I'm Toto, Shady's dog!
(Look to your right. Notice the resemblance?)
I am also the blog mascot
and Chief Petting Officer.
You might remember me as a guest blogger on the old
Shady Dell Music & Memories site. The dog days of summer
are upon us and I am here today to tell you about six exciting new
series coming soon to S-P-M-M (Shady's Place Music & Memories) -
six regularly scheduled radio shows hosted by me and the other
members of our super cool DJ staff. Our radio personalities
are an important part of The Shady Bunch team and
I'd like you to meet them right now.
Shady Dell Music & Memories site. The dog days of summer
are upon us and I am here today to tell you about six exciting new
series coming soon to S-P-M-M (Shady's Place Music & Memories) -
six regularly scheduled radio shows hosted by me and the other
members of our super cool DJ staff. Our radio personalities
are an important part of The Shady Bunch team and
I'd like you to meet them right now.
"THE SHADY BUNCH" DJs
ON RADIO STATION SPMM:
SHADY BLUE
Morning drive time
(6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.)
(6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.)
Wake up every morning with Shady Blue
playing cool oldies on his new radio show
Stuck Like Glue On Shady Blue.
HY LIT
Midday
(10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
(10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
Spend your middays on a NATURAL HY
with Philadelphia broadcast legend Hy Lit
aka Hyski ‘O Roonie McVouti ‘O Zoot, your
man with the plan, on the scene with
the
record machine, spinning Philly
phaves
and playing classic clips
from his music
and dance TV series
The Hy Lit Show.
JERRY BLAVAT
Afternoon drive
(3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.)
Late afternoons and early evenings hang out
with another Philly radio/TV icon Jerry Blavat -
"The Geator With The Heater," "The Boss
With
The Big Hot Sauce" - spinning cool
sounds for
lovers only, for dancers only
and for yon teenagers
of all ages on
his SPMM radio show Geator Gold.
SHADY GREEN
Evenings
(7:00 p.m. - midnight)
From 7 till midnight it's the Dean of Keen
Shady Green taking you for a rockin' ride
thru music
history in his Wayback Machine.
TOTO MOTO
Overnight
(midnight - 6:00 a.m.)
For all you insomniacs out there
it's me,
Toto Moto, your all night satellite,
grabbing
you by the ear and pulling you
through
Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel.
DELL RAT TOM
Weekends
(7:00 p.m. - midnight)
And on Friday & Saturday nights from 7 till midnight
it's Dell Rat Tom bringing you the great sounds
played at The Shady Dell, his favorite hangout in
the 1960s and early 70s, on Jukebox Giants.
it's Dell Rat Tom bringing you the great sounds
played at The Shady Dell, his favorite hangout in
the 1960s and early 70s, on Jukebox Giants.
SPMM's new radio shows
are unique in several ways:
* For the first time ever on SDMM or SPMM, our DJs will follow the example of the great
Top 40 Radio personalities of old and talk over the records as they introduce them.
Top 40 Radio personalities of old and talk over the records as they introduce them.
*
Our new "More Music with Less Talk" format means no more tons of text to deal with.
In the grand tradition of Top 40 Radio, the intros are shorter.
In the grand tradition of Top 40 Radio, the intros are shorter.
* Only cool oldies make our Shady Bunch play lists. (I make sure they're certified K-9 Kool.)
* Here at SPMM it's all about the sound. We strive to make sure the records spun by our
DJs have the highest quality sound available. You will enjoy rich, warm, fuller sounding
recordings that have undergone HQ stereo remastering, DES (digitally extracted stereo)
aka spectral editing aka mono-to-stereo upmixes. We will also bring you "enhanced
remixes" - a term used to describe a technique in which new layers of instrumental
and/or vocal backing are added to the original studio recordings to make them more
enjoyable than you ever thought possible.
DJs have the highest quality sound available. You will enjoy rich, warm, fuller sounding
recordings that have undergone HQ stereo remastering, DES (digitally extracted stereo)
aka spectral editing aka mono-to-stereo upmixes. We will also bring you "enhanced
remixes" - a term used to describe a technique in which new layers of instrumental
and/or vocal backing are added to the original studio recordings to make them more
enjoyable than you ever thought possible.
* Just think: no more dusty records that go snap, crackle and pop. No more high
frequency distortion. No more bizarre remixes and misguided experiments in stereo
that went awry and turned your favorite sounds of the past into "Frankenstein's
musical monsters." No more asking "Where's the beef" as you listen to weak,
lame, "thin" sounding records. Our Shady Bunch DJs play only bold, robust,
dynamic, full-bodied, "fat" power platters. Retrosonic Radio in Futuresonic
Stereo Surround - that's the all new S-P-M-M Radio!"
To sum it up, SPMM Radio will bring you
oldies as you've never heard them before.
Our boss jocks make sound decisions...
all of them good!
Let me spin a few records to get you familiar with our new SPMM radio format.
Most records begin with a brief instrumental part that leads into the vocals.
When you come to this prompt:
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
do as it instructs. Roll the video and continue reading
the song intro over the music. Here's an example:
Most records begin with a brief instrumental part that leads into the vocals.
When you come to this prompt:
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
do as it instructs. Roll the video and continue reading
the song intro over the music. Here's an example:
Hey there, this is everybody's favorite fido, your Hound
of Sound,Toto Moto, and I've got a doggone pretty
dog ditty for you that's guaranteed to fleas... uh,
I mean please. Released in 1958, the song
peaked at #1 on the country chart and
crossed over to #2 on both the pop
and the R&B charts.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
They're a little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll.
They're Phil and Don, The Everly Brothers, and here,
in super stereo, is their '64 remake of -- "Bird Dog!"
in super stereo, is their '64 remake of -- "Bird Dog!"
"Bird Dog" - The Everly Brothers
(1964 Warner Bros. re-recorded ver., original Cadence
release peaked Oct. 1958, highest chart pos. #2)
(1964 Warner Bros. re-recorded ver., original Cadence
release peaked Oct. 1958, highest chart pos. #2)
Note that the record's title, artist name and stats will appear beneath the
video instead of above it. This allows the DJ's intro to flow seamlessly into
the song and helps make our simulated radio broadcasts more realistic.
video instead of above it. This allows the DJ's intro to flow seamlessly into
the song and helps make our simulated radio broadcasts more realistic.
In some cases when you roll a video, there is a slight delay before the
music starts. When you encounter that kind of video, keep reading
the intro. Do not pause. Do not wait for the music to begin.
If you read the intro silently, imagine the DJ voicing over the record.
If you read the intro aloud, imagine that you are the DJ. If your timing
is right, if you read the intro at the correct speed, the melody and vocals
will begin just as your intro ends. Try it on the next four records.
It's fun to play DJ and do it like the pros!
music starts. When you encounter that kind of video, keep reading
the intro. Do not pause. Do not wait for the music to begin.
If you read the intro silently, imagine the DJ voicing over the record.
If you read the intro aloud, imagine that you are the DJ. If your timing
is right, if you read the intro at the correct speed, the melody and vocals
will begin just as your intro ends. Try it on the next four records.
It's fun to play DJ and do it like the pros!
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
You're listening to Toto Moto on the greatest little station
in the nation, S-P-M-M, and hey hey, it's Marvin Gaye,
with his first million seller and his first #1 on the
R&B chart -- "I'll Be Doggone!"
"I'll Be Doggone" - Marvin Gaye
(Apr. 1965, highest chart pos. #8 Hot 100/#1 R&B,
from May '66 album Moods of Marvin Gaye)
(Apr. 1965, highest chart pos. #8 Hot 100/#1 R&B,
from May '66 album Moods of Marvin Gaye)
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
You're trapped in Toto's Time Tunnel and we're stickin'
around Motown. Here are Smokey and the Miracles
with a top 40 memory maker from the summer of
'69. Great song? -- "Doggone Right!"
"Doggone Right" - Smokey Robinson And The Miracles
(July 1969, highest chart pos. #32 Hot 100/#7 R&B, from
July 1969 album Time Out for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles)
(July 1969, highest chart pos. #32 Hot 100/#7 R&B, from
July 1969 album Time Out for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles)
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Toto Moto, Your Rover on the Radio at S-P-M-M.
Now here's Barbara Lewis lookin' sporty and
crackin' the top 40 with -- "Puppy Love!"
"Puppy Love" - Barbara Lewis
(Feb. 1964, highest chart pos. #38)
(Feb. 1964, highest chart pos. #38)
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
As I bring my K-9 caper to a close, let's take a stroll
with Memphis R&B great Rufus Thomas who's gonna
bow-wow you with his signature song, the novelty
dance ditty-- "Walking The Dog!"
"Walking The Dog" - Rufus Thomas
(Nov. 1963, highest chart pos. #10 Hot 100/#5 R&B)
(Nov. 1963, highest chart pos. #10 Hot 100/#5 R&B)
I hope you enjoyed listening to a few of Toto's Top Tunes and learning
about our new DJs and their shows coming soon to SPMM Radio.
S-P-M-M: good music - good memories - good times!
about our new DJs and their shows coming soon to SPMM Radio.
S-P-M-M: good music - good memories - good times!
I'll be back on the air soon
along with the rest of our
Shady Bunch radio personalities
Shady Bunch radio personalities
so, doggone it...
don't touch that dial!
don't touch that dial!
Wow! I mean "BowWow!" So much to look forward too and so much to get used to! I'm excited to be the first comment today and hope everyone enjoys this new format. It's easier on the eyes and smoother in the ears. Love Toto's selections and it was a great way to start my day off! Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteI am very happy to see you, dear friend. Thanks for coming! You are indeed the early bird (bird dog?) today, and I appreciate it.
You and I didn't even know each other back in April of 2012 when Shady's dog Toto first played guest blogger on SDMM. I just checked that post along with the comments and realized that only one of the people who commented on that 2012 post are still with me today, that being my faithful friend Suzanne who went by the name "Susan" at the time. At any rate, I am pleased to have you here today to meet and greet Toto as she hosts Shady's Place for the first time. I'm happy to know you enjoyed Toto's song selection and that you look forward to being entertained by my pooch and the rest of the SPMM deejays in the months and years to come.
Thank you again for coming by so early, dear friend YaYa, and enjoy the rest of your day and week!
I like the new format! And the new site. Have it bookmarked in my Feedly reader so I don't miss anything.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteI'm glad you found me upon returning from your blogging hiatus, good buddy. Thanks for joining the fun and for bookmarking my new Shady's Place location so you don't miss future posts. Thank you for the compliment on the new format. The Shady Bunch set sail this week. Our ten year mission: to boldly go where no blog has gone before: K-Mart - to take advantage of their Blue Light Specials. :)
Thanks again for popping in, good buddy Alex. I hope to see you here next time. Until then enjoy the rest of your week!
Hi D.J.Toto!
ReplyDeleteYou did an excellent job on your shift this morning! These doggie treats are all great tunes! I must say that “Puppy Love” was not the one I was expecting. The only “Puppy Love” I knew was my youth crush, Donny Osmond’s! My favorite on your list was ”Walking the Dog”. I danced to that song many times at the ”Class of 60 Something” dances !
Shady, your new format is looking great! Superb info and songs with a classy new and improved look with lots of Dell memorabilia!
Hi, Toni!
DeleteIt's so nice of you to come over early on day one to sample some musical doggie treats served up by Grandmaster MC Toto Moto, a member of The Shady Bunch deejay staff on the all new SPMM Radio.
You caught me off guard with your comment about the song "Puppy Love." I was expecting you to tell me that the only "Puppy Love" you know is the song Paul Anka wrote and recorded in 1960 for Annette. "Tall Paul" was dating the star Mouseketeer at the time. The 10+ year difference in our ages is showing, dear friend. That ten years often makes a big difference in the records you and I remember. I had completely forgotten about the version released a dozen years later by heartthrob Donny Osmond.
I am also surprised to know that The Class of 60-Something played "Walking the Dog" at their dances. I thought those guys stuck to sweet soul music from Detroit, Chicago and Philadelphia. I didn't realize they played southern R&B, too.
Did you try reading Toto's intros aloud over the records like a top 40 DJ? It's fun! I do it every time. In my mind I created a voice and style for Toto, basing it on the voice of Dr. Donald D. Rose, the legendary DJ at "Quixie in Dixie" - WQXI Atlanta and WFIL in Philly.
Thanks again for coming by, dear friend Toni, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Bob and I visited Shady's Place during breakfast, and we enjoyed Toto's "retrieval" of songs and the memories that came with them.
ReplyDeleteBob said a shock jock from the 50s and 60s called his old stomping ground of Williamsport, PA, "Boppin' Billtown"! All I remember from my York days was Ed Lincoln's mesmerizing deep bass voice on WSBA.
The Everly Brothers "Bird Dog" took Bob back to his experiences hunting with a real bird dog in his youth. He said a bird dog freezes into a point position when he "sniffs out" prey, and getting as close to it as he can, flushes it out by charging so the hunter gets an accurate shot. So the bird dog in the song is still sniffing around, causing a problem... Good metaphor for trying to steal a girlfriend!
I thought the beat and instrumentals were immediately 'catchy' on Marvin Gaye's "I'll Be Doggone". However, I guess the line, "A woman should be whatever her man wants her to be" wouldn't fly too well in this day (and #Metoo) age!!
Bob also recalled Tammy Turelle (sp?) singing with Marvin Gaye while we listened to "I'll Be Doggone".
At our age, we don't remember as much as we should sometimes, but this morning, another song came to Bob's mind about 'dogs' being used in a more or less derogatory way, especially by his visiting relatives from Texas. He recalled the lyric "Take my last cigarette, you dog...." From Jim Lowe's Talkin' to the Blues". (That was back in the day when smoking was not considered such a health risk!) When we looked it up on uTube, another video followed - A very young Dick Clark listing the top songs on a board that he flipped by hand!! LOL!
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' "Doggone Right" has a nice, smooth sound. I can just imagine couples dancing to that song in the Dell dance hall's dimmed lights.
I thought "walkin' the dog' was a yo-you trick; I didn't know it was a song! I love the brass in that selection, especially the sax.
Well, so much for us going down the rabbit hole of our memories that you instigated first thing this morning, Toto. (Sorry your species gets bad press sometimes.) You deserve more than a few Milk Bones after that! Thank you (and your handler too....).
Hi, Kathleen!
DeleteThank you very much for hustling over so soon, dear friend. I appreciate it!
I am delighted that you and Bob turned to Toto for entertainment during breakfast and glad you both appreciated the tunes Toto "dug up" for her first stint as guest host on Shady's Place.
Please thank Bob for providing that tidbit about the Williamsport DJ calling his media market "Boppin' Billtown." I also appreciate his share about the use of a bird dog in hunting fowl. Regarding Ed Lincoln and other announcers with deep bass voices, is it just my imagination, or are they a vanishing breed? When I listen to the announcers on many of today's TV commercials, especially ads for tech products and services, I notice that they do not have deep, resonant voices. They have higher pitched "geeky" voices, clip the ends off many of their words (not fully pronouncing the last syllable) and they speak very rapidly compared to the announcers of yesteryear. Have you noticed that change in recent years?
You are absolutely right in observing that many of the lyrics to popular songs of the 60s (and previous decades) are sexist and demeaning to women, although they were never intended to be.
Yessum, Bob was kind to point out that Marvin Gaye had hit duets with Tammi Terrell and other female Motown artists. It's interesting that Tammi (real name Thomasina Winifred Montgomery) released her first few solo singles as "Tammy Montgomery," inspired to do so after seeing the film Tammy and the Bachelor and listening to Debbie Reynolds' hit theme song "Tammy." Motown CEO Berry Gordy changed the artist's name to Tammi Terrell because he deemed Tammy Montgomery too long to fit easily on the label of a 45.
Holy smoke! I just listened to Jim Lowe doing "Talkin' To The Blues." I never heard it before and it is the coolest record ever! My parents had Jim's hit single "The Green Door" and Guy Mitchell's "Singing The Blues," but not "Talkin' To The Blues." I noticed on the record label the song is from the obscure 50s NBC TV series Modern Romances. I needed to look up the show because I don't remember it. It starred Ross Martin, co-star of a later series that I watched called The Wild Wild West. Please thank Bob for mentioning this great record and tell him I plan to post it at some point in the future.
You are correct. "Walking the Dog" is the name of a yo-yo trick. I wonder how many millennials know what a yo-yo is. I suspect some might think if was the name of John Lennon's former wife, if they even know who John Lennon was. :)
Thank you again for throwing Toto a bone this morning, dear friend Kathleen. You composed an excellent comment as usual. Enjoy the rest of your week. I hope to see your smiling face again soon here at your new home away from home, my little space - Shady's Place!
I don't mean to "hound" you here, but I wanted to agree with you about voices in media sounding 'tinny' and lacking character. No, it isn't your imagination!!
DeleteFor many years, I was a cooperating teacher for college students practicing in my classroom. I was appalled at just how little the vast majority of them knew about even such essentials as how to project their voice, and how unaware they were of the importance of such things as correct enunciation, proper syntax and grammar. They often embarrassed me when I turned them loose on my students.
Once, a very attractive but unprepared student teacher seemed much LESS attractive when she introduced a lesson by saying, "Listen up yous' guys. What were goin' to do today is make a pitch-ur". (It was a drawing lesson, not a ceramics one!) When I called attention to what I considered lack of preparation to their supervisor, she acknowledged it but said, "If you think they speak badly now, you ought to hear them when we get them right out of high school!"
I'm plugging my alma mater here, but at Kutztown U., we had a very picky speech professor. By the time we were seniors and student teaching, our advisor actually recorded our voices in front of a real class. When they played the tape (Oh boy, showing my age!) back to us so we could actually hear ourselves as others did, it was a real revelation. I learned that to drop ends of words such as "-ings" (as is common in my hometown) was sloppy diction (i.e., " goin" instead of going), and he stressed it so much that it made us unworthy to influence the young minds in our classrooms.
So I wonder how many DJ's and actors used in advertising are vocally trained, or is it perfectly acceptable to go on the air with thousands of people listening and speak into the mike as if they just came off the street? How much does that affect those who tune in, such as future teachers? Does anyone really care? What does that say about our changing culture? I guess the most important thing these days is to make listeners comfortable by being so casual (read sloppy!)......
On the other hand, I wouldn't want entertainers and DJs in the public arena to sound "highfalutin" to the degree it would take the fun out of things. It would scare folks off. The fast talking, sometimes flippant style, and signature, emblematic nicknames are important in themselves and establish personalities that people enjoy and will return to hear. Is it possible to have both good speech AND magnetic entertainment? Oh well, balance and nuance are probably best in this, as in most things!
(continued in next box)
I'll climb down off my soapbox now! I guess I truly am old school, but it irks the daylights out of me to hear uninspiring, and dare I say unprofessional, voices with that much power over listeners. I believe it might have been Carl Sagan who said if advanced life forms ever came close enough to pick up the frequencies of earth's radio or television stations, they might be inclined to just pass us by - as in, "Nothing worth stopping to investigate here..."
DeleteBy the way, coming into York on Route 30, I pass Ed Lincoln's original eatery, San Carlo's, in a remodeled barn that includes a bar called "The Hop". It still has a vintage automobile parked on its roof and its headlights come on when it is open for business! (Bob says it's a late 40s or early 50s Chevy or Buick, older than the one shown in front of the Dell at the top of the blog.) I also wonder if Ed's memorable DJ voice was deepened by smoking! (He died in 2002 at age 78..) "Pick your poison", perhaps!
On another note, thanks for "digging up" that evolution of Tammi Terrel's name. We laughed to read that her given full name was truncated to fit on a record label! Boy, some day genealogists will have fun tracing that one!
We also remember watching many episodes of the Wild, Wild West when we were first married, and had pleasant flashbacks to the show. One more thing about the changing representations of women in media. A common theme in cartoons I watched as a kid was the brutish caveman with a club in one hand and dragging his woman away by her hair with his other one! Perfectly acceptable back then..... LOL!
Well, thanks again for the chance to vent, and to (ahem...)Toto for the song selection and a great Shady's Place inaugural post.
Hi, Kathleen!
DeleteIf you get on YouTube and watch trailers produced for vintage films of the early and mid 20th century, you will hear many deep, resonant, mellifluous voices and near perfect diction as classically trained actors, actresses and announcers speak. In the 21st century they are a vanishing breed nearing extinction.
I remember the joy of listening to a slow talking storyteller who took his time, paused now and then for effect, allowing his words to sink in, and affording us the opportunity to process what he was saying as he carefully spun his yarn. 35 years ago the MTV Generation became notorious for becoming easily bored with "slowness" (and with black & white films and television shows, for that matter - a related topic for another day). They wanted their entertainment and other forms of communication delivered rapid fire in fast cut style. Ebonics, hip hop and rap slang became the cool way to speak and write. Eventually communication was whittled down to a series of code words punched into the key pad of an electronic device. There was no longer any need to sit down and write a letter using pen and paper, no need to have actual face-to-face encounters. Today many people let a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" symbol do their talking for them. Emojis, stickers and gif's have replaced actual communication. Some rely on those gimmicks because they are too lazy or "too busy" to actually compose complete, intelligently written sentences. I placed "too busy" in quotes there because people who spend hours each day hanging out on social media have no right to complain about being too busy. Perhaps people rely on instant click communication because they have fallen out of practice to the extent that they no longer know how to communicate the old fashioned way - using complete sentences to express themselves. I see a day coming when we will blink once for "no," twice for "yes" and three times for everything else, including The Gettysburg Address. Like you I am shocked when I behold the low level of communication skill exhibited by many people today, even those charged with educating and influencing our young. We are moving in the wrong direction, I believe, by "dumbing down" America. Our communication techniques are indeed lazy and sloppy, and that includes recent trends in movies, TV shows and music. I believe most people appreciate being challenged and respond favorably when the bar is set higher. Mrs. Shady and I are working our way through the 1990s medical drama ER. The writing, acting, directing and camera work are superb, no less than incredible. Too many millennial series including hospital based medical shows and cop shows focus mainly on romance and sexual attraction between principal characters. They don't bother to challenge the viewer's intellect. They incorrectly assume that today's audiences don't care about quality and won't understand a script that contains technical jargon. Mrs. S and I love ER because every episode is loaded with esoteric medical terms that are unfamiliar to me and even to her in some cases. Authentic language adds to a show's realism and credibility, gets us thinking, discussing and doing research to learn more and understand the meaning. Do the work, people. It's fun and it's good for you!
This concludes my sermon. :)
Thank you for returning to chat, dear friend Kathleen. I wish you a safe and happy weekend!
Some great selections, and I like the dog illustration, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kirk!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed meeting Shady's K-9 companion Toto aka Toto Moto who wears several caps in addition to the one in the illustration. Toto serves as blog mascot and Chief Petting Officer and also broadcasts from our studio as "The All Night Satellite" on the all new SPMM Radio. Keep it here for more great Toto tuneage and super sounds spun by our other boss jocks.
Thanks again for joining the fun and enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy Kirk!
Well...Good Morning, Toto and crew! It's so nice to meet the DJ's who will be entertaining us with the great tunes of 'dog days' gone by...and, definitely not forgotten! I love how you started out with the Everly Brothers, "Bird Dog"!
ReplyDeleteBy the time your fourth song came up, I was 'all hands' on! My DJ intro was the best. And by the way, "Walkin The Dog" was so popular in my town-the guys were the first ones to jump up and start dancing! Love it!
Missed the boat on the Marvin Gaye song, but I was still trying to get your drift, Toto! And, I went a little too fast on the Smokey Robinson song!
All in all, Toto Moto and Shady whatever...I love this blog! It is so colorful, with so much to look at...that goes for the DJ's too, lol! Very good choice of songs, also. The program is very fitting for the "Dog Day" time of year! Congratulations, to you all! Take care, dear friend Shady!
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteThank you very much for coming over, dear friend! I'm delighted to see you! I was just telling YaYa (above) that I discovered your comment on my April 2012 post with Toto as guest host. Out of all the people who commented on that post, you are the only one who is still with me. How can I ever thank you for sticking with me so long?
I'm glad you enjoyed meeting The Shady Bunch DJ staff and testing your talent as a top 40 DJ impersonating Toto Moto - "The All Night Satellite" on SPMM Radio. It's fun to play DJ, isn't it? Keep in mind that each of my SPMM deejays has his own distinct personality and speaks at a different pace. You will find that Toto, Shady Blue, Jerry Blavat and Dell Rat Tom have an average or slightly above average speed patter. Shady Green speaks at a slightly faster pace and Hy Lit is the fastest talker of all. Once you get the timing down it's fun to voice over the intros and see if you can hit them perfectly. Of course it won't be possible for you to authentically play DJ if YouTube freezes up or you have slow internet and loading. I peeked at Kelly's comment below and understand that will be a challenge for some.
Most of the time when an artist re-records one of their hits the result is lame and disappointing. However I like this fuller sounding re-recorded version of "Bird Dog" and decided to use it in Toto's show. Thanks for sharing that "Walking The Dog" was a biggie in your neck of the woods - Kansas City.
I'm thrilled that you like my colorful new setting, Suzanne. If you start at the upper right and scroll down to the very bottom of the page, you will notice that I added several more pictures to the sidebar since you were here last. There is good reason for that. On the previous post the block of comments got so long and extended so far down the page that the last few people to leave comments had only blank brown screen to look at on the right. I added more "window dressing' down the right side so that you and other friends will always have something colorful and interesting to see while writing your comments. These include scans of some of my favorite records, vintage top tunes surveys, movie posters and places I enjoyed hanging out in my youth including local fast food joints, the bowling lanes near my house and the speedways my parents took me to every weekend to watch stock car racing.
Thank you again, very much, dear Suzanne, for your years of friendship and for coming by today and listening to the first batch of songs from Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel. Enjoy the rest of your week!
I pretended I was the DJ. Such power. I even practiced a bit of Stroll to Walking the Dog. My technique needs some polishing, but I won't have to go to the gym today. Thanks for starting my Wednesday with flashes back to those days when you could understand all of the lyrics.
ReplyDeleteHi, Cheryl-Lee!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? I am excited to see you back on the blog circuit and thankful that you found me here at my new headquarters - Shady's Place!
I'm delighted to know you tried your hand (and voice) as a top 40 DJ on SPMM Radio. In doing so, perhaps you found your true calling and a brand new career! :) You even got in a good workout while you were here. I'm very happy to know that!
Yessum, my staff of six Shady Bunch deejays will spin songs that hark back to those days when you could understand most or all of the lyrics, unless you were listening to the Kingsmen singing "Louie Louie." :)
Thank you again for coming over and joining the fun, dear friend Cheryl-Lee. Please remember to bookmark or subscribe to Shady's Place so that you can follow me here from now on. Take care, enjoy the rest of your week, and I hope to connect with you again soon!
I'm smiling at your post today, Shady. You're counting on us all being good students and following the teacher's directions! ;) The only problem on my end is that I don't have fast internet, so I have to click on the videos in advance, pause them one they begin, and let them load a little so I don't end up with buffering. (one of the few downsides to rural life)
ReplyDeleteToto brought us some dog-gone good clips for these dog days of summer. Woof!
Hi, Kelly!
DeleteThank you very much for dropping in, dear friend! I am very happy to have you here on this Dog Day Afternoon. (Remember that Pacino movie?)
Well, it's nice to know that I made you smile, Kelly, but I am sorry to learn that it might be a challenge for you to play top 40 DJ due to slow internet, loading and buffering in your rural area. If you are willing to work at it, you could still pull it off by clicking on the videos even sooner than advised by my prompt. I was thinking that you could click on the video, go have lunch and read a book (War and Peace), return to pause the video at the beginning of the song, leave again to put together a puzzle while the song loads, then return, read the intro and - BOOM - perfectly timed! :) But seriously, even if you can't work out perfect timing on the intros, I hope you enjoy using your imagination and like the songs my DJs have to offer - a variety of styles to suit your eclectic taste.
By the way, before I forget, you and other readers might be wondering about the lines that greet you above the comment box:
I wanna know
What you're thinking
There are some things you can't hide
I wanna know
What you're feeling
Tell me what's on your mind
As you might or might not know, they are lines of lyrics from the 1988 hit single "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" released by the Twin Cities based New Wave/synth-pop band Information Society. Fans of Star Trek will know that (quoting Wiki now) << The "Pure Energy" subtitle derives from a sample of Leonard Nimoy's voice from the Star Trek episode "Errand of Mercy". There is also a sample of DeForest Kelley's voice from the episode "I, Mudd". >>
You are a dog-gone good friend, Kelly, and I appreciate your visit and kind comment. Enjoy the rest of your week!
Me think me will like it here, friend Shady … Count me in … smiles and meows … Liked Marvin and Rufus a lot … Still love my snap, crackle and pop record collection .. always have and always will. Thank you for all the effort and hard work on your new site, Congratulations. Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteHow are you, dear feline friend? I am very happy to see you today and relieved that you aren't going to unfriend me simply because I moved my blogging operation across town to this 40th floor penthouse suite - Shady's Place. :) I wouldn't want to go on blogging without you, dear friend!
I'm pleased to know that your ears liked the platters that played on Toto's turntable. Like you I still love the warm, organic sound of vinyl records. The point I am making about the music you can expect to hear on SPMM Radio is that much of it will have that same earthy quality without all the unwanted noise. In the last couple of years, producers and remix artists have been uploading to YouTube a wealth of material- remastered, remixed and enhanced versions of original studio recordings that make old gold sound new again, in fact, better than ever!
Thank you for the kind words about the look of the new site, cat. I want you to feel at home here. Curl up on the rug and enjoy. :)
Thank you again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend cat, and enjoy the rest of your week!
How fun is this!!! Toto did a great job today with his selection. I really enjoyed I'll be Doggone. I am embarrassed to say but I don't remember Toto from previous guest spots. Glad to see he's got a permanent spot here as a regular. Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteHi, Holliwood N. Vine!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks a lot for coming by to meet Shady's dog Toto aka Toto Moto aka "The All Night Satellite" aka "Your Hi-Fi Fido" aka "Your Hound of Sound" aka "Your Rover on the Radio." The last time Toto was guest host was April 2012. That was long before you and I got together as friends in blogland. The character Toto was inspired by and is named after my female black Cocker Spaniel. Toto died five years ago this past week, but she will live on here at Shady's Place as a member of The Shady Bunch DJ staff.
I'm happy to know you had some fun here today, Holli. Stay tuned as one by one the other air personalities present their radio shows here on SPMM - "Retrosonic Radio in Futuresonic Stereo Surround!"
Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend Holli, and I'll see you next time!
Well Doggone, that was Fun with a capital F!! Can I be President of Toto's Fan Club?? I love me some Toto Moto! He sure knows the way to my heart, spinning these fine four-legged classics!
ReplyDeleteWhat a blast! I loved this show. And it's perfect, Toto Moto being a overnight shift because you know me, I'm an after-midnight kind of gal...
Nice introduction to the DJ staff. Shady Blue and Shady Green - well, he must make a ton o' cash, doing two shifts per day. Ain't he a bit tired by the week's end though??
I like the tag line "Spend your middays on a Natural Hy". I'm all about a natural high and I think there are plenty to be found here at Shady's Place! Where on earth did the name Hyski ‘O Roonie McVouti ‘O Zoot come from??
I see you've taken the weekend evening shifts. Those are often the place where great shows are born. Back when I was at DC's Classic Rock WCXR, Larry Burnett, one of the original founding members of one of my favorite bands, Firefall, hosted the evening shift and he had a regular feature called the Blues Room, a show he created and produced. I can't wait to see what Dell Rat Tom does with Jukebox Giants!
So love the songs Toto Moto highlighted today. And how fun that we both, on the same day, used not only the same song but the same video! Marvin Gaye's "I'll Be Doggone" is a chart-topping history-making song of yesteryear and that video that we both found sure did it justice.
Smokey Robinson sure seems to have a love-affair with the word 'doggone' being that he co-wrote "I'll Be Doggone" for Marvin Gaye a few years before his own band did "Doggone Right" --- a Smokey song I hadn't ever heard before. I liked it. Smokey and the Miracles had that smooth sound...
The other song here that really was a pleasant surprise was "Walkin' the Dog" --- I wasn't familiar with the original by Rufus Thomas. I only know the song as it appeared on Aerosmith's 1973 debut album. Thank you so much for featuring the song here. I just may have to do it as a Battle of the Bands song one of these days soon. It's a great song! And I love Rufus' original.
The Everly Brothers "Bird Dog" is a fun song too. The lyrics are fabulous! I know they didn't write the song but they sure delivered those lyrics. "Hey Bird Dog, get a whiff of my quail, hey bird dog you're on the wrong trail", "Hey bird dog, get a whiff of my chick, hey bird dog, you better get away quick," "Bird Dog, You better find a chicken-little of your own," "Bird Dog you better leave my lovely dove alone," and of course those low register name-calling lines "He's a dog". hahaha. What a fun song! I wish I had written it. I bet the writer had a blast with it...and the Everly Brothers sure did deliver a bang-up job of a song. I'm sure the songwriter was thrilled beyond by the E Bros. performance of it.
Barbara Lewis' "Puppy Love" was a cute song too. I enjoyed that. It's new-to-me.
Toto Moto's first outing at Shady's Place sure didn't disappoint! This was a fabulous dog-themed post filled with such great dog songs. You got me howlin' over here. Picasso & Luca are rooin' too... :)
What a great way to end my night, going to bed with a smile on my face and a dog-song in my heart...
Enjoy the rest of your week. Had a good time here at Shady's Place. I'm sure this place will be a regular haunt for many folks. It'll be standing-room only in no time! Will look forward to the next SPMM party...
Michele at Angels Bark
Hi, Michele!
DeleteWowie, dear friend, you really are a night owl, aren't you? Looks like you went to bed just as I was getting up for the day. I am very happy to see you and so glad you enjoyed these K-9 classics presented by Shady's pooch Toto Moto including "I'll Be Doggone," a song and vid both of us are featuring this week in our current posts.
As you will discover, Shady Blue and Shady Green have different types of radio shows, play different styles of music and have different personalities. I have already written the first few shows for each of my DJs. It is exciting to work out the patter and develop each guy's personality. Toto's personality is based on Atlanta and Philly DJ Dr. Don Rose, Boston's Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg and on Seattle's Pat O'Day. Shady Blue is a mix of Detroit's Robin Seymour, Philly's Joe Niagra and Cleveland's Johnny Holliday. Shady Green's style in inspired by deejay Robert W. Morgan of Los Angeles radio fame. Of course I was already very familiar with Jerry Blavat and Hy Lit, and Dell rat Tom's style was easiest of all to come up with. :) On his weekend show Jukebox Giants, Tom will be playing The 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell, the songs most popular in the Dell's dance hall during the years he attended from 1965 to 1970, along with earlier Dell hits identified by contributing editors Jerre, Ron and Greg, original Dell rats who hung out at the Dell in the years before I arrived. They will help me cover the period from the late 50s through mid 60s.
I am especially excited about the radio shows of my two favorite DJs, Philadelphia broadcasting legends Jerry Blavat and Hy Lit, two sons of South Philly. In my youth I listened to their radio shows and watched their TV shows. Their radio shows here on SPMM will feature great yet seldom heard doo-wop and soul relics of the 50s, 60s and 70s including regional East Coast hits. I'm happy that you like the name I picked for Hy's show. "Natural Hy" is the title of a top 10 hit single by the R&B/soul/funk group Bloodstone. Hy Lit gave himself the nickname Hyski ‘O Roonie McVouti ‘O Zoot.
I know I would have enjoyed listening to WCXR and Larry Burnett's show The Blues Room. I'm pleased to have introduced you to "Doggone Right," a Smokey song that's new to your ears and one I hadn't heard in nearly 50 years until I came across it recently on YouTube and added it to Toto's playlist. In addition to the Rufus Thomas original of "Walking The Dog" and the Aerosmith cover, a fine rendition was recorded by Johnny Rivers live at the Whisky.
On the Everlys hit "Bird Dog" I wasn't able to find a copy of the original recording with sound that completely satisfied me. Then I discovered this great 1964 re-recording and selected it for the post in place of the original.
I'm thrilled to know that these relics from Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel had Picasso and Luca rooin' along. It does my heart good to know I sent you to bed with a smile on your face and a song in your heart (and maybe one or two stuck in your noggin).
Thank you again for staying up so late to visit and comment, dear friend Michele. Enjoy the rest of your week and meet me back here next time for more fun at my little space-- Shady's Place!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteI loved meeting the Shady Bunch and enjoyed Toto Moto's mewsic introduction. I think the only song I knew was the last one, "Walking the Dog". I did as instructed so I could pretend that I was the DJ. I've tried doing this when a song comes across the radio or when I cue one up on the stereo and it's not easy to do. DH does a good job at it, though. He's rusty but he still does lots better than me!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you for dropping by, dear friend! I am pleased to have you here today to meet the on air personalities that will entertain you in the weeks, months and years ahead on SPMM Radio, home of The Shady Bunch.
I'm delighted to know you tested your DJ skills and talked over the music to introduce the records. If you get the speed just right, and if YouTube and the internet cooperate, it is great fun to imagine yourself at the mic as a top 40 DJ of the past.
I'm happy to know you enjoyed Toto's dog ditties including "Walking the Dog," a song every reader seems to know and like. I still prefer the Johnny Rivers version recorded live at the Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, a track on his 1964 album Johnny Rivers At The Whisky À Go-Go.
Thanks again for stopping by, dear friend Cathy, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Tom,
DeleteI just noticed the image in your side bar of WLS. Does this have something to do with the radio station in Chicago?
I'm looking forward to future posts featuring the Shady Bunch and as always your mewsic picks! Thanks for joining me today on the dance floor and for the well wishes, my friend.
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for returning to chat, dear friend! To dress up the blog and add some color and nostalgia, I decided to add some vintage top tunes surveys. The one you spotted, WLS, is indeed from the popular station in Chicago - "Musicradio" - that boasted a Rock and Roll/Top 40 format in the 60s and 70s.
Thank you again for coming by, dear friend Cathy. I hope your week is off to a great start and hope to see you back here for my next post which begins tomorrow. Take care!
Hi Shady!
ReplyDeleteWonderful to meet the Shady Bunch! Toto deserves that extra treat (they always know you still have in your pocket) for a howlin' good show. There was only one song I hadn't heard before and I enjoyed them all. Rufus (whistling) actually roused my two mutts to momentary life ;-)
Have a terrific week!
Hi, diedre!
DeleteThanks for coming over and joining the fun today, dear friend! I'm very happy to see you and glad you enjoyed Toto's guest post introducing The Shady Bunch deejays here at the greatest little station in the nation - SPMM Radio.
I'm pleased to learn that you heard some familiar songs you like along with one that is new to your ears, and that Toto Moto's dog ditty play list perked up your pooches. :)
Stay tuned, diedre, because the rest of the SPMM personalities will be debuting their shows in the weeks and months ahead, music in a variety of styles, something to suit nearly every taste.
Thank you again for being a great friend and coming over today, dear friend diedre. Enjoy the rest of your week!
Ah, Jerry Blavat. I pass his radio station all the time while walking in Philadelphia. I might have to take a photo for you.
ReplyDeleteLove your selection of music! Have a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteWelcome to Shady's Place, dear friend! I am happy to see that you have returned from your getaway and thank you for making time for a visit this week as your K-9 compadre, Toto Moto, plays guest host.
Wow, if you pass The Geator's radio station strolling through Philly, you should indeed take a picture and post it. I'd love to see it. Stay tuned because Jerry and the rest of the SPMM boss jocks will be presenting their first shows on my new station in the remaining months of the year.
I'm glad you enjoyed Toto's tuneage. Thank you again for coming and have a super weekend, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI didn't get a chance to this weekend - on Friday I didn't walk past it and today was way too hot to go skating (I went to my uncle's and swam instead).Maybe next weekend. :)
With it being so hot today, I decided to play the tunes again, and it certainly did provide a lot of entertainment while swimming.
Have a great week ahead, dear friend!
Hi again, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm glad to know you spent this dog day of summer swimming in your uncle's pool. I am also happy to know you gave another listen to Toto's Top Tunes (songs with a doggie theme) and like what you heard.
Thanks again for your cheery visit, dear friend JM, and have a wonderful week ahead!
Love the pipe-smoking Toto! You've got a great crew running the station. I like that you have everybody's picture on the side-including your own! This is going to be a smashing success. I can tell!
ReplyDeleteHi, Sherry!
DeleteHow are you today, dear friend? Thank you very much for coming over to meet The Hound of Sound, your Hi-Fi Fido - your Midnight Mutt, your K-9 Compadre - doggie deejay Toto Moto - and listen to a sampling of what you can expect to hear when you travel through the portal known as Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel. It's just one of the six new interactive radio shows to be featured here at Shady's Place. I'm delighted to know you like my Shady Bunch crew, and it's awfully nice of you to predict the success of SPMM Radio.
Thanks again for your kind visit and words of encouragement, dear friend Sherry. Enjoy your weekend and I'll see you next week!
I am late to t(e fold but here I am listening to Toto’s favs for the night. He must love Puppy Love for sure..the ole dog:). This was fun to learn about how all will work here on this station and to listen to the music...clean concise and fun. My kind of party
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteWelcome to Shady's Place, dear friend, and thank you for stopping by! I am very happy that you chose to follow me over here. I wouldn't want to continue my journey without you.
I'm glad you enjoyed meeting Toto Moto and the other swinging DJs here at the mill. They are on a mission to entertain you, so don't touch that dial. Keep it here on SPMM, the station that's #1 for music and fun.
Thank you again for coming to the party, dear friend BB, and have a wonderful week ahead!