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Post by pippsheadache on Feb 29, 2024 20:19:49 GMT -5
My parents were generally very tolerant about the music I was blaring from my room. I think they found it more amusing than annoying. One of the few times they ever knocked on the door to question what in the world I was listening to was with James Brown. I specifically remember old stuff of his like "Shout and Shimmy" and "Lost Someone" crossing their line. This was way back in 1962, so this sound was not in general circulation. Another one they hated was "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen. My dad was actually very good re most of the music I liked & played back then. He liked most of The Beatles stuff, and encouraged my guitar/drum playing...bought me my first Kay electric. Novelty songs like "Surfin' Bird", "Alley Oop", "Monster Mash", "Purple People Eater" & "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" would get on anyone's nerves. I had a Kay early on myself, although it was an acoustic. They were good starter guitars. Also had a Kent way back if you remember that name. First electric was a Japanese Strat knockoff called a Kingston. It looked like a Fender but it sure didn't play like one. A fretboard like stucco siding. It was good for building up your calluses. If you could make a first-fret augmented chord ring out on that thing, a real guitar was a cinch. Although it did have that cool Bigsby Vibrato Bar, which I guess became more commonly known as a Whammy Bar. I got a Guild Starfire after paying my dues with the Kingston and it felt like silk. Hey, I like "Monster Mash" and "Alley Oop." I saw Bobby "Boris" Pickett perform at the Greek Theater in LA in one of those annual K-RTH 101 oldies extravaganzas. He brought the house down. Just hilarious with the goofy dance he did to the song and making Karloff faces. I too hate "Itsy-Bitsy" etc. And you know what? So does the guy who recorded it, Brian Hyland. I used to have an oldies show in Santa Fe in the mid to late 80s and one time I managed to get him as an in-studio guest for an hour. He said he was just a junior in high school (in Queens) when he recorded that, and that the record company wanted to groom him as a teen idol type. But he had some genuine talent, although his chart success was spotty. Some middling hits like "Sealed With A Kiss" and "The Joker Went Wild" and "Run Run Look And See" and a cover of The Impressions' "Gypsy Woman." He did a lot of really good MOR songs that never got above the lower rungs of the Hot 100 -- mostly forgotten things like "Get The Message" and "Stay And Love Me All Summer" and "Holiday For Clowns." He was a really nice guy. Soft-spoken, down-to-earth. And if you asked my wife, really good-looking. At least in 1987. I suspect she was ready to ditch me and take off with him, but he left town soon enough. So she's still stuck with me, almost to 45 years now. |
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Post by azbob643 on Feb 29, 2024 20:30:11 GMT -5
I had a Kay early on myself, although it was an acoustic. They were good starter guitars. Also had a Kent way back if you remember that name. First electric was a Japanese Strat knockoff called a Kingston. It looked like a Fender but it sure didn't play like one. I still have a "Squire" Chinese Strat knockoff...and a "Seagull'...a really poor man's Martin...  |
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Post by azbob643 on Feb 29, 2024 20:32:51 GMT -5
I too hate "Itsy-Bitsy" etc. And you know what? So does the guy who recorded it, Brian Hyland. I used to have an oldies show in Santa Fe in the mid to late 80s and one time I managed to get him as an in-studio guest for an hour. He said he was just a junior in high school (in Queens) when he recorded that, and that the record company wanted to groom him as a teen idol type. But he had some genuine talent, although his chart success was spotty. Some middling hits like "Sealed With A Kiss" and "The Joker Went Wild" and "Run Run Look And See" and a cover of The Impressions' "Gypsy Woman." He did a lot of really good MOR songs that never got above the lower rungs of the Hot 100 -- mostly forgotten things like "Get The Message" and "Stay And Love Me All Summer" and "Holiday For Clowns." He was a really nice guy. Soft-spoken, down-to-earth. And if you asked my wife, really good-looking. At least in 1987. I suspect she was ready to ditch me and take off with him, but he left town soon enough. So she's still stuck with me, almost to 45 years now. I remember "Sealed With A Kiss" very well. In fact, it was one of the 1st songs that really grabbed me... |
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Post by pippsheadache on Feb 29, 2024 20:37:42 GMT -5
I had a Kay early on myself, although it was an acoustic. They were good starter guitars. Also had a Kent way back if you remember that name. First electric was a Japanese Strat knockoff called a Kingston. It looked like a Fender but it sure didn't play like one. I still have a "Squire" Mexican Strat knockoff...and a "Seagull'...a really poor man's Martin... Very cool. And right by the Yankee display. Well done. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Feb 29, 2024 20:41:32 GMT -5
I too hate "Itsy-Bitsy" etc. And you know what? So does the guy who recorded it, Brian Hyland. I used to have an oldies show in Santa Fe in the mid to late 80s and one time I managed to get him as an in-studio guest for an hour. He said he was just a junior in high school (in Queens) when he recorded that, and that the record company wanted to groom him as a teen idol type. But he had some genuine talent, although his chart success was spotty. Some middling hits like "Sealed With A Kiss" and "The Joker Went Wild" and "Run Run Look And See" and a cover of The Impressions' "Gypsy Woman." He did a lot of really good MOR songs that never got above the lower rungs of the Hot 100 -- mostly forgotten things like "Get The Message" and "Stay And Love Me All Summer" and "Holiday For Clowns." He was a really nice guy. Soft-spoken, down-to-earth. And if you asked my wife, really good-looking. At least in 1987. I suspect she was ready to ditch me and take off with him, but he left town soon enough. So she's still stuck with me, almost to 45 years now. I remember "Sealed With A Kiss" very well. In fact, it was one of the 1st songs that really grabbed me... It was later covered by Gary Lewis and sounded pretty similar. They both used the same producer, Snuff Garrett, and the same arranger, Leon Russell. Like Glen Campbell and others like Larry Knechtel (later of Bread) and other Wrecking Crew types, Leon Russell left his mark on hundreds of rock/pop songs. |
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Post by inger on Feb 29, 2024 20:46:18 GMT -5
I too hate "Itsy-Bitsy" etc. And you know what? So does the guy who recorded it, Brian Hyland. I used to have an oldies show in Santa Fe in the mid to late 80s and one time I managed to get him as an in-studio guest for an hour. He said he was just a junior in high school (in Queens) when he recorded that, and that the record company wanted to groom him as a teen idol type. But he had some genuine talent, although his chart success was spotty. Some middling hits like "Sealed With A Kiss" and "The Joker Went Wild" and "Run Run Look And See" and a cover of The Impressions' "Gypsy Woman." He did a lot of really good MOR songs that never got above the lower rungs of the Hot 100 -- mostly forgotten things like "Get The Message" and "Stay And Love Me All Summer" and "Holiday For Clowns." He was a really nice guy. Soft-spoken, down-to-earth. And if you asked my wife, really good-looking. At least in 1987. I suspect she was ready to ditch me and take off with him, but he left town soon enough. So she's still stuck with me, almost to 45 years now. I remember "Sealed With A Kiss" very well. In fact, it was one of the 1st songs that really grabbed me... Bobby Vinton’s remake. Was that in ‘63. First time I heard “Sealed With A Kiss”. It was a disappointing moment for me because it was obvious he had stolen that song from me while changing the words around. My recording of “Kissed By A Seal” somehow got ignored by the radio DJ’s…my brush with fame… |
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Post by azbob643 on Feb 29, 2024 20:52:07 GMT -5
I remember "Sealed With A Kiss" very well. In fact, it was one of the 1st songs that really grabbed me... It was later covered by Gary Lewis and sounded pretty similar. They both used the same producer, Snuff Garrett, and the same arranger, Leon Russell. Like Glen Campbell and others like Larry Knechtel (later of Bread) and other Wrecking Crew types, Leon Russell left his mark on hundreds of rock/pop songs. MIM (Musical Instruments Museum) here in Scottsdale...Tommy Tedesco's (Wrecking Crew) Telecaster...  |
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Post by azbob643 on Feb 29, 2024 20:55:21 GMT -5
My recording of “Kissed By A Seal” somehow got ignored by the radio DJ’s…my brush with fame… You sure it wasn't confused with Seal's "Kissed From A Rose"??? |
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Post by pippsheadache on Feb 29, 2024 21:00:18 GMT -5
You sure it wasn't confused with Seal's "Kissed From A Rose"??? I thought Smacksy the Sugar Smacks Seal did that one. Maybe it was Seals and Crofts. Or was it Bobby Seale and Marty Croft? It's so confusing. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Feb 29, 2024 21:05:00 GMT -5
It was later covered by Gary Lewis and sounded pretty similar. They both used the same producer, Snuff Garrett, and the same arranger, Leon Russell. Like Glen Campbell and others like Larry Knechtel (later of Bread) and other Wrecking Crew types, Leon Russell left his mark on hundreds of rock/pop songs. MIM (Musical Instruments Museum) here in Scottsdale...Tommy Tedesco's (Wrecking Crew) Telecaster... Sweet. What a great guitarist. You obviously did something right to wind up in Scottsdale. I love that town. We were there last year and it was the first time we went to that Western Museum, which is quite interesting. Plus you have an In'N'Out. Nice going!! |
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Post by azbob643 on Feb 29, 2024 21:08:46 GMT -5
You sure it wasn't confused with Seal's "Kissed From A Rose"??? I thought Smacksy the Sugar Smacks Seal did that one. Maybe it was Seals and Crofts. Or was it Bobby Seale and Marty Croft? It's so confusing. As I'm sure you know...Jim Seals and England Dan were brothers. Or have I got that confused? |
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Post by azbob643 on Feb 29, 2024 21:15:28 GMT -5
Sweet. What a great guitarist. You obviously did something right to wind up in Scottsdale. I love that town. We were there last year and it was the first time we went to that Western Museum, which is quite interesting. Plus you have an In'N'Out. Nice going!! I don't live in Scottsdale...I live in the "West Valley". And you shouldn't get the wrong idea when I told you the last place I lived in SoCal was Anaheim Hills. The houses at the bottom of the "Anaheim Hills" development between the "91" and Santa Ana Canyon Road were very modestly priced. I paid $40K in '74. |
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Post by inger on Feb 29, 2024 21:15:32 GMT -5
You picked a fine time to leave me, you seal…
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Post by inger on Feb 29, 2024 21:17:24 GMT -5
I don't live in Scottsdale...I live in the "West Valley". And you shouldn't get the wrong idea when I told you the last place I lived in SoCal was Anaheim Hills. The houses at the bottom of "Anaheim Hills" development between the "91" and Santa Ana Canyon Road were very modestly priced. I paid $40K in '74. I also bought a home in 1974. Only paid $22,000. You’re wealthy by comparison… |
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Post by inger on Feb 29, 2024 21:18:34 GMT -5
I don't live in Scottsdale...I live in the "West Valley". And you shouldn't get the wrong idea when I told you the last place I lived in SoCal was Anaheim Hills. The houses at the bottom of "Anaheim Hills" development between the "91" and Santa Ana Canyon Road were very modestly priced. I paid $40K in '74. I also bought a home in 1974. Only paid $22,000. You’re wealthy by comparison… Correction: that was in ‘76. I was 22… |
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