BIRMINGHAM RECORD COLLECTORS
DEDICATED TO THE COLLECTING OF MUSIC, ITS PRESERVATION AND LASTING FRIENDSHIP
THIS MONTH’S MEETING
THE FIRST SUNDAY, MAY 7TH 2:00 PM
HOMEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY 1721 OXMOOR RD BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
NEXT MEETING, JUNE 11TH 2:00 PM THE SECOND SUNDAY
THIS MONTH’S MEETING
What a fun meeting it was last month as we heard from different people and their memories of listening to the black radio stations in Birmingham. Yes, WSGN, WYDE, WSGN, WAQY and so many other ‘white’ stations were set on the buttons of our car radios but many also enjoyed the music they were hearing on stations like WJLD and WENN. Thanks to Bob Friedman for all the work he has done to document and preserve the history of black radio in Birmingham.
We once again had Larry Parker (Larry & The Loafers) scheduled to be with us but he again has had to postpone due to falling and breaking his hip. He had surgery, pins put in and will be going through rehab. He does plan on coming over as soon as he can so keep listening. This month we will be playing some 45’s, checking out some interesting youtube clips and some music websites.
The June meeting will be a very special meeting. Do you remember Peace Concerts which was based here in Birmingham? It was started by Richard Dingler and he was responsible for bringing some great acts to this area. The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Emmylou Harris, Joe Cocker, Jimmy Buffett, Black Oak Arkansas, Jackson Browne and many more were here because of Peace Concerts. Richard passed away in 2013 but his wife, Shari Graye still has a treasure trove of memorabilia from those concerts and more and will be with us in June. Shari who met Richard in 1979 discovered all these photos, billboards, contracts and much more and will bring some of these items, some to show and some to sell. She also has lots of items from some of the local Birmingham bands. If you like memorabilia don’t miss the June meeting.
THE BIRMINGHAM RECORD COLLECTORS 2023 RECORD SHOW
The 38th annual BRC Record Show will be held Friday-Sunday, August 18-20 at the Gardendale Civic Center. If you are a dealer who would like to check on table availability please contact Joe Reddick at 205-655-3108 between 1:00 PM until 9:30 PM, Central Time.
We are also going to need volunteers. Be ready to step up and help when the time comes. Thanks.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
You hear all the names of the bands or even a solo artist but do you know where those names originated? For instance, we are having Larry Parker with us this month and he will mention his group The Loafers. So where did the name loafers’ come from? Credit goes to his dad. As Larry was heading out the door one night his dad asked where he was going at 9:00 at night. Larry said he was getting together with the guys in the band and they were going to practice. Larry’s dad said ‘when are you going to stop hanging around with those loafers’. Larry told the guys the band has a new name. Thanks, dad.
How about the English group, Badfinger? The word ‘badfinger’ was part of the original working title for the Beatles song, ‘A Little Help From My Friends’ – ‘Bad Finger Boogie’.
You would think that Blood, Sweat & Tears got there name from the hard work they put into their musical careers. Not so. Original band member Al Kooper was on the phone with a promoter and was staring at a Johnny Cash LP entitled Blood, Sweat And Tears. Why not?
Gary U.S. Bonds. Where did the U.S. come from? Promotional copies of Bonds’ first hit, ‘New Orleans’ were sent out in sleeves that said ‘Buy U.S. Bonds’. And the rest is history for gary Anderson.
The Box Tops were originally known as The DeVilles. Deciding to change their name so as not to be confused with another DeVilles group, one band member suggested having a contest and have people send in 50¢ and a box top. Down through the years how many box tops have you sent in or saved to get a prize?
It has been reported that the Bee Gees got their name from taking the ‘b’ and the ‘g’ from the brothers Gibb. Not so. The name was in honor of two friends who helped them early on in Australia. Bill Goode and a DJ Bill Gates.
You may have heard that The Doors got their name from a book entitled, The Doors Of Perception by Aldous Huxley. But that title comes from a line found in an 18th century poem by William Blake entitled The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell.
Elton John, born Reginald Dwight was a big fan of two British musicians Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.
Because both groups were such big fans of Buddy Holly, both The Beatles and the Hollies used Holly inspiration to come up with their names. First using the correct spelling of Beetles the guys did this because of Buddy’s group, The Crickets. Lennon would later make the final spelling to coincide with beat music and beat poetry. The Hollies of course just used Buddy’s last name.
Mick Jagger’s name had nothing to do with the group The Jaggerz. While in the woods for a photo shoot the guys noted that little briars were sticking to their clothes. These little briars were known as jaggerz. Sorry, Mick.
How many street names have been used as names of groups? Well here are two. There was a street in their Bronx neighborhood named Belmont so Dion & The Belmonts thought it would be a natural. The Knickerbockers were from Bergenfield, New Jersey and chose their name from a road in nearby Tenafly, New Jersey called Knickerbocker Road. And you thought it was from the pants called knickerbockers.
Did you ever see the Boris Karloff movie Black Sabbath? Well I guess Ozzy Osbourne did, or maybe not. Deciding to change their name from Earth, the guys were in their rehearsing room and across the street was a cinema playing the Black Sabbath movie.
Continuing with a band named after a movie, how about the Irish band Them being named after the movie, Them.
Wrapping up their final U.S. tour, the Yardbirds were splitting up but Jimmy Page wanted to keep a band going so he was going to call the new band The New Yardbirds. Keith Moon, The Who’s drummer made a statement that ‘it would go over like a lead zeppelin’. Change it to Led and you got it right.
What can a broken alarm clock have to do with a rock bands name? Well, when when a bunch of guys were sitting around trying to think of a name for their band but wanting to be sure the word ‘strawberry’ would be in the name which was inspired by the Beatles’ ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, they kept hearing an alarm clock making a wacky sound due to it not working properly. So they put the two together. By the way the alarm clock was in the guest house where they were practicing which belonged to the keyboard player’s father. Instead of a garage band would this make them a guest house band?
Gotta go. So many names, so little space.
SOME GREAT R&B SOUNDS FROM THREE GREAT FEMALE SINGERS
‘GUESS AGAIN’ ETTA JAMES
‘STILL’ LAVERN BAKER
‘I DON’T HURT ANYMORE’ DINAH WASHINGTON
See ya,
Charlie