I wish I could find my DVD...I took it a lot of places to show people. But after watching it over the years, Lesley Gore's appearance still stands out in my mind. And it's my theory that having to follow James Brown terrified the Rolling Stones, but forced them to focus on how to pull it off. And they did. Not better, just battle-ready?
Thanks for this. I'm a longtime fan of Ms. Gore and always thought she never got her due as a fine and versatile vocalist, and have wondered what would have become of her in an alternate universe where, instead of having a number-one hit at 17 and becoming typecast as a purveyor of teenage angst, stayed under the radar until she turned 30 (in 1976) and indulged some of her sympathies towards the punk/new wave/alternative movements. Although she leaned more towards the Carole King axis in the late '70s and early '80s when she flexed her songwriting muscles, that wasn't the whole of her interests. She was, after all, younger than folks like Lou Reed and Debbie Harry, and just two or three years older than Kate Pierson and Tommy Ramone. She even wrote a song for the Ramones at one point although sadly, that never made it onto the finished album.
Fascinating notions, Wes. I've wondered why she didn't have greater success later. Her tastes were pretty refined, so the Ramones idea is really funny to think about. I don't know if she had the drive it takes to really become a big star later, and the singular focus. She remained kind of suburban, at least in her telling the sly joke about her life: "Otherwise, I would have married the first dentist I could get along with."
That TAMI appearance was the top.
I wish I could find my DVD...I took it a lot of places to show people. But after watching it over the years, Lesley Gore's appearance still stands out in my mind. And it's my theory that having to follow James Brown terrified the Rolling Stones, but forced them to focus on how to pull it off. And they did. Not better, just battle-ready?
I photographed her at a Born for Broadway performance in 2011 that my son also was in. Very nice person, but seemed a little shy.
Thanks for this. I'm a longtime fan of Ms. Gore and always thought she never got her due as a fine and versatile vocalist, and have wondered what would have become of her in an alternate universe where, instead of having a number-one hit at 17 and becoming typecast as a purveyor of teenage angst, stayed under the radar until she turned 30 (in 1976) and indulged some of her sympathies towards the punk/new wave/alternative movements. Although she leaned more towards the Carole King axis in the late '70s and early '80s when she flexed her songwriting muscles, that wasn't the whole of her interests. She was, after all, younger than folks like Lou Reed and Debbie Harry, and just two or three years older than Kate Pierson and Tommy Ramone. She even wrote a song for the Ramones at one point although sadly, that never made it onto the finished album.
Fascinating notions, Wes. I've wondered why she didn't have greater success later. Her tastes were pretty refined, so the Ramones idea is really funny to think about. I don't know if she had the drive it takes to really become a big star later, and the singular focus. She remained kind of suburban, at least in her telling the sly joke about her life: "Otherwise, I would have married the first dentist I could get along with."
Thanks, again, Wayne. That was outstanding.
Thanks a lot, Andrew!
You`re welcome, Wayne!