Category: Long Forgotten

Long Forgotten

Scott McKenzie – The Voice of Scott McKenzie (1967)

August 19, 2024

In 1967 reluctant singer Scott McKenzie had one of the biggest hits of the era with “San Fransisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair,” which became both an anthem for the entire “flower power” movement, and inspired thousands of wayward youth to migrate to California. However, despite its success, Scott McKenzie managed to get lost in the shuffle of the Summer of Love. A look at the origins of “San Fransisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” and the voice of Scott McKenzie. Extra: How the Montery Pop Festival gave birth to “San Fransisco,” and Scott McKenzie’s life long friendship with “Papa” John Phillips.

The Mugwumps – The Mugwumps (1967)

July 25, 2024

Immortalized with their mention in the hit song “Creeque Alley,” more people have heard of The Mugwumps than have actually heard thier music. In 1964 Denny Doherty, Zal Yanovsky, Cass Elliott and Jim Hendricks, four musicians from recently defunct folk bands, joined forces to become The Mugwumps. In five short months they would form, record an album, have John Sebastian join the group and then break up before going their separate ways to super stardom. A look at the short but important life of one of the 1960’s best curiosities.

The Rose Garden – The Rose Garden (1968)

June 14, 2024

In 1967 Los Angeles band The Rose Garden hit the Billboard Top 20 with their folk-rock single “Next Plane to London.” However, struggling to find their identity and divided internally by a production team who sought to put female singer Diana De Rosa into the spotlight, after one hit and a single album The Rose Garden was nothing more than bitter weeds. The quick rise and fall of a promising sunshine pop band, and the story of their break out hit “Next Plane to London.”

The Partridge Family – The Partridge Family Album (1970)

February 1, 2024

Everybody remembers David Cassidy as the lead singer of The Partridge Family, but who were the other members of the group? A deep dive into The Ron Hicklin Singers – the most famous uncredited singing group of all time. From Gary Lewis and the Playboys to The Monkees and far beyond, the Ron Hicklin Singers created a sound of an entire generation through television, film, radio and commercials, defining the signature sound of the 1960’s and 1970’s pop industry.

The Love Generation – The Love Generation (1967), A Generation of Love (1968) and Montage (1968)

January 22, 2024

Made up of hand selected session singers from the 1960’s music scene, The Love Generation was brothers Tom and John Bahler’s attempt to break out in front as a pop act. However, despite some of the best vocal arrangements and harmonies ever recorded in pop music, the band seemed to out of touch for the modern record buyer. Ignored at the time, the Bahler Brothers introduced a sound through The Love Generation that would become recognizable in years to come via their work with major bubblegum acts through the early 1970’s. IThe Love Generation is a band that needs to be rediscovered by autophiles, fans of retro 60’s sounds and bubblegum pop music.

Various Artists – Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1970)

August 14, 2023

In 1970 director Russ Meyer introduced a new rock band, The Carrie Nations, to audiences in his film epic “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.” With music written by Stu Phillips, and featuring the talents of Lynn Carey, The Strawberry Alarmclock, and The Sandpipers, the film contained some of the freshest and most dynamic rock music ever written for a film, reflecting the sounds and attitude of Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip culture. But the music would be ignored by the Billboard charts and barely found an audience while one of the key players was mysteriously missing from the soundtrack album. An introduction to the world of “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls” and the music of The Carrie Nations.

Jean-Pierre Mirouze – Le Mariage Collectif Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2012)

August 7, 2023

A forgotten soundtrack to an obscure French exploitation film, Jean-Pierre Mirouze’s exciting and exotic soundtrack to “Le Mariage Collectif” went ignored and undistributed when test printings were made in 1971. Nearly lost forever it wasn’t until a discarded acetate containing the music was pulled out of a Parisian garbage dump in 2010 that the world finally had the chance to hear the best film score you’ve never heard before, which gained a cult following amongst audiophiles and music hipsters.

Sonny and Cher – The Wondrous World of Sonny and Cher (1966)

June 23, 2023

After getting thrown out of a Hollywood restaurant in 1965, a fed up Sono Bono wrote an emotional manifesto titled “Laugh at Me,” which became his only hit record, A look at “Laugh at Me,” Sonny’s fight for respect, and why he allowed the laughter to continue through the 1970’s and beyond. Extra: The lasting legacy of Sonny and Cher, and Chaz Bono’s attempt to reinvent “Laugh at Me” as a transgender anthem.