![]() ![]() ![]() They got dropped from all the stations that were playing their one hit. So now the Lovin' Spoonful became useless. During that time, the Lovin' Spoonful, one of the most underrated bands in history, they got busted in California, and before the morning, when the mob would have got them out of jail, Zal Yanovsky, the guitar player who passed away a few years ago, he panicked, and ratted out all these drug dealers plus all these FM stations. I would do anything, splice tape and put their library together. They thought I could be lead singer of the Critters. So I went over there and they went nuts over my stuff. I went over to Kama Sutra, to talk about The Critters they had a few hit records. And I found out these guys had bought the publishing rights. Kama Sutra was a label with The Lovin' Spoonful, The Critters, The Shangri Las was their production although it wasn't on the label. I was signed to this company United Artists, they bought Kama Sutra's publishing. I played behind Tony Orlando when he had his first big song and later on I hooked up with him and he had his first hit record, which is on my collection, Laguna Tunes, his first real Top Twenty.Īt 15 or so, I started working in the city. I didn't take a lot of pictures, but there was a picture of me doing that, in the early Sixties. I started meeting acts, when the Shangri Las had their hit "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" I was playing with them. I was doing high school hops for WMCA Good Guys, with Jack Spector ![]() I was in New York, with a lot of opportunities, especially because I would work for any price. I started trying to play rock and roll, which upset my family "You want to use my piano as a drum, we'll get you a drum, trade the piano for a drum".Įventually I knew all the songs and at twelve I started playing professionally. Then I discovered Elvis Presley movies and it changed my whole perspective. I started learning to play classical piano. He became a track star, but that's pretty useless later on in life. Aunt Lucy would decide which kids in the family were worth spending for music lessons. When I was a kid she played Carnegie Hall and we'd go there. Lucy Brown was a famous piano player, she played classical music. It was kind of expected that I wasn't supposed to be something like an accountant I should be a struggling artist. My grandfather was an architect, my father was an architect, and my mother is an oil painter of some renown. I spent the early part of my life there it's where my parents lived. Downtown Greenwich Village was were I was born. KENNY LAGUNA: Well I'm from an artsy family. Matthew Donovan: First question, what drew you to music and how did you get your start in the music business? In a lengthy phone interview, Laguna talked about his long and varied career as well as upcoming projects. Recently, Laguna produced the new JOAN JETT album SINNER, and is currently touring as a keyboardist with JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS in support of the album. He has produced all of Jett's albums, leading to major hits such as "Bad Reputation," "I Love Rock and Roll," and "Do You Wanna Touch Me." Along with these musical projects, Laguna has helped run BLACKHEART RECORDS, a label started for JOAN JETT releases, which has also put out records by the likes of the Eyeliners and Metal Church. He has worked with artists as diverse as Tony Orlando and Bow Wow Wow, and Laguna was also instrumental in starting the career of JOAN JETT. Beginning as a performer with bands like WMCA Good Guys, then moving into producing, his varied career has ranged from bubblegum pop to New Wave. Since his start in the music industry during the 1960s, KENNY LAGUNA has made a name for himself as a performer, songwriter and producer. Have Joan Jett news to report? Email us at and please include the source of the information so it can be validated. Joan Jett And The Blackhearts Bad Reputation NationĪll news is attributed to the source from which it was received so that readers may judge the validity of the statements for themselves. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |