Here Come The Hits!

I've got several of these "Ronnie Aldrich and his Two Pianos" albums and I've seen lots of other ones in my travels around thrift stores from Cleveland to California. The basic idea seems to be that Ronnie Aldrich plays a handful of popular tunes using not one but two pianos (often done up in extreme left-right stereo separation for your convenience). It's not entirely clear whether Ronnie is playing both pianos himself, but given the considerable technical wizardry of the "Phase 4 Stereo" concept that seems to be the cornerstone of this production, almost anything is possible.

Most of Aldrich's albums are really pretty lame, but Here Come The Hits has what it takes to entertain me: the right combination of cheesy pop hits and a groovy psychedelic jacket mural (could those polka-dotted mushrooms be an accident?) Joining forces with the London Festival Orchestra, Aldrich covers tunes like Venus, Sugar Sugar, Arizona, and Bridge Over Troubled Waters. A sappy version of the Lennon/McCarney tune Because is one of a pair of Beatle covers on the album. According to the liner notes, "These arrangements will attract music fans of all interests --those who like 'pop' with the orchestral sound, and those who know little of the 'pop' scene but know a good tune when they hear one".

Here Come The Hits is recorded in fabulous Phase 4 Stereo, a "radically new and dynamic concept in the art of high fidelty reproduction" that's described in painstaking detail on the inside of the beautiful fold-out album jacket. My theory is that reading an essay about 20 track musical recording, written to sound technical without actually being terribly accurate or specific, was meant to enahnce the listening experience, probably by causing the listener to focus on the sound quality rather than the artistic content of the music. In my case, it seems to have worked.

Thanks,
-Dan (11-18-2002)

Tom Tuerff (ttuerff@aol.com) says:
Why Joni Mitchell is on the cover of this album is beyond me. (09-05-2002)

ITX says:
Ouch! Ouch! (08-29-2002)

Eric K. says:
Believe it or not, there is a radio station in Cambridge, Mass. that has played this version of Sugar Sugar! It is WJIB-AM 740, one of the few easy listening stations left in the country. I first heard it sometime in the fall of 1997. Fortunately, I caught it on tape. (07-19-2002)

Extream says:
EVEL IS THE MAN! (07-16-2002)

milton caceres (tecnomilton@latinmail.com) says:
i hear the 1968 "for young lovers" aldrich album
that is exelent, is a mix between orchestral caotic style & the 60s rock
but the next albun "this way in" is no to good, seem to much comercial music exept by the first and ender themes
after of the new american style "its happening now" (midle good album) present a super "destination to love" a rock-clasical style
whit a huge imagination for the percution, guitars and pianos use.
i thing that Ronnie Aldrich maybe if no sale to much records then his quality be major,
and hear by the serious critic music and no be only a Easy Listening hi have a big talent take for the needed comercial companies its no so good.
(sorry my english im spanish) bye aldrichfans
milton caceres (07-07-2002)

milton caceres (tecnomilton@latinmail.com) says:
hi! I have a Ronnie Aldrich collection list

1962 Melody and Percusion for Two Pianos
(cd made in italy 1999 decca)
1962 RA and His Two Pianos
1963 Magnificent Pianos of RA (on 2 cds set
1964 Romantic Pianos of RA Twin Piano Magic)
1964 Christmas With RA (Poligram CD 1996)
1965 Magic Moods of RA
1965 That Aldrich Feeling (Ita cd 1999 decca)
1966 All Time Piano Hits
1966 Were the Sun is
1967 Two Pianos in Hollywood (ita cd 1999 decca)
1967 Two Pianos Today (ita cd 1999 decca)
1968 For Young Lovers
1968 This Way in (ita cd 1999 decca)
1969 Destination Love (ita cd 1999 decca)
1969 Togetherness 2Lp set
in us: Here Come the Hits & Close To You
1971 Love Story (ita cd 1999 decca)
in us 2 Lp set with album of light classics
1972 Invitation To Love
1972 Come to Were The Love is (ita cd 1999 decca)
1973 Solft and Wicked
1973 Top of the Word
1974 The Way We Were (ita cd 1999 decca)
1975 In the Gentle Hours
1975 Love
1976 Reflections
1977 Webb Country
1977 With Love and understanding
1978 Melodies From the Classics
1978 Emotions (last Us release by Polygram)
1979 Tomorrows Yesterdays
1980 For the One You Love
1981 One Fine Day (Amberjack label)
1981 Imagine (Audio Fideliti label)
1982 Beautiful Music (Audio Fideliti label)
1982 Night Birds (released in Australia)
1984 Sea Dreams (RAs own label "seaward")
1987 For All Seasons (MFP CD-6016)

PS: i like interchange in wav or mp3
I want a Book for RA life and videos
bye aldrichfans
Milton Caceres (06-22-2002)

Tecnomilton@latinmail.com (Milton Caceres) says:
Hi! Im a Ronnie Aldrich Fannatic, Im have a big vinyl collection from his records, but i dont know his story.
i want all data possible from he like:
who formed the orchestral concepcion,
what mussician changes and tecniques between records
what is the flute man?, or the guitarmans? ,some day change his arp man the vibraphone or drummer?
i want too a video concert and a book for his life
if you may help me write please for my email
atte. Milton (06-09-2002)

MILTON CACERES (TECNOMILTON@LATINMAIL.COM) says:
(SORRY MY ENGLISH IM SPANISH)
I THINK THAT THIS ALBUM IS SOME RARE.
ALDRICH IN 1969 PERFOMED A UNIQUE ALBUM "DESTINATION TO LOVE" SPECTACULAR CLASICROCK STYLE (WHI DONT REALICE PLUS SIMILAR ALBUMS IN THIS YEAR?)AND WAIT A YEAR UP TO 1971
AND REALICE, "HERE COMES THE HITS" VERY MELANCOLICAL AND NO USUAL ALDRICH STYLE
MAYBE IS A TRANSITION FOR AFTER REALICE "CLOSE TO YOU" AND THE CONSAGRATION WITH DOUBLE "LOVE STORY" (CLASIC 2 ALBUM) IN THE YEAR (3 ALBUMS , TO MUCH!) HE RETORNED FOR HIS STYLE. BUT PLUS WORKED.
¡GOOD BYE MY FRIENDS ALDRICHFANS! (06-09-2002)

Lenny Fuentes (pacwiz68@yahoo.com) says:
Hi,does anyone out there have or know where I can
find the song "Blue Skies" done by Ronnie Aldrich?
I hear it's pretty rare,please let me know if you
have any info on this one,can't find it anywhere.
Thanks. (01-23-2002)

Alan R. Young (birdseyegraphics@mindspring.com) says:
I am looking for Ronnie Aldrich and His Twin Pianos album that contains the folowing cuts:

Don't Sleep in the Subway
You Only Live Twice

Please contact me if you have this album and are willing to part with it for a price. Thank you! (01-12-2002)

Mary and Jack Raymer (jraymer@jetbn.net) says:
We own the record "Here Come the Hits!" We were trying to find out where we can buy a CD or cassette of "Here Come the Hits", "All Time Piano Hits," "Two Pianos in Hollywood," "The Magnificent Pianos of Ronnie Aldrich," or where we can locate a complete list of all his CD's or cassettes that are available to be purchased with the price of each, and how it can be ordered by telephone. Thank you for your time and we hope to hear from you in the near future! Thanks again! (10-13-2001)

Ron Burns (rjburns@spectranet.ca) says:
I have this album. I am willing to sell to best offerer. I have just about all the albums listed on this site. My contact information is included. It's the way I do business: Ron Burns 550 CHILDS DR MILTON,ONTARIO,CANADA L9T 3P3 1-(905)-876-3245 (08-06-2001)

Groganlord says:
Music to accompany cutting up girlfriend in bathtub with hacksaw previous to shallow burial.... (07-25-2001)

The Lone Beatnik (cujoe76@yahoo.com) says:
YES! YES! I WANT THIS VERSION OF SUGAR SUGAR PLAYED AT MY BURIAL PROCESSION WHEN I DIE! The cover: dispite the appearance of a passionate kiss, the guy is sucking the girl's brain out through a hole in the head. Next, he will eat her liver with a can of farvah beans and a nice bottle of kiante *tounge noises* (06-14-2001)

Theo Trickbeat (mono.records@okay.net) says:
Hello FRANK,such oddity on display here!! It is with certain delay that i pay attention to those coverrecordings in their odly coversleeves.--I was originally wondering why listen to such inferior items, when the same money could buy me the original stuff. Nevertheless, i intend to feature likewise lunacies on my satire/comedy site: http://private.freepage.de/trickbeat Theo July,7 th,2000 (07-05-2000)

ileana b says:
when i was a little girl in spain my mom had a casette of ronnie aldrich and his two pianos, one of the songs was "la boheme" and the cover was yellow and had a brunette lady on it; i have looked for it relentessly to no avail, does anybody have it??? i know i didn't dream it!!! (05-25-2000)

Mario Caredo (acm@podernet.com.mx) says:
I have 10 LP´s of Ronnie Aldrich but they are´notin good conditions, if somone know where buy vinyl or CD´s please send me information (05-09-2000)

P.Lombardo (pal55arc@AOL.COM) says:
I too would like to know how to locate Ronnie Aldrich CD's. I love his music especially, w/ the London Festival Orchestra and Chorus: songs include "Happiness is Me and You", "Come to Where The Love Is" and I Could Be Happy With You". I own 3 albums, but need CD's. (05-07-2000)

LUIS LOAYZA - LIMA PERU (lucelian@hotmail.com) says:
DEAR FANS OF RONNIE ALDRICH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BUY CDS OF RONNIE ALDRICH.MOST OF HIS FANS HERE HAVE LPS. PLS INFORM ME WHERE TO GET THE CDS. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR KIND COOPERATION. THE GOOD MUSIC ALWAYS IS GOOD MUSIC. WAIT YOUR SOONEST REPLY. I SUPPOSE THERE IS A LIST OF THE CDS ISSUED. (04-02-2000)

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