WELCOME TO BLITZ MAGAZINE'S WEB SITE!

I HOPE IT'S ME: Beloved composer, vocalist, keyboard virtuoso, actress and author ALICIA WITT indulged in a bit of vinyl hunting with Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell at Wazoo Records in Ann Arbor, Michigan on 22 March, in celebration of Witt's triumphant performance the previous evening at The Ark as part of her Weekend Tour series. Blitz Magazine takes a backstage look at the tour, along with a bit of conversation with Witt, which can be found under the Previous Posts heading at right. Photo by Michael McDowell C&P 2024 Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinging People. All rights reserved. (Click on above image to enlarge).

WELCOME TO THE INTERET HOME

FOR BLITZ MAGAZINE
SINCE 1975 -
THE ROCK AND ROLL MAGAZINE
FOR THINKING PEOPLE

Welcome to the official web site for Blitz, The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People. Since 1975, Blitz has been the leading voice for the discerning music enthusiast. Blitz Magazine was also one of the first magazines of its kind to embrace the internet, having also been online since January 1996.

Here you will find news and updates about all of the key artists essential to the growth and development of rock and roll music and related genres, including rhythm and blues, country and western, jazz and easy listening. For highlights from recent past editions of the Bits And Pieces and Shape Of Things To Come columns, click on the archival postings on the right hand side of this page. Be sure and check back frequently for regular updates.

If you have any questions, please e-mail us at BlitzMcD@aol.com.

Michael McDowell
Editor/Publisher
Blitz Magazine
Since 1975 - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People
E-Mail us at BlitzMcD@aol.com for a list of available back issues.

Be sure to follow Blitz on Twitter:

@BlitzMagazine

and

on Facebook at:

Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People

AUDREY'S MUSICAL JOURNEY:

Follow the fascinating and unfolding tale (through her favorite music) of the life and times of Blitz Magazine's late and beloved Photo Editor, Audrey McDowell, as told by her husband, Blitz Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell. A Facebook exclusive! "Like" us on Facebook at Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People, and watch for further installments.

IN THE BITS AND PIECES COLUMN:

In a free standing article under the Previous Posts heading at right, beloved composer, vocalist, keyboard virtuoso, actress and author ALICIA WITT celebrates with a bit of record hunting with Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People's Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell (along with a bit of conversation) after her triumphant performance at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan as part of her Weekend Tour series.

Prayers in progress for lead vocalist MARGA BULT of the beloved vocal supergroup, BABE. Bult sustained multiple injuries in a fall at her home shortly before the Easter weekend. 

He made an enduring impact in a career that spanned over six decades, from manager of the MC5 to a one-time member of Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People's production team. We remember JOHN SINCLAIR, who succumbed to congestive heart failure on 02 April.

The Boston-based first generation garage quartet was widely hailed as among the most formidable live bands in history. Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell salutes REMAINS keyboard man BILL BRIGGS, who succumbed to a lenthy illness on 26 March.

Never one to think inside of the box, Capitol Records legend and Nova Scotia native ANNE MURRAY stole the show at the Juno Awards on 24 March with her ad hoc monologue about the ceremony's history.

His sudden passing over the weekend of 09-10 March came as a tremendous shock to the faithful who continue to regard his band, the RASPBERRIES as one of the great saving graces from the protracted aesthetic slump that beleaguered mainstream music in the early 1970s. Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell pays tribute to band founder and principal visionary ERIC CARMEN.

Together with his late wife Eydie Gorme, he excelled on television, the Broadway stage and in the recording studio for more than seven decades. We salute the great STEVE LAWRENCE, who lost his protracted battle against Alzheimer's Disease in Los Angeles on 07 March.

In a free standing article under the Previous Posts heading at right, Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell celebrates Icons, Idols And Idiots Of Hollywood, the all new autobiography by FOUR PREPS co-founder BRUCE BELLAND.

His band (in which he remained the lone constant) played a pivotal role in the resurgence of garage rock that was crucial to the Los Angeles independent musical movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s. We remember UNCLAIMED front man PETER SHELDON "SHELLEY" GANZ, who was found dead in his Los Angeles home on 23 January.

Prayers continue for Beach Boys co-founder BRIAN WILSON in the wake of the passing of his wife, MELINDA WILSON. 

In a free standing article under the Previous Posts heading at right, Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell takes a deep dive into Record Store Day 2024 with a look at what's available.

Capitol, Kapp and RCA Victor Records alumnus JACK JONES has had reasons to be cheerful in 2023, in light of his recent victorious battle against cancer.

IN THE REISSUES / ANTHOLOGIES SECTION OF

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME COLUMN:

Time spent fishing with Monkees bsssist Peter Tork on several occsions gave the vaunted guitarist Jimi Hendrix the motivation he needed to take things to the next level. The proof is in Hollywood Bowl August 18, 1967, the heretofore unreleated live performaance by the JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE on the Experience Hendrix label. 

Band co-founder and keyboard man JAMES J. DONNA has told the extraordinary tale of his band of first generation garage rock legends, the CASTAWAYS in his autiobiography/ band biography, Liar, Liar.

Roger Maglio's Gear Fab label has once again struck gold with their re-release of Kings, Queens And Jokers, the third (and first deluxe) incarnation of the 1971 debut album by the New Jersey-based VICTORIA.

Cherry Red's affiliate Cherry Pop label has added to their already impressive catalog of BUCKS FIZZ releases with The Land Of Make Believe, a most impressive five CD career overview.

Once available via the prolific UK-based Cherry Red Records, the 1975 Harvest label third album, Too Many Crooks by veteran country rock band UNICORN is now also available in a deluxe CD reissue on the Texas - based Think Like A Key label.

IN THE NEW RELEASES SECTION OF

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME COLUMN:

With its cerebral approach to the subject of unrequited love, it became an instant classic upon its release on the nineteenth of April. Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell takes a look at the creative process behind The Tortured Poets Departtment, the all new album by TAYLOR SWIFT. 

With his latest Original Cast release, Resurrection, the highly prolific composer and vocalist BRIAN GARI takes a pragmatic and universal look at life's loves, tragedies and unresolved business.

Veteran blues guitarist SUE FOLEY reaches across the aisle without compromise in her latest album, Live In Austin, Volume One.

In their latest VizzTone release, 11X11, the ELEVEN GUYS QUARTET once again prove themselves to be surpemely adempt at the blues/rock instrumental hybrid.

The staggeringly prolific Portage, Michigan-based composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist JEREMY MORRIS brings his guitar jangle front and center in his latest JAM label release, High Fidelity. 

ROMANTICS co-founder WALLY PALMAR has joined forces with Tornoto, Ontario - based composer, vocalist and guitarist JACK DE KEYZER for No War, an all new 45 on the recently revived Spider label (with cover design by former Blitz Magazine Art Director, Dennis Loren). 

Bassist PENN JILLETTE has returned to the studio with his long time Penn And Teller musical director and pianist, MIKE JONES. The two of them then recruited veteran drummer JEFF HAMILTON for an all new and ambitious project for Capri Records, Are You Sure You Three Guys Know What You're Doing?

FOUR PREPS / BRUCE BELLAND AUTOBIOGRAPHY

WAIT 'TIL YOU HEAR IT FROM ME: Theirs was one of the most all encompassing adventures through all phases of the entertainment industry. Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell celebrates Icons, Idols And Idiots Of Hollywood, the all new autobiography by BRUCE BELLAND of the FOUR PREPS (Click on above image to enlarge).

ICONS< IDOLS AND

IDIOTS OF HOLLYWOOD -

Bruce Belland (Bear Manor Media)

By Michael McDowell

"What a group!"

So said the late Ed Cobb in a landmark, three-part interview that was published in Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People in the 1980s. As co-founder of the iconic and groundbreaking vocal quartet, the Four Preps, it had taken Cobb years to come to terms with that phase of his extraordinary legacy. 

Cobb had subsequently gone on to work in various capacities (including composer, arranger and producer) with such legendary artists as Ketty Lester, Brenda Holloway, the Standells, the E-Types, Stark Naked And The Car Thieves and the Chocolate Watchband, to name but a few. In view of the extraordinary accomplishments of those artists, Cobb (who, at the time of that summit meeting with Blitz Magazine headed the Hollywood-based AVI label with Seymour Heller) had gone through a phase of self reassessment in terms of his own capabilities in the spotlight, which had led him to downplay his own role in that capacity for a season.

Ultimately, Cobb need not have worried. The Four Preps' unique mission statement of combining their impeccable vocal harmonies with material that often leaned towards humor, satire and socio-political commentary permanently established their formidable legacy. In turn, the Four Preps' remarkable vision was a direct inspiration for such like minded groups as the Cowsills, Harpers Bizarre and APO Hiking Society. 

Sadly, Cobb (who served as the group's bass vocalist) passed away in September 1999. Cobb's death came just six months after the passing of Four Preps tenor Marvin "Marv Ingram" Inabnett. Baritone Glen Larson followed in November 2014 at age 77.

All of which has left lead vocalist and Chicago, Illinois native Bruce Gerald Belland to tell the tale. Indeed, he does so quite candidly (with occasional irreverence) in Icons, Idols And Idiots Of Hollywood.

From a geographical standpoint, the Four Preps were at a decisive advantage. Belland, Cobb, Inabnett and Larson were students at Hollywood High School on Sunset Boulevard, which is located at about an equal distance from the Sunset Strip to the west, and their future record label to the east. An executive from that label (Capitol Records) spotted them at a talent show at the school in 1956, and signed the ambitious quartet to the label that same year.

One classic Four Preps single after another followed at Capitol. They included Dreamy Eyes, Twenty-Six Miles, Big Man (which was covered by Herman's Hermits in the late 1960s), Where Wuz You, Again And Again And Again, Cinderella, Lazy Summer Night, Down By The Station, Big Surprise, I Ain't Never, Got A Girl, a vocal rendition of Lawrence Welk's monster classic instrumental Calcutta, the comedic More Money For You And Me, The Seine, The Big Draft, Let's Call It A Day Girl (also recorded by the Razor's Edge for the Pow label) and Draftdodger Rag, among others. 

In turn, their studio albums for Capitol were rife with vocal harmony laden material.  They were augmented by acclaimed live albums that primarily showcased their aforementioned penchant for topical material.

While riding high with Capitol, the Four Preps were soon also working with rock and roll pioneer Rick Nelson. In addition to backing Nelson vocally during live appearances, the Four Preps also found themselves in recurring roles on Nelson's family's acclaimed ABC television series, The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet. 

To be certain, theirs was and is a tale with an abundance of aesthetic riches. Thankfully, Belland has chronicled it all in candid terms in this remarkable autobiography.

Being a part of the Capitol roster in that most productive period meant having a wealth of top drawer talent as labelmates. They included the Kingston Trio, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Ron Goodwin, Gene Vincent, Peggy Lee, the Journeymen and Dwayne Hickman. And while the Four Preps crossed paths with most of them in various capacities, they in turn carved out their own equally formidable niche.

In the process, the Four Preps also found themselves in a variety of circumstances with such diverse figures as Ed Sullivan, Dick Clark, President John F. Kennedy and humorist Lenny Bruce. And given the various accounts of those encounters outlined by Belland herein, it is in some ways remarkable that the members of the Four Preps lived to tell those tales. 

Thankfully, Belland has done just that in this extraordinary account. In some respects, he has emerged from his own period of self reassessment with a candor that had apparently heretofore eluded him. In the process, apologetics (a most disconcerting byproduct of survival for veteran artists who had successfully endured the protracted aesthetic slump of the immediate post-Woodstock ers) have given way to an ad hoc "vengeance is mine" approach. 

Nonetheless, that approach is tempered with the forgiveness maxim found in Matthew 18:21-22, which in part is in keeping with Belland's legacy as the son of Stanley Belland, the one time Senior Pastor of West Hollywood Community Church. All of which serves to make Belland's book an essential read. 

"It took me eight years to write", said Belland.

"What a kick it is to grab a pen and contribute to the fun".

Or, in the words of the aforementioned classic track from the Four Preps' 1958 debut album, Icons, Idols And Idiots Of Hollywood is a first class first person account that is worth revisiting Again And Again And Again.

RECORD STORE DAY 2024

LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO: By definition, The Tortured Poets Department album by TAYLOR SWIFT (pictured above with Post Malone, with whom she collaborated on the albums debut single, Fortnight) should be the highlight of Record Store Day 2024. Blitz Magazine Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell takes a deep dive below into what's available, including new releases from the Rolling Stones, the Monkees, the Yardbirds, Sun Ra, Ernest Tubb, Olivia Rodrigo and much more. (Click on above image to enlarge). 

    

SHAKE YOUR HEAD

AND SPEAK YOUR MIND:

RECORD STORE

DAY 2024

By Michael McDowell

When the late country music pioneer Ernest Tubb released his classic Thanks A Lot single for Decca in 1963, he could not possibly have envisioned that he would have much to be grateful for in 2024. 

To wit, Org Music's collection of archival Tubb material, The World Broadcast Recordings 1944-1945 is one of the highlights among the wealth of material making its debut for Record Store Day 2024. Recorded in Los Angeles and Chicago during the closing years of World War II, this fourteen-track collection features some of the brightest lights among his Texas Troubadours (including guitarist Jimmy Short and fiddle ace Johnny Sapp), soaring through a wealth of Tubb triumphs, including That's All She Wrote, I Lost My Ace Of Hearts, Just Rollin' On, Action Speaks Louder Than Words and his signature single, Walking The Floor Over You.

Also available from Org Music on Record Store Day is the highly anticipated Various Artists collection, Love L.A. Released on gold vinyl, Love L.A. spotlights a number of Southern California's finest, paying tribute to the artists that inspired them. They include Leslie Stewart and Jim James' interpretation of Don Henley and Stevie Nicks' Leather And Lace, Mark Marron and Paige Stark's tribute to Love with Signed D.C. and Particle Kid and Sonny War's salute to Depeche Mode with Never Let Me Down Again. Proceeds from Love L.A. will benefit the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center in South Central Los Angeles.

But suffice to say that Org Music outdid themselves with the third offering in their Record Store Day 2024 trilogy. The Westbound Sound collects eleven of the best loved tracks from Armen Boladian's legendary Westbound label, including C.J. And Company's Devil's Gun, the Detroit Emeralds' Do Me Right, the Ohio Players' Funky Worm, the Fantastic Four's Alvin Stone, Dennis Coffey's Live Wire, Denise LaSalle's Hung Up Strung Out and Funkadelic's 1969 monster classic cover of Theresa Lindsey's I'll Bet You. 

Given that it is impossible to consolidate the essentials from the label's archives into a single vinyl disc, The Westbound Sound is certain to generate as much controversy as praise. Indeed, there is a wealth of material available for future volumes, from Funkadelic's Music For My Mother, the Counts' Why Not Start All Over Again and the Detroit Emeralds' You Want It You Got It to Bob "Catfish" Hodge's Boogie Man, Damon Shawn's Feel The Need and the late Gary "Byron MacGregor" Mack's groundbreaking narrative, The Americans.

As has been the case for the past several Record Store Day celebrations, leading the pack will be the latest album from composer and vocalist Taylor Swift. The Tortured Poets Department follows on the heels of the album's debut single, Fortnight, which was released five days earlier. Fortnight was Swift's premier collaboration with composer and vocalist Post Malone.

"I've been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is", Swift said.

"His musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever. I got to witness that magic come to life first hand when we worked together on Fortnight".

As before, Swift has collaborated with the Target Department Store chain to make The Tortured Poets Society available on the day prior to the Record Store Day celebration. In recent years, Target has made great strides in reaching out to vinyl conoisseurs, augmenting their inventory with limited edition variations. 

Conversely, one eagerly anticipated single release will sadly not be available for the Record Store Day celebration. First generation garage rock greats the Cherry Slush recently recorded a brand new single, Girl On The Beach. The central Michigan band is of course best known for its monster classic I Cannot Stop You single, which was first released on Coconut Groove in late 1967 and reissued on the USA label in early 1968. 

Girl On The Beach was released online only earlier this year to widespread acclaim. It was hoped that a vinyl release would be available in time for Record Store Day. But pressing plants continue to be backed up for months, due to high demand that has been exacerbated in part by an ongoing materials shortage, which was triggered by a fire that destroyed a plant in Northern California four years ago. 

"Waiting to hear back from the pressing plant", said Cherry Slush drummer and co-founder, Dick Coughlin.

As a result, orders are backed up to the degree that beloved composer, vocalist and keyboard virtuoso Alicia Witt (who was celebrated with an extensive interview in March in Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People) is presently in a Nashville studio working on her forthcoming Christmas album in order to have it available in time for the Christmas season.

In addition to all of the aforementioned, there is a wealth of other new releases on tap that will make Record Store Day 2024 a cause for celebration. They include Pearl Jam's Dark Matter, a fiftieth anniversary remix of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon, the 40th anniversary edition of Generation X front man Billy Idol's Rebel Yell, a pair of live albums by the legendary Cannonball Adderley, a heretofore unissued collaboration between jazz greats Jack Sheldon and Chet Baker, a remastered edition of the Amboy Dukes' 1968 Journey To The Center Of The Mind album (originally issued on the late Bob Shad's Mainstream label), CD and vinyl versions of Nat King Cole's landmark Live At The Blue Note, a live in Stockholm 1968 offering by the Doors, a most welcome return to print of the 1968 debut Capitol album by SRC, a collection of rare outtakes from the Dream Syndicate's landmark Days Of Wine And Roses album, a coral vinyl reissue of the Monkees' The Birds The Bees And The Monkees album in the rare monaural edition, a four album commemoration of a 1959 European tour by Sonny Rollins, a pink vinyl edition of Sun Ra's Pink Elephants On Parade, a red vinyl edition of the Yardbirds' Five Live Yardbirds album and the Rolling Stones' Live At Racket NYC album. Rounding out the highlights are new singles from Pharoah Sanders, Queen and Olivia Rodrigo.

True to form, North America's leading record retailers are welcoming the faithful with open arms. Hollywood's Amoeba Records will forego international shipping for the Record Store Day releases in order to maximize availability for those visiting their Hollywood Boulevard location. In turn, Bob Say's venerable Freak Beat Records in the San Fernando Valley is offering a ten percent discount on all purchases made over the Record Store Day weekend. As before, Dearborn Music in Dearborn and Farmington, Michigan will fill orders on a first come first served basis from wish lists filled out at the store, while the fan favorite Solo Records in neighboring Royal Oak is offering a fifteen percent discount on all non-Record Store Day items from their vast inventory. 

"I seem to always pass on Record Store Day", said one veteran collector.

"But that Westbound label (collection) sounds very interesting."

Solo Records assures that even the most discerning of musicologists and collectors will not be disappointed.

"We plan on having some surprises", said one store rep.

As previous Record Store Day celebrations have underscored time and time again, surprises, sales and satisfaction are the order of the day. And in the words of one of the aforementioned Westbound label's most beloved alumni, Denise LaSalle, Now Run And Tell That.

BITS AND PIECES - NEWS ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS By Michael McDowell

S.O.S. (Throw Me A Line): Prayers continue for Marga Bult, lead vocalist of the beloved vocal supergroup BABE. Bult sustained multiple injuries in a fall at her home shortly before the Easter weekend. Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell updates Bult's progress below. Pictured left to right: Rita van Rooij, Marga Bult and Margot van der Ven. (Click on above image to enlarge).

S.O.S. (THROW ME A LINE):

BABE'S MARGA BULT

RECOVERING FROM INJURIES

When the beloved vocal supergroup Babe recorded S.O.S. (Throw Me A Line) in 1982, it was unlikely that the present day scenario was what they had in mind.

To that effect, prayers are in progress for long time Babe lead vocalist Marga Bult, who is recovering from injuries sustained in an accident at her home.

"For the past ten days, this girl (has been) recovering in the rag basket, after a very hard, unfortunate fall at home", Bult said.

Bult was making her way around her home shortly before the Easter weekend, when the accident occurred.

"My hands were full; flat on my sniffer", she said.

"After a doctor's visit, a major concussion and a few bruises. Due to the nasty fall, wounds on my face, with a fracture in my nose bone. And a few lower and upper teeth that have been detached."

Sadly, the accident derailed her momentum in several ways.

"I couldn't be with my kids, which never happened at Easter", said Bult.

"Unfortunately, I also had to cancel RTV Oost TV recordings that were planned".

Happily, the prayers of Bult's legion of devotees (combined with her trademark relentless optimism) have enabled the healing process to move at a faster pace than was initially anticipated.

"It's getting much better", she said.

"The headaches and bruises decreased and healed the wounds. After this, I'll have my teeth fixed".

Formed by producer Peter Koelewijn in 1979 in their native Netherlands, the original line up of Babe was comprised of Rita van Rooij, Monique Hagemeijer and lead vocalist Gemma van Eck. Hagemeijer was replaced by Margot van der Ven in 1980. Following the departure of van Eck for a solo career in 1981 (due in part to creative differences prompted by a temporary change in producers), van Eck was succeeded in that capacity by Bult. 

Prior to joining Babe, Bult had been a registered nurse. She then became a part of the acclaimed duo, Tulip with Teach In alumnus Marianne Wolsink. Tulip generated quite a bit of interest at home with their Stick Together and Take Me Back singles for EMI in 1980-1981.

Upon being recruited by Babe, the revised line up of Marga Bult, Rita van Rooij and Margot van der Ven cut a series of sublime singles over the next five years that are widely hailed as being among the best in vocal group history. They include (Don't You Ever) Shop Around, Boomerang, Shocking, Indian Habits, Dolly The Doll, Explosive, Wanna Do (What Mamma Said), Hot Shot, Tommy (Is A Winner), covers of Cab Calloway's Minnie The Moocher and the Exciters' Tell Him and their utterly stupendous 1982 signature single, Together In Love Again.

Although Babe has been on a protracted sabbatical since 1986, Bult has since pursued a solo career (occasionally recording as Marcha). Thankfully Bult, van der Ven and van Rooij have remained close and continue to meet on a regular basis. True to form, despite the recovery process, Bult is resolute in her determination that this tradition will continue without interruption.

"We'll talk again in mid-April", she said.

"Always a party!"

FULL CIRCLE:

REMEMBERING

JOHN SINCLAIR

(1941 - 2024)

First impressions are not necessarily enduring ones.

From a musical standpoint, poet, author and Flint, Michigan native John Sinclair found himself in the spotlight in the late 1960s as the manager of the Lincoln Park-based quintet, the MC5. Encouraged by the acclaim afforded their earlier 45s for AMG and A-Square Records, the band recorded their debut album, Kick Out The Jams at Detroit's Grande Ballroom in October 1968. It was released by Elektra in the opening weeks of 1969, to no small amount of fanfare. The increased attention came about in light of the title track's incorporation of a particular four letter word (occasionally referred to as an "f-bomb") in its spoken introduction.

Indeed, such developments may seem to be an anomaly of sorts to a twenty-first century audience. To wit, while the enormously successful 2023 Midnights album by composer and vocalist Taylor Swift (in which Swift invokes the so-called "f-bomb" on multiple occasions) has not impacted the artist's considerable momentum to any discernible degree, Kick Out The Jams was only the second such release to have done so in the 1960s and still be afforded widespread mainstream media exposure (the first being the Kingsmen's 1963 cover of Richard Berry's Louie, Louie; and according to some, only allegedly so). 

A 1964 graduate of the University Of Michigan's Flint campus (where he had served on the staff of the university's newspaper), Sinclair used the MC5's success as a springboard for his many socio-political causes. However, his considerable momentum and media presence in that respect was abruptly derailed late in 1969 by a conviction for marijuana possession. 

The ten year sentence imposed upon Sinclair did not sit well with his many musical colleagues and supporters. A number of them (including the Up, Phil Ochs, Bob Seger, Yoko Ono, Stevie Wonder, Archie Shepp, David Peel, John Lennon and the Fugs' Ed Sanders) came to Sinclair's defense at a Free John Now rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan in December 1971.

After Sinclair's early release in 1972, he pursued a variety of business ventures. They ranged from radio announcer and author to the founder of an ambitious but short-lived graphics production house.

And it was at that point that the notion of revisiting first impressions first availed itself.

In the early days of Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People, our Graphic Arts Director, Dennis Loren concurrently worked on a number of projects with Sinclair's former wife, photojournalist Leni Sinclair. Although the Sinclairs had parted ways in 1977, they continued to collaborate in a professional capacity. 

At the time, the firm that had been handling typesetting for Blitz Magazine had abruptly gone out of business. In the search for a replacement, Leni Sinclair mentioned to Loren that her former husband's production firm was offering such services. And so, for a season, John Sinclair became a part of Blitz Magazine's production team.

Sinclair's business, which operated from the basement of his Detroit home, offered a quick turnaround time that was welcomed as a major plus for his deadline-conscious print media clientele. After introductions were made at our initial meeting, the genial Sinclair invited Blitz Magazine to wait in the ad hoc lobby that served as his living room while he processed the typesetting job on his well worn but reliable Compugraphic machine. 

While the aforementioned Kingsmen once sang that, "The waiting's gonna hurt", that was never the case at Sinclair's home. His living room also showcased his enormous vinyl collection, which he invited his clientele to peruse at their leisure. While a sizeable percentage of Sinclair's record library featured the many jazz masters who recorded for such labels as Impulse, ESP, Riverside, Atlantic and Prestige, he also had in his recorded archives a rich variety of genres and artists, from Fabian Forte to Donovan Leitch. 

Blitz Magazine's eventual relocation to Southern California meant an inevitable  parting of the professional ways with Sinclair. He nonetheless persevered and flourished in his many subsequent ventures, from radio announcer to a successful run as a recording artist in his own right. 

Sadly, Sinclair's multi-faceted vision came to a close on the morning of 02 April 2024, when he succumbed to congestive heart failure at Detroit Receiving Hospital. He was 82.

LET ME THROUGH:

REMEMBERING THE REMAINS'

KEYBOARD MAN BILL BRIGGS

(1946 - 2024)

"No". 

It was that decisive, one word response with which Remains front man and guitarist Barry Tashian concluded his interview with Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People some years ago. The question was, "Do you think the Remains will ever get back together?"

Tashian's response was not borne of a lack of interest. Rather, it was the reality of the circumstances at hand at the time. 

The Boston quartet was hailed from the onset as being among the absolute masters of first generation garage rock. Their 1966 debut album for Epic most assuredly supported that distinction, as did their singles for the label. They include You Had A Hard Time Coming, I Can't Get Away From You and the monster classics Why Do I Cry, Diddy Wah Diddy and the Billy Vera-penned Don't Look Back.

Indeed, the Remains' numerous television and concert appearances also earned them a reputation in short order as one of the most formidable live bands around. In mid-1966, the Remains opened for the Beatles on the latter band's final tour. With the Beatles growing increasingly disenchanted with the rigours of touring, the Remains seized the moment. By the accounts of many eyewitnesses, in terms of sheer prowess and enthusiasm, the Remains either equalled or surpassed the headliners on a number of those dates.

All of which served to underscore Tashian's resignation to the finality of it all. There was a brief reunion in 1969, which resulted in a live album. A final Remains studio album, Movin' On also surfaced in 2002. But the fact remained that such a powerhouse entity, no matter how determinedly it persevered, would by definition implode in due course.

Much of the Remains' impact in that respect came from keyboard man and Boston University alumnus, William Henri "Bill" Briggs III. An avid motorist, Briggs shared Marty Robbins, George Harrison and Tommy Smothers' passion for drag racing. That spirit of adventure often reflected in his work on stage with the Remains, as he and his colleagues demonstrated consistently via their mastery of the rave up. Those combined passions led to a fruitful career in auto sales in Briggs' later years.

Sadly, the Remains' Rudolph "Chip" Damiani passed away from a cerebral  hemorrhage on 23 February 2014. In turn, Bill Briggs succumbed to a lengthy illness on the morning of 26 March 2024. Survivors include his son Jake and daughter Jan. Briggs was 78.

WHAT ABOUT ME:

ANNE MURRAY

STEALS THE SHOW

AT THE JUNO AWARDS

The Snowbird has flown home with a vengeance.

After introductions by host Nelly Furtado at the annual Juno Awards in Halifax on 24 March, Capitol Records legend and Springhill, Nova Scotia native Anne Murray made a rare public appearance to present the award for Best Group. The honors went to the ambitious and hard rocking quartet, the Beaches. 

Nonetheless, it was Murray who received the lion's share of adoration from the Scotiabank Centre audience. Her upbeat observations about having attended the first Juno ceremony in Toronto, Ontario in 1970 with no television coverage and yet being "one big party" won over the crowd which, "like Nelly", Murray added, "hadn't even been born yet!"

"Lots of people got hammered", she joked.

"But not me, of course!"

Other winners included Montreal, Quebec composer and vocalist Charlotte Cardin for Album Of The Year (99 Nights), and Toronto's Tobi for Rap Album Of The Year. 

Murray's 1968 psych-tinged What About Me LP for the Arc label led to a series of acclaimed albums and 45s for Capitol in the 1970s. Among the highlights of her singles legacy were Snowbird, Just Bidin' My Time and Uproar, along with memorable covers of classics by the Monkees, the Everly Brothers, the Beatles and George Jones. Murray was also an occasional participant in the ad hoc group, the Hollywood Vampires with Micky Dolenz, Alice Cooper, Harry Nilsson and John Lennon in the 1970s.

PARTY'S OVER:

REMEMBERING THE

RASPBERRIES' ERIC CARMEN

(1949 - 2024)

While history has been somewhat forgiving, as it was unfolding, it truly was the worst of times.

The early 1970s found the musical mainstream immersed in a protracted aesthetic slump. The rich diversity and relentless optimism that had graced the musical landscape for decades had given way to an atmosphere of negativity. The so-called AM/FM wars fueled an unprecedented rise in genre myopia, with heart and optimism often taking a back seat in the creative process.

But it was in those worst of times - 1972 - that a quartet from Ohio was among those who led the charge. The Raspberries were armed with an album's worth of relentless optimism, original material with a strong verse, chorus and bridge template and a keen understanding of the power of vocal harmony. Capitol Records took a chance, and the Raspberries made the disenfranchised sit up and take notice with their debut single, Go All The Way.

Over the next several years, the Raspberries sustained their momentum with four superb albums for Capitol, as well as a wealth of acclaimed singles that included I Wanna Be With You, Overnight Sensation, Drivin' Around, Let's Pretend and I'm A Rocker.

The creative visionary behind the Raspberries was composer, vocalist and Cleveland native, Eric Howard Carmen. Inspired at an early age by such consummate entertainers as Jimmy Durante and Johnnie Ray, Carmen went on to front Cyrus Erie, who briefly recorded for Epic.

After the Raspberries had run their course, Carmen embarked upon a solo career with Arista, resulting in such enduring singles as All By Myself, Never Gonna Fall In Love Again and the utterly stupendous Sunrise. He was also interviewed at length in Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People at that time.

Sadly, Carmen passed away at his home over the weekend of 10-11 March. Survivors include his wife, Amy and his two children. Carmen was 74.

REAL TRUE LOVIN':

REMEMBERING

STEVE LAWRENCE

(1935 - 2024)

was one of many moments that has made publishing Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People an immeasurable blessing.

In June 2011, legendary composer, vocalist, arranger and producer Carmine John "Ron Dante" Granito reached out to Blitz Magazine with a bit of good news.

"I'm currently in the studio, producing Steve Lawrence", he said.

That summit meeting could not have been more fortuitous for both artists. As front man of the Detergents, Dante turned out a series of first rate novelty tracks for the great Morris Levy's Roulette label, incuding Double O-Seven, the Herman's Hermits spoof Mrs. Jones ('Ow About It) and the late 1964 monster classic Shangri-Las send up, Leader Of The Laundromat. He went on to record several acclaimed solo singles for Musicor and Columbia, before returning to center stage as lead vocalist of the Archies in 1968 and the Cuff Links in 1969. 

By 1973, Dante had taken on the role of producer for the solo recordings by one time Featherbed front man Barry Manilow for Bell and Arista. Manilow returned the favor by producing Dante's 1976 Yellow Van single for RCA Victor as lead vocalist of Ronnie And The Dirt Riders.

All of which made that 2011 summit meeting all the more fortuitous. 

Born Sidney Liebowitz in Brooklyn, New York, Lawrence worked as a demo singer in his high school years. He concurrently signed with Syd Nathan's King label in 1952. In 1953, Lawrence was hired by Steve Allen as a vocalist for the prototype of what was to become NBC's Tonight Show. Their working partnership lasted until 1957, when Jack Paar succeeded Allen as the program's host.

In terms of timing, the transition was perfect. Lawrence had joined forces with Decca's affiliate Coral label in 1955, garnering a bit of acclaim with such Gospel-themed singles as Open Up The Gates Of Mercy and The Lord Is A Busy Man. But with rock and roll in full swing by 1957, Lawrence went back into the studio that year and cut an ambitious version of Buddy Knox's Party Doll.

A brief stop at ABC Paramount at decade's end produced the highly acclaimed Footsteps and Pretty Blue Eyes singles. Following an equally fruitful association with United Artists, Lawrence went on to sign with Columbia. That partnership resulted in his signature single, Go Away Little Girl in 1962, inspiring covers by the Happenings for B.T. Puppy and Donny Osmond for MGM. 

But it was Lawrence's partnership with Eydie Gorme that reaped the greatest aesthetic and personal dividends for him. Lawrence and Gorme met while working together on The Tonight Show. They married in 1957 and worked prolifically together in the recording studio, on television and on the Broadway stage.

By 1969, the musical mainstream was well on its way into a protracted aesthetic slump. The rich diversity that had characterized music in general prior to that time was giving way to a polarization by genre that availed itself most disconcertingly in the so-called AM/FM Wars of the day. 

Nonetheless, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme rallied in the face of adversity, turning out their finest moment in the recording studio in the process. In early 1969, RCA Victor released an all new Steve And Eydie album, whose title track was the recipient of Blitz Magazine's ultimate high praise designation of absolute, utter perfection. Blessed with their trademark relentless optimism and an abundance of vocal harmony euphoria, that single, Real True Lovin' went on to tie with Los Payos' utterly stupendous Maria Isabel as Blitz Magazine's pick for Best Single Of 1969.

Sadly, by the time Lawrence and Dante had joined forces for that 2011 summit meeting, Gorme had retired from live perfomance due to declining health. She passed away in 2013. 

Nonetheless, with the unwavering resolve that the process of making music is therapeutic, Lawrence and Dante persevered accordingly.

"I'm doing classic songs for Steve's album", Dante said at the time. 

"Garth Brooks, Neil Sedaka, Elton John and Barry Manilow".

At that point, Lawrence suggested to Dante that they pause momentarily in the recording process to take a selfie to forward to Blitz Magazine. It is that selfie which accompanies this article. 

Although Lawrence continued to perform and record sporadically up to 2019, he announced in June of that year that he was in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. Tragically, that disease claimed his life in Los Angeles on 07 March.

Steve Lawrence is survived by his son, David. He would have celebrated his eighty-ninth birthday on 06 July. 

A LITTLE LESS TALK

AND A LOT MORE ACTION:

REMEMBERING

TOBY KEITH

(1961 - 2024)

The list of leading lights from music's last collective gasp of consequence once again got painfully smaller.

Since the closing years of the twentieth century, signs of greatness have surfaced upon occasion within the world of music. But not on such a grand scale as that witnessed in such game changing developments as the advent of rock and roll, the so-called British Invasion and the punk/new wave movement.

The last such large scale development came about in the late 1980s in the form of country music's New Traditionalist movement. Artists such as Highway 101, the Desert Rose Band, Randy Travis, Clint Black, Dwight Yoakam, the Forester Sisters and Ricky Van Shelton each brought a renewed sense of purpose into the genre. In turn, the artists from whom they drew their inspiration (including Hank Williams Junior, Alabama, Conway Twitty, Janie Fricke, George Jones, Buck Owens, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings) all enjoyed their own career resurgences.

But by the early 1990s, the momentum had begun to subside, as the genre at large embarked upon a protracted aesthetic slump from which it has yet to completely rebound. Nonetheless, a handful of ambitious visionaries rose to the occasion to encourage the faithful.

Chief among them was composer and vocalist Toby Keith. Born Toby Keith Covel in Clinton, Oklahoma, Keith acquired his first guitar at the age of eight. A graduate of Moore High School in suburban Oklahoma City, Keith was a defensive end on the school's football team. However, his ambitious early career aspirations found him balancing an executive position in the oil industry (for which he studied at Villanova University) while performing upon occasion with his group, the Easy Money Band. 

Keith concurrently attempted to further his aspirations in pro football during a brief stint with the Oklahoma City Drillers. But his interest in music eventually won out. 

Just as the New Traditionalist movement was beginning to run its course, Keith signed with Mercury Records. The Chicago-based label released his debut album in 1993. Hard hitting originals including Should've Been A Cowboy, A Little Less Talk And A Lot More Action, He Ain't Worth Missing and Double Wide Paradise followed in short order, and Keith found himself being hailed as one of the genre's great hopes.

During the twenty-first century, Keith began to diversify his portfolio. He founded the Show Dog Nashville label in 2005, and starred in the motion picture Broken Bridges that same year. He also opened a chain of successful restaurants bearing his name, including an enormously popular franchise at the Great Lakes Crossing Mall in the Detroit, Michigan northern suburb of Auburn Hills. He concurrently performed on a regular basis for United States military troops serving overseas.

Sadly, Keith was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2021. He underwent a series of treatments for the disease, but ultimately succumbed to its effects in his sleep at home during the evening of 05 February 2024. 

With his passing, Keith joins other giants of the New Traditionalist movement that have gone before him, including Holly Dunn, Joe Diffie and the legendary Earl Thomas Conley. Keith is survived by his wife of nearly forty years, Tricia and their three children. He was 62.

LOVE AND MERCY:

BRIAN WILSON'S

WIFE AND MANAGER

MELINDA WILSON DIES

The Love And Mercy that he has bestowed upon the multitudes for decades is being reciprocated exponentially.

Sorry to report the sudden passing of Melinda Kay Ledbetter Wilson during the morning of 30 January. She was the wife and manager of Beach Boys co-founder and principal visionary, Brian Wilson.

"My heart is broken", Brian Wilson said in a statement that afternoon.

"Our five children and I are in tears. We are lost. Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career. She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor. She was everything for us". 

Brian and Melinda Wilson married in 1995. Around that the time, Brian Wilson was enjoying considerable acclaim for Orange Crate Art, the groundbreaking album he recorded with composer and vocalist Van Dyke Parks. Orange Crate Art was Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People's pick for Best New Album Of 1995.

"Please say a prayer for her", said Wilson. 

In addition to her husband, Melinda Wilson is survived by their five children. She was 77. Memorial services are pending.

THE SORROW:

REMEMBERING

THE UNCLAIMED'S

SHELLEY GANZ

(1958 - 2024)

"Real cave, man".

For a season, that unique observation came to represent the ultimate expression of high praise of a given musical work. The observer was composer, vocalist and guitarist Peter Sheldon "Shelley" Ganz, founder and front man of the veteran second generation, Southern California-based garage band, the Unclaimed.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Southern California independent musical movement boasted a rich diversity that had not been seen since the heyday of the pioneers that inspired them. From the Blasters, Black Flag, Heaters, Minutemen, Balancing Act and Bus Boys to the Dream Syndicate, Three O'Clock, the Rain Parade, the Plimsouls and the Last, Southern California was the focal point for all things musically innovative. Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People was there in the thick of it, chronicling every development of consequence with each successive issue.

Within that movement was a small but determined cadre of bands that drew their inspiration almost exclusively from first generation garage rock. Chief among them were the Pandoras and the Unclaimed. The latter band was led by Ganz, and released their debut EP on the late "Ducky" Dave Gibson's Moxie label in 1980. 

A hardcore record collector, Ganz went to considerable lengths to realize his vision as authentically as possible. To that effect, he once reached out to members of first generation garage rock greats, the Syndicate Of Sound, who responded with a demo tape of an unreleased track by the band. That track, Get Out Of My Life found its way into the Unclaimed's live set in short order.

When an interview in Blitz Magazine served to raise their profile exponentially beyond hardcore circles, Ganz began to reach out frequently to share band news and developments, as well as to inquire about artists whose deep tracks struck his fancy. The latter category included everyone from the Bell Notes and Frankie Avalon to Wilson Pickett and the Pozo Seco Singers.

The Unclaimed also boasted their share of noteworthy alumni. From their original line up, guitarist Albert Sidney "Sid" Griffin broke away to start his own band, the hugely successful Long Ryders. In turn, interim member Rich Coffee made his own mark with Thee Fourgiven, whose Who Said Sinners Only Pay In Hell from their debut album featured a guest alto saxophone solo from Blitz Magazine Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell.

The current edition of the Unclaimed recently completed work on their forthcoming Creature Of The Maui Loon album for the Teen Sound label. The band had been gigging regularly in recent weeks. Plans were in the works for live dates in support of the new album, which is scheduled for 15 March release. 

Sadly, those plans were abruptly derailed on the morning of 23 January, when Ganz was found dead in the kitchen of his Los Angeles home. Memorial services are pending.

THERE'S MUSIC IN YOU:

REMEMBERING

BILL HAYES

(1925 - 2024)

When Archie Bleyer began assembling his formidable artist roster at Cadence Records, he drew from the best: the Chordettes, the Four Tophatters and Julius LaRosa, to name but a few (and evenutally the Everly Brothers, Johnny Tillotson, Lenny Welch and comedian Vaughn Meader).

Early on, another established artist caught Bleyer's attention: one who had worked alongside Hank Williams, Joni James and Billy Bowen at MGM. He had a flair for the dramatic, which Bleyer put to great use on such early Cadence singles as The Ballad Of Davy Crockett and Message From James Dean.

That artist was of course Bill Hayes. Born William Foster Hayes III in Harvey, Illinois, Hayes went on to record for ABC Paramount and Kapp. He also held multiple degrees from various universities, including a doctorate in education from West Virginia University. 

However, Hayes' most enduring career highlight came in the form of his role as Doug Williams, father to Kristian Alfonso's Hope Brady character. It was a role that Hayes played for more than a half century on NBC's Days Of Our Lives. Hayes worked on the series in tandem with his wife, Susan Seaforth, who portrayed the unwaveringly resolute Julie.

Hayes and Seaforth were also active as worship leaders in their San Fernando Valley church for decades; a ministry in which Hayes persevered well into the 2020s. Sadly, those various roles all came to an end with Hayes' sudden passing on 12 January. He was 98.

MAN SMART:

PIONEERING ROCKER

ADRIANO CELENTANO

CELEBRATES 86TH BIRTHDAY

The prevention of procrastination has come full circle.

Recent articles in Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People have addressed in detail the subect of procrastination, and how tendencies towards perfectionism can exacerbate it. In the new year, the reduction and/or elimination of this counter-productive trait remains front and center in our mission statement.

To that effect, a pioneering musical giant celebrated his eighty-sixth birthday on the sixth of January. For years, Blitz Magazine has hoped to add him to the long list of visionaries whose work has been championed in our pages. 

However, various concerns have come into play that have prevented such a summit meeting to date. They range from the obvious distance factor to the fact that he continues to maintain one of the most demanding schedules in the entertainment industry at large. 

As such, in light of the occasion of his birthday, it seemed prudent to at least take the necessary steps forward to allow for a celebration of his extraordinary legacy. And with Blitz Magazine's focus in recent months on the work of some of his fellow European visionaries, the time was definitely right to give this beloved pioneer of the movement his due.

Born 06 January 1938 in Milan, Lombardy to Leontino and Giuditta Celentano, Adriano Celentano spent his formative years as an apprentice watchmaker. Although musically gifted, his occasional forays into performance were primarily for his own edification while plying his trade.

But in 1959, that all changed.

At that stage, the good news of rock and roll was still traveling by word of mouth throughout much of the European continent. That year, Bill Haley And The Comets' 1954 signature single, Rock Around The Clock found its way to Celentano, and there was no turning back. 

The aspiring watchmaker at once immersed himself in this new found art form, drawing inspiration from everyone from Elvis Presley to the humor of Jerry Lewis. By year's end, he had a single available, covering both the Diamonds' The Stroll and Paul Anka's sublime Tell Me That You Love Me for the Music label with considerable high drama. 

As his nation's first and most visible champion of rock and roll, Celentano's momentum contunued unabated in the ensuing months. He starred in two acclaimed motion pictures, 1959's Ragazzi Del Juke Box and Federico Fellini's 1960 international smash, La Dolce Vita. On record, Celentano joined forces with fellow musicians Giorgio Gaber and Enzo Jannacci. They were recruited by Jolly Records' A&R head, Ezio Leoni, who went on to co-author with Celentano some of the latter's earliest hits, including the magnificent 24,000 Baci. 

By 1962, Celentano had founded his own record label, Clan Celentano. Among his initial signings were first generation garage rock greats, Ola And The Janglers (whose classic What A Way To Die was released in the United States on the GNP Crescendo label) and actress Claudia Mori, whom Celentano married in 1964. 

Celentano's profile continued to grow exponentially. His trademark athleticism and unique sense of humor endeared him to many and earned him countless appearances in motion pictures and television throughout the 1960s. 

But in 1966, his biggest breakout moment to date put him in the upper echelons of it all.

Long motivated by environmental concerns in his native Lombardy, Celentano in 1966 was inspired to compose a ballad that would bring those concerns into the forefront. But the resultant Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck more than exceeded expectations. 

A black and white video clip of Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck found its way to Dick Clark, whose American Bandstand and Where The Action Is were among television's hottest outlets for new music. Meanwhile, other artists also took notice. The beloved composer and vocalist, Francoise Hardy (whose records were released on the 4 Corners label in the United States) turned in an inspired cover of Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck as La Maison Ou J'ai Grandi. And at Capitiol Records in Hollywood, a bit of astute transliteration enabled the great Verdelle Smith to release a masterpiece of her own with her interpretation of Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck as Tar And Cement.

With that, Celentano could well have found himself at an impasse not unlike that which impacted the Beach Boys in the coming months. With the game changing Smile/Smiley Smile project under wraps by mid-1967, the only way to go was back to basics, which they did with their R&B-inspired Wild Honey album before year's end.

For Celentano, a change was also coming. But for many, it was a change that still generates inspired discussions more than a half century after the fact.

While demand for live concert appearances, film and television guest shots and the like continued unabated, by the early 1970s, Celentano was still compelled to take it to the next level. And in what by North American standards was arguably the worst of times aesthetically to date, Celentano instead rose to the occasion and delivered his masterpiece.

Although the European continent overall had more than proved its mettle as a primary go to source of the best in musical creativity, in 1972, there was still an undercurrent of "us versus them" that inspired visionaries such as Celentano on to even greater heights. Amused and motivated by what he perceived was a sound pattern that was unique to the English language, Celentano composed a three minute single in which he (in spoken word fashion) waxed eloquently on the subject with random syllables which only paralleled the English language upon occasion. Filmed in a classroom setting (with Claudia Mori as his harmonica playing student) Celentano as a language professor created an anthem for the ages with his larger than life Prisencolinensinainciusol single. Since its 1972 release, Prisencolinensineinciusol has been hailed as a forerunner of punk, rap and several other genres.

For much of the remainder of the twentieth century and well into the twenty-first century, Celentano has maintained a rigorous schedule of film and television appearances. After a sabbatical of several years, he returned to live concert performances in 2012 to a hero's welcome. Most notably, his 2016 high drama remake of Prisencolinensinainciusol as MinaCelentano with Roberto Bolle was saluted by Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People as one of the premiere singles of the decade of the 2010s.

For his eighty-sixth birthday, Celentano has opted to take in the occasion with loved ones. In the process, he has also fielded literally thousands of well wishes from the faithful, who have kept his social media platforms saturated with benedictions. He remains a hero for the ages. Buon Compleanno, good sir.

THE RACE IS ON:

JACK JONES TAKES

A VICTORY LAP

OVER CANCER

Jack Jones has never been one to back away from a challenge.

For more than six decades, the legendary composer and vocalist George Jones (no relation) was regarded by many as the greatest living voice on the planet. In September 1964, George Jones recorded the rocking The Race Is On single for United Artists. That single was a career defining moment, eventually earning cover versions by Dave Edmunds, the Grateful Dead, the Georgia Satellites, Waylon Jennings, Jody Miller and others. 

But first out of the gate with his own rendition for Kapp Records in March 1965 was Jack Jones. With its rocking arrangement and sublime overdubbed vocal harmonies, Jack Jones' version of The Race Is On is considered by many to be the definitive one. 

However, in recent months, Jack Jones has been involved in a race of a much more serious kind. Yet despite grim odds, it seems that he has nonetheless crossed the finish line unto victory.

"Not long after we finished the album Art Work (around Thanksgiving 2022), my wife Eleonora tested positive for Covid", Jones said. 

"I then hunkered down and waitied for it to get me. It did".

At first, it seemed as though the disease would run its course, and that was that.

"As the days went on, we both got over our Covid symptoms", Jones said.

"However, I started having feelings of extreme tiredness and weakness. After a blood test, my primary care doctor told me to go right to emergency at Eisenhower in Palm Desert."

After running a series of tests, Jones was discharged. But then things took a turn for the worse. 

"I then went to see my oncologist, who was not connected with Eisenhower", Jones said.

"He discovered cancer in my bone marrow. Acute leukemia. He told me there was nothing he could do, and that I was going to die. Hello!"

However, Jones then heard from long time friend, Dick Oliphant. 

"He told me about a doctor at Eisenhower. He was able to accept me as a patient. I followed his advice from then on. Since that time, after some hard work and brilliant guidance, I am cancer free and in remission."

One other critical element in Jones' recovery was the outpouring of love, prayer and support from family, friends and fans alike. 

"I am flabbergasted and grateful for your expressions of love", Jones said.

"I wanted to thank each and every one of you individually. Your messages were understood".

Jones summed it up by noting that in the process, he has lived out another one of his landmark recordings for Kapp.

"Thank you for sharing", he said.

"Winning our battle is not always an Impossible Dream".