My old running buddy, keyboard player, singer, and dancing fool, Billy Francis, has passed away. Billy was an absolute sweetheart. But he could make them women tremble, and his leaping up on Clive Davis's desk during Hook's in-office audition just blew Clive away. He said yes on the spot. Here's a taste of Hook in full mayhem mode, with Billy leading the charge.
16 comments:
So sorry to hear that, Rik.
I know you have said this would never happen, but I've always had a secret desire to see a Dr. Hook reunion concert. I love watching these songs online. An amazing group.
I love watching all of these again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-XzGOZHYdA
First class FREAK-OUT. What a time it was.
Well, that's three down, and four to go. I'm glad there's a youtube to keep a record of that stuff.
Billy was such a good guy. He was simple, hid nothing, and had a big heart.
It's always tough losing a friend, but he should rest easy knowing he was a part of musical legacy that will live on forever.I lost 2 of my NGDB sound crew in the last 12 months. Both of them great guys and both of them monitor engineers. It's not easy, but I found its best to celebrate the life rather then dwell on the loss.
And trust me, it gets harder and harder.
But in Rik's friend's honor, I sat for an hour watching old Hook clips online with a goofy smile on my face. What a crew!
I just got a request from a friend of mine in Sheffield England for some support in his campaign to get cultural recognition for his city. We used to go down big there.
I replied that I really wasn't sure what to contribute. All I really knew about Sheffield culturally was Joe Cocker, Def Leppard, and an adorable little metallurgist named Tina. And that I wasn't sure if Sheffield's affection for us was a plus of a minus. But I agreed to do a little video clip. We'll see.
People still seem to like this band, 25 years dead.
No, LOVE that band.
Both the songs and performances have a magic craziness that just sweep you along.
Look forward to your video.
Sorry Rik, it seems the older we get, the more that happens. It think it's called life........Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think.
Mr. Noonan has been in town, now he's in Portland, going to be back in our area tomorrow, do some recording with the help of Dave.
Having lost all the members of my biological family -- i.e., not Bob and Helen -- and a number of my close friends, my theory is that this is what brings wisdom. And why some cultures, like Native Americans, value their elders.
It's not because older people are necessarily smarter than younger ones. It's that they have enough distance to understand what is important in life. It is indeed later than you think.
So maybe we should have said, never trust anyone under 60?
Can hardly wait to hear the new Noonan music coming out of the Willow Valley studios.....
I think the Paradox House is taking on a life of its own.
They're back!
Fortunately, I missed them. I was sure it was the mention of s-t-e-v-e m-a-r-t-i-n that triggered the Chinese response. We can always restrict the comments again if they become a nuisance.
Seems that youtube has pulled the video for "terms of use violations" whatever that means.
We're currently on the road to Minnesota. Yesterday we stopped in a gas station, and there in my daughter's full view was a Best of Dr. Hook -- you now have yet another fan.
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