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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 14 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re Lee Hazlewood Bio 45
From: Tony Bayliss
2. Re: Surf and Hit
From: Ian Chapman
3. Re: Surf and Hit
From: Mikey
4. Re: The Feathers / Jack Keller
From: Patrick Rands
5. Hit label
From: Austin Powell
6. Re: The Dark Mystery of "Timothy" by The Buoys
From: Art Longmire
7. Re: Surf and Hit
From: Simon White
8. Mark Wirtz turns...
From: Mark Frumento
9. Re: Lewis Sisters
From: Will Stos
10. Re: Hit
From: Phil Milstein
11. Re: Huntington Flats
From: Paul Urbahns
12. Timothy
From: jerophonic
13. "Timothy" by the Buoys
From: Mark Chadbourne
14. Smokey And His Sister/US 1967 WB LP
From: JJ
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 13:11:50 -0000
From: Tony Bayliss
Subject: Re Lee Hazlewood Bio 45
Tony:
> Just come across an interesting E.P. on Mercury MEP - 87. The
> title is 'The Lee Hazlewood Autobiography' by Lee Hazlewood.
Brynneandscott asked:
> Are you referring to the one that just sold on Ebay? Did you get
> it? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2548231019
How coincidental. No, I have had my copy for several years. Same
exact record though.....gold label.
Tony
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 21:27:22 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Re: Surf and Hit
Simon White wrote:
> Does anyone have any info on the "Hit" label? It seems
> to have released covers of then current hits from '62
> through to '68, a different artist each side of the 45.
> There are some interesting titles and going by the one
> I picked up recently, Connie and Clara "I Will Follow Him"
> /Herbert Hunter "Take These Chains From My Heart", probably
> aren't bad at all.
Phil M. instigated some talk about the Hit label last year,
which was taken up by Mike Arcidiacono, who added some
background info. All neatly archived at:
http://www.spectropop.com/archive/digest/d477.htm
I just heard a good version of "Quicksand" only last week
on Hit, by Gerry & the Georgettes - on a par with the
Vandellas' version, IMHO.
> I came across a listing for this - Real Gone Surfer Boy -
> "He's My Blonde-Headed Stompie Wompie" WORLD HITS 150 1964.
> Has anyone ever heard it?
If you saw it listed in the MegaGuide, the inordinately long
title has spilled over into the "artist" column - the full
title in all its glory is actually "He's My Blonde-Headed
Stompie-Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy", and it's by Australia's
own Little Pattie. A big 60s hit down under. Made some good
records, did Pattie (as she was later known), including a nice
cover of Suzy Wallis' "Little Things Like That".
Ian
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 10:56:39 -0400
From: Mikey
Subject: Re: Surf and Hit
Simon, the "HIT" Records label was based out of Nashville
and operated continuously from 1962 to 1972. They specialized
in quickie "Sound Alikes" of the then current hits on the
charts, and sold two hits on one 45 rpm record for 39 cents.
The records were sold by rack jobbers to record stores (for
the budget section) truck stops, dept. stores, notions stores,
Woolworths and similar stores etc.
Because musicians in Nashville were so good, they were able
to knock off 6 tunes or so in one 3 hour session. Often, the
musicians playing on the HIT version of a tune were the same
musicians who had played on the REAL version of the tune.
All in all, the HIT versions are pleasant to listen to.
My problem with them is that mastering of the 45s and the
pressings themselves are pretty awful. The master tapes
sounded a whole lot better than the 45s ever sounded. I guess
they were aiming at customers who weren't all that fanatical
about music, hence the lower quality pressings (reminds me of
Romaba Pressing here in NYC...they were the rock bottom
cheapest and boy, did their pressings suck).
Around 1974 or so, they changed their name to "Music City
Sound Alikes". They may have issued some LPs using this
name, altho' I dont have any. My friend Paul Urbahns is a
solid expert on HIT Records - if anybody has any specific
questions, he's the guy to ask!!
Mikey
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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 17:02:07 -0000
From: Patrick Rands
Subject: Re: The Feathers / Jack Keller
Bobster wrote:
> Also, regarding Jack Keller (not Jerry who was equally talented) he
> and Diane Hildebrand wrote one of the Monkees' finest (IMHO) tunes,
> "Early Morning Blues and Greens" from the HEADQUARTERS LP. I don't
> think they did this one on the TV show, but my two questions for
> Rashkovsky or anybody else who might know are: Did any other
> artists record this oh-so-philosophical tune?
Hi Bob,
Sue Raney recorded "Early Morning Blues and Greens" on an Imperial 45
along w/ "Knowing When To Leave". Sue Raney's been one of my favorite
singers these past few years, anyone feel like a discuss? Her "Alive &
In Love" album is a true joy. Her range is out of this world. In fact
Sue Raney was going to be my next song of the week feature (back in
August) until my website went down. Maybe someday soon I'll be able
to continue the site feature, and I'll keep you all posted when I've
got it all sorted.
:Patrick
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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 18:52:54 +0100
From: Austin Powell
Subject: Hit label
Simon White wrote:
> Does anyone have any info on the "Hit" label?
Simon....I think Hit was the American equivalent of the British
Embassy label, i.e. designed to be sold cheap and in supermarkets/
chain stores etc. I remember Billboard or Cashbox listing their
versions under the "hit" entries on their charts in the early 60s.
It would be fascinating as a re-issue package if the tapes still
exist!!!!
Austin Powell.
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 19:37:07 -0000
From: Art Longmire
Subject: Re: The Dark Mystery of "Timothy" by The Buoys
Kurt wrote:
> I would love to truly know if an ode to cannibalism slipped
> by the censors. It would be one of the better pranks in pop
> history. And was the song written by the same Rupert Holmes
> that wrote "The Pina Colada Song"?
Hello Kurt,
I can vouch for the song being about cannibalism. This song was a
good-sized top-forty hit when I was 14 back in the spring of 1971,
and was indeed an early effort by Rupert Holmes of "Pina Colada"
fame. "Timothy" was banned in some markets, I remember, but was
played frequently on my local AM station. The DJs used to make
jokes about it.
Art Longmire
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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 22:58:04 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: Surf and Hit
Ian wrote:
> Phil M. instigated some talk about the Hit label last year,
> which was taken up by Mike Arcidiacono, who added some
> background info. All neatly archived at:
> http://www.spectropop.com/archive/digest/d477.htm
Thanks Ian. I really should have known to look there in the
first place. It's all there folks!
> If you saw it listed in the MegaGuide, the inordinately long
> title has spilled over into the "artist" column - the full
> title in all its glory is actually "He's My Blonde-Headed
> Stompie-Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy", and it's by Australia's
> own Little Pattie. A big 60s hit down under.
That's all very well but WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE!? :-)
Simon
--
Northern Soul on Soul 24 - 07 http://www.soul24-7.com/index.htm
http://www.soul24-7.com/djs/djmet.htm
Sundays 2-4pm GMT
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 19:32:48 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Mark Wirtz turns...
...60 today!
I wanted to say happy birthday to Mark in public, though I
doubt he appreciates me telling his age. Personally I don't
think he looks a day over 40!
It's near on two years now that I've known Mark and it's been
almost that long since he first joined Spectropop. For me and
for others I've spoken to about Mark, it still seems incredible
that a significant musical force takes the time to talk about
his past when in fact he'd probably prefer to talk about his
future. So in addition to the birthday wishes... thanks Mark
for taking the time to chat and for the incredible music, so far.
Now to the future. It should be mentioned that as Mark turns 60
he has returned to the studio (for the first time in 20 years)
to produce a band called Les Philippes for Warners. I've had the
chance to preview their first album and I'd easily rank it with
the Wondermints and other current pop bands of significant quality.
Apparently there are other Mark Wirtz projects in the works as well.
It's good to have Mark back. I think he'd be the first to say
that his participation on Spectropop has been a major factor
in rejuvenating his interest in music.
Happy Birthday Mark!
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Message: 9
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 22:41:22 -0000
From: Will Stos
Subject: Re: Lewis Sisters
Mick Patrick wrote:
> I possess an interesting pre-Motown Lewis Sisters 45.
> Details are: "Shooby-Dooby"/"Doublecrossed" Aura 393, 1964
> Written by Kay and Helen Lewis - Produced by Jimmy Mack
Jimmy Mack, eh? I wonder if he was any inspiration for the HDH song?
Will : )
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Message: 10
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 19:01:46 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Hit
Ian:
> http://www.spectropop.com/archive/digest/d477.htm
Simon:
> Thanks Ian. I really should have known to look there
> in the first place. It's all there folks!
I believe Mr. Lemlich has also added quite a bit of information
on the Hit label. Since searching the archives under "hit", or
even "hit records", is likely to turn up a great number of
irrelevant "hits", perhaps entering that keyword(s) + "lemlich"
might narrow it down a bit. Then again, given the frequency of
his erudite entries here in general, it might not!
--Phil M.
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Message: 11
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 18:31:17 EDT
From: Paul Urbahns
Subject: Re: Huntington Flats
Country Paul wrote:
> Thanks for the notes - I've seen "Popsicles" with both
> "Huntington Flats" and "Comedy and Tragedy on the flip,
> and remember neither.
I believe Huntington Flats is the original. It's an instrumental
and probaby because they did not have a B side recorded.
Paul Urbahns
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Message: 12
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 20:08:03 -0000
From: jerophonic
Subject: Timothy
Members of the Buoys toured the East Coast regularly
throughout the 70s as Jerry-Kelly Band and Dakota.
See http://laststandingman.tripod.com/index.html
for band history.
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Message: 13
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 09:48:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Chadbourne
Subject: "Timothy" by the Buoys
Kurt:
> Last weekend, my friend was helping me paint my place,
> and we had that tape on. We began to argue about whether
> "Timothy" is really about cannibalism. He says it isn't,
> I say it is. The following lines of the song pretty much
> infer that Timothy was devoured by his buddies:
According to what Rupert Holmes told me about this song when
I asked him about it several years ago while gathering info
on his participation in The Cufflinks and Street People,
"Timothy" was the coal miner's canary, NOT a person, but there
was deliberate silence on that in the lyrics to gain some PR
for the song from the label. If I remember correctly, a relative
or friend of Holmes actually had a pet bird named Timothy.
The production work on that song is wonderful. The rhythm guitar
sound with those tight horn section punctuations made this one of
71's most infectious tunes I thought.
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Message: 14
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 14:06:24 -0000
From: JJ
Subject: Smokey And His Sister/US 1967 WB LP
Just heard the b-side, "In A Dream Of Silent Seas", to Smokey
& His Sister's Columbia 45, "Creators Of Rain" and it is
UTTERLY MAGIC folky sike! Wonder if the LP has a similiar VIBE?
JJ
[ from Fuzz Acid & Flowers
http://www.spectropop.com/60s70sbeatpsyche.htm ]
ALBUM: SMOKEY AND HIS SISTER (Warner WB 1763) 1967
45: Creators Of Rain/? (Columbia)
Born in 1948 in Cincinnati, Smokey (real name unknown) met
Dylan after a local concert in 1965 and "it just opened up
his brain" according to the long liner notes to his only album.
Shortly after, as with millions of other US teenagers, he began
writing songs and playing guitar. In 1966, he moved to Greenwich
Village with his sister Viki, and their songs and harmonies scored
them a contract with Columbia. Their single got a good review in
'Crawdaddy' and they moved to Warner for an album which was produced,
arranged (and ruined!) by Paul Harris, a busy session man (Tom Rush,
Jim and Jean). If the songs are average folk rock with male and
female vocals, they were all recorded with rich strings arrangements
and the album, which is now rare, is far from being collectable.
(Stephane Rebeschini)
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