Rolling Stone Jonas Brothers Edition

I was at the store and saw a Rolling Stone commemorative Jonas Brothers collectible edition. And I thought, What?

I thought Rolling Stone was a little more high brow rock than that. But I haven't really been keeping up as well as I used to. So maybe things have changed.

There were the usual "16" types of magazines as well -- I didn't really see them but I figure they were there since they usually are. And Rolling Stone. Hmm.

Do I like the Jonas Brothers? Yes, I do. Although all I have by them is one album, the one before last, the one that has "Burnin' Up" and several other great songs. I listened to it non-stop for a few weeks. It was great. And I know Rolling Stone gave it a very good review.

I'm not someone who likes them to the point of buying the magazines, etc. Those days are gone for me. It would take the reincarnation of Elvis Presley to do it for me, which almost happened with Adam Lambert, at least in part. I did buy the Rolling Stone with Adam on it and also Lady Gaga.

But this Jonas edition is not the regular magazine but a special edition, like the whole thing is dedicated to all things Jonas. I just glanced through it so I didn't pick up any great trivia.

Is this really what's happening with Rolling Stone? Or is this just a cash-in thing?

The Zonks of Hope, Arkansas

Zonksmania is hitting Dairy Queens everywhere. There they are! It's always 1967 and they're always standing on the wildest DQ truck I've ever seen. With a great looking drum that has two arrows that remind me of The Who's one arrow.

They've been performing at the DQ in Hope, Arkansas. And that's all we know about them.

I looked them up several months ago, probably over a year ago by now, and didn't find anything. But I tried again today and got a link to one of them, Buzz Andrews. Buzz says he's the one in the prison pants.

I have played music for 46 years. Played my first paid gig in 1963. I started playing with a garage band named the ZONKS out of Hope, Arkansas. We stayed together all the way through college and played high school and college parties and dances. We got hooked up with Dairy Queen in 1968 and played some stuff for them and the picture of the ZONKS can be seen in all the new Dairy Queens across the country. I'm the one in the prison pants. I moved on from that band and joined a bluegrass band, The Bluegrass Express.

Now he's performing as BUZZ ANDREWS, One Man Band.

I love the Zonks' picture, but it would seem that's all there is to it. Which is sad. Because what's more romantic than a band roaming the countryside waiting for a rock 'n' roll musical to break out? Screaming girls chasing behind. Boys crazy with the excitement of being the next big thing.

I want to hear tapes from their gigs. Demos. Or know they exist. Was there a 45? See whatever posters they had. See their business card. Publicity that says, "THIS SATURDAY AT DAIRY QUEEN" or whatever. Memorabilia. Newspaper clippings. Other photos. I want to know all about it. Come on, Buzz, identify the other guys and what they're doing now. Give us something!

Does it bug anyone else that we don't know more about The ZONKS?

Until we get more, all we have is this one single beautiful picture at Dairy Queen.

Teresa Brewer

I got this CD at a record store -- mostly a used record store -- a couple weeks ago.

I haven't listened to it since I've been home, but I listened to part of it in our motel on a portable CD player.

It's different from Teresa's ordinary songs, which were pop with a lot of playfulness. These are more the teenage, light rock sound of the late '50s.

20 songs. My favorite song on the CD is one I've had the 45 rpm record to for many years. It was my Mom's actually but one we played to virtual death as kids, "It's The Same Old Jazz." I believe I still have that copy, as bad looking as ever but it still plays. Then one day I got what looked like a mint copy at an antique store for $3. Then I got it home and it skipped on my record player. So that's weird, the beat to death copy plays through, but the mint looking copy doesn't.

In its place, though, I had a download of questionable origin. But now I have the CD, so everything is good and proper.

This song I believe is fully entitled, "It's The Same Old Jazz Momma." The theme of the song is a daughter's justification of the rock era and '50s teenage sensibilities to her mother by comparing all that to the mother's memories of the '20s. With the great conclusion that it's the same thing, the same old jazz, Momma!

Lyrics including this: "Remember back in '22, the shimmy shake you used to do. Remember how you'd 'Bump and Meet.' Well, bump and jump keep company." And "Rudy Vallee had a megaphone, and Clara Bow had 'It.' Now Bill Haley has a microphone, and Mary Lou's a hit. And Daddy, Daddy, Daddy wore a raccoon coat. And drove a Plymouth too. Now leather jackets are the fashion note, and motorcycles too." But you can see, "It's the same old jazz, Momma!"