________________________________________________________________________
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
________________________________________________________________________
There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: That Alan Gordon / Happy Together
From: Steve Harvey
2. Re: Mary Elizabeth (& other souls)
From: That Alan Gordon
3. Re: Mad for Brownsville Station / Cub Koda
From: Marty C.
4. Re: Randy For Gov'nor
From: Steve Harvey
5. Re: That Mark Wirtz?
From: That Alan Gordon
6. Re: The Hudson Brothers
From: Scott Charbonneau
7. What is this song???
From: Tom
8. Re: Tim Gilbert 45
From: Scott Charbonneau
9. Re: That Alan Gordon / Happy Together
From: Scott Charbonneau
10. Re: That Alan Gordon / Me About You
From: Steve Harvey
11. Re: The Settlers
From: Austin Powell
12. Re: Happy Together / Ritchie Adams
From: Guy Lawrence
13. Re: Instrumental Toons
From: Guy Lawrence
14. The Laurie Records Story
From: S'pop Team
15. Re: What is this song???
From: Albin Lindstrom
16. Re: Ritchie Adams
From: Mike Rashkow
17. Lou Adler on the Cookies
From: Doc Rock
18. Re: That Mark Wirtz?
From: Mark Wirtz
19. Re: Donna Lynn
From: Fred
20. Re: Ritchie Adams
From: That Alan Gordon
21. Re: Happy Together / Randy Monaco
From: That Alan Gordon
22. Debbie Harry sings Skeeter Davis sings Carole King
From: Mick Patrick
23. Instrumentals with lyrics
From: Ken Silverwood
24. Maxine Brown website
From: S'pop Team
25. Re: I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
From: Justin McDevitt
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2003 19:59:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: That Alan Gordon / Happy Together
Alan,
Didn't the Turtles fly you guys in to perform the demo "Happy
Together" live before they recorded it?
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2003 15:36:33 -0700 (MST)
From: That Alan Gordon
Subject: Re: Mary Elizabeth (& other souls)
Bobster,
Yes indeed we wrote "Mary Elizabeth". Joe Wissert produced it
for Hot Bisquet. The Osmonds did it before they hit it big on
Andy Williams' label Barnaby. I still think it is a beautiful
song (but I say that about a lot of my songs).
Take Care,
That alan gordon
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 01:50:31 -0000
From: Marty C.
Subject: Re: Mad for Brownsville Station / Cub Koda
Bill George wrote:
> I was listening to "Mad For Me" by Brownsville Station, that
> someone posted some time ago....
Hi Bill,
That's off their 1972 "A Night on the Town" lp. It was written by
Pookie Shark.
An interesting visit can be made to http://www.cubkoda.com The site
is run by Lady J Koda, the late Mike "Cub" Koda's wife. Cub loved
quite a varity of music & had a large record collection. He wrote a
fun to read column for Goldmine magazine & his enthusisam for his
subject would always show through. Lady J is now selling his
collection on eBay. Her ebay user ID is LJKODA. She's a delightful
lady and is always a pleasure to deal with. I'm sure she would enjoy
hearing from you or any of his other fans.
Regards, Marty C. in Louisville
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2003 20:15:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Randy For Gov'nor
My Newman piece was originally written for the late Rick Whitesell.
I was in a Greenwich Village record store when I overheard a guy
said he died. Jeff Tamarkin took over and sat on the article for 6
months. I finally called and said either print it or send it back.
They printed it.
The plug from Greil Marcus was a surprise that I didn't know about
for several years. I had read his bit on Randy in Mystery Train and
wanted to send him a copy. When I got a letter from him I couldn't
make out the address due to his handwriting. I got his number and
called him up. He said, "That's the trouble with you people in New
England, you can't read Spanish" to which I replied, "My Spanish is
better than your sense of geography, Delaware's not in New England!"
He didn't hold it against me and gave me a plug. Scott Montgomery
contacted me years later about Randy and mentioned the plug in the
book. Scott also did a piece in Goldmine on Randy years later and it
totally eclipsed me piece. Despite that Greil gave us both a mention
in his 4th edition of Mystery Train.
"A Boy Like You Needs A Girl Like Me" was on a publisher's demo disc
that was floating around. I had a snippet for years before somebody
sent me the whole thing. I would have put it on his boxset along with
the Peggy Lee tune, but they didn't ask me.
Some rarities on the Ranster are the 78 of Beehive State which was
released as promo gimmick. The single versions of Last Night I Had A
Dream and Beehive State are different from the lp versions most people
know.
When I interviewed Randy in 1980 there was something going on in the
world that was creating alot of anti-USA feeling. I mentioned the
sentiment in Let's Drop The Big One" to Randy and how it seemed to fit
the times. Sure enough Warner released a 12 inch promo of the tune
shortly afterwards.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2003 18:01:27 -0700 (MST)
From: That Alan Gordon
Subject: Re: That Mark Wirtz?
Mark, are you the "Teenage Opera" Mark Wirtz?
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 03:55:28 -0000
From: Scott Charbonneau
Subject: Re: The Hudson Brothers
A couple of their tunes, Rendezvous and So You Are A Star, did
receive a fair amount of airplay in the mid 1970s. Been a long time
since I've heard either of them but I remember them as being well
crafted pop with a very strong Beatles influence. During the mid to
late 60s they recorded several singles as the New Yorkers, with one
classic track in Mr. Kirby which has appeared on a few collections of
obscure garage/psych material. For more information refer to Ken
Sharp and Doug Sulpy's highly recommended tome Power Pop.
Scott
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 05:59:04 -0000
From: Tom
Subject: What is this song???
There's a new Infiniti commercial that features what sounds
like a late 60s Spector-esque pop song (I think its called
"As They Fall"). I'm familiar enough with Spector's catalog
to know its not him but I cannot for the life of me identify
the artist. The lead singer has a distinctive baritone voice
sounding a bit like a young Sinatra. However, judging by the
prominence of the background vocals I'm thinking it has got
to be a band rather than an individual.
I've been able to decipher the following lyrics underneath
the heavy strings and narrator's voice.
1st Verse: "Let The Wind, Sweep (Or Sleep) Away To Summer's End"
2nd Verse: "....The Autumn Leaves Will...."
Chorus: "As They Fall"
If anybody knows this song or the artist, please let me know.
It's too intriguing to ignore.
Thanks,
Tom
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 03:59:48 -0000
From: Scott Charbonneau
Subject: Re: Tim Gilbert 45
Great track!!! Brings to mind a more pop oriented Tim Buckley as
well. Any chance we can get the B-side as well?
Scott
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 03:58:37 -0000
From: Scott Charbonneau
Subject: Re: That Alan Gordon / Happy Together
Hi Alan!
According to the liner notes of their series of reissues on
Collectables, Randy Monaco of Mandrake Memorial sang lead on the
Happy Together demo. Any truth to this?
Scott
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2003 20:17:56 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: That Alan Gordon / Me About You
I always thought the backing on Gary Lewis' version of "Me About You"
was the best version. Too bad Jackie D wasn't singing on it instead of
Mr. Reverb.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 10:38:35 +0100
From: Austin Powell
Subject: Re: The Settlers
Tony Hatch on the Settlers:
> ...Two boys and a girl (Cindy), they were an excellent folk group but
> perhaps a bit too close to Peter, Paul and Mary. We made some good
> records but none took off. I wrote at least one of them - "Major To
> Minor". Following their time at Pye they had a small hit with York
> Records - "Lightning Tree" in 1971.
Cindy, whose surname I still can't recall, became a dee-jay and I think
I'm right in saying she worked for the satellite christian radio station
UCB. The Settlers' mini-hit "The Lightning Tree" was the theme song for
a children's TV series. York Records was a short-lived division of TV
station Yorkshire TeleVision. The Settlers gave the label its only chart
entry.
and Rashkovsky wrote about Cadence Records:
> I remember Jeannie Thomas always called him Mr. Bleyer--even when she
> was speaking with other people. Had a lot of respect for him.
Dick James was always referred to as "Mr. James" by employees of his DJM
label in the late sixties, early seventies. perhaps it was just all part
of a more respectful age (?), even in the record business !
Austin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 10:59:37 +0100
From: Guy Lawrence
Subject: Re: Happy Together / Ritchie Adams
That Alan Gordon wrote:
> Martin, actually there were two demos...We made a big demo at
> Regent Studios. Ritchie Adams arranged it. It was Ritchie who
> came up with the guitar intro used on the Turtles record, and
> of course we had "so how is the weather" on our demo.
Hi Alan, wonderful to have you on the group. Is that the same
Ritchie Adams who, with Mark Barkan, wrote for the Archies and
the Banana Splits?
Guy
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 11:08:10 +0100
From: Guy Lawrence
Subject: Re: Instrumental Toons
Think we've forgotten the Routers "Lets Go (Pony)" and Preston Epps'
"Bongo Rock".
Guy
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TweedleeDumsDrive-In/
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 14:29:30 +0100
From: S'pop Team
Subject: The Laurie Records Story
Spectropop Recommends:
"The Laurie Records Story, Vol 2: The Ernie Maresca Years"
...exciting doo-wop...girl group angst...soul...novelty records
...quality pop...
Ernie Maresca wrote a ton of great songs, "The Wanderer" and
"Runaround Sue" among them. These aren't on Ace Records' new CD
but 26 other Maresca compositions are. Martin Roberts, taking a
rare break from his Jack Nitzsche pages, is your reviewer:
http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/index.htm#LaurieStory
Enjoy!
The S'pop Team
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 10:40:24 -0000
From: Albin Lindstrom
Subject: Re: What is this song???
Tom wrote:
> There's a new Infiniti commercial that features what sounds like
> a late 60s Spector-esque pop song (I think its called "As They
> Fall"). If anybody knows this song or the artist, please let me
> know. It's too intriguing to ignore.
Hi
The lyrics you mention seem very familiar to the song "A Summer Song"
by the soft pop duo Chad and Jeremy. But I haven't seen the
commercial so I am not sure, I do know however that this song has
been used for a commercial recently, so maybe it's the one.
Albin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 08:53:11 EDT
From: Mike Rashkow
Subject: Re: Ritchie Adams
Guy:
> Hi Alan, wonderful to have you on the group. Is that the same
> Ritchie Adams who, with Mark Barkan, wrote for the Archies and
> the Banana Splits?
For us old folks, Ritchie Adams goes as far back as being the lead
singer on The Fireflies, "You Were Mine". A real oldie/goodie.
I only knew him to say hello, but I remember that he was very
committed to furthering his career, and while he was around doing
demos and writing he was also studying music diligently. I found
that unusual--no one else I knew except Jeannie Thomas was really
"studying" music. Everybody else was "doing" at whatever level of
competence they could develop.
I note that Ritchie ultimately did film scores, there lies the
value of learning and knowing.
Rashkovsky
still trying to figure out an 11th
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 08:47:00 -0400
From: Doc Rock
Subject: Lou Adler on the Cookies
>From "Liberty Records", 1993, Doc Rock.
Releasing demos was not that unusual. Lou Adler, "We had a label called
Dimension. A lot of our demos came out on Dimension. If no one would do
a song we felt strongly about, we'd put the demo out. Like the Bobby Vee
single that Carole King had a hit with. 'Locomotion' by Little Eva was
written for Dee Dee Sharp. All of the Cookies' records ["Chains," Don't
Say Nothin' Bad About My Baby"] were originally written for Philadelphia
artists. Any time no one would do it, we'd put it out."
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 09:55:50 -0400
From: Mark Wirtz
Subject: Re: That Mark Wirtz?
That Alan Gordon asked:
> Mark, are you the "Teenage Opera" Mark Wirtz?
Yep, I'm the guilty one :)
Mark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 13:39:02 -0000
From: Fred
Subject: Re: Donna Lynn
Andres wrote:
> Check Photos section for a new /old pic of the fabulous Donna Lynn.
Check out the photos section for an even newer pic of Donna Lynn.
Donna began her career on Broadway, first appearing with Maureen
O'Hara in CHRISTINE in the early part of 1960, where she used
the "Donna Lyn" spelling: http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=2245
The latter photo is from a 1970s (or '80s?) Chrismas album she did
on her independent DonnaLyn label.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 07:55:26 -0700 (MST)
From: That Alan Gordon
Subject: Re: Ritchie Adams
Guy wrote:
> Is that the same Ritchie Adams who wrote for the Archies and
> Banana Splits?
That indeed is the same Ritchie Adams. He also wrote "Tossin and
Turnin" and "After The Lovin" and of course sng lead on the
Firefllies' record "You Were Mine".
That alan gordon
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 08:04:31 -0700 (MST)
From: That Alan Gordon
Subject: Re: Happy Together / Randy Monaco
Scott wrote:
> did Randy Monaco sing on the Happy Together Demo?
With a voice as good as Garry Bonner, we would rarely use another
to sing on our demos, especially that one.
That alan gordon
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 10:04:50 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Debbie Harry sings Skeeter Davis sings Carole King
The S'pop Team wrote:
> Skeeter Davis "The Pop Hits Collection" CD - Five Goffin/King
> songs? Not to mention "Remember (Walkin' In The Sand)", "Under
> The Boardwalk" and "What Am I Gonna Do With You (Hey Baby)"?
> Taragon have released a CD made in heaven for S'pop types.
> New contributor Jeffery Kennedy is your reviewer:
> http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/index.htm#SkeeterDavis
Indeed, Skeeter Davis was *born* to sing Carole King tunes. Heck,
her version of "Easy To Love" is even better than the Chiffons!
Alas, Carole's name is not mentioned in Skeeter's autobiography
Bus Fair To Kentucky. Otherwise it's a very good read. I eagerly
await the arrival of my copy of "The Pop Hits Collection".
Has anyone heard Debbie Harry's version of Skeeter's "My Last Date
With You" (itself an answer-record to Floyd Cramer's "Last Date)?
'Tis the bee's knees.
Oh well, back to my 12" of "Good Boys".
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 16:21:18 +0100
From: Ken Silverwood
Subject: Instrumentals with lyrics
I recall Country Paul saying he always thought of Duane Eddy's guitar
as his voice, which reminded me that James Darren did a vocal for
"Because They're Young" which I think was from a film of the same title.
Which then made me think how many other instrumentals were later given
lyrics. Just two off the top of my head: The Drifters' "Stranger On The
Shore" and Bobby Rydell's "Telstar" or "Magic Star". Any others?
Ken On The West Coast
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 14:29:30 +0100
From: S'pop Team
Subject: Maxine Brown website
Dear Members,
Legendary soul singer Maxine Brown - "All In My Mind", "Oh No
Not My Baby", "Funny" - has a new website. Take a look:
http://www.maxinebrown.com/
Be sure to check out the photo gallery for some 1960s shots
of the lovely lady with the Ronettes and the Crystals.
Enjoy!
The S'pop Team
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 25
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 08:51:52 -0700
From: Justin McDevitt
Subject: Re: I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
Hello Spectropop,
This track, along with "7 Plus 7 Is" by Arthur Lee and Love were
my real introduction to the "psychedelic sound", though elements
of this genre had appeared in various other pieces of music that
pre-dated these two tracks. Nonetheless, both these tracks were a
real musical revelation to me.
Preston, Welcome to the group.
Justin McDevitt
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
End
