Blast from Your Past

Thursday, August 2, 2018

50 Years Ago August 1968 Restless & Wild

>>BFYP BULLETIN 08/19/18: Philly breeds DJs in triplicate! The Gardner Brothers are more than siblings and great friends. Originally from the City of Brotherly Love, Al and Andre (center and right) followed big bro Bill, into radio broadcasting, to help pioneer Rock Radio. Bill, a BFYP DJ featured in Book 2, The Swinging Sixties, sent this pic from their recent reunion in Las Vegas. Coming up in 2019, the spotlight will focus on Al and Andre’s stories in Book 3, The Psychedelic Seventies! Don’t touch that dial! But click here, for a fun blurb on airline pilot and DJ extraordinaire, “Ol’ Captain” Bill’s website …

And now, let's flip on the mic, and Rock On back to 1968 …
Dreamy, Restless, and Born to Be Wild!

In 1968 we sashayed toward the Psychedelic Seventies, with every dreamy and “far out” song that hit the top of the charts.

Heating up the August charts with ethereal and floating tunes, we crooned “Dream a Little Dream of Me” with Mama Cass, and turned retro with The Vogues’ “Turn Around, Look at Me.” But rebel Rock was never far from the top.

“Born to Be Wild” (Steppenwolf) flew up the WABC Radio 77 (New York) survey from the bottom, to #9, by the end of August. Can’t you just see Cousin Brucie cuing up the record and singing with us, ♪ Get your motor runnin’ | Head out on the highway … ♪

Across the country, “The Real Don Steele” spun the hits at KHJ/Los Angeles. Their Boss 30 chart spotlighted the West’s restlessness, with “Born to Be Wild” already sitting pretty at the top of the chart by August 21^st. ♪ Like a true nature's child | We were born, born to be wild …! ♪

Aiming for the stars, new bands coveting that #1 spot on the chart, formed right and left; some fans said no, some yelled a resounding …

August 4^th: YES! had an inauspicious start at a kids’ summer camp on this day in East Mersea, Essex. But within a year, Tony Wilson, British columnist for pioneering weekly music mag, Melody Maker, chose Yes and Led Zeppelin as the two bands "most likely to succeed." Prophetic, indeed!

And through the long, hot summer of 1968, our radios blared with the added spectrum of FM on our dials while music took on every color of the rainbow … or at least it did, in our minds …

Trip on your mind-blowing memories of the Crown of Creation album (Jefferson Airplane), set to debut the following month, September 1968.

Featured Radio Survey: Though not appearing on the chart, Simon & Garfunkel graced the cover of the Boss 30 chart for August 21, 1968 at KHJ/Los Angeles. The full chart is hosted at my fave vintage radio survey site The Airheads Radio Survey Archive. Or, see the top ten as our featured survey, 50 Years Ago This Month. Rev up your memories and recall that awesome day when …

Celebrate AUGUST 1968 and … Rock On!

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LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and an author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books (of three) in her Blast from Your Past series, available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon, … The Psychedelic Seventies!

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Monday, July 2, 2018

50 Years Ago JULY 1968 ‘Birds in Hand

>>BFYP BULLETINS, 07/30/18: LOVE your Kindle / FREE EBOOKS? With a roll of your fuzzy dice you might win BFYP BOOK 1 Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959, now appearing in Amazon Giveaways! Let’s get lost on #MemoryLane together: Click: https://amzn.to/2Aaeusk, follow me on Amazon, and it could be yours! Or, it’s only $1.95 to buy. Giveaway ends Thursday, August 2^nd.

>>07/13/18: News of the Pala Indian Reservation’s recent radio revamp, came by way of fellow author and longtime friend, Joe Naiman, who reported recently on the change, and featured a San Diego radio/TV legend (and BFYP DJ) in his article for the East County’s Village News.

“The Federal Communications Commission granted Pala Rez Radio the call letters KPRI-FM, March 23. The call letters stand for Kupa Pala Rez Indians, but the original KPRI-FM in San Diego had a format similar to the classic rock music Pala Rez Radio currently plays.”
This led to San Diego career DJ, John Fox, to invite his friend, iconic SoCal DJ, Shotgun Tom Kelly, to join him in the Del Mar Fair Pala Rez Radio booth [91.3; “rock, talk and reggae”] in June. Enjoy Joe’s deep-dive into local radio history with Shotgun and John as star players!

And now, let's flip on the mic, and Rock On back to 1968 …
Summer Sun, Independence Fun!

Regardless of news reports, patriotism has never—and should never—be in short supply in the United States. What was signed into existence this day, July 4th, two hundred and forty-two years ago, created our country.

It wasn’t perfect then. It isn’t perfect now. As a patriot, I have to say, if someone doesn’t like it here, they can be part of the solution, not create a problem, or go somewhere else. This country must still be great, or so many people from everywhere else, wouldn’t cross our borders illegally.

For all its imperfections, the United States of America (however loosely defined these days) is deserving of our patriotism. Ask yourself how you can make it better, or simply enjoy what it is … still the best country in the world.

That said, I hope you enjoy your 4th of July Holiday! And “feel free” to continue celebrating your part in “America the Beautiful” the rest of the month.

And now, flip on the mic, let’s Rock on back to Independence month JULY 1968 …

While we bounced around from party to party, waving flags and listening to our transistor radios, WIBG/Philly played our favorite tunes with Gary Mitchell’s bouncy voice behind the mic. Talk of the day was surely the imminent demise of a popular Psychedelic Rock band …

July 7^th: Culminated the final days for The Yardbirds. The band brought us promises in “For Your Love (1965),” To fill you with delight | I’d give you diamonds bright; and the prophetic antics of “Over Under Sideways Down (1966).” When will it end … ? We were about to learn.

Over the years, The Yardbirds launched careers for Rock notables and guitarists extraordinaire, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton; the result endeared the band to fans worldwide.

The band played through a series of U.S. concerts before a June 12^th announcement confirming rumors of two founding members’ departure. The Yardbirds landed for their final performance in Luton, Bedfordshire, England on July 7^th.

But … we all know, it wasn’t the end of the Rock road for elements of its illustrious sound. The iconic Led Zeppelin warmed up in the wings with Jimmy Page, and strains of The New Yardbirds wafted close.

It’s said that 1968 was the greatest year in Rock & Roll Music. If July is proof, it is so!

Meanwhile, WIBG fans pushed two songs ten steps up the ladder in one giant leap. Its “Big 30 Records in Philadelphia" chart for July 9, 1968, tells the story …

Did you empathize with Nancy Wilson when she told us, “Face It Girl It’s Over”? ♪ Does he have to draw you pictures | Does he have to spell it out ♪…?

Or were you groovin’ to Cream with Eric Clapton (post-The Yardbirds) as they turned us on to “Sunshine of Your Love”? The firecracker songs exploded from #17 and 18, to #7 and #8, respectively.

♪ I've been waiting so long | To be where I'm going | In the sunshine of your love ♪…

Featured Radio Survey: WIBG-Philly, top 30 July 9, 1968 gave us “Lady Willpower” (Union Gap) and “Stay in My Corner” (Dells) in the top two spots for the second week. Though his money-making single slid off the charts by this time, Tiny Tim is on the cover with venerable DJ Gary Mitchell, 50 Years Ago This Month. Rev up your memories and recall that awesome day when …

Celebrate JULY 1968 and … Rock On!