Saturday, January 21, 2006

Tunes on the CD player for Saturday 01/21/06


Released in 1980 with the original guys. I always liked this band.


One of the CDs that my son took to college with him. Not many better CDs in my collection.


The DVD Audio version in 5:1 surround sound. Sounds better today than it did 25 years ago when I first heard it.

Wilson "Wicked" Pickett RIP

What would the "oldies" format be without this guy? Classic story... a guy goes from nothing to big star...has trouble with what follows...rehabilitates himself...gets elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and then dies too young. He was 64. One of the best movies of all time "The Commitments" deals with a struggling Irish R&B band and their goal of playing for Wilson Pickett.
Everyone knows him for "Mustang Sally"(isn't it funny that we had a famous person named "Sally Ride"?) and "In The Midnight Hour", but I thought his best song was "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You"

Thursday, January 19, 2006

The Summer of 1980...



























was one hot muhfugga. I lived with Cliff Schultz (local record guy) in a house at 74th and Holmes in Kansas City. It was a very nice tudor home with four bedrooms. I had one bedroom and a bath off of it. Hey, I was 24 and it was all I needed at that time. I drove a 1969 VW with NO air conditioningIn the middle of July, Cliff and I removed all of his window unit air conditioners because the brand spanking new central unit was on its way...and then all hell (literally) broke loose. The next day, the mercury hit 98 and then after that, the daytime temperature was never below 100 for the next THREE weeks. "White Hot" by Red Rider was on the radio, along with "Against The Wind" by Bob Seger, "This Beat Goes On" by The Kings and "I Hear You Know" by Jon and Vangelis. I was unattached but became attached when a woman I had met at a remote broadcast asked me out for a drink while I was on the air. I normally didn't do that kind of thing (yeah, right)but I met her for a drink that night and (on her tab) we immediately moved into The Raphael hotel on the plaza. Here I was, bumpkin Bill, and here was this Jewish woman from Long Island in my life. Uh...let's just say, I had a great time and shortly thereafter, she broke it off with me. I still think of her a lot. She taught me a lot about a lot of things. Thanks for being a chapter in the book, Liz. 112 degress at 4:48 PM. I remember it well.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

John Rook's website

John has forgotten more about radio than I will ever know. His insight is 98% of the time spot on and makes some valid points about the past, present and future of terrestrial radio. If you work in or are a fan of the radio, this is excellent stuff.
http://www.johnrook.com/

Monday, January 16, 2006

Brush with greatness Part Tres


That would be Eric Bazilian and the other guy from The Hooters...you remember them, don't you? "And We Danced"...come on now, wow... you know.."All You Zombies"..right?..ok, but take a look behind the three guys..those are carts, kids, and albums to your right. KSHE had the weirdest filing system. If you were looking for Robert Plant, it was filed under "Led Zeppelin". Don Henley?..."Eagles". I almost ran out of time a bunch when I first got there..very confusing. Joe Walsh? Forgetaboutit.

Tunes for the drive this AM


One of the greatest recordings EVER.


Darden Smith is one of the best songwriters that you have never heard of.


Half of this album is a masterpiece, the other half is shit.

This Has Got to Really Suck...




....if you are Fox network.















The final four are now set for the NFL Championship Games. In the NFC Seattle (market 14) squares off against Carolina (market 35). In The AFC, Denver (market 22) takes on Pittsburgh (market 23). Already there is squawking and moaning about how there are no New Yorks, New Englands, Chicagos, or Dallas'. BOO friggin HOO! This may be one of the best Superbowls ever, but no one will watch because it features teams from fly over cities. As a Chiefs fan, I REALLY can't root for Denver (no way, never), not Pittsburgh either. Seattle used to be in our division, so I can't go there. Carolina it is, and poetic justice for the bean counters that run the networks. Market number 35 wins the Superbowl. Cool.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

KSHE 1986


(clockwise from upper right) john ulett, d.j. johnson, j.c. corcoran, rich dalton, abby pollay, kim brawley (now holman),me, Al hofer.

Include Your Caption Here...

Because I have no comment.

My favorite drummers


I did get paid for drumming a number of years ago. Does that make me an expert on drumming? Far from it, but since I DID get paid, does that mean I was a professional drummer? Maybe. Here are the guys who have made an influence...

Billy Cobham. I first heard Tommy Bolin through Billy. I was at a head shop in Moline in 1973 while "Birds of Fire" by the Mahavishnu Orchestra was playing on the stereo. I loved hangin at headshops on a Saturday afternoon because, checks were cashed and you could always find some cool incense, posters or tshirt to get. I then found previous Mahavishnu releases and then,later in 1973, he released "Spectrum" featuring an unknown guitartist named Tommy Bolin. Billy rules.

Keith Moon. He was once quoted in an interview to be able to keep four different times with each limb. Damn, four different ones? Wow. Reckless abandon is how I would describe his style. "Who's Next" was his masterpiece.

Harvey Mason. He may be the best drummer on the planet. Listen to "Captain Fingers" by Lee Ritenour and then you tell me how he does it. He has drummed for everybody and his chops are unbelievable.

Richie Hayward. I didn't get to see Little Feat until the late 80s. I was SO looking forward to see how Richie did that live as opposed to the studio. There was no way he could pull it off. He did. I saw some old "Don Kirschner's Rock Concert" not too long ago and Ikeand Tina Turner performed. Richie was their drummer, too. Cool.

Charlie Watts. He's not paid to be flashy, he's paid to keep the beat. No one keeps the beat better. Slow and steady wins the race.

Neil Peart. Very few guys turn the drums into a lead instrument. He does. The quintessential "How'd he do that?" Guy. Fastest hands ever.

Uriel Jones. The best Motown drummer. The Funk Brother who drummed to "Aint Too Proud To Beg","Cloud 9" and the other great Motown hits.


Honorable mention..Hal Blaine...Simon Kirke...Ringo Starr...Bill Bruford.
These are all drummers of the "Rock era". I would by no means leave out guys like Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Sandy Nelson etc.

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