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The Fortunes

Sad news. Rod Allen, lead singer of The Fortunes, has died of cancer, at the surprisingly young age of 63. To some, they may have been pale imitations of "The Beatles kick", as my father used to call it - but to me, their sound was one of the highlights of my childhood. I recall the first time I pulled out my dad's copy of the Decca LP (he was also a Decca recording artist at the time, a slightly older contemporary of theirs), and played that vinyl, hearing Allen sing "You've Got Your Troubles". I played that song over and over that day, and for many years to come, would play it a few times a week. It remains, mostly a memory now, as one of the most haunting, thrilling, tuneful songs from that era. The Fortunes had three or four top ten hits in the US and UK, then faded from chart glory - but they kept on recording, and touring. They're not a major band, but they are a great part of what made The Sixties not only swinging, but fortunate.
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Tommaso Gervasutti said…
Dear Todd, about mythical record albums ( I even wrote a poem about the very act, the rite of putting the vinyl album on the turntable... ) what about "Volunteers by the Jefferson Airplane (RCA Victor) and Aoxomaxoa by the Grateful Dead?
And Yes Album ...with Starship Trooper...?
Best wishes, Davide Trame
Thu Jan 17, 07:44:00 pm 2008
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