By Alan Haber – Pure Pop Radio
A new series of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation shows, appearing exclusively here on the Pure Pop Radio website, kicks off this Friday, June 21–the first day of summer–with Pure Pop Radio favorite Glen Burtnik (The Weeklings) and producer Tony Pallagrosi before the microphones to talk about the groovy two-CD set recorded live at Glen’s Summer of Love Concert.
Another new episode of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation debuts next Thursday, June 27. Stay tuned for details for this timely and tuneful show.
Glen Burtnik’s Summer of Love Concert: Live Love, recorded live at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey and just released by Jem Records, presents groovy performances of favorite rockin’, poppin’ and rollin’ songs from roughly the years 1967 to 1969 and the early 1970s, including classics recorded by artists that played at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969 (this year, the fair celebrates its 50th anniversary).
The 17 songs on this two-CD set, from the Turtles’ “Happy Together” and Melanie’s “Brand New Key” to the Mamas and the Papas’ “Creeque Alley,” the Lemon Pipers’ “Green Tambourine,” and Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” are performed by a cast of 20 top-flight singers and musicians, including Burtnik, The Weeklings’ Joe Bellia, and many more.
During this informative and in-depth interview, Burtnik and Pallagrosi talk passionately about the history of the Summer of Love concert series (the series kicked off 10 years ago), how the shows are put together, and what makes the songs that are performed loved and treasured through the years. It’s a fascinating discussion that all manner of music fans will love.
The Summer of Love Concert series is on tour this summer. Check upcoming dates in this exciting video:
Don’t miss Glen Burtnik and Tony Pallagrosi on Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation this Friday, June 21st–the first day of summer. The show will be posted exclusively here on the Pure Pop Radio website at approximately 11:45 am EST. (Remember: another new show debuts next Thursday, June 27. Stay tuned for the timely and tuneful details.)
Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, hosted by Alan Haber, is the Internet’s premier talk show presenting melodic pop music artists in conversation about their work. New episodes appear here exclusively on the Pure Pop Radio website. Podcast versions of previously-aired episodes are archived here.
Alan Haber’s Pure Pop Radio is the premiere website covering the melodic pop scene with in-depth reviews of new and reissued recordings, and a wide variety of features. We’ve been around since the first weekly Pure Pop Radio shows, which began broadcasting in 1995, and the 24-hour Pure Pop Radio station, which ended last August.
Welcome to your number one home for coverage of the greatest melodic pop music in the universe from the ’60s to today.
By Alan Haber – Pure Pop Radio
It is important to know where things come from. Klaatu’s Sir Army Suit came after the group’s eclectic first album, 3:47 E.S.T., and the follow-up, the orchestrated concept long player Hope. Sir Army Suit was an attempt to build on Klaatu’s strengths with shorter, radio-friendly songs sporting indelible melodies, clever chord progressions, picturesque lyrics, and creative production for the purpose of increasing the band’s marketplace footprint.
Alan Haber’s Pure Pop Radio is the premiere website covering the melodic pop scene with in-depth reviews of new and reissued recordings, and a wide variety of features. The 24-hour Pure Pop Radio stream ran from 2013 to August 25, 2018. Welcome to your number one home for coverage of the greatest melodic pop music in the universe from the ’60s to today.
We continue spreading the melodic joy on Thursday, July 12, when an all-new edition of Alan Haber’s Pop Tunes Deejay Show rolls at 8 pm ET. The contents of this show are a mystery at this time (even to me, because I haven’t recorded the show yet!). You can expect the usual mix of new and new-to-you classics from across the decades, with a special emphasis on the latest releases. It’s going to be the usual hour full of fun!
Pure Pop Radio on Live 365 plays the greatest melodic pop music from across the decades, 24 hours a day. Listen by clicking on the Live365 Listen Now button at left. Hear us once and you’ll be a listener for life. Join us, won’t you? You’ll be glad you did!
The Quick, which featured Danny Wilde, later of the Rembrandts, as lead vocalist, were shepherded by the legendary Kim Fowley and producer and engineer Earle Mankey, who was a member of Halfnelson, which later became Sparks. The Quick’s one and only album, featuring clever arrangements and harmonies galore, pops and rocks with abandon. Danny and I talk about the origins of the Quick, recording Mondo Deco, and other topics, including how he came to get Rolling Stone Charlie Watts’ drum sticks (hint: Charlie gave them to Danny). Plus, you’ll hear three songs from Mondo Deco, including their mondo-creative cover of the Beatles’ “It Won’t Be Long.”
The Grand Leve’s self-titled album is a wonderful mix of pop-rock songs performed by Göran, Ulf Holmberg (ex-Longplayer), and Ian Haugland, the drummer for Swedish rockers Europe. Grand melodies abound in this new collection, a must for fans of melodic pop music. Göran and I talk about the Grand Leve, and survey his musical journey from his time in the hit pop band Visitors to his work with Ian in Brains Beat Beauty and his time with Ulf in Longplayer and, subsequently, the Longplayer Orchestra.
This Thursday night at 8 pm ET on Pop that Goes Crunch Radio, I’m back with another all-new edition of the Pop Tunes Deejay Show, this time around featuring the Red Button’s latest release, “Ooh Girl,” featuring Herman’s Hermits’ Peter Noone on lead vocal. You won’t want to miss this one.
The September 27 edition of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation took on a bit of an international flavor: California popsters and husband and wife Karla Kane and Khoi Huynh from the Corner Laughers sat side-by-side with Nottingham, England’s Mark and Helen Luker, from Fun of the Pier. The lovely musical quartet joined me for a fun half-hour to talk about their new album releases that melodic pop fans will love.
Three tracks from their respective albums were spun: the lively, heartfelt song about Karla and Khoi’s daughter, “Octavia A,” from the Corner Laughers’ 2015 album, Matilda Effect; “Past/Future,” from Fun of the Pier’s lovely, new, and very first album, 14:42; and Karla’s imaginatively arranged pop song, “All Aboard,” from her about-to-be-released, fantastic solo album, King’s Daughters Home for Incurables.
During this program, you’ll find out what makes these magical, musical magicians sing, and you’ll discover exactly what Fun of the Pier’s album title means (hint: always keep batteries at hand!).
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!
This week, Alan Haber’s Pop Tunes Deejay Show rolls out lucky show 13, and Karla Kane and The Fun of the Pier’s Mark and Helen Luker star on a sparkling international edition of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation. And that’s not all!
Tomorrow night at 8 pm ET, The Pop Tunes Deejay Show is stocked full of some of the strongest new melodic pop releases now making waves across the musical landscape. Two new tracks in progress from Daisy House, and the latest from Carpenter Caswell, The Successful Failures and Strangely Alright play alongside tracks from Randy Newman, Coke Belda (a bonus track from the forthcoming Spanish edition of his new Bee Gees tribute), Fallon Cush and a whole lot more. Plus: my snappy deejay patter! And fear not: The Pop Tunes Deejay Show returns for another round of catchy melodic pop from across the decades this Thursday night at 8 pm ET.
Star Time on Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation
The Pop Tunes Deejay Show is Poptastic!
We offer to you, as November gets ready to morph into December and work of a holiday nature within these hallowed halls continues apace, a trio of our regular specialty shows to keep things of all sorts on track. Your nighttime soundtrack on Pure Pop Radio? Why, we don’t mind if we do.
Tonight at 8 pm ET, Jammin’ James Riley fires off another summer-infused set of sun-drenched tunes on Catching a Wave. Perched in front of your Internet radio receptacle, you will delight in Jammin’ James’ spins from artists such as Keith Sykes, Eddie and the Showmen, Jan and Dean, the Beach Boys, Dick Dale, and many more.
For this week’s The Weird and the Wonderful, hitting the Internet airwaves at 1 pm ET on Wednesday, Scott McPherson’s gathered up quite the catchy lunchtime meal composed of catchy, top-flight songs, including sumptuous specimens from Jellyfish, Aimee Mann, Paul McCartney, KC Bowman, the Semantics, and George Harrison. Much more, too? Certainly, but you’ll have to tune in to find out the score.
Thursday night’s all-new gathering, at 8 pm ET, of our Beatles experts on Things We Said Today sees Ken Michaels, Steve Marinucci, Al Sussman and Allan Kozinn greet Chip Madinger, co-author of Lennonology, Strange Days Indeed – A Scrapbook of Madness. Chip joins in on an in-depth look at John Lennon’s Imagine album, currently celebrating its 45th anniversary.
Tomorrow night, Tuesday, November 15 at 8 pm ET, the Legal Matters converge on our In Conversation microphones to talk to Alan Haber about their brand-new, hall-of-fame album, Conrad. Andy Reed, Chris Richards, and Keith Klingensmith provide the in-depth background on an album that sets a new standard for vocal harmonies. You’ll hear three songs and the stories behind them, including the remarkable “Lull and Bye.”
The Nines’ Steve Eggers joins Alan this Wednesday, November 16 at 9 pm ET to go in-depth on his new album Alejandro’s Visions, a lovely tribute to the song styles that fuel the Great American Songbook, doo-wop, Beach Boys-styled harmonies, Jeff Lynne, the Four Freshman and other touchstones. Three songs will be spun, and you’ll find out which records might surprise you if you were able to look through Steve’s record collection!
And now, to get our week’s worth of programming off and running, we’re pleased as punch to announce that Pure Pop Radio is the first affiliate to air tonight’s all-new edition of Ken Michaels’ Beatles get-together, Every Little Thing, starring the Weeklings. Ken talks to the Weeklings themselves and plays two sparkling tracks from the group’s new album, Studio 2, which comes out this Friday via Jem Records. Also on tap tonight, beginning at 8 pm ET: the usual top-flight group of songs from the Beatles, from their group and solo years.
What a week! We’ve got one more all-new In Conversation show to bring you before the Thanksgiving holiday: one of our “Just for Fun” sessions, this time around with Beatlefan magazine executive editor Al Sussman. Details are forthcoming. You won’t want to miss this show!