Phil Nee

This week I will be reaching into the archive of cassette and reel to reel tapes and playing back segments of some of my favorite celebrity phone guests from thirty years of Those Were The Days.  My first interview guest was way back in 1987 when Nigel Olsson (Elton John's drummer) joined me by telephone.  Bobby Vinton and Tommy James were also big name guests during those early days. Dick Clark, Nancy Sinatra, Steve Allen, Hal Lindon, Tony Orlando, and a cast of hundreds have graced our airwaves since 1986. This week I will flash back to a few of my favorites.  I will also choose my favorite of all time!  In addition to the special guests, I will feature a few of my faves from the Fall of 1979.  It was a great time for music as number fifty, Phil Nee, was a mighty center and nose guard for the Ithaca Bulldogs.  You will hear some awesome music and fun if you choose to turn on FM 100.9 on Saturday night.  I will not be in the studio to take your requests this time.  Join me for an open line again on Saturday night September 24th.

Phil

The music of the Monkees still plays on the radio, television, and movies after all of these years.  On September 12th it will be exactly fifty years since the first episode of the Monkees played on network television!  Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9 Saturday night will highlight some of the  pre-fab fours best music.  They had many great writers working for Don Kirshner and the group.  That translated into great radio hits and album cuts.  When Those Were The Days debuted on WRCO in the Fall of 1986, the Monkees were a hot act again because of MTV playing the show on a regular basis.  It put them back on the charts with the song 'That Was Than, This Is Now'. We would get many Monkees requests each Saturday night back than from younger listeners.  I will spin some of my favorite Monkees cuts this weekend and you can check in with your requests for any group or artist that you would like to hear from the fifties through the eighties.  Thanks for listening all of these years!

Phil

During your time celebrating the last long weekend of Summer, I hope you will tune in for some of the best pop radio songs of all time.  On WRCO FM 100.9 Saturday night, I will be in the studio to take your requests.  We will celebrate the working person with specially selected songs on Those Were The Days such as:  Working For The Weekend-Loverboy,  Chain Gang-Sam Cooke, Blue Collar Man-Styx, Taking Care Of Business-B.T.O., Working Man-Rush, Working For A Living-Huey Lewis, Big Boss Man-Elvis, Working In A Coal Mine-Lee Dorsey,  Lovely Rita-The Beatles, Nine To Five-Dolly Parton.  If you can think of more working songs or songs about the working folks, please give a call or drop me a line this week This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Phil Nee

It will be great to be back in the studio with the chance to spin the best of the fifties through the eighties on Saturday nights Those Were The Days radio show.  I hope you enjoyed the Elvis tribute and the other special features last weekend.   This week I will be taking your requests and first time guest Billy J. Kramer will give his memories of the first wave of the British Invasion.  Thanks to our forgottenhits.com friend Kent Kotal for helping to line this up.  Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas had a handful of hits including songs that were hand delivered by the Beatles.  They shared the same manager, Brian Epstein,  and producer, George Martin.  My favorite song by Billy is 'From A Window'.  Hear about his humble beginnings in Liverpool and recent appearances at Beatles festivals. 

While Those Were The Days was playing on Memorex last weekend, I took Ms. June to see Felix Cavaliere's Rascals.  It was a great concert and I am still humming Good Lovin', People Got To Be Free,  Groovin', I've Been Lonley Too Long', and several others.  What a great performance!  June was the youngest and prettiest there (other than me...hee hee..)  We will get the little records out of there sleeping bags on Saturday during Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9.

Phil

Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9 brings back so many memories each Saturday night.  This week I had the chance to visit a Dog n' Suds in Northern Illinois.  I ate my first Dog n' Suds coney dog in thirty-five years and it brought back memories of Summer days cruising for a treat with our 'three on the tree' Chevy farm truck.  This Saturday night between 6 p and Midnight, I will play songs that will transport us to the past.  It is our Elvis tribute show and you can hear the Top Forty biggest Elvis songs.  If you are an Elvis fan, this is your show.  I can vividly remember hearing the report from ABC news back in 1977 that Elvis had died.  We celebrate his legacy of music on Those Were The Days this weekend. 

The Beach Boys and Summer go together.  I will look at some of the California groups biggest radio hits this Saturday night.  The Summer of 1972 brings back great memories.

The first K-tel album I owned was called 'Believe In Music'.  It featured some big hits from one of my favorite Summers.  I will play the entire album and chat about some of the tracks.  Though I will not be in the studio to take your requests this Saturday night, I hope you will stick around and enjoy some of the best pop radio hits of all time.  It will be nearly as good as a black cherry popsicle with two sticks!

Phil

Hey Rock and Rollers!  I will be waiting all week for Saturday night.  Those Were The Days will hit the airwaves with hits Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9.  Your requests will be welcome.  Call 608 647-4155 and keep trying.  It gets very busy especially around trivia time. 

August 13th is a big date in rock and roll history.  My favorite Beatles movie 'Help' was released in America in 1965.  I will spin a few from that films soundtrack Saturday night.  The Lovin' Spoonful had a number one in 1966 with Summer In The City.  In 1969 The Guess Who recorded American Woman which would hit the top ten in 1970.   We will remember a few of these rock and roll moments Saturday night between 6 pm and Midnight during WRCOs' Those Were The Days.

Philip Nee

In August of 1969, little Phil Nee was ready to challenge the Ithaca School District for the first time. It was official when the district came around and stapled a piece of paper to a tree marking the spot where I would get on the bus.  I was nervous but ready to learn from Mrs. Harper at Neptune school.  Years later she would also teach my two daughters in her kindergarten class at Ithacas' elementary school.

The radio was always on at our farm.  In the house or the barn and in the cab of the rusty, trusty, pickup truck.  It was always fun to sit in the truck and turn the knob to find a good song on a far out AM station. On August sixth of 1969 there were big hits playing such as: In The Year 2525, Crystal Blue Persuasion, Sweet Caroline, Bad Moon Rising, Get Back, and Honky Tonk Woman.  A few of these will be spinning again this Saturday night during our six hour Those Were The Days radio show on WRCO FM 100.9.  I will be in the studio to take your requests and play trivia.  We will weave everyones favorites from the fifties through the eighties together for one six hour program.  I hope to hear from you!

Phil

The Summer of 1981 might be the favorite Summer of my youth.  I was preparing to be a big high school Senior in the Fall and the radio was my best friend.  Songs that were spinning in my brain as I accepted bales of hay from our New Holland model 273 came from artists such as Billy Squier,  Hall And Oates, and The Greg Kihn Band.  My friends and I would often spend some cool time eating popcorn and going to the picture show.  Movies in the Summer of 1981 included:  Raiders Of The Lost Ark,  Cheech And Chong's Nice Dreams, History Of The World Part 1, Stripes, and For Your Eyes Only. It seemed like every weekend there was a good movie coming to the indoor or outdoor theaters.

Join me Saturday night for Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9 when we will go back to the Summer of '81 with music and memories.  You can request anything you like from the pop charts ranging from the fifites through the eighties.  I will also be back in the studio to play trivia with you.  I hope you will join the party Saturday night between six and midnight.

Phil-WRCO

This Saturday night we will remember those great Summers of the fifties through the eighties.  We will recall how much music was a part of those days.  On WRCO FM 100.9 I will spin some of the greatest hits of Summer including a look back forty years to the Summer of 1976.  We will not be taking your requests this weekend.  That feature will return the following Saturday evening.  I hope you will invite Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9 to your Saturday night plans!

Phil

When I wasn't listening to radio hits while driving the old Ford Maverick,  I would pop in a cassette and sing along.  This week on WRCO FM 100.9 we will spin a few of the songs that I kept rewinding over and over just to hear them again.  After all of this time I am still a fan of the three minute pop song.  In the 'Phil Nee' era there were many pop music gems that should have been much bigger hits.  I would try to promote them when I passed out mix tapes to close friends and cute girls.  This Saturday night during Those Were The Days, I will promote those songs while taking your requests.  Perhaps you will answer a trivia question correctly whenever you hear the trivia bell.

Here is a list of some of those great melodies that were often on my mix tapes....

1.  I Will Still Love You-Stonebolt

2.  Call Me When The Spirit Moves You-Touch

3.  Stay In Time-Off Broadway

4.  Switchin'To Glide-The Kings

5.  Arms Of Mary-Chilliwack

6.  Third Time Lucky-Foghat

7.  You Saved My Soul-Burton Cummings

8.  Pretty Lady-Lighthouse

Five of the groups on this list are from Canada.  All of the above are songs that were not over played.  Some of those music makers will comment on the tunes of my choosing during Those Were The Days this Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9.

Phil

This Saturday night on WRCOs'  Those Were The Days, I will dig out a few hits from this weekend in 1977.  I remember well a trip to the Starlite 14 Drive In when Undercover Angel by Alan O' Day was number one.  The song was playing over the tiny little window speakers that they used to have.  Even though disco music was in full bloom, there were some great songs on the Billboard Hot 100 survey.  Hot 45 records came from Steve Miller Band,  Fleetwood Mac,  Pablo Cruise,  Heart, Marshall Tucker Band,and Peter Frampton, which made the Summer of 1977 even better.   I wasn't old enough to drive a car on the higway, however, my bike with the cool AM radio mounted on the handle bars was a mode of transportation.  When I wasn't working the hay mow, I was cruising for chicks on my three speed.

Join the party this Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9 when Those Were The Days lights up the night again.  I will be in the studio to accept your requests for pop radio classics from the fifties through the eighties.  Have fun with trivia time.  I can't wait for Saturday night!

Phil

This Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9 I will speak with Bobby Rydell about his new book Teen Idol On The Rocks.  It is a great book that is more honest than nearly every biography you will read.   On Those Were The Days we will talk to Bobby about music, Sinatra, Bye Bye Birdie, addiction, and whatever comes up.  He is very open with his personal life as you will hear.  I will be in the studio to take your requests and play trivia during a great American weekend.  Take your radio to your Saturday gathering. Join a couple of teen idols (me and Rydell) on Those Were The Days.   

Phil

This Saturday night, WRCO FM 100.9 will turn back the calender to this week in 1967.  We will revive some of the biggest hits from the Summer Of Love during Those Were The Days.  We will also say happy birthday to Carly Simon this Saturday night June 25th.  That is the date that the album Purple Rain by Prince was released.  Many of us remember where we were on June 25th of 2009 when we heard the news that Michael Jackson had died.  Perhaps we will hit the dance floor with a couple of M.J. tunes.  I will be propped up in the studio Saturday night.  Give me a call and request a favorite tune from the fifties through the eighties during Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9 this Saturday night........

Rock On.

Phil Nee

This Saturday night on Those Were The Days, we will fly back to some of my favorite June hits (not my wife June).  Radio has always sounded great during the month of June.  I remember school getting out and that meant I could listen to my radio even later at night.  I would record favorite songs from the radio for the ultimate mix tape.  The keys to a good radio mix tape is trying not to get much of the d.j.'s voice and  you must start recording before the vocal of the song.  This weekend we will stop and park for a time in June of 1978 and 1981.  Join me on WRCO FM 100.9 Saturday night for the best of the fifties through the eighties pop radio memories.  We will not be taking your requests this time.  Thank you for listening to the radio.  That keeps me employed!

Phil-WRCO

Saturday June 11th will be the exact date that the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off was released by in 1986.  Saturday night on Those Were The Days, we will pay tribute to the film thirty years later.  It is one of our favorite VHS era movies.  The main characters don't interest me as much as Principle Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones),  his secretary Grace (Edie McClurg), and the economics teacher (Ben Stein). In my humble opinion, these 3 make the movie.   We will play a few songs from the movie and ask a trivia question or two.  You can request a favorite song from the fifties through the eighties Saturday night between six and Midnight.  I will be in the studio drinking cans of Ski and playing your songs.  Get the campfire started and tune in 100.9 WRCO FM on Saturday night.

Phil

This Saturday night on Those Were The Days from WRCO FM 100.9, we will be taking your requests and playing trivia.  The past two Saturday nights have been crazy busy.  I have been hopping around taking song dedications, digging for songs, and playing trivia.  It has been awesome!  Thank you for remembering to turn on the radio.  This weekend in edition to the open line, we will stop and park during early June of 1964.  This Billboard Hot 100 chart is very interesting.  The Beatles were still present, however, some of their English counterparts were getting many spins on the radio waves.  American artists were fighting back for chart space.  The Beach Boys, Four Seasons, Rip Cords, Jan & Dean, Elvis, and Chuck Berry were all fighting off the English attack.  Two of my favorite British bands had a pair of songs in the Hot 100 this weekend in 1964.  Dave Clark Five were rockin' Do You Love Me, and I Knew It All The Time.  The Searchers were climbing with Sugar And Spice, and Don't Throw Your Love Away.  We will attack some of these songs from 1964 on Saturday nights' Those Were The Days.

Phil

Memorial weekend is often thought to be the first weekend of Summer.  We were usually out of school by the middle of May back in the day. Dad would start finding farm jobs that fit with my age. When I was old enough to drive a tractor, Memorial weekend was prime time for cultivating corn.  Driving the Farmall Super C in first gear through the endless rows was boring for a young boy.  I would take my Panasonic radio with the white ear phone and try to hear songs over the roar of the mighty 23 horse motor.  It was difficult to stay in the rows and not knock down corn when a hot record came over the airwaves.  Memorial weekend number one songs that I still like hearing on the radio include:  Groovin'-The Rascals, Brown Sugar-Rolling Stones, Frankenstein-Edgar Winter Group, Sir Duke-Stevie Wonder, and Let's Dance-David Bowie.  This weekend during Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9, I will be playing a few songs that were at the top of the charts during Memorial weekend during the fifties through the eighties.  Give me a call Saturday night and dedicate a song.  We will have six trivia questions (one per hour) during our Those Were The Days radio show between 6 pm and Midnight.

Phil

By this time in 1975 I was out of school and ready to dream up ways to get out of work.  When it would rain I would get a day off to go to the music store and make mix tapes.  My sister Sue graduated from high school that Spring and soon would be going away to school.  I was making plans to lay claim to any 45 records that might have been hers.  There were so many great songs on the radio.  Many of these tunes I still love to hear including:  Jackie Blue-Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Killer Queen-Queen,  Sister Golden Hair-America, Bad Time-Grand Funk, Magic-Pilot,  Shining Star-Earth Wind & Fire, and Philadelphia Freedom-Elton John.  The number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 was He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)  by Tony Orlando & Dawn.  While I like the original, (He Will Break Your Heart by Jerry Butler)  I have always been a fan of the remake.  I liked the T.O. & Dawn variety show on television and I have always been partial to the arrangement of their number one hit from the Spring of 1975.  I remember cool dudes with c.b. radios talking back and forth that year.  If they taped the switch open, they could lay the c.b. mic on the car speaker and listen to music on the p.a. speaker outside the car.  I remember walking through a parking lot and hearing Bad Time by Grand Funk playing over someones c.b. system.  We will drive back to 1975 Saturday night during Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9.  Bring along your pet rock.

I will be back in the studio this Saturday night for more musical memories.  Please give me a call.  We will be featuring trivia questions and the best pop and rock tunes from the fifties through the eighties.  Thanks again to Kent Kotal and his almost daily blog forgottenhits.com.  Last weeks 'What's The Name Of That Song' show has received great reviews.  It was fun to play a few hits we haven't played for a while and a few of them aired for the first time.  Thanks to Kent for giving us the playlist.

Phil

This Saturday night on WRCOs' Those Were The Days we will team with the website forgottenhits.com for a look at great songs that have titles that are not mentioned in the lyrics.  For a better explanation, here is a list of a few of the great songs that we will shut in the 'Close And Play' on WRCO FM 100.9:

Bohemian Rhasody-Queen, D'yer Maker-Led Zeppelin, For What It's Worth-Buffalo Springfield, Space Oddity-David Bowie, Snoopy vs. The Red Baron-Royal Guardsmen, Uneasy Rider-Charlie Daniels, Ode To Billie Joe-Bobbie Gentry, The Weight-The Band, Land Of 1,000 Dances-Cannibal And The Headhunters and many more!  A full six hour episode of songs that are well known, however, you may not be aware of the titles.  This idea came to us directly from Kent Kotal's Fogottenhits.com web site.  It was a monthly Sweet 16 feature during the almost-daily blog.  Check out this amazing site.  I do every chance I get.   We will not be taking your requests this Saturday night.  That portion of the show returns next Saturday night (May 21st).  Have an awesome weekend.

Phil

In the early 1970's my mother learned that the best way to deal with a problem child was to bribe him.  The best way to get me to the barber's chair, help with chores, or behave in Church was to offer the chance to pick out a sixty-three cent forty-five record or $4.99 album.  It planted a seed which grew into a life long hobby of collecting music.  Mom helped me buy records that I still play on the air today.  Most have been converted to a digital format.  I remember her letting me buy the three album set 'Wings Over America' which chronicled Paul McCartney & Wings tour of 1976.  I must have really needed an attitude adjustment for her to spend that much on me.  During this Mothers Day weekend, I need to say thank you to her for all of the sacrifices and all of the vinyl.  Join me this Saturday night for Those Were The Days featuring the best of the fifties through the eighties.  This weekend on WRCO FM 100.9 I will play a few songs with mama or mother featured in the title or song lyrics.  Dedicate a song to your mom or to yourself.  Win a trivia prize for you or your mom!  I hope you will check in with me.  Happy Mothers Day.

Philip James Nee!

"yes mother"?