Murray The K
Wed. March 28, 1967 I was on Easter vacation and my drummer Lenny (we all had high school bands) and I went to the RKO Keith theater on 58th and 3rd Ave to see the Who the first time they ever played the USA. It was the Murray the K, a famous NY DJ (sometimes known as the 5th Beatle) Music in the Fifth Dimension Show.
Murray the K
Swingin’ Soiree
It started at 10:15 in the morning, Acts on the bill included the Blues Project, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Wilson Pickett (Buddy Miles was on drums) Wilson Pickett, the Young Rascals The Young Rascals, The Mandala, the Chicago Loop, Simon & Garfunkel, Jim & Jean, Phil Ochs, The Blues Magoos and the Hardly Worthit Players. Booked but not to perform were Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.
They would perform 2 or 3 songs, then they would show a movie about two Australian truckers driving across the outback or some other grand Z movie.
It was great to finally see my heroes! The Who performed I Can’t Explain, and My Generation with a smash up, and the next show they played Substitute and My Generation with a smash up. Cream played I’m So Glad
and I Feel Free and sometimes broke it up with a very short version of Spoonful.
The show lasted 12 minutes and they played 5 shows a day staring March 25th and ending April 2nd 1967. Roger Daltrey broke a total of 18 microphones during the entire run.
It was an odd grouping of talent and a number of the bands did not do the early shows. That was fine with me because I really only wanted to see the Who and Cream.
This newspaper article is from the New Music Express in April 1967. I do not know the exact date, but they make reference to releasing in England Pictures of Lily on April 21, 1967
The RKO Keith The theatre originally opened as the KeithAlbee Vaudeville Theatre on December 20th, 1928, on the same site as Proctor’s Pleasure Palace Palm Gardens, which dated back to 1895 and was demolished to make way for what F.F. Proctor termed his “Greatest Triumph”. Thomas Lamb was the architect, using the Mexican Baroque style. Against a blue evening sky, the effect of twinkling electric stars and projected drifting clouds evoked a romantic feeling of sitting in a Spanish garden. The entire building was once designated a city landmark. Jack Benny, Bob Hope and other entertainers of the day played the Keith’s. As an ironic twist, in 1966, before the Murray the K show, RKO closed the 58th Street and put a sign on the marquee that said “Go to the RKO 86th Street for the Best in Entertainment”. The 58th Street was sold and demolished for a 39-story luxury building. Underneath the building is a McDonald’s Townhouse!
To make up for its loss, RKO built a new twin cinema on 59th Street, which is now also ancient history.
Speaking of the Cream, my sister Denyse who had completely different taste in music than I had come home from a visit to England with a bunch of records. One of them was the 1st John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers album and another was Fresh Cream.
She handed them to me and told me to take a listen but I probably wouldn’t like them. Boy was she wrong.
Another interesting tidbit about my sister Denyse, she was at the recording session of SWABLR. I don’t know why she was there but… Cream-SWABLR
In another post, I will tell you about another LP given to me that changed my life.
One last thing, I want this to be an interactive site. I would love to hear your stories, remembrances, etc. Please post comments
See you next week!
A number of years ago we met Noel Redding at a hole in the wall Irish bar on the upper west side,I don’t get star struck but I must say meeting Noel was a trip, he had amazing stories of the band and how his Mother took Jimi under her wing and really cared for him like a son…Talking to Noel was like living 60′s history.We had wanted to do a film on Noel, unfortunatly he passed away before that became a reality…
I would like to recommend a great listen on Sunday mornings 9 AM- 12 noon. If you have Sirius/XM radio check out Chris Carter and Breakfast With The Beatles
http://www.breakfastwiththebeatles.com
Great music, great memories, just great!
Hi,
wow,it was great finding your site and even better finding this blog.i was at some of those shows at the old RKO on 58th str.when i tell people about it they don’t believe the bands would do 1-2-3 songs and that was it .all pre Woodstock stuff when corporations didn’t yet realize what was happening in rock.i used to hang at Ondine’s on 59th between 2+3rd aves,Unganos on W70th and of course steve Paul’s Scene,God the bands and jams we saw just unbelievable.when i talk about it today to someone who wasn’t there (or born) they cannot believe it.anyway great site ,thanks.
i have something i put up called
“I grew up on the UES in the mid 60′s- early70′s”
on face book i know you didn’t grow up on the UES but i would love to hacve you join.
thanks…..jp
Thanks John for the Post! It is actually rare to find a “native” New Yorker. I grew up 2 blocks from Ungano’s and would sneak out of the house on school nights after my parents went to bed and catch some great music
I remember Ondines and I remember one night at Steve Paul’s scene WInwood and Hendrix jammed
Faces w/ Rod Stewart, Dr John, Fleetwood Mac and many others. If my folks only knew
Do you remember the Cheetah Club?
Thanks again for posting!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcJSN0__7LY I was not Aware of this until I found this on You Tube but The Legendary Murray The K also recorded a Novelty Record in 1961 Called The Lone Twister. Check it out, it is Great!-Alan
Ungano’s: i was at the rod the mod/faces show.
one of my fave memories was going to see Joe Cocker and the Grease Band on a rainy monday nite,there was no oone there about 10 people the groupies from Q’s, Cleo and her pals,myself and my friends,also from Q’s,and a few A&R guys.Since we knew Cl;eo we were invited to sit with the girls and the band.Ungano’s at that time had had its liquor license suspended so Joe was passing around Jack,rum,vodka whatever and we provided the herbal remedies.anyway it was like a private show.the band was doing like 4 nites we wnt back every nite and the crowds increased as word of mouth got around and by thursday it was mobbed.that Sunday he did ed sullivan i believe and that was it.
next post will be on the night that the Allman Brothers(first time playing in NYC)opened for Mountain.or perhaps the time we saw the Doors at Ondine’s
I was at that show too! Actually, I was a bit disappointed because I wanted to see Steve Marriott. Thanks for your remembrances John!
I was there in 1967 too! One of my best memories of a concert. Keith moon walked into the pizzeria where my girlfriend and I were having a slice. Walked back to the theatre and there were Eric, Bruce and Ginger heading into the diner on the corner. This was the first of the Murray theK concerts where they had to show the movie between sets. Before that, the concerts took over the theatre in total! Am still a total Al Kooper fan!!
It was a great time! Thanks for posting