Why doesn't "Oldies" put an Oldies show on instead of a Classic Rock show???
Rick Derringer was better than he was 2 years ago in Manchester New Hampshire at THE PALACE - but it was hardly an Oldies 103.3 show - more like a WZLX program. What gives?
Rick didn't even play "Fever" (which he played in Manchester). For an oldies crowd he could've played "Beat It"
by Michael Jackson since he produced and played on "Eat It" by Weird Al, which was a mega hit. Another rock critic in the audience (not Brett Milano, who was there too, or a fellow with a WMBR t shirt on that we all know) thought they should've played some Chuck Berry since the bassist was Chuck's bassist. Instead there was some blues, and some jazz, and some pro-Iraq war stuff (???) - but no "Fever", just "Hang On Sloopy" and
"Rock 'n' Roll Hoochie Koo". With all the yapping Derringer (nee Rick Zehringer, isn't it?) could've mentioned that the music or program director of WRKO back in the day - Carol what's-her-name- is the reason Rock 'n' Roll Hoochie Koo is a hit. Didn't WRKO edit the song from the album and start playing it, forcing the label (Blue Sky/EPIC)to issue a single? I believe that's accurate. March 1974. Also, Mr. Zehringer could've played "Frankenstein" or "Jumpin Jack Flash" (Johnny Winter And...) or "Free Ride" (his former bassist friend, the late Dan Hartman for The Edgar Winter Group). He was affiliated with a lot of hits and could've made a good "Ray Davies" storyteller set for the audience.
Steppenwolf - pretty good. They too got into the blues stuff, but Sookie Sookie, Rock Me Baby, Magic Carpet Ride & Born To Be Wild sounded good; the encore of THE PUSHER was the best performance of the night and they should've played the entire set like that. It was actually brilliant. But, again, for an Oldies 103.3 crowd?
Rick Derringer was better than he was 2 years ago in Manchester New Hampshire at THE PALACE - but it was hardly an Oldies 103.3 show - more like a WZLX program. What gives?
Rick didn't even play "Fever" (which he played in Manchester). For an oldies crowd he could've played "Beat It"
by Michael Jackson since he produced and played on "Eat It" by Weird Al, which was a mega hit. Another rock critic in the audience (not Brett Milano, who was there too, or a fellow with a WMBR t shirt on that we all know) thought they should've played some Chuck Berry since the bassist was Chuck's bassist. Instead there was some blues, and some jazz, and some pro-Iraq war stuff (???) - but no "Fever", just "Hang On Sloopy" and
"Rock 'n' Roll Hoochie Koo". With all the yapping Derringer (nee Rick Zehringer, isn't it?) could've mentioned that the music or program director of WRKO back in the day - Carol what's-her-name- is the reason Rock 'n' Roll Hoochie Koo is a hit. Didn't WRKO edit the song from the album and start playing it, forcing the label (Blue Sky/EPIC)to issue a single? I believe that's accurate. March 1974. Also, Mr. Zehringer could've played "Frankenstein" or "Jumpin Jack Flash" (Johnny Winter And...) or "Free Ride" (his former bassist friend, the late Dan Hartman for The Edgar Winter Group). He was affiliated with a lot of hits and could've made a good "Ray Davies" storyteller set for the audience.
Steppenwolf - pretty good. They too got into the blues stuff, but Sookie Sookie, Rock Me Baby, Magic Carpet Ride & Born To Be Wild sounded good; the encore of THE PUSHER was the best performance of the night and they should've played the entire set like that. It was actually brilliant. But, again, for an Oldies 103.3 crowd?