Flashbacks – Page 212 – USA Radio Museum

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: DAWN (WITH TONY ORLANDO) * 1970 * HD STEREO

STATIONS SAY NO TO BEATLES’ DISKS… AUGUST 13, 1966

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

LENNON COMMENTS REGARDING ‘JESUS AND CHRISTIANITY’ SPARKS OUTRAGE, GROUP’S MUSIC AIRPLAY BAN ACROSS U. S.

NEW YORK — The radio ban against playing Beatles’ records, which was begun last week by Tommy Charles and Doug Layton, WAQY, Birmingham, Alabama, has spread across the country, with dozens of stations refusing to program or play recordings by the British group.

British Magazine Datebook July 29, 1966 issue, with Lennon's comments about Jesus and Christianity. — British magazine *Datebook* July 29, 1966 issue with the controversial “Jesus” Lennon comment which fueled universal outrage around the world.

Cause of the controversy is a statement published in a British magazine, Datebook, dated July 29, 1966 and attributed to John Lennon. The statement follows:

“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that: I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first, rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity. Jesus was right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary.”

At a press conference held here late Friday, August 5, Brian Epstein, Beatles’ manager, said the statement was taken out of context. Epstein explained that Lennon meant “in the last 50 years the Church of England and, therefore Christ, had suffered a decline in interest.”

While the statement, confirmed by a Beatles spokesman, went virtually unnoticed in England, the reaction in this country was immediate.

Beatles records banned, burned and trashed by many in August, 1966. — In the aftermath of Lennon’s comments, Beatles records were banned from radio airplay by dozens of stations, sparked by B. J. Williams, seen here, a deejay from KSWO, Lawton, Oklahoma. *(Click on image for larger view).*

Greater impact has been in the so-called “Bible Belt” which is mainly in the southeast portion of the United States. But the ban has extended to other sections of the country. New York’s WABC has reportedly put Beatles records on the verboten list, but, at press time, the switchboard operator at the station said that not one of the station’s staff members could be reached.

B. J. Williams, deejay at KSWO, Lawton, Oklahoma, called for a Beatles “bonfire” and broke the Beatles’ latest record while on the air.

In Milwaukee, WOKY music director King Kbornik said he would not ban the record until he had seen Lennon’s remarks in print.

The extent of the ban is not known, but a majority of the nation’s radio stations will continue to program Beatles records. The group is scheduled to perform a concert at New York’s Shea Stadium August 23.

A spokesperson for Capitol Records, which issues Beatles recordings under it’s logo in the United States, said Lennon’s remarks were “quoted out of context and misconstrued.” END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 13, 1966)

VEE-JAY RECORDS OFFICIALLY BANKRUPT . . . AUGUST 13, 1966

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

CURTAIN DOWN ON VEE-JAY AS LIQUIDATION IS ORDERED

Vee-Jay Records logo 1963 – 1965

CHICAGO — Vee-Jay Records, which scaled the sales heights before losing the Beatles in 1964, plunged into formal bankruptcy here last week.

In a hearing in U. S. District Court August 1, an offer by a West Coast combine to acquire the debt-ridden Chicago recording company was withdrawn and the court ordered receiver Gerald W. Grace to liquidate the company.

The acquisition offer was withdrawn because Vee-Jay’s obligation to the U. S. Government were considered excessive, Billboard has learned.

Vee-Jay has been in Chapter 11 status since early this year when President James Bracken announced that the firm had filed a petition for financial arrangement.

“The proceedings were instituted with the expectation that the corporation could be reorganized on a sound financial basis,” Bracken said.

In a hearing in May, a group represented by attorney William Bluestein of Los Angeles announced interest in acquiring Vee-Jay, which then owed the government about $1.5 million and had nearly $2 million in outstanding debts.

Bluestein’s group was interested in acquiring 69 4 Seasons masters, which were bid for at the same hearing by counsel for the 4 Seasons group. Bluestein’s interests would have made a financial arrangement with the government and would have paid creditors a dime on the dollar or 1/10th of 100 percent owed to each creditor.

'The Four Seasons Sing' on Vee-Jay in 1963. — ‘**The 4 Seasons Sing**‘ on Vee-Jay Records; 1963. *(Click on image for larger view)*

The 4 Seasons contract with Vee-Jay Records reportedly called for the masters to revert to their agents, Genious, Inc., in the event of company bankruptcy. The masters will undoubtedly find their way into the catalog of Philips Records, a Mercury Records affiliate, also based in Chicago. The masters in question were awarded to Vee-Jay in a settlement following the signing of the group by Philips.

Vee-Jay suspended all operations here in May. The company was founded in Chicago in 1953, moved to Los Angeles in 1964 and returned last year. When the label returned to Chicago, the company had such artists as Jerry Butler, Betty Everett, Jimmy Reed, Little Richard, John Lee Hooker, the Dells, Joe Paige, Russ Morgan, Harry (Sweets) Edison, Fred Hughes, Joe Simon, Orville Couch and several gospel acts. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 13, 1966)

Vee-Jay Records - 'Cease and Desist' 1963 telegram. — ***Who owns the Beatles?*** Capitol Records vs. Vee-Jay Records, “cease and desist,” legal wranglings and continuous copyright ownership infringements claims against the Vee-Jay label, as this 1963 telegram would suggest, brought an ultimate end to Vee-Jay Records. The company was sued out of the business by mid-1966.

Beatles on Vee-Jay Records 1965. — **Beatles LP** on Vee-Jay Records, released early-1965.

WJBK * OCTOBER 18, 1963

WXYZ DETROIT PROMOTES SUMMER ‘SOUNDTACULAR’ CONTEST . . . JULY 14, 1962

A MCRFB news brief:

Deliberate Errors Sparks Contest Promotion

BUSH 1962 Transistor Radio Ad. — Bush 1962 transistor portable radio ad.

DETROIT — Station WXYZ pulled out a collection of over 500 hit records from 1957 through 1961 for a summer “Soundtacular” held here last week.

The big five-day salute to the recorded hits of the past five years was supported by newspaper advertising and a heavy schedule of radio and television announcements.

Working from a special list prepared by the WXYZ program department, the station’s six popular music personalities incorporated “Soundtacular” tunes into all programs.

The tunes and their year of popularity were deliberately identified incorrectly. Listeners were asked to listen for the errors and send corrections in.

Winner’s choice of a current popular hit LP, either by Connie Francis, Elvis Presley, Annette, Chubby Checker, Joanie Summers, Freddy Cannon or Shelly Fabare, along with a portable transistor radio, were awarded daily to contestants listing the most errors. END.