THE LOUIE REPORT

DECEMBER 2002 - PART TWO

first posted by Eric Predoehl on December 14, 2002 (all rights reserved)
(spot the typos, win a prize!!)

KINGSMEN ON TV, NEW BOX SET, and NEW ROCKABILLY COLLECTION

The band most people connect with LOUIE LOUIE has been extremely busy these days. Recently, the Kingsmen appeared on a new PBS special entitled "Red, White & Rock." Produced by WQED Pittsburgh and Rhino Entertainment, this program is similar to the highly successful "Doo-Wop" shows. The Kingsmen, featuring Mike Mitchell, Dick Peterson, and Barry Curtis are at the front of this concert program, starting the show with a new rendition of LOUIE LOUIE. Some of the other performers on this show include Righteous Brothers, Connie Francis, Tommy James & the Shondells, Dee Dee Sharp, The Chords, The Dixie Cups, and the Four Tops to name a few. To compliment the video program, a 3-cd box set was also assembled, using the original recordings by these artists.

http://www.wqed.org/tv/doowop/dw53/

The Kingsmen also have a contribution on the "Jukebox Fever" CD compilation assembled by Blue Suede Magazine. Originally written for an as-yet-un-produced film about a Russian rock 'n' roll band in the 1950s, "Red Hot Rock" is a catchy little ditty written and sung by Steve Peterson, who's been a part of the band since 1988. You can find out more information about this song by surfing over to:

http://www.bluesuedenews.com/jukeboxfever.html .

JONATHON BRANDMEIER- THE CHICAGO DJ

Andy Martello wrote to tell me about a LIVE video of legendary Chicago radio personality Jonathon Brandmeier performing LOUIE LOUIE at the now defunct Poplar Creek Music Theater. Apparently, this concert was the record-setting attendance topper for that venue, and they had a lot of name artists there- The Who, Eric Clapton, and lots of other folks. You can view a clip of the performance at:

http://magnetic-media.com/brandmeier/video_concerts.html

KURT COBAIN AND LOUIE LOUIE

Recently, there's been an onslaught of new material from the Kurt Cobain/Nirvana estate. A new CD compilation with a previously unreleased song was released, and some of Kurt's diaries have been assembled for a hardback collection titled "Journals." The entries are presented in their original handwritten form, and they provide a fascinating portrait of a troubled artist. One particular page had this little nugget:

"Nirvana has never jammed on GLORIA, or LOUIE LOUIE. Nor have they ever had to rewrite these songs & call them their own."

Of course, Nirvana fans will note that the band commented on both songs when they created their own sarcastic press release available at the SubPop website. (http://www.subpop.com/history/nirvana/onesheets.html):

"NIRVANA sees the underground scene as becoming stagnant and more accessible to big league capitalist pig major record labels. But does NIRVANA feel a moral duty to fight this cancerous evil? NO WAY! We want to cash in and suck up to the big wigs in hopes that we too can GET HIGH AND F**K. GET HIGH AND F**K. GET HIGH AND F**K. SOON we will need groupie repellant. SOON we will be coming to your town and asking if we can stay over at your house and use the stove. SOON we will do encores of 'GLORIA' and 'LOUIE LOUIE' at benefit concerts with all our celebrity friends."

There are some that have labeled "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as the "LOUIE LOUIE of the 1990s." Misunderstood lyrics and a catchy 3-chord music progression can certainly add a lot to the song's mystique. Call me crazy, but I have a sneaking suspicion that somebody up in the Northwest is hiding a rare cassette recording of Kurt Cobain mumbling a version of Richard Berry's notorious melody. The story continues....

JOY DIVISION AND LOUIE LOUIE

Ned Sublette wrote to tell me of a movie that referred to Ian Curtis (of Joy Division) and LOUIE LOUIE:

"I don't know if you've seen '24 Hour Party People' yet. I don't like movies much, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is a LOUIE LOUIE scene in it (which in the movie is a flashback of one of the last times, or the last time, Ian Curtis was seen in public)."

Not too much longer after I received this email, I received one from Nigel Smith:

"I noticed your website seems to make no mention of Joy Division, late-seventies, Northern English gloom-mongers and proto-goths. (Subsequently revived in a watered-down incarnation, minus by-then-dead singer Ian Curtis, as New Order.) Oddly for such a band, in case you are not aware, there is a Louie connection. On their posthumously released 'Still' double album there is a live version of the Velvet Underground standard (if there can be such a thing), 'Sister Ray'. In the fade out at the end of the track Ian can be clearly heard saying 'You should hear our version of LOUIE LOUIE... well.' As far as I know 'Sister Ray' is the only cover JD ever recorded, so this must be classified as the nearest to a joke this tortured young man ever came."

LOUIE IN LOVE & ROCKETS COMICBOOKS

Dave Marsh told me about a LOUIE LOUIE mention in a comic book (aka "graphic novel") by Los Bros Hernandez:

"Vol. II #5 pg. 19. It is revealed that in the mythic Central American nation of Comprachico when the government falls, they play LL 24/7. A bystander wonders whether they play Motorhead and whether Brother Louie is included. "

http://www.fantagraphics.com/artist/lr/losbros/losbros.html
http://www.fantagraphics.com/artist/lr/lrcomics/lrcomics.html

RHYTHM & BLUES- THE BAND

It's hard to keep track of all the bands that did LOUIE LOUIE. Some bands are merely names to me, as I have no other information on these groups. One band I knew nothing about was a British band known as "Rhythm'n'Blues Inc." Thanks to Ron Ellis, I now know a lot more. Here's a brief biography of this band from England:

"Rhythm'n'Blues Inc actually came from Southport and were the town's most successful ever band. Although only 20 miles from Liverpool, they played mostly out of town, being especially popular at debutantes' dances amongst the high society crowd of sixties swinging London. When 'Louie Louie' hit the lower reaches of the charts, they appeared on TV's Ready Steady Go then were flown to Southport by helicopter where they landed in the gardens of the Floral Hall on the Promenade and performed at a civic reception to celebrate their success. Lead singer Pete (now Kin) Kelly went on to form Pete Kelly's Solution, drummer Alan Menzies has been with Beatle soundalikes The Bootles for 30 years (they are big in Denmark) and lead guitarist Barry Womersley had success with Inner Sleeve who won TV's Opportunity Knocks 4 weeks running and is still performing and writing songs. If you check out my website (www.ronellis.co.uk) you can hear a sample of Barry's singing. Think your website is brilliant by the way. All that information must have taken you a lifetime but well worth it. All the best, Ron."

ABBA AND LOUIE LOUIE

Stretch Riedle, caretaker of the LOUIE audio archives shared a moment of discovery with me, and I felt it was worth sharing with others. Here's what he wrote:

"OK, so I'm sitting at home drinking beers and listening to vinyl, and I pull out a copy of THE MAGIC OF ABBA (not even sure where it came from!!!!!!!), because I wanted to see if any of the songs could be turned into 'surf instrumentals' that my band could play...Anyway, has anyone ever listened to the song 'The Name Of The Game'? You should, because at a few places it has a chord progression that we all say belongs in LOUIE LOUIE! Would somebody else listen to this song and confirm or deny my discovery? NO, I'm not drunk yet... Stretch"

If you have any thoughts on this particular discovery, feel free to send an email to stretch at got.net.

NOT LOUIE, BUT WILD THING- THE RUSSIAN WEBSITE

Yuri from Russia created a wonderful website dedicated to another great rock anthem - "Wild Thing!" Check out his website at: http://wild-thing.narod.ru

A DOG NAMED LOUIE LOUIE

Ron Foos of Paul Revere & the Raiders wanted to share some information with folks at Louie Louie central:

"Dear Louie,

A little bit of old rock & roll trivia: For what it is worth. Did you know that Ron Foos of Paul Revere and the Raiders has a male American Eskimo dog that he named Louie Louie 14 years ago............. and his dog is still alive! Goes to show ......Rock & Roll does keep you alive & young! Ask my dog!

All my best to you & keep up the good work!

Ron Foos"

Check out Ron's dog at:

http://www.paulrevereraiders.com/Ron/ron2.html
http://www.paulrevereraiders.com/


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