David Bowie's Homage to Uncle Floyd (Vivino)

The following is written by our talented Guest Blogger "Mary Mary" Ciuffitelli and was first published for Malia Collective.  She brings together David Bowie (nee David Jones), Jimmy Durante and Uncle Floyd.

Rest in Peace David Bowie, who I just discovered recorded a song in tribute to NJ Italian-American icon Floyd Vivino. 

This bit of news came via Monkees.net. Some of you know that, for me, all roads lead to The Monkees. I especially love the points where The Monkees and Italia meet. There are so many. Like, Micky’s dad was an Italian-born Hollywood actor. Or that The Monkees once sang a comic “Mussolini We’re with You.”   "I got a million of ‘em," to quote Jimmy Durante — who handed them their Emmy in 1967.

So here’s this winding road: David Bowie, born David Jones, changes his name in the 1960s so as not to be confused with gigantic pop star David Jones of The Monkees. In the 1970s, Bowie becomes a huge fan of the Uncle Floyd TV show, watching episodes with fellow fans Iggy Pop and John Lennon at the Dakota. In 1981, he attends Uncle Floyd's live appearance at the Bottom Line and later records the song "Slip Away” paying  tribute. 

I wasn’t familiar with the song, but its quintessential Bowie. Been listening to the playlist on Youtube. Haunting.

RIP David Bowie 

Oogie knew there's never ever time
Some of us will always stay behind
Down in space it's always 1982
The joke we always knew
Oo-oo
What'sa matter with you
C'mon, let's go
Slip away
Oo-o

Songfacts: the song’s story and lyrics   http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=6803

  

David Bowie: The Other David Jones  by Fred Velez on Monkees.Net  January 11,2016 

“Bowie was very friendly and charming and was thrilled to be at the club as an Uncle Floyd fan enjoying the show with the rest of us. Bowie later recorded the song Slip Away as a tribute to Uncle Floyd.” 

http://www.monkees.net/david-bowie-the-other-davy-jones/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Monkeesnet+%28Monkees.Net+-+Full+Data+Feed%29

"Slip Away” video: This version includes photo of Uncle Floyd with Sicilian-American Cyndi Lauper. Though there are other beautiful versions of Bowie in live performances, mentioning the show.      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVgPQKYLFzY

Live performance with projected clips of the show, lyrics, and a shout out to Floyd:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cimAyPdRtpg

Elephant's Memory Panel!!

Elephant's Memory was a great band that had a full run from 1967-1976, but are perhaps most famously known as the backup band for John and Yoko (1972-1976).  They are amazingly versatile, as you can tell from existing live video from various performances.

It seems like one of those rock legends, existing more in memory and random footage rather than on official album status.  Gary shared lots of excellent stories.

The panel explored Gary's memories of working with John, and NOT working with him.  Due to some of John's immigration restrictions, he was not allowed to "work" in the US, and thus kept the band "on retainer" for an extended period of time.  When they were doing a benefit television performance in LA, John and Yoko called in LIVE to acknowledge them as their band, even though they couldn't appear with them.  John produced a self titled album of theirs on Apple Records, but it has YET to be released on CD, due to whatever bullshit reasons.

Gary discussed-briefly before choking up- the night of John's death. Gary had been scheduled to play a jazz gig across from the Dakota & was coming up out of the subway when he saw the ambulance carrying John pulling away . . .

Three handsome guys!!! 

Howie Edelson, Rock Writer

Gary Van Scyoc, Bassist with the Elephant's Memory, John Lennon's Band

"John asked if he could join OUR band.  That shows you how much respect he had as a musician!"

http://garyvanscyoc.com/

Darren DeVivo, WFUV DJ

Legendary (and all around fabulous) Beatlemaniac, sharing excellent music in the NYC-listening area.

The Decade Between: July 6, 1957- July 6, 1967

Not that I post a lot of photos, there are plenty of sites for that, but here's a timecapsuled piece of Rock History.  The span of 10 years, from July 6, 1957 to July 6, 1967, the dead-center of Monkeemania.

July 6, 1957- The Quarrymen (founded 1956) play a gig at St Peter's Church in Liverpool.  They will become one of the best known Skiffle bands in history, along with Lonnie Donagan.  Ivan Vaughan, a bass player, introduces his classmate (Liverpool Institute) to his band.  The 15 year old kid is Paul McCartney.  The lead singer of the Quarrymen is John Lennon.

Fewer than 10 years later, a little film of theirs, Hard Day's Night (dir Richard Lester, who also did the films: Help!, Superman 2&3, The 3 & 4 Muskateers, Forum and Robin & Marian) would be released in the USA in 1965.

Side Note on Skiffle- Coined in the Chicago in the 1920's jazz scene for a style of home made music, Jug Band Music (yes, the Lovin Spoonful!!) and a "skiffle" was known as a "Rent Party".

And through the miracle of technology, we can date the picture below of the Monkees at the Warwick Hotel, at a press conference in NYC.  High as kites, riding on top of the world, the first season fully broadcast, 2 Emmys received a few weeks ago.  This year they will have outsold the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, PUT TOGETHER.  Here they are at the top, thinking they can do no wrong, about halfway through their run (Auditions were announced September 8, 1965, shooting started in early 1966).  There will be a long downward spiral from here (Peter would buy out his contract 12/8/68), but this is smack-dab in the middle.

July 6 also happens to offer a connection as the birthday of both Bill Haley (1925-1981) and Pat Paulson (1927-1997).  

Bill Haley And His Comets had several famous recordings including "Rock Around the Clock", which served in the film "American Graffiti" and as the theme song for the first season of "Happy Days".  Glenn Ford would have a personal relationship with the song, him & the song both having co-starred in "Blackboard Jungle".  It's also the last song he hears on the car radio in "Superman" (note the callback to Richard Lester within this post!). The song was chosen from his son Peter's record collection.  The kid he had with dancer Eleanor Powell.

Pat Paulson (1927-1997), the officious official in "Monkees Watch Their Feet", who was also seen on the Smothers Brothers.  An excellent comedian with a deadpan delivery also ran for president in several elections and often beat out the real candidates (at least in the primaries!)

Due Credit

Hey Folks,

My goal is to do an annotated written commentary of all 58 episodes of the Monkees' TV Show (with other entries for other Monkees' related stuff).  Everything I know or have learned from the show.  And I want to explain some of their obscure (and obvious) references.

I'm writing this as just another Monkee fan.  I've probably seen the entire series as many times as years I've been alive.  It showed on WLVI, Channel 56 in Boston every summer of my childhood (since age 3, one of the earliest memories I have) and I have watched episodes from the 2003 box set far more times than any adult should.  But what can I say?  They still make me happy and make me laugh out loud.  (And frankly, I think every adult should find something like that.)



These shows were my first lesson in American Pop Culture, and though I am not a Baby Boomer, helped me to understand the impact of the 60's.  And incidentally why history and curiosity are important things.  ("Did General Sarnoff start this way?")

I've looked around for some kind of episode commentary that would explain all the obscure references and all the jokes that I am only now understanding as a grownup.  Believe me, I heart Andrew Sandoval and Eric Lefcowitz (Great historians of the phenomenon!!!) and all their incredible work.  And there is plenty of (redundant) info floating around on the interwebs, but I wanted something beyond just which song was misspelled in the credits and yet another interview containing a variation of an ape-like pun.


John Lennon (d.1980, 32 years ago today!!) said that they weren't trying to be the Beatles, that they were like the Marx Brothers. Let's appreciate them for all the things they are.

Apologies for what I get wrong.  Apologies for things I steal/borrow/appropriate without extended bibliographic credit.  Help me to correct the record.  Leave comments. Be nice.

Spread The Monkee Love.

The Creative Tinkerer