The death of Adam West on Saturday (June 10) at the age of 88 marked the end of an era for generations of TV fans. Sure, West was known for guest appearances in recent years on shows like Family Guy and The Simpsons, and did a lot of voiceover work, but was of course best … Continue reading How big was Batman, really? Neal Hefti and others (1966)
radio
Dark of moon on the 6th of June: C.W. McCall, “Convoy” (1975)
(Above: the sort of thing that might be in your grandparents' cupboard.) In the mid-1970s in America it was hard to escape the citizens band (CB) radio craze. A simple hobby allowing ordinary people to communicate back-and-forth with each other wirelessly (this was a pre-cellphone time, after all) became a national obsession almost overnight. T-shirts … Continue reading Dark of moon on the 6th of June: C.W. McCall, “Convoy” (1975)
It was fifty – and forty – years ago today: The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
(Above: Odds are good that I don't have to explain what this is.) Much has been written, and will be written yet, about the anniversary of the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. June 1 is the anniversary of the American release, as it was out in Britain for several days before that. … Continue reading It was fifty – and forty – years ago today: The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Greatest misses: ‘Til Tuesday, “Coming Up Close” (1987)
(Above: LP cover for Welcome Home, 1987) In the summer of 1985 I got to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for the first time. It was the Southern Accents tour, perhaps now more famous for the concert shirts featuring the Confederate flag on them as "Rebels" was the single the record company was pushing. … Continue reading Greatest misses: ‘Til Tuesday, “Coming Up Close” (1987)
A sixth-grader’s records: The Billboard Hot 100, May 17, 1980
(Above: The place where my radio career started, in a very loose sense of the word.) The big story in the middle of May 1980 was the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in Washington State. More than fifty people lost their lives in the blast, and it dominated the news cycle for several days. … Continue reading A sixth-grader’s records: The Billboard Hot 100, May 17, 1980
Happy birthday, Pet Sounds: The Beach Boys, “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” (1966)
(Above: Brian Wilson and a goat, from the album cover.) One day last semester during a lecture on the Sixties, I made an offhanded comment that 1966 may have been the greatest year ever in popular music. As I would hope that they would, students respectfully challenged me to defend my position. "Simple," I said. … Continue reading Happy birthday, Pet Sounds: The Beach Boys, “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” (1966)
Congratulations to John Records Landecker!
(Above: John Landecker on the air at WLS, circa 1977) (Edited: It was announced this morning - June 26 - that John was voted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. Again we credit Robert Feder with the story, including a very John quote: “My first thought was: ‘I wish my parents were alive … Continue reading Congratulations to John Records Landecker!
Great lost hit: Henry Lee Summer, “Hey Baby” (1989)
(Above: The CD single artwork.) The post earlier this week about my time at WJEQ/Macomb, Illinois talked about a lot of the "oh wow" music that the station played. Since I was only at the station for a few months, I don't have a lot of tape to go through. But over the next few … Continue reading Great lost hit: Henry Lee Summer, “Hey Baby” (1989)
The Spirit of Western Illinois: WJEQ, Macomb (May 1990)
(Above: The WJEQ Morning Mug from my collection.) Over the course of almost 30 years in radio I was associated with some outstanding radio stations - and some not-so-good ones. If you were to look over my resume and try to guess which ones were the great ones, you'd probably guess the major-market ones and … Continue reading The Spirit of Western Illinois: WJEQ, Macomb (May 1990)
May the Quatro be with you: Suzi Quatro and Chris Norman, “Stumblin’ In” (1979)
(Above: Suzi Quatro's debut album, 1978.) Early this morning I saw a take on the Star Wars "May the Fourth be with you" trope invoking Suzi Quatro. I shared the meme, got a laugh, and then hopped in the shower. Damned if this song didn't get sung in the shower as a result, so here … Continue reading May the Quatro be with you: Suzi Quatro and Chris Norman, “Stumblin’ In” (1979)
45 Ruminations Per Megabyte 