Post by at40petebattistini on May 15, 2011 9:30:35 GMT -5
As you may know, AT40 released a special 2-record set of 24 songs by various artists in 1971, titled "Double Dozen Album of Hits, Volume 1." It consisted of a variety of chart-ranked oldies (some high, some low) from 1964-1970, with a "story" from Casey for each provided on the inside of the gatefold jacket. (The stories were mostly brief artist bios, consisting of one or two sentences.) Of course, the AT40 Double Dozen was advertised -- over a period of three months -- as a program network commercial.
Many of the recordings spotlighted were by artists who had only one Top 40 appearance (e.g. Shocking Blue, Mungo Jerry, Bob Lind) or artists from less-than-conglomerate recording labels, such as Imperial, Roulette and White Whale. Apparently those labels were more receptive to being a part of various artist compilation LP packages, which were especially common in the late 60s and early 70s. In fact, many radio stations such as Boston's WRKO, Chicago's WCFL and KHJ in Los Angeles released their own similar themed LPs, often on another label, Post Records.
With the 40th anniversary of the June 1971 release of AT40's Double Dozen just around the corner, we can only speculate at this point on its success with sales. And whether there was any discussion in '71 about compiling a follow-up Volume 2.
Because all AT40 network commercials were dropped in September 1971 as a new pay-for-play arrangement went into place with subscribing stations, consideration toward a Volume 2 release may never have happened. How would it have been advertised?
However, had there been a second release -- following the music selection formula used with the first -- the song/artist list may have included some of the following:
*The Rapper -- Jaggerz
*Crystal Blue Persuasion -- Tommy James & The Shondells
*I Want To Take You Higher -- Ike & Tina Turner
*Journey To The Center Of The Mind -- Amboy Dukes
*Gypsy Woman -- Brian Hyland
Obviously, compiling such a list as this is pure speculation. But it would've been another great piece to the show's history had it become reality.
Many of the recordings spotlighted were by artists who had only one Top 40 appearance (e.g. Shocking Blue, Mungo Jerry, Bob Lind) or artists from less-than-conglomerate recording labels, such as Imperial, Roulette and White Whale. Apparently those labels were more receptive to being a part of various artist compilation LP packages, which were especially common in the late 60s and early 70s. In fact, many radio stations such as Boston's WRKO, Chicago's WCFL and KHJ in Los Angeles released their own similar themed LPs, often on another label, Post Records.
With the 40th anniversary of the June 1971 release of AT40's Double Dozen just around the corner, we can only speculate at this point on its success with sales. And whether there was any discussion in '71 about compiling a follow-up Volume 2.
Because all AT40 network commercials were dropped in September 1971 as a new pay-for-play arrangement went into place with subscribing stations, consideration toward a Volume 2 release may never have happened. How would it have been advertised?
However, had there been a second release -- following the music selection formula used with the first -- the song/artist list may have included some of the following:
*The Rapper -- Jaggerz
*Crystal Blue Persuasion -- Tommy James & The Shondells
*I Want To Take You Higher -- Ike & Tina Turner
*Journey To The Center Of The Mind -- Amboy Dukes
*Gypsy Woman -- Brian Hyland
Obviously, compiling such a list as this is pure speculation. But it would've been another great piece to the show's history had it become reality.
