30 June 2009: It's 1976

[mshray]

counting the Beserkely connection, half of the set had Bay Area roots!

[Tinka Cat]

Wonder how many bay area kids first knew this as a Greg Kihn song? I think it was kind of a regional hit around 78 or 79 or so.

my first exposure to this song was Greg Kihn's version, although I heard it in Western NY. 

[urth]

Much more timely posting than yesterday's list:

6/30/09 - Tuesday!  Checkin' in on...1976!!!

(TV:  Lawrence Welk Show)
   1.  Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music, White Boy
   2.  The Doobie Brothers - It Keeps You Running
(UPI News:  "Peanut Farmer" Jimmy Carter
   3.  Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action (BEST OF SET!)
   4.  Aerosmith - Back in the Saddle
(News:  Ford gets heckled)
   5.  Ohio Players - Love Roller Coaster
(TV:  Wonder Woman Theme)
   6.  Blondie - X-Offender
   7.  Ramones - I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
   8.  Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers - Roadrunner (BEST OF SET!)
(TV Ad:  1976 Plymouth Volare)
   9.  Steve Miller - Dance, Dance, Dance
 10.  Boz Scaggs - It's Over

BONUS TRACK (From Larry in San Jose):  Peter Frampton - Show Me the Way

[ggould]

Wonder how many bay area kids first knew this as a Greg Kihn song? I think it was kind of a regional hit around 78 or 79 or so.

I always thought it was Jonathan Richman.  Did Kihn do it too?

[Tinka Cat]

Wonder how many bay area kids first knew this as a Greg Kihn song? I think it was kind of a regional hit around 78 or 79 or so.

I always thought it was Jonathan Richman.  Did Kihn do it too?

Yes, Kihn and Jonathan were both on Berserkley Records at the time.
He covered it on a '79 album called "With the Naked Eye,"
http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3xfrxqq5ldje

[ggould]

Wonder how many bay area kids first knew this as a Greg Kihn song? I think it was kind of a regional hit around 78 or 79 or so.

I always thought it was Jonathan Richman.  Did Kihn do it too?

Yes, Kihn and Jonathan were both on Berserkley Records at the time.
He covered it on a '79 album called "With the Naked Eye,"
http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3xfrxqq5ldje

out here, all I remember them playing on KSAN was Richman.  Kihn did get a lot of airplay singing the Springsteen song...

[Gazoo]

Wonder how many bay area kids first knew this as a Greg Kihn song? I think it was kind of a regional hit around 78 or 79 or so.

I always thought it was Jonathan Richman.  Did Kihn do it too?

Yes, Kihn and Jonathan were both on Berserkley Records at the time.
He covered it on a '79 album called "With the Naked Eye,"
http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3xfrxqq5ldje

out here, all I remember them playing on KSAN was Richman.  Kihn did get a lot of airplay singing the Springsteen song...

I had never heard of Kihn until "Jeopardy" was all over MTV and Solid Gold.  What was his rep in the years prior?

[RGMike]

I had never heard of Kihn until "Jeopardy" was all over MTV and Solid Gold.  What was his rep in the years prior?

He was liked by his cult following and some critics for making stripped-down "real rock" -- not really new wave or punk but certainly not "corporate rock" either. He was known for his Springsteen covers like "Rendevous" (a Boss concert staple that Bruce himself never recorded) and "Growin' Up". I remember playing his early stuff on college radio in '77 -- the LP that included "Madison Avenue Man", which Dave played a couple times -- tho' he wouldn't make the album chart until the fall of '78 with Next of Kihn.

[ggould]

I had never heard of Kihn until "Jeopardy" was all over MTV and Solid Gold.  What was his rep in the years prior?

He was liked by his cult following and some critics for making stripped-down "real rock" -- not really new wave or punk but certainly not "corporate rock" either. He was known for his Springsteen covers like "Rendevous" (a Boss concert staple that Bruce himself never recorded) and "Growin' Up". I remember playing his early stuff on college radio in '77 -- the LP that included "Madison Avenue Man", which Dave played a couple times -- tho' he wouldn't make the album chart until the fall of '78 with Next of Kihn.

His big radio hit out here was Springsteen's "For You"  This blog references a video, which no longer seems to exist:

http://www.totalmusicgeek.com/2007/12/greg-kihn-for-you-1977.html

Back in the beginning, it seemed to me that Springsteen was more of a songwriter than a singer.  There were so many covers of his songs back then.  I always prefered Patty Smith's version of "Because the Night" to Springsteen's.  I know that's sacriledge, but...

[RGMike]

I had never heard of Kihn until "Jeopardy" was all over MTV and Solid Gold.  What was his rep in the years prior?

He was liked by his cult following and some critics for making stripped-down "real rock" -- not really new wave or punk but certainly not "corporate rock" either. He was known for his Springsteen covers like "Rendevous" (a Boss concert staple that Bruce himself never recorded) and "Growin' Up". I remember playing his early stuff on college radio in '77 -- the LP that included "Madison Avenue Man", which Dave played a couple times -- tho' he wouldn't make the album chart until the fall of '78 with Next of Kihn.

His big radio hit out here was Springsteen's "For You"  This blog references a video, which no longer seems to exist:

Thanks, I thought "For You" was another one, but I couldn't find it in Whitburn's albums book because the first Kihn LP didn't chart.