re: Paul Revere:
We got the sad but inevitable news yesterday ... Paul Revere has officially retired from performing. FH Reader Tom Cuddy sent us this official announcement:
Having led The Raiders for five decades, Paul Revere announces he is hanging up his tri-corner hat but his band will keep on rocking. Paul Revere
Today’s announcement states that Revere’s son, Jamie, is returning to the band. Today’s Raiders include Doug Heath, Ron Foos and Danny Krause along with 10-year Lettermen vet Darren Dowler and former Buckinghams drummer Tommy Scheckel.
There is a slight tweak to the band’s name. The group will perform under the moniker Paul Revere’s Raiders.
Together the musicians will preserve the legacy of the band responsible for such hits as “Kicks,” “Good Thing,” “The Great Airplane Strike” and “Hungry.” The band’s most famous lineup included singer Mark Lindsay, bassist Phil “Fang” Volk, guitarist Drake “Kid” Levin, drummer Mike “Smitty” Smith and, of course, keyboardist Revere.
Revere and Lindsay, along with drummer Hal Blaine, guitarist Freddy Weller and bassist Keith Allison, recorded one of The Raider’s biggest hits, “Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)” in 1971.
The band, which performs dressed in revolutionary 1776 garb, enjoyed a longtime business relationship with “American Bandstand” host Dick Clark which led to hundreds of appearances on the television show “Where The Action is.” Revere and Lindsay hosted two shows produced by Clark – “Happening ’68” and “It’s Happening.” Revere, who has suffered health problems for the past year, will continue to work with the band as executive producer. The Raiders will release new material, including a song called, “Still Hungry,” in October.
re: James Brown:
Your review of the new James Brown film is spot on -- it's uncanny how often I agree with your assessment of these things. I, too, felt short changed by this portrayal. I guess I was expecting more of a "warts and all" biography -- and Brown, innovator that he was, was FAR from perfect. It seems that some of these flaws (many dangerously life-threatening) should have been addressed in the film. Instead we got a "James Is Great" accounting. A great performer, yes -- but as I said, far from perfect.
Top Ten Kid
Different strokes for different folks ...
I have to agree with Chet on this one for a reliable review. Alex Valdez
Hi, it's Rick Levy, tour manager and bandleader for TOMMY ROE. The JAMES BROWN film was great. You can tell your readers that my son, JONAH LEVY, is a special effects makeup artist, and did some of the makeup on the film. His site is http://www.fxmakeup.com/.
We're off to LIVERPOOL soon to Headline International Beatle Week with TOMMY ROE!
RICK
I wish I could find the James Brown Stay In School psa. It is on an old reel to reel somewhere. The attached I.D. came from that campaign. JB did a personalized i.d. that stations could use in conjunction with the campaign. The old reel to reel was spliced with James saying the call letters. He must have had to say hundreds of call letters because they played all over the country. I am sure the engineers were tired of splicing little pieces of audio tape! Here is WRCOs' personalized id.
Phil
I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The non-chronological presentation had its own logic in establishing connections between his sometimes bizarre adult behavior to his very rough younger years. Great to hear those precision grooves on state-of-the-art surround sound speakers ... brings one to appreciate anew the ground-breaking level to which he brought r & b and established Da Funk. I came away thinking much of what followed was a lesser echo of JB in his late 60's / early 70's heyday. Have to enjoy the re-telling of JB upstaging the Stones on TV.
As much as Chadwick Boseman had his moves down, there was only ever one James Brown who could deliver that legendary energy. I'd rank this slightly ahead of Jersey Boys.
Dan
One major plus for me (over "Jersey Boys") was the use of actual James Brown music, sung by The Godfather of Soul himself ... often in special, remixed, cleaned-up form. "Jersey Boys" as a stage show worked very well with the actors portraying The Four Seasons and handling the vocals live ... because there's something about seeing a live show that has an impact on an audience. (On playback you'll often find that things sounded better there at the time when you were caught up in the moment than they do on a recording of that same event ... witness virtually ANY "American Idol" / "Voice" type moment and you'll hear the same thing.) With the benefit of the story-telling done in the film, I believe it would have had FAR greater impact had they used the actual recordings of the artists. But this was not Clint Eastwood's vision ... he wanted to attempt to recreate the magic and excitement of the live show. To my eyes and ears, he failed. But, as I've said before, that doesn't mean I won't watch it again (and want to own it!) when it comes out on dvd. I expect to feel the same way about "Get On Up" after it runs its course in theaters. (Actually, we've already made plans to go see it again at the end of the month!) kk
While I have yet to see the James Brown bipic "Get On Up," I did get to spend a couple hours in 1981 backstage at the Aquarius Theatre in Los Angeles interviewing James (and then, of course, saw his show). My purpose was to collect the stories behind his greatest hits -- which he cheerfully gave, noting that in almost every case there was virtually no story!
His standard method of coming up with new material was for him to think up or simply latch onto a title phrase while having his band improvise riffs. When they collectively hit a groove he thought could be developed into something, he and the band just jammed on it, tweaking the words and melody until they felt they had what could be turned into a two to three minute commercial single. That's why the depth in most James Brown records is not lyrical but emotional.
Most of James Brown's output was originally issued on King Records -- the label which had rejected Brown's early material as completely uncommercial. Label owner Syd Nathan was particularly appalled by the "low quality" (Syd phrased his reaction a little differently) of "Please Please Please," which subsequently got released without his authorization. (Syd was the same guy who dropped The Platters from his label after hearing their first version of a song they'd later recut for Mercury: "Only You." After The Platters became one of the '50s hottest acts on Mercury, King reissued that failed first version of "Only You" in countless budget line single and LP repackages.) King no longer exists as an active record company. Nearly all of its masters -- along with those of many other labels, such as Scepter -- are owned today by a largely inactive Tennessee holding company called Gusto Records. I say "nearly all" because there are exceptions. Dionne Warwick won back control of her Scepter masters, for example. and the James Brown King recordings were all sold to Polygram -- Polygram being later absorbed into MCA / Universal Records. Therefore today all of Jamres Brown's King masters are owned by the same firm which controls most of the hits of Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Jimmy Dorsey, Brenda Lee, Nat "King" Cole, Jan & Dean, Conway Twitty, The Beach Boys, Patsy Cline, The Four Preps and many many other stars including The Beatles. (Universal also acquired the masters of Capitol Records, Liberty Recortds, etc.)
Aside from his poor relations with women and drug problems, James Brown had a rather strange sense of humor. Circa 1971, King released a special 45 RPM single to radio stations only which contained several public service announcements James voiced to show his "support" for the war on drug abuse. In each PSA, James expressed his view to all his fans that drugs were "super bad." A lot of radio program directors played those PSAs until it was pointed out to station management that in the pop lingo of the time to call something "super bad" was to wholeheartedly endorse it. When I mentioned that PSA single to James, he broke into laughter. "Yeah, I really put one over on 'em," he said.
Gary Theroux
James Brown's hit 'Living In America' was a HUGE comeback record for The Godfather of Soul. How do they cover his life story and leave that one out?
Tom
Honestly I think it was a licensing thing. If Universal owns the rights to everything that used to be King Records and/or Polydor, they own the rights to the bulk of the James Brown music catalog ... but "Living In America" came out on Scotti Brothers Records which, I believe, was a division of Columbia at the time. (I don't know how ANYBODY keeps this stuff straight anymore with all the acquisitions that seem to be happening on a daily basis!)
"Living In America" WAS a huge hit for Brown ... it was featured in "Rocky IV". (Hmm ... I wonder what music they're going to use in "Rocky 16"???) But not only was Brown tied to the careers of legendary boxers Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed, he was also a fixture (and the star attraction) at The Rumble In The Jungle ... the fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman where Ali regained his Heavyweight Champion of the World crown for the unprecedented third time! (kk)
>>>Jack Bart adds: “I have no ill feelings about it. It’s only a movie.”
That quote hit me. The first part about no ill feelings is good. Just release it, Jack. The second sentence bothers me. I am at first thinking: GOOD. We cannot hold much stock in the things we see on the big (or little) screen when it is made primarily for entertainment. However, people (especially kids) DO hold it as fact. I know from experience that I am called on to dispel rumour after rumour in the classroom.
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
And, as we've discussed SO many times before here in Forgotten Hits, these "mistruths" then get repeated again and again (often with even MORE embellishment) and pretty soon the story that's circulating doesn't even remotely remember the truth. (kk)
Kent,
I was so happy to see that I wasn't the only one who was bothered by the way-too-short "cape routine". I saw James Brown at the Howard Theater in DC when I was 14, and that was the most memorable part of the show for me. I really liked the movie (Chadwick Boseman was amazing) but I thought it felt a little disjointed at times. In the film, they cover the episode at the T.A.M.I. Show (making the Stones the closing act) before talking about his "Live at the Apollo" album that was recorded almost two years earlier and has been called one of the best live albums ever recorded. (I agree). It was played on Top 40 stations and James performed "Prisoner of Love" (great song) from that album on American Bandstand in '63. So in that context, it made more sense that he would feel slighted at The T.A.M.I. Show. I also think they could have spent a little less time on his childhood and a little more on some of the more interesting parts of his life you talked about. You mentioned " Don't be a Drop-Out". He got a lot of support from The White House in getting that into schools. He got a lot of flack for endorsing Hubert Humphrey, and later, Richard Nixon. He performed "Say It Loud" at one of Nixon's '69 inauguration balls. That was a movie moment! All that being said, It's a must-see movie. Thanks for letting me vent!
Carolyn Travis
While I'm sure MOST of the audience that will be attracted to this film are well familiar with the whole James Brown cape routine, there is probably no more signature moment of his stage show than this ... and I felt it should have been given the full song experience ... especially when one considers that brand NEW James Brown fans will be cultivated thanks to this film. I believe the T.A.M.I. backstage moment probably happened pretty much the way you saw it ... Brown, at this point an accomplished performer revered by his peers (and frontmen like Mick Jagger) couldn't believe that these brand new British upstarts, The Rolling Stones (who "hadn't even had a hit record yet") were given the honor of closing the show. Without question, Brown made his act nearly impossible to follow, forcing Jagger to improvise some brand new moves of his own. (It's hysterical to watch ... as even his bandmates are amused to see how animated he becomes in this sequence ... at this point, totally out of character ... but soon to be a fixture of "making show" from that point on!)
I also agree that Brown's live performance of "Say It Loud, I'm Black And I'm Proud" would have played in MUCH more meaningful context had they used the Nixon inaugural backdrop rather than just rounding up a bunch of kids to sing background in the studio.
And that was the KEY to James Brown's music ... it didn't come alive until he performed it on stage. "Live At The Apollo" is STILL considered by many to be the greatest live album ever made (sorry, Peter Frampton!) ... and, as we saw in the film, it nearly didn't happen. Jackie Wilson may have been called "Mr. Excitement" ... but NOBODY commanded a stage the way James Brown did. It's hard to achieve that "feeling" by simply playing a song on the radio ... James Brown live was something you had to "experience". Perhaps this is why he will most likely forever hold the record of most charted singles in Billboard Magazine (107) without ever hitting #1. (kk)
re: This And That:
Reminder ... You're gonna want to check this out if you're able (or happen to be in the area!) And what a TIMELY coincidence to catch The T.A.M.I. Show again on the big screen! (We're planning on watching it from start to finish this weekend! lol)
The American Cinematheque,
Amoeba Music and Santa Monica Press Present "Turn Up the Radio: L.A. Rock featuring the World Premiere of a New Documentary about The Seeds, The Doors at the Hollywood Bowl, Frank Zappa and THE T.A.M.I. Show Featuring James Brown, The Rolling Stones, The Supremes and More 1960s Bands
August 13 - 17, 2014
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Press Release August 5, 2014
For Immediate Release
www.americancinematheque.com
TURN UP THE RADIO: L.A. ROCK ON FILM
The Seeds, The Doors, The T.A.M.I Show, Frank Zappa
August 13 - 17, 2014
Egyptian Theatre
6712 Hollywood Boulevard, CA 90028
Presented by the American Cinematheque and co-sponsored by Amoeba Records and Santa Monica Press.
Los Angeles has been the center of the film world for nearly a century, but the city's leading role in popular music began more recently. The birth of rock 'n' roll brought forth a teen record-buying audience independent of the Broadway/Tin Pan Alley axis, which had long dominated American music, and as local rock scenes began to ferment across the country, few could compete with the sunny SoCal environment as a draw for the top performers, songwriters and producers. Harvey Kubernik's new book, Turn Up the Radio!, captures the zeitgeist of Los Angeles rock and pop between the years of 1956 and 1972 - an era of unprecedented growth and creativity in the record industry.
The American Cinematheque celebrates the intersection of music and media in the City of Angels with several evenings devoted to L.A. rock icons on film. Southern California was on the itinerary of virtually every performer of note, and director-producer Steve Binder put many of them on film and TV, including the all-star line-up in the classic concert film THE T.A.M.I. SHOW. Legendary quartet The Doors were at the peak of their powers in hometown appearance LIVE AT THE BOWL '68. The Seeds once headlined a tour with The Doors; the world premiere of the documentary PUSHIN' TOO HARD tells the story of the L.A. garage rock greats for the first time. And musical iconoclast Frank Zappa paints a fascinating portrait of The Mothers of Invention at work in UNCLE MEAT. Read about this series on our website.
Series programmed by John Hagelston, Harvey Kubernik and Grant Moninger. Program notes by John Hagelston.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 7:30 PM
THE DOORS: LIVE AT THE BOWL '68
Presented by the American Cinematheque and co-sponsored by Amoeba Records and Santa Monica Press
2012, Eagle Rock Entertainment, 71 min, USA, Dir: Ray Manzarek
A legendary band, an iconic venue! With their Waiting for the Sun album fresh in stores, The Doors made a triumphant appearance at the Hollywood Bowl on July 5, 1968. The L.A. quartet was at the peak of its powers that night, balancing hit singles including "Light My Fire" and "Hello, I Love You" with epic renditions of "When the Music's Over" and "The End." Painstakingly restored from original camera negatives and remixed from multi-tracks by the group's longtime engineer, Bruce Botnick, this mesmerizing film presents the historic concert in its entirety for the first time.
Program begins with a slide show by rock photographer Henry Diltz, who will share his classic images of The Doors and other L.A. music icons. Film begins at 8:00 PM.
Thursday, August 14, 2014 - 7:30 PM
In-Person Tribute To Steve Binder! 50th Anniversary!
THE T.A.M.I. SHOW
1964, AIP, 123 min, USA, Dir: Steve Binder
The Rolling Stones, James Brown, The Beach Boys, Chuck Berry and The Supremes were among the top acts who took the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium stage for the Teenage Awards Music International Show, captured in "Electronovision." This priceless cross-section of Top 40 radio at its mid-'60s peak offers northern and southern soul, rock 'n' roll, surf, garage and British Invasion hits in one of the most legendary concert movies ever made. Unquestionably the grooviest, wildest, most exciting beat blast on the National Film Registry!
Discussion following the film with director Steve Binder, moderated by John Landis, who attended the original concert.
Saturday, August 16, 2014 - 7:30 PM
World Premiere! Special Guests!
PUSHIN' TOO HARD
Presented by the American Cinematheque and co-sponsored by Amoeba Records and Santa Monica Press.
2014, GNP Crescendo, 110 min, USA, Dir: Neil Norman
Beginning in the mid-1960s, The Seeds spread a web of sound from the Sunset Strip to the rest of the country with such anthems of teen frustration as "Pushin' Too Hard" and "Can't Seem to Make You Mine." Fronted by the sneering, attitude-laden delivery of charismatic lead singer Sky Saxon, the band's driving sound would help lay the groundwork for punk. This definitive documentary on The Seeds follows the quartet's bizarre odyssey from rags to riches to rags again - and ultimately their rediscovery by new generations of garage-rock fans - using vintage television and concert performances, rare photos and recent interviews with all of the group's original members, as well as fans and observers including Iggy Pop, Kim Fowley, Johnny Echols of Love and Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys.
Discussion following with director Neil Norman, producer Alec Palao and Seeds members Daryl Hooper and Jan Savage, moderated by Kirk Silsbee.
Sunday, August 17, 2014 - 7:30 PM
"Bunny Bunny Bunny" / "Cheepnis" / UNCLE MEAT
Co-sponsored by Amoeba Records and Santa Monica Press
World Premiere!
"Bunny Bunny Bunny" (ca. 1987, 20 min.) Directed and produced by Frank Zappa, this one-camera shoot stars daughter Moon Zappa (a couple of years after their radio hit "Valley Girl") in improvised dialogue with her best friend Kyle Richards and her cousin Lala Sloatman.
"Cheepnis" (1973, 10 min.) Featuring the only footage Zappa cut together from his legendary 1973 Roxy concerts, "Cheepnis" sings the praises of low-budget monster movies. This short documents the director, bandleader, songwriter and musician at work.
Followed by:
UNCLE MEAT
1987, 100 min, USA, Dir: Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa began directing The Mothers of Invention's one and only movie, UNCLE MEAT, less than two years after the group's 1965 debut but it did not see release until 1987. Colorful footage from their "Absolutely Free"-era residency at the Garrick Theater in New York, and from the Sgt. Pepper/psychedelia-mocking "We're Only in it for the Money" album cover shoot is mixed with orchestral bits from a 1968 concert at London's Royal Festival Hall. Plus you get Rodney Bingenheimer, Linda Ronstadt, Meredith Monk and others along for the ride at the legendary Hollywood Ranch Market on Vine Street. Camerawork by the great Haskell Wexler.
COMING SOON:
Egyptian Theatre Historic Tour on Saturday, August 16. Behind-the-Scenes historic tour at 10:30 AM. Meet in front of Box Office. FOREVER HOLLYWOOD follows at 11:35 AM. Next tours are September 20 & October 18. Future tours will be held each month in 2014 one Saturday per month.
2014: Recent Belgian Cinema (Aero & Egyptian) Monthly series on Wednesdays with Belgian Beer Reception Following. .
August 13 - 17: L.A. Rock On Film with THE DOORS & THE SEEDS (Egyptian)
August 7 - 10: Universal Monster Mash (Egyptian)
August 7-21: Alec Guiness Centennial (Aero)
August 15 - 27: The Cinema Of Robert Rodriguez with In Person Appearance (Egyptian & Aero)
August 18: Danny Elfman in person for BATMAN 25th Anniversary (Egyptian)
August 22 - 24: Eli Wallach Remembered (Aero)
August 24: Co-Presented with the Art Directors Film Society: THE GAUCHO (Egyptian)
August 21: Filmmaking Seminar: Director's Intent (Egyptian)
August 22: Sam Fuller Tribute with PICK UP ON SOUTH STREET & WHITE DOG (Egyptian)
August 10:E.T. The Extraterrestrial (Aero)
October: Recent Spanish Cinema (Egyptian)
September: German Currents: New Films from Germany
About American Cinematheque
Established in 1981, the American Cinematheque is a 501 C 3 non-profit viewer-supported film exhibition and cultural organization dedicated to the celebration of the Moving Picture in all of its forms. At the Egyptian Theatre, the Cinematheque presents daily film and video programming which ranges from the classics of American and international cinema to new independent films and digital work. Exhibition of rare works, special and rare prints, etc., combined with fascinating post-screening discussions with the filmmakers who created the work, are a Cinematheque tradition that keep audiences coming back for once-in-a-lifetime cinema experiences. The American Cinematheque renovated and reopened (on Dec. 4, 1998) the historic 1922 Hollywood Egyptian Theatre. This includes a state-of-the-art 616-seat theatre housed within Sid Grauman's first grand movie palace on Hollywood Boulevard. The exotic courtyard is fully restored to its 1922 grandeur. The Egyptian was the home of the very first Hollywood movie premiere in 1922. In January 2005 the American Cinematheque expanded its programming to the 1940 Aero Theatre on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica.
Press Materials & Contacts:
For American Cinematheque/Egyptian Theatre/Aero Theatre inquiries about press tickets & promotions, please contact:
Margot Gerber
Margot Gerber, American Cinematheque
IMAGES AVAILABLE PLEASE SEND YOUR INQUIRIES TO
publicity@americancinematheque.comor publicity2@americancinematheque.com
SCREENERS/PRESS TICKETS: A complete calendar listing of our program is available on our website. SCREENERS OF THESE TITLES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE CINEMATHEQUE OFFICE for press preview.
PRESS PASSES ARE NOT GENERALLY AVAILABLE FOR SNEAK PREVIEWS or PREMIERES. PRESS SCREENING & INTERVIEW INFORMATION.
FILMS SCREENED IN OUR RETROSPECTIVE SERIES ARE GENERALLY AVAILABLE ON VIDEOTAPE (NTSC) OR DVD COMMERCIALLY AT LOCAL VIDEOSTORES UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE. WHEN INDICATED THAT COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE CINEMATHEQUE OFFICE, PLEASE GIVE US 48 HOUR NOTICE THAT YOU NEED A COPY. CALL FOR DETAILS.
Local Video Stores:
Eddie Brandt's Saturday Matinee (5006 Vineland Ave., N. Hollywood- 818.506.4242)
VideoActive (2522 Hyperion, SilverLake - 323.669.8544)
Jerry's Video (1904 Hillhurst, Los Feliz - 323.666.7471)
Rocket Video (726 N. La Brea - 323.965.1100)
Cinefile (11280 Santa Monica Blvd. - Corner of Sawtelle Ave. - 310.312.8836)
Vidiots (302 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica - 310.392.8508)
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http://americancinematheque.blogspot.com/
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