"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."
- Walter Winchell
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
(167) A CHIMP INTO SPACE and SCATTER !
A YouTube video circa 1961 about the first chimp in space...
Now I have to tell you that this chimp in space proved to us that chimps were very intelligent beings, and I really think this is what got Elvis thinking about having a chimp as a pet, the infamous playboy chimp named Scatter! Scatter was actually gifted to Elvis, after he saw him performing on television and offered to buy him!
Scatter drank a teeny bit of whisky that the guys poured him when they had a drink and pulled a bit on a cigar, just like Elvis. Elvis hated pretentiousness and Scatter mimicking our "playboy" lifestyle kept it down to earth around the house.
Now I have to tell you that this chimp in space proved to us that chimps were very intelligent beings, and I really think this is what got Elvis thinking about having a chimp as a pet, the infamous playboy chimp named Scatter! Scatter was actually gifted to Elvis, after he saw him performing on television and offered to buy him!
Scatter drank a teeny bit of whisky that the guys poured him when they had a drink and pulled a bit on a cigar, just like Elvis. Elvis hated pretentiousness and Scatter mimicking our "playboy" lifestyle kept it down to earth around the house.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
(166) HISTORY MOMENT : ALAN SHEPARD TRAVELS IN SPACE
I'd been a bit embarrassed singing "Tiny Spaceman," the novelty song that was on the flip side of "Lonesome Love," put out by United Artists, even though for me this was a Gold Record. But today I realize that it is one of many songs about space travel through the years that became popular, engaging our imaginations about what was possible - human potential.
I had to practice, get my timing just right, to sing "Tiny Spaceman," as it was really a difficult song with a lot of space alien Do Wop talk in it!
"They welcomed the spaceman and gave him a gold key. He ate the key..."
Here's a YouTube video that preserves the excitement of 1961, Alan Shepard as the first American man in space for the United States. Click the title above to go right to this video.
I had to practice, get my timing just right, to sing "Tiny Spaceman," as it was really a difficult song with a lot of space alien Do Wop talk in it!
"They welcomed the spaceman and gave him a gold key. He ate the key..."
Here's a YouTube video that preserves the excitement of 1961, Alan Shepard as the first American man in space for the United States. Click the title above to go right to this video.
Monday, June 16, 2008
(160) NEIL SEDAKA 1961 DON'T LEAD ME ON and HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET SIXTEEN
If you recall (or if you want to use the search feature of this Google Blogspot!) you know that it was Neil Sedaka in the Brill Building who ran and got Bobby Darin, who was downstairs recording, and brought him up to meet me when I first moved to New York to be close to the action as a just signed United Artists singing-acting sensation. Neil was at the piano singing a song he'd just written, pitching it to me. You can click on the link to Neil's own web site and learn more about him. Here is Neil singing his 1961 recording of "Don't Lead Me On," presented on YouTube...
NEW UPDATE by Christine Trzyna on May 26 2010 :two replacement videos for expired videos and a link to his web site.
Here's his song "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" from the same year.
POST UPDATED MAY 2010 by Christine Trzyna,
NEW UPDATE by Christine Trzyna on May 26 2010 :two replacement videos for expired videos and a link to his web site.
Here's his song "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" from the same year.
Very 1950's wouldn't you say?
POST UPDATED MAY 2010 by Christine Trzyna,
Monday, June 2, 2008
CAN'T BUY ME LOVE ? Elvis CARED about SINGING
Christine here.
I recently read a book about the Beatles, by Jonathan Gould, called "CAN'T BUY ME LOVE." I found it a fascinating read. The author attempts to put the Beatles' success into more of a socio-cultural viewpoint. It's C 2007 and put out by Harmony Books.
(We'll be talking about Elvis, the Beatles, Wes, and the singer-songwriters some time later in this blog journal.)
The other day I was talking to Wes about a comment made in this book. On page 61 the author writes that the real reason for Elvis' "decline" is that the "nature" of his "ambition" was not to be a great singer, but a great star, and thus he moved towards the movies.
As you know, Wes himself came up in that era in which the movie studios wanted into the record / music business and artists were encouraged to cross over, boosting their careers in both directions. Singing in the movies, or selling more records because you became internationally famous in the movies, movies as two hour rock videos, an acknowledgement of the power of television and movie image that went beyond live performances; all these things were considered to be cutting edge marketing of talent. It was considered AMBITIOUS to be more visible.
I ran this one by Wes and how shall I put it? Wes Bryan absolutely does not agree that Elvis did not care to be a great singer or that he ever gave up on singing or being a singer. Wes pointed out to me (and you!) that he personally witnessed through the years just how much Elvis cared about music and his singing.
Elvis was like a walking encyclopedia of music, the fan of a great many other singers. He studied their technique, knew who had problems with breathing and phrasing. He studied Mario Lanza as an example, and he loved to sing along with records as well as perform his renditions of songs he loved at his parties. Music was not something he only performed on stage, but in the privacy of his home, among friends, because he loved it. Music and singing was not just about making money for him.
He collected records and gave his favorites play in his home and in his suites in Vegas and on the road. He brought home demo records for his close musical friends to hear and give their opinions on.
He called his DJ friends when he loved another singers records and asked them to give the record a spin. He personally chose many of the songs that became hits for him.
He kept a home recording studio to record songs he was considering and jam sessions frequently erupted in his home studios, at his parties, and just hanging around the house.
He established his own music publishing entities and he paid promptly and as contracted. Artists whose work he owned a part of did not deal with fraud or long delays on their intellectual property residuals when Elvis was in charge.
He stated publicly that he would personally listen to singer-songwriter demos that were presented to him. In search of a song for one album, Wes recalls that Elvis spent weeks and went through the rock and roll archives choosing from over 250 standards.
Even though he was one of the hardest working entertainers that Las Vegas ever saw, even after two shows a night, Elvis and his friends and invited guests often retreated to his private suite where they sang gospel till dawn, just for the love of it.
And there is the evidence of a well exercised voice. Almost to the end when he was ill, and we will state that those closest to him knew he was ill and attempted to cover for him, hoping he would regain his health, Elvis' voice retained its unique vibrancy.
I recently read a book about the Beatles, by Jonathan Gould, called "CAN'T BUY ME LOVE." I found it a fascinating read. The author attempts to put the Beatles' success into more of a socio-cultural viewpoint. It's C 2007 and put out by Harmony Books.
(We'll be talking about Elvis, the Beatles, Wes, and the singer-songwriters some time later in this blog journal.)
The other day I was talking to Wes about a comment made in this book. On page 61 the author writes that the real reason for Elvis' "decline" is that the "nature" of his "ambition" was not to be a great singer, but a great star, and thus he moved towards the movies.
As you know, Wes himself came up in that era in which the movie studios wanted into the record / music business and artists were encouraged to cross over, boosting their careers in both directions. Singing in the movies, or selling more records because you became internationally famous in the movies, movies as two hour rock videos, an acknowledgement of the power of television and movie image that went beyond live performances; all these things were considered to be cutting edge marketing of talent. It was considered AMBITIOUS to be more visible.
I ran this one by Wes and how shall I put it? Wes Bryan absolutely does not agree that Elvis did not care to be a great singer or that he ever gave up on singing or being a singer. Wes pointed out to me (and you!) that he personally witnessed through the years just how much Elvis cared about music and his singing.
Elvis was like a walking encyclopedia of music, the fan of a great many other singers. He studied their technique, knew who had problems with breathing and phrasing. He studied Mario Lanza as an example, and he loved to sing along with records as well as perform his renditions of songs he loved at his parties. Music was not something he only performed on stage, but in the privacy of his home, among friends, because he loved it. Music and singing was not just about making money for him.
He collected records and gave his favorites play in his home and in his suites in Vegas and on the road. He brought home demo records for his close musical friends to hear and give their opinions on.
He called his DJ friends when he loved another singers records and asked them to give the record a spin. He personally chose many of the songs that became hits for him.
He kept a home recording studio to record songs he was considering and jam sessions frequently erupted in his home studios, at his parties, and just hanging around the house.
He established his own music publishing entities and he paid promptly and as contracted. Artists whose work he owned a part of did not deal with fraud or long delays on their intellectual property residuals when Elvis was in charge.
He stated publicly that he would personally listen to singer-songwriter demos that were presented to him. In search of a song for one album, Wes recalls that Elvis spent weeks and went through the rock and roll archives choosing from over 250 standards.
Even though he was one of the hardest working entertainers that Las Vegas ever saw, even after two shows a night, Elvis and his friends and invited guests often retreated to his private suite where they sang gospel till dawn, just for the love of it.
And there is the evidence of a well exercised voice. Almost to the end when he was ill, and we will state that those closest to him knew he was ill and attempted to cover for him, hoping he would regain his health, Elvis' voice retained its unique vibrancy.
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