And The Stiffs Just Keep On Comin'

[chas108]

I don't remember that one...when was it out?

Oh yeah...a real stiff: "Do Ya" by ELO precursor The Move

 

[Debaser]

You think I remember years? I have trouble enough remembering my name! Anyway, it's probably from '73-'74 and on the same label that Lighthouse was on (Evolution?) if that helps.

And IMO the Move's version of Do Ya was WAY better than ELO's.

 

[chas108]

You think I remember years? I have trouble enough remembering my name! Anyway, it's probably from '73-'74 and on the same label that Lighthouse was on (Evolution?) if that helps.

And IMO the Move's version of Do Ya was WAY better than ELO's.

Can't help myself...I'm a chronological kinda guy. My parents said I cracked my head at age 2...maybe that's the reason.

Yes, there's a 45 copy of "One Fine Morning" up in the attic so I remember the Evolution imprint. Still can't remember "Circus" though. Maybe that space in my brain was taken by The DeFranco Family. Or maybe Focus. Or "Who's In The Strawberry Patch With Sally" by Tony Orlando & Dawn. For an act with the success they had..."Sally" was a stiff. And an awful song.

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

...And IMO the Move's version of Do Ya was WAY better than ELO's.

Agreed. There's a very interesting correlation between The Move and ELO, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevans being the common threads. IIRC, both the Move and ELO were on the UA label.

 

[chas108]

I remembered a connection (probably something either Debaser or Armstrong had mentioned on-air) but had long forgotten what it was...thanks for the info Jim. Joel Whitburn simply lists the Move as "forerunner of ELO".

I had a 45 of The Move's version of "Do Ya", it was on UA. IIRC the tempo was slower and heavier than ELO's remake...and ended with "Look out baby, there's a plane a-comin'" over the fade.

ELO started on UA, then was on Jet/UA...Jet later hooked up w/CBS Associated so I'm guessing Sony has the catalog now.

Now an ELO stiff...their last time in the Top 40 in 1986..."Calling America".

 

[Silkie]

Bombay Calling - It's A Beautiful Day

 

[Debaser]

There's a very interesting correlation between The Move and ELO, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevans being the common threads. IIRC, both the Move and ELO were on the UA label.

As I recall, Roy Wood formed The Move but left after group members Lynne and Bevans wanted to take them in a more orchestral direction...hence the name change.

Almost a mirror situation to Al Kooper leaving Blood Sweat and Tears due to artistic differences with the band, which opened the door for David Clayton Thomas to join the group.

 

[Tom Wells]

Little Woman by Bobby Sherman

 

[Penrod Rightout]

There's a very interesting correlation between The Move and ELO, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevans being the common threads. IIRC, both the Move and ELO were on the UA label.

As I recall, Roy Wood formed The Move but left after group members Lynne and Bevans wanted to take them in a more orchestral direction...hence the name change.

Almost a mirror situation to Al Kooper leaving Blood Sweat and Tears due to artistic differences with the band, which opened the door for David Clayton Thomas to join the group.

If not for their "Greatest Hits" album probably no one would have ever known of the Al Kooper incarnation of BS&T - the group's second single "I'll Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" performed poorly on the charts (may not have peaked higher than the 80s) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd2LSKL9Yjs

 

[chas108]

Guess I thought Al Kooper was in BS&T throughout its lifespan. I don't have the CD in front of me, but didn't he play organ on "You've Made Me So Very Happy"?

IMO the story of BS&T is the story of producer James William Guercio...seems like he struck gold everywhere he went, from the Buckinghams to BS&T and finally to Chicago.

Anyway one of BS&T's great songs, which inspired one of the jingles in 'KB's 1971 package, was this 1970 stiff: "Lucretia MacEvil".

Oh, speaking of that package: the "Beginnings" cut is the best jingle in the history of jingles! And frankly I'm surprised that only one other station that I know of (B94/Pittsburgh, 1998) ever designed a package in similar fashion. But I digress...I'm talking smash hit jingles in a thread about stiffs. I'll go away now.

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

"I Love You More Than I'll Ever Know" is an outstanding song which appeared on the Kooper/BS&T LP "Child Is Father To The Man." It's a favorite for many who grew up listening to progressive rock as well as McLendon's unique 20-20 music format that debuted around 1970 on KNUS-FM Dallas and WYSL-AM Buffalo, which featured 20 Top 40 hits and 20 Top LP tracks.

As to the KB jingle package, it's a classic assortment of jingles which were based on memorable riffs from hits (and one or two "KB Stiffs.") Most recognizable were jingles that sounded like Chicago (Beginnings, the one over which Jack Armstrong often howled "Your leeeeeeeeader"), BS&T (Lucretia, as noted), The Assembled Multitude (Tommy), Jimmy Cliff (Wonderful World, Beautiful People), George Harrison (What Is Life), Mountain (Mississippi Queen), Carole King (You've Got A Friend), Mungo Jerry (In the Summertime), Flaming Ember (Westbound #9), Crow (Evil Woman), Joni Mitchell (Big Yellow Taxi) and The Beatles (Come Together.)

As Jeff Kaye told the story, he went into a Dallas studio and began to produce a new jingle package. Not long into it, he felt it wasn't working. They shelved the session and went out for dinner. After dinner they hit a few bars that featured live music and discovered a talented group of singers and front men and women who were asked to show up at the studio the next day. They featured these singers to produce the most unique package of its time on Top 40 radio. We've never heard a lead singer on a Pams of TM stock package with the grit exhibited on that special KB package.

 

[Penrod Rightout]

Guess I thought Al Kooper was in BS&T throughout its lifespan. I don't have the CD in front of me, but didn't he play organ on "You've Made Me So Very Happy"?

Kooper had left the group but I believe he did the arrangement on the tune, keyboards most likely were handled by Troy, NY native Dick Halligan who took over many of Kooper's duties in the band. Halligan won a grammy for Best Instrumental Performance for "Variations On A Theme By Erik Satie" from that album.

Ooops, looks like we've wandered off Stiff Highway and are bouncing along a side road...back to the pavement and a stiff from the group everyone thought was BS&T: The Ides of March: "L.A. Goodbye" (1971)

 

[pwayne1]

I can't believe I just read all 134 pages of stiffs... but all the suggestions brought back a lot of memories. Here's another contribution from someone who also needs a life...

Check Yourself -- The Italian Asphalt and Pavement Company (before and since known as the Duprees)
Brown Eyed Woman -- Bill Medley
Country Woman -- Magic Lantern
With This Ring -- The Platters
School Day -- Jan and Dean (their last Liberty single, did better in Canada - CHUM)
Juanita Banana -- The Peels
Let Me -- The Raiders

If You See Kay -- April Wine ( I don't think this was a single... but it's worth hearing once. You Tube. )

 

[chas108]

"I Love You More Than I'll Ever Know" is an outstanding song which appeared on the Kooper/BS&T LP "Child Is Father To The Man." It's a favorite for many who grew up listening to progressive rock as well as McLendon's unique 20-20 music format that debuted around 1970 on KNUS-FM Dallas and WYSL-AM Buffalo, which featured 20 Top 40 hits and 20 Top LP tracks.

As to the KB jingle package, it's a classic assortment of jingles which were based on memorable riffs from hits (and one or two "KB Stiffs.") Most recognizable were jingles that sounded like Chicago (Beginnings, the one over which Jack Armstrong often howled "Your leeeeeeeeader"), BS&T (Lucretia, as noted), The Assembled Multitude (Tommy), Jimmy Cliff (Wonderful World, Beautiful People), George Harrison (What Is Life), Mountain (Mississippi Queen), Carole King (You've Got A Friend), Mungo Jerry (In the Summertime), Flaming Ember (Westbound #9), Crow (Evil Woman), Joni Mitchell (Big Yellow Taxi) and The Beatles (Come Together.)

As Jeff Kaye told the story, he went into a Dallas studio and began to produce a new jingle package. Not long into it, he felt it wasn't working. They shelved the session and went out for dinner. After dinner they hit a few bars that featured live music and discovered a talented group of singers and front men and women who were asked to show up at the studio the next day. They featured these singers to produce the most unique package of its time on Top 40 radio. We've never heard a lead singer on a Pams of TM stock package with the grit exhibited on that special KB package.

Reading this makes me wish there were a few Jeff Kaye's in this business today...I worked for a couple guys who were close but bound by GM's/owners.

As distinctive as B94/Pittsburgh's 1998 Reelworld package was, all I remember today is one cut based on Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping". I know they did a few other cuts based on hits of the day, but I don't remember them...not enough grit I guess. But I still remember most of 'KB's '71 package.

Last night was Stones night on "American Idol", so here are a couple Rollin' Uglies classics remade into stiffs by others:

Melanie - "Ruby Tuesday"
Bette Midler - "Beast Of Burden" I'll never be your pizza burnin'...

pwayne, to this day I can't hear a Kay Jewelers' spot without hearing "If You See Kay" in my head. Syracuse's two AOR's of the day (94 Rock, now Y94, and 95X) played it in the fall of '82. So it was an AOR hit in CNY.

 

[Debaser]

As Jeff Kaye told the story, he went into a Dallas studio and began to produce a new jingle package. Not long into it, he felt it wasn't working. They shelved the session and went out for dinner. After dinner they hit a few bars that featured live music and discovered a talented group of singers and front men and women who were asked to show up at the studio the next day. They featured these singers to produce the most unique package of its time on Top 40 radio. We've never heard a lead singer on a Pams of TM stock package with the grit exhibited on that special KB package.

Interesting to note here that Joey Reynolds claims the pop top jingle idea was his and that he was using it when he was programming in Philly before Jeff implemented the jingle package at KB. Either way, it was an extraordinary idea that worked so well that we carried it on after the initial burst from Big D by using Buffalo musicians to great effect on subsequent pop top jingles that were produced in Jerry Meyers' studio. That part I remember well since I produced the sessions and even sang on a couple of jingles (Sugar Sugar comes to mind).

Good times.

 

[chas108]

Pop-Tops. Great diary recall device. The first one I remember was on WRKO/Boston for Ringo Starr..."It Don't Come Easy. Double-you-are-kay-ohhhhh." My 14-year-old mind wondered what kind of pull RKO must have had with Ringo to get that cool intro custom made. On their tribute site www.wrko.org there's a staff memo from not long after that song was out, stating they would discontinue Pop-Tops. I think I started hearing them on 'KB that fall with Maggie May, which IIRC was remixed at least once to a fully produced intro that I still hear in my head today whenever that song comes on.

I remembered Sugar Sugar when I came across that Pop Top in Rock Radio Scrapbook. What a surprise to learn DB sang on some of these classics! That was in '72 (here I go again with chronology!)...and you guys had Pop-Topped a number of 'KB Klassics, including "Hang On Sloopy" and "The Letter".

Now, four more stiffs:

Manhattan Transfer - "Soul Food To Go"
John Miles - "High Fly" (a hit on WRKO!)
5th Dimension - "Light Sings" (also played by WRKO)
Firefall - Cinderella

Thanks for sharing, DB and Jim.

 

[OldNumber7]

I played this one for about two weeks in 1980 when I started in radio in the Finger Lakes. Loads of hooks, but I think the lyrics scared some PDs away from playing it.
Rob Hegel's "Tommy, Judy and Me"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv8hKApdVyY

 

[Debaser]

I LOVE that tune! Too bad there isn't an actual video for it (it's a very visual song).
CHAS- KB played Light Sings as well, and WPHD was all over John Miles. I remember that John McGhan was a huge fan of that album and "High Fly"in particular.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Jeff Kaye's name has come up a couple of times on this thread. Anybody have any idea what he's up to these days?

 

[chas108]

"Tommy, Judy & Me": DB you're right...in fact it's visual enough to be Country (my current format). WPIX-FM/NYC played this during one of their several Top 40 incarnations. They also played "I Got You" by Split Enz, one of the best tunes of that era!

'KB played "Light Sings"? Must've been dayparted (I lived in VT then and listened at night), IIRC there were other 5th Dimension tunes played 24/7. "One Less Bell To Answer", "Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All"(complete w/Pop-Top) are two I remember.

Was WPHD where WHTT is now? I remember seeing those calls in the trades. AOR format, right? Late 70's had me moving from Pittsburgh to Vermont to Westchester County NY. I was in Westchester for the blackout of '77...driving to the local Friendly's, I had George Michael on playing Peter McCann. The song got to "Do Ya Wanna" and EVERYTHING...including WABC...went dark. Surreal.

Anyway another minor WNY connection in my past...in the early 80's there was an afternoon guy at WGRQ named Bill Weston...as he told the story he got tired of only talking 2x/hour so he bit on a PD job at my station at the time, OK-100/Cortland-Ithaca. He was one of the best PDs I ever worked for.

Here's a song that never gained any traction despite multiple attempts: "Stayin' With It". You can choose Firefall, or (get ready!)...Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich.

SirRoxalot, check www.sowny.ca...DB was on a couple of these, (although I only see one of them posted now, find "August 27th" at bottom of SOWNY Show page. It's been a couple years since I heard them), one of them either had Jeff Kaye on it or mentioned his whereabouts. He's someone else whose hand I'd like to shake and just say thanks for all those years of predictable unpredictability.