Thursday

WELCOME TO BLITZ MAGAZINE'S WEB SITE!


CAN I GET A WITNESS?: Beloved composer, vocalist, keyboard virtuoso, actress and author ALICIA WITT shares with Blitz Magazine Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell what to expect on her forthcoming North American tour in support of her highly aclaimed latest release, Witness. Their exchange can be found in a free standing article under the Previous Posts heading at right. (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 shares her plans for her highly anticipated North American tour in support of her acclaimed Witness album.

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

His most impressive legacy as a recording artist for MGM, Cadence, ABC Paramount and Kapp was perhaps superseded only by his portrayal of Doug Williams on NBC's Days Of Our Lives for more than a half century. We salute the legendary BILL HAYES, who passed away suddenly on 12 January at age 98.

Beloved pioneering rocker and comedy/drama visionary ADRIANO CELENTANO celebrated his eighty-sixth birthday on 06 January 2024. Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell takes a closer look at his extraordinary legacy.

In a free standing interview under the Previous Posts heading at right, KALEIDOSCOPE front man and co-founder PETER DALTREY shares his considerable enthusiasm over Running Through Chelsea, his all new collaboration with the KNOW ESCAPE for the Texas-based Think Like A Key label. 

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.

Beloved veteran sibling band, the COWSILLS has led the charge for the 2023 Christmas season with the release of their ambitious digital EP, A Christmas Offering From The Cowsills for the Omnivore label. 

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:

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. 

With his latest Original Cast release, I Grew Up Here, veteran composer and vocalist BRIAN GARI takes a pragmatic and universal look at life's loves, tragedies and unresolved business.

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?

First generation garage rock great and STANDELLS co-founder TONY VALENTINO celebrates his legacy with new versions of his band's classic sides for Tower Records and a couple of new originals in Dirty Water Revisited.

With his latest Linus Entertainment release, Waiting For The Sun To Rise, Toronto, Ontario composer and vocaliat MARC JORDAN has produced a most fascinating look at a familiar theme.

Veteran composer and vocalist ALICIA WITT brings Neil Sedaka's 1972 lament, I'm A Song (Sing Me) full circle with her latest single for Alicia Witt Music, Someone To Write Me A Song.


Tuesday

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.

KALEIDOSCOPE / PETER DALTREY INTERVIEW


TIME AND TIDE: After a series of delays brought about by logistics and the production process, the vinyl edition of the much ballyhooed Running Through Chelsea album is at last available on the Think Like A Key label. Running Through Chelsea is the brainchild of Kaleidoscope founder and front man Peter Daltrey (above left), working in tandem with Mark Mortimer (right) and his vast cadre of musicians who persevere as the Know Escape. Daltrey recalls their fascinating journey below with Blitz Magazine Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell. (Click on above image to enlarge). 
    
RUNNING THROUGH CHELSEA:
KALEIDOSCOPE'S PETER DALTREY
COMES DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN
AND INTO THE STUDIO
WITH THE KNOW ESCAPE
By Michael McDowell

For veteran composer, keyboard man and vocalist Peter Daltrey, some crucial elements of the recording industry have not changed over the past half century.

As co-founder (along with guitarist Eddy Pumer, bassist Steve Clark and drummer Danny Bridgman) of the pioneering London psych band, Kaleidoscope, Daltrey and his colleagues learned first hand of the ways and means of the recording industry. Having first performed live in 1963 as the Sidekicks, the band then persevered after November 1965 as the Key before signing with Fontana in January 1967 and changing their name to Kaleidoscope. 

Their ambitious Flight From Ashiya single followed on Fontana in September of that year, along with their debut album, Tangerine Dream two months later. Kaleidoscope ultimately released two albums and six singles for Fontana, before reinventing themselves as Fairfielfd Parlour in 1970. But with all of that came a reality check along the way.

"When our album came out, or our singles, the record company never gave us a copy", said Daltrey. 

"We had to go out and buy our own!"

Throughout the ensuing years, Daltrey released over a number of solo albums with various collaborators. A version of Kaleidoscope also persevered into the twenty-first century. Sadly, bassist Steve Clark passed away in May 1999. In turn, lead guitarist Eddy Pumer succumbed to a brief illness in September 2020.

Despite those setbacks, Daltrey has persevered with a vengeance. He most recently signed with Roger Houdaille's Texas-based Think Like A Key label, which to date has released highly acclaimed projects by Unicorn (a deluxe reissue of the band's David Gilmour-produced Too Many Crooks album), Orange And Blue (a collection of heretofore unavailable 1996 sessions by psych pioneers Nirvana, featuring Patrick Campbell-Lyons and Alex Spyropoulos) and the much anticipated Kitchen Rock by Pretty Things veteran Wally Waller. 

Yet along the way, both Daltrey and Houdaille learned that history often repeats itself. In this case, due largely to circumstances beyond their control.

"The CD has gone out already", Daltrey said.

"But we've had a delay on the vinyl, because the majors have suddenly realized that there's a market out there for vinyl. They were slow to catch up. But now they have. They've swamped the manufacturers with their massive orders. So smaller, independent companies get pushed out, because the majors want their orders first".

According to Houdaille, those delays have availed themselves in terms of logistics, as well.

"Faster to send ourselves", he said.

Thankfully, the vinyl edition of Running Through Chelsea finally saw release in September. Most assuredly, it was worth the wait.

"Here we are fifty-six years later", Daltrey said.

"The thrill of getting your new record out hasn't diminished at all, because of the amount of work that goes into it. When the LP actually comes out, and you get a copy of it in your hands, there's nothing like that feeling in the world".

Indeed, Running Through Chelsea is an extraordinary celebration of sorts of that which put Daltrey on center stage in the first place. Tracks such as Come Down From The Mountain, No Girls On Mars, Time And Tide, Hotel Juliet and Bukowski's Tambourine (the single) reveal a man with a strong mission statement that builds upon the sub-genre he helped pioneer without succumbing to caricature.

"Most of it is down to Mark Mortimer and his army of musicians", said Daltrey.

"I've done my little bit with the lyrics, the melodies and little odds and ends."

While Daltrey's "little bit" most assuredly defines the vision of the album, he is quick to point out the crucial role which Mortimer played in bringing it to fruition.

"I can't tell the difference between CD audio and vinyl audio, because I haven't got a right ear anymore", Daltrey said.

"It's gone years ago. I'm totally deaf in there".

Even so, Daltrey remains keenly aware that the sheer volume of choices are as overwhelming as they were when Kaleidoscope signed with Fontana. 

"There's so much music coming out these days", he said.

"It's difficult to stand out from the crowd. But you guys have stood by us for years".

Buoyed by the initial response, Daltrey remains motivated to persevere. The Leopard  And The Lamb is slated for mid-December release.

"Mark and I are already a couple of tracks into the next album", he said. 

"We did record some tracks down in Glastonbury. It's slower going this time. When we did Running Through Chelsea, it was during lockdown."

Meanwhile, there is plenty in which the faithful can immerse themselves in Running Through Chelsea. Easily one of the best new releases of the year to date.

"All I know is that the album sounds good to me", said Daltrey.

"I'm very proud of this album. I hope you love it!"

Saturday

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


I Want To Stay Here: In a career that spanned more than seventy years, he excelled on  television, in the recording studio and on the Broadway stage. And in June 2011, he was part of a summit meeting (pictured above) with Ron Dante in the recording studio. Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell pays tribute below to the legendary STEVE LAWRENCE, who lost his battle against Alzheimer's Disease in Los Angeles on 07 March at age 88  (Click on above image to enlarge).

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".