Blast from Your Past - Book 1, Excerpt 5: DJ Ken Chase aka Mike Korgan

[LR note 04/29/15: With heavy heart we report the ascent of Jack Ely to Rock & Roll Heaven, Monday, April 27, 2015. He was lead singer of The Kingsmen, whose song, "Louie Louie" became a legendary party song. BFYP DJ Ken Chase produced the record in 1963. His 1950s story is below. Party on, Jack!]

Every April 11^th is “International ‘Louie Louie’ Day”! There are no raucous parties (that I know of) happening (unless at your place, and you didn't call me!), or even a link on the Brownielocks site that lists it as a special commemoration day.

But at BFYP it deserves distinct recognition because Ken Chase (aka Mike Korgan), one of our pioneering Rock & Roll DJs, produced the iconic song by The Kingsmen in April 1963. “Louie Louie” rose to the top of the charts and by November, and for all time, became the “ultimate party song.”

Granted, 1963 is out of the purview of BFYP Book 1 (1954-1959), but Mike’s tenure at the mic began well before “Louie Louie’s” bouncy beat hit the airwaves.

Rock on in Excerpt #5 from Book 1, Blast from Your Past! Rock & Roll Radio DJs: the First Five Years 1954-1959. Enjoy the moments … again!(TM)

Rock Radio APRIL 1969 Trumpeting Chicago

Horns Blaring in Chicago! 

Do you remember what you were doing 50 Years Ago this Month? Whether you were dancing to what are now the “Oldies” or protesting on a local college campus, chances are you owned a transistor radio.

New Yorkers may even have been a fan of Warren Garling (aka Chris Warren), better known in ‘69 as DJ “Jesse James” on WSNY/Albany, NY. Want to boogie down Memory Lane with him? You’re in luck! Laugh, reminisce, and hum the Oldies tunes with Warren in his recently published memoirs celebrating 50 Years of Rock & Roll Radio! Remember when we used to say, I’ll Have to ask My Mom”?

 

Now a BFYP Book 2 jock, eleven-year-old Warren visited WBNR/Beacon, New York studios, came home and declared, “Mom, Dad, I don’t want to be Roy Rogers anymore. I want to be a Radio DJ!” Go now & remember …

50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio

APRIL 11^th: Although there truly is an *International "Louie Louie" Day on the official Brownielocks April calendar of events, it celebrates a 1963 happening. So obviously more than 50

Years Ago this Month. But at BFYP we have a vested interest in joining drunk partiers every year on this day. After all, BFYP DJ “Ken Chase”* aka Mike Korgan, produced The Kingsmen’s decades-enduring and endearing version of the iconic party song. A sketchy conflict of interest while working at KISN/Portland, Oregon.

Apparently in a hurry, Mike and the band recorded in it one crazy session, sans any super-professional equipment. Want to learn more? Excerpt from BFYP Book 2 – Ken Chase. And get the whole book on Amazon! Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Louie Louie, oh no / We gotta go … ♪

APRIL 13^th: What goes with “Louie Louie” and Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll*? Record Store Day of course! Known for new releases and vintage vinyls spanning the decades, record stores across the country revel in the day with all sorts of entertainment, goodies, specials and discounts. Enter your zip code here to find your local participating stores! (*Spanning 1979-2019, nobody does this song better than Bob Seger.)

April 28^th: 50 Years Ago this Month Chicago Transit Authority burst on the Rockin’ scene with a trumpeting blare of horns in their self-titled debut album, garnering a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist of the Year. Their first three top singles, “Questions 67 & 68,” “Beginnings,” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” solidified the beginning of their powerful jazzy-Rock sound.

Featured Radio Survey: *Although by 1969 Mike/Ken Chase was long gone from KISN/Portland, we found an April 1969 “Good Guy Survey for the Northwest” at ARSA to tease your memory … 50 Years Ago This Month in Rock & Roll Radio. That awesome day when …

Celebrate APRIL 1969 and … Rock On!

Blast from Your Past Gifts

Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and 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!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

50 Years Ago this Month – Questions by Donovan

Still looking for answers ...

But I say, the 1960s were not an answer, they were the question... and it still holds particularly about the way we are treating the planet ~ Donovan. 

And so, we celebrate Earth Day April 22^nd – which just happens to be a “Full Pink Moon” as well. Cool.

You know what else is cool? 50 Years Ago this Month … BFYP Rockin’ DJ, Ken Chase (aka Mike Korgan) produced the ultimate party song, “Louie Louie.” April 11^th marks International “Louie Louie” Day, and It hit #8 on the WILS/Lansing (MI) Top Twenty survey, April 27, 1966!

You can likely still find a copy or two of “Louie Louie” and other top tens of the day, at your neighborhood vinyl record store. Hopefully, not too many scratches on the grooves for “Good Lovin’” (Young Rascals) and the Mamas & Papas’ “Monday, Monday.”

Maybe you’ll even catch ‘em on sale – ‘cause April 16^th is Record Store Day. Remember how we used to swing to the beat on the Radio, then hightail it down to our fave record store on our Schwinns? Thank your local pioneering Rock Radio DJs for their service …

Is that all there is? ♪ Heck no! Then … Let’s keep dancin’ ♪… April 23^rd is National Dance Day! So put your boogie on and let’s groove to the beat, baby.

Featured Radio Survey: Of course, I have an original WILS April 27, 1966, record chart! DJs Bob Carey and Gene Healy ruled the airwaves and spun the platters in Lansing. Enjoy the Moment … Again.

♪ Let's take this on outta here … Let's go! ♪

Celebrate this month 50 years ago and … Rock On!

 

Blast from Your Past Gifts

Blast from Your Past on Facebook

Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk

# # #