The Wayward Wind Gets To Me

Way back in early days I listened to my mom's radio and was connected to the world. Listen to the true story of how Gogi Grant (photo at left) came into my life. I was never the same again.

Click this link:

The Wayward Wind Gets To Me

and press ">play"

Skywave Rider Book Club: Al Kooper Biography

I had lost track of Al Kooper. I loved his work way been when -- Super Session, The Blues Project and early Blood, Sweat and Tears. I played them all on my radio shows.

When I was recently reading Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller (another good read) I learned that Kooper had crossed paths with both Joni Mitchell and Carole King in their early years.

in her book, Weller cites Al Kooper's 1977 autobiography Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards. I searched for Backstage... online and saw the 1977 edition was out-of-print and existing copies were selling for several hundred dollars each.

Then, I saw that Kooper in 2007 had released a revised version that incorporates much of the celebrated earlier book. So, I bought a copy.

Kooper's book tells his story in a totally raw and uncompromising manner. I found myself frequently thinking "what a jerk" as Kooper describes situations and people who screwed him again and again. And the people (particularly women) he screwed. The Kooper I met is full of anger issues, paranoia and grudges.

Also, Kooper writes of amazing encounters and experiences with musicians at key times in their lives. Kooper played organ on Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone and most of tracks on Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde On Blond and New Morning. He recounts vivid times backing Dylan when Bob first went "electric" at the Newport Folk Festival and the Hollywood Bowl.

The great names and events roll through out the book: Gene Pitney, This Diamond Ring (Kooper wrote it), Monterey Pop, the Rolling Stones, Clive Davis, Smokey Robinson, Lynyrd Skynyrd (Kooper produced their first three albums), Michael Mann (Kooper did the music for the remarkable TV series Crime Story) and on and on.

Kooper's road is littered with burned bridges, rip offs and hard feelings. His career descends lower and lower, much of it caused by his own words and deeds.

In the end, Kooper finds himself, starts teaching at the Berklee School of Music, gets his musical voice and reflects on the full measure of his life.

This a courageous book because Al Kooper tells the truth and gives us "a piece of his heart." His stories mean a lot to him and to me too.

Ken Holding Together on KLOH October 1970

In the fall of 1970, I started doing an underground rock show on Sundays on KLOH AM & FM. The show was called Holding Together, inspired by Tony Glover's all night folk and blues show on KDWB and Beeker Street on KAAY, Little Rock.

To hear a brief scoped aircheck, click on this link and push the "play" button:

Ken Holding Together on KLOH October 1970

Ken on KLOH August 1971

I was in my second year doing "rock 40" on KLOH in the summer of 1971. The station gave me incredible freedom. I'd mix current top hits with album cuts and oldies. This was taped on a Saturday afternoon.

To hear a brief scoped aircheck, click on this link and push the "play" button:

Ken on KLOH August 1971

Lost & Found Sound: KISD Tribute to Steve Ellis

On August 31, 1967 Steve Ellis, leader of Steve Ellis and the Starfires, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Highway 23 just south of Pipestone, Minnesota. His death came as a shock to everyone in the local music community. How could someone so vital, so alive, die?

Two weeks following Steve's death, Tom Rambler from KISD radio assembled the three remaining members of the Starfires -- Barry Hansen, Mike Mulligan, and Dean Senthner -- for an interview to remember Steve. The interview was made into a half-hour radio program that also featured the band's music.

The program aired on KISD in late September 1967. I recorded it off-the-air on my Wollensak reel-to-reel tape deck. You can hear the program, plus how KISD sounded back then, at:

Lost & Found Sound: KISD Tribute to Steve Ellis (click this link and press "play")





Portions of Tom Rambler's interview were later included on the IGL release "Steve Ellis and the Starfires Songbook."





















This is perhaps the last known photograph of Steve Ellis and the Starfires performing in June 1967. The location is unknown.

Band members left-to-right are Mike Mulligan (bass), Dean Senthner (drums), Steve Ellis and Barry Hansen.





In 1966, Steve Ellis and the Starfires released "Walking Around." The song, which is included in the KISD radio program, made the Billboard chart and received considerable radio airplay.

South Dakota Rock Hall Coverage #2

Here are some of my favorite moments from the South Dakota Rock Hall of Fame induction weekend, April 22 -24, Sioux Falls Ramkota:

Dale Gregory and the Shouters were inducted into the SD Rock Hall of Fame.

Everyone from both eras of the band were there except Pat O'Brien who was preparing for the debut of his new Fox Sports Radio show.

Dale Gregory Yost gets the award for "farthest away attendee" for his trip from Singapore, now his home.







The Fabulous Trippers, another Ken Enterprises band, was also inducted. Mark Griffin and Gordy Haugan were there.

Mark Griffin gave a donation to the SD Rock Hall in honor of Terry Park, the drummer for The Trippers, who died in 2002. Terry's daughter Heather, son Jason, parents and sisters were in attendance.

Heather brought custom t-shirts (right) flashing an image of Terry to promote the band.

Danny Hein of The Fabulous Flippers
does the Harlem Shuffle.
I described Danny to someone as a combination
of Joe Cocker and Otis Redding.

I had a chance to talk and party with John O. Brown, one of my earliest rock n roll heroes.

John Brown created Mid Continent Entertainment, The Red Dog Inn and the great KOMA bands The Flippers, The Red Dogs, The Blue Things and Spider and the Crabs.

John Brown is still the center of scene.



I had the honor inducting KLOH Radio, Pipestone. Wally Christensen was there.

I said KLOH was cool because it created a community for rockers in the 60s and 70s. KLOH, particularly DJ Doug Wagner, had cred because it never talked down us.

(Right) Mylan Ray in 1974 at KLOH.

Thank you to all folks who worked so hard
to make this transcendent weekend.

South Dakota Rock Hall Coverage #1

On Saturday night, April 24, 2010,
40+ years of time evaporated
and I was 18 again.
It was a wonderful magical night.
For a brief moment in time, I could fly.

DALE GREGORY & THE SHOUTERS REUNION

(left to right) Greg Blomberg, Mike Titus, Roger Opime, Dale Gregory
Yost, Ken Mills, Gary Tabbert (not pictured Pat O'Brien)

South Dakota Rock Hall of Fame Induction April 24, 2010

KEN MILLS APPEARS ON KSOO AM 1140
Thursday, April 22, 2010


Rick Knobe (left), host of the top hometown radio talk show, Viewpoint University, interviews Ken Mills.

Click here to listen to the interview with Ken Mills

THE ROARING RED DOGS ON STAGE

South Dakota Rock Hall Induction Ceremony, April 24, 2010
(photo by John O. Brown)

The Red Dogs horn section, they also played with The Flippers
(photo by John O. Brown)

Steve Dahl, leader of The Red Dogs, on stage in Sioux Falls
(photo by John O. Brown)

More coverage coming soon...