The Monday Morning Mailbag for March 8th 2010
I had the Oscars on in the background while I worked on today’s Mailbag, and got interested enough to stop typing and watch. I broke a rule to never watch these damn awards shows (the Oscars because of Whoopie Goldberg) but what I saw was pretty okay. All the right stuff won, except I get the feeling The Hurt Locker did so well because it was ‘important’ and all serious and stuff, but the cool sidebar of Bigelow’s made off the Hollywood grid low budget film toppling ex husband James Cameron’s gazillion dollar circus was kinda cool as were Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. James Taylor sang a Beatles song and Neil Patrick Harris proved himself a classic song and dance man with an hilarious performance. Way too long as usual but hell, I needed the break… Let’s go mail divin’, there’s a lot of ground to cover today…
Responses to Last Week’s Monday Morning Mailbag
Glen Bringslid: Glad you got the “Bag Joke”, Rob. No, I didn’t
mean the mailbag, you brute! LOL!
SEG SAYS: I am not a brute…but enough with the ‘bag’ talk unless Poppa’s got a brand new one.
Denise Keirstead: Yummy ham!
SEG SAYS: Ham. It’s not just for Easter anymore…
Michaele Jordana Berman: Hehe “Just looking at me in that picture makes me not trust me…” That’s so funny…great blog!
SEG SAYS: Thanks, Michaele, and let me say again how absolutely wonderful your artwork is. (Pictured here: Michaele’s ‘Muskoka Canoe Trip After Tissot’)
Pete Kashur: Michaele, you look like Mother Theresa next to Barrio Bob.
SEG SAYS: I do look like a Latino Sgt. Bilko there, don’t I? I have ‘used car salesman’ written all over me. I love your artwork too, Peter. (Pictured here: Peter’s ‘Model on Leather’)
Mark John Vukovich: Hahaha…! Bob…Thanks for your blog…love everybody’s contributions. Yes…the Exotic Erotic has expanded to Vegas and believe it or not Sacramento..! Will wonders never cease…. There is a picture of me and George Carlin on my profile if you’re interested. You mentioned Lennon making Keith Richards look like a choir boy…I would like to hear any stories about that. Did Susan Berry at one time live in Lodi…I know of course that she lived across the street from you…but before that..? Vuke in Lodi
SEG SAYS: A relative of hers lived in Lodi and she used to take me up there sometimes. Not sure if she ever lived there, though. You and George will be in the Scrapbook on the last Friday of this month, which is the 26th. Hoping to get some more of you readers to send in some pictures you would like to share as well. Stories about Lennon? My favourite involves him and Harry Nilsson, which I think I’ve told in these pages before, but I can always tell it again…
Frank Gutch Jr: As always, I come out the fool. It was indeed The Searchers rather than the Swinging Blue Jeans. Like the primordial virus, my computer-like brain was led down a false path. Thanks for the correction. The Blue Jeans did have a minor hit with ‘Don’t Make Me Over’, though. Major on KGAL, Lebanon and KASH, Eugene— my stations of choice.
SEG SAYS: Still trying to dig up a copy of ‘Don’t Make Me Over’. Thanks for turning me on to its existence.
Toni: HAPPY! Gremlins gone…will go back and get caught up & comment. This is wonderful, love all the stories. Glad you liked the pics! Don’t know why but still can’t view the weekend round up. Strange. So I missed the pic of Kootch w/ cat. Keep up the good work it is appreciated. First time I ever saw nude dancers was in San Francisco @ North Beach, they very good, not trashy… I was young enough to be shocked.
SEG SAYS: Glad to hear your ‘puter problems have been solved, Toni. Interesting story, North Beach. Broadway, Kearney Street and the rest of the neighborhood 
had long been the turf of San Francisco’s Beatnik population. Larry Hankin ( a friend who was in The Committee at the time) and I watched Lenny Bruce fall out of his hotel room window on Kearney Street. North Beach Leather had a shop on Broadway, and famous Finnochio’s drag queen Cabaret was next door. The rest were coffee houses and poetry joints until many switched to teen nightclubs that featured 
bands like Jim DuVal and the Gauchos (pictured here on Shindig) and the Cascades (Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain) and even the Byrds, who did two weeks there honoring a contract they had signed before Mr. Tambourine Man went to number one. Around the corner from the Peppermint Tree, the club the bands I mentioned above played, was a place called the Condor. It became the first topless bar, not in the neighborhood, the first topless bar in the United States after some 
city blue noses tried to stop it and failed. One of the reasons for the Condor’s incredible success was a woman named Carol Doda (pictured here) who danced nightly on a piano that descended from the ceiling. As sad (but still funny if you think about it) as it was, something happened at the Condor one night years later that probably would have closed any other establishment, but not the Condor. To whit: “After closing one night in 
November, 1983, Condor dancer Theresa Hill and bouncer Jimmy Ferrozzo decided to “make love” atop the piano. When a hydraulic system that raised and lowered the piano for performances was accidentally activated, the couple became pinned to the ceiling. Ferrozzo was crushed to death while Hill lay trapped beneath him until the pair was discovered by a janitor several hours later.“ The Condor’s success  was quickly followed by Big Al’s and Roaring ‘20’s. The teen night clubs were replaced by topless, then bottomless bars in a matter of months, most of which are still there.
Jaimie Vernon: Just for edification of the masses, the Radio That Doesn’t Suck name was, officially, the brainchild of Lawrie (“Dr. Jinglesâ€) Ingles in a brainstorming session with myself and Todd Miller. I think we’d spent about two hours rifling 
through possible URLs that Todd could squat on for the internet station before Doc said “what about Radio That doesn‘t ’ Suck.com?†The rejected names we had come up with prior to this paled in comparison…and have since been lost in the sands of time. (Pictured here: Jaimie and Doc)
SEG SAYS: Thanks for the info, Jaimie. I didn’t like the name at first, but it has grown on me to the point of not being able to imagine a better one. YAY! Jingles.
Responses to Last Week’s Rock Files: Part 9…
Gary A. Schneider: Damn…this one is a “keeper”!!!! Great stuff on The Byrds among at least a dozen more groups!!! Reposting this one, Bob!!!
SEG SAYS: Make sure you listen to the KMPX/Tom Donahue/Grateful Dead show. Just click on the link and open it in Real Player…it is just unbelievable! The other streaming links are fascinating as well, but KMPX…awesome!
Gary A. Schneider: I don’t think I’ve ever heard this! I’ve got KMPX airchecks but not this one! This is amazing, Bob!! Thanks for posting!!! I’ve got to get a copy of this also!
Vuke: Classic..more Monkee’s..I want to know the Hendrix connecttion.
Michele Hartley: 8 tracks…I meant 8 tracks. lol. great read Bob, me too on the Hendrix Connection.
David Kenneth Collins: It was hard enough explaining Hendrix to my Mother. Gramma was pretty deaf.
SEG SAYS: If you read Friday’s column you know what the reaction was to Jimi on the Monkees tour. No one had to explain Hendrix to Grandma…she knew exactly what he represented…and that’s why she got kerflempt.
Michele: Wow!! Now that was a journalistic trip!! A great article Bob!! now for next week to hear…the rest of the story!! lol.
I loved the Monkees, my parents wouldn’t buy me an album, but I did get the hand puppet of each of them on a finger with a string to pull that said, this is more fun than a barrel full of monkeys. lol. oh my, my parents had no sense of who I was..I wanted MUSIC!! I spent alot of time at friends houses who had it all. : ) I found myself in a vehicle broken down in Ga a few years back, near a swap meet sort of thing with hours to kill and a barn filled with tables and tables of boxes of albums!! I thought I’d died and gone to heaven for sure!! I searched through each until I found all the albums I’d wanted as a child. I have that Monkee’s album now. : ) Just no working turntable to play it on. lol. I feels good to just have it…finally!!
I just recently bought a book on Jimi Hendrix! I’ll put it on on the coffee table my parents next visit. I’m ornery that way. My younger brother introduced me to Rock and wild guitar!! My parents kicked him out during high school for his hair and music. He took his music with him. They wouldn’t let me go…but I went anyway…in my own way. I lived in a world of music. Cassettes on a player my sister left behind when she left for college. I love music, and still live in it. No better place to be…its rhythm is like my heart beat and probably why it’s never on a steady beat, LOL. The lyrics, other places to be, stories to hear, a way to dream my way out of there. Can’t wait for next week!!
SEG SAYS: You only had to wait until Friday, Mic. I do what I can.
Vuke: Bob…Bring it on brother…I lost too many brain cells that summer of 1966 to remember everything…but you have this remarkable ability to bring it all back again. That summer my first foray to San Francisco thanks to the always adventuresome Kenny McCorstin, was to the Longshoreman’s Hall…they served Kool Aid there that had some LSD in it…I think that was due to the presence of some people there called “the Merry Prankster’sâ€â€¦it was on.
SEG SAYS: Yeah there was definitely acid in the punch. Owsley even passed out his latest creation by the handful at the Acid Tests. One of, if not the earliest Acid Test took place in Muir Beach, and they drew thousands of people. The ones at Long
shoreman’s were legendary. Remember the Trips Festival? May have been the one you attended. Big Brother played one too. If I’m not mistaken, the first one the Dead played was the last show under their old name, the Warlocks…but I could be wrong…
Don Lamont: I grew up in Miami during the 60’s & 70’s and lived and loved the music of the time.I actually attended the Doors infamous concert at Dinner Key auditorium.That being said,I actually liked the Monkees, bought the single I’m a Believer. Liked them more than the Grateful Dead, still do. Never got into the Dead , just didn’t move me. I remember reading an interview with Keith Richards in Rolling Stone and he told a joke that I have to agree with. †What did the Deadhead say when he ran out of pot? This band sucks†.But, hey…to each his own.
SEG SAYS: Funny joke from Keith. Thanks. Okay Don, you were there, sooo…did the Lizard King really whip out Little Lizard King on stage? Was anyone injured? Did women faint and men become threatened, or was it much ado about nothing? Morrison was going through his “I fucking hate being a rock star†phase and would soon bloat up and grow a beard to try and shake the image. It is tragic that he and others (are you listening Kurt?) took their moment of stardom so seriously and negatively and checked out way too soon.
=Ae=: Here’s an interesting clip about the Hendrix/Monkees thing from the flick ‘Daydream Believer’, featuring (now) our very own Tony “Wild T” Springer as Jimi.
Keith (Keef) Fraser: Tony’s amazing playing was never shown in that movie, maybe because he’s right handed.
The Monkees thing has been a long drawn out battle for years. What never seems to get mentioned is, Davy Jones was a star long before The Monkees TV show. He was on Coronation Street and then did a little thing called Oliver, playing the Artful Dodger, both in London and New York.
And the drug thing keeps on going, just look at Naomi Campbell. You’d be crazy too if you just found out you’ve been snorting Splenda
SEG SAYS: Not to put too fine a point on it, but Micky was also an experienced child actor and had a hit TV show in the ‘50’s. He played the title character and America loved him. For a few years he was everywhere, and The Monkees fit him like a glove. Watch for ‘Corky’ in this clip, and here he is selling a head of lettuce.
Jim Chisolm in Campbell River: Hey Bob, I love The Byrds. I was lucky to see them twice but in the early 70s when their career trajectory was sagging. Still they were always great (!!))As I’m reading this DBAWIS, 3WK radio is playing a Byrds song that I don’t remember off the top of my head. It’s called Hungry Planet and is at once rootsy but has an edge to it that I like. The time period you wrote about here is when I began playing guitar in earnest. I got an acoustic guitar for Christmas in 1965 and joined a wave of friends who started learning together. The following December I had a new used electric guitar that my parents bought for $20 CDN from a friend and gtr role model. It was my Chrismas present but it had to stay in the closet except when I was actively practicing…ony in my room…until The 25th. They were great and fun times.
Keep it up. Your detail is refreshing.
SEG SAYS: Songs are the snapshots of our lives. Music from your past will always trigger vivid memories of who, and where, you were. Powerful stuff, that.
Mic: You and I are connected by our deep lifeblood love for music.
SEG SAYS: And our respect and admiration for good bourbon, Lone Star, family, and friends…though not necessarily in that order.
Melanie Pickrell: Hey Bob…Did you know that the second paying job I ever had was being the president of Boyce and Hart’s fan club? My first paying job was dancing on a box with a traveling light show, “The Deadly Nightshow†For real I used to sit in an office at Screen Gems and call up fan club presidents through out the country and tell them of Boyce and Hart’s new releases. I lived with Peter Tork’s sister in San Francisco for a year. His real last name is Thorkelson, he now lives on the family estate back east. The family estate makes maple syrup. Not at liberty to say any more but I know family secrets.
SEG SAYS: I did not know that, but I do remember you being around when Boyce and I used to talk about songwriting. He gave me a lot of advice, but one thing he said stuck with me and still serves as something I think about when I write…in fact, it perfectly describes these columns as well as my music. Tommy said, “Write what you know.â€
Toni: It just keeps getting better, thanks Bob. My ring tone on my cell phone is Daydream Believer. Still listen to the Monkees in the car. When The Family Tree was at the studio with the Monkees, there was something about the Monkees drums…like you hid them or??? Can’t remember, do you? (too many beers ago)…Oh, I think it was the drumhead
.
SEG SAYS: It was the bass drum head with the Monkees logo on it. Kootch nicked it after a session at RCA when they left it in the studio we followed them into. I guess they had a bunch of them because Mickey never asked for it back. Kootch dragged it around for years and it finally disappeared from view in Eureka when we were the Wackers. I wonder where it is…
Responses to Last Week’s Weekend Roundup…
Drjingles iPhone: Loved it.
Especially all the images
The Hendrix headlines
All the Sergeant pepper stuff.
Excellent
Christine Nellman: Really enjoyed this reading today! Thanks Bob for sharing. And now you have motivated me to scan a couple old Yardbirds photos I took in Stockton at the Civic Auditorium. I am going to post them, but am trying to remember what year it was then? I still cherish keith Relf’s autograph from the back seat of the car that day! lol
JoAnne Tatone: Loved the entire work…Great read! Your daughter and grandson are beautiful and you are a very lucky man!
Christine Nellman: O.k. I found the Yardbirds picture. It was Nov of 1966! Mostly just shows Keith Relf. Were you guys playing at that concert too???
Carla Lockhart: I was at that show!!!
Christine Nellman: Of course you were there Carla!!!
SEG SAYS: Did you two ever miss a rock show back in the day? I think not.
Michele Hartley: You have a beautiful family Bob, congratulations to you all on your exciting win win win news!!
Daved: Bob, I, of course, broke out laughing at your Lady Gaga/Allman Bros tour concept…boggles the mind! As for your the “material they played? Almost all of it borrowed and altered to accommodate their style†thoughts about Led Zep…I have always found it fascinating that the earlier mentioned Jimi Hendrix perfectly exemplifies this same ability with his classic, “Hey Joeâ€. It continually amazes me how few artists, much less avid listener/fans, realize that this song was NOT written nor originally performed by He
ndrix…but had actually been a driving, up-tempo, powerhouse rock & roll standard in the earlier ’60’s (usually associated first with Love and/or the Byrds) and on the song list of virtually EVERY local garage band in town and a ‘required’ album filler cover on virtually every rock/pop album issued during those times. But, when Jimi came along, slowed it down, and got his ‘brand’ on it, it seems the song was reborn and all of its many previous lives were buried and forgotten. I once astounded Joe Satriani (who had no idea that the song had even existed before Hendrix or what a pulse-pounder the song had originally been), by playing for him MY all time favorite version of the song (by The Leaves).
SEG SAYS: Daved Kohls (pictured here adjusting
Greg Allman’s B3) is a dear friend and currently the stage manager for the Allman Brothers Band. If anyone could make it happen, it would be Daved. We are also in agreement on the coolest version of Hey Joe. The Leaves were who brought The Family Tree to the attention of Mira Records, and I was a huge fan of the band and their version of said song. First saw them when they took over the residency at Ciro’s on Sunset after the Byrds had a hit with Tambourine Man and quit the gig. Jim Pons, the bass player, went on to play with Mark and Howard in the Turtles and later, with Frank Zappa. Here’s their version of Hey Joe.
Pete Kashur: 1: Congrats to Tim, Amy, Marshall, Cheryl and of course you…2: Page had nothing to worry about, he wasn’t even the best guitar player in the yardbirds…..or the second best for that matter….I can’t speak for his bass playing tho’…3: Personally, I’m partial to Zappa’s take on Hey Joe…Hey punk, where you goin’ with that flower in your hand? 4: I’ll line up for tickets for the Lady Gaga does the Allman Brothers band tour…
SEG SAYS: I said the Allman Brothers would be opening up for her, Lady Ga Ga opening up for the Allman Brothers is a whole different ball of fur…and a bit disturbing if you think about it.
Toni: Thanks Again Bob, loved the Sgt. Pep. covers!
Michele: Congratulations Proud Daddy and Papa! To you all! You’re family is beautiful!
I can only hope all music is archived in heaven! it’s gonna take me an eternity to catch up! Reading your articles and listening to your A&R’s, wow, it’s mind boglin’ all that is out there I want! Thoroughly enjoyable read! Great pics as always! : )
Jim Chisolm in Campbell River: Hey Bob Congrats to you and Amy on the upcoming little child (“Baby take a chance with meâ€). The venue that you were referring to in Vancouver had to be The PNE aka Pacific National Exhibition. You’ve got Pie on the Brain LOL.
The version of Hey Joe that my circle of friends played was by Tim Rose.
SEG SAYS: Yep…it was the PNE. Pie’s on my mind because she’s in Mexico this week with her father, his girlfriend and her kids. The kitties and I are here, rattling around the apartment saying “Where’s Mommy?†I hope she’s having a great time, she deserves the break. Hey Joe has an interesting history, and you can read all about it here. And speaking of covers and bands that do them…
Ron Camilleri: I have seen and heard some really disappointing comments from some musicians about tribute bands and bands that play covers and I would like to respond to what they have said.
Consider my background:
-Over 15 years in Sales and Marketing for two major record labels Warner Music Canada and CBS/Sony Music Canada, specializing in demographic marketing and music niche with worldwide international marketing campaigns.
-Label head for Columbia Records traveling the world and working with major international recording stars, managers and producers including in studio recording sessions, live venue dinners and business meetings.
-Original music composer with over 100 songs and over 300 hours of original music on national prime time award winning television shows seen on three different national networks in Canada
-composer and performer of music for over a dozen commercials
- current band – Ronnie in the Jets – In two years have elevated to headlining a half dozen festivals (and counting) and sold out theater and corporate shows..
I’ll make a stretch and call my music knowledge with these people who do not appreciate or respect tribute performers and artists who play covers, as EVEN.
There is no original music artist today anywhere in the world who didn’t get there start by playing the music of those who came before them. It’s what made them into the artist they are. While at Columbia Records, Bruce Springsteen once told me he spent years playing classics in the bars. It’s what gave him his foundation to be an artist, a performer and a writer. Ever see Bruce play the Mitch Ryder Medley? Michael Jackson would be nothing if it weren’t for his idols and spending countless hours in front of a mirror practicing James Brown’s moves. And did you know that some of the biggest artists in the world used to do covers and tribute shows?
There isn’t an artist today who didn’t start out by emulating their heros.
Just ask George Olliver or any blues artist.
Or ask Sean Pinchin who will tell you that Chris Whitley is what made him what he is today…Sean’s songs are great and you can sure hear the influence of his idol in his music. Having had the opportunity to work directly with Chris Whitley in my career, i heard the influence in Sean’s playing, singing and writing right away. And Sean has developed into a first rate artist.
Tom Wilson and Lee Harvey Osmond are one of the hardest working original music bands I have ever seen. I’m sure Tom could name off dozens of influences of artist’s he’s played in his early years that helped make him the writer he is today.
Playing classic songs is what most definitely has shaped and allowed people like Tom Barlow to do his own original work. You can hear a ton of the classic influences in his work.
To say, as some do, that no new ground is being broken is a complete misunderstanding of what is developing in the artist. Every step onstage makes the artist become more complete…and choosing to perform the classics is the best way to improve skill, and complete your music knowledge so that you can go to the next step as an artist.
In my mind doing a tribute is no different than playing in a cover band or doing a classic albums live.
Watching Phil Naro belt out a classics live album is inspiring as a performer…or Homeless Band kick ass with Santana…it’s what develops them into complete artists. In fact, Homeless Band are well seasoned, structured music taught readers who can read and write music…very impressive. They write their own songs as well… if it weren’t for Santana or Janis Joplin, would they have developed into the artists they are today? Their original songs are well written and you can hear the influence of these classic artists.
Maybe some musicians and singers have never written an original song before…but ask any original writer how they do it… and they’ll tell you it’s a combination of something that’s “channeled” that you can’t explain, combined with the roots of musical expression and knowledge garnered over the years from listening and playing the music that develops you into a creative force.
As a boy you had to have played those guitar staples to learn your craft. It’s impossible to be that good without having understood those who came before you.
Whether it’s watching Sam smash out their Rush tribute, or Mike doing Neil Young in Powderfinger or Krista and Maxine doing their acoustic favourites. Michael White nailing Led Zeppelin, Brian Neale’s Jimmy Buffett, or Norma Jean’s AC/DC, Rob and Andre and the boys playing Pink Floyd in Floyd Factor…there is more going on that you think. Talent is talent. And it’s this talent that creates artistic impression …Krista and Maxine’s original music is so deeply rooted in their musical background of playing the acoustic classics…and I can hear Joplin in Krista’s voice.
Playing covers is what furthers your ability to understand classic hooks, time signatures and interesting things that allow you to take the step to create your own work.
While at Columbia I was able to watch the incredibly gifted Terrence Blanchard ( Spike Lee’s original music composer) and Wynton Marsalis… and had many dinners and conversations…it’s inspirational to hear them talk about those who came before 
them and how it shaped them as musicians In the early days “classics” were all they had. They will be the first to compliment what came before them and how it made them into “real” artists.
My band (Ronnie and the Jets pictured here) chooses to play Elton John, Supertramp, Lennon and McCartney and other classics…and I can honestly say if it wasn’t for any of these artists I wouldn’t have been able to go on to write my original music.. Having played these classic on a regular basis now for two years, I have written better original music than ever….it is playing this classic music that gives me the inspiration and most importantly the musical knowledge to be able to craft my own music.
Having experienced all sides of the industry and understanding all sides…I can honestly say that any band that makes music requires talent…and a lot of it.
And talent is talent. It comes in different shapes and forms.. We need to appreciate all of it and not just the talent that is in your own situation.
For those of us who go on to use this experience to create original music… congrats.
And to those who just want to continue to play and enjoy playing and just being a bar band…be the best that you can be.
Some go on to play large festivals and theater tours , or tour outside of the province or country…some elect to just stay local. It’s all good…it’s all creative…it’s all expression and it’s all entertaining. And that’s what people want…but don’t underestimate the talent there.
Having done all sides of the industry and appreciating what all sides have to offer…trust me….it’s all good.
Just because you opt to not do one or the other…don’t be critical of those who select to do it.
Remember, just because Celine Dion doesn’t write doesn’t mean she’s not a true artist…and the Canadian tenors are really just another cover band…but a damn good vocal experience. Kudos to them.
And another thing a good cover or tribute band will have every bit as much a playing ability as many original bands. Trust me on that one too. Many of these cover bands end up being the next big original artist. Jonathan Caine ( Journey) once told me he was discovered by his first real band (The Babys) in a Holiday Inn when he was playing in a small cover band.
99% of the writers would not be where they are today without an appreciation of playing the classics first.
The fact that there is a lot of money in tribute just tells me that there is a large market for the classic songs and classic artists out there.. Don’t criticize those that are good at it. But don’t let anyone tell you that what tribute bands do is not special , or groundbreaking, or important. And that it shouldn’t be supported?
That’s garbage.
Entertainment comes in various shapes and forms…and if it wasn’t for playing the classics there would be no Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, or even the Beatles…ever hear John Lennon in interviews tell you how he started?
and besides I’ll take Joe Cocker’s cover of ” A Little Help From My Friends” any day of the week…about Cocker’s version, John Lennon once said…â€That’s the way the song should have been done.†So don’t let anyone tell you aren’t ground breaking or important.
Music is all about expression.
So to all the festivals, bars, corporate events and theaters…support everybody and don’t discriminate…because in the end you are helping to develop all our talents no matter where we are or what we are doing. Go for it…
SEG SAYS: Ron brings up an interesting point. There would have been no Beatles without the Everly Brothers, Little Richard, or Chuck Berry, no Rolling Stones without Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, or Chuck Berry again, no Michael Buble without Frank Sinatra, and no Lady Ga Ga without Madonna and the Barnum and Bailey Ringling Brothers Circus.
Everybody comes from somewhere, and I can relate because I started out singing Elvis, Everly’s and then the Beatles, inspired by others and their music along the way, all of which led to my own original songs and style. Not only that, but it takes an enormous amount of talent to recreate the work of others, and creativity to make their music your own. There was a time when I looked askance at ‘copy’ bands and cover groups, but over the years I have learned that it is not easy to do that well and these people have talent. Thanks for the commentary, Ron.
The T.A.M.I Show…
SEG SAYS: I mentioned this on Facebook Saturday night and got these immediate responses. Check it out if it’s playing in your locality…it’s awesome both as music, and as an historical document. Here’s my original post: “T.A.M.I Show…is running on selected PBS stations all month. If you get KCTS, it’s on at midnight tonight. Sorry for the late notice, I just stumbled across the info a minute ago.Great ’60′s rock concert from Santa Monica California with everyone from the Beach Boys to James Brown. Watching Jagger try to dance after seeing Brown is hysterical…â€
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqp9mne9Nkg&feature=related
This link should take you to The Swinging Blue Jeans version of ‘Don’t Make Me Over,’ and several personnel changes over the years.
This blog is sure getting big, loads of people checking in! Thanks for the info on the drumhead, now I remember the story. I did also go into Finnochio’s; the club I saw the dancers @ was The Adam & Eve club, one of the songs was Feaver, never will forget that! Are you talking about the Warlocks from the Crystal??? Was I under a rock? Yes, the songs are snapshots, exactly… I think most of us hear a song & remember exactly what was going on at the time in our lives… crank it up/turn the station/laugh out loud, depending on the memory.
…i would suggest that ofttimes, a tribute act is more faithful to the orignal recorded version than the actual band is…..