Monday, October 28, 2019
Small-Time Has-Been on WYSP [2011]
Tommy Conwell performs “Small-Time Has-Been” on WYSP’s “Loud and Local” in 2011.
This was the second to the last "Loud and Local" show on Aug. 21, 2011.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Out of the Blue - Cover on TCYR's Showboats & Grandstanders
Track Cover #3: Out of the Blue
Some background information on the covers from the new Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers record, Showboats and Grandstanders.
The three covers on the album are “The Rest of the Night,” “The Little Things,” and "Out of the Blue."
“Out of the Blue” is a song written by Robert Hazard.
It was released in 1982 as one of five tracks from the EP called Robert Hazard.
From the blog, Eighties Rare Videos: “Robert Hazard was a mainstay of the Philadelphia music scene during the late 1970's and early 1980's. With his band, Robert Hazard and the Heroes--Michael Pilla, Jerry Weindel, Ken Bernard, John Lilley, Rob Miller--he performed David Bowie-influenced new wave material that was modern and catchy, and generated a sizable local following.”
In 1982, Kurt Loder, a writer for Rolling Stone magazine, caught Robert Hazard and the Heroes in concert.
“Loder was so impressed by the band's show that he wrote a full page article about them in the November 1981 issue of Rolling Stone. In the article, he predicted that the "limousine life" could not be far away for this band from Philadelphia.”
Source: www.phillyrockers.com
Loder’s glowing article for the mag, and the national interest led to a recording contract with RCA.
The album received positive reviews and reached #102 on the album charts. The single “Escalator of Life" peaked at #58 on the Billboard charts.
Hear the live version of “Out of the Blue” from Robert Hazard and the Heroes:
Several years later, Cyndi Lauper recorded the Hazard-penned "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" – the track from her debut album, “She’s So Unusual” was a huge hit, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard charts in 1984.
Robert Hazard died after surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on August 5, 2008. He had released his last album, Troubadour, in October 2007.
In a Billboard magazine article (10/28/1995), author Dan Delvea discusses a bit of Philly's past in "Diverse Acts, Indie Labels Discover Freedom in Philly"
Both songs were featured on two releases by Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers: the 1986 indie-album, Walkin' On the Water, and the band's 1988 national major label debut on Columbia Records, Rumble.
At Ardmore Music Hall on May 13, 2017, Tommy Conwell gave a preview of “Out of the Blue” — one of the songs promoted as a track for the new Young Rumblers album.
Tommy’s live acoustic performance:
Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers also included “Out of the Blue” live in 2018 as a band, and have been performing it in concert ever since.
Some background information on the covers from the new Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers record, Showboats and Grandstanders.
The three covers on the album are “The Rest of the Night,” “The Little Things,” and "Out of the Blue."
“Out of the Blue” is a song written by Robert Hazard.
It was released in 1982 as one of five tracks from the EP called Robert Hazard.
From the blog, Eighties Rare Videos: “Robert Hazard was a mainstay of the Philadelphia music scene during the late 1970's and early 1980's. With his band, Robert Hazard and the Heroes--Michael Pilla, Jerry Weindel, Ken Bernard, John Lilley, Rob Miller--he performed David Bowie-influenced new wave material that was modern and catchy, and generated a sizable local following.”
In 1982, Kurt Loder, a writer for Rolling Stone magazine, caught Robert Hazard and the Heroes in concert.
“Loder was so impressed by the band's show that he wrote a full page article about them in the November 1981 issue of Rolling Stone. In the article, he predicted that the "limousine life" could not be far away for this band from Philadelphia.”
Source: www.phillyrockers.com
Loder’s glowing article for the mag, and the national interest led to a recording contract with RCA.
The album received positive reviews and reached #102 on the album charts. The single “Escalator of Life" peaked at #58 on the Billboard charts.
Hear the live version of “Out of the Blue” from Robert Hazard and the Heroes:
Several years later, Cyndi Lauper recorded the Hazard-penned "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" – the track from her debut album, “She’s So Unusual” was a huge hit, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard charts in 1984.
Robert Hazard died after surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on August 5, 2008. He had released his last album, Troubadour, in October 2007.
In a Billboard magazine article (10/28/1995), author Dan Delvea discusses a bit of Philly's past in "Diverse Acts, Indie Labels Discover Freedom in Philly"
"....the Hooters, Robert Hazard and Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers made [Philadelphia] a mainstream rock outpost in the '80s."Robert Hazard and Tommy Conwell collaborated on two songs for the Young Rumblers: "Love's On Fire" and "Everything They Say Is True."
Both songs were featured on two releases by Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers: the 1986 indie-album, Walkin' On the Water, and the band's 1988 national major label debut on Columbia Records, Rumble.
At Ardmore Music Hall on May 13, 2017, Tommy Conwell gave a preview of “Out of the Blue” — one of the songs promoted as a track for the new Young Rumblers album.
Tommy’s live acoustic performance:
Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers also included “Out of the Blue” live in 2018 as a band, and have been performing it in concert ever since.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
It's The Little Things - Cover on TCYR's Showboats & Grandstanders
Some background information on the covers from the new Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers record, Showboats and Grandstanders.
The three covers on the album are “The Rest of the Night,” “The Little Things,” and "Out of the Blue."
Track Cover #2: It’s the Little Things
'Cause it's the little things that mean a lot
It's what you are, not what you got
- Sonny Bono (1967)
Up around the way, jokers come and jokers go
It’s what you are, not who you know
- Tommy Conwell (1992)
“It’s the Little Things” is a song written by Sonny Bono. It was released in 1967 as a single from the LP, Good Times, the first soundtrack album by American pop duo Sonny and Cher, in conjunction with the film of the same name.
"It's the Little Things" was the first single released in the U.S. and reached #50 stateside and #3 in Canada. The soundtrack only reached #73 on the Billboard album charts.
In an interview with "David Uosikkinen In the Pocket" podcast, Tommy Conwell tells David and Andy Vineberg that his arrangement of “Little Things” is inspired by a version by The Skeletons.
Their cover version was originally released in 1992 from the album “Waiting” on the Alias Records label.
Some notes about The Skeletons from an LA Weekly, Dec. 1992, article:
“The Skeletons (led by bassist Lou Whitney and guitarist D. Clinton Thompson), evolved out of the Morrells, a skewed jumpabilly band that released on indie album a decade ago and themselves evolved out of an earlier band called, among other things, the Skeletons. (On the Waiting album)…songs seem buoyant even while carrying essentially dread-full, downbeat lyrics. In addition to the double-edged originals, the Skeletons triumphantly recut Sonny Bono’s “It’s the Little Things” in a way that you can’t ignore the man’s utter two-facedness.”
- Review by John Morthland
In May 1993, the Ithaca Journal said that “the Springfield, Missouri-based Skeletons have earned the reputation as a ‘must-see’ live band.”
Another band that has covered Sonny Bono’s “It’s the Little Things” is Redd Kross, from their 1987 Big Time (RCA Records) LP released in 1987, called "Neurotica."
Observed to be a blend of various genres including garage rock, power pop, punk rock, art rock and pop rock, Wikipedia says “the album was influential to the grunge movement.” The album was produced by ex-Ramones drummer Tommy Erdelyi.
However, the track does not show up until 2002, when two bonus tracks were added to a reissue: Robert Hecker's "Pink Piece of Peace", and Sonny Bono's "It's The Little Things."
Probably one of my favorite tracks on "Showboats and Grandstanders" -- I really love this song from TCYR! 😍
The three covers on the album are “The Rest of the Night,” “The Little Things,” and "Out of the Blue."
Track Cover #2: It’s the Little Things
'Cause it's the little things that mean a lot
It's what you are, not what you got
- Sonny Bono (1967)
Up around the way, jokers come and jokers go
It’s what you are, not who you know
- Tommy Conwell (1992)
“It’s the Little Things” is a song written by Sonny Bono. It was released in 1967 as a single from the LP, Good Times, the first soundtrack album by American pop duo Sonny and Cher, in conjunction with the film of the same name.
"It's the Little Things" was the first single released in the U.S. and reached #50 stateside and #3 in Canada. The soundtrack only reached #73 on the Billboard album charts.
In an interview with "David Uosikkinen In the Pocket" podcast, Tommy Conwell tells David and Andy Vineberg that his arrangement of “Little Things” is inspired by a version by The Skeletons.
Their cover version was originally released in 1992 from the album “Waiting” on the Alias Records label.
“The Skeletons (led by bassist Lou Whitney and guitarist D. Clinton Thompson), evolved out of the Morrells, a skewed jumpabilly band that released on indie album a decade ago and themselves evolved out of an earlier band called, among other things, the Skeletons. (On the Waiting album)…songs seem buoyant even while carrying essentially dread-full, downbeat lyrics. In addition to the double-edged originals, the Skeletons triumphantly recut Sonny Bono’s “It’s the Little Things” in a way that you can’t ignore the man’s utter two-facedness.”
- Review by John Morthland
In May 1993, the Ithaca Journal said that “the Springfield, Missouri-based Skeletons have earned the reputation as a ‘must-see’ live band.”
Another band that has covered Sonny Bono’s “It’s the Little Things” is Redd Kross, from their 1987 Big Time (RCA Records) LP released in 1987, called "Neurotica."
Observed to be a blend of various genres including garage rock, power pop, punk rock, art rock and pop rock, Wikipedia says “the album was influential to the grunge movement.” The album was produced by ex-Ramones drummer Tommy Erdelyi.
However, the track does not show up until 2002, when two bonus tracks were added to a reissue: Robert Hecker's "Pink Piece of Peace", and Sonny Bono's "It's The Little Things."
Probably one of my favorite tracks on "Showboats and Grandstanders" -- I really love this song from TCYR! 😍
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