I am proud to announce that Harpers Bizarre’s Dick Scoppettone (pictured at left) and Now Sounds’ Steve Stanley (pictured at right) star in Pure Pop Radio’s three-night-long salute to Harpers Bizarre next Tuesday, March 1, Wednesday, March 2, and Thursday, March 3. A wonderful array of soft soundin’ music and talk awaits you.

(Join our Facebook event page by clicking here. You won’t want to miss a minute of this exciting event!)

Next Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Dick Scoppettone will be my guest on very special editions of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, all airing at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT). On Tuesday night, March 1, you will hear all about the history of Harpers Bizarre and the pre-Harpers band, the Tikis. Best known for their top 15 ’60s smash, “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy),” Harpers Bizarre recorded four wonderful albums of delicious soft pop that featured brilliant originals and early songs from such future songwriting and performing stars as Randy Newman and Van Dyke Parks.

You’ll hear Dick talk about songs that appear on Now Sounds‘ new and most welcome CD, Harpers Bizarre: The Complete Singles Collection (1965-1970) . You’ll hear him tell wonderful stories about recording with musicians who went on to great careers, including Glen Campbell and members of the Wrecking Crew. On Wednesday night, March 2, Dick talks about the importance of melody in songs and waxes poetic about more great Harpers Bizarre numbers.

Finishing up Pure Pop Radio’s three-night-long salute to Harpers Bizarre, I speak to Now Sounds’ Steve Stanley on an extra edition of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation on Thursday night, March 3 at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT). Steve talks about how The Complete Singles Collection was put together, and gives his thoughts on the band that has captured the imaginations of soft pop fans worldwide for more than 50 years. Plus, he gives pop fans some very cool nuggets about upcoming Now Sounds releases!

On a personal note, I’ve been listening to and loving the sound of Harpers Bizarre since the group’s very first album, Feelin’ Groovy (featuring 59th St. Bridge Song) came out in 1967. That record and the group’s other releases–Anything Goes, The Secret Life of Harpers Bizarre, and Harpers Bizarre 4–are as important to me today as they were when they were released. These records bathe me in a warm glow to this day. I simply can’t get enough of them.

And for those of you who can’t get enough of this wonderful group, we’ve got a number of fun featurettes which pair various Harpers Bizarre songs with Dick Scoppettone’s inside stories. These will play throughout Pure Pop Radio’s broadcast days. You won’t want to miss them.

I hope that you will join me and listen to Pure Pop Radio’s three-night-long salute to Harpers Bizarre, one of the greatest, most important soft pop groups ever to make records. Mark your calendars: The group’s Dick Scoppettone is interviewed on Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation next Tuesday and Wednesday nights (March 1 and 2) at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT); Now Sounds’ Steve Stanley joins me on the show on Thursday night, March 3, also at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT).

See you on the radio for some great soft soundin’ music!

– Alan Haber

Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, the premiere melodic pop interview program hosted by Alan Haber, airs Tuesday nights at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT) and repeats on Sunday afternoons at 5 pm ET (2 pm PT). Archived, podcast versions of interviews are posted on the In Conversation PodOmatic podcast page; click here to listen to more than 60 shows previously broadcast on Pure Pop Radio.

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