Tag: variety shows

HAIL! HAIL! ROCK AND ROLL REVIVAL

February 13, 2023 / Forrest G Boughner

THE FORMATIVE YEARS PART VI

Greetings all! Last time out, I presented a brief early history of rock music and name-dropped mountains of great tunes while unpacking cherished childhood memories of Detroit rock oldies radio. Good times. Today, I’ll explore how the rock and roll revival that spawned rock oldies radio came to pass and further illustrate how first generation rockers influenced media, culture, and yours truly in the 1970s. Let’s dig in…

BUT I DON’T WANT TO WEAR A PUFFY SHIRT

Rock music progressed at an epic pace between 1954 and 1970; evolving rapidly from fun, unpretentious amalgams of r&b and folk forms into the sophisticated, often trippy musical expansions of the psychedelic era. With this in mind, not everyone was on-board to “face the strange.” The dark, psych-folk of David Bowie; the dazed and confused proto-metal blues of Led Zeppelin; the unsettling sonic dissonance of The Stooges; the pretentious baroque pop of The Moody Blues; the warped, progressive psych pop of Pink Floyd… They were, without a doubt, all too much for folks who viewed such sweeping departures as disingenuous betrayals of the original rock aesthetic. Something had to give.

So, in the late ’60s, two parallel movements consequently bubbled up to bring rock back to center: roots rock and – the topic for the day – the great rock and roll revival.

(Imagined thought bubble belonging to the average early rock “purist” c. 1968: “Where’s the rebellion? Where’s the excitement? Where are the screaming girls? …Is that guy playing a flute? What the hell is a theremin??!!!”)

THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING WILL RETURN IN A MOMENT, BUT FIRST…

My earlier suggestion that the rock and roll revival was merely a response to high psychedelia was misleading. In truth, the invariably cyclical nature of music trends is what ultimately made it happen. Humans are wont to grow nostalgic in response to change – any change. Yes, niches of the fanbase were definitely alienated by six-plus years of mods, nehru jackets, exotic sonic affectations, and concept albums, but that wasn’t the whole story. The revival probably had as much or more to do with the sociopolitical turmoil that gripped the U. S. in the 1960s than anything else.

The civil rights movement; the Cold War and the Space Race; the Cuban Missile Crisis/Bay of Pigs Invasion; the MLK and JFK assassinations; Viet Nam… The U.S. had been involved in continuous, overlapping conflicts since the Korean War and it had taken a serious toll. The collective spirit of the people was accordingly broken by the weight of troubled times. No wonder they were pining hard for the glory days of sock hops, poodle skirts, hot rods, and greased-back pompadours.

Aaaaaaaand we’re on again in 5, 4, 3…

RETURN OF THE KINGS

Starting c. 1968, the rock and roll revival represented a reversal of fortune for first gen acts who lost their audience in Beatlemania‘s wake. Born in ’72, I was late to the revival party, but its impact was hard to miss. The evidence was everywhere. Rock oldies radio did much to bring Gen X-ers such as myself up up to speed, but it was the continued presence and obvious influence of rock’s elder states(persons) that made the biggest difference. Here are but a few prominent high-profile comeback stories…

GENRE	ARTIST	YEAR	COMEBACK SINGLE	pos*
R&B	FATS DOMINO	1968	“LADY MADONNA”	#100
COUNTRY	JERRY LEE LEWIS	1968	“ANOTHER PLACE, ANOTHER TIME”	#1 COUNTRY
FOLK ROCK	DION	1968	“ABRAHAM, MARTIN, AND JOHN”	#4
ROCK	ELVIS	1969	“SUSPICIOUS MINDS”	#1
R&B	LITTLE RICHARD	1970	“FREEDOM BLUES”	#47
rOCK	CHUCK BERRY	1970	“MY DING-A-LING”	#1
COUNTRY ROCK	RICK NELSON	1972	“GARDEN PARTY”	#6
ROCK	BILL HALEY & THE COMETS	1974	“ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK” (RE-RELEASE)	#39
SOFT ROCK	PAUL ANKA	1974	“(YOU’RE) HAVING MY BABY”	#1
SOFT ROCK	FRANKIE VALLI	1974	“MY EYES ADORED YOU”	#1
SOFT ROCK	NEIL SEDAKA	1974	“LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN”	#1
SOUL/DISCO	THE MIRACLES	1975	“LOVE MACHINE”	#1
ROCK	CLIFF RICHARD	1976	“DEVIL WOMAN”	#6
COUNTRY ROCK	ROY ORBISON	1980	“THAT LOVIN’ YOU FEELING AGAIN” (WITH EMMYLOU HARRIS)	#6 COUNTRY
ROCK	DEL SHANNON	1981	“SEA OF LOVE”	#33
ROCK	THE EVERLY BROTHERS	1984	“ON THE WINGS OF A NIGHTINGALE”	#50

chart of prominent Rock and roll revival comeback stories
* PEAK U.S. CHART POSITION according to billboard

YOU NEVER CAN TELL

Chuck Berry‘s popularity didn’t crater immediately when the British Invasion displaced most of his immediate peers. Rather, it was buoyed, if temporarily, by the reverence of artists (The Beatles; Rolling Stones) who frequently covered his work. Even after the hits stopped in ’65, his name still sold tickets – a point not lost on the concert promoters who ultimately sparked the revival.

In 1969, Berry co-headlined the first ever “Rock and Roll Revival” concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden, commencing what became a long, successful run on the burgeoning rock oldies circuit. In the end, it didn’t really matter that Chuck Berry only charted thrice after ’64 because showmanship and a back catalog of timeless tunes ensured that no one would ever forget the “Father of Rock and Roll.”

VIVA LAS ELVIS

Distracted by movie work for several of the immediately preceding years, Elvis Presley resumed his reign as “King of Rock and Roll” with a massively successful 1968 TV concert special. Lucrative tours followed (Las Vegas residency) soon after, as did renewed chart success (“Suspicious Minds”). But the comeback wouldn’t endure; Elvis died from a fatal prescription drug overdose in 1977. He was only 42.

Having no reliable recollection of the living “King,” I can’t claim to have been profoundly affected when he died. I was only 5, myself. In retrospect, any regrets I have on the subject have less to do with “what could’ve been” than how he’s remembered today – not for his talents, but for myriad unfortunate late-career fashion choices. After all Elvis contributed in his lifetime, that’s what people hold on to? Really?? Maybe it’s just me, but I prefer to remember him as he was at the onset of his celebrity: a young, vibrant, tastefully dressed and tressed rockabilly cut-off at the waist by insecure TV producers (ha).

Stay tuned… I’ll be pulling more at this thread later.

FATS IS (KINDA) BACK

Fats Domino’s 1968 comeback LP, Fats Is Back, didn’t exactly restore the “Real King” to his former glories as intended. Domino did the requisite promotional rounds to support the record, but it still “bombed” (industry code for “it sold ok, but not as much as we wanted”). Were lukewarm reviews to blame for the album’s failure? Meh, it didn’t help, but I just think record buyers had moved on. Uninspiring sales notwithstanding, the hoopla surrounding the new album raised public interest enough to net TV appearances and buttress Domino’s status as a live attraction throughout the rock and roll revival and beyond.

RE-BIRTH OF THE BOOGIE

Few founders took the debilitating loss of audience at home, post-British Invasion, harder than bandleader Bill Haley. Trapped overseas by the mid-’60s, playing to audiences a fraction the size of those he once commanded, alcoholism and money troubles were ruining him… And then, seemingly out of nowhere, Haley’s appearances at the first rock and roll revival shows at the ‘Garden in ’69 turned things around. The Comets were, once again, a prime live attraction domestically thanks to the rock oldies circuit.

Then, a few years later, c. 1973-’74, royalties generated from songs licensed for American Graffiti and Happy Days further bolstered the group’s profile by exposing them to younger audiences. Sadly, Haley’s return to glory was cut short after less than a decade; he died tragically from an inoperable brain tumor in February of 1981.

WOULD YOU TAKE ANOTHER CHANCE ON ME?

Jerry Lee Lewis was all but finished after 1958 once news of his marriage to 13-year old (!!!) cousin Myrna became common knowledge. Rock radio largely abandoned him and the primo venues stopped booking him. A few scattered singles sold modestly over the next few years, but nothing too exciting. The stigma of scandal cast a long shadow. For roughly ten years he scuffled, vainly working to find angles back into the public’s good graces until BAM! Something finally worked…

In 1968, Lewis successfully crossed-over to country with the honky tonk-styled ballad “Another Place, Another Time.” Having re-established himself, further dalliances with country audiences soon followed, of course, including more hit singles (“There Must Be More To Love Than This“), and full-lengths (1970’s Old Tyme Country Music). Without delay, American TV warmed again, leading to frequent guest turns on variety programs ranging from The Mike Douglas Show to Hee-Haw.

The highlight of this period, however, has to have been Lewis’ legendary 1973 performance at the Grand Ol’ Opry. Still carrying a grudge against the Nashville establishment that dated back to his first failed efforts to succeed as an aspiring performer, the “Killer” defiantly thumbed his nose at Opry convention; banging-out a 40-minute set that balanced mid-tempo country numbers with heavy doses of rip-snorting rock. Suffice to say, he was banned for life. Good for him!

ENTER THE QUEEN

Little Richard left secular music in 1959 to pursue Christian ministry/gospel performance only to be lured back to rock three years later by concert promoters who recognized his unwavering potency onstage. For good or bad, a lot had changed in the music markets while he was away. Piano rockers went out of vogue and Motown, Tamla, Atlantic, and Stax had emerged as the top labels in r&b. By Richard’s account, all the labels feared his style was too wild for modern (conservative) audiences and tensions arose due to perceived pressure to re-brand as a more conventional soul singer.

Always one to follow his own rebellious muse, Richard tried a new tactic – rather than tone things down, he turned them up to 11! So, starting with his 1969 Las Vegas residency, he enveloped himself in ever more outrageous, often glittery costuming and adopted an overtly “out” stage persona. The move was notable on many fronts… First, as a predictor of glam, he established both the outlandish visual vocabulary for the genre and its ties to vintage rock and roll. Secondly, Richard’s amped-up androgyny added to his sexually charged mythos, earning him the nickname “The Queen of Rock and Roll.” Most importantly, although his hit making days were pretty much over, Little Richard’s sheer entertainment value made him an enduring character in pop culture; ensuring continued demand as a guest performer/interview subject for the remainder of his days.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE

As is customary with successive generations, regardless of context, contemporary artists across all genres paid homage to their predecessors during the rock and roll revival…

SONG	VERSION COVERED	YEAR	COVER ARTIST	YEAR
“Summertime Blues”	EDDIE COCHRAN	1958	THE WHO	1970
“I Hear You Knocking”	SMILEY LEWIS	1955	Dave Edmunds	1970
“Hot Rod Lincoln”	CHARLIE RYAN & The livingston brothers	1955	COMMANDER CODY & his lost planet airmen	1971
“Hello Mary Lou”	RICKY NELSON	1961	CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL	1972
“Rockin’ Robin”	BOBBY DAY	1958	MICHAEL JACKSON	1972
“Rockin’ pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu”	Huey “Piano” Smith & His Clowns	1957	Johnny Rivers	1972
“Let the Good Times Roll/ Feel So Fine”	SHIRLEY & LEE	1956	SLADE	1972
“Roll Over Beethoven”	CHUCK BERRY	1956	ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA	1973
“You’re Sixteen”	JOHNNY BURNETTE	1960	RINGO STARR	1973
“PLEASE MR. POSTMAN”	THE MARVELETTES	1961	THE CARPENTERS	1974
“The Loco-motion”	LITTLE EVA	1962	GRAND FUNK RAILROAD	1974
“Love Hurts”	THE EVERLY BROTHERS	1960	NAZARETH	1974
“You’re No Good”	Dee Dee Warwick	1963	Linda Ronstadt	1974
“Stand By Me”	Ben E. King	1961	John Lennon	1975
“Let It Rock”	CHUCK BERRY	1959	BOB SEGER	1976
“Denis”	Randy & The Rainbows	1963	Blondie	1977
“stay”	Maurice williams & the zodiacs	1960	jackson browne	1977
“Da Doo Ron Ron”	THE CRYSTALS	1963	SHAUN CASSIDY	1977
“Do You Wanna Dance”	Bobby Freeman	1958	Ramones	1977
“Who Do You Love”	BO DIDDLEY	1956	GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS	1978
“Shout”	THE ISLEY BROTHERS	1959	OTIS DAY & THE NIGHTS	1978
“Money (That’s What I Want)”	BARRETT STRONG	1959	THE FLYING LIZARDS	1979
“AIN’T THAT A SHAME”	FATS DOMINO	1955	CHEAP TRICK	1979
“I FOUGHT THE LAW”	THE CRICKETS	1955	THE CLASH	1980

chart of vintage rock songs covered by contemporary artists during the rock and roll revival

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL

CCR’s discography accordingly demonstrates the group’s deep affinity for 1950s r&b and rockabilly; evidenced in faithful remakes of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins‘ “I Put a Spell On You,” Dale Hawkins‘ “Suzie Q,” Ricky Nelson‘s “Hello Mary Lou,” and others. Of course, no song in their ovure better exemplifies the influence of old time rock and roll than John Fogerty’s rollicking “Travelin’ Band.”

THE CARPENTERS

Although best known for edgeless, saccharine confections, The Carpenters often revealed a fondness for ’60s folk and rock by way of recordings of Tim Hardin, Beatles, and Neil Young compositions. Likewise, they demonstrated a nostalgic bent for classic brill building pop through the songs of Bacharach/David, and Nichols/Williams. On their 1973 album Now & Then, the Carpenter siblings reconciled these influences on the side-long song suite “Yesterday Once More.” Seamlessly arranged so as to emulate the “boss radio” experience, the sentimental track centered around a medley of early ’60s American pop-rock songs, covering surf (“Fun Fun Fun“), country (“The End of the World“), r&b (“Our Day Will Come“), girl groups (“One Fine Day“), and more.

JOHN LENNON

Ironically, John Lennon proved, perhaps, to have a greater penchant for nostalgia than fellow Beatle alum Paul McCartney. Caught more than a few times while needling his former writing partner for indulging in “granny” songs, Lennon devoted the entirety of 1975’s Rock ‘n’ Roll to vintage American rock and soul covers. The album’s birth was messy and it was a modest success by Beatles standards, but its punchy interpretation of Ben E. King‘s “Stand By Me” was a highlight. Five years later, Lennon’s ’50s rock inspired comeback hit “(Just Like) Starting Over” – released a mere 6 weeks before his December 1980 assassination – returned him to #1. A bittersweet victory, to be certain.

LINDA RONSTADT

By the mid 1980s, Linda Ronstadt had become more of an adult contemporary pop artist, but her specialty remained interpretation. For more than forty years, from her time with late ’60s combo Stone Ponys onward, she covered everything from folk-rock to new wave to country to pop standards. However, referencing her peak ’70s period, the bulk of her hits weighed toward classic rockabilly (“When Will I Be Loved“; “Blue Bayou“) and r&b (“You’re No Good“; “Heatwave“).

RAMONES

The New York punk ensemble Ramones‘ visual aesthetic – long mod bowl cuts, black leather jackets, t-shirts, hard-worn blue jeans, and tennis shoes – perfectly approximated their sound. Specializing in pure, loud, unschooled vintage rock played faster, they efficiently (if not always expertly) plowed through set lists while reflecting the influence of instrumental guitar rock, garage, surf, r&b, girl groups, and teen idol balladeers. Further, the Ramones habitually covered their antecedents; sprinkling shambling renditions of classics like Bobby Freeman‘s “Do You Wanna Dance,” The Rivieras‘ “California Sun,” and The Ronettes‘ “Baby I Love You” throughout their discography. Further still, the legendarily infamous “Wall of Sound” mastermind Phil Spector even produced their 1980 LP End of the Century.

IMITATION IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY

As I’ve already indicated, covers weren’t the only means through which contemporary artists channelled their influences during the rock and roll revival. For many, tributes were offered in the form of fresh tunes written in the styles of their musical forbears.

genre	ARTIST	Song	YEAR
rock	The Beatles	“Back in the u.s.s.r.”	1968
art rock	the mothers of invention	“Cheap thrills”	1968
Rock	Creedence clearwater revival	“Travelin’ band”	1970
Glam Rock	slade	“Get Down And get with it”	1971
Glam Rock	T. Rex	“bang a gong (get it on)”	1971
Glam Rock	David Bowie	“Suffragette City”	1972
Rock	The Move	“California Man”	1972
Glam rock	Gary Glitter	“I’m the leader of the pack (I Am)”	1973
Glam Rock	Elton John	“Saturday Night’s ALright For Fighting”	1973
Rock	Wizzard	“Eddy’s Rock”	1974
pop rock	Billy Joel	“Say goodbye to hollywood”	1976
punk	Ramones	“I Wanna be your boyfriend”	1976
New wave	Elvis Costello	“No Dancing”	1977
rock	Electric Light orchestra	“Rockaria”	1977
new wave	The Cars	“my best friend’s girl”	1978
new wave	The B-52s	“Rock Lobster”	1979
post-punk	The Cramps	“Garbageman”	1979
rock	John Lennon	“(Just LIke) Starting Over”	1980
rock	Queen	“Crazy Little Thing Called Love”	1980
new wave	Stray Cats	“Stray Cat Strut”	1982

chart of Contemporary artists who demonstrated the influence of early rock styles during the rock and roll revival

SAY GOODBYE TO PSYCHEDELIA

The Beatles signaled their estrangement from psychedelia in 1968; aligning themselves with the rock and roll revival on “Back in the U.S.S.R.” – a straight rocker that mashed Chuck Berry‘s signature boogie together with the Beach Boys‘ doo wop inspired surf gems. Later in that same year, Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention issued their satirical full-length nod to 1950s rock tropes, Cruising with Ruben & the Jets.

Progressing into the following decades, piano man Billy Joel’s love of early rock styles – evident in ’70s hits like “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” and “Only the Good Die Young” – culminated on the 1983 song cycle An Innocent Man. Tangentially, while transitioning into the ’80s, the ever versatile arena rockers Queen introduced rockabilly into their already diverse mix; toning down Brian May’s signature guitar harmonizers for the tracks “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Man On the Prowl.”

THE OGS (ORIGINAL GLITTERATI)

Linked together by a campy, cheeky, hyper-exaggerated theatricality, no artists, however, wore the influence of vintage rock during the rock and roll revival more transparently than 1970s British glamacts…

Marc Bolan’s T. Rex recorded four psychedelic folk albums as Tyrannosaurus Rex before he rebranded himself as a full-on rock god in 1970. Trading hippie beads for glammy boas and acoustic guitars for electric, the act soon specialized in chugging, Bo Diddley-esque boogies; most often reinforced in memory by the classic rock radio staple “Bang a Gong [Get It On].”

After suffering numerous false-starts, disgraced glam godfather Gary Glitter finally achieved success in the early ’70s via winking, imbecilic anthems that combined chunky old time riffs and rhythms with lurid, hyper-stylized faux-greaser imagery.

Basically ignored in the U.S. until Quiet Riot’s metal cover of “Cum On Feel the Noise” hit big in 1983, Slade‘s amplified and anthemic power pop sheered classic r&b down to it’s bare bones with ear-splitting sonic bombast.

Last, but not least, the most most universally celebrated and enduring names in ’70s glam – David Bowie (“Drive-In Saturday“; “Suffragette City“) and Elton John (“Crocodile Rock“; “Saturday Night’s Alright [For Fighting]“) – issued select songs that evoked the collective virtues of vintage rock balladry, doo wop, folk, pop, and r&b.

A NEW WAVE OF REVIVALISTS

Out on the fringes of the rock and roll revival, many post-punk/new wave acts also drew inspiration from ’50s and early ’60s media.

Some artists, expressing absurdist inclinations analogous to those of glam rockers, variously combined vintage rock styles with B movie imagery in their presentation… Retro-styled like refugees from Roger Waters‘ films, the B-52s borrowed from classic garage, surf and 1950s science fiction movie scores. Similarly, the Cramps mixed surf, rockabilly and garage rock with the horror vibes and trashy imagery of Hammer Studios and Russ Meyer exploitation flicks.

In contrast, Stray Cats mostly bypassed the high kitsch and camp of their aforementioned peers and resolutely devoted themselves to playing straight-up, old-fashioned rockabilly; while the Cars beguiled rock radio with their deft fusion of guitar-driven rock and roll and synth-laden new wave.

At the start of his recording career, having adopted an image that copped significantly from Buddy Holly and a stage name he audaciously usurped from the the “King,” everything about iconic singer-songwriter Elvis Costello shouted “retro-cool.” Correspondingly, his stunning debut My Aim Is True plays like something out of its time. Lacking, for the most part, the coked-up pacing of his first record with the Attractions, Costello’s songs – charmingly produced by Stiff label mate Nick Lowe – uniformly present like pastiches to vintage rock, r&b, and soul. A classic.

DO YA (WANT MY ROCK AND ROLL)

Few performers more frequently mined the founders for inspiration during the rock and roll revival than Brits Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne; who, with drummer Bev Bevan, recorded briefly as both the final configuration of British psychedelic power-pop band The Move and the inaugural iteration of symphonic pop-rock act Electric Light Orchestra…

1966-72 OVERTURE

Although virtually unknown in the U.S., The Move was a fairly successful singles act in the U.K. from 1966-’72. Founded as a quintet, the band was already pared down to a trio in 1970 when leader Roy Wood’s drive to push toward heavy prog cost them lead vocalist Carl Wayne. In short order, singer-guitarist-songwriter Jeff Lynne (Idle Race) stepped-in to fill the void .

With Lynne on-board, the act had too many ideas to shoehorn into The Move. Hence Electric Light Orchestra was conceived as a side-vehicle for their more ambitious orchestral-rock compositions. Issued on the heels of the first ELO LP, The Move’s last British. single – 1972’s “California Man” – was an unabashed, swinging tribute to ’50s rock and roll; complete with a full brass section, boogie riffs, lively keys, and dueling vocal leads by Lynne and Wood.

LOOKING ON

Shortly after The Move’s dissolution, Roy Wood tired of sharing power in Electric Light Orchestra; exiting mid-way through the sessions for ELO II to form the unpredictable art rock collective Wizzard. Completely free to follow his muse, his recordings from then on were works of pure whimsy that careened wildly between hard rock, orchestral prog, glam, jazz rock, and old time rock and roll (sometimes within the confines of a single song). Following Wood’s obsessions through to their logical next step, Wizzard’s second full-length, 1974’s Introducing Eddie & The Falcons, was a full-fledged love letter to early rock. Split between glammy interpretations of vintage rock and eerily faithful recordings in the style of Wood’s heroes, the unfairly unsung Eddie stands, in my opinion, as the one of the most committed, if not the greatest, tribute albums of all time.

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL IS KING

Although not as intrusive, Jeff Lynne’s shared yen for vintage rock also came to the fore after Wood’s exit from ELO; becoming almost as key to his songwriting formula as lush productions, sticky hooks, and melodic orchestrations. With “Roll Over Beethoven,” he seeded a tradition of placing at least one ’50s flavored song per record. The track – an ironic mash-up Chuck Berry’s classic and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony – joyfully collided classical and rock forms in a manner akin to the Move’s “Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited.” Later exemplars of this ELO custom include “Telephone Line,” “Rockaria,” “Hold On Tight,” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Is King.”

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN

As I’ve previously noted,* music licensing did much to boost the profile of early rockers in 1970s America. Yes, movies and TV presented distorted portraits of the “good ol’ days,” but they also introduced new generations to Bill Haley, Fats Domino, Elvis, Buddy Holly, etc., and helped popularize rock oldies radio.

Released thirteen months after I screamed my way out of the womb, American Graffiti’s impact was obviously null. Happy Days (1974 – ’84), on the other hand, was one of the premier pop culture phenomena of my youth. Set in the mid-1950s, episodes initially opened with “Rock Around the Clock” (replaced by the familiar self-titled theme after season one). Otherwise, most of the score was comprised of standard-order sitcom lead-in/lead-out bits, with licensed tunes like “Bye Bye Love,” “I’m Walkin’,” and “All Shook Up” primarily reserved for scenes at Arnold’s Drive-In.

Unfortunately, licensing proved cost prohibitive and, as a result, vanilla in-house re-recordings of popular songs increasingly filled the void. Frequently “performed” onscreen by Arnold’s house band, mildly entertaining musical numbers posed the show’s main protagonists as prospective teen idols; who, resembling the Archies cartoon characters they were patterned after, obviously had no idea how to play the instruments at hand. Now and then, guests like glam rocker Suzi Quatro even dropped-in to play a song or two for the gang. Was the show a trifling imitation of life? Of course! But it still passed along some great old tunes.

* TFY Pts. II & V

Get A Job (As ’70s TV Variety Show Hosts)

Championed by none other than Jimi Hendrix (who they preceded at the 1969 Woodstock festival), no contemporary act capitalized on the Roll and Roll Revival like Sha Na Na. Building a strong reputation as live performers while touring behind some of the biggest names in rock, the group ascended to headline status by the mid-’70s; regularly appearing on TV and in movies, and, at their apex, even snagging their very own nationally syndicated variety program (1977-1981).

Corny, fun, and entertaining for adults and kids, both, I mainly remember watching Sha Na Na on late Saturday afternoons on ABC Detroit 7, typically tucked in sometime after American Bandstand and Wide World of Sports. While smoothing out the edges of their stage show, the program’s opener (The Silhouettes’ “Get a Job”), choreographed musical numbers, and comedy sketches presented band members as lovable street toughs; some adorned in standard greaser attire; others in garish gold lamé jump suits. Each one of the guys had a talent. look, and charm of their own, but the focal point was the group’s cartoonishly animated baritone/emcee, John “Bowser” Bauman.

Sketches varied in duration, with longer bits frequently segueing into performances with guest rock luminaries (Chuck Berry; Lesley Gore; the Ronettes), and, on one rare occasion, the soundstage even hosted the Ramones! Sure, the punk rockers were a little outside the show’s norm, but how cool is that?

Biopics

1978 was a big year for the rock revival… Sha Na Na was going strong. Grease was a box office smash. Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley topped the Nielsens. Given the impact these shows had, I suppose it’s unsurprising that people forgot that ’78 also birthed the rock biopic.

Sure, movies had been making heroes of rock stars (Love Me Tender; A Hard Days Night) for years, but dramatized films about the rock stars themselves were a brand new thing. It was exciting! Remember… ’70s humans weren’t calloused by unrelenting waves of media like people are today. Therefore, features about rock’s earliest, most revered figures qualified as major cultural events. Well, that’s what the advertisements told us to believe, anyway.

Now, before I go any further, let me clarify my feelings on the matter of biopics. Like works of historical fiction, biopics notoriously fudge details in order to present a more watchable (sensationalized) story arc. In best case scenarios, these changes are benign. At their worst, they result in speculative trash that poisons the well of human knowledge. Granted, we’re talking about entertainers here… I know it’s not as important as tracking who-killed-President-“x”-in-location-“z” – but it all counts. Call me crazy, but I just want to know the verifiable facts because, if I have to be an insufferable know-it-all, I’d rather not be this guy…

THE KING AND BUDDY

In a manner not unlike much of the original media of the day, the first round of rock biopics were a terribly uneven lot; undermined by any combination of stagey acting, weak production values, and/or failure to license their subject’s original recordings. That said, 1978’s Buddy Holly Story and 1979’s Elvis are actually still fairly well regarded today.

Full disclosure – I have not seen these films. I’ve always liked both singers and the actors chosen to portray them, but, frankly, just don’t want to be disappointed. First of all, the idea of Busey (Point Break) as Buddy Holly doesn’t compel me. By most accounts, he did a fine job but, but he looked more like INXS’s Kirk Pengilly than Holly. Secondly, a much fun as Kurt Russell (Big Trouble In Little China) is to watch, I’ve little interest in seeing yet another rehash of the last, worst period of the “King’s” storied career. The ridiculously huge helmet hair; flying buttress sideburns; hideous, overstuffed sequined jump suits; wrestling champion-sized belt buckles; the capes; the collars… The poor man was done-up like a bleeding circus clown. Yeah, lots people looked ridiculous in the ’70s, but It’s still a damned tragedy.

No Ringo, no care

And then we have the utterly forgettable made-for-TV biopics Dead Man’s Curve (1978) and Birth of the Beatles (1979). They passed from public consciousness as quickly as they came, so, of course, these were the pair I managed to watch. What can I say? I was, like, what…6?

Dead Man’s Curve told the story of American surf rock duo Jan and Dean; detailing their rise to fame (“Surf City“), their fall (Jan Berry’s near-fatal 1966 auto wreck), and improbable ’70s comeback. Few other details stuck, but I do recall that it starred Apollo from Battlestar Galactica and super-melty-senator-man from X-Men.

Contrived by Dick Clark Productions, The Birth of the Beatles also left few impressions, favorable or otherwise. Focused on the act’s pre-fab four* period – when Pete Best (the film’s tech advisor) and Stuart Sutcliffe played drums and bass – the film failed miserably to live up to the hype. It featured no recognizable names. Counterfeit recordings were used in place of Beatles classics. Already a big Beatles fan, I was, no doubt, turned off by the conspicuous lack of Ringo. Research did turn up one interesting bit of trivia, though… Birth of the Beatles was helmed by Return of the Jedi director Richard Marquand!

* All apologies to The Rutles.

Clap For the Wolfman

Inspired by the legendary ’50s DJ Alan “Moon Dog” Freed, world-renowned American disc jockey Robert Weston Smith – AKA Wolfman Jack – began to build his profile during the 1960s while broadcasting early era rock and soul from “border blaster” radio stations in northern Mexico. Armed with a distinctive gravelly voice, ebullient personality, colorful catchphrases, and the power to reach far and wide throughout the continental U.S., he became a star. But the Wolfman was just getting started…

In ’72, Wolfman Jack relocated to Los Angeles and, by leveraging the Hollywood machine at his disposal, soon became one of the most recognizable figures in American pop culture… Once in L.A., he started shipping old show tapes to stations all over the U.S. and, in the process, became the first nationally syndicated rock oldies radio program. He was a fixture in radio, TV, and print advertising. He acted in films and television productions; appeared on variety shows and game shows; regularly emceed NBC’s Midnight Special; did voice-over work for cartoons; had a music career. Popular acts like the Guess Who and Todd Rundgren sang tributes in his honor. The Wolfman really was everywhere.

At his zenith, Wolfman Jack’s syndicated radio program aired on over 2,000-plus stations in more than 50 countries. The rock revival might not have fully blossomed without him and, for that, we owe him thanks.

R.I.P. Wolfman Jack (1938-1995).

THE DISCOLICIOUS SOUNDS OF THE ’70S

February 10, 2021 / Forrest G Boughner

THE FORMATIVE YEARS PART II

Hello all! Once again, my compulsion to show off has taken me way off-track and now I’m collating from an unmanageable mess. As much as I’d like to relate everything I think I know about the 1970s music scene, to try and do so in a single article is simply insane. There’s just simply too darned much ground to cover; metal, prog, and punk will just have to wait*. So, join me now as I reminisce about childhood experiences with the sounds of the ’70s.

* They didn’t enter my life until much, much later anyway.

TV RERUNS in the ’70S

Looking back, one of the things I most appreciate about being a ’70s kid is the variety of programming on TV. And I watched a lot of TV. Yes, outlets were limited, but the bewildering array of sounds and images they broadcast roughly spanned the history of modern music and cinema (1930-1980).

THE CLASSICS

I recall watching a multitude of classic theatrical shorts and full-lengths that dated back to my parent’s youth. On the occasions when I thought to turn on the TV after Mom and Dad’s Friday bowling nights, I caught rough-cut glimpses of Laurel & Hardy and the Three Stooges. Little Rascals/Our Gang and Abbott & Costello movies ran on Sunday mornings before church. Every once in a while, when I was really lucky, I managed to find a Marx Brothers movie.

Vintage black and white Hollywood musicals starring Shirley Temple, the Andrews Sisters, and Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers helped me gain an appreciation for big band jazz orchestras. Old animated Disney cartoons like Snow White, Pinocchio, and Dumbo were always as much fun to hear as they were to watch. Mom and Dad both especially enjoyed color-era MGM musicals like Singin’ in the Rain. The Wizard of Oz was an annual family tradition on-par with Rankin & Bass holiday specials.

MY LIFE IN RERUNS

And then, course, we have the countless hours of old TV reruns I effortlessly absorbed on a daily basis. ’50s situation comedies like I Love Lucy and Leave It to Beaver were ritual afternoon viewing. Family adventure dramas like Davey Crockett and Lassie still aired frequently. The Adventures of Superman and the Lone Ranger reinforced my early interest in costumed heroes.

More than anything, I was exceptionally struck by reruns from the ’60s and early ’70s. Innovative and sometimes daffy sitcoms from that period gave viewers curious scenarios that ranged from talking horses (Mr. Ed) to bumbling super-spies (Get Smart) to WW II POWs (Hogan’s Heroes). Most commonly, however, programmers played with fish-out-of-water scenarios, from displaced city dwellers in humble rural settings (Green Acres) to desert island castaways (Gilligan’s Island). Societal norms/hypocrisies were satirized by high-fantasy comedies like the Munsters, Addams Family, and Bewitched. Some quietly progressive shows (Andy Griffith Show; Brady Bunch; Family Affair) centered around non-traditional families.

MONKEYING AROUND

Few ’60s sitcoms commanded my attention, though, like the Monkees. Equal parts music variety show and surrealistic meta situation comedy, it played like A Hard Days Night meets Monty Python.* The music was catchy and memorable. The lighting-round pace and self-referential bent of the jokes, both visual and narrative, were unbelievable. The quick-quippy chemistry of it’s principal performers – Mickey Dolenz, Davey Jones, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Took – was unlike anything TV would see again until Community arrived in the ’00s. That’s how far ahead of the game they were. How can a scripted show feel so spontaneous? I don’t know, but they nailed it.

* I can’t be the first one to draw that analogy.

CARTOONS AND ADVENTURE SHOWS

Being that I was kid born into the golden age of Saturday Morning Cartoons, animated fare was unsurprisingly consumed by the pound. Streaming didn’t exist yet, but, believe me, I didn’t go wanting… Compilations of classic Popeye, Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, and Chilly Willy theatrical shorts aired 7-days a week. Weekday afternoons overflowed with repeats of Marvel Super Heroes, Flintstones, Yogi Bear, and Bullwinkle cartoons.

’60s reruns also included a ton of cool sci-fi/action programming to stimulate young imaginations. The Twilight Zone presented twisted morality tales. Lost In Space and Star Trek adventured into uncharted (and often unfriendly) outer space. The colorful live-action Batman program provided an exciting introduction to the caped crusading comics legend.

MODERN VIEWING

And, of course, I watched tons of contemporary programming. Some of my earliest memories of the ’70 involve morning kids shows like Captain Kangaroo, Romper Room, and Mr. Dressup. PBS fare figured prominently (Sesame Street; Electric Company; Mister Rogers; National Geographic). Saturday mornings meant copious quantities of Hanna Barbara cartoons, Krofft productions, the Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner Show, and Fat Albert. Bi-annual Planet of the Apes and Godzilla weeks were an afternoon movie tradition of our local ABC affiliate. In the late ’70s, live-action superheroes (Six Million Dollar Man; Wonder Woman; Incredible Hulk) and space adventures (Battlestar Galactica; Buck Rogers) kept me engaged during prime-time hours.

Good grief! I remember game shows (Bowling for Dollars; Price is Right; Gong Show). Pesky sportsball events (Monday Night Baseball/Football; Wide World of Sports) frequently played in the background. Reruns of ’70s adult comedies like Sanford & Son and Rhoda ran during the daytime hours when, I guess, all impressionable youth were assumed to be in school or otherwise engaged in, you know – anything else.

After bedtime, I remember listening-in on my parent’s viewing choices – shows like M.A.S.H., Three’s Company, Rockford Files, All in the Family, and Taxi. When ABC aired James Bond flicks I usually managed to stick around the living room long enough to eat some popcorn and catch the pre-credits action sequence before being toted off to bed. Yeah, like I said, I watched a lot of TV (sigh).

NOSTALGIA FOR A TIME THAT NEVER EXISTED

The great American hangover that followed the civil rights movement & Vietnam War was often reflected in ‘the’70s media. Many films (All the President’s Men; Deer Hunter; Network) mirrored the citizenry’s growing disillusionment toward once hallowed institutions. Shows like the White Shadow, Good Times, Maude, One Day at a Time, and Diff’rent Strokes considered changing attitudes toward “traditional” societal norms. But all not all media of the day was bent of reminding us how screwed up we were. Some ’70s media merchants, hoping to restore our collective (false) sense of security, trended toward blind nostalgia and “pure” entertainment.

ROCK REDUX

One example of how the entertainment industry romanticized the past is the emergence of rock oldies radio. How do you make people feel good? Play music that reminds them of the time before things went all to hell. You know – the “good ol’ days.”

Too young to really have an awareness of why vintage rock was “in” again, I just enjoyed the ride. Thanks to this trend, I grew up listening to rock’s first superstars (Chuck Berry, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Smokey Robinson) alongside the American rock bands (Beach Boys; Byrds; Simon & Garfunkel), soul acts (Marvin Gaye; Supremes; Four Tops), and British Invasion bands (Beatles; Rolling Stones; Kinks) that immediately followed them. No complaints here.

GET NOSTALGIC

The nostalgia paradigm is also evident the way contemporary artists persistently referenced past music eras in their work. In keeping with the rock and roll revival, many artists (ELO; Elton John; Billy Joel; Bay City Rollers) mined early rock heroes and styles for inspiration. Don McClean’s “American Pie” – arguably the most nostalgic song of the rock era – famously lamented “the day the music died.”

Other modern artists, betraying much broader influences, called back to earlier popular 20th century forms to inform their work. Harry Nilsson frequently channelled classic Tin Pan Alley songwriters (“1941“). Bette Midler’s cover of the Andrews Sisters’ “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and Stevie Wonder’s tribute to “Sir Duke” exhibited the respective singers fondness for vintage big band jazz orchestras.

NOSTALGIA AT THE MOVIES

Period pieces are nothing unusual in Cinema. Here are some top examples of how nostalgia films played in the 1970s.

Redford’s Romanticizing

Two Robert Redford period pics made waves on the record charts in the early ’70s. First up, the depression-era caper film The Sting reunited Redford with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid co-star Paul Newman. The soundtrack peaked at #1 in four countries while re-popularizing Scott Joplin’s 1902 piano rag “The Entertainer.”

The second film, The Way We Were is a sociopolitical romantic drama set between 1937 and 1959. Topping all accolades garnered by the film, the title track earned composer Marvin Hamlisch an Oscar for best song and scored Barbara Streisand her first #1 pop single. Op! I almost forgot. Streisand also won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in the film.

REMEMBER WHEN ROCK WAS YOUNG

George Lucas’ American Graffiti boasted a killer 4-sided official soundtrack loaded with hits spanning rock’s first ten years.

In a similar vein, John Landis’ raucous 1960s college romp Animal House featured many well-known r&b and garage tracks from the late ’50s-early ’60s (“Shout”; “Louie Louie”).

LET’S DO THE TIME WARP

Subversive naughty-campy cult glam musical comedy Rocky Horror Picture Show is a wild ride. Stitched together from a shopping list of ’50s nostalgia tropes, the movie satirized traditionalist America’s vain pining for simpler days, old-time rock ‘n’ roll, b-grade science fiction movies, and much more.

Grease Is the Word

Grease, starring John Travolta, completed leading lady Olivia Newton-John’s transition from pop-country singer to full-blown mainstream pop superstar. Set in the late ’50s, the “flipped”* re-imagining of Taming of the Shrew features a title song performed by Frankie Valli, a cameo from former teen idol Frankie Avalon, a lengthy appearance by Sha Na Na, and enough ’50s inflected hooks fill a high school gym. …Or a drag strip… Oh, forget it…

* The “good girl” must turn “bad” to get her guy. Real nice.

jailhouse rock

My personal favorite is 1980s The Blues Brothers (another John Landis entry), starring John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd. Absolutely packed with classic ’60s r&b/soul standards and covers, the comedy romp also features a who’s who of jazz/blues/soul royalty (Cab Calloway; James Brown; Aretha Franklin; Ray Charles; STAX/Booker T. & the MGs Steve Cropper and Donald “Duck” Dunn). An absolute classic!

NOSTALGIA ON THE TUBE

A lot of shows on television in the 1970s, new and old, looked backward. Westerns – a staple of network television since the very beginning remained popular in reruns. Holdovers from the ’50s, like Bonanza and Gunsmoke, ran uninterrupted until the early ’70s and then lived on in syndication. What I remember best from that period are reruns of programs that worked modern culture’s more recent interest in science fiction (Wild Wild West) and martial arts (Kung-Fu) into the standard western premise.

Old-fashioned contemporary programs like Little House on the Prairie and Grizzly Adams romanticized frontier/pioneer America. The Waltons reflected on working-class family life during the Great Depression. Wonder Woman’s first season positioned the Amazonian princess in WW II as part of the allied forces efforts to stop Hitler.

Beloved long-lived Korean war dramedy M.A.S.H. mutated the darker, subversive traits of the film that inspired it into a more family-friendly platform for moralizing the physical and psychological hazards of life. Also, in stretching a four-year conflict to eleven, it engaged in a lot of revisionist history. For example – I don’t care if the actors didn’t want to look “square” – professional men, let alone those in the military, did not wear long hair, let alone scruffy mustaches, in the early 1950s.

AYYYYYYYY!

Happy Days was the most influential of all the nostalgic 1970s television shows. Premiering on the heels of American Graffiti and set during the heyday of sock hops, soda fountains, hot rods, and poodle skirts, the show fed the decade’s ’50s craze; complimenting the rise of rock oldies radio and, consequently, helping to extend the rock and roll revival.

Henry Winkler’s Fonzie – originally a background character – became a pop culture icon. Popular character catchphrases became part of the national vernacular (“Sit on it“; “Ayyyyy“). Hoping to repeat Happy Days‘ massive success, ABC used the show to spawn numerous spin-offs. Some of these projects worked (Laverne & Shirley; Mork & Mindy); some not so much (Blansky’s Beauties; Joanie Loves Chachi). Many episodes included musical numbers performed by regular cast members & guests (Frankie Avalon; Suzi Quatro).

Unfortunately, as is very common with programs that outlast their creative peak, Happy Days “jumped the shark” about 3/4 the way through its run. Although the show remained extremely popular as the seasons piled up, it struggled to maintain authenticity. Where it at least once attempted to present a reasonable, if stylized, facsimile of suburban middle-America in the mid-late ’50s, quality control issues led to increasing reliance on gimmicky storytelling devices, the shedding of original cast members, and lax continuity. The clash of contemporary fashions, hairstyles and social content against the show’s time period was just too much. Throw in some f-bombs and moments of random extreme violence and you have a Quentin Tarantino movie.

Nostalgia in Contempoarary Settings

Some shows set in the then-present day romanticized the past as a contrast against the always forward-moving realities of life. Archie Bunker – the eternally frustrated patriarch from All in the Family – vocally opposed the changing times (“Those Were the Days”). The good ol’ boys from Dukes of Hazzard sentimentalized the past by naming their car “General Lee” and painting a Confederate flag on top of the cab.

THAT’S PURE ENTERTAINMENT

Beyond the opaque nostalgia that saturated American media in the ’70s, further evidence confirming the entertainment industry’s move toward pure escapism can be found in a preponderance of TV variety programs that aired during my childhood. I still don’t know why the medium achieved peak popularity at the time. Was it due to honest demand or because it accounted for (seemingly) 2/3 of all available viewing options. No matter. The wide range of programming offered something of interest for all ages and proclivities.

TALK TALK

Before sensationalized shock-talk/reality formats staged a hostile takeover* of daytime TV in the ’80s and ’90s, homemakers (and their non-school aged kids) filled rare gaps in their afternoons with soaps and talk-variety programs.

As is still the case today, the Tonight Show aired late at night, so I have few solid recollections of Johnny Carson in the ’70s. Likewise, Dick Cavett changed networks and time slots often – mostly in the late evening hours. Therefore, my first meaningful experiences with variety/talk formats came via popular, mild-mannered daytime hosts (Mike Douglas; Dinah Shore; Merv Griffin). Like their late-night counterparts, daytime talk shows mixed interview segments and live performances with varying degrees of social commentary and humor. Viewers never knew who would turn up!

* Thank you Phil Donahue.

THANKS FOR THE ’70s MEMORIES

Still very much rooted in vaudevillian tradition, straight variety show formats balanced comedy bits with performance segments. Like a lot of programming in the ’70s, the overall quality of these shows fluctuated wildly. Suffice to say, the odds were good that anyone experiencing their “15 minutes” at any point in that decade had a time slot waiting.

Program frequency ranged between one-offs, annuals, bi-monthly, and series. Squeaky-clean MOR entertainment institutions like Bing Crosby, Perry Como, and Andy Williams typically hosted annual Christmas specials. Actor-crooner holdovers from old Hollywood (Dean Martin Show) and former hippies-done-good (Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour) occasionally enjoyed a good run. Regular spots were afforded to comedians who played to broad demographics (Flip Wilson; Paul Lynde). Averaging just under 6 shows annually over a 47-year span, the undisputed king of the variety special – hallowed comedic actor Bob Hope – hosted 272 specials for NBC between 1950 – 1996.

Primarily, though, viewers were just trampled under by a parade of kitschy/schmaltzy, mostly short-lived vehicles for amiable flavors of the day (Tony Orlando & Dawn; Donny & Marie; Captain & Tenille; Sha Na Na).

AND OUR VERY SPECIAL GUESTS

In all the above scenarios, hosts and musical guests alike were generally sexy, if unthreatening, contemporary figures like Olivia Newton-John and Andy Gibb. Veterans of big band pop tradition (Frank Sinatra; Sammy Davis Jr.) turned up frequently. Execs also loved to lean on big names from the golden age of television (Groucho Marx; Milton Berle; George Burns).

In-line with the ’50s revival, early rock acts, such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry, were sometimes deployed to play their hits. However, as I said before, the overwhelming proportion of music figures conscripted were safe choices. As such, musical guests with 1950s roots were typically former teen idols (Paul Anka), pop country sweethearts (Teresa Brewer), and lightweight r&b singers (Chubby Checker) who appealed to (white) conservative, middle-aged, middle-Americans.

Ah one, and ah two, and ah…

Popular live-music-based variety programs of the ’70s seldom entered my sphere. Of course, exceptions occurred, but generally only when I happened to be playing in the living room when they happened to be on. To folks with an ear for saccharine melodies who were born before, or in close proximity-to, World War II (like Mom and Dad; grandparents), the Lawrence Welk Show was their jam. Anyone looking to hear the latest and greatest in rock tuned-in late Friday and Saturday nights to the Midnight Special and Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert.

By all appearances, early Saturday afternoons appear to have been the agreed upon time to broadcast music shows that intermingled “live”performances by contemporary stars with clips of dancing audience members. Dick Clark’s American Bandstand was laughably obvious at times regarding the practice of having bands mime to a backing track. I’m sure this happened on Soul Train as well, but I’ve been watching videos on YouTube; they at least let James Brown strut his stuff in front his fully functioning band the way the “good foot” intended.

sketch comedy

Variety sketch comedy programs have been a fixture in network television since the beginning; jump-starting countless careers along the way. For example, Mel Brooks (Blazing Saddles), Neil Simon (The Odd Couple), Carl Reiner (Oceans 11), Selma Diamond (Night Court), and Imogene Coca (National Lampoon’s Vacation) all worked on Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows in the 1950s.

Keeping the tradition well, some ’70s sketch shows proved to be some of the most influential of all variety programs that aired during that time.

SOCK IT TO ME!

Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (’67 – ’73) launched the careers of future movie stars Goldie Hawn and Lillie Tomlin. Further, the show raised the profile of emcee voice actor Gary Owens (Space Ghost), and boosted the careers of character actors Artie Johnson, Ruth Buzzi, Henry Gibson, Jo Anne Worley, and Richard Dawson.

CBS’ Carol Burnett Show (’67 – ’78) made legitimate stars of TV veterans Burnett (Gary Moore Show), Tim Conway (McHale’s Navy), and Harvey Corman (Blazing Saddles).

Hee Haw (’69 – ’93) introduced Gen X-ers to bluegrass legends Roy Clark and Buck Owen and made “Minnie Pearl” a household name.

The number of careers ignited by Lorne Michael’s Saturday Night Live (1975 – present) and SCTV (’76 – ’84), on the whole, is too long to list here. So I’ll how about I just offer a list of the ones they launched in the 1970s…

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (SNL)	SECOND CITY TELEVISION (SCTV)
Dan Ackroyd John Belushi Chevy Chase Jane Curtain Al Franken Garrett Morris Bill Murray Gilda Radner Paul Shaffer	John Candy Joe Flaherty Andrea Martin Rick Moranis Catherine O’Hara Eugene Levy Harold Ramis Martin Short Dave Thomas

And now for something completely different

I very rarely ever saw the BBCs Monty Python’s Flying Circus (’69 – ’74) as a child. To begin with, the show was far too naughty and delightfully weird/random to suit my parents. What’s more, it was only ever on way past my bedtime after it reached the states. So, my fandom grew slowly in the ’80s. First, through glimpses of random reruns captured from PBS in the ’80s. Then, from gradual familiarity with the Pythons that grew from films like A Fish Called Wanda, Time Bandits, Yellowbeard, and Eric the Viking. And then, finally, clinched with my first viewing of Monty Python and Holy Grail. You always know when fellow Python fans are near when the talk of silly walks, dead parrots, and spam begins. Just brilliant!

muppetsational

The Muppet Show – a personal favorite from my childhood – was the absolute best! Yes, I was extremely young during it’s run, and my bias for Jim Henson’s work on Sesame Street surely figures in my high esteem for the show, but it really was that funny. Kids loved it for the colorful characters and sight-gags! Parents loved it for all the subtle adult in-jokes that sailed right over their kids’ heads! And, in contrast to most modern “family friendly” media, Henson did it all without being overtly crass or smugly speaking above or below his audience’s perceived intelligence level.

Muppet characters were all distinct, nuanced and (figuratively) 3-dimensional. Repeated gags always had enough new angles to prompt fresh laughs (and groans). Guest hosts (Rita Moreno; Big Bird; Alice Cooper; Steve Martin; Loretta Lynn; Edgar Bergan) hailed from diverse enough realms of acclaim to appeal to virtually all generations living at the time. …And their house band had the snazziest name ever (Dr. Teeth & the Electric Mayhem). Great stuff!

COUNTRY GOES POP

Another case that exemplifies nostalgia’s grip on ’70s culture was the ever-presence of country-western music entertainers.

As evidenced by countless screen westerns starring singing cowboys, country music has been a significant player in popular culture since at least the ’30. The influence ebbs and flows in the mainstream, but it’s always there. In the 1960s, a number of singers with southern roots who’d enjoyed success in the ’50s pop/rock scene (Teresa Brewer; Brenda Lee; Jerry Lee Lewis) transitioned to careers as straight-up country artists. Interestingly, the move didn’t just bring rock closer to country; it brought country music full-on into the pop mainstream.

COUNTRY Rock Rising

Right around the same time, the work of ’60s American folk rock icons Bob Dylan, the Byrds, and Grateful Dead also began to explicitly express the country traits that’d always been evident in their music; influencing, in turn, the rising roots rockers that dominated AOR in the ’70s (Allman Brothers; Lynyrd Skynyrd; Eagles).

Pop country Peaks

By the ’70s, pop country entertainers were everywhere. They infiltrated TV (Johnny Cash Show; Glenn Campbell Goodtime Hour; Hee Haw). They acted in films (A Star Is Born; Oh, God!; Smokey & the Bandit). On the pop charts, country icons Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, and Willie Nelson, respectively, scored hits with “The Gambler,” “Here You Come Again,” and “On the Road Again.”

DISCOLICIOUS

Disco – arguably the most influential touchstone of 1970s culture – had already sewn itself into the fabric of the world by the time I was out of diapers. Sure, other significant trends were happening, but almost everything in the mainstream had been seduced. Architecture and décor; fashion; TV & film scores (Kojak; Love Boat; Wonder Woman; Charlie’s Angels; Starsky & Hutch/Car Wash; Dirty Harry; Rocky; Xanadu); popular music… All aspects of life seemed to fall to its sway.

Obviously too young to have partaken in the disreputably decadent ’70s club scene, my impressions of disco culture are principally summed up from what I saw on TV. I remember blinking, Technicolor checkerboard dance floors. All women were pretty, bone-skinny, had long, well groomed hair, and wore blousy strapless dresses. All men were smarmy-looking hyper-macho “players” with helmet hair in wide-open, flared-collared leisure suits (man-perm, gold medallion, pinky ring, & porn ‘stache sold separately). …And mirror balls. My GOD the mirror balls.

WITH DISCO COMES WISDOM. EVENTUALLY

God knows I’m guilty of casting stones from time to time. …Especially when seeing and/or hearing things my brain perceives as utter excrement. But I never understood the vitriol of the Demolition that marked the de facto nadir of disco in mid-’79. Well, ok, I understand some of the hate… When thinking back to the embarrassingly tacky, sequin smothered superficiality of the clothes worn by revered, legacy acts (Elvis; Neil Diamond). But this was the world I was born into. This was “normal” for the ’70s. Anyway… Whatever all the insecure white dudes in too-tight blue jeans and Led Zeppelin t-shirts choose to believe, it wasn’t all bad.

My folks liked disco music and were very good dancers, but, with four kids to feed, a mortgage, car payments, and so on, they were too busy “adulting” to stay current with all the latest pop culture trends and worry about being “cool.” If anything, they actually appeared to be willfully devoted to being “uncool.” That said, now firmly (if restlessly) ensconced in middle-age myself, I can look back and relate on a number of levels. 1 – I now see that they were comfortable with who they were and knew what they liked. 2 – What they liked tended to be pretty good when viewed through the wide lens of history. And 3 – I too no longer give two (expletives) about being cool. That ship has sailed.

DISCO’FECTS

As I alluded to earlier, disco had been simmering for few years before it caught fire in the U.S c. 1975. Born of a multitude of forms, it pulsed with Latin polyrhythms and grooved like the black “Moses of soul” (Isaac Hayes). It’s lush sound borrowed from Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” and the symphonic rock of Electric Light Orchestra. Some soul artists who came to be identified with disco, like Earth, Wind, and Fire, complimented deep-in-the-pocket funk bass and drums with full brass sections and, as an added bonus, dressed like Glam rockers.

Once media moguls realized disco’s commercial potential, it was, of course, exploited (weaponized) to the nth degree. By the late ’70s, its influence was felt everywhere. Disco corrupted pop groups (“Stayin’ Alive“), r&b icons (“Upside Down“). Blues rock institutions (“Miss You“), and art rockers (“Golden Years“). Country acts (“The Devil Went Down to Georgia“), metal collectives (“I Was Made For Lovin’ You“), and new wavers (“Heart of Glass“).

Eventually, disco superstars, like KC & the Sunshine Band, Donna Summer, Chic, and Village People, began to arrive fully formed expressly within that collection of styles. A multitude of one-hit wonders and novelties cluttered the airwaves (“The Hustle,” “Kung-Fu Fighting“; “Disco Duck“). Disco composers adapted well known screen and classical pieces (“Star Wars“; “A Fifth of Beethoven“). Oh yes, things got a little out of hand.

That Crazy Scottsman

My Dad has always been a resolute fan of classic, Sinatra-style big band crooners. As such, his response to flamboyant performers is typically rough; falling into the category of “intolerance punctuated by unflattering expletives.” This being said, he sometimes makes exceptions for colorful showmen like Rod Stewart.

Back in the late ’70…I think we were watching Solid Gold… Out bounds Stewart to sing his sellout disco single “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy.” For those who don’t know or remember what Stewart was like in those days, he was covered in full animal-prints with spiked-hair that went everywhere. He jumped and hollared like his pants were on fire. This was before hair metal. It was a scene, man. Dad usually can’t tolerate rock and rollers, but there he was – laughing and enjoying the show.

To this day, he still brightens up when we reminisce about “that time we saw that crazy Scottsman… On TV… You know…awwwww (shifting modes to scold himself) c’mon Al, what’s his name!?” Good old Dad (smile).

TAKE THOSE NEW RECORDS OFF THE SHELF

As I mentioned earlier, my parents were older and busy “adulting,” so buying new music wasn’t really a high priority. As such, most of the records filed in the family record cabinet dated to ’60s and earlier. Show tunes; big bands; Herb Alpert; classical recordings; kids stuff… That sort of thing. This being the case, most of the then-current pop music I encountered reached my ears through television and radio rather than the family hi-fi. Notable exceptions did occur, however…

Star Wars Original Soundtrack by John Williams, 1977

Although not technically “pop,” this record broke the modern classical/popular music barrier as a consequence of Star Wars‘ overwhelming success. At home, it provided a perfect backdrop for activities. Regardless of whether I was playing, drawing, or simply chilling with the album sleeve, I stayed engaged as it played-through. FYI – “Johnny” Williams also composed the music for another childhood favorite sci-fi epic – Lost In Space. Further, after Star Wars, he went on to score virtually every future film by George Lucas and/or Steven Speilberg. In the end, although Williams’ work didn’t change my preference for rock music, it certainly influenced my receptiveness to prog and “true” orchestral forms.

K-Tel Pure Gold, 1977

This collection from ’70s compilation kings K-Tel harvested hits from 1976, including “Torn Between Two Lovers,“I’m Your Boogie Man,” and “Right Back Where We Started From.” Truth be told, this 2-disc didn’t impact my musical preferences in any immediate way. But I do recall being exceptionally interested in the album sleeve design. Titled in a large, chunky, rounded faux-neon font, the cover featured pics of contemporary popular artists encased in circular graphic borders against against a backdrop of pyramid-stacked gold bricks. It screams “tacky,” I know, but it was the ’70s. Regardless, the impression left by sleeve pics of Heart, ABBA, Hall & Oates, Linda Rondstadt, and Seals & Crofts has lasted four decades.

Barry Manilow Live, 1977.

Barry Manilow owned easy listening radio in the ’70s but, honestly, there isn’t much I can recall that distinguishes this album. I believe it belonged to my oldest sister and remember the cover. Manilow covered most of his hits. I liked it well enough when it played, but the only song that sticks out is its rendition of “Daybreak.”

Saturday Night Fever Original Movie Soundtrack, 1977

The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack was a fixture on my parent’s turntable in the late ’70s. Thus, absorbed by way of countless repetition, it remains permanently etched into the inner-reaches of my consciousness to this day.

Perfectly distilling the virtues of disco*, Fever collected the best-of-the-best artists working within that style at the time. The Bee Gees – going with their recent rebirth as new-slick-gods-of-the-dance-floor, contributed eight tracks, including “Staying Alive,” “You Should Be Dancing,” and “If I Can’t Have You” – the latter performed by singer-actress Yvonne Elliman. KC & the Sunshine Band, Kool & the Gang, chipped-in songs as well. Interestingly, right around the same time David Shire’s “Night On Disco Mountain” caught my ear, the classical composition it was adapted from – Mussorgsky’s original “A Night on Bald Mountain” – made its way into my consciousness via Disney’s Fantasia. Pretty cool.

Now, regarding the Saturday Night Fever film itself, I agree with my folk’s response of disappointment. But where they were turned off by an unfavorable ratio of bad language vs. dancing and music, I was bored by the shallow story and general absence of likeable, relatable characters. Maybe it plays better to city crowds? I don’t know. Either way, it would’ve likely tanked like so many other disco films if it not for all those glorious tunes.

* Yes, you heard me right – I said “virtues.”

THE MAGIC OF ABBA

ABBA-mania had largely run its course by the time The Magic of ABBA and Super Trooper LPs entered heavy rotation on my parent’s hi-fi in 1980. The anti-disco movement meant nothing within the cultural bubble of my childhood home. Thus, influenced by Mom and Dad’s appreciation for sweet melodies and flowing, danceable rhythms, we enjoyed these records as a family for many years.

However, starting at age 10 (c. ’82-83), my personal preferences began to diverge greatly. My personal journey took me through MTV darlings (Duran Duran), ’70s classic rock/prog (Rush), alternative (Red Hot Chili Peppers), post-punk rock classicists (XTC) and so on. Then, finally, about twenty years ago, I finally came back around again to the favored sounds of my childhood (Beatles). Now, having rediscovered ABBA after several decades of peer-influenced denial, I can admit that their long-term impact has been unquestionable. I get it now. In retrospect, of all the artists stigmatized for lacking substance when the rock “purists” came for everyone’s disco records in ’79, I feel that ABBA deserves a lot better.

ABBA: the Phenomenon

Swedish pop perfectionists ABBA achieved stardom after their Eurovision song winner “Waterloo” swept the globe in 1974. In ’76 they become international pop sensations thanks to the disco inflected hit “Dancing Queen.” Although they never reached the saturation levels in North America that they achieved abroad, I still remember the phenomenon well. Their faces stared at me from posters, magazine racks, t-shirts, toy shelves, binder folders, trading cards boxes. Ads for their concert film, ABBA: the Movie, chased Star Wars promos in newspapers in 1977. New record releases and TV appearances always received maximum hype (Olivia!, ’78; ABBA in Concert, ’80). Being among the first to fully exploit the music video medium, promotional clips for their songs periodically filled gaps in TV programming before the advent of MTV. They were unavoidable.

THIS AIN’T JUST NO DISCO

While generally associated with disco, I observe that ABBA was less a straight dance outfit than a classic girl group-inspired glam/power-pop confection filtered through a “Wall of Sound.” Were they an almost too-varnished-to-be-authentic embodiment of the disco aesthetic? At times they were, of course. Disco didn’t get much more “disco” than the big, driving beats and aural melodrama of “Voulez Vouz.” But then, looking beyond the spectacle, one witnesses a mannered stage presence more reminiscent of the Lawrence Welk singers than Alicia Bridges or Bony M.

So much more than mere disco poseurs, they specialized in good old-fashioned, hooky melodies, honey-dipped productions, professional playing, and tonally rich/pitch perfect vocal harmonies – all achieved without the benefit of Pro-Tools or Auto-Tune. Benny & Bjorn had to actually write the songs from scratch (no templates). Agnetha & Anni-Frid had to actually sing that well to stay in key. All the musical tracks for mixes had to be laid down by living, breathing, musicians! Imagine that.

listen closely

Further, the range of their music was out of this world! Yes, admittedly, “Take a Chance On Me” was a swinging disco number. But what about the fetching bubblegum pop track “Honey Honey” and the kitschy ’50s-inspired charmer “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do?” How about the sophisticated new wave inflected “Super Trooper? “Chiquitita“ somehow seamlessly melded tender Spanish balladry to Bavarian Biergarten folk songs. Each tune is memorable and distinctive. Nary a single melodic hook digs or lands the same way. Yet their signature sound remained intact from beginning to end.

That, my friends, is something lesser songwriters/performers simply cannot do. It was certainly beyond the chops of the average, ho-hum, conveyor belt disco act. Look – one doesn’t have to be a #1 superfan in order to find value and give credit where it’s due. By reflexively lumping ABBA in with the Village People, the anti-disco crowd proved that they weren’t listening closely enough to develop informed opinions, much less voice them.

* Ex: Nine #1s – one; favor Germany over U.S.

LET THERE BE ROCK

As I stated earlier, ’70s hard rock forms were pretty much outside of my childhood experience. Yes, heavy-hitters like Led Zeppelin were part of the cultural zeitgeist, but I don’t remember hearing them during that time. The only acts permitted to break-through from FM AOR to AM pop radio were those our beloved corporate media overlords deemed safe for mass consumption. Therefore, slickly melodic groups (Eagles; Fleetwood Mac) got in and hard rockers (Deep Purple; Black Sabbath) were left out. That said, can you imagine, then, what it must have been like to watch darkly ostentatious heavy-glam-rockers KISS ascend to the highest level of pop culture oversaturation.

KISS was everywhere and their image was everything. They performed on prime time TV variety specials and made movies. They targeted youth via Halloween costumes, lunch boxes, comic books, pin ball machines, trading cards, toys – you name it. It was a mass-media campaign worthy of the Beatles.

In terms of showmanship, only their fellow glam rockers (Bowie; Gary Glitter), Parliament and, maybe, Liberace could compare. But musically, they weren’t doing anything that ground-breaking. Underneath the caked-on black & white horror makeup, black & silver spandex, fake body armor, and (in bassist-vocalist Gene Simmons’ case) silver stilettoed demon-headed boots, KISS were (are), fundamentally, just a straight-forward, if not particularly accomplished, hard rock band. They had some good songs, but probably wouldn’t have blown-up if not for their commitment to marketing the image.

Catching a New Wave

By c. 1979, the musical tastes of my high-school-aged eldest siblings began to diverge. Where my sister leaned toward soft rock (Barry Manilow; Carpenters; Air Supply) and bubble-gum glam acts like Bay City Rollers, my brother shifted attention to the FM dial – meaning too-loud/weird-for-the-parents hard rock and prog. Because we were roommates, my brother’s listening habits became mine. Whatever he plugged into his trusty old portable Panasonic tape player-recorder, I was there to hear it. When he got into Boston, the Who, ELP, ELO, Asia, Yes, and Rush, I got into them as well. Anyway, at one point in the late ’70s/early ’80s, he discovered a new wave favorite – The Cars.

Good Times Roll

In short order, he acquired their first three cassettes (The Cars; Candy-O; Panorama) – which he played with dogmatic reliability virtually every night at bedtime for what must have been a solid year. Talk about reinforcement. I still remember being called-out by 2nd grade school-mates for incessant finger tapping as “Just What I Needed…” What can I say? The songs continued to play in my head long after the tapes ended (hiss-delay… “click”).

Don’t let the skinny ties fool you. The Cars were never just another fluffy new wave act in puffy shirts and gull-wing hairdos. My brother and I listened to a lot of rock oldies radio in the ’70s; we always knew that their appeal lay in their unique blending of old sounds with the thrill of the new.

Greg Hawks’ synths and Rik Ocasek’s disaffected vocals and may have bubbled and quirked like new wave, but the band’s heavy riffs and melodic hooks betrayed a power-pop-esque affinity for old time rock & roll. Elliot Easton’s tuneful guitar solos were on par with those of Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick. Many of their songs exhibited these traits, but never better than on the 1981 hit “Shake It Up.” In the mid-’80s, innovative music videos during MTV’s boom years spurred their commercial peak, but those first few albums will always be my favorite.