Johnny Otis


Dear Near Twin:

I was listening to your 2007 in review podcast. Enjoyable as usual. But I was surprised to find that *I* cast the the deciding vote in the the naming of Cast THIS, Pal! Cool.

You played a Christmas cut by Johnny Otis, who you said you weren’t familiar with. Since you are THE #1 music guru of the inestimable Lefty Brown, I thought I’d share this with you.

Johnny Otis is a guy born in 1921 of Greek heritage (given last name: Veliotes) who immersed himself in rhythm and blues. He rather reminds me a little of Ahmet Ertegun, another person of eastern Mediterranean heritage, in his case Turkish, who co-founded Atlantic Records.

Johnny Otis was a band leader, producer and A&R man who “discovered” Etta James, Jackie Wilson and Hank Ballard (who wrote “The Twist”). He produced Etta’s first hit, Roll With Me, Henry (The Wallflower), oft-covered since, as well as Big Mama Thornton’s original recording of Hound Dog three years before Elvis Presley’s version.

Otis had his own recording success doing Willie and the Hand Jive, which went to #9 on the pop charts in 1958. Eric Clapton covered it in 1974, and it went to #26. You might remember the song from the movie Grease.
Here’s Johnny performing it with Marti Adams and the Three Tons of Joy:

Though Hand Jive was his only pop hit, the Johnny Otis Orchestra had several R&B hits, usually with other vocalists such as Little Esther and Mel Walker.

He was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer in 1994. Here’s something from the Wikipedia post on him:
Frank Zappa has cited Otis as the inspiration for his distinctive trademark facial hair, stating in an interview conducted by Simpsons creator Matt Groening and Guitar Player magazine editor Don Menn that “it looked good on Johnny Otis, so I grew it.”

Otis maintains a popular radio show on KPFA, called The Johnny Otis Show.

There’s a singer named Shuggie Otis, who was/is a psychedelic soul/funk guy – I have one of his albums – who wrote and performed Strawberry Letter #23, later a hit for the Brothers Johnson. I did not know that Shuggie is Johnny Otis’ son.

Anyway, Gordon, thanks for the inspiration for the post.

All the best,
ROG

FAME Question

Since David Bowie’s birthday is coming up Tuesday, I had fame or Fame on my mind.

Someone’s Twitter page recently read that he could not believe that someone didn’t know Vincent Price. I do. There’s a real generational chasm about fame.

A recent cover of Us Weekly indicated that Heidi Montag called off her wedding to Spencer because of behavior MTV failed to show. Trouble is, I had no idea who Heidi Montag was, or whether she looks better after undergoing “a lip enhancement procedure.” Or who Spencer was.

I understand that Fergie, who was/is in the group Black Eyed Peas 1) is engaged to some hunky TV star and 2) peed in her pants this year, but I don’t know the details of either.

When I heard that Britney Spears’ sister got pregnant, I didn’t appreciate why a big deal was being made until I discovered that Jamie Lynn Spears is the star of a Nickelodeon show Zoey 101 where she plays a role model for young girls.

And who the heck is Tila Tequila that Tom the Dog hates so much?

Conversely, people who used to be generally famous aren’t anymore. The average 13-year-old doesn’t know who Walter Cronkite, once “the most trusted man on television” is.

I remember that about 30 years ago, Andy Rooney had a series of specials. On one of them, or maybe on his regular 60 Minutes gig, he posited who he thought was famous, his definition being that people in a wide range of ages would know. Paul McCartney, yes. Michael Jackson, pre-Thriller, pre-nose job, pre-sex trials, was not. So, Johnny Knoxville of Jackass doesn’t quite make it now.

1) Who used to be famous but isn’t anymore because a new generation has come up that doesn’t remember him/her?

2) What are the criteria for what makes someone famous? I think it’s a long career that transcends their initial niche: Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods in sports, e.g. or Oprah Winfrey in talk. Showing up in a lot of popular TV shows and/or blockbuster movies: Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Will Smith.

3) Who might become famous? One can never tell, of course, but Miley Cyrus a/k/a Hannah Montana, seems to have the possibility. Heck, even I know her.

ROG

What was 2007

There is this guy in Buffalo whose blog I read regularly. He does this quiz he got from somewhere every year. I’m trying it on, seeing if it fits.

Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

If I made any for 2007, I don’t remember. Usually, I try to avoid meetings and I failed at that, which made me verklempt at times.
For 2008, I’ll try to be more “in the moment” rather than “in my head”. Whatever that means.

Did anyone close to you give birth?

I think my friend and former co-worker Mary Beth had her daughter this year. Time sometimes is fuzzy.

Did anyone close to you die?
My wife’s Aunt Vera, who I liked. A couple people from church, John Scott and Elizabeth Naismith, the latter from the choir. But there were two people who died this year that I was once very close to, back in high school, but I hadn’t seen in over 15 years, John Kinsley and George Hasbrouck.

What countries did you visit?

Barely visited this one (USA).

What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?

More rest. An office with walls.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Don’t know. Posted every day in 2007. Can’t tell if that’s a good thing or not; I do know that it is fueled in no small part by the thought that if I were to stop for any appreciable time, I might not come back to it, and THAT would disappoint me greatly. Sometimes, I feel that just putting one foot in front of the other was a major achievement.

What was your biggest failure?

Not following through on a couple tasks.

What was the best thing you bought?

The thing that brought me most joy is a Billboard book of top pop albums.

Whose behavior merited celebration?

Bill Moyers, Dennis Kucinich, Keith Olbermann, David Kacyzinski, the New Jersey legislature for banning the death penalty, the New Hampshire legislature for allowing civil unions, the city of Charlotte, NC for starting light rail in the past couple months.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

W and Cheney; the wuss Democratic Congress, especially Nancy Pelosi, who took impeachment off the table, and Harry Reid, who decided that he wasn’t even going to call a vote unless he had 60 votes – hey, let the Republicans actually filibuster rather than yielding to the threat of one; the AMPTP a/k/a the TV moguls; anyone who, in believing that there’s no global warming, or that it’s naturally occurring, has decided that we can be as wasteful as ever – and a few cold days in a row is not proof that global warming is a myth; the Republican candidates for President, but especially Mitt Romney, who seems to be able to say just about anything to get elected – but lost in Iowa – ha!; the New York State legislature, inefficient as ever, and Governor Spitzer, who wasted precious political capital to no good end.

Where did most of your money go?

Mortgage, increased taxes, day care, gas and food. I’m convinced that food won’t be relatively cheap again for some time, if ever.

What did you get really excited about?

Other than my daughter’s development, not that much.

What song will always remind you of 2007?

“Old Dan Tucker” by Springsteen.

Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Not happier.

Thinner or fatter?

Well, I lost some weight but gained most of it back. So thinner, but not much.

Richer or poorer?

I feel poorer. My wife does the budget, and things were definitely tighter. In addition to the other stuff that went up, the co-pays on my health insurance were bumped up. That extra $5 on each Rx or doctor’s visit added up.

What do you wish you’d done more of?

Reading, seeing movies, getting massages, sleeping.

What do you wish you’d done less of?

Well, I should have taken more days off from work for ME, not just family vacations, but Roger days.

How will you be spending Christmas?

Well, Christmas is past, but it was at our house for the first time since before we were married.

Did you fall in love in 2007?

There’s a Supremes song, “Keep falling in and out of love.” More with my wife and daughter and some people, less with some others.

How many one-night stands?

I KNEW there was something I forgot to do.

What was your favorite TV program?

Returning: The Office. New: Pushing Daisies.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

As I’ve said, quoting Lyle Lovett, “I love everybody. Especially you.”

What was the best book you read?

Undoubtedly, it was The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders’ Cure for Royalism by John Nichols.

What was your greatest musical discovery?

Greg Burgas threw some obscure Supremes song on a mixed CD; that hmay have been a couple years ago, but I’m still digging it. Tosy had a song done by Audra McDonald that I like. I’m loving my Lennon anthology.

What did you want and get?

A Hess truck – big wheels! World Almanac. Lennon, Starr, Springsteen, other music.

What did you want and not get?

A thriving federal and/or state government that responds to the people.

What were your favorite films of this year?

Requires a separate post, so I have time to figure out the paucity of films I actually saw in 2007.

What did you do on your birthday?

Took off from work, per usual.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?

Laissez-faire.

What kept you sane?

That assumes facts not in evidence. Assuming this is true: racquetball. Perhaps, the blog, and the people I know through it.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Jenna Fischer (born March 7), Judd Apatow.

What political issue stirred you the most?

Oh, it varied. Probably the death penalty, though global warming was up there.

Who did you miss?

Mr. Rogers.

Who was the best new person you met?

There’s a couple folks in my work building who make a dreadful place slightly less so.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007

There is no privacy. Sometimes bugging city hall DOES work. Collectively, the national Democrats are not as evil as the national Republicans, but they’re far more lame. Prayer works sometimes, so be careful what you ask for. A diet without ice cream is pointless. I am a tactile person (actually, I knew that last one already).

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year

In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade,
And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down,
Or cut him ’til he cried out in his anger and his shame,
“I am leaving, I am leaving.”
But the fighter still remains, still remains.

So there’s always next year. Wait, this IS “next year”.
***
Mark Evanier was looking for this article in the New York Times which I couldn’t find. Because it was in the Wall Street Journal. Any librarian will tell you that happens a lot: a request for info with just one piece of the puzzle off.

ROG

I-o-wah

The conservative political pundit Robert Novak handicapped today’s Iowa caucuses yesterday.

The most likely outcome (for the Republicans) appears to be:
1st Place: Mitt Romney
2nd Place: Mike Huckabee
3rd Place: Fred Thompson
4th Place: John McCain

The Democratic field looks to shake out this way:
1st Place: Barack Obama
2nd Place: John Edwards
3rd Place: Hillary Clinton
4th Place: Bill Richardson

As much as I’m a political junkie, I’m happy that there will be actual voters going out to decide this, rather than hearing ad nauseum pundits and pollsters projecting what will happen. Now we’ll get to hear ad nauseum pundits and pollsters explaining what did happen.

And how do I feel about all this?

Your Score: Linus

Wishy-Washy: 62%, Mental: 65%, Physical: 53%

With the outside world being such a big and scary place, everyone needs a source of comfort and security. For Linus this is his blanket – even though Lucy and his grandmother try and break him of the habit. He has an unparalleled knowledge of the Bible and has managed Charlie Brown’s baseball team on occasion. When Halloween comes around, make sure your pumpkin patch is sincere.

TEST
***
Anthony makes the correct theological point that Christmas is not over. Apparently, retailers are rejoicing as well.


ROG

Looking forward to

So what am I most anticipating in the new year?
READING
For the first time in decades, THREE comic-related items:
The Steve Ditko book.
The Jack Kirby book
The Fred Hembeck book. BTW, happy five years of blogging, Fred!

WATCHING
More movies; likely next chance, MLK Day. Likely film: Juno.
Pioneers of Television which starts TONIGHT on PBS with sitcoms (I Love Lucy; Joyce Randolph on The Honeymooners; Marlo Thomas about her father Danny’s Make Room for Daddy’ the man himself on The Andy Griffith Show; and DVD and MTM on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Football. Seriously, taping it then watching it later is SO much more efficient. Definitely some of the NFL games. Probably a bowl game or two.
The Golden Globes, just to see who actually shows up and say they support the Writers’ Strike, even as they’ll be others who’ll boycott the show altogether for the same reason.

HEARING
The new music I got in the last month, including the John Lennon Anthology. There’s more, but I’ll save it for my Top 10 album list.

VISITING
Williamsburg, VA with the family. My in-laws have as timeshare.
Visiting the BNorman Rockwell Museum, not all that far from here in Stockbridge, MA. My wife wants to see the Rockwell stuff. I really want to see LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel (through May 26, 2008), featuring Jessica Abel, Sue Coe, R. Crumb, Howard Cruse, Steve Ditko, Will Eisner, Brian Fies, Gerhard, Milt Gross, Marc Hempel, Niko Henrichon, Mark Kalesniko, Peter Kuper, Harvey Kurtzman, Matt Madden, Frans Masereel, Frank Miller, Terry Moore, Dave Sim, Art Spiegelman, Lynd Ward, Lauren Weinstein, Mark Wheatley, Barron Storey and others.
Seeing my friends Gerelt-Od and Soyol who used to live in Albany then returned home to Mongolia, but who’ve been in NYC the past year; I haven’t seen them in nearly a decade.
Seeing my friend Deborah, who I met in 1977 in NYC, who moved to Japan and then France, and who’ll be visiting the Western Hemisphere at some point this year. I haven’t seen her in over a quarter century.

DOING
Worrying less
Sleeping more
Drinking more water

That’s as close to New Year’s resolutions as I go.

ROG

Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial