AMERICAN GRAFFITI 
Wilson Phillips is one of the early second-generation rock bands and features another pair of Wilson sisters – Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson (daughters of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys) – plus Chynna Phillips, the daughter of John Phillips and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas. She is the half-sister of actress Mackenzie Phillips, who started out in the film American Graffiti when she was just 12 years old. Wilson Phillips had a major hit song in 1990 called “Hold On” and has released a total of six albums to date.
(November 2013)
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As reported in Wikipedia: “In 1973, [Kim] Fowley produced three recordings by Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids for the film American Graffiti (1973). These songs were ‘At the Hop’, ‘Louie Louie’ and ‘She’s So Fine’.” Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids (now known as Flash Cadillac) is a retro-rock band who appeared in the film under the name Herbie and the Heartbeats. They formed in Boulder, Colorado in 1969 and are still active more than 40 years later.
“At the Hop” and “She’s So Fine” (but not “Louie Louie”) are included on the official 1973 soundtrack album, entitled 41 Original Hits from the Soundtrack of American Graffiti, where the songs are presented in the same order that they appeared in the film. The other 39 songs on the soundtrack album are the original hits by the original artists, having been recorded between 1954 and 1964.
(January 2015/1)
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“At the Hop” was also featured in the nostalgic 1973 hit movie American Graffiti, an early film among the credits for both George Lucas (director) and Francis Ford Coppola (producer). Unlike the other rock and roll hits featured in the film (which were by the original artists and were found only in the soundtrack), three songs were performed in the film by another rock and roll revival band, Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids. “At the Hop”, “Louie Louie” and an original composition by the band called “She’s So Fine” were performed “live” by Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids (under the name of Herbie and the Heartbeats) in the dance party sequence in the film. “Louie Louie” did not appear on the double-LP soundtrack album, 41 Original Hits from the Soundtrack of American Graffiti, though “At the Hop” and “She’s So Fine” did. Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids (now known as Flash Cadillac) are still around, having released five albums; three singles by the group made the Billboard Hot 100. (August 2015) * * *
We have been bombarded with important anniversaries this year. In music, they all seem to go back to 1962. In the larger world, 1962 was the year of the Cuban missile crisis. Also, James Meredith became the first black student to enroll at Ole Miss that year; and a handful of students decided to mark the occasion by staging unseemly protests against the recent reelection of President Barack Obama. The first James Bond film, Dr. No also came out in 1962; and the tag line for the seminal film American Graffiti was, “Where Were You in ’62?”. And then there is the unexpected death of the icon to end all Hollywood icons, Marilyn Monroe, which also happened in 1962. (Year 3 Review) |
