'cause it feels like that kind of day ...

A sample of some obscure - and maybe not obscure - tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.

Today's medley selection: Johnny Rivers - "Summer Rain"

Off the 1968 album "Realization", "Summer Rain" is considered one of Johnny River's best songs. Reflecting on the summer of 1967, perhaps one of the best descriptions of the dream of the "Summer Of Love" (which was the summer of riots for yours truly).

Written by the other Jim Hendrix, he was once married to Cass Elliot of the Mamas & Papas. One of the members of The Mugwumps, a group that lasted a few months before the band split to form Lovin Spoonful and Mamas & Papas. Jim Hendrix was not a member of either band.

Hard to find information about Jim; some other guy had a similar name at a similar time.

Johnny Rivers (John Ramistella) was popular in the 60s with 9 songs in the top 10 and 17 in the top 40. Secret Agent Man and Poor Side of Town are two hits for which Johnny Rivers is known.

He is still alive but gave his final public appearance in 2023.

A sample of some obscure - and maybe not obscure - tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.

Today's medley selection: Hoyt Axton - "Della & The Dealer" 1979

... and a cat named Kalamazoo.

Hoyt Axton was better known as a song writer for others: "Joy To The World" (Three Dog Night"), "The Pusher" (Steppenwolf), "Southbound" (Commander Cody), and many others. He also appeared in many TV shows of the 60s - 80s.

He lived in Victor, MT and died at home in Oct 1999 after two heart attacks in the two weeks previous.

Worth what you paid for it: I've lived in both Tucson and Kalamazoo

A sample of some obscure - and maybe not obscure - tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.

Today's medley selection: Bloodrock - D.O.A. 1970

Bloodrock was a band from the Dallas-Ft Worth region. This - their only charting song - was from their second album "Bloodrock 2"

When the guitar player was 17, he had aspirations to be a pilot. Flying with a friend, they landed, the guitarist got out of the plane to watch his friend take off, get about 200 feet up, then crash and burn. At another time, the keyboard player was casually picking a couple of notes that happened to sound like a European ambulance siren. They put the story together - the result was D.O.A. - the dying of the pilot while being treated after a mid-air collision told in 1st person.

Considered one of the most banned songs of the '70s, radio stations refused to play it, high schools banned it.
It still hit #36 on the charts of the day.

The lyrics are considered overly-graphic by some ...

A sample of some obscure - and maybe not obscure - tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.

Today's selection: Blue Oyster Cult - "Last Days Of May" 1972

Off Blue Oyster Cult's first album. I saw the band at a back road, non-tourist bar in Reno in 1985 (I think). Maybe 300 people, probably 250 - maybe not even that many. They played under the name of "Soft White Underbelly". They said they missed playing for small crowds. Played for a few hours; one break. One of the best concerts I've been to.

Wouldn't be interested in coming along
Instead of staying here
It's said the west is nice this time of year
It's what they say

She was 18 when I asked her. She said Yes. We didn't come back.
Maybe a tale I'll tell someday.