Not Fade Away
Episode 8: “Altamont”
Hey there! Hi There! Ho there!
The Not Fade Away podcast is back and I am so excited to talk about today’s subject--the Altamont concert that took place on December 6, 1969. It was supposed to be a showcase by the Rolling Stones to demonstrate their ability to draw an even bigger crowd than the Woodstock festival which took place in August of that year.
That concert was billed as “three days of peace & music” and managed to rise above their circumstances of overcrowding, rain and brown acid to become a legendary event that 50 years later serves as an example of how hippies can work peacefully with “the man” to create beauty out chaos.
Instead, Altamont is rightly or wrongly known as one of the key events that ended 60s idealism.
At the end of the day, 300,000 showed up at a tiny speedway far outside the city of San Francisco to find a barely visible stage, pissed-off Hell Angels members as authority figures, horrible drugs snuck into drinks that left people incapacitated, very few bathrooms, little emergency care, and four people dead.
Among the deceased was an 18-year Meredith Hunter--an African American teen who was proud to bring his pretty, white teenage girlfriend Patti Bredehoft to the show but thought it would be wise to carry a Smith & Weston pistol for protection.
Hunter was beaten and stabbed to death by a group of Hell’s Angels who claimed he was aiming to shoot at the stage. All of this was shockingly caught on film as filmmakers Albert & David Maysles were shooting a documentary about the shooting a documentary about the Rolling Stones which would be released in 1970 under the title Gimme Shelter.
The concert, which was to feature The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Crosby, Stills Nash & Young, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Rolling Stones as headliners were meant to rival the east coast Woodstock celebration.
It was also a public relations stunt by the Rolling Stones to offer a free concert when their current tour was billing high ticket prices for the time. It would also serve to have the Grateful Dead play to a home crowd and make up for their rather pathetic showing at Woodstock. (The band themselves admit their portion of the three-day celebration was pretty stinky.)
This is the story of how that concert came to be, what went wrong, the lives that were lost and what lessons we can learn from the mess of a show that was a mixture of rock star hubris, greed and youthful ignorance.
In the first part, I am going to give you an overlay on what happened that day and include an eyewitness account by my friend Andrea who attended (and was eight months pregnant by the way.)
The second part will include interviews with two authors who are experts on Altamont:
- Saul Austerlitz a Brooklyn-based author wrote “Just a Shot Away: Peace, Love and Tragedy With the Rolling Stones at Altamont” with a keen focus on Meredith Hunter and his tragically short life that was marked by chaos, family mental health issues and racism.
- Joel Selvin, longtime rock journalist from the San Francisco area who wrote “Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels and the Inside Story of Rock’s Darkest Day.”
Clips used in this episode:
- Mick Jagger announces a free concert in San Francisco (from the film Gimme Shelter)
- Attorney Melvin Belli negotiates to get Altamont Speedway (from the film Gimme Shelter)
- The Grateful Dead (Jerry Garcia & Phil Lesh) hear about the chaos at Altamont (from the film Gimme Shelter)
- Jerry Garcia describing why Altamont had violence versus Woodstock (DVD extra from the Grateful Dead documentary Long Strange Trip)
- Mick Jagger tries to calm the audience down (from the film Gimmie Shelter)
Also, subscribe to the show so you won’t miss my next episode!
If you like what you hear--please subscribe and leave a review. Also--send me a note via social media (@NotFadeAway) if you want to reach out.
Thanks for checking out this podcast! If you have any suggestions for future eps--please reach out!
In the meantime--follow me on social media!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com
Not Fade Away
Episode 7: Author and Music Industry Veteran Dorothy Carvello
Anything For a Hit: An A&R Woman’s Story of Surviving the Music Industry
Hey there! Hi There! Ho there!
The Not Fade Away podcast is back and I am thrilled to interview Dorothy Carevllo, author of “Anything For a Hit: An A&R Woman’s Story of Surviving the Music Industry” for this episode. Dorothy is a 30+ year veteran of the music industry starting out as the assistant of Ahmet Ertegun who was the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records and wowzers--has she got some tea to spill!
I first read about Dorothy in this interview from The New York Times discussing the possibility of the music industry one day having a #MeToo movement naming sexual harassers and batterers. While that has not seemed to be happening right now, Dorothy’s book might very well plant the seeds for it to occur sooner than later. (One would hope!)
In this ep (and graciously answered all of my questions with honesty and integrity) we discuss:
- How the Brooklyn native with no contacts in the industry found her first job with Ahmet Ertegun (and the various abuses he put upon her)
- What it is was like to be a woman in the free-wheeling 80s and 90s music industry where men behaved badly with no consequences (and how it affected her career)
- Her favorite band successes and the ones that got away
- The income disparity that still exists in the business world and how it affected her financial stability
- Why she chose to name names of the various men she worked with who were either supportive or abusive
- Her friendship with music industry veteran Charlie Minor and what happened to the woman who murdered him in March 1995 (Clip of E True Hollywood Story: Charlie Minor)
- Her love affair with Michael Hutchence (she told me later he was “great in the sack!”)
- What she feels went wrong with the Martin Scorsese/Mick Jagger-produced rock drama Vinyl
- The best advice she can give anyone who wants to begin a career in music
- What she is up to today.
Be sure to follow Dorothy at her website https://anythingforahitbook.com/ and on Twitter @DorothyCarvello!
Also, be sure subscribe to the show so you won’t miss my next episode!
Thanks for checking out this podcast! If you have any suggestions for future eps--please reach out!
In the meantime--follow me on social media!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com
Not Fade Away
Episode 6: Jerry Garcia
Hey there! Hi There! Ho there!
The Not Fade Away podcast is back and have we got a hell of a subject today--Jerry Garcia.
The eternal hippie/hipster believed in seeking truth and enlightenment above all else.
When Jerry passed on August 9, 1995, just a week after his 53rd birthday, he left behind a 30+ year legacy of music, poetry, art, groovy ties and ice cream that are still talked about to this day.
This show is very bittersweet for me as my younger brother John was a HUGE Dead Head for over 25 years and we lost him last year to a serious illness.
When I hear Jerry’s music now I have a wave of emotions come over me and I was not sure if I could dig into the life of such an interesting and complicated person. But ultimately, I wanted to give him a proper farewell that would have made my brother proud.
I just hope it makes you smile and brightens your day. In this episode, I am breaking up into two parts.
Part 1. I talk about the life and death of Jerry Garcia
Part 2. I spoke with the band’s publicist and historian Dennis McNally to talk about his years with the group and he patiently answers my plethora of questions about Jerry and band.
Clips used in this episode:
Jerry Garcia in Copenhagen (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU30HpQlV94
CBS News Harry Reasoner talking about “hippies”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H26uOh1xYGI
What’s Happening (1978) The Doobie Brothers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQbbuuWuQZ0
ABC TV “20 Years Rolling Stone Magazine Celebration” 1987
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzxKGS1avgA
Late Show with David Letterman 1982
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ss-i2VgcPw
Grateful Dead at Brendan Byrne Arena June 17, 1991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlEb2CPPs-E&t=78s
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/grateful-dead#1994-induction-acceptance-speech
Jerry Garcia died CBS News (1995)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WRo3j5XS-A
Be sure to check out Dennis McNally’s book A Long Strange Trip: The History of the Grateful Dead and audiobook Jerry on Jerry.
Also, subscribe to the show so you won’t miss my next episode!
If you like what you hear--please subscribe and leave a review. Also--send me a note via social media (@NotFadeAway) if you want to reach out.
Thanks for checking out this podcast! If you have any suggestions for future eps--please reach out!
In the meantime--follow me on social media!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com
Not Fade Away Podcast
Episode 5: Done Disappeared with John David Booter
Welcome back to the Not Fade Away podcast!
I am so sorry to behind in my podcast posting but I promise to have full episodes soon talking about Jerry Garcia, Kurt Cobain and the Altamont Festival.
In this special episode to close out the year for us I am talking to none other than THE John David Booter of the Done Disappeared podcast. John David Booter is on a mission to find Clara Pockets from Davistown, Pennsylvania in October 1987.
Clara was last seen at the Piggly Wiggly carrying home a rather small birthday cake and no one seems to know what happened to her. She simply done disappeared.
John David Booter wants to find Clara and is using his podcast to get the word out about her done disappearance. I invited him on my show to talk about the music that was most popular in 1987 with our hope being that someone out there thinks they might have a notion of something about her whereabouts.
Here are the songs we discuss:
The Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian”
Heart “Alone”
Gregory Abbott “Shake You Down”
Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)”
Starship “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”
Robbie Nevil “C’est La Vie”
Whitesnake “Here I Go Again”
Bruce Hornsby “The Way It Is”
Bob Seger “Shakedown”
Bon Jovi “Livin’ On a Prayer”
To help John David Booter on this mission, follow him on Twitter @DoneDisappeared and follow the hashtags #ClaraPockets #WhereisClaraPockets #FindClara
If you like what you hear--please subscribe and leave a review. Also--send me a note via social media (@NotFadeAway) if you want to reach out.
Thanks for checking out this podcast! If you have any suggestions for future eps--please reach out!
In the meantime--follow me on social media!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com
Not Fade Away Podcast
Follow up to Episode 4: The Who in Cincinnati
Welcome back to the Not Fade Away podcast! Today's’ episode we talk about the tragedy at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati that took place on December 3, 1979. On that night 11 people were killed trying to enter the doors for a concert by The Who.
At the time it was the worst concert tragedy in American history. “Festival Seating” was demonized and the term “stampede” was irresponsibly used to describe it and other incidents over the years. So what actually happened that night? Take a listen to this show!
In this episode, I am helped by someone who was key to the disseminating information the night of Monday, December 3, 1979, in Cincinnati, Paul Wertheimer, founder and principal of Crowd Management Strategies. The information he gives us will be invaluable to truly understand what happened and why the same mistakes keep popping up around the world.
The full list of those killed that day are as follows:
Karen Morrison 15 Finneytown OH
Stephan Preston 19 Finneytown OH
Philip Snyder 20 Franklin OHWalter Adams Jr. 22 Trotwood OH
Peter Bowes 18 Wyoming OH
Connie Sue Burns 21 Miamisburg OH
Jacqueline Eckerle 15 Finneytown OH
David Heck 19 Highland Heights KY (Who had escaped the melee only to go back to save people and get crushed in the crowd.)
Teva Rae Ladd 27 Newtown OH (She left behind a husband and two children)
Bryan Wagner 17 Fort Thomas KY
James Warmoth 21 Franklin OH
I want to take this moment give a special shout out to some of my best resources:
Paul Wertheimer
Wikepedia (Please support them by the way.)
Rock and Roll Tragedy From Rolling Stone magazine published January 4, 1980
Are The Kids Alright? By John Grant Fuller
People who provided voices:
Dana Buckler from the How is this Movie podcast as Major Dale Menkhuas
David the Producer from The Unwriteable Rant Podcast as Mark Helmkamp
Nick from the Dependent Independent Podcast as Phil Sheriden
Austin Beach from the Wynabego Warrior The Tale Of John Waynnabe podcast as Richard Klopp
Jennifer Menges from widely travelled.com. as Diana Cubert
Stuart Menges from WidleyTraveled.com as Pete Townshend
Neil Cetrangolo of the Dark Angels & Pretty Freaks Podcast and the Halos & Heathens Vlog as Michael Kanzer
Erin Whitehehead of the Braless Podcast as our unnamed concertgoer
Sean Cocca from the Childhood Remastered Podcast as Dan Smith
Please be sure to subscribe to the show so you won’t miss my next episode!
If you like what you hear--please subscribe and leave a review. Also--send me a note via social media (@NotFadeAway) if you want to reach out.
Thanks for checking out this podcast! If you have any suggestions for future eps--please reach out!
In the meantime--follow me on social media!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com
Not Fade Away Podcast
Follow up to Episode 3: John Belushi
Interview with Kate Ruby Klenfner
Welcome back to Not Fade Away podcast! Today’s episode is a bonus/follow up for the popular John Belushi show I produced last time. I am including my full interview with Kate Ruby Klenfner whose father was very close to the Blues Brothers (having signed them to Atlantic Records.)
John and Dan Aykroyd were Kate’s godfathers and she remains close to John’s widow Judy Belushi.
In this ep we discuss:
- Kate’s early life as the official Saturday Night Live “baby!”
- How famous John truly was towards the end of his life
- John’s contribution to music and popular culture
- Set gossip from The Blues Brothers movie.
- Chris Farley at Woodstock 94
If you like what you hear--please subscribe and leave a review. Also--send me a note via social media (@NotFadeAway) if you want to reach out.
Thanks for checking out this podcast! If you have any suggestions for future eps--please reach out!
In the meantime--follow me on social media!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com
Not Fade Away Podcast
Ep 3:: John Belushi
Welcome to the episode three of the Not Fade Away podcast! Here we are getting to know the one and only John Belushi who was the godfather of my friend Kate Klenfner. (Really!) Kate offers some great insight and behind-the-scenes gossip about John and The Blues Brothers.
I am also helped in this show by some amazing talent including David the Producer and Juliette Miranda from the Unwriteable Rant podcast, Dana Buckler from How Is This Movie? Podcast, Deana Marie of the Twisted Philly podcast, Sean Cocca from the Childhood Remastered podcast, Nick from the Dependent Independent podcast, Chloe Levreault and Teresa Gunderson.
In this ep we discuss:
- John’s first band and early taste for the limelight
- His romance with Judy
- His chaotic career with Saturday Night Live
- The movies he loved and loathed to participate in
- How quickly he descended into drug use
- The origins of The Blues Brothers
- The last few days of his life
If you like what you hear--please subscribe and leave a review. Also--send me a note via social media (@NotFadeAway) if you want to reach out.
Thanks for checking out this podcast! If you have any suggestions for future eps--please reach out!
In the meantime--follow me on social media!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com
Not Fade Away Podcast
Ep 2: Aaliyah
Welcome to the second episode of the Not Fade Away podcast! This time we are getting to know R&B goddess Aaliyah who sadly passed away in 2001 and the age of 22. I am lucky enough to be friends with someone who worked for Aaliyah for several years--Michelle Cramer.
I invited Michelle over to talk about her time with the Hip Hop queen and am so thankful for her input. In this show we really get to know the sweet person who was so beloved by her family, peers and most of all her devoted fans.
In this ep we discuss:
- Aaliyah’s musical upbringing (she was related to Gladys Knight!)
- Her insistence on being a good role model to her fans.
- The rather unfortunate rumors/truth about her relationship to R. Kelly.
- Her rise to the top of the Billboard charts
- The acting career that could have been.
- Her professionalism and attitude about how she treated folks who worked with her.
- The boys who had a crush on her.
- The sad details about her death.
I do not own the music rights to her work so I use some news clips as well as Michelle’s interview to tell this story. If you like what you hear--please subscribe and leave a review. Also--send me a note via social media (@NotFadeAway) if you want to reach out.
Thanks for checking out this podcast! If you have any suggestions for future eps--please reach out!
In the meantime--follow me on social media!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com
Not Fade Away Podcast
Episode 1: Jim Morrison
Hello and welcome to episode one of the Not Fade Away Podcast!
I am your host Margo D. and you might me know from the other shows I co-host and produce including Book Vs. Movie, the Fit Bottomed Girls Podcast and the Best Neighbors Podcast. (Or maybe not!)
Maybe you just happened upon the show doing a random search about today’s subject? Either way—glad you are joining me today!
For this episode we talk about all things pertaining to the one and only Jim Morrison. Some gems include:
- Clips of Jim's Father Steve and Sister Anne from the excellent documentary When You're Strange
- My friend Andrea's memories of her first Doors concert in 1967
- The quick rise and fall of one of the most popular bands of the 1960s
- The tops theories on how Jim "really" died and his after this life plans from Justin at American CrimeCast Podcast
Thanks for checking us out today!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com
The Not Fade Away Podcast
Teaser ep!
Welcome to the teaser episode of the Not Fade Away podcast! My name is Margo D. and I will be your host and let’s just say I am really excited to start this show!
For this episode I give a glimpse into what the show will be about plus interviews with people who have real stories about Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, John Belushi and Aaliyah.
Full episodes to launch soon!
In the meantime--follow me on social media!
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notfadeawaypodcast/
Twitter @NotFadeAwayPod https://twitter.com/NotFadeAwayPod
Email us at notfadeawaypodcast@gmail.com
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com