RPM45

In the late ’60s, psychedelic music  emerged on the scene. And one of its most successful groups was Blues Magoos – most famous for their Top 5 1966 hit “We Ain’t Got Nothin’ Yet.” In this episode of RPM45, we talk with its organist and vocalist Ralph Scala.

In this week's RPM45: Dave Mason -- singer, songwriter guitarist -- who’s done a ton in music …from his work with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group Traffic, to his own successful solo career (including his hit "We Just Disagree"), to his work with some of the biggest names in the business.

 In this episode, we talk about...

• His new version of one of his classic songs -- Feelin' Alright" -- with a supergroup that includes Mick Fleetwood, Sammy Hagar, Michael McDonald and The Doobie Brothers.
• His "ins and outs": with the group Traffic.
• His work with so many other stars, including Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Cass Elliot and Michael Jackson.
• Alone Together...Again -- the new version of his classic album Alone Together, coming soon.
• And, How the music industry has become a much tougher way to make money,due to technology.

Larry Tamblyn is the keyboard player and sometimes lead singer of The Standells – famous for their 1966 hit “Dirty Water. He’s got a lot of great stories and he shares them all in a biography he just completed. But he shares quite a few with us in this episode of RPM45.

Even though they're not from Boston (surprised? I was), The Standells have become part of Boston culture, played after every Red Sox win at Fenway Park.

(Red Sox fans, be sure to listen starting at 31:20 when Larry tells us all about The Standells Red Sox connection, including playing at Game 2 of the 2004 World Series.) 

But listen to the whole thing...it's good!

Unlike most guests on RPM45, Russell Hitchcock didn't dream of becoming a music star while growing up in his native Australia. He got into music only because his girlfriend pushed him to audition for Jesus Christ Superstar, where where he met his future band mate Graham Russell. Five years later, Air Supply began a string of seven consecutive Top Five hits, including "Lost in Love," "All Out of Love," and "The One That You Love." 

In this episode, Russell talks about...

• His relationship with Russell Graham.
• Why Air Supply was more successful in the U.S. than his home country.
• Traveling and performing around the world.
• Air Supply's audience and its most loyal fans -- the "Air Heads."
• Air Supply's appearance on "The Bachelor."
• The band's latest double CD -- "The Lost in Love Experience." recorded with the Prague Symphony Orchestra.
• And, much more!

Trevor Steel is a songwriter, guitarist and lead singer of The Escape Club -- best known for their 1988 No. 1 US hit "Wild, Wild West" and for their top-ten 1991 hit ballad "I'll be There."

In this episode of RPM45, Trevor tell us about...

• The musical hero that motivated him to enter the music business.
• How an EMI records exec said "we don't hear a hit" on the Wild Wild West album.
• The group's mind-blowing experience as they became "overnight pop stars" in The U.S., even as "Wild, Wild West" failed to become a hit in their native UK.
• The inspiration behind "I'll Be There."
• How they never received much of the money generated by their record sales and how that led them to disband the group in the early '90s.
• How he became a successful record producer and exec.
• How the group reunited, and what they're up now.

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils have been entertaining for 50 years with their unique mix of country, rock, bluegrass and pop.  In this episode, we talk with Michael “Supe” Granda - who has been a key member for all every one of those years. 

He talks about...

• Growing up musically in St. Louis
• How moving to Springfield, Missouri for college "opened his ears" to different kinds of music.
• How the Daredevils got together.
• How they landed a contract with A&M records.
• How A&M paired the group with one of rock's most successful producers.
• Why they had to fight to get "If You Wanna Get to Heaven" included on their first album.
• Why "Jackie Blue"  involved a sex change.
• And, MUCH more!
  
  

In this episode of RPM45, I get to indulge my inner "Chicago guy” talking with Ronnie Rice of New Colony Six…one of a number of great Chicago bands of the late ’60s. Ronnie was the writer and lead singer of the group’s two biggest hits – “I Will Always Think About You” and “Things I’d Like to Say.”  He's a funny guy and I had a great time talking with him...lots of laughs! Also note (if you've listened to other episodes) that my Chicago accent comes through a lot stronger with this one, just by talking with Ronnie!

Among the things we discuss are:

• The great rock scene that Chicago had back in the late '60s.
• The NC6's transition from garage band to success with mainstream ballads.
• Why the slow roll-out of the group's biggest hits hurt their chart performance.
• Why he continues to play and loves it!

B.J. Thomas has had an amazing career, with a decades-long string of hits, including eight #1 and 26 Top 10 hits in pop, country and gospel. He's a five-time time Grammy winner, a Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, and he won an Oscar as well for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head," from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. 

But aside from his stellar career, B.J. Thomas is a man I came to like very much over the time we talked, and I think you will too. Among the topics we talked about are:

• Why he wanted to be an R&B singer.
• How he came to record "Raindrops..."
• The two versions of "Raindrops" he recorded -- including the "laryngitis version."
• How performing "Raindrops" on The Ed Sullivan Show was a "wet and wild" experience.
• How drug and alcohol problems led him to a career in gospel music.
• Why he left gospel and enjoyed country success in the early '80s.
• How he overcame his upbringing to appreciate and respect all different kinds of people.

The Whispers --  twin brothers Scotty and Walter Scott, and Leavell Degree – are an L.A,-based R&B group that had a string of Top 40 hits in the early ‘80s – like “And the Beat Goes On,” “It’s a Love Thing” and “Rock Steady.” But the group and its R&B success began more than a decade earlier.   

In this episode of RPM45, we talk to the Scott twins about all that, and a lot more ...

• How they got started back in the early '60s, and the help they got from San Francisco DJ Sly Stone before he became a star in his own right.
• Who sparked their string of uptempo early '80s hits that were a departure from what they'd done before.
• How they - like many artists - failed to get fairly paid for their early successes, how they turned that around, and how today's younger artists are challenging the old system.
• How they continue to perform after 50+ years, despite the deaths of key members.
• How events in our country motivated their awesome new single -- "How Long".  (Check it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/tHf3jiaQGHQ)

Thanks so much to Walter and Scotty for sharing with us!

Michael Brewer and Tom Shipley are folk singers who became famous for their 1971 Top 10 hit "One Toke Over the Line." But as Michael points out in our talk, their biggest hit isn't like most of their work, which is more socially conscious and ballad oriented.

So "One Toke" isn't the only story here, but it is the biggest one.  Michael tells the how "One Toke" started as a joke, how it became a hit, the controversy that followed it, and what it meant for Brewer & Shipley. Oh yeah, and that it ended up sung on a TV show where you'd never expect  to hear it!

Michael also talks his music career (starting at age four), how he met Tom, their time in L.A. (hanging out with Buffalo Springfield and other notable bands), what moved the pair back to the Midwest, their times on the road, some of the surprising bands they opened for, and much more.

He's a great storyteller and he's got a lot of stories to tell.  I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did...which is a lot!