|
Now in our seventh calendar year! PCR #324. (Vol. 7, No. 23) This edition is for the week of June 5--11, 2006.
MATTHEW HAS LEFT THE BUILDING BILLY AND VINCE HAVE JUST LEFT Next to drummer for Spinal Tap, no job in music was thought to be as dangerous as keyboard player for the Grateful Dead. That is why it probably wasn't a surprise that Vince Welnick, the last man to hold that position, died last Friday at the age of 51. Welnick was the last musician to join the band before Jerry Garcia died in 1995. He replaced Brent Mydland, who had died in 1990 of a drug overdose. Mydland joined the group after Keith Godchaux left the band, dying in a car accident shortly thereafter. Godchaux got the job when original keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan died in 1973.
Wow, two piano men in Heaven this weekend. You just KNOW the place is going to be swinging!
DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE MY FAVORITE FILMS - CHAPTER 23
FIRST SEEN: Austin Cinema, Tampa, Florida June 16, 1978 was a banner day for me and my movie geek friends. That day we anticipated the arrival of two films, "Jaws 2" and "Grease." Of course, "Jaws 2" took precedent and we spent that Friday watching all five shows of it. But, to make things even, the next day we hit the theatre and caught five showings of "Grease."
Coming off the success of "Saturday Night Fever," John Travolta was the hottest thing in Hollywood. Travolta had traveled with the show in the early '70s and had even played Kenickie on Broadway. Apparently he liked the role so much that, after he was hired to play Danny Zucko, he arranged to have Danny sing "Greased Lightning," a song performed by Kenickie on stage. Released as a single, "Greased Lightning" was a hit but nowhere as big as the first song released, the Travolta/Newton-John duet "You're the One That I Want." As the song was released before the film opened, I must admit that for weeks I thought Travolta was singing, "I've got SHOES, they're multiplying!" And I'll also admit right here that myself, Matt, Rick Sousa and others would do the "Greased Lightning" moves when we heard the song on the radio. Sorry guys. I can still remember talking Scott Gilbert into seeing the film by telling him that there was some great animation at the beginning. Of course it sucked but Scott liked the film anyway. I also remember that prior to the film they would run a great film tribute clip featuring Lynryd Skynyrd. The band's plane had crashed the previous October, killing six members.
As a phenomenon, "Grease" is still the word. In 1983 Paramount released "Grease 2," starring Adrian Zmed and a then unknown Michelle Pfeiffer. Though the film didn't do well I actually like it. The show returned to Broadway in the 1990s and played there for several years. And, of course, it is still performed live all over the country. One of my proudest possessions is a program from the early 70s touring company that had been autographed by the cast. On the back is a signature by the actor playing Doody in the show - 19 year old John Travolta.
Next week I'll look at the film we DID see on June 16th - JAWS 2.
Well, that's all for now. Have a great week. See ya!
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This past Friday night the PCR's own Matthew Drinnenberg took to the stage of the Wharf Pub in Edgartown, Massachusetts and performed 2 hours worth of classic rock and original tunes. When the night was over more then 50 copies of his CD had been snatched up by the enthusiastic crowd. The Martha's Vineyard Times ran a great article (with photo) about Matt's performance that morning. Way to go!