Ed Bowen has one of the best radio shows around, 95.9 FM WATD’s “Yesterday’s Memories” show hosted by Ed and Bill at 6 PM – to midnight every Saturday night in Marshfield.
It was very special on St. Patty’s Day, March 17, 2012, when Moulty of the Barbarians and Ken Evans of the met for the very first time. Evans is the drummer on the classic 1967 remake from the 1939 Wizard of Oz film, “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead” (Jubilee Records, #5573). Their rendition was #11 in June of 67, topping the #16 showing of The Demensions in 1960 when they covered “Over the Rainbow” on Mohawk Records #116. The Fifth Estate reportedly have the highest charting single ever of a song from The Wizard of Oz.
Both groups traveled in the same circles in the sixties…the Fifth Estate performing on gigs with Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground (including an appearance on a TV show, Upbeat, together) as well as the final appearance by the original lineup of the Lovin’ Spoonful.
The Barbarians, of course, were on the iconic TAMI show with James Brown, The Rolling Stones, the Supremes, the Beach Boys…in the days before a soundtrack to an important film would be co-released alongside the film. Imagine how history might be different had the TAMI film been put to vinyl as Woodstock, Monterey Pop and Isle of Wight festivals were.
Bowen played Moulty’s “Rock n’ Roll Man” as well as his signature tune, “Moulty”, which featured Bob Dylan’s band on instrumentation and backing vocals from a veteran R & B group. Can you name the group? Write to TMRZoo and tell us who sings on the classic song “Moulty”. Here’s a small hint, the presence producer Doug Morris crafted was based on Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound. The R & B singers gave the record a feel which could have inspired Spector’s hit with The Checkmates, “Black Pearl”. Isn’t it interesting that some of the members of the Barbarians would go on to join a band called Black Pearl? According to Wikipedia, in 1967, Bruce Benson, Geoffrey Morris and Jerry Causi left The Barbarians to form Black Pearl.
D.J. Bowen at WATD played many selections from the Fifth Estate’s new Time Tunnel CD, the first release without co-founder/keyboard player, the late Wayne Wadhams. It’s an amazing disc with production by Shel Talmy of The Who, The Kinks, David Bowie fame.
On April 1, 2012 DJ Ed Bowen, Moulty, Ken Evans of The Fifth Estate and New England drummer Hirsh Gardner are all expected at the Original New England Record and Compact Disc Expo at the Deham Holiday Inn, Dedham, Massachusetts. Here’s your chance to meet three legendary drummers all in one room with dozens and dozens of record/vinyl/cd/dvd dealers around.
Joe Viglione is the Chief Film Critic at TMRZoo.com. He was a film critic for Al Aronowitz’s The Blacklisted Journal, has written thousands of reviews and biographies for AllMovie.com, Allmusic.com and produces and hosts Visual Radio. Visual Radio is a fifteen year old variety show on cable TV which has interviewed John Lennon’s Uncle Charlie, Margaret Cho, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Felix Cavaliere, Marty Balin, Bill Press and hundreds of other personalities.
