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Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
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There are 17 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Goffin - King
From: Bill Reed
2. Sunday Papers
From: Mick Patrick
3. Re: TTG Studios in Hollywood
From: Lou Bova
4. Thanks to Ronnie Allen
From: John Clemente
5. Keystone Record Collectors Show 11/10/02
From: John Cemente
6. The Reflections
From: Bill
7. The Continental Co-Ets
From: Will Stos
8. Re: Goffin - King
From: Richard Tearle
9. Ramona King
From: Phil Milstein
10. Re: Ramona King
From: Mick Patrick
11. An Oldie But A Goodie
From: Lynn
12. made to be bad
From: Phil Milstein
13. Re: made to be bad
From: Richard Tearle
14. Paul Williams on Dexter's Lab?
From: Jack Madani
15. Re: made to be bad
From: Dan Hughes
16. Re: made to be bad
From: Steve Harvey
17. Playing catch-up
From: Country Paul
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 01:30:01 -0000
From: Bill Reed
Subject: Goffin - King
For the "record," here's a CD collection of Goffin-King
penned tracks that I picked up today at my "local"
Amoeba Records in L.A.
Masterpieces V.1
1. Oh! Neil - Carole King
2. Dreamin' About You - Annette and the Vonnairs
3. Don't Ever Change - The Crickets
4. When My Little Girl is Smiling - Jimmy Justice
5. Where Do I Go - Little Eva
6. Chains - The Orlons
7. Up on the Roof - Kenny Lynch
8. Go Away Little Girl - Donny Osmond
9. I was Only Kidding - Ann-Margret
10. Take Good Care of My Baby - Bobby Vinton
11. Hey Girl - Freddie Scott
12 I Can't Stay Mad at You - Skeeter Davis
13. Why'd You Make Me Wanna Cry For
14. They're Jealous of Me
15. He's in Town - The Tokens
16. Some of Your Lovin' - The Honey Bees
17. Every Breath I Take - Gene Pitney
18. Good Buddies - The Crawford Brothers
19. Halfway to Paradise - Tony Orlando
20. Heaven is Being With You - Jackie DeShannon
21. Oh No Not My Baby - The Shirelles
22. The Old Crowd - Lesley Gore
23. Easy to Love (So Hard to Get)- The Chiffons
24. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow - Helen Shapiro
25. I Don't Wanna Lose You - James Darren
26. Softly in the Night - The Cookies
27. He Hit Me and It Felt Like a Kiss - The Crystals
28. Love Eyes - Tony Orlando
29. This Little Girl - Dion
30. Some Kind of Wonderful - Idalia Boyd
"All songs by Goffin and King except for "Oh! Neil" by
Greenfield-Sedaka-Goffin". Some of the info - copied directly
from the insert - might be incorrect. No label name or any
other info except for "Made in EEC". Very little doubt this
is a boot. I always feel a pang of conscience when I buy these
things, but who?, I ask you now, WHO? could resist. Perhaps
only Our Lady of Perpetual Royalties.
Bill Reed
http://www.pinkywinters.com
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 13:24:08 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Sunday Papers
From Ugly Things #20: http://www.ugly-things.com
... The best thing we did was a version of "Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered"
which was really, really beautiful. It sounded like a SHANGRI-LAS' record from
1965" ... (Producer Andy Paley talking to Phil Milstein about the Shangri-Las'
comeback sessions of 1977)
From In The Basement #28: http://www.basement-group.co.uk
Former Crystals' lead singer, LA LA BROOKS, has been back to college - not as a
student but as a guest speaker at Temple University College in Philadelphia
recently, as part of their Legendary Female History Month. La La, whose musical
career has included appearing on Broadway in Hair alongside Melba Moore, as
well as having parts in a number of movies, shared with students of black
history her personal encounters and experiences in the show business world.
Feedback reports she excited the class as she talked about the ups and downs of
life on the road and in the studio with other recording stars, divas and
especially other female groups, throwing in snippets of juicy gossip ...
From Vanity Fair #507, November 2002: http://www.condenast.co.uk
I was a great friend of JACK NITZSCHE, and from him I got a different
perspective of the British Invasion - that American music was on the verge of
changing into something incredible. They were all working away - him, Phil
Spector, the 4 Seasons, Brian Wilson - and the visions they had, what they were
trying to do with American music, were completely f####ed up by the British
Invasion. In the wake of those bands which were actually good (like the Beatles
and the Stones) - real musicians with some kind of vision - came all this other
crap like Herman's Hermits, the Dave Clark Five, et cetera. And I actually
agree with him. (Marianne Faithfull talking to David Kamp in The British
Invasion - The Oral History)
MICK PATRICK
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 08:52:19 -0500
From: Lou Bova
Subject: Re: TTG Studios in Hollywood
Stu Phillips http://stuwho.com :
> Berry Gordy decided to try a studio called TTG on Highland Ave. in Hollywood.
Phil Milstein:
> Same studio the Velvet Underground recorded much of their early material at.
The Velvets' connection to TTG was via Verve Records' Director of Engineering
Val Valentin & producer Tom Wilson. Before the Velvets, Tom & Val brought The
Mothers Of Invention to TTG to record their debut album, "Freak Out".
Lou Bova
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 10:30:45 -0500
From: John Clemente
Subject: Thanks to Ronnie Allen
Hello All,
Thanks to Ronnie Allen for his kudos and for his enjoyable interview earlier
this year on M-Pak Radio with Diane Renay. Mike Mickels does a marvelous job
with the station and it certainly was a pleasure being on to talk about "Girl
Groups".
Ronnie mentioned The Echelons, a group I helped form in the late 1980s. In
answer to Ronnie's question, yes, we did record for songwriter/producer Eddie
Brian's BAB Records. Eddie was a member of The Ducanes, who recorded a version
of Louie Lymon's "I'm So Happy" for George Goldner's Goldisc Records in 1961.
As you know, that was one of three singles produced by Phil Spector in the
short period of time that he decided to form his own record company. Spector
had that single, "The Bells" by The Creations and "There's No Other" by The
Crystals. Of course, we know which one he ran with. Eddie later became a
producer, which he is to this day. More on The Echelons in another post. See
ya.
Regards,
John Clemente
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 10:34:23 -0500
From: John Cemente
Subject: Keystone Record Collectors Show 11/10/02
Hello All,
For those of you who live in NY/NJ/PA, I will be a guest at the Keystone
Record Collectors Club show in Lancaster, PA on November 10. I was asked
to come and sign copies of "Girl Grouips" and talk about the book. I would
like very much to meet those of you with whom I have communcated on this
site. Hopefully, you can make it. It is a great place to get records.
For more info and directions, contact Steve Yohe, .
Regards,
John Clemente
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 17:38:32 -0000
From: Bill
Subject: The Reflections
I've been asked to forward this bit of information from a friend of
mine about the ongoing Reflections tread. My friend's father, Al
Rosner, was the Reflections' manager the whole time they were on GW.
He also has info on Ric-Tic and Palmer Records. He has been in touch
with Tony Micale, lead singer of the Reflections, and they have a
regular gig every week at one of the Detroit casions every Sat. night.
They no longer have to use the Laradoes name, though the new group is
a combo of ex-Laradoes and ex-Reflections. The only two original
Reflections still inthe group are Tony and John, the bass man.
Contact me off-list for al's email address. The tell him Bill sent ya.
Better yet, invite him to join the group.
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 17:45:25 -0000
From: Will Stos
Subject: The Continental Co-Ets
I was visiting a record show today and found a 45 by the Continental
Co-Ets that had been reissued. I bought it not because I like their
music so much but because it had a nifty picture sleeve. I first
heard about this group in Cha Cha Charming, but I didn't think they
were terribly popular or well-known. Was this group well known enough
on their own to have a 45 reissued, or was it part of the Girls in
the Garage series that found an appreciative audience?
By the way, the 45 is "Let's Live For The Present b/w Ebb Tide" from
1994 on the Get Hip Archive Series GHAS-3
Will : )
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Message: 8
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 20:10:46 -0000
From: Richard Tearle
Subject: Re: Goffin - King
Bill Reed:
> ... a CD collection of Goffin-King penned tracks that I picked up
> today at my "local" Amoeba Records in L.A.
What a great cd - hope it's available in the UK! Some strange choices
though - Helen Shapiro singing Will you still love me tomorrow??
(Helen was a 'schoolgirl' songstress in the early 60s and the Beatles
were even below her on the bill on one tour! She had hits with
Walking back to Happiness and Please don't treat me like a child...she
is now quite an accomplished Jazz singer..) Back to G/K: In my humble
opinion, the best song they ever wrote was Going Back. I don't know
how old they were then, but the lyrics are very mature and the tune
structure is terrific. I heard an unplugged version of it on the radio
by Bon Jovi, of all people! Cheers.
Richard
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Message: 9
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 11:53:55 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Ramona King
Anyone know of any pix of or b.g. info on Ramona King?
--Phil M.
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 22:39:31 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Ramona King
Phil Milstein:
> Anyone know of any pix of or b.g. info on Ramona King?
Ramona King has always seemed a bit of a mystery figure, despite her lengthy
recording career. See my attempt at a discography below - additions and
corrections very gratefully received. The only picture of her that I have
ever seen is on her hideously rare 4 track French Warner Bros EP of 1964.
And I only have a small illustration of that item in a book. Her full name
was Ramona Ruth King and she wrote many of her own songs, frequently with
one Cleo King Jr, perhaps her brother or husband? She also co-wrote one of
Sugar Pie De Santo's sides. A West Coast artist, many of her 45s are quite
marvellous. "Oriental Garden", for example, arranged by Jack Nitzsche for
Lee Hazlewood's Eden logo, is to die for. "What About You", on the same
label, was also recorded by the Cannon Sisters and Charlotte O'Hara - it's
hard to choose between the three versions. Ramona's version of "It's In His
Kiss" falls between the original by Merry Clayton and Betty Everett's hit
rendition. Again, it's a tough call to choose a favourite of the three.
Jerry Riopell(e) was her producer at Warner Bros. It's tempting to assume
that it was these great records which brought him to the attention of Phil
Spector. I have no evidence to support my theory that Ramona is related to
Clydie King, just a gut feeling. As many of you know, I named my pet cat
after Ramona.
Ramona King Discography
Ramona King & Cleo:
Dream On/Soul Mate (Arvee 5041, 1961)
Ramona King:
Oriental Garden/Soul Mate (Eden 3, 1962)
Mind Reader/What About You (Eden 5, 1963)
Ballyhoo/I Wanna Dance (Eden 6, 1963)
It's In His Kiss/It Couldn't Happen To A Nicer Guy (Warner Bros 5416, 1964)
You Say Pretty Words/Blue Roses (Warner Bros 5432, 1964)
Run Johnny Run/It Couldn't Happen To A Nicer Guy (Warner Bros 5452, 1964)
Hey Everybody/Make The Night A Little Longer (Warner Bros 5602, 1965)
Stay Away From The Fire/What Have I Got To Cry About (Amy 989, 1967)
Everybody Knows/It's You That I Want (Action 1053)
A Few Years Later/I Choose You (Soul Set 104, 1975)
Sugar Pie De Santo:
That Lovin' Touch (Brunswick 55375, 1968)
Written by Peylia Parham (aka Sugar Pie De Santo) and Ramona King
MICK PATRICK
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Message: 11
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 22:48:13 -0000
From: Lynn
Subject: An Oldie But A Goodie
Hi! I guess that pretty well sums me up (an "oldie but a goodie!").
This may not be the right place to post a question like this, but I
am getting a little desperate. Sure hope someone can help me out.
I am looking for the title and artist of a song from the late
1960s. I remember a version done by Marilyn Maye that changed the
gender of some of the lines. The original was sung by a man - or
maybe by a group. The sound was a folk/easy listening sort of
thing. (The Sandpipers come to mind, although I don't think it was
them.) Anyway, here is what I remember of the lyrics:
It was written on my mind like the back of an envelope,
Rehearsed and very carefully ________
My ___________ was out of reach
That I wrote while hanging out down at the beach.
And then your father (?) asked if I had money for a haircut
And I realized my hair was ________
Suddenly I wished I'd changed my shirt,
And darling then your face was full of me,
And then your eyes were too.
And I knew that you knew that I knew that
You knew that I knew that you knew.
For some reason, the words Every Now and Then stick in my mind.
Maybe this was the title, but I can find no reference to it anywhere.
Does anyone remember this song? I hope so! Thanks!
Lynn
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Message: 12
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 19:25:43 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: made to be bad
A call for title submissions:
I'm considering compiling a CD-R of B-sides made to prompt
programmers' to air only the A's. I'm not sure who invented
this practice, but it appears to have flourished in the
early to mid '60s, and inspired a lot of bent creativity.
Methodologies included deliberately bad songs, off-key
singing and playing, studio noises, idiotic titles,
offensive lyrics, etc.
My willingness to pursue the project will depend on how many
of the songs I may have at hand or can easily acquire, but
if I do go ahead with it I'll be happy to send a copy to
anyone who contributes a selection idea or two.
--Phil Milstein
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Message: 13
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 01:22:52 -0000
From: Richard Tearle
Subject: Re: made to be bad
I don't know if these were deliberate, but the B side of 'They're coming to
take me away ha ha' by Napoleon XIV was the same song as the A side but played
backwards. And there was a Beach Boys single of which the B side was about 1.00
long, but I'm afraid I can't remember either A or B side... These were, of
course, UK releases.
Cheers, Richard
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Message: 14
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 20:40:22 -0500
From: Jack Madani
Subject: Paul Williams on Dexter's Lab?
I just caught a "Prime Cut" on Cartoon Network, which is one of those music-
video-ish sort of things that they slip in when there's a little time left over
before the next program. This one featured Dexter of Dexter's Laboratory, and
who should visit him but some professor who looked exactly like (and sounded
sorta like) Paul Williams. And then they broke into a duet of a number that
sounded like a cross between a Schoolhouse Rock number and an early Randy
Newman song. The upshot of the song was "we can make music when we work
together", and the final line of the chorus was "breathe in the bright
sunshine". The video was entitled "Just An Old Fashioned Lab Song". I'm
assuming it was really Paul Williams?
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Message: 15
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 20:15:36 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Phil, I'd go with two from Nino and April: 1-45 (flip side of Stardust), and
I've Been Carrying a Torch For You So Long That I Burned a Great Big Hole In My
Heart (flip side of Deep Purple).
---Dan
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Message: 16
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 19:27:59 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Hey Phil,
The sax solo on the Jones Girl on the back of In the Still of the Night never
changes. Same note through out the entire solo. Don't forget that many B sides
end up becoming A sides. Kiss Him Good-Bye by Steam was deliberately written so
it would not be played instead of the intended B side. Oh well!
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Message: 17
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 00:53:14 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Playing catch-up
Just coming back from a hiatus - there will be a little catching up....
Phil Milstein discussed cool music in commercials. As someone commented,
thanks to Volkswagen, Nick Drake has sold more records [CD's] dead than
alive. My two cents, for what it's worth: "selling out" is one thing, like
Led Zeppelin for Cadillac(? or is it Lincoln?) and the Clash's "London
Calling" (although from the article Patrick cited, they don't seem to mind).
There was a Devo track, "It's A Beautiful World," which some client also
(mis) used in the same manner. However, lately commercials and college radio
are about the only places left (without paying for it) that you can hear a
cool new (or older) song and be actually turned on for a few seconds. I'm in
favor of the trend until radio - or whatever follows it - gets a lot better
or until (inevitably) the music choices get way too "stoopid" and it will be
time for something else. (And it's good that some artists who wouldn't
otherwise are getting some royalties - the manufactured pop machine types
are rich enough already....)
JB called "electronica a sadly maligned and disrespected (by older folks)
new music." Hey, good music is timeless, no matter what the style. Bring it
on. (I'd comment further but I don't want to wander way off topic.) And I
commend all to the article JB linked to from theBoston weekly paper re: DJ's
and requests, http://www.weeklydig.com/?ContentId=1567. The salient quote:
"...{T}he general public, the great unwashed out there, is comprised mostly
of people who've never learned to think for themselves or try to discover
anything that hasn't been force-fed to them." That's why they rejoice at
wedding-band toons and we S-poppers and others with broader tastes run for
the door. (And yes, indeed, at a charity ball last Friday Night, "Dancing
Queen" got 'em up and dancing while I went in search of earplugs!)
Tim was looking for Christmas songs. Some less conventional suggestions:
- Carnegy Hall [spelling correct], The Bells of San Francisco (Atco, 1967) -
hippie satire, but like the best satire, well-played, produced and
performed. I sent a dub to Brian Linds who used it on his Christmas show
last year.
- Pure Gold, Chase These Christmas Blues (a small label from Pittsburgh,
late '80's) - neo-doo-wop, but beautiful and credible, and a really nice
song.
- Gene Autry, The Three Elves (Hardrock, Coco and Joe) - early 50's - I
remember a cartoon video that went with this song. Anyone know where to find
it (the song - video optional) without breaking the bank?
Welcome to the group, Tim. And Jeffrey Glenn, I never thought of Tommy Roe's
"It's Now Winter's Day" as a Christmas song - just as a masterpiece. (Your
albums are certainly eclectic, and considering the context, "The Holly and
the Ivy League" has to take some kind of prize. Of course, "Bob Sled & the
Toboggans" is another winner....)
Back to instrumentals for a moment - for the Brits in our gang, who was
Monty Kelly who did "Summer Set" (on Carlton, US)? Was it his band, or was
he the clarinetist, or was that the earlier-mentioned Mr. Bilk? And was Reg
Owen, who did "Manhattan Spiritual" (on Palette, US), a big deal beyond that
one record? Both tracks were hits of some size in the states, usually
getting airplay when DJ's deadrolled up to the hour to meet the news.
Hans Ket: As a Yank, I always thought the Ivy League were a one-hit wonder,
too, but the hit was "Funny How Love Can Be," a beautiful song released here
on Cameo.
Stephen Braitman and Jeff Lemlich: thank you for the Nooney Rickett/Joni
Lyman histories. Much appreciated. (Cricket Rickett?!?!? Pretty good,
actually; up there with another of the best real names I ever heard, a New
York theatrical agent who goes by Biff Liff. Really.)
Louise: thank you for you (once again) thoughtful comments, this time on my
"hippies" treatise. The term has come in for lots of bashing, especially in
recent years by contemporaries who one would hope might know better, but I'm
grateful for my experiences in the era, and for what I learned and have been
able to carry forward. I'm not nostalgic for the times - who would want to
re-live that "wonderful" Nixon era - but I love the music and what it meant,
and hopefully I've learned from history and won't have to repeat it (unless
some political leaders who haven't learned drag us into it again).
Phil, thanks for your insight, too. I did see Hendrix's first headlining
tour, not the Monkees opener. Even with the college gym's horrendous
acoustics, he made the audience completely his own right up to the fateful
guitar-smashing, which divided the crowd neatly in two.
Also in thank-you mode, much appreciated leads to the Shirley Ellis and Bob
Welch websites. I'd always been curious about Lincoln Chase, too - another
great name as well as a talented writer. And to hear that Tom Rapp is alive
and well - now there's an artist who deserves a few more pennies in
royalties from someone using his music in a commercial!
Neil Hever: regarding a very good hillbilly/rockabilly musaic site,
Spectropop correspondant Stephen Canner hosts hillbilly@yahoogroups.com. I'm
on it, too - some very erudite individuals there, and knowledge you wouldn't
believe. There's more "stuff" to have to cut through there, but the trip is
usually worth it IMHO.
"Zombie," I didn't know of any other spelling for Alzo's partner, but Alzo
as a solo artist and Alzo & Udine were faves of one of our jocks at WHCN in
Hartford, CT in the early '70's. While I never really developed a taste for
their jazz/r&b influencedrock, they actually sold a few copies of their
albums in central Connecticut. Interesting to see them mentioned here. BTW,
with a name like Uddin, I'd probably modify it to a stage name, too!
John Clemente: "Girl Groups" is cool. Your critic isn't. Thanks for the
labor of love. Love counts a lot here - as does your accuracy and passion.
Way to go.
And on the subject of girl groups and DCP Records, they had a fine one with
the Crampton Sisters, "I Didn't know What Time It Was." Definitely of its
time - early 1964 - first 45 on the label. Got to the bottom of the Hot 100,
if I remember right.
Finally, re: "no" songs, the pinnacle (or is it nadir) must go to the
politically incorrect "No, No, No" by the Chanters on Deluxe, an otherwise
very fine little-boy-sound doo wop group (who released this 45 twice and had
a small r&b hit with it both times):
"No, no, no - don't kiss me anymore,
no, no, no - I told you once before,
no, no, no - don't kiss me anymore.
'no, no, no' means 'yes, yes, yes!'"
So I've made it all the way up to a week ago - and "I bid you goodnight,
goodnight, goodnight".
(from the Incredible String Band on Elektra, with a pop cover by Condello
on Scepter[!])
Country Paul
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