The Lounge with Michael Horn on CRN: October 2015

Friday, October 30, 2015

10/30 Queen Mary Ghost Stories from the Commodore himself Everette Hoard

Everette Hoard, Queen Mary’s Commodore joins us with some spooky stories and info on all the exciting Halloween events you can do aboard the ship.

Commodore Everette, the current commodore of the Queen Mary, has been fascinated by her since he was very young. Due to his lifelong interest in her, he started working on the Queen Mary on Valentine's Day in 1981, ultimately earning the title of Commodore, a title which only a select few on the ship have ever been appointed to. The honorary title, originally instituted by Cunard Lines, suits the Commodore perfectly, as he knows the ship better than any one else.

www.queenmary.com

Monday, October 26, 2015

10/26 BOBBY HART, BOYCE AND HART, PSYCHEDELIC BUBBLE GUM, THE MONKEES

The acclaimed songwriting duo, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart are considered to be one of the most influential teams of popular music in the 60s and 70s. Boyce and Hart played a pivotal role in creating the Monkee sound as composers and producers of their most recognizable hits including the Monkees Theme, Last Train to Clarksville, I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone, Valleri,
I Wanna Be Free and Words .

Boyce and Hart went on to enjoy a successful career as a performing duo penning several more Top 10 Hits including, I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight, Out & About and Alice Long (You're Still My Favorite Girlfriend). Together they were featured guests on the 60s TV talk shows, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Flying Nun, and were featured in the top Teen Magazines.

Additionally, whether as a writing duo or as co-writers with others, they have penned some of our favorite classic hits, such as, Come A Little Bit Closer, Hurts So Bad, Pretty Little Angel Eyes, Keep On Singing, Under The Moon of Love, and the theme to the s soap opera Days of Our Lives. Their songs have been covered by hundreds of artists around the world, used in numerous movies and television shows, and in commercials.

In 1968 the duo campaigned to support Robert F. Kennedy in his run for the Presidency, and they spearheaded the "Let Us Vote", or "L.U.V." campaign, which ultimately helped to lower the voting age to 18 in the US (it had been 21).

Although, during the early seventies Tommy and Bobby continued to be friends and write together, they began to involve themselves in creative and successful projects independent of each other. 1975 found Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart teaming up again, but this time with Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jones of The Monkees. The foursome recorded two albums for Capitol Records and in 1976 embarked on a successful world tour to commemorate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Monkees as “Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart”.

Decades later, the impact of Boyce and Hart still resonates. Tune into any oldies station, and at least once during the course of any given day you will very likely hear a Boyce and Hart composition.

Tommy and Bobby remained the best of friends until Tommy's untimely death Nov. 23, 1994. Bobby currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife MaryAnn and Tommy's widow Caroline lives in Nashville.

THE BOOK: PSYCHEDELIC BUBBLE GUM

From the man who wrote the songs that outsold the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in 1967-1968, comes the story of the first decades of his life in Hollywood and New York.

Immerse yourself in Grammy, Golden Globe, and Academy Award nominated songwriter Bobby Hart’s world as he shares the story behind his success; from humble beginnings comes a musical goliath.

Psychedelic Bubble Gum is an exclusive glimpse into Hart’s personal journey as he moves on the fast track to fame. This vivid narrative follows Hart’s gradual rise in the music industry as half of the duo Boyce and Hart, as he and his friend and partner Tommy Boyce wrote the songs that launched the Monkees to stardom, and eventually reaching over a hundred million in sales. Along the way is all the heartbreak and drama that accompanies fame and fortune―an uprooted life, conflicted morals, and the sacrifice of his wholesome high school sweetheart Becky.

With unbending sincerity, Hart details a life of extravagance, betrayal, loss, disillusionment, and an unstoppable personal struggle to find spiritual balance, peace, and love. Psychedelic Bubble Gum is a rollercoaster ride through the 1960s and 1970s during America’s whirlwind era of free speech, mysticism, and psychedelic pop culture, and, of course, rock ‘n’ roll. Packed with intimate behind-the-scenes encounters with pop star royalty, Psychedelic Bubble Gum is tempered by humor, honesty, and a singular understanding of the industry.

THE SUBJECT OF A 2014 DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM “THE GUYS WHO WROTE EM”

Feature length documentary film about songwriting duo Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart. It provides an in-depth, personal perspective on the complicated relationships surrounding Boyce & Hart's unique story. Behind-the-scenes anecdotes are told with humor and raw openness by narrator, Bobby Hart, and the subjects themselves in new interviews (Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith, Keith Allison and Kim Fowley), as well as vintage commentary from the late Tommy Boyce. Their story is told through previously unseen rare archival films and images.

www.officialboyceandhart.com

Friday, October 23, 2015

10/23 DON BARRETT

THE DON BARRETT STORY: Part 1

Don Barrett grew up an only child in the 1950s on the beach in Santa Monica and experienced the explosion of rock 'n roll music and with it Top 40 radio. The men and women, who played the music, told the stories about the artists and became his imaginary brothers and sisters. His dream to be on the radio was crystallized while listening to his transistor radio.

Don has had an amazing career as a disc jockey, program director, national program director for legendary Gordon McLendon, and eventual general manager of WDRQ and W4 in Detroit and then launching KIQQ (K-100) in Los Angeles.

After 25 years in motion picture marketing for Columbia, Universal and MGM/UA, Don returned to his first love of radio and began to chronicle the industry, writing three books on Los Angeles Radio People and publishing a radio-themed website, www.LARadio.com. www.LARadio.com is the most comprehensive listing of 6,000 Los Angeles Radio People, spanning the last 58 years, is now available just by clicking on your favorite personality. The listings provide a colorful snapshot of where they came from, where and when they worked, and what they’re doing now.

In 2013 Don was appointed the radio columnist for the Orange County Register.

Monday, October 19, 2015

10/19 GEORGE FEDER, INTERVIEW WITH A JEWEL THIEF

GEORGE FEDER – AUTHOR OF INTERVIEW WITH A JEWEL THIEF AND CRIME PREVENTION ADVOCATE

Dubbed the “Houdini of Jewel Thieves,” George Feder — or “Georgie” as his close friends call him — was forced into retirement by the FBI in 1977. He loved doing what he did and was an expert in his “field.” His passion for removing jewelry from high-class high-rise condominiums yielded a small fortune, an extravagant lifestyle, and ultimately, a 15 year prison sentence.

George was one of the few burglars talented enough to work the finest high-rise residences in the country. He mastered the art of picking locks and bypassing security systems. He was a daytime burglar, which required a specialized discipline. In fact, George was so good at what he did that at the time of his arrest, the FBI said that they knew of only nine other thieves in the world that could pull off heists similar to George’s. For a decade, he tormented law enforcement in Florida, Chicago, California, New York, and all points between – seemingly walking through walls to carry off some of the finest jewelry ever made.

Living extra large, a criminal superstar with strong ties to “Mafia Families” throughout the U.S., George got hooked on the ultimate opiate of adrenaline. Success fed his habit, increasingly brazen, he took greater and greater chances, until finally he learned the hard way that even the craftiest criminals get caught.

After years of hard time, and then trying to adjust to freedom once he was released, George turned his life around by adhering to the teachings learned in a “Twelve Step Program.” He was determined to use what he learned as a master jewel thief to educate the public on the criminal mind and teach them how to stay safe by simplifying his own unique brand of crime prevention.

Since his release from prison, George has been active in the media, including a stint as a reporter and crime prevention analyst for the TV show America’s Most Wanted, appearances on Court TV, infomercials, lectures, and interviews on radio shows throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Behind the scenes, George has worked with the Pinellas County, Fla. Sheriff’s Department Boot Camp Program and is an advocate and counselor for at-risk children. He also holds three U.S. patents for a lock that is impossible to pick.

George has just released his autobiography — Interview with a Jewel Thief — the story of how he went from a kid growing up in Queens to one of the world’s most infamous thieves, before spiraling into a deep dark pit of addiction and depression, and how he has turned his life around since.
Much in demand as a motivational speaker, George considers himself a messenger of truth, and he hopes that by sharing the story of his life, he can help others. If you have questions for George, or would like to share your story, please feel free to say hello.

ABOUT THE BOOK - Interview with a Jewel Thief

The True Story of George Feder: "The Houdini of Jewel Thieves" -- Trained by his Mafia mentor to be a fearless high-rise Superthief, Feder went on to steal a King's Ransom worth of diamonds, rare gemstones, and precious custom-made jewelry from luxury condos and penthouses in New York, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, and dozens of other US cities during his incredibly prolific 15-year career. Wanted by the FBI, Interpol, and numerous law enforcement agencies throughout the United States, Feder earned a reputation as "The Houdini of Jewel Thieves", a phrase coined by James Patterson, former Special Agent with the US Justice Department, undercover agent with Detroit's Organized Crime Bureau and member of Homeland Security. "Feder loved his profession; in fact he was addicted to it," said former Miami Dade detective Tom "Bulldog" Blake, who relentlessly pursued Feder for ten years. "Feder's closets could be stuffed full of cash and jewelry, yet he would continue to steal. No one knows the dollar amount Feder netted from his burglaries; only George knows that for sure."

WWW.GEORGENFEDER.COM

Friday, October 16, 2015

10/16 Sweet Dick Whittington

Sweet Dick Whittington Joins Michael Horn on The Weekend Edition of The PM Show!

Sweet Dick Whittington (born 1934) is a long-time disc jockey in Los Angeles, who has also appeared as an actor in movies and on television.

Prior to his arrival in Southern California, Whittington was a popular radio personality in the San Francisco Bay area at Oakland's KROW (960 AM), where he hosted the "Night Watchman" overnight program, and, later, a weekday afternoon show, from 1955 to 1958. In the fall of 1958, he moved to KSFO (560 AM) in San Francisco, as host of the 9 p.m. to midnight program. He began his stint in Los Angeles at KABC 790 AM, doing a one-hour talk show weekdays and a 3-hour Sunday talk show from 1965-1969. In 1969, he moved to KGIL.

His greatest fame in the Los Angeles market was in the morning drive time slot at KGIL AM 1260 in the "Sin Fernando Valley". For a brief time, he left KGIL to do the evening drive time slot at KFI AM 640. He also was briefly heard in the late 1980s on KIEV (870 AM) and, for a few months in 1989, was back at KABC AM. According to the entry in www.laradio.com, he has retired and is writing a novel.

Many people regard his broadcast style as being ahead of its time. Rather than the "happy morning to you" type of radio personality, he often spoke on the air about things that bothered him and foreshadowed the Howard Stern era of speaking your mind. At stations where he was still spinning records, he would many times interrupt a song midway through saying, "I like it up to that point, then I get bored."

One of Whittington's notable film roles was as the disc jockey in the TV movie Duel, Steven Spielberg's directorial debut. He can also be seen briefly as a ring announcer in Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull.

He now lives in the San Luis Obispo area and is the image voice for radio station KKJL-AM (adult standards).

Monday, October 12, 2015

10/12 DAWN WELLS JOINS THE SHOW!

SPECIAL GUEST HOST DAWN WELLS JOINS THE SHOW!

In connection with the 50th anniversary of the unexpected hit series "Gilligan's Island," Dawn (who portrayed the lovable farm girl next door, Mary Ann Sommers), has released "A Guide To Life: What Would Mary Ann Do?" through Taylor Trade Publishing and Rowman and Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

Dawn writes about the meaning of the Mary Ann character and observes the cultural shifts that have occurred since she was on the island. From the get-go, the Mary Ann character was different. She wasn't a Hollywood creation. She was molded by Dawn, from Dawn. The Character that was originally listed as "And the rest" on the credits became the fan favorite, garnering more fan mail that even the title character. With over 150,000 fans on her FaceBook page and fan clubs across the U.S., her following has remained faithful.

Dawn says that Mary Ann fits today just as she fit two generations ago, because she is timeless. In a world where the industry and society has been celebrating their "Bad girls," Mary Ann continues to be, for many, the breathe of fresh air as the “Good Girl.” Pop culture is too powerful and too pervasive to be controlled by parents, siblings or colleagues. It can be confused with reality. This leaves young people in a vulnerable position - they have to make decisions that are normally beyond their maturity. Dawn discusses decisions we make in life and even goes straight to the BIG DECISION and delivers her concept of the meaning of sex. In a world of participation trophies, easy praise, and entitlement attitudes, how do you define achievement? Dawn describes it as a journey of failure and learning and tenacity that requires a constant personal re-examination of what success really means.