Re: A Little More Loggins & Messina
Yea, it was nice being there to have a footprint in the success of many bands of that day!
Richie Furay
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Re: A Little More Loggins & Messina
Hey Bob,
Nice to see some love for Loggins and Messina..!
As you mentioned, L+M came up in that amazing, golden era of FM Radio, that defied categories..and allowed brilliant 7-plus minute tracks onto their playlists..Kenny and Jim really did bring out the best in each other as musicians and writers..Appreciated you pointing out their brilliant band, as well..NGDB were fortunate to have Merle Bregante and Al Garth with us for a time in the late 70's..Terrific guys, and musicians..
We're proud to have cut some of Kenny's tunes, early on.."House At Pooh Corner", "Yukon Railroad", and "Prodigal's Return", all appeared on our "Uncle Charlie" LP..
And Jimmy was a friend from the Springfield/Poco days.
Pretty much blew our minds when we heard them together..
Great period in music..
Cheers,
Jeff Hanna
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Subject: RE: Rhinofy-Sittin' In
A top 10 all time album for me. We had Kenny play here in Charleston back in March and he told this story about Winnie the Pooh. Fate is a beautiful thing.
... I wrote this song about Winnie the Pooh, but I was 17, and I didn't really have any awareness that I wasn't allowed to write a song about Winnie the Pooh, and that there were people who owned that copyright. In those days, as a songwriter, you'd go around to different parties, much like what's happening here in Nashville where you have writers in the round. Different songwriters would show up at parties, and we'd all take turns showing whatever we'd written that week. The parties kept me writing, so that I'd have something new to play at the next party. At this one party that I went to, there were a couple of guys from a band called the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. They were an up-and-coming act, and they loved that song. They said, "We're looking for songs for our album. We want to record that."
I was really excited, and I'd never had a song recorded. About a month later, I got a phone call from John McEuen, who at the time seemed to be the leader of the Dirt Band. He says, "Kenny, I'm really sorry, but we won't be able to record that song. We've been inundated with phone calls from Disney lawyers for the last few weeks, telling us that we're not allowed to record a song about Winnie the Pooh."
I was going on a date that night, and I mentioned to my girlfriend, "I'm kinda bummed tonight because I thought I had my first song recorded, and it's not gonna happen. The Disney lawyers put the kibosh on it." She looked at me and says, "Disney lawyers? Let me to talk to Daddy about that." I did not know that I was dating the daughter of the CEO of the Disney corporation.
http://tnne.ws/1jaefk0
Steve Harry
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Re: Rhinofy-Sittin' In
Hey Bob, Been waiting for you to get around to an artist/album I could really relate to. I was first tour manager for Loggins & Messina, wonderful memories of a great band with some of the best musicians. BTW Listen to a Country Song was covered by Lynn Anderson and went to #2 on the country charts. I was particularly pleased as I was in the late great Steve Popovich's office 13th flr. Black Bart with Steve & Al Gallico late one evening. Al asked Steve for a song suggestion for Lynn and Steve pointed to me. Prior to tour managing was was pitching songs for the publishing wing of Shiffman & Larson mgmt company. Thanks for recognizing one of the best rock n roll bands of the early 70's. Jimmy, Kenny,Al, Jon, Larry and Merel. All have hit track records before and after L&M.
Johnny Palazzotto
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Re: A Little More Loggins & Messina
Bob, Great you are giving Jimmy, Kenny and the band this recognition. I saw thousand of guys and girls loving L&M back in the early 70's. One last note, Kenny, Jimmy and I went to the Whisky just before the first tour started to see Yes, we all agreed the Whisky wouldn't be one of the first venues L&M would play. IN the conversation I said to Kenny, "You don't do anything Mellow at the Whiskey, Johnny says You best take my advice" Kenny wrote this line speaking about Danny's Song probably not going over well amongst the Whisky crowd.
Thanks for the memories, Johnny Palazzotto
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Re: A Little More Loggins & Messina
I recall "Kenny Loggins Band with Jim Messina" playing with The Allman Brothers Band at Hollywood Bowl in 1972. Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan were the openers. I show the program in my new ABB memorabilia book.
Willie Perkins
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Re: A Little More Loggins & Messina
As a young guitar player in a few bands, I was told I was pretty good. Then when I saw Jimmy play without a pick I knew sucked. I went home and put all the picks in a drawer and never opened it up again. I practiced and tried hard to reach a style that emulated my pickless hero.
40 years later people again tell me I'm pretty good, but nothing compared to Mr. Messina. Thanks for that trip!
Will Eggleston
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From: Jerry Greenberg
Subject: great jerry w story
Jerry was the promoter for all the Led Zep shows. There in LA and
a knock on Jerrys door at 2am from Bonzo, Zep's drummer who wants a limo to go downtown. At 10 am he's back and the limo guy makes Jerry come down and
look at the car. Bonzo wrecked the inside and says what are you going to do about it? Jerrys asked how much did you pay for the car. He said 18 thousand. Jerry goes back in hotel and comes out with 18k cash. Gives to the limo driver and says "Now It's My Car."
That's who Jerry Was
One of Many
JG
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From: Mike Levin
Subject: Jerry Weintraub
Loved your letter about Jerry. One of the best things I have read about him since he passed.
I worked with Jerry on the Chabad Telethon from 2003-07. I produced the show, he was the Chairman of it. He could be tough but always fair. And he cared.
When people would ask about him, what he was like, I used to say that Jerry would give you shit to your face and say great things about you behind your back. I was constantly surprised at the compliments Jerry paid me to others. He wasn't always nice but he was ultimately very kind.
I had a falling out with the Rabbis following the 2007 telethon broadcast. Jerry was very close with Rabbi Cunin and I was not sure if he would take my call. Of course he did. And he always returned calls within 24 hours. He was loyal and he taught me to be the same.
Be well,
Mike
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From: John Boylan
Subject: RE: Rhinofy-Roll With The Changes
Hi Bob,
"Roll With the Changes" was on REO's breakthrough studio album, "You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish." Some background: the album was recorded mostly at the legendary Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, engineered and co-produced by my longtime friend and frequent collaborator, Paul Grupp. "PG," as we called him, was a superior engineer noted for scrupulous attention to detail, and he should get lots of kudos for the sound of the record. Paul is still active today despite three bouts of cancer, all of which he beat with the same tenacity he brought to his studio work.
REO was a classic rock band, working their asses off on the road, building a fan base, and constantly improving their art and their craft. The combination of Kevin's writing, singing, and leadership, together with Gary's guitar and the masterful playing of Neal, Bruce, and Alan was one of those happy combinations that added up to wonderful rock and roll experience - blue-collar, Midwestern music at its best.
The REO story could never happen today. I was in the A&R Department at Epic Records during this time, and we nurtured this band through several albums before they finally broke through. No current record company would keep the faith for anywhere near that long, and that is the real tragedy of the 21st century music industry (or what's left of it).
Best,
John Boylan
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From: Meribeth Fuqua
Subject: RE: Yogi Berra
Hi Bob:
I love this!
I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Yogi when I worked for the Houston Astros. I was getting him coffee one day and asked if he wanted creamer in his coffee, he asked if we had any real milk. When I told him we didn't use milk because it soured too quickly, he responded with "you have to buy the ones with the expiration dates on them."
We all have such fond memories of him.
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From: John Brodey
Subject: Re: Rhinofy-Hitch A Ride
Thanks for the Boston testimonial. If you were on the radio in Boston when that song hit; it was a phenomenon. Radio access was a lot easier in those days. There were no barriers, we were embedded in the music community and in Boston there was some pretty great music. We knew the bands, they were our friends. Jonathan Richmond played on the station (BCN) softball team in the early days of the Modern Lovers. We played the Sidewinders (Billy Squier's band) with no thought as to whether a band was signed or not. We knew we were lucky and we played those demos like we did regular releases.
But I'll never forget the day 'More Than a Feeling' walked through the door and it weren't no demo, this was perfection. Paul Ahern was their cornerman/manager and he walked right in with a reel to reel of the track we carted it up immediately. I'm sorry but 'More Than A Feeling' just blew our minds. Unlike a lot of other really good stuff, it lit up the phones. People couldn't get enough. We all had to struggle with the risk of burning it out. Needless to say, Lennie Petze the local Columbia promo guy figured it out first, took it to his bosses in NY and got an A'nR gig out of it. Hitch a Ride is damn good as is Long Time etc. but 'More.." is iconic. It is one of the best rock songs of all time. Hard for me to get past that.
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From: BERTON AVERRE
Subject: Re: Heathrow
I believe the reason the security works more efficiently in these other countries is, being less allergic to the idea of central government, they allocate the proper funds to pay the proper amount of skilled workers a proper salary. The federal government here has to squeeze every penny, and so we have three underpaid, underprepared workers doing the job of five skilled ones.
Back in '08 I was in Australia, and the Sydney airport was a stunning model of efficiency. We left our downtown hotel, walked across the street to Hyde Park, got on the tube, which dumped us out inside the airport terminal. Qantas had 12 check-in desks, open-floor plan. You passed through them and walked directly up to the X-ray. I was putting my shoes back on, after having gotten through the security checkpoint, literally 45 minutes after we'd walked out the door of the downtown Sheraton.
A bit later we were strolling through the shopping zone, and a bit of construction was going on in one bank of shops. They had the "pardon my dust" sign, apologizing and referring to the improvements as "your 800,000,000 dollars at work." So, a mere 8 years after the enormous makeover their airport got for the Olympics, they were spending close to another billion on improvements.
That's the kind of thing other countries do. Thank you, GOP. Thank you, Fox News.
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Re: A Little More Loggins & Messina
Hi Bob....
I just want people to know a bit of the genius you glossed over to start your article and add some clarifications and info on the "Sittin' In Rinofy" and Jimmy Messina blog.....
Jimmy wasn't a "secondary character in a troubled band" when he was a "musician" with Buffalo Springfield. He was however the bands recording engineer and Producer- and in his own words - "I began working with Buffalo Springfield around 1966 as a recording engineer on the second album entitled "Buffalo Springfield Again." In 1967, I started on the third album entitled "Last Time Around" as an engineer. During the course of the production, I was asked by Ahmet Ertegun (Atlantic Records) and the group to produce the band. Shortly thereafter, I replaced Bruce Palmer, the bass player. I toured and recorded with the band up until completion and release of the record."
Jimmy wasn't in it for the "attention". He just happened to be the guy around the Buffalo Springfield camp that knew the Bass parts after toiling countless hours with those warring egotistical and troubled kooks in the studio.
As for Poco - "then he was in Poco"? How about - Then Jimmy and Richie Furay founded Poco and didn't have a hit single due to EVERY radio station in the country telling them they were either "too country for rock or too rock for country"! And they damn near went to every radio station personally to push the record. It's not that it didn't have a hit. Radio just didn't want to play it. Radio was petrified of offending listeners with this new California "Country/Rock". Jimmy was one of the inventors of this new genre bringing his Texas Telecaster twang to the beach. The Gods in the Eagles owe their entire careers to Jimmy and Richie......
Because of his professionalism and meticulous recordings, he was then offered a producing contract with his choice of Artists to work for. At that time Jimmy was THE hotshot producer honing his recording chops as the uncredited Assistant Engineer on countless albums and recordings by bands such as the Doors, Hendrix and an unknown little Canadian girl that David Crosby dragged Jimmy into the studio to secretly record her demo late in the evening ( yes, those tapes still exist ). Dan Fogelberg was one of the "new" Artists Jimmy was offered but Jimmy said "no" because Danny wanted to make a "Poco record" and Jimmy wanted to do something new..... Until a tall,skinny,hairy, shoeless hippy - that didn't even have a guitar mind you - showed up at Jimmy's door to "audition" some tunes.... Jimmy made him tacos and loaned him a beat up Nylon string guitar - (Yes, it's still at Jimmy's house) and the first song out of the gate was "Danny's Song" and the rest was history and yes, those tapes
still exist as well! Jimmy hired and then rehearsed the entire "Kenny Loggins Band" for ONE FULL YEAR, eight hours a day, 5 days a week before they even hit the studio and or stage! The band was in the pocket the second they stepped into the studio and Jimmy brought the record in so far under budget that the suits lost their damn minds! A side note -the label insisted that the band be called "Messina and Loggins" but Jimmy wanted Kenny's name first. Jimmy still owns two old Fender DeLuxe amps that say Messina and Loggins and we have some old road cases still marked that way..... The only reason why Jimmy's name was added to the album was for sales. Jimmy's name recognition would help the album sell..... which it actually didn't... "Sittin' In" tanked until their next album "Full Sail" slammed the charts with the songs "Lahaina" and "Love Song". Only then did 'Sittin In" explode in sales.
I have been Jimmy's Guitar Tech, Personal Assistant, Tour Manager and friend for many decades now. He still plays his ass off and is the King of Guitar Tone, as well as drives his own Prevost coach and has a garage full of tools and welding gear that makes Bob Villa look like a beginner. He still has all his hearing and can pull a frequency out of any mix and tell you exactly what it is to this day. To this day his band is smoking good when he does the occasional shows.... But, above all - he is one of the kindest and nicest people you'll ever meet. It has been my honor to work with Jimmy, Richie Furay, Rusty Young, Paul Cotton, and tour as Kenny Loggins Guitar Tech for too many years to count. Jimmy Messina was/is a visionary and pioneer. He stopped his career to watch his son Julian (a genius recording engineer in his own right!) grow in to becoming a wonderful young man and to work on his ranch with his dumb-ass donkeys.... To me - the L&M hits were crap. "Mama Don't Dance" was a
literal filler that they thought would do nothing, but they would be doomed to sing the rest of their lives... But, its the deep cuts that are visionary and still carry to this day....Merel Bergante is still the greatest drummer I've ever toured with and Jon Clarke, Al Garth, and Larry Sims were the best of the best.
There is NOTHING I love better then to play a deep cut Loggins and Messina song for one of my new Artists and have them say - "Is this NEW?? These guys are amazing!!" Then after I tell them what they're listening to I ask - will your music still be relevant in 45 years? Just give "Same Ol' Wine" a listen and tell me its not relevant still. Thanks for letting me fill you in Bob. The endless hours I've spent with both Jimmy and Kenny have been rewarding, crazy, wonderful and endlessly frustrating, but Jimmy is the real deal..... and best of all, he is my good friend. And for that, I am grateful. Travel Safe.......
--
John Mooy
Tour Manager
Guitar Technician - FOH
Artist Relations
Montecito Ca.
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Subject: RE: A Little More Loggins & Messina
Bob:
Great piece on Loggins & Messina...forgotten among the embarrassment of musical riches that the early 70's were. Your remark about the latter really struck me and pushed me to do some research...and holy crap...JUST the top 10 albums of '71:
Zeppelin IV (Zoso), Who's Next, What's Goin' On, Hunky Dory, Sticky Fingers, Blue, Imagine
Live at Filmore East, Tapestry, & Meddle.
...and then there were Aqualung, Every Picture Tells a Story, Electric Warrior, Pearl, The Yes Album, Madman Across the Water, Nilsson Schmilsson, Killer, Tupelo Honey, Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, and way down at 84, Don McLean's American Pie...
Yes, I went broke $3.50 at a time that year...
Ted Doyle
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