By Alan Haber – Pure Pop Radio 
Alan in the studio
On this sunny Friday, we go way, way back to 1997. The weekly Pure Pop Radio show was two years old and the number one name on my interview want list was heritage pop artist Emitt Rhodes.
Way back when, WCBS-FM in New York, New York, the city so nice they named it twice, was the place to be for new rock music. Before it became “New York’s Oldies Station,” it was a whole other station. It was the station that broadcast George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass in its entirety, back in the days when radio could do that sort of thing, and it was the station that introduced me to Emitt Rhodes.
Emitt Rhodes, 1970
The deejay, Bobby “Wizard” Wayne, waxed poetically, with just the right dose of enthusiasm, about this wunderkind who played all of the instruments on his debut, self-titled record, who sounded like Paul McCartney; hearing the first 60 seconds of “With My Face on the Floor,” it was obvious that Wayne had hit upon something very special. And the McCartney reference was right on.
Ever since then, Rhodes’ amazing albums have been rotating in and out of my daily playlists, including his most recent release, Rainbow Ends, from last year. I’d always wanted to meet him, but never got the chance… until the very first International Pop Overthrow in Los Angeles. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
As I said, when I started doing my Pure Pop radio show in 1995, Rhodes was at the top of my list of artists to interview. But getting to him was another matter. Ray Paul, then head honcho at the great, much-missed Permanent Press record label, came to my rescue, and set up the interview.
Mirror, 1971
Imagine my surprise and delight when I came home one day from doing errands and checked my answering machine and found that Emitt had called me and left his number. Long story short, we spoke later that day and scheduled a day and time for him to be on Pure Pop.
Farewell to Paradise, 1973
That day was March 20, 1997. Talking to Emitt was like a dream come true. We spoke about his three albums that had been released, his songwriting, and much else. At one point, when Emitt took a bit of a break from the interview, I spoke on the air to Emitt’s mother, who related some wonderful, warm anecdotes about her son growing up, and the influence of music on the Rhodes family. I also asked Emitt questions submitted by listeners.
Emitt Rhodes and Alan Haber, IPO Los Angeles, 1998
I finally met Emitt, at the first International Pop Overthrow (IPO) festival in 1998. He remarked that he had enjoyed our talk, and that his mother, who had recently died, had enjoyed it, too. He even bought me a soda!
For me, having any contact whatsoever with one of my musical heroes instantly qualifies as a high point of my life. I hope you feel the same way after listening to this interview from 20 years ago.
I hope you enjoy the show.
Listen to my interview with Emitt Rhodes from March 20, 1997 by clicking the play button on the following player, or click on the Pure Pop Radio button to the left to download (then right click and choose “Save audio as” to save the file to your computer). (This interview is presented in scoped format; the songs have been removed due to copyright concerns.)
Listen to the songs played during this interview by clicking on the following Spotify links:
“Farewell to Paradise” | https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0EbcnHIeCryuJ2sqdPVvVQ
“Somebody Made for Me” | https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5N6UGAAjtWe6NyQ9pMxo45
“Only Lovers Decide” | https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6OQa2wBtfw1YvajQMsPdUS
“Live” | https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3LQZ52GYA5V0QjDZyUFlXj
“Bubblegum the Blues/I’m a Cruiser” | https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5sxJazadYQIhhzvamt86vH
“Ever Find Yourself Running” | https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0f2o0yWXzHGhgD3p6EvjqV
“Nights are Lonely/Bad Man” | https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3ia1kM7EI2CJLfP5lANPqs
“Tame the Lion” | https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5LUHwnRiRfE10bz8pLUrBj
“You Must Have” | https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5GdAhgRQfFwaQilX8x2tHU
Look out for more current and archived Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation interviews.
Pure Pop Radio’s signature shows, Alan Haber’s Pop Tunes Deejay Show, playing the latest and greatest melodic pop songs from today and across the decades, and Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, the premiere Internet melodic pop talk show, air weekly on Pop that Goes Crunch Radio.
Listen to the Pop Tunes Deejay Show on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 pm ET (two different shows every week); In Conversation airs every Wednesday night at 9 pm ET. Don’t miss a minute!
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Emitt Rhodes | Rainbow Ends Forty-three years after his third album, Farewell to Paradise, was released, this new collection surfaces to critical and listener acclaim, and rightly so. Here are songs that feature all of the Rhodes hallmarks: beautiful, catchy melodies; inventive chord changes; and those velvety, smooth, sturdy and emotive vocals. Perhaps this is no more evident than on the emotional ballad “I Can’t Tell My Heart.” Somewhat reminiscent of Mirror‘s “Love Will Stone You,” this is a showcase for Emitt’s committed, vocal delivery; the gorgeous melody and emotional lyrics combine to sketch the breakup of a relationship and a considered plea for the other party to embrace the option to heal. A wonderful surprise and an instant classic. Welcome back to a truly special artist.
Daisy House | Western Man Doug Hammond and his daughter Tatiana’s album for the ages features golden harmonies and great songs that will melt your heart all the way through. The heavenly duo channels the Byrds in the uptempo “She Comes Runnin’ Back” and “Twenty-One,” offers up a catchy, playful vibe with the singalong number “Willow,” and delivers a strong, emotive ballad with the orchestrated tune, “Western Man.” Best news of all: a new album is soon to be released. Happy new year, indeed.
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The Junipers | Red Bouquet Fair This charming collection from the Leicester, United Kingdom band recalls the sweet sunshine pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s in such lovely songs as “Summer Queen” and “Like a Merry-Go-Round.” Red Bouquet Fair is no less than the audio equivalent of smiling at your good fortune on a warm day in the park while sipping cool lemonade (the effect is equally transcendent wherever else you may be). The vocals are enchanting and the instrumentation is perfectly played. Lovely.
Tommy and the Rockets | Beer and Fun and Rock ‘n’ Roll This ace project, featuring 10 pop-rockers, co-written, except for one, by super criminal defense attorney Michael Chaney and Thomas “Tommy” Stubgaard, who plays all of the guitars, bass, and provides handclaps, shake the house, as it were. Check out the catchy, Beach Boys-influenced sunshine anthem “Here Comes Summer,” and a couple of energetic Ramones nods, “Silly Teenage Love” and “You Want Me (But I Don’t Want You)”). Cheery, toe-tapping fun.
The Explorers Club | Together This collection of songs imbued with the spirit of the best of the Beach Boys, the Four Freshman, the Association and other time-honored practitioners of the art is one of the sweetest offerings of the year. Here are songs that are beautiful and beautifully sung, lovely and lovelier still, from Jason Brewer, Wyatt Funderburk, Paul Runyon, Kyle Polk and Mike Williamson. From the southern California harmony- and sun-soaked sound of “California’s Callin’ Ya” to the Four Freshmen-meets-“Graduation Day”-by-way-of-Les Paul ballad “Perfect Day,” Together invites listeners to bathe in the beauty of harmony-filled dreams.
Alan Haber’s 
During the 
Click here to listen to and download Alan’s interview with Emitt Rhodes producer Chris Price
Only 11 days to go until the release of Emitt Rhodes’ first album in 43 years: Rainbow Ends joins the pop craftsman’s peerless catalog on February 26, courtesy of Omnivore Records, in both CD and vinyl formats.
Pure Pop Radio is your home for this exciting salute to Emitt Rhodes, leading up to the long-awaited release of Rainbow Ends on February 26. To celebrate, in addition to airing Alan’s extended interview with producer Chris Price tomorrow night, February 16, we’ve added to our playlist the lion’s share of tracks from all of Emitt’s albums, including Rainbow Ends. We’ve also added the bulk of tracks appearing on the Merry-Go-Round’s Listen, Listen: The Definitive Collection. All of these tracks, and more, are now playing in rotation on our air.
The hosts of our regularly scheduled specialty shows are ready to go with brand-new episodes crafted for you, our loyal listeners. This week on Pure Pop Radio, every little thing is ready to roll!
You can read about tomorrow night’s in-depth interview with Chris Price, producer of Emitt Rhodes’ first album in 43 years, Rainbow Ends, by clicking here. Fans of one of pop’s original, defining artists won’t want to miss this show. Set your alarm clocks for Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, tomorrow night at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT).
Brian Bringelson spins vinyl and only vinyl this Wednesday night, February 17, at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT) on his always-entertaining show, Needle Meets Vinyl. This all-new episode opens with none other than famed comedian W.C. Fields, who gives way to tracks from the Beatles, Steely Dan, Dusty Springfield, Johnny Rivers, Julie Andrews, Ricky Nelson and many more. It’s another fabulous show you won’t want to miss.
This Thursday night at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT) on Things We Said Today, our regular panel of Beatles experts talks about their favorite Beatles cover songs and albums. Ken Michaels, Steve Marinucci, Al Sussman and Allan Kozinn bring to mind both well-known and perhaps not-so-well-known examples that will surely get your Beatle bells a-ringing, like Stevie Wonder’s “We Can Work It Out,” Sergio Mendez’s “Fool on the Hill,” Emmylou Harris’s “Here, There and Everywhere,” Del Shannon’s “From Me to You,” and tracks from classical guitarist Steven King and Steeleye Span. It’s another example of the best Beatles talk on radio…anywhere.
Every Little Thing is the premiere, syndicated program playing Beatles group and solo recordings. Hosted by longtime radio personality Ken Michaels, the show airs a mix of new and archived shows on Monday nights at 8 pm ET on Pure Pop Radio.
Needle Meets Vinyl is the weekly show during which all songs are played from vinyl records. The music spans the decades during which popular music has flourished. Curated and presented by Brian Bringelson, a member of the band Anchor and Bear and a solo artist under the name Paul Starling, the show airs Wednesday nights at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT).
Things We Said Today is a weekly survey of all things Beatles that’s hosted by a quartet of Beatles experts–today’s Fab Four, if you will. Ken Michaels, host of Every Little Thing, is joined by Beatlefan Executive Editor Al Sussman, Steve Marinucci (Beatles Examiner), and Allan Kozinn, longtime music critic. Other well-known Beatles experts sometimes sit in with the core group. Things We Said Today airs Thursday nights at 8 pm ET on Pure Pop Radio.
Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, Internet radio’s premiere melodic pop talk show, returns on Tuesday, February 9th, for the first of two brand-new installments. First up: Terry Draper, whose new album, Searching, Alan reviewed on January 21st, calling it the “first great album of 2016.” On February 16th, producer Chris Price will take listeners through every step along the way to the completion of Emitt Rhodes’ Rainbow Ends, the first album from the pop master in 43 years.
On February 9th at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT), Terry Draper engages with Alan in a lively discussion of his recently-released album, Searching, released by Bullseye Records of Canada. The album’s clever songwriting and three-dimensional arrangements, not to mention top-flight performances from Terry and guests such as Jamie Hoover and Ray Paul, and the usual vivid artwork created by Ted Jones, whose mark was indelibly left on the many Klaatu albums he illustrated, sit center stage. Terry talks about it all. You won’t want to miss a second.
