VOLUME 6 | ISSUE 3 | March, 2021 side asked me about orchestrating this song for the original recording, but I never got to it. When we started talking about a record release concert, I started coming up with some encore ideas and this was one of them I knew Johnny would enjoy. This arrangement is very “Sinatra like” and fun. So Johnny asked me to sing it with him. I think It has an attitude of the Rat Pack about it.” Unfortunately fans shouldn’t expect more songs to be released from the concert. “The whole show was recorded, but not for public use. Just a two-track recording that sounds God awful,” Rosenberg said. “As far as audio goes, the longer the show went on, the little better the mix got. By the time we got to the encore the sound was bearable enough to listen to. But as far as excitement of the performance, that was a different story. Some great initial EQ was worked on by friends Dave Winslow and Tyler Traband and then I gave it to Dan Gralick. There was also another person who in the end did a wonderful job mastering it, Michael Lotus. So to answer to the question, will more from the show be released? No. Not if I can help it.” Rosenberg makes note of Gralick’s contribution to the project. “I want to give special credit to our Producer, my dear friend Dan Gralick whom if not for him, both the original and the rerelease would have taken a much different road. He’s a multi-talented dynamo of a producer whom I still, after all these years enjoy working with. We first met in the early 80’s. Johnny said I can use anybody I choose to produce and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind who to call.” Rosenberg has performed in San Diego many times over the years, including concerts with Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes and Diana Ross, as well as “four wonderful years at the Spreckels Theater with CONAN for Comic-Con. “I’ve highly enjoyed San Diego’s nightlife and restaurants in both the Gaslamp district and Little Italy,” he commented. He was particularly happy to be in town for Comic-Con. “It was a blast for me cause I’m a Marvel Comics collector,” he said. “I still have a couple thousand issues. We weren’t given passes to go to the convention, but someone recognized me on 4th St. amongst hundreds of people. Gave me passes, took my family to the Marvel booth and I ended up being interviewed in a podcast type of setting. I never signed more autographs in my life,” he said good naturedly. Upcoming projects include road work and more. “I’m touring over the spring/early summer with Martin Guigui and Billy Gibbons,” Rosenberg said. “We’re also recording new material for the next LaBamba’s Big Band project.” Busier than ever, Rosenberg is clear on his favorite thing about being a musician. “Does it get any better?,” he asks. “Not for me . And there’s the enjoyment I get from watching my five kids develop their many musical talents.” www.labambamusic.com www.pacificrecordsretail.com/product/643655
THE LITTER
Future of the Past Legendary Minneapolis based band, The Litter, is back with their first album in more than 25 years, Future of the Past. Best known for their 1966 garage rock classic, the oft covered “Action Woman,” after three albums the band split in 1970, until reuniting in the 1990’s for shows alongside reissues and live recordings. It’s a testament to demand for The Litters music that those three original classic albums have been issued collectively more than fifty times worldwide over the past five decades. The new album has a harder edge than their early works. Drummer Tom Murray concurs. He is the only original member remaining in the band though guitarist Tom “Zippy” Kaplan also makes an appearance on the new record. “It’s closer to what we were in the late 1960s, when we showed the world what hard rock kick ass music really was,” he said good naturedly. “We were a head of our time at that point.” What’s the meaning behind the new disc’s title? “On our 1969 album, Emerge, one of the songs was called “Future of the Past,” said Murray of the album’s connection to their original run of releases. “I personally had a drum solo and I was also one of the writers of that song. With this new album, I took what that rock was and made it where rock should be now. That is why it is called Future of the Past. What prompted the band’s return? “(Looking back) after 48 years, I took inspiration from some of the rhythms and sounds of our past recordings,” Murray said. “I decided after listening to them that I wanted to take what The Litter was in 1970, when we originally split, and bring back that sound. It’s what rock n roll should be today.” While The Litter has remained a cult band, Murray is pleased with the influence they have had over the last half century. “I’m honored that to this day so many bands perform “Action Woman,” Murray said, “I feel incredibly blessed that the band has made such an impact on so many after fifty years.” There are many versions of the bands signature song, including by major label groups such as Echo & The Bunnymen, The Fuzztones, Danzig and The Lime Spiders, but Murray notes a
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more obscure favorite. “Hearing Our song played on different TV series, movies and documentaries over the last few years is such an amazing feeling. I have listened to so many different versions of (that song),” he said good naturedly. “It’s a band out of Japan, The Privates.” Although the band has never performed in San Diego, they hope to once things settle down again. “We did not play there, but in the 1960’s we did play in surrounding California venues such as the Whisky A Go-Go, where we opened for Fleetwood Mac,” Murray said. “We will be touring once the venues start operating at full capacity,” he continued. “That’s when the current Litter will make its live debut.” While the pandemic has slowed things down as far as live shows and promoting the album, Murray is just happy to be making new music. “Hopefully our sound and our attitudes can contribute to positive feelings going forward,” Murray said. “If you liked the old Litter, we can’t wait for you to hear the new Litter!” www.thelitter.net
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