“I
t’s summer of 1973 and Ed Silvers, President of Warner Brothers Music, is losing his patience with me. He thinks I’m spending far too much time trying to get our songs cut at Motown. Although I secure songs in our catalog by some of their biggest artists, they’re only album cuts. Ed is convinced that I’ll never get a single released by Motown.
I know at this point that the only way I could have a chance for a hit and escape the wrath of Ed, is to get a cover by the Jackson 5 or little Michael. There was only one staff writer at Warner Brothers music who could write in a classic R+B style, George S. Clinton, Jr.
I go to the two producers who love George’s writing the most, Jerry Marcellino and Mel Larson, who just had big hits with 12 year old Michael on “Rockin’ Robin” and “Little Bitty Pretty One” (which was my suggestion). They tell me that “Ben”, from the movie of the same name, is racing up the charts and Berry Gordy wants each of his producers to start recording new sides with him.
I sit with Jerry and Mel and we talk about what kind of song they should record with Michael. I suggest a Christmas song, one so commercial that it could be the follow up single to, “Ben”. When I see their eyes light up, I tell them that George S. Clinton, Jr. and I have started such a song! When they ask to hear it, I tell them we were still working on it, when in fact we hadn’t even started! I can’t tell them the title, ’cause there isn’t any! I do tell them, however, that it’s a true story of how my girlfriend left me out in the cold like the last tree in a Christmas tree lot, which is left unsold on Christmas Eve. They freak out and say they had to have the finished song by Monday. I say, “No problem”
I call George, who knows nothing about any of this as soon as I get back to my office. He can’t believe I told them we’d have a finished song to them by Monday, when it’s Friday and we haven’t even started.
Saturday morning we meet at my office. It’s the middle of summer, about 90 degrees, but we have to get in a Christmas Mood. As I tell George about my break up with Diana last Christmas, then I start to throw Ivory Snowflakes around the room. Soon, we have the first verse and chorus.”
“Little Christmas Tree, looking sorta’ sad and lonely just like me
No one seems to care, they just went away and left him standing there…All alone on Christmas Eve!”
On Monday morning George does a piano voice demo, and I get it to Jerry and Mel that afternoon. They love it so much that they knock one of their own songs off the date and cut ours.
I’m almost in tears when I hear the finished record the following week with the news that it’s being considered for the follow-up to “Ben”, which had just hit number one! You can imagine how I feel a few weeks later when Berry Gordy, Jr. decides not put out any follow up to the Oscar nominated “Ben”, until the Academy Awards are given out…which is after Christmas! A few days later I come up with a plan and present it to Motown. I suggest that the company puts a double albums worth of previously recorded Christmas songs by each of their hit artists, along with “Little Christmas Tree”. The double album is called “A Motown Christmas”, which includes cuts by Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Diana Ross, and it’s released just in time for the holidays.”
“LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE” George S. Clinton, Jr. and Artie Wayne
I watch the snowflakes fall
against my window plain
and wonder if you
are watching snowflakes too?
I take a walk downtown
to where you used to meet me
There’s joy everywhere
but all that waiting there is just a…
LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE
Looking sorta’ sad and lonely just like me
No one seems to care
They just went away and left it standing there
All alone on Christmas eve
I hear the Christmas bells
The happy people singing
The songs of the chill that only brings me tears
I sadly close my eyes
and say a little prayer you’ll be waiting there for me
I look but all I see is
LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE
Looking sorta’ sad and lonely just like me
No one seems to care
They just went away and left it standing there
All alone on Christmas eve
This is the season of love
(This is the season of love)
But I’m as sad as I can be
(sad as can be)
Why did you have to leave me
(Why did you leave me)
(Why did you leave me)
LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE
Looking sorta sad and lonely just like me
No one seems to care
They just went away and left it standing there
All alone on Christmas eve
Copyright 1973/2009 by Warner Brothers Music
NOW YOU CAN BUY “LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE” BY MICHAEL JACKSON IN THE JACKSON FIVE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS ALBUM AVAILABLE AT AMAZON.COM
If you liked “THE STORY BEHIND “LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE”, please feel free to share it with a friend…but if you loved it, please feel free to send it to your entire address book! MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH, HAPPY KWANZA…ENJOY TO THE WORLD!
From Artie Wayne On The Web https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
Copyright 2011 by Artie Wayne http://artiewayne.com
YOU CAN BUY MY BOOK, “I DID IT FOR A SONG” (AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY FOR $9.99 BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO ARTIE WAYNE P.O. BOX 1105 , DESERT HOT SPRINGS CALIFORNIA, 92240 OR THROUGH PAYPAL TO MY E-MAIL ADDRESS artiewayne@gmail.com
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“BILLIE JEAN”, Beat It”, THRILLER”, “Black and White”, “I WANT YOU BACK”, “Man In The Mirror”, and 20 more! Rare Clips, Home Movies, demos, rehearsals, and private videos from Michael Jackson, “The King Of Pop!”
Like most of the world I was thrilled with the Jackson Five and Motown’s ““SOUND OF YOUNG AMERICA” when they hit the music scene in the late ‘60s with “I Want You Back”, “ABC”, and “The Love You Save”. When Berry Gordy, Jr. brought the group to Hollywood under the supervision of Suzanne DePasse and Skip Miller I had the rare opportunity to get close to one of the biggest acts in the world, as well as one of the biggest Superstars ever to emerge, Michael Jackson!!
Here are the THE TOP, THE BEST, AND THE GREATEST VIDEOS of MICHAEL JACKSON.
I WANT YOU BACK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfJu_Bom2sA&feature=related
Skip Miller recalls, “I met The Jackson Five in Miami, Fl. in 1970 just before New Years. I was brand new to show business and thought I had died and gone to heaven. Their show was amazing and Michael was unbelievable.
As a young man, he would be playing with toys one minute and asking if they sold the show out the next. He was quite aware of everything that was going on. He had a sixth sense for the business. He was curious about record sales and asked a lot of questions everything. I was too green at the time to give good answers so I would go get the answers and then tell him. In 1975 when the Jacksons were leaving Motown, I escorted Jermaine to Nantucket, New York for their last show as Motown artists.
The brothers and us had many a pillow fight after Michael tricked you into his room. He would go from that to the eight hundred pound guerilla he was on stage. Quite the transformation! He was a truly gifted performed, a great dad, and my friend. I will miss him.”
I’LL BE THERE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYVT3Gg_rek&feature=related
I’LL BE THERE (ACAPELLA) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehal1eUG1jk&feature=related
NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9p12c_the-jackson5-never-can-say-goodbye_music?hmz=707265766e657874
Hal Davis (“I’ll Be There”, “Never Can Say Goodbye”, “Dancin’ Machine”) was the first Motown producer that I brought a song to for Michael Jackson to record. I was excited when he cut a track on “I Want To Be Happy”, which I updated from “No, No Nannette” in the Warner Brothers catalog. When I dropped by Motown’s recording studios unexpectedly, I saw Hal Davis putting an unknown Lionel Ritchie on the track!
When he saw me freaking out, he grabbed me and threw me across the control board and threatened me if I dare give the song to anyone else! Of course that prompted me to give it to everyone I knew. Although Hal was pissed off at me, I was back in his good graces when I gave him Jackson Browne’s “Doctor My Eyes”, which went Top Ten in the UK with The J5.
ROCKIN’ ROBIN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4VCUbL7jsc&feature=related
BEN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSqo17o2a1w&feature=related
“It’s summer of 1973 and Ed Silvers, President of Warner Brothers Music, is losing his patience with me. Although I secure songs in our catalog by some of their biggest artists, they’re only album cuts. Ed is convinced that I’ll never get a single released by Motown.
I know at this point that the only way I could have a chance for a hit and escape the wrath of Ed, is to get a cover by the Jackson 5 or little Michael. There was only one staff writer at Warner Brothers music who could write in a classic R+B style, George S. Clinton, Jr.
I go to the two producers who love George’s writing the most, Jerry Marcellino and Mel Larson, who just had big hits with 12 year old Michael on “Rockin’ Robin” and “Little Bitty Pretty One” (which was my suggestion). They tell me that “Ben”, from the movie of the same name, is racing up the charts and Berry Gordy wants each of his producers to start recording new sides with him.
It’s the middle of summer, about 90 degrees, but we have to get in a Christmas Mood. As I tell George about my break up with my girlfriend last Christmas, I start to throw Ivory Snowflakes around the room. Soon, we have the first verse and chorus of “Little Christmas Tree”
I’m almost in tears when I hear the finished record the following week with the news that it’s being considered for the follow-up to “Ben”, which had just hit number one! You can imagine how I feel a few weeks later when Berry Gordy, Jr. decides not put out any follow up to the Oscar nominated “Ben”, until the Academy Awards are given out…which is after Christmas! A few days later I come up with a plan and present it to Motown. I suggest that the company puts a double albums worth of previously recorded Christmas songs by each of their hit artists, along with “Little Christmas Tree”.and included cuts by Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Diana Ross. They love the idea and release the two disk set in time for the holidays.”
MICHAEL JACKSON”S “LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE” IS AVAILABLE AT http://over50music.com
I stayed in touch with “Papa” Joe Jackson after the Tokyo music festival and when The Jackson Five abruptly left Motown and was short on cash, I helped get him a $25,000 advance for his world wide subpublishing rights…even though Michael and his brothers weren’t writing very much at the time…then a few years later Michael releases his first solo album…”Off The Wall”
ROCK WITH YOU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hK3Y1Ehv9c&feature=channel
OFF THE WALL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq3aWW9hcVk&feature=related
DON’T STOP ‘TIL YOU GET ENOUGH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_hz2am90Hk&feature=related
SHE’S OUT OF MY LIFE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF0o-W5uu8o
Publicist, Bobbi Cowan remembers, “I worked with him during the period just before his first solo album, “Off The Wall” was released. I was out at the Jackson family compound several times with magazine writers. It was the first time he was allowed to give interviews without a Motown person being thee to direct both the questions and answers, so what came out were the thoughtful musings of this boy/child. He was feeling creative stirrings, as he began to be more involved with his music, the writing, the production, the business. My daughter Lori had a massive crush on Michael, so I brought her with me to the house for a couple of those interviews…He was very sweet, gracious, even shot some hoops with her, then the photographer took a photo of her with Michael…she still has the photo and cherishes it to this day.”
Up until now the world-wide subpublishing agreement I helped get “Papa” Joe Jackson get hasn’t paid off for the subpublisher and he blames me for wasting his $25,000. Then when Michael explodes he claims all of the mega-songs that Michael is currently writing falls under his contract!
Now I had “Papa” Joe mad at me for helping him get “a paltry $25,000.advance” for the subpublishing of one of the greatest catalogs in the world.
BILLIE JEAN (ORIGINAL VIDEO) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En-cHBv7UpA
BILLIE JEAN ON MOTOWN 25th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En-cHBv7UpA&feature=channel
BEAT IT (ORIGINAL VIDEO) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqxo1SKB0z8&feature=channel
HUMAN NATURE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALOLaZ5oY5g&feature=related
THRILLER http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtyJbIOZjS8&feature=ch
In 1984 I was hosting Allan Rinde’s Genghis Cohen, a hot Hollywood Chinese restaurant, when then Motown A&R man Benny Medina, came in one night for dinner and told me that Motown was releasing some Michael Jackson masters from the vault to capitalize on the success of “Thriller”. You can imagine how I felt when he said that, “Touch The One You Love”, another song I’d written with George Clinton, Jr., which had been in the can for 10 years, was coming out in the “Farewell My Summer Love” love album!
FAREWELL MY SUMMER LOVE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFoLya5qt1w
In 1983, my friend Allan Rinde, backed a 6 week seminar called the Artie Wayne Songwriter motivation course. My flyers say that, “I’ll help make your package so strong, that only a fool would turn you down!’. Then I add at the bottom, “Not responsible for all the fools in the industry.”
I can’t take credit for teaching anybody how to write songs, but I’m proud of creating an environment, where novices could rub shoulders with the top artists, writers, and producers in the business.
My friend, Alan O’Day (“Undercover Angel”, “Rock and Roll Heaven”), is musical director for the sold out event. He also brings in, as his guests, several new writers, which includes Diane Warren (who eventually is considered one of the greatest songwriters of our generation) and John Barnes, who goes on to write half of the “Bad” album with Michael Jackson.
BAD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG5NhkxQJQc&feature=channel
I JUST CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uy2A610trg&feature=related
MAN IN THE MIRROR http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBos1XjcDg0
DIRTY DIANA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hg-IRZk4D0&feature=related
LIBERIAN GIRL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjtI2WZTZ9k
THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEU9Q8NlOiY
SMOOTH CRIMINAL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WjOn5TNjBM
LEAVE ME ALONE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So-kNWU02QY
JAM http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4h58j_michael-jackson-jam_music
WILL YOU BE THERE? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvYygjcMDdQ&feature=related
REMEMBER THE TIME http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDxsM5jLNxM&feature=channel
BLACK AND WHITE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI9OYMRwN1Q&feature=channel
SCREAM with JANET JACKSON http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNl2Pm9-7Vk&feature=channel
Producer Quincy Jones who worked with Michael Jackson on numerous music and film projects, issued the following statement about the passing of the King of Pop:
“I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words. Divinity brought our souls together on ‘The Wiz’ and allowed us to do what we were able to throughout the ’80s. To this day, the music we created together on “Off The Wall”, “Thriller”,“Bad“, and “We Are The World” is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all…talent, grace, professionalism and dedication. He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.”
Although I didn’t play much of a part in Michael Jackson’s life, he’s played a major part in mine. From now until the end of time millions of words will be written about him and his influence in music, dance, and fashion, but the most important gift he has given the world is everlasting hope and inspiration.
Photo by Sam Emerson
Thank you Michael and R.I.P. ROCK IN PERPETUITY! https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/michael-jackson-r-i-p-rock-in-perpetuity/
Respectfully, Artie
Copyright 2009 by Artie Wayne from the forthcoming autobiography “I Did It For A Song” https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
EXCLUSIVE! MORE NEW MICHAEL JACKSON TRACKS FOUND! http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2172551/new_michael_jackson_recordings_to_be.html
To reach Skip Miller skip@pandaentertainment.com
Bobbi Cowan http://bobbicowan.com
Quincy Jones http://www.myspace.com/quincyjones
For Alan O’Day http://alanoday.com
Allan Rinde http://allanrinde.com
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MICHAEL JACKSON R.I.P ROCK IN PERPETUITY!
June 25, 2009
It isn’t very often that I’m shocked at the passing of one of our musical heroes, but when I heard about Michael Jackson I was devastated. I’ve known Michael since he was 12 years old and he recorded a song I co-wrote, “Little Christmas Tree” (Clinton/Wayne)
I met him and his family at the Tokyo Music Festival in 1974, and had a chance to tell him how much I liked his recording of my song. I also told him that he was one of my biggest dance influences, which made him smile considering I was three times his age.
When I told Michael that I was a songplugger and I couldn’t go out dancing late at night like I once did, he said in that high little voice of his, “Artie…why don’t you build a dance floor in your office?”.
As soon as I got back to Hollywood, Warner Brothers Music built me a four foot circular plywood dance floor, but a few months later when I went to run A&Ms publishing company they constructed a six foot mahogany one for me! To this day I’m proud to tell everyone that it was Michael Jackson’s idea.
The last time I was in touch with him was when he was about to do the “Thriller” album. He was holding onto one of my songs for over a year, and even made a few suggestions to improve the bridge, but in the end he didn’t record it. I was still grateful for the opportunity.
From now until the end of time millions of words will be written about him and his influence in music, dance, and fashion, but the most important gift he has given the world is everlasting hope and inspiration.
Thank you Michael and R.I.P. may you ROCK IN PERPETUITY!
Respectfully, Artie https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
THE LIFE…AND DEATH OF MTV!
June 24, 2009
One day in 1982 I was invited to the launch of a new 24 hour cable music network, called MTV…and that’s when I saw the future of the music business! I saw it not as just a new way to promote music, but having the potential to become the primary means of delivering music to the masses!
In less than 25 years, MTV not only fulfilled the prophecy, but actually helped to change the music itself. In the first few years the networks played the ubiquitous videos of English artists, Duran Duran, David Bowie and Phil Collins. They played clips by Australian artists Men at Work and whet the appetite of the American public for more of the same! In addition to music, fashion and slang started to travel around the world at the speed of a TV signal, but it took Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album and a near boycott by CBS Records to break the color barrier at the network! Soon Lionel Ritchie and Billy Ocean were being played as much as Blondie and became regular staples of MTV.
For years, the network thrived on its legitimate pop content, and then something odd happened. There were fewer and fewer music shows aired in favor of reality shows. After the success of “The Real World” ten years ago, the “Reality” floodgates opened. Today when we watch MTV and its sister network VHI, we see endless episodes of “The Hills”, where horny teens F#@k with each others heads, and “I Love New York”, “Daisy of Love”, and”Ricki Lakes’ Charm School”, which rewards the biggest bitches and ho’s with their own reality series.
The most obnoxious show has been cancelled. It’s a series that’s an argument for an official sanction of corporal punishment! “Sweet Sixteen”, which featured rich little bitches-in-training conning their parents out of expensive sweet sixteen parties and lavish presents.
As far as the music goes, when you can find it (between four and eleven AM), most of the groups have a sameness about them. If you don’t look at the lower left hand corner of the screen you might mistake Panic at the Disco for the Killers, or All American Rejects. It’s just about impossible to tell what rap video you’re watching, since Kanye West, “Diddy”, Lil’ Wayne and “Snoop” Dogg appear in almost all of them, as either a guest or a featured artist!
It seems like most of the artists today are consciously making music to please corporations and music directors who have narrow taste and program for an audience who prefers not to think too far outside their electronic boxes. I’ve read studies on how too much TV eventually overwhelms the viewer and diminishes productivity. I don’t want to be lulled into complacency, so I’ve decided never to watch MTV again…after I see the finale of “The Hills!”
Copyright 2009 by Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
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HAPPY DAY AFTER FATHER’S DAY!
June 22, 2009
I was raised by a single mother. Never knew or even saw a picture of my father. Yesterday I didn’t feel sad, just a bit empty as I thought of some of my friends and the relationships they had with their fathers.
Songwriter and Producer Jeff Barry, is always someone I’ve looked up to…and not just because he’s about a foot taller than me! Before I got into the music business, I remember first seeing Jeff’s name on one of my favorite records, “Tell Laura I Love Her” (Raleigh/ Barry) by Ray Peterson. I loved his music (“Da Doo Run Run”, “Doo Wah Diddy”).
I didn’t see Jeff for a couple years, then while I was visiting my friend songwriter, Paul Williams (”We’ve Only Just Begun”, “Old Fashioned Love Song”) on the A&M Records lot. Jeff, who had just signed a co-publishing deal with Irving/ Almo Music, came in and played me a song he had written, “Walking In The Sun”
WALKING IN THE SUN Words and music by Jeff Barry
Well, things have been goin’ wrong long enough to know when everything’s just right
I’ve been walking in the dark long enough to know when I’ve finally seen the light
I’ve been losing long enough to know when I finally have won
And even the blind man can tell when he’s walking in the sun.
Well, I’ve cried enough tears to recognize this feeling of a smile
I’ve been bottom rung long enough to know when I’m doing it in style
I’ve been running long enough to know when there’s no more need to run
(O Lord) Even the blind man can tell when he’s walking in the sun.
The wind is at my back and I’m sailing on a ship long overdue
I’ve blown so many chances, I ain’t gonna blow this one with you
And I’ve seen enough bad times to know when the good times have begun
O Lord – Even the blind man can tell when he’s walking in the sun
(Oh yeah) Even the blind man can tell when he’s walking in the sun.
Copyright 1973 Irving Music/Jeff Barry International, administered by BMI.
I sat there with my mouth dropped open, fighting back a tear. I always admired and respected Jeff for his ability to tap into the teen market and realistically express their emotions…but I realized his writing had reached a new level. Although I was working for Warner Brothers Music as general Professional Manager, and it was my job to plug my company’s songs, I gave a demo of “Walking In The Sun” to my friend, Bob Monoco who recorded it the following week with Chaka Kahn and her group Rufus!
It was years later that I learned that the song was written for his father, who was blind and only this morning did I read the complete story behind the song, in Jeff’s own words on his official website.
The next time I placed one of Jeff’s songs, it was in a more of an “official” capacity. I was hired to run Irving/ Almo, and on my first day on the job, I gave Olivia Newton John, “I Honestly Love You”, that Jeff wrote with the late Peter Allen, which became the record of the year in 1974!
Copyright 2007 by Artie Wayne
For Jeff Barry http://lpintop.tripod.com/jeffbarry/id22.html
Special thanks to Laura Pinto http://laurapinto.tripod.com/
Photo at top l-r: Lauren Chapin, Jane Wyatt, Robrt Young, Elinor Donohue, and Billy Gray
Photo at bottom: Olivia Newton-John tries to squeeze another hit out of Jeff Barry, and Artie Wayne
EXCLUSIVE! The remaining Beatles and Bee Gees have just agreed to perform as a group for ONE NIGHT ONLY at the New Yankee Stadium. The unexpected BEA GEE concert will be telecast LIVE and is expected to bring in half-a-billion dollars !
The musical program will consist of songs by the Dave Clark Five, Rick Astley, and Lady Gaga! The one time event will be videotaped, filmed, digitally recorded, then destroyed as quickly as possible!.
Remember…”IF IT’S ON THE INTERNET, IT’S GOTTA’ BE TRUE!”
Copyright 2009 by Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
CLICK HERE FOR THE TOP 30 BEE GEE VIDEOS…FOR FREE! https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/top-30-bee-gee-videos-for-free/
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TOP 30 BEE GEE VIDEOS FOR FREE!
June 20, 2009
They’re all here 30 BEE GEE VIDEOS, Rare clips, ORIGINAL VIDEOS, unseen concert footage and personal remembrances! PLUS covers of Bee Gee songs by Al Green, Yvonne Elliman, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, and Andy Gibb.
I liked the Bee Gees from the moment I heard “1941 Mining Disaster” and in 1968 my partners and I picked up the US sub publishing for their 1st Australian album. Although I wasn’t able to get any cover records on their songs, I did become a lifetime fan.
NEW YORK MINING DISASTER 1941 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN7nfxx1ulw&feature=related
GOTTA” GET A MESSAGE TO YOU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-lXkFUknQY&feature=related
Even though a few of their first hits were lyrically obscure, like “I Started A Joke”and “Massachusetts”, Barry, Robin, and Maurice developed into classic songwriters. Every time I listened to one of their new records I could hear three distinct contributors who eventually melted into a universal chorus that the whole world could sing.
I STARTED A JOKE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfX7C7APlr8&feature=related
In 1969 their music permeated my creative consciousness and I morphed into Shadow Mann, a hybrid of Jimi Hendrix and Barry Gibb and put out my first album for Morris Levy (Tommy James, The Exciters). While I sank into the sea of obscurity, the Bee Gees rode a wave of unforgettable hits. In 1970 when I was General Professional manager of Warner Brothers Music, I was thrilled to represent some of the group’s greatest songs. “Lonely Days”, “Run To Me”, and “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?” which we got Al Green to cut.
LONELY DAYS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pn1SGRq7_Y&feature=related
RUN TO ME http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPDwd5UiRC0&feature=related
HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOGODoE4qKc
HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? By AL GREEN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzitOsxKJNY&feature=related
Just as the public began to get weary of the group’s sentimental fare, they updated the menu and served up a new main course. Although their music had always been soulful it wasn’t until they were produced by Arif Mardin (Aretha Franklyn, The Rascals) did they dominate the R&B market as well. “Mardin, when producing the Bee Gees’ 1975 “Main Course” album track “Nights On Broadway” famously discovered the distinctive falsetto of Barry Gibb, which became a familiar trademark of the band throughout the disco era.”
Once my late partner Lou Reizner, the man who discovered and produced the Singing Nun and Rod Stewart, developed a taste for larger than life productions, there was no going back. Still riding the success of his stellar recording of the Rock opera “Tommy” that he produced with a cast that included Roger Daltry, Elton John, Tina Turner, as well as the London Symphony orchestra… Lou was determined his next project would be as spectacular!
“Lou was larger than life himself. At 6′4″ he looked more like an action hero than the transplanted American who once ran Mercury Records International in London. I remember when I was staying with Lou and his wife Pam in Knightsbridge; he sat me down in a futuristic cocoon like chair, with built-in stereo speakers, and proceeded to play me a dozen or so tracks he just produced on the Bee Gees. Robert Stigwood had hired him to be the musical director of his soon to be produced film, “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and these incredible recordings of John Lennon and Paul McCartney songs were to be part of the sound track.
Several months later, when Lou was staying with me in Hollywood, the project had developed into something else. It seems that Robert Stigwood and Lou couldn’t make a deal, and Stigwood gave the rights to the tracks back to Lou, including 3 performances by the Bee Gees as part of a settlement.
Our lawyer and manager, Marty Machat, Russ Regan, who was head of 20th Century records, and Lou got together and came up with the idea of putting some of the biggest recording artists of the day over the remaining tracks and combining it with WW2 newsreel footage from 20th Century Fox’s’ vast archives calling it All This And World War Two”!!!”
Ultimately, the Official “Sgt. Pepper’s” Film was released to dismal reviews and box office returns, but the Bee Gees survived to become the biggest stars of the disco era with their records and songs featured in the movie, “Saturday Night Fever”
“STAYIN” ALIVE” BY THE BEE GEES http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_izvAbhExY
YOU SHOULD BE DANCIN'” BY THE BEE GEE GEES http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JoZS6LgqYI
IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU by YVONNE ELLIMAN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Do14z5ycic
HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBMriOspUvA&feature=related
The morning the Academy Award nominations were announced for the best song of 1977 “How Deep Is Your Love” was conspicuously absent from the nominees. Since it was my favorite record and song at the time I felt an obligation to find out what was going on. I went up to RSO records and asked my long time friend Al Coury, who was CEO of the company what happened.
He didn’t seem that upset when he told me that someone at his company submitted the song for consideration too late to be included. Al wasn’t that upset, because that same morning it was announced that the soundtrack for “SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER” had just sold 27 MILLION units making it the biggest soundtrack of all time!
My favorite of all their albums however is “Spirits Having Flown”, which includes “Tragedy” and “Too Much Heaven”, both written on the same day.
TRAGEDY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSVTOMkJdqs&feature=related
TOO MUCH HEAVEN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeGMrUdhovk&feature=related
The Bee Gees became the biggest group in the world, and dominated the airwaves like no one since the Beatles! Even when their own record sales suffered from a disco backlash, they continued to have hits with other artists including their brother Andy.
SHADOW DANCIN’ by ANDY GIBB http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZxA3FVUwvk
DON’T THROW OUR LOVE AWAY (OUR LOVE) by ANDY GIBB http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAs8YU3L084&feature=related
EMOTIONS by SAMANTHA SANG http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mkTg1Cyun4
ISLANDS IN THE STREAM by KENNY ROGERS and DOLLY PARTON
WOMAN IN LOVE by BARBRA STREISAND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ppc_dT-J5E&feature=related woman in love
WHAT KIND OF FOOL by BARBRA STREISAND and BARRY GIBB http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdQ6o9Aig9o&feature=related what kind of fool
GUILTY by BARBRA STREISAND and BARRY GIBB http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxMOByRYbsY&feature=related
The last time i saw Barry, Robin, and Maurice was at the ATLANTIC RECORDS anniversary party at Madison Square Garden in 1989. Since the tragic passing of Maurice and Andy Gibb, Barry and Robin have vowed never to perform as the Bee Gees again.
EXTRA! EXTRA! I’M HAPPY TO SAY THAT ROBIN GIBB HAS JUST COME OUT OF A COMA. OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU FOR A COMPLETE RECOVERY. given only a 10% chance to survive Robin Gibb confounds doctor and awakes from a deep coma. Playing music that he and his brothers recorded has helped his recovery tremendously according to his family. Once again proving THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/9219806/Robin-Gibb-confounds-doctors-by-waking-from-coma.html
THANK YOU ROBIN, BARRY, MAURICE, AND ANDY YOU’VE ENRICHED OUR LIVES HERE ON EARTH MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW!
Highest regards, Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/celebrating-two-million-views-today-on-artie-wayne-on-the-web/
copyright 2012 by Artie Wayne
NOW YOU CAN BUY THE ARTIE WAYNE BOOK ,“I DID IT FOR A SONG” AT AMAZON or Barnes & Noble or from Smashwords
TO READ A CHAPTER OR TWO FOR FREE CLICK HERE
TO READ SOME OF THE AMAZING AND INSPIRING COMMENTS CLICK HERE
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QUICK BEFORE YOUTUBE STRIKES AGAIN!
June 18, 2009
Two days ago YouTube disabled EVERY BEATLE VIDEO EVERY MADE FOR FREE, which Forgotten Hits and I had up on our sites. Now there’s a danger of that happening to ELVIS, Summer Oldies, OSCAR, and GRAMMY videos!
But don’t get bent out of shape, if you go http://youtubecapture.com you can learn how to save those special videos like the ones listed below…absolutely FREE!!
ELVIS PRESLEY TOP 20 MUSIC VIDEOS! https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/top-20-elvis-music-videos-of-all-time/
69 SIZZLING OLD AND NEW SUMMER MUSIC VIDEOS https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/69-sizzling-summer-videos/
OSCAR WINNING SONG VIDEOS https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/30-videos-of-oscar-winning-songs-boss-wins-for-the-wrestler/
GRAMMY WINNING SONG VIDEOS https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2009/02/08/videos-of-2009-grammy-winners/
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MY JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE!
June 17, 2009
“In 1968, I let my Friend, Ann Tansey, Mercury records A+R director, stay in my New York apartment while I was on the west coast. I didn’t know she had invited her sometime boyfriend, Jimi Hendrix, to stay with her. When I arrived home, I found a nasty note from my neighbor, about my loud guitar playing at three in the morning!. The note also said something about people going in and out of my apartment, by way of the fire escape. To this day I don’t know what really happened, but I do admit I was flattered, that she thought it was me playing guitar!”
copyright 2011 by Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
This and other stories about Jimi are featured in my new book ,“I DID IT FOR A SONG” available now at amazon.com , Barnes & Noble and from Smashwords.com
Pictured above is the, Jimi Hendrix “Glowarium”, which I finally finished. If you haven’t seen my new wearable art, please stop by my website http://artiewayne.com/art.html
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When my friend, the Father Of Woodstock, Artie Kornfeld invited me to the festival in 1969, I thought it was going to be a great picnic, I wasn’t expecting a life changing experience!
Back in 1967 my wife Sheilah was working at Mercury records as a secretary to Artie Kornfield (“Pied Piper”, “Dead Man’s Curve”) We hung out a lot with Artie and his wife Linda. When we got divorced I got the dog and she got the Kornfelds!
Then one day Sheilah calls me up to tell me that she’s working with Artie again. It seems that he and his partner Michael Lang are putting on a music and art festival at the end of August in upstate NY at a place called Woodstock, and she’s his personal assistant. It sounds a bit disorganized, but I don’t say anything, if anyone can pull it together, they can.
It’s 3 hours before Allan Rinde and Rick Bolsom, from Mercury Records, Lita Eliscu a freelance writer (Rolling Stone), Cookie the groupie, and I are scheduled to go up to the Woodstock Music and Art festival. Artie Kornfeld and Michael Lang, are having serious troubles getting permits and have to change locations to Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, NY, at the last minute. Unfortunately, I’m having serious problems of my own, I can’t score any grass to take to the event!
As a last resort I call my friend Heather MacRae, who’s currently starring in the smash hit, “Hair” On Broadway. She must know someone in the “Hippie” cast who can help us out. She leaves our names at the backstage door with a note to go upstairs to see her friends, James Rado and Gerome Ragni, who co-wrote the musical.
When we walk into Rado and Ragni’s dressing room, they look at Allan and me suspiciously, with cameras hanging around our necks, and tape recorders dangling from our shoulders. I laugh and nervously explain that we’re not cops or from the press trying to get a story, and show them our Woodstock press pass. Fortunately they believe us and when we tell them our “predicament”, they sell us a “lid” from their personal stash (at cost) and hand us a couple of capsules of mescaline for free, in the spirit of “Peace and Love”. We thank them and go to the garage to pick up Allan’s Oldsmobile Cutlass, and our friends, then head we head off for our weekend adventure.”
“Let The Sun Shine…Let The Sun Shine In…The Sun Shine In!”
The festival gets off to a great start with a set by Ritchie Havens, and then it starts to rain … and rain … and rain. There’s a buzz already that this is going to be a historic event. The press tent is alive with anticipation of seeing the artists and people behind the scenes.
I’m skeptical when I hear that a lawyer is taking over as head of Columbia Records, until I meet Clive Davis awash in the rain, the mud, and the good vibrations. How cool it is for the head of a record company to be out here “roughing it” like this with his artists!
Although my friends and I have warm, dry accommodations, food, water, and plenty of intoxicants, a half a million other people who are also here have to rough it in the mud and the rain! We run into a completely soaked (and delightfully stoned) Artie Kornfeld, The Father Of Woodstock, who tells us that thousands of people are crashing the gates, and Woodstock has become a free concert! Starry eyed and drooling, he turns around and melts back into the crowd.
Thousands of people are still pouring in after midnight and I warn my friends that we were probably going to be in the middle of a riot between the “haves” and the “have nots!”
I knew that this whole “Peace and Love” thing could blowup in a minute … but no one is listening to me as they slowly passed the bong around. I don’t know if it’s my paranoia of “Drug Crazed Hippies” rushing the motel or my fear of getting my new Fry boots dirty … I just knew I had to get the hell outa’ there!
After being at Woodstock less than 24 hours, I say goodbye to my friends and decide to hitchhike back to the city. I’m 27 yeas old but, hitchhiking is something I never tried before. At the side of an on ramp, I see Vince Aletti, writer for the Village Voice, who I know from the press parties I crash. He has his thumb out and looks pretty discouraged. This is his first time hitchhiking, too … but I act like a veteran and convince him that if we put on great big smiles, and act sincere … we’re bound to get a ride! In less than 10 minutes we’re picked up by a guy in an old Chevy wagon, who happens to be going all the way into the city! Just like the guys who rode the rails and became “Boxcar Buddies”, Vince and I had a shared experience that went “without a hitch”, so to speak, “Hitchhiking pals” for the rest of our lives!
Finally, I’m back in my apartment, thankful to be away from all of those people … I don’t believe all those people … Damn! It’s still early, so I pack my duffel bag and grab a subway out to Coney Island, stopping only long enough to swallow a little capsule Rado and Ragni, had given me. I don’t know why, but the rest of the day is magical! I feel so much love for Everyone I run into. I don’t even notice that I’m surrounded by a million people on the beach … twice as many as there was at Woodstock … but now … somehow I don’t care!”
Copyright 2011 by Artie Wayne from my new book, , “I DID IT FOR A SONG”
Copyright 2012 by Artie Wayne
WHILE FIGHTING LARGE CORPORATIONS WHO ARE TRYING TO KEEP ROYALTIES AWAY ME AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER ARTISTS, SONGWRITERS AND PUBLISHERS, MY ONLY SOURCE OF INCOME IS FROM THE SALE OF MY BOOK. ” I DID IT FOR A SONG”, WITH OVER 100 STORIES FROM THE MUSIC BUSINESS OF THE ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. I HOPE YOU’LL CONSIDER BUYING ONE DIRECTLY FROM ME THROUGH PAYPAL FOR ONLY $9.99 AT artiewayne@gmail.com OR BY CHECK TO…ARTIE WAYNE P.O. BOX 1105, DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA 92240
THANKS AND REGARDS, ARTIE WAYNE https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/celebrating-two-million-views-today-on-artie-wayne-on-the-web/
TO READ SOME OF THE AMAZING AND INSPIRING COMMENTS CLICK HERE
“SPIDER-MANN” IN TOP PHOTO CREATED BY PHIL X. MILSTEIN!
To reach Artie Kornfeld: http://artiekornfeld-woodstock.com/
Special thanks to Phil X. Milstein for the enhanced Woodstock poster he made!
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Artie Wayne On The Web 