Posted on 07/05/2016 6:00:38 AM PDT by simpson96
Hope you enjoy. ”Kind Of A Drag”
music *ping*
The miming setups imposed on bands by TV producers were cynical and ruthless. It’s one thing to strum along unamplified on a guitar, quite another to be a drummer given a prop bass drum and snare and be told to pretend to play while standing up, no less.
To be fair, many of the ‘bands’ appearing on TV to sing their hits weren’t bands at all, especially in the bubblegum genre.
THE BUCKINGHAMS - Hey Baby (they’re playing our song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHV0T5REuVM
When I first heard “Kind of a Drag,” I thought it was a Canada Dry commercial, until it kept playing well beyond the length of a radio commercial.
But where else would American teens see the visuals? The long hair dudes and dudettes strumming, banging, lip syncing and disco dancing with all the fringe shaking? Good enough for American Bandstand; good enough for any local studio across the land. Easy set up, instruments, band, add 2 go-go girls, a record and it’s one for the money.
My brother thought the same thing. The song was a big hit locally in December, 1966.
In 1991, I was in cable TV studio when Rosie Hamlin of Rosie & the Originals mimed her big hit Angel Baby.
Note that they have mop-top hair styles, their name sounds English, and it starts with a “B.” Wonder who inspired them?
Loudly, inappropriately loud I am told. Shes a buzzkill.
And from the same year we’ve this one
“Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead” - The Fifth Estate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT3QhfiGxRI
On the other hand, the Beatles refused to mime on Ed Sullivan. Their performance was flawless and the rest is history.
To be fair, that was a show and a network with a huge budget but it was still the correct decision.
Other shows had smaller budgets and eventually the appearances were less about the bands and entertainment and more about promoting a record ie payola.
American Bandstand performances were always horrible and many bands later revealed they bollixed things up on purpose. Peter Buck of REM intentionally played ‘non-chords’ on his guitar during one mimed performance (Solid Gold [!]) to subvert the format and, in his words, ‘any guitar geeks watching at home.’
Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead!--Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
Nothing wrong with Glenn Miller! :-) String of Pearls and In the Mood are still enjoyed. He had a sound all his own. Like Penn. 6-5000, this selection is just one of the least favored.
After a good deal of begging, my dad saw fit to forego Bonanza that Sunday night in order that we ‘kids’ might watch Ed Sullivan’s show. IIRC there were several Sullivan shows in a 2 or 3 week span that featured the Beatles. The first show seen was most definitely the best. (Even though the audience was heard above the Beatles themselves.) Then their American tour, which included Dallas. Of course they were seen live on stage here as well. :-O!
The British invasion followed with many of those artists seen in Dallas as well.
Canada Dry, lol me too.
Didn’t that one come out around the same time as Secret Asian Man?
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