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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Crooners
From: Ken Silverwood
2. RE: Fiesta Records
From: Boxer Guy
3. Re: Casey Kasem
From: David Coyle
4. Lines, Rhymes, Love
From: Bob Rashkow
5. Re: Special Spector request
From: Gary Spector
6. Re: Is that THE Austin Roberts?
From: Bob Rashkow
7. Re: Adrian Gurvitz
From: Bill George
8. Line I'd rather la to
From: Ken Silverwood
9. Re: Lovin Spoonful
From: David Coyle
10. Re: Peak postion vs staying power
From: Austin Roberts
11. Re: The Raindrops
From: Joe Somsky
12. Re: Christie, Tremeloes
From: Eddy
13. Re: Snuff Garrett
From: Bill George
14. Brian Wilson performing SMILE at (UK) Royal Festival Hall in Feb.?
From: C Pontidue
15. Catching up & new stuff, including "At The Drive-In"; Al Anderson; Billy & Lillie; Sam Cooke
From: Country Paul
16. Snuff Garrett/Allan Klein
From: Artie Wayne
17. Talk about Mi...na
From: Julio Niño
18. Re: Casey Kasem
From: Phil Milstein
19. Re: Good Lyrics
From: James Botticelli
20. Re: musica tip
From: Phil Milstein
21. Re: I come not to bury Casey
From: Mark Wirtz
22. Re: Worst Rhyme In a Song?
From: Jeff Lemlich
23. Re: worst rhymes
From: Phil Milstein
24. Re: shortest track
From: Andrew jones
25. Re: Casey Kasem and Folk Rock on PBS
From: Mark
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 20:27:56 -0000
From: Ken Silverwood
Subject: Re: Crooners
Frankie (Give Me The Moonlight) Vaughan was Liverpudlian by birth,
he did have plenty of success between 1956 to 1963. He had a # 22
hit in the USA with "Judy" in 1958. He also made a film in
Hollywood probably 1959/60. He was a staple diet for Saturday &
Sunday night TV in those colourless days. His first real hit in the
UK was a cover of "Green Door" followed by "Garden Of Eden"; you can
see where we are heading... *coversville*. Amongst his other hits
(quite numerous): "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine", "Kewpie Doll", "Tower Of
Strength"(a #1), "Loop De Loop" & "Hello Dolly". His last entry was
"There Must Be A Way" in 1967 (#7). Looking through his mass of
singles is a version of Bacharach/David's " There Goes The Forgotten
Man" coupled with a cover of The Beatles "Wait", which I remember -
has anyone got or heard the a-side?
My understanding of a "crooner" is someone who sleepwalks through the
material, devoid of any emotion whatsoever. I first heard the term in
reference to Bing Crosby & after that any besuited balladier. I
recently matched a couple of lines from a long forgotten song "Don't
want the world to have & hold" & "I never wanted wealth untold".
I had the tune, but nothing else. Then one day fiddling around online,
it was revealed to me as "Band Of Gold" by Don Cherry from 1955.
My God, had it been in my head since then?!!! The reason I am mentioning
it? It's a perfect example of a "crooning" song sung in a perfect
"crooning " voice.
THE END
Hush hush a-bye, hush hush a-bye-bye.
Ken On The West Coast.
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 01:24:30 -0000
From: Boxer Guy
Subject: RE: Fiesta Records
Hey there, Stuffed Animal.
You posted back in July about the Fiesta record company and
Jose Morand. What information were you looking for? I might
be able to assist you. Latin moves.
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 13:45:54 -0800 (PST)
From: David Coyle
Subject: Re: Casey Kasem
> Looked sort of like a great uncle on speed...
No more than your own Brian Matthews...except for the
black hair and the speed part.
Is Jimmy Saville still alive? Wasn't he up there in
years last I heard and still on the radio?
David
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 17:44:42 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Lines, Rhymes, Love
Arthur Lee is my Higher Power. If John Cusack was willing to put
TWO of his tunes in a movie (has any of Love's or his songs ever
been on a film soundtrack, even in the sixties?) then it's gotta
be true. Whenever I sing Joni Mitchell's "For Free" (a cappella
and pretty badly!) I parody the aforementioned line - "I went
shopping today at the Jew--woo-woo--ell."
Lesley Gore in "Judy's Turn To Cry" sings "Then my tears fell like
raindrops/Cause Judy's smile was so mean!" Barry & Cynthia or Gerry
& Carole wrote that, didn't they? Not one of their stronger rhymes
IMHO!
One of my favorite lines actually coupled with a not-so-terrific
rhyme is Paul Leka's "Falling Sugar" (as done so splendidly by LA's
Palace Guard without Don Agrati aka Don Grady): The hurt is so deep/
That I can't sleep or eat/Unless you come back and make my thoughts
of you seem sweet/And they tumble down like falling sugar (Like falling
su-gahhhh) Who cares about the rhyme? It's just a super tune!
Bobster
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 20:13:55 -0700
From: Gary Spector
Subject: Re: Special Spector request
Kingsley Abbott wrote:
> I am involved with a Phil Spector book project for next year
> and I would like to include a knowledgable fan based list of PS
> produced favourites. Please could as many of you as possible
> email me directly (OFF LIST) with your (ordered) top ten choices
> (and your fave off the Christmas album) so that I can compile a
> comprehensive list - the more of you who respond the better, for
> obvious reasons, so please take a moment or two and email me
> your choices. I will collate and post the results after Christmas.
Sounds interesting. Are you doing research on him or just his music?
Specter
Not just another P.S. Fan...
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 17:13:44 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Re: Is that THE Austin Roberts?
I second that! (Or third, or fourth.....) Austin Roberts is
here on the group! All RIGHT! Penner (if I'm not mistaken) of
"Boo On You" by Bazooka. (Got a DJ copy and I love it!) And
wonderful early 70s balladeer! So underrated......welcome to
you & love to hear stories about your career especially in
the 6Ts....
Bobster
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 22:18:47 EST
From: Bill George
Subject: Re: Adrian Gurvitz
Previously:
> At the same time Adrian was recording with Graham Edge of the Moody
> Blues, on his solo albums.
I haven't been following this thread very closely. But I picked up
an LP by the Graham Edge Band (feat. Adrian Gurvitz) once at a
garage sale. I thought it was pretty awful at the time and I got
rid of it. Don't remember much about it now, however.
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Message: 8
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 20:39:09 -0000
From: Ken Silverwood
Subject: Line I'd rather la to
All this chat about good lines and bad rhymes set me a thinking
about the line in Neil Sedaka's "Calendar Girl". It goes: "April -
you're the Easter bunny when you smile". I always la-la that line.
What an image!!
Ken On The West Coast
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 14:11:27 -0800 (PST)
From: David Coyle
Subject: Re: Lovin Spoonful
It is kind of a shame that John Sebastian isn't
involved with the current lineup of the Lovin'
Spoonful. Wonder how many people in the audience
realized that wasn't him singing and playing the
Autoharp. It almost kind of looks like an older JB if
you squint or have macularly degenerated. Otherwise...
It also doesn't help that Zal Yanovsky's dead. His
guitar sound and personality was probably half the
band.
But if you remember the Spoonful reunion for the Rock
and Roll Hall Of Fame induction, it may be better that
Sebastian isn't singing with them. I just hope it was
a bad night for his voice...
David
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Message: 10
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 13:59:40 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Peak postion vs staying power
Robert John's "Sad Eyes" took the longest to get to Number One.
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Message: 11
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 14:11:18 -0800 (PST)
From: Joe Somsky
Subject: Re: The Raindrops
Jimmy wrote:
> "That Boy John" is really and truly one of the great
> girl-group/R&B/jazz fusion songs ever recorded. Anyone agree?
Hey Jimmy,
I agree!
Joe Somsky/Ellie Greenwich Fan Club
P.O. Box 65, Wood-Ridge, New Jersey 07075
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Message: 12
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 15:43:19 -0000
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: Christie, Tremeloes
Ray:
> ....The Tremeloes recorded Jeff's "Yellow River", but decided
> not to release it. So Christie was formed to release the song,
> with Jeff singing over the Tremeloes' backing track.
Quite a while since this short thread came along. Reviving it
because last night I watched a 30-minute special on Christie's
"Yellow River", featuring interviews with two Tremeloes, Mike
Smith and of course Jeff Christie.
Fans of the band may be interested to know that the Tremeloes did
actually release their version at the time...in South America !
They beat Christie to the top of the charts apparently with their
Spanish language version, called "No Comprende".
Eddy
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Message: 13
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 22:32:42 EST
From: Bill George
Subject: Re: Snuff Garrett
Previously:
> Sorry to hear that he [Snuff Garrett] is in ill health.
> He was another one of the unsung producing geniuses.
> Seeing his name on a label almost guarantees a really
> good pop record with excellent production.
Gee, whenever I see his name, I think of great rock and roll
records nearly ruined with string orchestras. True, he made
some classics, but many of the records he produced would have
been much better left alone.
Have I just started a new topic for discussion? :)
- Bill
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Message: 14
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 04:39:00 -0000
From: C Pontidue
Subject: Brian Wilson performing SMILE at (UK) Royal Festival Hall in Feb.?
Rumours are rife that Brian Wilson will expand upon the
smattering of SMILE era stuff already being performed
in the Pet Sounds tour with the Wondermints. Even Van
Dyke won't confirm the verity of same..
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Message: 15
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 03:25:29 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Catching up & new stuff, including "At The Drive-In"; Al Anderson; Billy & Lillie; Sam Cooke
Michael Fishberg wrote:
> UK artists Joe Brown and the Bruvvers had the original
> pre-Hermits hit with "I'm 'Enery The Eigth I Am".
I'm interested in knowing a bit more about this group.
We Yanks got "Teardrops In The Rain" released here on
Jamie (super record, by the way), and I vaguely remember
seeing them do it on TV (live? lipsync?) only once. I
think Joe Brown had a very macho crewcut if I'm not
mistaken. How are they regarded in England? What's their
station in the pantheon of artists?
Mick Patrick:
> Jimmy Cross "I Want My Baby Back" - great Shangri-Las
> answer record
Funny as hell, too. Didn't he record under another name
as well, or was this his nom de plume? Or am I way off
base on this?
Richard Williams:
> Re Rupert's People: "Reflections of Charles Brown" is a
> wonderful record.
This is a good time to note that Charles Brown was also
the writer and performer of the classics "Please Come
Home For Christmas" and "Merry Christmas Baby," true
seasonal classics covered by all kinds of artists.
Bob:
> Bobby Vee has just released his newly recorded
> Christmas CD. The title is "Up North December"....
> http://www.bobbyvee.com
At the same site I saw the following:
"AT THE DRIVE-IN is a once-in-a-lifetime concert featuring
"Surf City" legends of the 1950s and '60s. Fabian, one of
the original teenage heartthrobs, will host an unprecedented
lineup including Jan and Dean in their farewell concert tour,
Bobby Vee, The Surfaris, Dodie Stevens, Gunnar & Matt Nelson,
The Rip Chords and Chris Montez. AT THE DRIVE-IN will air on
PBS stations nationwide starting on November 28 and a DVD will
follow shortly after. Please check your local PBS listings for
air times in your markets as it will differ from town to town.
It will air nationwide throughout December. The folks at PBS
are very excited about it. For any New York fans, Bobby Vee
will be live in the studio at the New York City PBS affiliate
for the broadcast on December 1."
Did anyone in this group see this? How was it? (I'm strill
catching up chronologically, so if this is reviewed between
this post on December 7th and today, I haven't seen it.)
Steve Harvey mentions that Al Anderson's (The Wildweeds/NRBQ)
hometown was New Haven. Close, but off by the longest 35 miles
in Connecticut. Al was from Windsor, the first town founded in
CT and one suburb north of Hartford, the city with which he is
most identified. Yeah, maybe trivial, but this kind of stuff in
important in a small state! :-)
And I strongly second Phil Milstein's exhortation to get
the "complete" Wildweeds CD
http://www.confidentialrecordings.com/shop_wds.html
and hear what all the fuss is about. ("Complete" is in
quotes - Al did an interview with me at WHCN with one
very loud rocker that never showed up anywhere in release;
I have a tape of it somewhere and will work at transferring
it to some digital medium in the future - and of course,
sharing it with you if you'd like.)
Me, earlier:
> My two cents on Richard Thompson: an exception artist....
Oops - a typo! "exceptional",of course. Al got lost.
(Maybe he's still living in Windsor....)
David Coyle:
> As a Beatles fanatic who has heard many bootlegs, I
> for one would like to see the Beatles Christmas flexis
> reissued on one legit CD.
There was an LP compiled of all of them; I assume it was
semi-legit, as it was delivered to the radio station by a
Capitol promo man, but I believe it was for promotional use
only, not designed for store sales.
Jon Adelson:
> ...[W]hat was the song that went la di da, oh boy, let's go,
> cha cha cha?
Billy & Lillie, "Lah De Dah", Swan 4002. Great record!
Billy Ford was a bandleader of some renown previous to
this song; the backing band is listed as "Billy Ford &
The Thunderbirds". The follow-up was "Lucky Ladybug";
both were co-written by Bob Crewe and Frank Slay (info
from a good capsule Bob Crewe bio at
http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibit_bio.asp?exhibitId=142
(The Four Seasons also covered "Ladybug".) One of B&L's more
obscure tracks, "Creepin', Crawlin', Cryin'" shares space on
an Ace CD of R&B duos with another previously-unknown-to-me original,
"Love Me", by Willy and Ruth, more famously done by Elvis.
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/gotrt/2000/sept00/cdchd778.html
Anyone here heard this original version? How is it?
Phil M:
> I suppose...Sam [Cooke]'s name should go on that list of
> producers with an identifiable and highly personal sound.
Thanks for bringing this up, Phil. I'd certainly add him,
among other reasons for the ongoing influence he had through
one of his chief acolytes, Rod Stewart. So many of The Mod's
early bluesy tracks ("I've Been Drinkin'", for one prime and
lesser known example) trace directly to Cooke, at least through
these ears. To me the Cooke influence via the VI-I chord
progression he so often used was instantly identifiable.
"So, so long, I've got to go now..." [Bob Knight Four]
Country Paul
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Message: 16
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 09:14:34 -0800 (PST)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Snuff Garrett/Allan Klein
I want to thank everyone who tried to get me a phone#
and address for Snuff Garrett...and to Bob Celli who
got me the info I needed.
regards, Artie Wayne
P.S. Is it true that Allan Klein hasn't released the
Cameo/Parkway catalog because he was never able to do
the Twist,The Mashed potatoes or the Bristol Stomp?
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Message: 17
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 17:57:43 -0000
From: Julio Niño
Subject: Talk about Mi...na
Hi Everybody,
Could anybody tell me if Mina's version of "Talk About Me"
(Greenwich/Raleigh) was issued as a single in USA in the
sixties?. Was it even released in Italy?. Because I can't
find any reference of it in Mina's official discography.
I've been listening this afternoon to some tracks sung in
English by Mina. To my ears she sounds rather different than
when she sings in Italian, often much more controlled and
less emotional. For instance, in the English version of
"Il cielo in una stanza" (Heaven in a Room) she sounds in
pain, almost crying the song, instead of ecstatic, like in
the Italian version. "Il cielo..." is a perfect song, composed
by the ultracool Gino Paoli (whose version of the song,
arranged and conduced by Ennio Morricone, is so beautiful
that it's scary).
Julio Niño.
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Message: 18
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 22:46:31 -0500
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Casey Kasem
Dan Hughes wrote:
> Mark, have you heard Casey's infamous Dead Dog Dedication?
> Check it out: http://radio.about.com/library/virtual/blvirtualdj8.htm
> (this is a bleeped version; unbleeped versions abound on the
> internet--just do a Google search).
Don't cry for Casey Kasem -- the dude's had quite a career,
and, esp. since he's long been one of the most prolific
voice actors in the business (most famously as Scooby-Doo),
I doubt he'll be on welfare anytime soon. His on-screen
credits alone include "New York, New York" (as a DJ),
"The Day The Lord Got Busted", "The Night That Panicked
America", "The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant" (as a doctor),
"Wild Wheels" (as "Knife"), "Scream Free!" (aka "Free Grass"
and "Street Drugs"; as "Phil"), "The Cycle Savages," "2000
Years Later" (as a DJ), "The Glory Stompers" (as "Mouth"),
and "The Girls From Thunder Strip".
A movie he was not in but still recorded the title piece
for (it's more a recitation than a song) is a 1970 flick
entitled "No Blade Of Grass". Hear it now on musica.
Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars,
--Phil M.
P.S. One more interesting Caseyfact: Jesse Jackson was
the minister who presided over his most recent wedding.
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Message: 19
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 21:19:25 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Good Lyrics
Elvis Costello
Don't get smart or sarcastic
He snaps back just like elastic
Spare us the threatrics
And the verbal gymnastics
We break wise guys just like matchsticks
from "The Loved Ones"
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Message: 20
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 23:01:42 -0500
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: musica tip
Philip Hall wrote:
> I tried to load "Around The Corner" by The Duprees up
> to Musica last night, but I got a message saying there
> was not enough space. What's the trick for loading files?
Yahoo provides a fairly simple, if not exactly straightforward,
method for determining space availability in its Files section
(i.e., musica). In the bottom right corner of the Files window
are a pair of five-digit numbers. The second number lists the
amount of space allotted to our group; as you'd expect that
number is fixed, at 20480kb (or 20.48 megabytes). The first
number indicates how much of that is currently occupied. All
the hopeful poster needs to do is subtract the first number
from the second, the result being the amount of space currently
available. Compare that to the file size of the MP3 you hope to
load. Leaving a little leeway for headers and other negligible
variables, if your file is smaller than the space available,
it should be safe to upload, and vice versa.
Happy posting,
--Phil M.
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Message: 21
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 21:38:17 -0500
From: Mark Wirtz
Subject: Re: I come not to bury Casey
Alan Haber:
> Well, it takes a lot to get me to post (this might be the second or
> third time ever), but this isn't the Casey Kasem I know. I interviewed
> him a few years ago (and subsequently met him a few times) for a major
> radio industry trade paper profile, and found him to be one of the most
> sincere, nicest people in the biz.
Alan Zweig:
> Hmmm. I must dissent. Sincere. Nice. Yeah sure....
> ....But so many famous people are talking about other
> famous people here, it would be nice if folks had to
> actually earn their accolades.
Methinks that Zebra is dissing Elephant here. You sure you
is in thuh right zoo? Casey was/is in showbusiness, old chap!
And, he most certainly EARNED his accolades in it, and more,
by pure sustenance and record-breaking audience appeal. AND,
he distinguished himself as being a primarily gracious human
being to boot! Showbusiness, regardless of its native species,
IS a jungle, in which the mere, relentless, survival fight
often makes people cranky. And yes, just like you will inevitably
be pissed-off by, or even in conflict with, a loved one or a
friend or close associate in a moments of stress, Casey will
doubtlessly have kicked the dog or the kid on odd occasions,
only to regret it later. He's human, I suppose. Perhaps you,
as an apparent character witness for the prosecution of the
"accused", might have, coincidentally, been in the firing-line
of one of Casey's foible-moments - or shouldn't have been there
at all.
Come on, bro', give the man a break. We all know that nobody
can please everybody. Casey pleased so many, for so long, that
dissidents should at least have the grace and dignity to respect
him as someone who has done what nobody else has managed to do.
Picasso put three noses in a person's face. Does that make him
a shitty artist?
Respectful of your differing opinion,
mark wirtz
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Message: 22
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 02:49:33 -0000
From: Jeff Lemlich
Subject: Re: Worst Rhyme In a Song?
S.J. Dibai wrote:
> The Ides of March, "Roller Coaster" (1966 version): in which Jim
> Peterik admits to singing "unintelligible nonsense" after the
> line "One shy boy who is beckoning." I still can't figure out what
> he's saying, but it does rhyme!
A roller coaster may be kicks to kids of four or five or six!
The unintelligible lyrics add so much to the record,
which can best be appreciated on an original 1966 Parrot 45.
If anyone has figured out the "right" lyrics to this song,
I'd sure like to hear them!
My vote for worst rhymes: "Endless Love", which (if I remember
correctly) manages to rhyme "life" with "bright", and "deny"
with "hide". That song isn't good bad, and I'd say it's evil.
Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com
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Message: 23
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 13:46:55 -0500
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: worst rhymes
"Little green apples" and "Indianapolis" is tough to
top, or rather bottom, for excruciating rhymes.
--Phil M.
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Message: 24
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 22:11:55 -0500 (EST)
From: Andrew jones
Subject: Re: shortest track
Mark "clevesoulie": That 0:00 track on "There's A Riot
Going On" was the title, ahem, track.
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Message: 25
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 03:40:03 GMT
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Casey Kasem and Folk Rock on PBS
Kevin--Not sure if you've heard this story, but Casey
is no longer the voice of Shaggy.
It seems that Shaggy's junk-food habit goes against
Casey's real-life vegan diet, and he's concerned that
Shaggy's ways send a bad message to kids, so he quit
the part because of that. Billy West (formerly of the
Howard Stern Show, and one of the voices on Ren & Stimpy
and also the voice of Bugs Bunny in "Space Jam") is the
new Shaggy voice.
S.J.--According to an article some time ago in Disc-Coveries,
both Steve Boone and Joe Butler are still members of the Spoonful.
I don't remember any info about the other three people currently
serving in the group, but they did release a live CD a while back
on Varese Vintage.
Best,
Mark
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