(451) THE BRITISH INVASION OF AMERICA and THE AMERICAN INVASION OF BRITAIN CONTINUE

So now that we've said what we've said about hits and charts, we looked at a number of charts for the year 1966 saw discrepancies about what number a song or three achieved. We were reminded of personal favorites and looked for songs we remember hearing that we expected to see.  Could be some of the songs we remember were on albums. 

For American songwriters, the mid 1960's were competitive and anxious times because of the success of bands like the Beatles of Great Britain and the Beach Boys of the United States were writing and performing their own songs and didn't need us.  There was an emphasis with the record companies that bands should have their own songs and with fewer hit makers looking to us to write songs for them, and a feel of change in the air, a lot of people in the business began to change their careers.

Even Phil Spector and his Wall of Sound that had put so many songs on the charts was loosing.  (Sonny Bono talks about that in his memoir, having to break the news to Phil, who he worked for prior to Sonny and Cher making it, that the Sound was beginning to be dated.)

What we see overall is evidence that the British Invasion of America is ongoing.  It's not all about the Beatles.  It's also about British hit makers Petula Clark, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Rolling Stones, Donovan, and Peter and Gordon, on the same American charts as The Mamas and the Papas, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Supremes,  Nancy Sinatra, Johnny Rivers, and the made for television competition for the Beatles, The Monkees.

(441) THE BLOSSOMS : FREQUENT MUSICAL ARTISTS ON SHINDIG : DARLENE LOVE AND THE WALL OF SOUND

BLOSSOMS HISTORY OF ROCK link here! 

They were the background group on so many popular records, working for Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, and so many others.  The writer of this article is right when he says they were the most unknown successful group there was!

The Blossoms covered so many songs and were frequent guests on the Shindig television show as performing artists.  In the studio they are probably most famous for working with music producer Phil Spector and his Wall of Sound. You know them for the song "He's The Rebel." Here is just one of so very many videos presently on YouTube featuring their performances. 

Now, over the years there were a number of different women who worked as a Blossom.  Darlene Love is the Blossom most mentioned. Check our previous posts about the Blossoms and Darlene, using the Google Blogger search feature!




The Rock and Roll hall of Fame also Inducted Darlene Love in 2011, age 70, after a career of 50 years! Below the link to the bio and a long but very funny and very touching video of

ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME: DARLENE LOVE link!

LENNONYC (LENNON NEW YORK CITY) DVD : (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER

LENNONYC is an American Masters Series DVD which could not have been made without the cooperation of Yoko Ono, and this film did give me a different impression of John Lennon, but having read around the Beatles and John Lennon and Yoko Ono,  I felt also that it had been edited in such a way as to admit previous controversies but also get past them quickly.  All film makers have a point of view so I should not be surprised that this one proposed that at the time of his death on December 8, 1980, John had found personal happiness and career success.

I'm writing about this video DVD here at WES BRYAN- MY LIFE IN MUSIC  because of the coverage of John's music making with Phil Spector as Producer in Los Angeles, and because John talks about how the Beatles used to cover early rock and roll "classics" in the studio when they need to relax, take a break, or get inspiration.  He also references  Elvis Presley in the section that involves his rockabilly song STARTING OVER .

  To me this song has Beatlesque aspects as well as reminding me of some Electric Light Orchestra recordings.  Christine

BILL MEDLEY OF THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS : IN CONCERT