SUNNY DAYS: THE SKIP PROKOP STORY (PART 7 by Jaimie Vernon

Skip Prokop and his band The Paupers were on their way to the ‘big game’ when they had two back-to-back blows. Their appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival in the summer of 1967 was an unmitigated disaster and the band’s long-time Canadian manager, Bernie Finkelstein, left the group in the hands of U.S. Uber-manager Albert Grossman. Grossman wasn’t going to let these setbacks slow the band down. In fact, he had the guys become surrogate backing musicians for several artists in his illustrious music stable. This would prove to be the undoing of The Paupers as Skip found himself attracted to working with big name acts:

YRAG GIP DLOG – NAM DAED, NO EM NRUT

In the summer of 2005, a package arrived at the Hollywood offices of Highway 61 Entertainment from London with no return address. Inside were two mini-cassette tapes dated December 30, 1999 and labeled The Last Testament of George Harrison.

Bob whines about The Misuse of Paul McCartney by He Who Shall Remain Nameless and Other Stuff at the 2015 Grammys

I’m pumped for Monday’s column on The 2019 Grammys. So pumped, that I thought I would post this excerpt from my column on the 2015 Dog and Pony Show just to prove I’m not a Johnny-Come-Lately Hater of stupid decisions and pairings that are far worse than Beluga Caviar and Root Beer or Lobster Tails and Gummy Bears.

On Monday, You will also see that (as much as I would have Loved to), I didn’t quite catch the Train of Forgiveness (sometimes known as the “Well, it was better than the last one so I enjoyed it” cult) and still have plenty of bones to pick. If you’re not familiar with my style of glib sarcasm and arrogant posing, this will set you straight. And this year we will be starting with the “Red Carpet” arrivals of dresses being worn by “Celebrities”, or “Celebrities” dates. Please join me (Why? …am I coming apart?)

The column the following excerpt is from, can be found in its entirety HERE. 

THE PIG GOES OVER THE MOON

 

Good morning, campers!

It’s your old pal Keith Moon here. You know, “Moonie,” “Moon the Loon” …or, as I very much prefer, The Greatest Rock and Roll Drummer that Ever Was, that is. Or was. I think… But I digress.

Anyroad, we meet today so that I may bring your undivided attention to this marvelous DVD entitled – just a moment here, as I do want to make sure I get this completely correct – ahh, yes. Keith Moon, Final 24: His Final Hours.

JAIMIE VERNON – CODGER WARS

It was touch and go in the early part of 2016 for Classic Rock. Half the people that have ever made music in my lifetime died in the first 6 months. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but it looked like it was going to be up to The Rolling Stones to save the planet. Well, since the release of The Beatles documentary “Eight Days A Week” the geezers are rallying.

JAIMIE VERNON – Hey, Now, You’re A Rock Star

Had an interesting conversation with a dear friend of mine this week who has had his fair share of fame and fortune and everything that goes with it. He continues to write and record in the seclusion of his home studio and is effectively retired from both live performing and trying to nail groupies.

JAIMIE VERNON – THE BEATLE GOES ON

We live in a very unique time. Pop culture is such a big part of our everyday existence that we are able to watch a rare breed of genius rise and zenith in real time. It’s hard to imagine being there when Bach or Beethoven performed their most celebrated Sonatas and Symphonies for the first. It is so long ago that their stories and their music seem like stuff of myth – we don’t even have recordings just modern interpretations from the sheet music they left behind.

JAIMIE VERNON – ALL THINGS MUST PASS

I was hoping to go a full week without reporting another celebrity death. But we’ve had half-a-dozen since the passing of The Eagles’ Glenn Frey including actor Abe Vigoda (‘Barney Miller’, ‘The Godfather’) whose website has finally been changed to no longer read the whimsical “still alive” message.

JAIMIE VERNON – THAT PEACEFUL EASY FEELING

Another week, another childhood music idol walks among the immortal choir. No sooner had we hosed off the glitter and put away our vinyl copies of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” we learned that Eagles founder Glenn Frey had passed from complications related to his dependence on medication to control severe rheumatoid arthritis and acute colitis.

JAIMIE VERNON – THE COMEBACK SPECIAL

Happy 2016, ev-ree-baw-daaaaay.
Woo! Howz everybody feel?
We’re all here to partaaaaaay!!