"Deadman's Curve" - TV Movie - Article

[Admin]

From "The Wrap" . . .

http://www.thewrap.com/tv/blog-post/remembering-dead-mans-curve-28390

[2dean2]

This is prob the most important movie in Rock and Roll as pertaining to changing lives . I mean How many on this site knew Who J&D were B4 it You knew the songs but You prob thought it was the BB's Of course you gotta think and the Guy's and the band members throughout the years. Who had doors opened from their time with J&D. VH1 and those other music channels should run it on their , whats that Rock and Roll Picture Show ? Instead of The Temptations for the Billionth time. They could even have a part where Dean comes on and tells about how it changed things for him and Jan and/or the actors too.

[jdman]

What amazes me is how Jan & Dean dropped off the face of the earth soooo fast. I was born in 66, so DMC movie was the first time I heard of them. But from everything I hear, Jan & Dean were hot superstars and then they were gone from memory. Don't get me wrong, a lot of people I talked to remembered them. But overall, when the music changed, they were gone from most people's thoughts and memories. The movie actually sparked the memory back in people. I just find it funny because I grew up in the 70's and 80's and I remember(quite well) all the groups from that period that had 16 top 40 hits!!!
I mean, How can you forget a group that had that much success? I guess it was the drugs!! lol

[Admin]

They weren't as "forgotten" as the article makes it seem.

After the accident in '66, they "bubbled under" with "Yellow Balloon" in '67 (so the name was still there) . . . and the "Carnival of Sound" related singles were issued in '67 and '68. Jan's recording activities were reported in the media in 1968. No hits, but one was promoted prominently in Billbaord magazine, so again the name was still out there . . . they just faded from having hit records.

Then Jan started his solo recordings in '72.

In '73, J&D were featured (and pictured) prominently in an industry article by Gene Sculatti, Ken Barnes, and Greg Shaw. This was a year before the Rolling Stone article. The "Surf Revival" period.

In '74, we had Morantz's RS piece. (The omission of Jan's "Carnival of Sound" recordings from this article was a blow to their visibility). In '75, J&D got press for "Fun City" and Jan's solo recordings were covered in the media in the mid-'70s. No hits, but articles were written.

The movie was shot in '77 and released very early in '78 (February).

It took the movie (though heavily fictionalized) to turn the masses back on the the surf and hot-rod material. Nostalgia for that was heavy. And they were able to hit the road again.

[Bitman]

While J&D did get some media coverage in the wake of the accident, much of it was limited to what only people in the show business industry had access to.  Back in the day, not many non-industry types read Billboard magazine, for example.  There was no 24-hour cable news cycle back then, either.  Now, if Jan's accident were to happen in today's media, he would be all over the news, likely for weeks, if not months, as the media followed his recovery and speculated as to whether he would perform or record again.  Adding to the unfortunate timing was the fact that rock and roll music was rapidly changing.  As we now hear with Carnival of Sound, Jan & Dean would've changed with it.  However, at the time, they'd been without a top 10 hit for a couple of years, which was an eternity in those days, and those songs were about drag racing grandmothers and such, which were becoming painfully unhip, which also stacked the deck against them.

[2dean2]

I remember reading something Dean said , and it went something like . "One day you turned on the radio and we were'nt there. " Add to the fact no record co was paying radio stations to play J&D like they were the other acts . And still do . [ Why do you think you hear the same songs over and over , with all the good stuff out there ?] And your right the late 60's drug culture prob had a lot to do with them being forgotten . And sadly they were forgotten again after their second come back . You never hear  them on the oldies stations . I drive all over the midwest . Listen to Talk , Oldies , Classic and Old country. I heard Surf City down in Texas a couple weeks ago . If I dont hear Jagger sang Am I rough enough am I rich enough....... EVER AGAIN I'l die a happy man as I hear it or have a chance to 5 times a day.

[maryw7]

Well...perhaps Jan & Dean's hits on the radio aren't played as much any more.... I don't have radio stations on that much.... i hope it's not true.  Still, i do not feel they have been forgotten.  There sure is plenty enthusiasm at the concerts, such as the Myrtle Beach one that just happened....and plenty people at it, too.  (tons to be exact)   Plus...look at all the people communicating about them on Facebook and on Youtube.  LOTS of activity there....

All this talk about "Deadman's Curve" and the movie and Phase II makes me feel happy to share one of the most recent Youtubes i just placed online. 
                                  Jan & Dean LIVE in 95 Part One

[jdman]

I don't agree that they were forgotten after the movie. In fact, in the late 80's and early 90's, I heard more Jan & Dean on the radio than ever before. We had 3 major FM stations playing oldies and I consistently heard 12 different Jan  & Dean songs from Jennie Lee to Popsicle and everything inbetween. Lately I don't hear them as much because there aren't a lot of stations that play pre-1965 stuff anymore. I think Phase II definitely brought them back to the main stream, at least for awhile. Now we just need to inform people of the lasting influence the Jan Berry had as a producer and arranger. I hope the book comes out soon. People should know about Jan & Dean and their influence on so many.

[2dean2]

Thats what I mean for a while yes they were hot in the media . Then nothing . Please dont get fans mixed up with the general public . I quess I'm talking about how they've again been put on the back burner or under the stove , when it comes to the public . Radio stations that play oldies need to play them and many others a hell of a lot more. They should also be in those "TIME LIFE" Collections How can you say you have a COMPLETE COLLECTION of "Singer Song Writers " And NOT have Jan Berry represented. What a joke.
Id say call your local radio station but it wont help most have a corp play list which is why you hear the same songs pretty much at the same time everyday . And we listen like a bunch of cows waiting to hear the farmers truck coming to feed us . Hoping today he'll play Jan & Dean just once please sir. But NO he feeds us the same POOP as "Yesterday"........

[The Surfer Joe]

I hardly hear a Jan & Dean song ( or even the Beach Boys ) on our local "Oldies" Station, as compared to even just a few years ago. So Sad.  As The Dead Man's Curve Movie goes, I watch it still all the time & am riveted to the TV Start to Finish. I do Hope someday, it will make an "Official" DVD release, often thought a feature length movie would be cool too, but doubt it would be as special as the Original Made for TV.

[jdman]

2dean2

What bothers me more than radio stations with their set list is the things that are written. I checked Glen Campbell on the internet because of his problems. The history on Glen Campbell absolutely ignores Jan & Dean. I read about how he played on records for all these bands(most of which had less hits than Jan & Dean) but J&D aren't mentioned. The sad thing is when you hear Glen talk about the session days, he always mentions Jan & Dean because those were some great sessions. The fact is: Glen admires Jan & Dean, Brian Wilson has the utmost respect for Jan, etc, but when someone writes about it, Jan & Dean either are not mentioned or they say Brian GAVE Jan those songs. Brian himself talks about how much he learned from Jan and how he loved working WITH Jan on those songs. Why do historians NOT listen to Glen and Brian and others? They obviously have their own agenda and that means Jan & Dean are square and don't deserve respect. It pisses me off.

[maryw7]

2dean2

What bothers me more than radio stations with their set list is the things that are written. I checked Glen Campbell on the internet because of his problems. The history on Glen Campbell absolutely ignores Jan & Dean. I read about how he played on records for all these bands(most of which had less hits than Jan & Dean) but J&D aren't mentioned. The sad thing is when you hear Glen talk about the session days, he always mentions Jan & Dean because those were some great sessions. The fact is: Glen admires Jan & Dean, Brian Wilson has the utmost respect for Jan, etc, but when someone writes about it, Jan & Dean either are not mentioned or they say Brian GAVE Jan those songs. Brian himself talks about how much he learned from Jan and how he loved working WITH Jan on those songs. Why do historians NOT listen to Glen and Brian and others? They obviously have their own agenda and that means Jan & Dean are square and don't deserve respect. It pisses me off.

Each point..... oh! how i agree with....straight to the point and from the heart....and to the heart of it.  As Jason would say, "Well said jdman!"

...also

I hardly hear a Jan & Dean song ( or even the Beach Boys ) on our local "Oldies" Station, as compared to even just a few years ago. So Sad.  As The Dead Man's Curve Movie goes, I watch it still all the time & am riveted to the TV Start to Finish. I do Hope someday, it will make an "Official" DVD release, often thought a feature length movie would be cool too, but doubt it would be as special as the Original Made for TV.

Oh yes!...and i do so hope too for an official release AND a feature length movie...because the tv movie has only told a bit more than 1/4 to a 1/3 of Jan & Dean's legacy.  I love to quote what was written after Jan passed on, by one paper.... "Jan & Dean...an American Treasure" 

[2dean2]

Yeah it's sad about Glen. Hope he can finnish his farewell tour before it takes over him too badly. On J&D it not only the radio air play but the lack of respect for 1 of the California 3 who pretty much owned the airways in the early 60's . But it's not just J&D lacking on the radio . Holly , C Berry , early Elvis, J L Lewis , L Richard , Danny & the JR's.......  I like the stuff they play ok but do you have to play that much of the "FAB FOUR" Then have a Fab Four at four" Were you play another 4 of their songs ! And say thats what we want to hear . It's like the Cable News , Casey/Cally and the umpteen Reb canidates  24 hrs a day Theres a camera in every corner of the world and thats all you see ? Just remember it's what you want to watch . God help us when they start feeding us what we want to eat.

[Bitman]

Having a background in radio, let me try and explain why you don't hear Jan & Dean (and a lot of your other favorites you grew up with) anymore.  Jan & Dean's prime was nearly 50 years ago.  As much as we love them, they weren't nearly as prolific as The Beatles.  Say you were 15 when Jan & Dean were cranking out the hits.  That means you're in your 60's now.  That's a hard age group to sell to advertisers.  People in their 60's are sterotyped as being on Social Security and not having the financial ability to afford big ticket items.  Therefore, radio stations would rather have 10 listeners in their 40's than 1,000 listeners in their 60's.  The 40-something crowd is perceived as having more spending power and thus an easier sell to advertisers.  Notice how you hear virtually nothing from the 50's on the radio anymore.  People who went wild for Elvis when he first made the scene are in their 70's now!   60's music in general is getting played less and less on oldies radio.  The Beatles, Stones, Motown and a few Beach Boys cuts are still active, but some oldies stations are now playing songs from the 80's!  A friend of mine heard Prince on an oldies station the other day!  Geez.  The sad fact is we're getting older and every day Jan & Dean and all the other great music of the 60's becomes buried farther into history.  It's just fortunate the Jan & Dean fans here have found each other and can keep their legacy alive. 

[jdman]

You make some great points Bitman. That's why it doesn't bother me as much that they are not on the radio as much anymore. It's the writings that kill me. I still do find some blogs that speak respectfully about Jan & Dean and give Jan his due. So that's good. But some ignore them completely or disrespect them. It's an historical thing. People(even the young) should know how all this rock n roll music came to be. And Jan & Dean were among the first!!