Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Friday, November 29, 2013
KISS - Destroyer (side one)
1. DETROIT ROCK CITY
2. KING OF THE NIGHT TIME WORLD
3. GOD OF THUNDER
4. GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Bob Livorio - Volume Two
I found this write up and wanted to share it with you.
This album and its history run thread with me...enjoy!
April 29th, 2012
By:
How many of you guys remember WKPA in New Kensington, 1150 on your AM dial? They had quite a roster of DJs stacking its on-air roster, with talent like Charlie Apple, Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins, Jeff "The Olde Rocke Shoppe" Allen, Phil Brooks, Alex Mellon, Sean Israel, Joe Fenn, Ford Shankle, Kelly Pidgeon, Mike Alexander, George Hart, Bill McKibben, Jim Dicesare, Terry McGovern, Jim Gray and their last morning drive guy, Ken Hawk.
But if you don't have Bob Livorio at the top of that list in bold red capital letters, shame on you.
The station began in 1940, located at 810 Fifth Avenue in downtown New Kensington, with the studio on the top floor of a two-story building known as the Paragon. The owner's Cooper Brothers music store occupied the street level. The building stood until 1994, when it was felled by flames.
The brothers operated the station under the Allegheny-Kiski Broadcasting Company banner. Like most small town stations, it was heavy on ethnic music, local news and sports at the beginning, but gradually made a move into the Pittsburgh area pop market along with its sister station, WYDD FM.
Now those jocks in the lead paragraph could spin some discs, but the undisputed leader of the WKPA pack and the Allegheny Valley teen club scene was the soft spoken Bob Livorio. He had picked up the turntable bug while in the service, and in 1957 or so landed a gig at his hometown station. Livorio would broadcast from WKPA's Fifth Avenue studio for the next 36 years.
The station started him off in the 3-8 PM slot, but he quickly claimed the Saturday morning position for his request show. Livorio was one of the groundbreaking Pittsburgh DJs who played "race" (R&B and doo-wop) music, though not as exclusively as Porky.
While he'd pop in a rocker or two like "Psycho" by the Sonics or "Surfer Joe"/"Wipeout" by the Surfaris (after all, he was a dance jock, too), he was best known for spinning ballads, airing the grinders "Forever" by the Marvelettes, "I Only Have Eyes For You" by the Flamingos, "Angel Baby" by Rosie & the Originals and "Have I Sinned" by Donnie Elbert.
Livorio also aired all the more obscure tunes Pittsburghers loved such as "I Need Your Love" by the Metallics, "My Confession Of Love" by City fav Elbert, "Bring Back Your Love To Me" by the local Smoothtones (which he broke), "Ankle Bracelet" by the Pyramids and "Valley High" by Bill & Doree Post.
Not one for gimmicks or catchphrases, his morning program was simply "The Bob Livorio Show." His calm conversational tone behind the mic was as much of a hit as his records, and he was deluged by kids who wanted a personal dedication during the show.
He received several hundred written requests every week, and his daughter Cynthia Brennan, a DJ and voice-over/ad spokeswoman, recalled for Rex Rutkoski of the Valley News Dispatch the times they were "sitting on the living room floor on Friday nights with her brothers, Bob and Frank, and their mother, Barbara, as her dad sorted the letters, and the family discussed them." What better way to choose a teen playlist than to have the kids help decide?
Livorio was so popular that when the Allegheny-Kiski Valley area highs had their Kennywood picnic outing scheduled for a Saturday in 1961, the students asked the park to broadcast his show through the PA so they wouldn't miss a Livorio spin while standing in line for a seat on the Racer.
He was just as popular with the local artists. When the British Invasion landed in Pittsburgh, Livorio stuck to his guns and his format by playing the Skyliners, Vogues, Fenways/Racket Squad and Lou Christie. And like any good jock, he issued a couple of vinyl LPs filled with songs he played on the show, which are now collector rarities.
But Livorio really hit his stride as a hop DJ in the Valley. Kids set their weekend calendars around his shows. On Friday night, his fans would follow him to Henry's in Tarentum or the Ridge Avenue School, Saturday morning was time to tune into the show, then catch Livorio that night at the YMCA and end the weekend on Sunday night when he jocked at the Birdville Fire Hall in Natrona Heights.
That intersection of radio and dance DJ also makes Livorio the most likely guy to have broken Tommy James "Hanky Panky." He's often credited with discovering the record, popularizing it at his dances and on his show before the 800 pound gorillas at KQV and KDKA, Chuck Brinkman and Clark Race (who also has dibs as the first jock to spin the 45 from a studio), blew it up on the Pittsburgh airwaves.
Bob Mack, who was huge playing Valley dances at the Tarena, also has a claim on it, as does Mad Mike, both of whom wore out the James' wax at hops. Livorio refuses to be drawn into the fray, although Ed Salamon, in his local mother lode of information "Pittsburgh's Golden Age of Radio," mentioned him as a strong candidate to have first played the song. Where else but in Pittsburgh would guys still be trying to straighten out a 45 year old story?
(Ed wrote to let us know that there is still no definitive answer to the "Hanky Panky" mystery. He explained that "Bob Mack/Mad Mike make the claim and Clark Race believed he started it. "Pittsburgh's Golden Age of Radio" mentions Livorio's story, which he gave me in writing, but was worded as not to preclude the Mack/Mike and Race's claims, as I believe they each could have been unaware of the others." Hey, maybe the Tommy James' hit is a case of spontaneous combustion on Pittsburgh's turntables.)
Livorio survived a pair of new owners and a format change or three at WKPA, but in 1992 the station was sold to a religious programmer, becoming WGBN, and that was the end of the oldies road for the jock. He's still living in New Kensington, and last we heard was the owner of the Dairy Queen on Freeport Road in Natrona Heights, still spinning the sweetest treats in the Valley.
*reprinted without permission, credited accordingly
Could you imagine centering your entire weekend on a radio show? Amazing.
I actually grew up a few houses away from the Livorio household and was told many stories by my folks, who fondly recall Mr. Livorio's radio magic.
Bob Livorio Volume Two was part of my vinyl inheritance from my parents and gets spun often on Saturdays. If you see one around, snatch it up... they are a rarity.
We actually found one at Mt. Vernon's Neighborhood yard sale a few years back. It was in a crate labeled 50 cents a piece just three doors down from where Mr. Livorio was having his morning coffee.
I paid a buck for it (feeling happily guilty) and we headed over to ring Mr. Livorio's doorbell.
He answered, a little surprised to find two 33 year olds standing on his stoop clutching a Vol. 2 and seeking an autograph, and lived up to his reputation as being one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.
He signed the album for us in a blue pen and wished us the best.
Passing by the lady we bought it from, we excitedly showed her our prize.
"That guy lives over there?" she asked.
"Yup." we said.
She shook her head and smiled. "I'll be damned, I'm from Florida."
Pop's on the left, Yard Sale Gold on the right
The Metallics - Need Your Love
The Sonics - Psycho
Metallica - Ride The Lightning (1985)
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Creeping Death
I wore this tape to pieces and just about ruined my ear drums....
Submerse your brain in this crushingly vivid world of sound.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Helmet - Meantime (1992)
Unsung...track 4
This album fits happily into the typical "Yeah, I dig metal." toolbox. It feels as if you have a utensil that you might be able to do something positive with, and that you're kind of secure that you have it. Awaiting its turn, Meantime rears up and takes over the job all by its lonesome.
You begin to hammer...or screw...or whatever the hell it is you think you're going to do with it and soon enough...
it owns you.
It uses you. You are the tool.
Enjoy!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Saturday, August 10, 2013
amoment
in just a moment
I hope you experience this day
in just a moment
I hope you find a purpose
in this moment
you are reading this
in this moment
you are thinking
in that moment
you were thinking
in that moment
you were on your way here
inhale
exhale
heart beating
blink
I hope you experience this day
in just a moment
I hope you find a purpose
in this moment
you are reading this
in this moment
you are thinking
in that moment
you were thinking
in that moment
you were on your way here
inhale
exhale
heart beating
blink
Friday, August 9, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Benaroya Hall #1469 Opening
This guy is my hero...
He just made the highest priced, most coveted PJ platter absolutely....
PRICELESS
1st official P.L.A.F.B.A.H.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
gnash your teeth
Please stop and thinka what you have...
you have what?
you have all that sugar outside your front door
all that crap in your house is so others can think how cool you are
but ...
a-fuckin-ha
look outside
in the sun
in the snow
in the leaves
in the birth
you have a
new start
sticky from that squeeze
will you die when you hit
the real air?
or
will you
grow?
you have what?
you have all that sugar outside your front door
all that crap in your house is so others can think how cool you are
but ...
a-fuckin-ha
look outside
in the sun
in the snow
in the leaves
in the birth
you have a
new start
sticky from that squeeze
will you die when you hit
the real air?
or
will you
grow?
Harry Nilsson - Early In The Morning
Ain't got nuthin
Ain't got nuthin
Ain't got nuthin
Ain't got nuthin
Ain't got nuthin
but I aint got nothin....
Saturday, July 27, 2013
goodmorningjulytwentyseven
Good Morning to the grits in the strainer and the drain that smells like salad fixings. Hello to the table with the leg holes that the new people will use ice cubes for. Good day to the dust on the top of my door.
Wake Up!...says the plants in the soil (root bound). So What! ...says the dirty laundry (that's cause its been worn).
tihs a ekat sevael deird eht wehc eciuj naeb ykrum eht knird
Is that the sunshine thank the sun that it is come on clouds look at that fine breeze feel its words on your brainwaves makes you wanna put on some jeans and go look in the bushes for the bugs that hide from the birds but yet you see foil stuck wrappers left behind by us again and the bugs eat that syrup dried and sweet and make the birds a perfect morning treat but they won't hawk down while you are there amongst the morning moisture beside the bushes in the sunshine
Good Morning to the crooked picture frames and flickering candle remains. How do ya? to the nickels and matchbox beneath the couch cushions (and their pal POPCORN SEED) unpopped...
Top o' the Morning to steady ceiling fans that stay steady. hello my toes to the rug the mug has gone empty.
Wake Up!...says the plants in the soil (root bound). So What! ...says the dirty laundry (that's cause its been worn).
tihs a ekat sevael deird eht wehc eciuj naeb ykrum eht knird
Is that the sunshine thank the sun that it is come on clouds look at that fine breeze feel its words on your brainwaves makes you wanna put on some jeans and go look in the bushes for the bugs that hide from the birds but yet you see foil stuck wrappers left behind by us again and the bugs eat that syrup dried and sweet and make the birds a perfect morning treat but they won't hawk down while you are there amongst the morning moisture beside the bushes in the sunshine
Good Morning to the crooked picture frames and flickering candle remains. How do ya? to the nickels and matchbox beneath the couch cushions (and their pal POPCORN SEED) unpopped...
Top o' the Morning to steady ceiling fans that stay steady. hello my toes to the rug the mug has gone empty.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
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