Customer Reviews

Cruisin 1960

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have every CD in the "Cruisin'" series now (except the four I have on tape), and I have to say, this is the absolute BEST of any of them!! None of the other DJ's in the series, or for that matter, none of the DJ's I've heard on regular radio, could ever measure up to Dick Biondi! What you hear on this CD is REAL talent, enthusiasm, energy, personality...need I go on? No wonder so many people listened to Biondi, and no wonder he had continued success in Chicago, and in L.A. for a short time, and then back in Chicago! Where else could you find an attractive, perky "Itralian"?? This CD, for starters (you Chicagoans are lucky, by the way, because Biondi is still on the air there, as far as I know). I do wish they would have kept the same songs on the CD and tape versions that were on the original vinyl versions that were released in the early '70's, but I hardly consider that enough of a downfall to bring my rating of this CD down from a 5. Listen to this CD; you'll love it!

The original CRUISIN' series of albums (1955 through 1967) first appeared in the early 1970's on Vinyl albums, cassettes and 8-tracks. They were recreations of a radio show done by a popular DJ for that year.

Usually a CD re-issue will be an exact duplicate of the album. However in the case of the CRUISIN' series of CD's that is not the case. When the rights to the CRUISIN' series were sold in the 1980's all of the clearances to the songs used on the albums lapsed. Before the new owner could re-issue the series all the clearances for the songs had to be re-negotiated. Most of the songs were cleared, but some were not and they were not included in the re-issue.

The problem isn't just that songs are missing but the editing is ham-fisted. for example, the DJ will talk over the intro to a song and start a story, as does Dick Biondi on CRUISIN' 1960 with the song "You Talk too Much" which is not on the CD, and finish the story on the outtro of that same song. This causes other comments made by the DJ to be taken out of context and you will be left shaking your head and asking, "Why did he say that?"

If your intention is to replace your worn out albums or tapes you will be disappointed. In fact, Ron Jacobs, who produced the original albums recommends that you do not. Ron's suggestion that you purchase the original albums through an auction website and burn them to CD is not feasible for most folks.

If you have never heard the original albums then the CD re-issues will give you a good idea of what Rock and Roll radio was like and if you listened to radio during the '50's or '60's and even the early '70's should bring back memories.

This cd is the greatest. A trip through time, back to the good old days. I would recommend it to anyone.
Hank

great collection of hits, the only negative is the radio DJs comments in the beginning and ending of each song.

Dick Biondi was one of the greatest DJ'S in the 50's and 60's. While in Buffalo almost half of the audience was his. It was listen to Biondi, or else. While in Chicago his ratings were even greater. Unfortunitely his sound does not hold up to todays standard. I have the entire Cruisin' Series and Dick Biondi is the weak link.

Don't buy this cd if you're just after the songs. It's a recording of this Dick Biondi character's work as a DJ, complete with him speaking over the begining and ending of the songs - in horrible AM radio sound!