Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world, and that means many of the greatest rock and rollers of all time visit here. This is the page where we will bring you news items we feel may be of interest to all you ROCKERS out there..

Al Jardine - Once a Beach Boy, Always a Beach Boy

Gerry Marsden and the Pacemakers

Bill Medley and Paul Revere & the Raiders

Herman's Hermits in Primm

Trini Lopez

Additional Articles

Herman's Hermits return to Primm - a photo tribute

SHOW REVIEW: July 18, 2009
The Club at the Cannery, Las Vegas
"Al Jardine with the Rip Chords"

Saturday night at the Cannery and the place is packed. Many people wearing loud Hawaiian shirts, shorts, it's a summer night in Vegas, hot and clear, and perfect weather for the beach. And the Beach Boy who came to town to rock our world with the songs he sang as a founding member of the Beach Boys. Al Jardine will always be a Beach Boy, just like Paul McCartney will always be a Beatle. And just like Paul was one of the founders of the iconic rock band, Al was with Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson when they formed the Beach Boys, and for those of us in the audience last night, if you closed your eyes, you were listening to the unmistakable sound of the Beach Boys. Heck, Al sang lead on a lot of the songs anyway, like "Help Me Rhonda", which closed the show. He still looks the same, a bit more grey and a few more lines, but the voice is perfect, and now he gets to round out the famous Beach Boys harmony with his two talented sons, Matt and Adam, who carry on the Carl Wilson and Brian Wilson notes to absolute perfection. It was as if Carl was up there on that stage, it was fantastic.

When the Beach Boys ceased to be an entity due to the untimely deaths of brothers Denny Wilson (drowned) and Carl (cancer) and a legal mess surrounding the name and just who had the right to call themselves the Beach Boys, Al continued to play the music, and eventually, many of the musicians who had been playing with the Beach Boys live and in the studio came to play with Al, keeping the music alive. The musical director is Billy Hinsche, who appeared with the group throughout the years starting in 1968 and his band are original Beach Boys backup musicians. I remember Billy from the days of his first band, Dino Desi & Billy, as well as his constant presence at most Beach Boys concerts I witnessed. (During the last song I waved at Billy, wondering if he could see me, and he made a point to wave back and give Jan and I "thumbs up". Later backstage, he came up to me and said, "You didn't think I could see you, did ya?". He was genuinely happy to see us, and that warmth, that attitude extends to everyone in the band, from Al on down. Especially "Carl Wilson's favorite bass player" Ed, and ace drummer Fig, both of whom have been with the touring Beach Boys since the early days. There are no egos in the group, they love playing together and they love to be able to honor the music.

Every song is note perfect, every harmony is flawless, the sound is errily close to the Beach Boys - as close as anyone could get it seems. And according to Al, he remains very close to Brian, who played on Al's recent album and his new one due out early in 2010, Brian was thinking of coming to play with Al in Vegas on this engagement, but a commitment in Germany became a conflict. Which means we may see AL and Brian back onstage together at some point, as it should be.

And you can feel the love up on that stage. There's Proud Pappa Al flanked by his two sons, and the boys certainly love and respect their dad and the legacy that he represents. They also grew up on the music, and learned to sing from Carl and Brian, so they feel its their duty to get it right. And they sure do.

Afterwards, Al Jardine is not happy, he's disappointed with the harmonies tonight, he thinks they blew it. Not so. As I reminded him, all of us who work onstage put a very high level of expectation on ourselves and our performance. We know how good it can be, so when it's slightly off in some way, we tend to notice things the audience never sees. They sounded nearly perfect tonight, and Al was really glad to hear that. "You would know, then," is what he said, and thanked me for the insight. I have probably seen the Beach Boys, from the early days through the time I opened for them in the 70's through now, at least 40 times. This was as good as one could get, very faithful to the original sound. Naturally, being the perfectionist Al is, as well as the rest of the guys, they know they can be better and get bothered when they don't hit those levels all the time.

Getting to the end of the concert, they finish "Help Me Rhonda" and it's standing ovation time, the third one of the night. They come back for a rousing 2 song set, and they are joined by the Rip Chords, who were doing the Beach Boys sound before the Beach Boys existed, and the crowd remained on their feet for "Fun Fun Fun", (the song the Beach Boys used to open with for years), the perfect ending to a perfect concert.

Afterwards, both Al and his sons remember when I was the "Psychodelic Magician who opened for them back in the 70's. I will surely never forget those special memories.

What a great evening, Al, thanks to you, the Beach Boys live on. I thank you, the rest of your fans thank you, and Brian thanks you.

See our Photo Feature on Gerry HERE.

(Steve and the Pacemakers...not a catchy name, I agree)

Talk about magic...Gerry Marsden has been making magic for over 50 years, and he's still got the voice and energy of a teen idol, which he once was during the sixties. His charm and stage presence is undeniable. He's a true legend who was (and is) friends with his fellow Liverpudlians, the Beatles, and who continues to play the hits we all know and remember, although the original Pacemakers (which included his brother on drums) are long gone from the scene.

I remember watching Gerry on the Ed Sullivan Show, as well as on Shindig, and all those other TV shows that featured the British Invasion bands who followed in the footsteps of the Beatles. Managed by Brian Epstein, who masterminded the Beatles rise to fame, he signed Gerry & the Pacemakers as the second band he wanted to turn into stars, and often had them all tour together. I bought (and still have) all of those early albums, and must admit I have been a huge fan of Gerry since the very first time I heard that distinctive sound.

Surprisingly, in his long career as a rocker, Gerry has only appeared in Las Vegas 3 times, the first time only a few short years ago, at Boulder Station, an engagement that almost went unnoticed. The small showroom (The Railhead) only holds a few hundred people, and it's off strip location makes it more of a place for local bands to play, and very few tourists would head out to the place.

(At Right: Gerry and Jan first met at the Boulder Station concert, his first time ever in Vegas)

He was fabulous there, and what struck me the most was his jovial manner and sincere love of the audience. That, and his willingness to sit and sign autographs after the show for all who wanted to meet him. I remember the line stretched all around the showroom and clear out into the casino, yet he stayed and patiently posed for pictures and joked with each and every person who came to say hello.

We watched as the entire line passed and Jan and I were the last two, yet he talked with us for quite a while, answered questions and we talked about Liverpool, his beloved home town, and a place we have visited many times ourselves.

Then, his second appearance in Vegas came last year when he played the Cannery. Jan and I put together a framed photo of the two of us with him from the year before and presented it to him. He was happy to see us again, introduced us to his wife (whom he wrote "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" for) and did a great interview which we ran here the next day, complete with a short video of our dressing room visit.

Fast forward to his most recent Vegas outing, this time a 3 night engagement at the Suncoast, and we were there once again (for ALL of the 3 nights). We had some great talks, he told me lots of things about Liverpool and the Beatles that I never knew and signed a couple of my albums for our Rock Wall Collection.

And Gerry even shared the stage with the longtime pal Chip Hawkes of the Tremolos, who sang "Silence is Golden" and their other huge hit, "Here Comes My Baby", of that group he founded back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Of course the subject of magic came up and he asked me to show him something, so before the second show, I found myself performing for him and others in his dressing room.

I also took the time to pose for a great photo with him, and also with the Pacemakers, or at least, this version of them.

See our Photo Feature on Gerry HERE.

Really wonderful to watch him play with the crowds each night, and singing his hits with the same energy and enthusiasm he always had decades ago.

I asked him why he thought that so many big stars came from Liverpool. Was it something in the water?

"We are a seaport town, and most of us were poor and had no skills, so we turned to music from when we were very, very young, and sang for each other all the time. And we discovered what people liked, the old rock and roll and blues songs that we heard from America. Guys like Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. And we wrote simple songs, songs that people could remember and sing along to after hearing them only once or twice. That was really the key to the Beatles, and the Searchers, me, and so many others."

Knowing that he was friends with the Beatles since they were children growing up in Liverpool, I had to ask...So, which Beatle was your favorite?

"That's a hard question to ask me, I loved all of the boys. George was great, he was the little baby of the group, so we always had to watch over him, especially when we went to Hamburg, he was not yet 18, and you couldn't go there if you were under 18, so we used to hide him away between shows...he was a very special guy in later years, I loved George. But I would have to say, John and I were the closest, we talked all the time about the music and touring and such. I miss him very much. He was one of a kind. We all looked up to John."

I brought out one of my old albums, the soundtrack to the movie, "Ferry Cross the Mersey", and when he saw it he said, "That piece of colorful cardboard made me a whole lot of money. It really did. Not only did the song hit number one, but the film became a huge hit and made me into a huge star, bigger that I already was."

Tell me about the film.

"It was shot all over the city of Liverpool, including scenes on the Pier on the Mersey River, and in the Cavern Club, as a matter of fact that picture on the cover is the original Cavern. You performed magic in the reincarnation of the original club, but the wall on the stage is the same one, they saved all the bricks and recreated it exactly as it was."

"You wrote a bunch of songs for that film, right?

"I did, 9 songs in 8 days time. Including "It's Gonna Be Alright" which went to number one."

"Your first 4 records went to number one, right?"

Gerry smiled. "Actually, the first 3 hit the top, an the fourth one stayed at number 2, thanks to four lads from Liverpool who held onto the top spot..."

"The Searchers, right?"

Gerry laughed. "You've done your homework, my boy. Yes, it was the Searchers who kept me from hitting number one four times in a row. That's okay, though, I was happy for them."

I asked him if he actually put up the framed photo that Jan and I gave him last year. "You told us you were putting it into your new home. Did you?"

"Oh yes, I did, indeed. It's hanging in the guest bathroom."

Perfect.

Proud Pappa: Bill Medley with his son Darrin backstage	The adorable Mr. & Mrs. Darrin Medley
Paul Revere and Steve	The Raiders (yep, that's Darrin Medley in the role of lead singer, or as Paul Revere calls him, "Baby Raider".
Jan, normally behind the camera, proves she was there...	Bobbie Katz has known Bill for decades

TRINI LOPEZ

READ OUR DRESSING ROOM CHAT WITH TRINI LOPEZ NOW

Trini was a poor boy from the barrio of Dallas, Texas. He remembers barely enough food for the family, the amount always determined by his parents' ability to get whatever work they could. "They worked and struggled together just to survive," he recalls. "They plowed fields together. My mother washed clothes in the neighborhood for extra income. You cannot imagine how hard it was."

(At left, Trini with his freind Carol Burnett back in the 70's when Trini was a guest on her TV show)

This weekend, the legend will be singing all of his hits when he appears as the special guest star at the Cannery, on Saturday.

Many people were not around when Trini was a huge singing sensation, and also a well-known actor, so here's a look at his career.

Trini learned to play the guitar from his father. Then he played for money on the street corners. He eventually went on to form his own group. It was then that the world saw the beginnings of the singing, acting, and very talented Trini Lopez. Trini's first songs were Mexican sing-alongs with his mother, father, brother, and sisters. He dropped out of high school to help his father support the family by singing around Dallas and the Texas "Southland." Trini's quality could not be denied. He went on to the El Cipango Club in Dallas, (a more affluent part of Dallas) and to other big clubs throughout the Southwest. He realized music would make him something special. Indeed it did, enabling him to get himself, and his family, out of the barrio.

Trini got a job at the Ye Little Club in Beverly Hills. He was hired with no group, just with his guitar. His engagement was to last two weeks and ended up lasting a year.

The first big break came at the popular night spot called P. J.'s. Here, he was spotted by the world famous record producer, the late Don Costa, who then brought Trini to the attention of his longtime idol, Mr. Frank Sinatra. The great singer recognized a fellow stylist and immediately signed Trini to an exclusive eight-year contract with his own label - Reprise Records.

Reprise released his first album, "Trini Lopez at P. J.’s," which became a No. 1 hit album. Out of that album a single, “If I Had a Hammer" became a No. 1 hit in twenty-five countries."If I Had a Hammer," hammered his name in GOLD with many albums and several singles ...and in the hearts of millions of fans throughout the world! Following "Hammer" were many hits which he wrote, as well as songs like "I'm Coming Home Cindy," "Michael," "Lemon Tree," Kansas City," "America," and, of course, "La Bamba." The list goes on, but that's another story!

From there, it was standing room only audiences for Trini across the face of Europe and the world. He had earned about half a million dollars by then, and his weekly salary was twenty five thousand dollars.

In mid-June of 1963, he made his New York debut with his own eleven-man orchestra that included his brother, Jesse. The tough Manhattan critics were unanimous in their praise of the young man from the Texas barrio. Trini Lopez had become a superstar in every sense of the word.

Trini was honored on the floor of Congress in Washington D.C. by Congressman Thomas Rees of California "in recognition of his work on behalf of International relations," and Trini has the honor of sharing prestigious company with Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra in being named Goodwill Ambassador for the United States. He was also cited by the LULAC Council #12 of Laredo, Texas, as "Mr. International."

Successful singers are often described as acting out their songs, so it is only natural that Trini would be discovered as an equally talented actor.

He began by playing a priest and a parole officer on two of Jack Webb's "Adam 12" TV shows for Universal, which was aired on the NBC network. From there he went to movies. Trini's first appearance in a movie , Frank Sinatra put him in Marriage on the Rocks, starring Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. His second movie appearance was in A Poppy is Also a Flower, starring Sean Connery, Marcello Mastriani and a star-studded cast. Following this was the classic The Dirty Dozen starring Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson and another star studded cast. Trini's first starring role was in Antonio with his co-star, the infamous “J.R.," Larry Hagman. Then he became an army G.I. for a TV Movie of the Week called The Reluctant Heroes for Aaron Spelling Productions.

Singer, song writer, Goodwill Ambassador, charitable volunteer, humanitarian, actor, and nightclub performer throughout the world, including spots like the Waldorf Astoria and the Copa Cabana in New York City, as well as popular Las Vegas major hotels, and many, many more. Trini never forgets what he really is... "I'm a public servant."

It wasn't until "If I Had A Hammer" ultimately sold five million copies (and still selling throughout the world) that he got it through his head he IS something special!!!

From the barrio to Beverly Hills! This lean Latin singing sensation took the world by storm beginning in the early '60s and continues the tempest even today!!!. Trini elicits standing ovations everywhere he performs, and his smooth style knows no age barrier.

Trini has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity since the release of the major motion picture La Bamba. One of Trini's most successful international hits of all time was "La Bamba." This very old Latin folk song was first taught to Trini by his father, at the age of 11, who had been a performer himself in Mexico.

Other notable appearances have been an entire segment devoted to him on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, an internationally acclaimed TV show hosted by Robin Leach, who met and was mesmerized by Trini during a celebrity tennis tournament at Las Hadas in Mexico, where Trini again headlined the star-performance gala. In addition, Trini's appearance on Fox Network's Late Show in 1987 garnered accolades from around the world. Of course, "La Bamba" was performed on the popular late night show, and the audience responded in their usual concert style... moved by the magic!!! Trini has so enthralled the world with this famous tune, that he has been globally proclaimed as "Mr. La Bamba."

The future for Trini will be active as usual, with touring around the world, a new album in the making, and hopefully, a movie, but now he is more selective and chooses his projects carefully. Since his move to Palm Springs, where he now resides year-round, the "laid-back" atmosphere has sort of rubbed-off on him, and it's not necessary for Trini to do every project he's offered. So, you'll find him on the tennis courts or golf course almost any day, as it has become a new passion with him, and he has the trophies to prove it.

One of Trini's latest efforts is a CD titled "Trini Lopez Dance Party,” on the BMG label out of Hamburg, Germany, and was release in Europe and South America in the summer of 1998. In February through March, he went to Europe on a promotional tour to promote his latest CD on the BMG label titled, "Trini Lopez Dance Party!!!"

. Trini also appeared at many resorts including several shows at the Maritim Hotel in Timmerdorfer Strand, outside Hamburg, Germany.

On July 30, 2000, Trini had a very successful engagement at the Mohegan Sun Indian Casino in Connecticut.

On February 16-25, 2001, Trini did 16 very successful theatre concerts all over Florida. He received standing ovations at every show and sometime 2 and 3 ovations.

In July, 2001, Trini was honored by the group "Nosotros" in Beverly Hills, California. He was presented with the prestigious LIVING LEGEND AWARD.

April 12, 2002, was a very exciting day for Trini. He was inducted into the Las Vegas Casino Legends Hall of Fame at the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Trini performed his version of "America" as a tribute to 9-11 and then continued with "If I Had A Hammer." He closed the show with "La Bamba." He received 3 standing ovations and everyone there was very impressed with his voice, his charisma, and his wonderful ability to include the audience in every song. It was a super day and a real treat for all in attendance.

Whatever Trini plans for his future, the fruit of his endeavor will be the same ... fresh, tasty, and timelessly appealing to millions! It has been said that this dynamo "broke the Latin sound-barrier"... and that he did, but you never know what's next for "Mr. La Bamba" I Perhaps, some of this magical life will be revealed in an expected "life story"... or maybe the mystery will just go on forever! But Trini ... he is forever!!!

Choice tickets for ALL major events!

Herman's Hermits

Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits attacked Vegas from two sides. Sounds crazy, but follow me here. Rock legend Peter Noone, aka "Herman" and his Hermits have played Las Vegas at least once a year for the past few years, with knock-out shows in the Silverton and the Cannery. Last year, they were also appearing on the outdoor stage in Boulder City, in a free concert with another pop icon, Micky Dolenz of the Monkees. A fun show, indeed.

Now, in another attack, this time, through Primm, the Hermits hit Whiskey Pete's stage for a wild night of rock and roll and laughs in the very intmate showroom at the edge of the land of casinos.

Below: Herman's Hermit's drummer Dave Ferrara gave me an autographed stick (it sits in my collection next to Carmine Appice, and Ringo)

You'd think the Hermans Hermits fans would be kept away by that long drive down the highway to Primm, but not so. Peter Noone loyalists began arriving in Primm around noon, and by 5 pm, there were so many lined up at the doors to the showroom,they decided to just open the doors early and allow the party to begin.

And it is a party. I know this because, I must admit, that since 1964, I've been a fan of Peter Noone, which means I've seen him on television way back when on "Shindig" and "Ed Sullivan", I have all of his albums, and seen him perform live number of times over the years (okay, over the decades), and together with my equally insane wife, Jan, we have attended many concerts and met Peter so many times that he often points me out in the audience and makes some funny remark (at this Primm show, for instance, he walked up to my seat, pointed to me and said, "ladies and gents, say hello to Tony Orlando, right here in the front row") And then I stand and wave to the crowd. It's a party atmosphere, Peter is a riot, his banter between the songs, and his stories, are fun and full of surprises. And the music is flawlessly delivered by his super-tight band, and infectious sirit stays with you long after the concert has ended..

Herman's Hermits fans will enjoy another special appearance by Peter Noone and the boys this weekend, when they return to the Cannery, on Saturday night, June 30th. Also on the bill; The Turtles, featuring Flo and Eddy, another bunch of nuts who deliver the goods, both musically and in terms of a funny, entertaining set. Perfect combo.

I sat down with Peter after his concert at Whiskey Pete's and my chat can be read here..

Herman's Hermits return to Primm- a photo tribute

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