17-11-70

My brother from another mother during my days in Rock Radio was one Jim Murphy. We, along with a crew of intrepid radio innovators, helped propel an FM Rocker, 60 miles outside Downtown Chicago, into the Top 20 in that city's Arbitron ratings in the mid '80s...no small feat. We did it with irreverent style and an eclectic playlist that refused to play only hits. And yeah, a 50,000 watt blow-torch of a signal.

Jim reached out the other day with a photo from within his fridge. It was of a gallon of milk, stamped with the expiration date of 11-17-20. He asked if it rang a bell...and, it didn't until he said, "50 years ago?" And, it all came flooding back.

17-11-70 (in the British style of numeric dating) was the title of the live album from a then-emerging Elton John. His first album didn't elicit much attention in the States. His second, contained the hit "Your Song" and was released in April of 1970. In November of that year, he was touring in America and was offered the opportunity to play live on New York's WABC-FM (live concerts on the radio were a big deal before TV concert shows and, of course, the internet).

The live bootleg of that radio concert on WABC-FM is an amazing glimpse into what was to come. If you want some background to stave off today's Friday the 13th Blues, these 85 minutes are pretty cool. You'll get the crackle and pop from an old vinyl...but it's an audio snapshot from 50 years ago. Before his first single in America exploded.

During the concert, he talks about the release of the single from his last album, shares a song from his new album that had just been released two weeks prior as well as a song from a soundtrack to a film that was coming out in 1971. Fascinating how the music industry operated 50 years ago...and how Elton was playing everything. This live album was released on March 12, 1971. The soundtrack to "Friends" 12 days later. And then..."Madman Across the Water" seven and a half months later. It was an incredible burst of creativity.

Because there's no video from that WABC concert, we salute that moment on this Music Friday with this gem that was featured on "17-11-70" a few months earlier from a BBC-TV concert. This is "Burn Down the Mission."

And, Jim? We so gotta reconnect soon. And, thanks for the smile from your fridge.

Comments

[Lee T]

Beautiful! Was the perfect soundtrack this afternoon. Thank Jim for me:)

[Michael Stershic]

One of my all time favorites!