MICKY & GEORGIA DOLENZ VISIT L.A. TRADE & TECH
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THE GLORIOUS CORNER
Story By: G. H. HARDING
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| Don Rickles |
BACK TO THE EGG --- Micky Dolenz, with daughter Georgia, visited at LATTC (Los Angeles Trade and Tech College) last week in L. A., at their 90th anniversary event.
LATTC was the school where he studied architecture at right before his audition with The Monkees. Said Dolenz, “My parents wanted me to have something to fall back on … just in case that other career didn't work out.”
Also attending the event were: LA County supervisor and former US Labor Secretary Hilda Solis; president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Gary Toebben; and, Secretary-treasurer of the LA County Federation of Labor Rusty Hicks.
Dolenz and Georgia attend the Dwell on Design event (dwellondesign.com) in L. A. next week.
JOHNSON PASSES --- Louis Johnson, founding member of funk band the Brothers Johnson and an in-demand bassist who appeared on Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," died on Thursday, May 21. He was 60. Johnson's nephew Troy confirmed his death, though a cause of death has yet to be revealed.
"I've never been given parts to play in my whole life. I'm the most rare bass player in the whole world," Johnson told writer Steve Knopper in 2013 for the upcoming book MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson. "No one ever gave me music paper to read; no one ever gave me anything to read. They tell me, 'Here's a track, play what you want.'"
The Los Angeles-based Brothers Johnson, a group featuring Louis and his brother George, got their start backing up Quincy Jones before releasing their acclaimed, Jones-produced debut LP Look Out for #1 in 1976.
Over the next five years, the Brothers Johnson racked up three Number One hits on the R&B charts: 1976's "I'll Be Good to You," their 1977 cover of Shuggie Otis' "Strawberry Letter 23," and 1980's smash "Stomp!" (Their rendition of "Strawberry Letter 23" was later featured prominently in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown.)
The Brothers Johnson's 1980 album Light Up the Night, featuring "This Had to Be" co-written by Michael Jackson and featuring the King of Pop on background vocals, ascended to the top of the R&B album charts.
RIP ANNE MEARA --- Anne Meara passed yesterday at age 85. She’d been living in the Hebrew Home for the Aged in Riverdale for some time, after a serious stroke a couple of years ago. She was the other half of the celebrated comedy team Stiller and Meara with husband Jerry; they were an absolutely brilliant and legendary duo.
I well remember their countless appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show … alongside the likes of the now departed Alan King and Joan Rivers.
It made me think of seeing Don Rickles on one of the last Letterman shows two weeks back; frail and not in the best of health, he still killed … and, with Howard Stern no less.
No doubt about it, these comedians represent the era of an era.
Meara was also a gifted playwright and director, as well as writer of Stiller and Meara’s many beloved commercials. She leaves her son Ben, the actor, and daughter Amy, who'd been taking care of her on a daily basis according to sources.
CLOSING NOTES --- Art Garfunkel told the U. K. Telegraph about Paul Simon: "I created a monster." Boy, would love to hear that next conversation between the two ...
PR-pasha David Salidor at Traif in South Williamsburg ...
George Clooney’s Tomorrowland came in first among among new releases overseas with an estimated $26.7M from 65 territories representing roughly 56% of the international marketplace.
Especially impressive as the movie came in with mostly negative reviews, save for this one: David Edelstein’s review from New York Magazine: “Brad Bird’s Disney-produced sci-fi adventure Tomorrowland is the most enchanting reactionary cultural diatribe ever made. It’s so smart, so winsome, so utterly rejuvenating that you’ll have to wait until your eyes have dried and your buzz has worn off before you can begin to argue with it.” Go figure.
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