The Summer Is Here...
Category: Life

Well, as I am sure you have noticed, summer has arrived. The reason I am writing this blog after so many months away from myspace is to raise awareness for animals in need and in particular cats. Summer is a tough season for both cats and kittens, many are born without homes and felines of all ages seem to flood the shelters this time of year. Moreover, the recent economic downturn has had a cruel effect of leaving once loved house pets behind as forgotten furniture in foreclosed homes.

Have no fear, this is not a total bummer blog (it has a happy ending). Having had many inspirational and transcendent relationships with the cats in my life, I now contribute my time and money to a local organization that does great work for felines of all kinds: www.kittenrescue.org

I have adopted two wonderful cats through them, Page Porrazo, Jr. & Simon (Templar) Sandoval, both saved from the downtown LA shelter. It gives me a truly positive feeling to know that these two lucky guys were rescued at a crucial moment and now have a lifetime of love ahead of them. It reminds me that no matter how bad things may seem, there are people in this world who really care and that it is possible for love and friendship to conquer some of our toughest challenges.

In the next week, I will dedicate my first radio program of the season to raising funds for www.kittenrescue.org and I am hoping that you might contribute a few dollars if you are so moved (or even better consider adopting a wonderful animal this summer).

Here is the happy ending I promised: four years after losing my best pal Duke, the new guys - Page & Simon - have finally brought the smile back to my face. It could happen to you!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Andrew
http://kittenrescue.org/meow/donate.htm

Currently listening : Come to the Sunshine: Soft Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults By Various Artists Release date: 2004-05-11

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The Three G’s
Current mood: breezy
Category: Music

If you happen to be by your desk or laptop this Monday (March 17th) from 4-6pm (PST), I will be presenting an all new episode of "Come To The Sunshine," lifting the lid on my personal collection of Nuggets type singles from the 1960s. This week’s show (Number 38 to be exact) chronicles the songwriting and production work of the three G’s. What G’s? David Gates, Jimmy Griffin (both later in Bread) and Michael Z. Gordon.

The first hour will feature a variety of tracks from:
The Match/The Spectrum/Smokey Roberds/Matthew Moore/The Turtles/Bryan Hyland/The Roosters/Sagitarius/The Morning Glories/Freddy Cannon/Del Ashley/The Gants/Paris Sisters/Eternity’s Children/Bergen White/Gary Lewis & The Playboys/Harper’s Bizarre/James Arthur Griffin/The Surprise Package

Our second hour will feature a "double" album spotlight, showcasing the ultra rare MONO mixes of the Jimmy Griffin produced baroque wonder "The Beethoven Soul" and the early David Gates/Robb Royer (Bread) soft pop collaboration "The Pleasure Fair."

Tune in or rather log on to www.luxuriamusic.com and listen in - it is totally free! No sign up is required - just click on Listen in the upper right hand corner of the main page. You may now also join the show’s yahoo mailing list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cometothesunshine) where I now have full playlists of the previous shows.

I hope you can join me this week (or sometime soon)...

Regards,

Andrew Sandoval
www.andrewsandoval.com

Currently listening : Out of Limits! By The Marketts Release date: 12 March, 1996

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Chad & Jeremy Come To The Sunshine March 10th @ 4PM(PST)
Current mood: mellow
Category: Music

If you happen to be by your computers this Monday (March 10th) from 4-6:30 pm (PST), I will be presenting an all new episode of my radio program "Come To The Sunshine" featuring more than 120 minutes of magical music from Chad & Jeremy in the 1960s.

I'll be spinning actual original MONO discs mainly from their fabulous Columbia era, including an album spotlight on their Gary Usher produced masterwork "Of Cabbages And Kings." We'll also hear several tracks not available anywhere on CD: music from the Sidewalk "Three In The Attic" soundtrack, their Teen Scoop flexi interview, Jeremy's 1965 UK only 45 of "Anytime," and so much more. We'll also dip into the mystical and majestic Usher-opus "The Ark"!

Tune in or rather log on to www.luxuriamusic.com and listen in - it is totally free! No sign up or fee is required - just click on LISTEN in the upper right hand corner of the main page. You may now also join the show's yahoo mailing list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cometothesunshine) where I now have full playlists of the previous shows.

I hope you can join me this week (or sometime soon)...

Regards,

Andrew Sandoval
www.andrewsandoval.com

Currently listening : Of Cabbages & Kings By Chad & Jeremy Release date: 25 June, 2002

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Happy Birthday Emitt Rhodes!
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Music

Not only is Emitt Rhodes turning 58, but my internet radio program "Come To The Sunshine" is paying tribute to this great singer/songwriter with a two hour special!

It all happens this Monday (February 25th) from 4-6pm (PST), tune in or rather log on to www.luxuriamusic.com and listen in for FREE to two hours of music by Emitt Rhodes, the Merry-Go-Round, the Palace Guard (as well as a few surprises).

Listen Listen!

Andrew Sandoval
www.cometothesunshine.com

Currently listening : Listen, Listen: The Definitive Collection By The Merry-Go-Round Release date: 02 May, 2005

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Come To The Sunshine returns
Category: Music

Friends & Music Lovers:

If you happen to be by your computers this Monday (January 7th) from 4-6pm (PST), I will be presenting an all new episode of my internet radio program, "Come To The Sunshine." That's right, I am once again lifting the lid on my personal collection for series four of this trip through the '60s. Tune in or rather log on to www.luxuriamusic.com and listen in for FREE.

Here's what's planned for show 31:

The first hour will feature tracks played from my actual 45s by:
The Birth Of Spring/The Grapevine/The Oracle/The Fun And Games/Peter
Best/The Moving Finger/The Supefine Dandelion/Strawberry Alarm
Clock/The Looking Glass/Dion/The Association/Lewis & Clarke/Fraternity
Of Man/Pleasure

In our second hour we'll be listening to all of Del Shannon's
incredible album "The Further Adventures Of Charles Westover" in MONO!
The show will be capped off by some great mid to late '60s Del Nuggets.

Be sure to spread the word, we need new listeners!

Regards,

Andrew Sandoval
www.andrewsandoval.com

Currently listening : The Further Adventures of Charles Westover By Del Shannon Release date: 08 April, 1997

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Listen to the Beatles and assorted Nuggets December 8th
Category: Music

This Saturday I'm playing all Beatles covers and related rarities
from 1 to 3 PM (PST) on www.luxuriamusic.com It is an all new edition
of my "Come To The Sunshine" radio show including fantastic songs that Lennon & McCartney gave away, some unissued covers not available in any store, terrible tributes to the fab ones, radio spots, phone messages and so
much more.

Including tracks by: The Fourmost/Mindbenders/Hollies/Cyrkle/Tremeloes/Sunshine Company/The
Silkie/Bee Gees/Cilla Black/Peter & Gordon/Billy J. Kramer/Celine
Lomez/Majority One/Bee Gees/Dino, Desi & Billy/Mary Hopkin/Claudine
Longet/The Settlers/Charles River Valley Boys/Davy Jones/Ambrose
Slade/Roger Nichols Trio/Brothers Four/Theodore Bikel/Gerry
Marsden/Glass Onion/Cyril Stapleton and his Orchestra and many, many
more

The people who run Luxuria are like the Blue Meanies in the film version of "Yellow Submarine." They hate the Beatles and their beautiful music and they have banned it from Pepperland, I mean, er the station. Once every year they allow us to play songs related to the Beatles. This is it, our one
shot at musical glory before they close Pepperland, I mean Luxuria up
in a plastic bubble and make us listen to the Barberella soundtrack
on repeat!

Perhaps the Beatles aren't your thing, but you live in L.A., why not
come see me DJ live an all Nuggets styled '60s music (and totally
Beatle) free set at the Rhino label's "Pop Up Store"? It's fun and
free and runs from 6PM (PST) to 8 PM (PST). Come by and say hello. I'll be spinning original vinyl from the Warner, Reprise, Atco and Elektra labels.

Rhino Pop-Up Store
8032 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323-944-0939 phone

Currently listening : Rubber Soul By The Beatles Release date: 25 October, 1990

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Tom Dawes/The Cyrkle
Current mood: nostalgic
Category: Friends

On October 13th 2007 I lost one of my all time favorite people, musician Tom Dawes. He collaborated with me and Duke on the song "He Can Fly" (singing, as well as playing bass and guitar) in addition to giving some uncredited advice on arranging the vocals for "Where I Want To Be" (off of the What's It All About album). On November 12th, I will present a two hour radio tribute to Tom and his band the Cyrkle during "Come To The Sunshine" (4 to 6PM PST).

Here is Tom's obituary from the New York Times:

Thomas W. Dawes, a rock musician and composer who wrote music for some of advertising's best-known commercial jingles, including "Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz" for Alka-Seltzer and "7Up, the Uncola," died on Oct. 13 in Manhattan. He was 64.

The cause was a stroke after carotid artery surgery, said his wife, Ginny Redington Dawes.

Mr. Dawes was a co-founder of the Cyrkle, a folk-pop group with a brief career that is best known for its 1966 hit single "Red Rubber Ball," written by Paul Simon and Bruce Woodley.

When Mr. Dawes left the band, he turned to the jingle business. He wrote 30 to 40 in the 1970s and '80s, his wife estimated, a number of them immortalized in pop culture. Aside from his work for Alka-Seltzer and 7Up, some of his catchier tunes were on campaigns for L'eggs hosiery ("Our L'eggs Fit Your Legs)" and American Airlines ("We're American Airlines, Doing What We Do Best)." The 7Up jingle, which he wrote, was recorded by his band and submitted as a demo in a company jingle contest for rock groups.

When Mr. Dawes met his wife, she was a competitor in the jingle business. They later collaborated on a number of advertising tunes, including music for the familiar "Coke Is It," the McDonald's catchphrase "You, You're the One" and, for American Airlines, "Something Special in the Air."

Originally named the Rhondells, the Cyrkle was discovered by Nat Weiss, a lawyer who was a partner of Brian Epstein, the Beatles' manager. According to Ms. Dawes, John Lennon suggested the Cyrkle's name and distinctive spelling.

In 1966 the Cyrkle opened for the Beatles on their final United States tour and released their second, and last, successful single, "Turn Down Day."

In the mid-'70s Mr. Dawes also worked with the band Foghat and produced two of its albums, "Rock & Roll" and "Energized."

Thomas W. Dawes was born in Albany on July 25, 1943. He graduated from Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., where he met Don Dannemann, another founding member of the Cyrkle.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Dawes is survived by his sister, Robin Ducey.

Mr. Dawes and his wife also wrote the book, music and lyrics for "Talk of the Town," a musical about members of the Algonquin Round Table. The show, first produced in 2004, had a nearly two-year run at the Bank Street Theater before it moved as a cabaret show to the Oak Room at the Algonquin.

Currently listening : Neon By The Cyrkle Release date: 30 October, 2001

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Boyce & Hart Radio Special
Current mood: crazy

Hey, hey:

Doing my radio show is a total thrill. However, the last several weeks I have had to take off due to heavy commitments elsewhere. But, have I got a show for my season finale! Episode 30 of "Come To The Sunshine" is a two hour plus extravaganza of music Composed, Produced or Performed by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart!

This pop event of the century kicks of luxuriamusic.com 's Monkees week (in which the other DJ's are supposed to play Monkees themed sets - we'll see). I know I'll be playing rare singles, demos, alternate mixes and MONO album tracks (no CD's here folks) by the following:

Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart/The Monkees/Trini Lopez/Billy Budd/School Mates + Jimmy Takeuchi/Gamma Goochie/The Frosted Shake 5/The Goodies/The Astronauts/Tommy Boyce/Keith Allison/The Pineapple Heard/The Regents/The Cherokees/Sounds Unlimited/Linda Ball/Bucky Wilkin/Dino, Desi & Billy/Griffin/Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart

The show goes out live this Monday, October 8th, 2007 from 4 - 6:30 PM (PST). Tune in if you can. It's a one-shot deal; It's on and it's gone. There are no archives, podcasts or magic CDR's going to your mail box. Unless there's a way for the artists to get their royalties, I'm not leaving this material out there for infinite plays.

BUT...If you want to hear it live...FOR FREE... log on from 4 to 6:30 PM (PST) to www.luxuriamusic.com

There's no sign up, no password. Just click on LISTEN off the main page and pick a stream, any stream.

But wait...There are 3 additional ways to stream:

Try for higher res:
http://www.1.fm/Stations/luxuria/Listen.aspx?pidx=0

or lower res at:
http://www.1.fm/Stations/luxuria/Listen.aspx?pidx=1

In addition, iTunes software users can access Luxuria in the iTunes radio menu under
2 different categories: "Eclectic" and/or "50s/60s". Simply
click on either tab, look for and double click "1FM".

Also, check out the Luxuria Chat Room and chat with me LIVE during the show!
(but for that you'll need a username and password)

Let's All Go To Sunshine Park,

Andrew Sandoval
www.cometothesunshine.com

Currently listening : I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonite: The Best of Boyce & Hart By Boyce & Hart Release date: 06 June, 2005

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I'll Pay You Back With Interest
Current mood: sad
Category: Life

Thanks to everyone who has posted responses to my new album, From Me To You. As for my radio show, Luxuriamusic has moved its studio to a new location as of yesterday and is apparently already up and running. I will be on the air live this Monday afternoon, July 2 2007. But, it will not be a traditional Come To The Sunshine show. The music will be what you've come to expect, but I won't be chatting or doing the web cam thing. Every song I play will be in dedication to my missing friend Duke.

On his behalf, I urge you to check out the nonprofit/nonpolitical organization www.kittenrescue.org

I know that a lot of your lives have been touched by animal friends, so you may understand why I feel so strongly about this cause. The summer is a tough season for cats, thousands of kittens are born without a home and many adult cats go astray never to return. Keep your loved ones safe and open up your heart to animals in need.

On behalf of cats and kittens everywhere, I thank you in advance. I guarantee that they will pay you back with interest.

Andrew

Currently listening : Chad & Jeremy Sing for You/Yesterday's Gone By Chad & Jeremy Release date: 14 November, 2002

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Come To The Sunshine Turns 20
Current mood: working
Category: Music

Hey, hey it's my first blog message of 2007.

I want to say thanks to everyone who has tuned into my radio show, "Come To The Sunshine," over the last six months. On Monday, April 2nd (from 4 to 6 PM PST) the show hits that all important #20 with another Boss variety of forgotten singles, neglected albums and buried treasures.

Facts and figures time: over the last six months we have presented more than 300 different artists over the course of 23 special programs making nearly 50 hours of radio programming! This will be the last show in series #2 and indeed the last new "Come To The Sunshine" for several months. Reruns will hopefully air every Monday till I am back live in the chair.

Here's what's planned for show #20:

Hour one will feature songs of Sun, Sunshine & Summer by The Kinks/Sunrays/Idle Race/Gary Lewis/Pretty Things/ Parade/ Freshmen/ Traffic/ Bystanders/ Hollies/ Grapefruit/Turtles/Buffalo Springfield/Beach Boys/Harmony Grass/The Street Corner Society/Monkees/Beatmen & The Walker Bros.

Hour two will be an array of the best music we've played over the last six months including tracks by: The Utica Club Natural Carbonation/Keith Allison/London Phogg/Los Bravos/The Action/Graden Club/Ellie Janov/Spectrum/Dino, Desi & Billy/The Looking Glass/Marshmellows/Mojo/Peter & Gordon/Every Mother's Son/P.F. Sloan/Raintree Minority/The Gosdin Bros./Searchers/Dave Clark Five/The Appletree Theatre/Lovin' Spoonful & The Mamas & The Papas

If you are interested in hearing our milestone moment, log on to www.luxuriamusic.com and listen for free! Just click on Listen on the main page and you will have a range of streaming options (those of you who use iTunes software can now access the Luxuria Music via 1FM in the iTunes radio menu under '50s/'60s). So long (for a little while)...

Keep An Eye On Summer (I'll be back to pick you up later),

Andrew Sandoval
www.cometothesunshine.com

Currently listening : Come to the Sunshine: Soft Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults By Various Artists Release date: 11 May, 2004

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