Monday was quite a day for LOUIE LOUIE appreciators. Big Baboo’s show from Moab, Utah was really a lot of fun. I got interviewed on the radio, Stretch Riedle (creator of the legendary KFJC Maximum LOUIE marathon) was interviewed, and even a former Kingsmen vocalist called in with a live impromptu version. There were a few technical snafus with the phone audio feed, but overall, the whole thing turned out great
The big question, besides of course “When is the film going to be finished?” is the one Stretch and I both get asked all the time… “When is there going to be another big LOUIE LOUIE marathon?”
That is a very good question, and I don’t know when we’ll be able to come up with a proper answer. Perhaps the big LOUIE LOUIE marathon will happen when a radio station, or a group of radio stations, will decide to embark on assembling the grand monster of all LOUIE LOUIE marathons. It would be a worldwide event, where folks all over the world could submit CDs, MP3, and even video clips of their band performing LOUIE LOUIE. Perhaps it could have something like a YouTube or Google Video interface for audio clips where folks can upload their files. Maybe it could be in the form of a MP3 webstream radio program, either for profit or non-commercial markets. I haven’t really given it much thought, as frankly… I’m trying to finish a documentary right now.
Right now, there’s still an ongoing, serious effort by some dedicated volunteers to properly organize the elements of the original 1983 KFJC marathon, helping break up the 45 minute air check tapes from the Stretch Riedle collection. We still don’t have an accurate number for all the versions that were played during that 63 hour event, and we’re a little over half way finished. There were a lot of disc jockeys involved, and unfortunately, many of these folks were very sloppy in documenting their air shifts. I can’t read the log sheets, and there some serious gaps where many versions simply cannot be identified.
I do believe there are more recorded versions of LOUIE LOUIE than other song in existence. The Guiness Book of World Records claims that “Yesterday” by Paul McCartney is the most recorded song, but I believe once we finish our LOUIE LOUIE archiving project, we will be able to submit evidence that will prove my hypothesis correct.
There’s some people that don’t understand why there’s such a big fuss over this silly little song. I’ve had some people write to me that this was the worst song they’ve ever heard. To those people, I don’t have much to say, other than provide the facts regarding it’s massive appeal, or simply ignore their often illiterate rantings. There are some people that “get it” and others that will “never get it.” Life is sometimes like that….
When I finish this film, maybe they’ll understand. Or maybe they won’t.
In the meantime, if anyone has any brilliant ideas on how we can assemble the next big LOUIE LOUIE marathon, please feel free to leave comments at this blog entry, or contact me directly .
– ERIC PREDOEHL (director / producer of the long-awaited LOUIE LOUIE documentary)