Back to the good old days

Here’s great news for music lovers from Oscar San Pedro: “They were pop music superstars during their time, widely acclaimed for the brilliant sound and style of their music that produced dozens of hits that sold millions of records worldwide and won numerous awards.

“They ruled the roost in their category in the ‘60s. More than four decades since then, their popularity and celebrity status have endured, their signature sound forever enshrined in the hearts and consciousness of old and new generations of music enthusiasts.”

The vibrant and captivating music of The Happenings and The Buckinghams, two of the hottest bands of the ‘60s, will resonate and take the audience’s breath away when some original members of the legendary pop groups come to Manila for a two-night performance this month.

Dubbed as The Legends of Pop, the twin treat to be presented by BDS All Hits Productions and Steve O’Neal Productions tonight and tomorrow, Oct. 18, at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City will showcase the greatest hits of The Happenings and The Buckinghams featuring original lead singer Dennis Tufano and original keyboardist and vocalist Marty Grebb with Bruce Conte, original member of Tower of Power, as special guest.

The Happenings became a pop phenomenon in 1966 when its debut single, See You In September, immediately climbed to the top of the charts to become an international No. 1 hit throughout the summer of that year.

This was followed by the smash hit Go Away Little Girl, the successful album Bye, Bye, So Long Farewell and other major releases, including the classic hit I Got Rhythm My Mammy and many others.

The group toured extensively throughout the US, Europe and South America, performing in capacity venues and sharing the stage with musical and entertainment stars like The Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, Joan Rivers, John Denver, The Drifters, The Kingston Trio and many others.

Spearheaded by the powerful voice of lead singer Bob Miranda and complemented by the outstanding vocal talents of long-standing members Bob Kulik and George Rizzi, The Happenings remains a powerhouse of nostalgia and contemporary music that truly embodies the classic signature sound that has made the band a worldwide favorite for more than four decades.

The Buckinghams, on the other hand, began in 1966 as a rock band formed by four high school musicians from Chicago — bassist Nick Fortuna, guitarist Carl Giammarese, drummer Jon Poulous and singer/guitarist Dennis Tufano — and which ultimately decided to adopt its more “contemporary” present name.

Following the release of its first three singles — I’ll Go Crazy, I Call Your Name and I’ve Been Wrong — The Buckinghams gained national attention with its fourth single, Kind Of A Drag, which raced up the local charts before rocketing to No. 1 across the country and staying for two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February, 1967.

With national label distribution under Columbia Records, The Buckinghams dominated the AM radio airwaves and generated huge demands in record stores nationwide for hits like Don’t You Care, Hey, Baby, They’re Playing Our Song, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Susan, Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Don’t You Care and Back In Love Again.

Tickets to The Legends of Pop are priced at P3,675, P2,625, P2,100 and P1,575 and available at Ticketnet outlets at SM Department Stores. For details, call 911-5555.