Bob, the Covers Man, wrote:
"And I got a pretty funny one over the weekend, by a European guy called James
Last. Apparantly when the "Stars on 45" phenomenon caught on, this guy put out
record after record of pop medleys with people clapping their hands, and in
lieu of singing the actual lyrics, just singing da-da-da-da-da and such.
Last's records were called "Non-Stop Dancing". Can any Euro's fill us in with
any more info about this guy?"
James Last - or as he was called here James Overlast (Dutch for noise
pollution) - was/is a German band leader who has been running a very
successful show for over 35 years here. In the 70s he was a downright
phenomenon in Germany, Holland, Belgium and, I believe, the Scandinavian
countries. Yes, he specialized in medleys and at the time it seemed that he
produced an album a week and was on television every night playing for
gigantic crowds, on every German and Dutch channel - much like Andre Rieu is
now (is he known in the US). He sold fantastic amounts of record. On flee
markets in Holland, it is fair to say that every second LP you find is a James
Last one. I can't believe someone ent through all of them to find you a Joni
James Last would medley anything. As long as he got the audience (average IQ
of room temperature numbers) clapping and Non-Stop Dancing. Combinations were
fabulous: Should he still do it, I would not be surprised that he would take a
gangsta rap tune, a Mariah Carey song, a Dolly Parton tune, Hotel California,
Metallica and Yankee Doodle Dandy and call it American Medley. The scene would
look as follows: Long rows of Germans sitting at tables, looking serious and
clapping stiffly but enthousiastically as if their arms were connected to
elastic bands (nothing as funny as serious Germans clapping - my friends and I
used to gather to watch these shows and roll over the floor laughing
exclaiming "Zooper, zooper.") James Last conducting his band with his back to
the musicians and his ever-smiling face to the camera looking like a lower
middle management bank employee ("mortgages up to 40,000" department). Velkom
zu ze hotel Kelly Fornia. The crowd would go mad. Women of questionable
dressing taste would drag their poor men into the isles to dance. Confetti
would pour from above (never understood this combination of giant German pints
of beer and confetti - I guess that's why they have lids on them). Three hours
of clapping. And everyone would look serious! Hilarious. Prime time German
television in the 70s - and still, believe it or not. The shows would last at
least 3 hours and that is a lot of Medleys.
James Last was every music lover's nightmare in Europe in the 70s. Muzak at
its worst. And everywhere, even in the streets. Never expected to see HIM
featured on the JMDL. But to be fair to the musicians ... I once saw a behind
the scenes documentary in which the band was practicing - and here was a big
band from hell playing Duke Ellington and great big band tunes like young
gods. "Of course we can never play these on stage. Ve have a different
audience." Yip.
If any Joni member ever visits me here in Holland, I will treat him/her to a
Saturday night of German television. It will be the zooper highlight of your
trip, I'll promise you. James Overlast :-))) ... you made my morning, Bob!
Oh yes, anyone in Europe who wants the latest volume of Bob's covers (or
earlier releases), please write to me for more details.
Feeling zooper at the Dutch coast,
John
P.S. Sorry Karen, Helga, Claudia and others of German origin or inclination on
the list. But it is a Dutch national pastime to make fun of Germany and
Germans. And to quote John Cleese: Don't mention the football !!
PPS The Stars on 45 phenomenon was a Dutch project. I apologize to the world
in retrospect.
