To me, this was THE SUMMIT…two of my very favorite artists collaborating together for an album and a tour…and one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen! Costello was always a fan of Burt Bacharach, covering his song “I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself” right from the beginning of his career. Their […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “As I Love My Own” by Aaron Freeman
He’s better known as Gene Ween of the brownest band around, Ween. After years of touring as a solo act while his buddy Mickey Melchiondo angles the ocean blue, he’s decided to release a solo album of, get this, songs by “poet” and songwriter Rod McKuen. McKuen was a big deal back in the 1960s, […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “The Windmills Of Your Mind” by Noel Harrison
He was perhaps best known for his acting role as Mark Slate in the TV series, “The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.,” but Noel Harrison had a fruitful recording career in the 1960s culminating in three long out-of-print albums for Reprise Records. This 1968 Academy Award winning song was composed by Michel Legrand (music) and Alan & […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Cowboy” by The Neon Philharmonic
There’s nothing like the kaleidoscopic sound of West Coast Pop Music from the late 1960s. Groups like The Neon Philharmonic could have only happened in a world nurtured by an artist-friendly record label like Warner Bros. and its sister label Reprise with label mates like Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks, Harpers Bizarre, the Association and […]
Today in Rock History – October 27
1964, 31-year old Salvatore Philip Bono married 18-year old Cherilyn Sarkisian La Piere. For a time they performed together as Caesar and Cleo before changing the name of their act to Sonny and Cher. Their union lasted twelve years. 1966, The Four Tops were at number one on the UK singles chart with “Reach Out […]
Today in Rock History – October 21
1965, Wanting to improve on a previous recording session The Beatles started from scratch on a new song called “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown,”) finishing recordings in three takes. They also begin working on a new John Lennon song “Nowhere Man.” 1965, The Kingsmen perform “Louie Louie” on the ABC television variety show Shindig! […]
Today in Rock History – October 17
1964, Manfred Mann started a two week run at number one on the US singles chart with “Do Wah Diddy Diddy.” It was also a chart topper in the UK. The song was first released by the US group The Exciters. 1967, A 10-date package tour of the UK played the last night at the […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Bond Street” by Enoch Light and the Light Brigade
Shagadelic indeed! Literally hundreds of records were released during the 1960s carrying the Enoch Light name. Light was born in Ohio and was a vice president of easy listening record label, Grand Award, before founding Command Records in 1959. Light’s stock in trade was state-of-the-art mood music records that took full advantage of the capabilities […]
Today in Rock History – October 11
1962, The Beatles made their first appearance on the UK singles chart with “Love Me Do,” which peaked at number four. 1964, The Who performed at Wolsey Hall, Cheshunt, England. 1967, The Doors appeared at Danbury High School, Danbury, Connecticut. Before the group came on stage, an announcer told the audience not to leave their […]
Song of the Day – “Watch What Happens” by Lena Horne & Gabor Szabo
Song of the Day by Eric Berman – “Watch What Happens” by Lena Horne & Gabor Szabo A funny thing happened when jazz vocalists like Lena Horne fell on the wrong side of the generation gap during the late 1960s. Suddenly, older classics like “Stormy Weather” and “Love Me or Leave Me” began to sound […]
