Given their popularity throughout the 60s, video of the Association seem scarce. Here they are in 1967; almost the perfect 60s video. Great clothes, great cheesy slo-mo film footage, great facial expressions. Why Windy is in Chicago (at places like the Pickle Barrel in Old Town, Oak Street Beach, Grant Park) is never explained. The obvious answer makes the video ever richer.
Ellie Greenwich in 1976
Grew up in Levittown, was writing songs at 13, studied English Literature at Hofstra. Married Jeff Barry, trained with Lieber and Stoller, and became one of the stars of the Brill Building. She helped to define the look and sound of the first girl groups; With Phil Spector, she helped lay the bricks for the ‘Wall of Sound.’
In August she died at 68; the NYT obit doesn’t do her justice. Here is a brief list of hit songs by Ellie Greenwich (and one of the groups that made each famous):
And The He Kissed Me (the Crystals); Be My Baby (the Ronettes); Chapel of Love (the Dixie Cups); Da Doo Ron Ron (the Belmonts); Doo Wah Diddy (Manfred Mann); Goodnight Baby (the Jellybeans); Hanky Panky (Freddie Cannon); I Can Hear Music (Peggy Lee); I Want You (Nona Hendrix); Leader of the Pack (the Shangri-Las); Little Girl (the Crystals); Look of Love (Lesley Gore); Right Track, Wrong Track (Cindi Lauper); River Deep, Mountain High (Ike and Tina Turner); This is It (Jay and the Americans); What Good is I Love You (Dusty Springfield)
She was a lead singer, background singer, producer (for Neil Diamond, among others), vocal arranger,a good percentage of the group The Archies, and an anchor tenant for music over the last fifty years.
Traveling Wilburys via musical friend Frango
I’ve been remiss, will work to be my usual diligent self, starting with a clip from 1957, demonstrating the genteel earnestness of BBC television (a view of the world that entranced the Bill Brysons and Bob Rosenbergs of the world a decade later).
Young Jimmy Page wants to cure cancer, but is happy to play skiffle guitar in the meantime.
It’s nice to look back knowing the rest of the story
Thanks to John Mohr for the link.
Maybe I should wait until Monday or Tuesday to post this, but I found it last night and want to share it. The EasyBeats had the first Aussie rock and roll hit in both the UK and the USA.
From lead singer Steve Wright’s head shake at the outset to the stripey clothes, from the surprisingly complex guitar lead to the dancing, this is may be my favorite 1960s rock clip.
Rain is an obvious excuse for enjoying this JB video. It’s easy to forget just how talented he was.
Go-go dancers with guns. How can you not love this stuff?
Hollywood A-Go-Go: teensploitation circa 1967.
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys were rock stars of their day, and one can see why from this terrific video.
A birthday gift for son Matt.
When reader (and brother) G$ makes one of his infrequent recommendations, you can take it to the bank. In this case, SF’s own Booker T. Jones noodling his second big hit (after “Green Onions”) accompanied by his Stax/Memphis house band, the MGs. “Time is Tight” was composed for the 1969 movie “Up Tight” and features Steve Cropper on guitar, Duck Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson, Jr. on drums. The group’s sound — particularly Jones’ Hammond-B3 organ — defined an era, as did their role as one of the first racially mixed groups.
Most recently, Jones released a new album, ‘Potato Hole.’
The video is nicely ragged and includes members of Creedence Clearwater Revival looking on from the wings.
Great catch, G$!
