Tower of Power

A friend bought some tickets to see Tower of Power at one of my favorite venues for Friday night’s show. I had no idea what I was in for. The band is now fronted by the charismatic, entertaining “Memphis Soul Man” Marcus Scott and the rhythm and horn sections were superb. This show blew me away. It also didn't hurt that we were in the second row.

My parents always relinquished control of the car radio to their kids.
I knew all of the latest pop songs from the car. I’ll often hear a tune and immediately think “car radio song”. So Very Hard to Go is my quintessential car radio song. How can I not throw in What Is Hip?

Very interesting interviews with Emilio Castillo and David Garibaldi



Have a listen to Stop by Howard Tate, one of the songs mentioned in Castillo's interview (above) that inspired the Tower of Power sound.

Joy to the World

This is my Christmas present this year. Screw aluminum.

Santa smokes?

He comes down the chimney and IS a chimney. Happy Christmas!

Three Dog Night

Earth is the insane asylum of the universe. Yet the show must go on.

Check them out early in their career on the Hy Lit tv show. This syndicated program from Philly aired from 1965-71. You go, white boy.

• Easy to Be Hard    • Liar    • Eli's Coming     • Shambala
• Mama Told Me Not to Come     • One     • Black and White
• Family of Man     • Joy to the World     • Celebrate

leaf me alone

Billy Fury performs Nothin' Shakin' on Ready Steady Go!.

Happy Thanksgiving

Most importantly, give thanks. Then eat, eat and eat some more. Just
do it 'til ya satisfied. Have that 5th slice of pie in your sweatpants.

Sookie Sookie

Let it hang out baby. On Playboy After Dark, circa 1968. LOL.

Flowers on the Wall

The Statler Brothers perform for all you country bumpkins.

Candy Man

Every Halloween I'm reminded of all the candy that I only had at this time of the year – Razzles, Good and Plenty, Milk Duds, Pom Poms, Bit-O-Honey and especially Baby Ruth bars (rich in dextrose!).

I can't wait to decorate my Christmas table this year with Baby Ruths.

• Roy Orbison sings Candy Man, circa 1965.
• The Buckinghams perform Candy Man on a local Chicago talent program in 1965. I think the go-go girls are trying to fly away.

Sweet Jesus

Listen to what Lawrence Welk described as a "modern spiritual."

Splendor in the Grass

Here's a good ole classic for a rainy day if you've never seen it.

Barcelona, Spain

If you dig architecture (Antoni Gaudi), art (Picasso, Miro, Dali), a blow-out of a festival and delectable food (tapas, pinchos), then go
to Barcelona before you die. Did I mention sangria and mojitos?

During the third weekend in September is La Merce, a festival that began in 1902 – musical acts, performances and lots of drumming (check this out). When was the last time you went to a fun parade?
For me it was never, until I saw The Parade of Giants.

The people of Spain can really throw a party. Arriba! Andale!



The swell drumming in the above movie is from this video.

Saturday morning dose of The Beatles

Here's some footage from The Washington Coliseum in 1964.

don't point

I cannot stop laughing at the hilarious paintings of these fools.

feeling nostalgic

Sheila E, Prince, and Sheena Easton with Prince take me back.

Honey Lantree

Honey wails on the skins in 1965's Pop Gear, a.k.a. Go Go Mania.

• Tobacco Road, Nashville Teens • Big Energy, Sounds Incorporated

Larry Graham and Dave Koz

I like to keep my posts short and sweet, but I need to gush for this one. I received a last-minute invite to see a legend perform at the cozy and wonderful Cabot Theater last night. It ended up being one of the best shows I've ever seen. The energy and talent were overwhelming and the audience participation was a blast. They had everyone singing, groovin', and clapping double-time at one point. Larry Graham, funk pioneer, was one of the original members of Sly and the Family Stone and invented the bass-slapping technique. He also collaborated extensively with Prince. Their renditions of Sly's and Prince's songs were perfection with Koz as the horn section with his sax. Prince was looking down for sure.

• Graham playing bass with Sly and the Family Stone

• Dave Koz with Postmodern Jukebox

Saturday morning dose of kitsch

I love this alien. The man with the alligator head, not so much.
Looking forward to seeing this exhibit at the PEM in Salem, MA.

Nashville Cats

The Lovin' Spoonful pay tribute to the Nashville Cats in 1966.

Saturday morning dose of 1968

The Equals perform Baby Come Back on Top of the Pops in 1968.

Leonard Cohen

I was recently telling my friend Suzanne about this beautiful song.

here piggy wiggy

Just when everything is groovy, your pig goes missing. Damn it.

Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)

Who better to have backing you up than The Edwin Hawkins Singers. They sing live with Melanie on a Dutch tv program in 1970. Wowza!

Happy 4th of July

Let freedom ring! And I'll take mustard on my hot dog please.

Saturday morning dose of Shindig!

Gladys Kravitz

We've all encountered those pesky gossips. What's up with them?

hey space cadet

Planning a trip on Virgin Galactic? Get a new do for the occasion.

Elvis Costello

In an era when my friends and peers were swooning to Journey and REO Speedwagon, I thankfully had Elvis (the second one). Explore:

• Pump It Up
• Oliver's Army
• The Beat
• Radio, Radio
• (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
• Watching the Detectives
• Accidents Will Happen
• Green Shirt
• Alison live
• This Year's Girl

Shebang tv show

Here's a complete episode of Shebang from 1967 featuring Motown. Shebang was an LA-based dance show that aired from 1965-1968.

For me, Kasem will always be the voice of Shaggy. Punch it!

that's a spicy meatball

An early birthday present is taking me to see Mamma Mia! at Boston's Opera House tonight. Listening to the radio in the 1970s, Abba was all over the place. I cannot stop thinking of this commercial from 1969.

De La Soul

If you dig 1980s and early 90s hip hop, then you probably already know these guys. If not, sharing is caring...



• Say No Go
• Me, Myself and I
• The Magic Number
• Buddy
• Eye Know

Eclectic sampling at its best:

• Five Feet High and Rising, Johnny Cash (1959)
• You Showed Me, The Turtles (1968)
• Peg, Steely Dan (1977)
• Schoolhouse Rock (1973)
• I Can't Go for That, Hall and Oates (1981)

so long

A rock and roll pioneer and trailblazer has passed. A huge thanks to Chuck Berry. The clips below are from a 1965 Belgian television show.

• Maybellene
• Roll Over Beethoven
• Memphis
• No Particular Place to Go
• Promised Land/Johnny B. Goode medley

Good, Good Lovin'

I'll be seeing the tremendous Darlene Love tonight in Boston and I'm sure she'll be getting some good, good lovin' from the audience. In the video above, The Blossoms perform on the very last episode of Shindig! in January 1966. Groove along with them on Shindig!:

• Dancing in the Street
• Needle in a Haystack
• I Like It Like That
• Night Time is the Right Time with The Righteous Brothers
• Backing up Aretha Franklin

UPDATE: I was once again blown away. Gotta love Love!

Shirley Ellis

1965 was an energetic year. It was a good one for Shirley too.

Saturday morning dose of the 70s

Time to put on my "Get on Down!" t-shirt. Yeah, baby.

To love or to hate?

Here's a guide. 1971: The Persuaders  1984: The Pretenders