(Above: Trust me, you have heard this man at work.) In many walks of life there are those that receive the credit, the adulation, and the recognition while a lot of the actual heavy lifting is done by others. Rock and roll is no exception. Yesterday I got word that bass player Joe Osborn passed … Continue reading Rest in peace, Joe Osborn: The Association, “Windy” (1967)
1967
Rest in peace, Geoff Emerick: The Beatles, “A Day In the Life” (1967)
(Above: Geoff Emerick with a well-known collaborator.) Geoff Emerick was a production genius. Anyone who spends any time in radio working as a production director has dreams of spinning the dials on a fantastic production. Emerick, who passed away yesterday at the age of 72, was at the controls for some of the most legendary … Continue reading Rest in peace, Geoff Emerick: The Beatles, “A Day In the Life” (1967)
Rest in peace, Aretha Franklin: “Respect” (1967)
After a variety of media reports of ill health that swirled this week, it can be confirmed that Aretha Franklin, known as "The Queen of Soul," passed away at her Detroit home this morning at the age of 76. There are far better writers than can do a far better job of telling her life … Continue reading Rest in peace, Aretha Franklin: “Respect” (1967)
Rest in peace, Dick Orkin: The Adventures of Chickenman (1967)
(Above: An LP I do not own, have been looking for for some time, and will have a harder time getting now.) Late Christmas night we got word from Lisa Orkin that her father, Dick Orkin, passed away at the age of 84. The name might not ring a bell for you unless you are … Continue reading Rest in peace, Dick Orkin: The Adventures of Chickenman (1967)
The Graduate at 50: Simon and Garfunkel, “The Sounds of Silence” (1965)
(Fun fact: that leg belongs to Linda Gray, or so she claims.) Every semester, in every class I teach, I save time on the last day for a lecture I call "So, What Didn't I Teach You?" It's an opportunity for students to question me about anything that they were expecting to cover in the … Continue reading The Graduate at 50: Simon and Garfunkel, “The Sounds of Silence” (1965)
Fifty years ago this week in Grand Rapids: The WERX 15+30 Survey (December 6, 1967)
(Above: A bit of this week's chart, typos and all.) The bulk of the research done for my dissertation had to do with looking at original copies of pop surveys from the 1960s. You see these for sale on eBay and at record shows quite often for big stations like WLS and WCFL. The ones … Continue reading Fifty years ago this week in Grand Rapids: The WERX 15+30 Survey (December 6, 1967)
50 years of magic: The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
(Above: An album cover that - I gotta admit - freaked me out a bit as a kid.) Fifty years ago this week The Beatles released the LP Magical Mystery Tour. The LP is an interesting mish-mash, in a sense: Side One is the soundtrack of the made-for-TV film of the same name, and Side … Continue reading 50 years of magic: The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
RIP George Young: The Easybeats, “Friday On My Mind” (1967)
(Above: The Easybeats, riding their bikes.) Got word this morning from Australia that George Young passed away at the age of 70. The Guardian wrote a full obit, which you can find here. In Australian pop music circles George is one of the most famous names there is, despite most Americans not being familiar with … Continue reading RIP George Young: The Easybeats, “Friday On My Mind” (1967)
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)
Car tunes: The Rolling Stones, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (1967)
(Above: My 1969 Chevrolet Impala, nicknamed "The Chariot of Death.") April 4, 1985 was a Thursday. The end of my junior year of high school was in sight. While many of my classmates were making plans for the junior prom, I had no such prospects. Instead, I made a rather questionable investment of about $700 … Continue reading Car tunes: The Rolling Stones, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (1967)
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