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The official Podcast for the legendary pinup magazine Retro Lovely by publisher Michael Bann. Follow for ongoing episodes about the magazine, photography, interviews and a whole lot more. Find us everywhere as Retro Lovely and Retro Lovely Magazine and of course at retrolovely.com
Episodes
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Retro Lovely interview with Tommy James
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
In the spring of 2021, Retro Lovely Publisher Michael Bann conducted a phone interview with the legendary musician Tommy James. Best known from Tommy James and the Shondells, Tommy boasts an incredible catalog of hits that dominated radio in the 60s and early 70s. Who hasn't heard I Think We're Alone Now, Mony Mony, Crystal Blue Persuasion, or Crimson and Clover? Few people knew during that era that Tommy's label, Roulette, was run by Morris Levy, the notorious "Godfather" of the music business with ties to the Genovese crime family. It's a fascinating tale vividly portrayed in Tommy's book "Me, the Mob, and the Music." Think we're exaggerating? Well, it's becoming a major motion picture with several legendary names attached to the production.
From Variety 7/18/2019
Pop music star Tommy James and film producer Barbara DeFina are developing the biopic “Me, the Mob and the Music,” based on James’ autobiography.
DeFina, whose credits include Martin Scorsese’s “Casino” and “GoodFellas,” and James have tapped three-time Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall to helm the film adaptation from a screenplay by Matthew Stone (“Intolerable Cruelty”).
James was the leader of Tommy James and the Shondells with No. 1 singles for “Hanky Panky” and “Crimson and Clover” along with a dozen other Top 40 hits, including “I Think We’re Alone Now”, “Mirage”, “Mony Mony”, “Sweet Cherry Wine”, and “Crystal Blue Persuasion.” He has sold an estimated 100 million records.
The book, co-written with Martin Fitzpatrick and published in 2011, centers on James’ years at Roulette Records and his complex and sometimes terrifying relationship with mobster Morris Levy, also known as the “Godfather of the Music Business.” Levy operated through payola and strong-arm tactics. Levy was convicted of extortion in 1990 and died after losing an appeal shortly before he was due to report to prison.
This interview focuses on this, and you'll come away with a deeper appreciation of this artist.
Follow Tommy here: https://www.tommyjames.com/
Get a signed copy of Me, the Mob, and the Music here: https://www.tommyjames.com/tommy-james-store.php?thisPage=202#content
Listen in to Tommy James
Sirius XM Radio Show
Every Sunday, 5 – 8pm EST
Channel 73 – 60s GOLD
Huge thanks to Carol Ross for her help making this interview possible
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Bumper track "Take Away Everything" courtesy Stan Jankaitis performed by Michael Bann
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