee as stuntman Colt Seavers who makes a part-time living as a bounty hunter. Jo Ann Pflug and Markie Post are the court officers who hire him to track the crooks who jump their bail. Not much more needs to be said about the series but if you like 80's action then this is the series for you. If anyone wants to send me a copy of this for me to review this DVD set I will.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Scandal series

The60sshop@aol.com has been waiting a bit longer to resend their series on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But they will be sending it soon. So if you want to see why your favorite preformers have not made it into the rock and roll hall of fame. Then send an e-mail to The60sshop@aol.com and subscribe to their newsletter. The series talks about the Hall of Fame scandal on how the votes are counted.

Graduation Day

Today is the last day of school this year for many students. Also, for some this is graduation day for many meaning that it may be their last day of school...forever! On this day I would like to share with you a poem that I wrote about my high school graduation.

It's a sad thing

A sad thing

To be leaving home after oh so long

But it's a good thing

A good thing

To find a brand new life where you belong

Look at all your friends as you pass them by

They all feel the same as you do

They are all just standing in line

Cause they're going through it too

Just sit and look back

and look back

and think of all the good times that you've had

and when you look back

and look back

remember even the bad times weren't so bad

but it's a sad thing

a sad thing

to be leaving home after oh so long

but it's a good thing

a good thing

to find a brand new life where you belong.

Good luck graduates and I hope all your hopes and dreams come true.

Stan Lee Is A Very Busy Man

Wow! First He conquered the world of comics. Then he conquered the movies. Now it seems he is trying for the world of politics. Here is what has happened when Stan Lee tried for the office of Kentucky Attorney General.

Today, the Herald-Leader endorsed Tim Coleman (R) over State Rep. Stan Lee (R) (and two other candidates) to be the Republican Party's nominee for attorney general.

Ok it's not the same Stan Lee but it did catch my attention.