After returning to New York from my first trip to the UK in 1965, where I was pushing my songs and traveling on a promotion tour with the Beatles, I went to work for April-Blackwood music as a song plugger. Unfortunately, the people who hired me were fired two weeks after I started, leaving me to fend for myself. The new regime wanted to give me a chance and rushed me through all the red tape at CBS (which owned April-Blackwood).
After a routine insurance examination, the doctors asked me how long I had known about my heart condition? I had no idea what the hell they were talking about, but after getting a second opinion, I was told that I had an extra vein pumping impure blood back into my heart and possibly two years to live! That’s when I became one of the first Americans to have open heart surgery, which CBS paid for. I was grateful for their generosity…but I hated the corporate bullshit I was expected to deal with…so I never went back!
After that I formed my own publishing companies, had a few hundred of my own songs recorded and produced records for dozens of companies. Although I had little success with my own creative output, I went to work as a writer/ producer for Scepter records. When they sold their publishing company, I went into buisness with Kelli Ross and ran the publishing companies of Quincy Jones, Janis Ian, Bobby Scott, Leslie Gore, Joey Levine and Artie Resnick.
After I failing to become another JImi Hendrix, under the name Shadow Mann, I moved to Hollywood and had success after success when I headed up “The Warner Raiders”, my crack team of songpluggers for Warner Brothers music, and when I ran A&M’s publishing companies. When I started dealing more with politics than I was with music I went into buisness for myself, producing and selling dance records around the world. I was also an agent for a radio spot producer, winning a “Clio” myself for co-writing a Kenny Rogers spot. I also named and hosted my friend, Allan Rinde’s restaurant, Genghis Cohen, where I also established myself as a “Wearable Artist to the Stars”
After surviving open heart surgery, eleven engagements, two marriages, several attempts on my life and all of these careers…I thought it all was coming to an end 10 years ago when I inexplicably started falling down in the street! I had a spinal operation, which left me partially paralyzed, and only able to control one finger with which I type.
When Allan sold Geghis Cohen, he gave me a computer and an introduction to Spectropop, a 60’s music forum which stroked my ego and helped develop my writing and typing skills. 6 months ago I started my own blog, Artie Wayne On The Web, and I’m proud to say that I’ve had over 200,000 hits! Now every morning I wake up excited to express myself in ways I never could before, while finding new and creative ways to promote my music!
I want to thank everyone who’s come along on this crazy ride and hope you’ll continue to stop by whenever you can! I promise to keep giving you the best of “The Truth, Entertainment and Bullshit!” I wish I had a guest book that each of you can sign, but you can leave a comment or two at the end of this article which will be on display forever!
Thanks and regards, Artie Wayne
Website https://artiewayne.wordpress.com
For Spectropop http://spectropop.com
After the “English Invasion” of the U.S. in 1964, at the urging of my friends, Paul Simon and Jackie DeShannon, I decided to go to London to promote my songs and productions. Bess Coleman, one of the Beatles press officers, with whom I was writing songs , brought me into the groups inner circle and I traveled with them on several stops of their, “Beatles For Sale” promotional tour.
Backstage at a venue in White City, George and Paul were playing guitar and singing to relax in with a handful of their old mates and confidantes. Bess introduced me to them, and just as Paul smiled and handed me the guitar for me to take a turn…John majestically strode into the room. Bess introduced me to him as the American who wrote the recent top ten UK hit by Helen Shapiro, “Queen For Tonight” (Raleigh/ Wayne) John, with a wide grin, shook my hand and in a deep voice sang a parody of my song, ” I am a Queen For Tonight…but will I be a King tomorrow?”…which had the room in hysterics! Unfortunately, I didn’t know they were laughing at John, who was poking fun at the husky voiced 16 year old Shapiro’s sexuality, which had recently been questioned by the press…I thought they were laughing at me! I was embarrassed, but managed a smile as I passed on playing one of my songs and handed the guitar over to John, who sat down and sang, ” I’m A Loser”.
Although that was my only personal encounter with John Lennon, it wasn’t the only connection I had. The first was in 1968, when I found a song, “John You Went Too Far This Time”, a reaction to the John and Yoko naked “Two Virgins” album cover, recorded by Sissy Spacek, whom I discovered and renamed “Rainbo”.
The second was concerning the original artwork of “Clouds” used on the “Imagine” album cover, which I was given as security from a friend who needed a fast $100.00 loan! I never asked my friend how he got it, but I knew I had to enjoy the painting in “secrecy” for as long as it was in my possession! Then one day, about three years after John’s assasination, my now well-heeled friend who gave me this treasure in trust, offered to buy it back. Although I knew it must be worth upwards of a $100,000 dollars, I just asked him to return the hundred dollar loan I made him originally. To this day I wonder was that the right choice?
Anyway, here’s a glimpse of this beautiful piece of art that hung for years in my office at Warner Brothers music. You can see it in the upper right half of the photo.
Artie Wayne with Singer and Songwriter Patti Dahlstrom
Copyright 2011 by Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/+
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