Live From the Greenroom: February 22nd
Tommy James was our guest in the greenroom today. The man responsible for ‘Hanky Panky’, ‘Crimson and Clover’, ‘Mony Mony’, ‘Crystal Blue Persuasion’, ‘Draggin’ the Line’…songs from the soundtrack of my life. As I shook his hand, I said, (perhaps somewhat too overenthusiastically), ‘I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW!!!’ I was referring to one of his greatest hits, but I fear it came off like the scenario for one of those Chris Hansen specials. Tommy looks pretty good for a guy who has been in the music business for over forty years. Better than me, and I’ve only been LISTENING to music for 40 years. He’s a funny and engaging guy with AMAZING stories, not the least of which was his account of his appearances on the Ed Sullivan show, and how Ed liked to have a cocktail or two during the live program. Which, apparently, was the reason why, when he promoted Tommy’s appearance said ‘Alright, next week…for you kids…Tony Jones and the Spondells.’ The book is great, although to suggest that organized crime was ever a part of the music business is just science fiction. I highly recommend it, if only for the photograph of Tommy with Vice President Hubert Humphrey, as surreal a sight as any Salvador Dali painting.