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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Greetings Spectropoppers
From: Mark Speck
2. Re: Beatles covers
From: Rat Pfink
3. Re: Beatles Covers
From: Leslie Fradkin
4. Re: Beatle covers / All This and WW II
From: Andy
5. Re: Standells / Ed Cobb
From: Bob Hanes
6. Santa Baby
From: Mike Rashkow
7. Michael Brown
From: Steve Harvey
8. Re: Jerry Lordan / The Shadows
From: Austin Roberts
9. Re: Jim Croce
From: Austin Roberts
10. Re: Judith or Judy Powell
From: Eddy
11. Please Phil Spector
From: David A. Young
12. Re: US Chart Question, Still Unanswered
From: Dan Hughes
13. Re: Rod Stewart
From: Dave Heasman
14. Re. "uptight"
From: TD
15. Re: Dirty Water
From: Austin Roberts
16. Re: Michael Brown
From: Jon Cook rotone@aol.com
17. Re: Jerry Lordan / The Shadows
From: Mikey
18. Re: Beatle covers / All This and WW II
From: Scott
19. Re: The Grass Roots Sing Artie Wayne
From: Artie Wayne
20. Re: Left Banke, Michael Brown
From: Martin Roberts
21. Re: Michael Brown
From: Scott
22. A-side Records
From: Phil Hall
23. The Prefab Four
From: Steve Harvey
24. Re: Gilbert O'Sullivan and John Fogerty
From: Paul Bryant
25. Re: All This & World War II
From: Steven Prazak
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 19:31:12 -0500
From: Mark Speck
Subject: Greetings Spectropoppers
Happy holidays Spectropoppers
http://tinyurl.com/ywkml
Mark
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 18:30:01 -0500
From: Rat Pfink
Subject: Re: Beatles covers
Artie Wayne wrote:
> Albabe.........How ya' doin'? I'm glad you brought up "Got to get
> you into my life" by Earth, Wind and Fire. It was produced by my
> late partner Lou Reizner and was part of of a remarkable album
> and film [co-produced by Russ Regan], "All this and World War II"
> which was released on 20th Century Fox records and included
> performances by the Bee Gees, Aerosmith, Helen Reddy, Ambrosia
> and Rod Stewart[ who Lou discovered].
EW&F's version of "Got To Get You Into My Life" doesn't appear on
the "All This and World War II" album (at least not on my copy),
however it *does* appear on the "Sgt Pepper's LHCB" soundtrack.
The track list for the "All This and World War II" soundtrack is as
follows:
1 Ambrosia - Magical Mystery Tour
2 Elton John - Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
3 Bee Gees - Golden Slumbers; Carry That Weight
4 Leo Sayer - I Am The Walrus
5 Brian Ferry - She's Leaving Home
6 Roy Wood - Lovely Rita
7 Keith Moon - When I'm 64
8 Rod Stewart - Get Back
9 Leo Sayer - Let It Be
10 David Essex - Yesterday
11 Jeff Lynne - With A Little Help From My Friends; Nowhere Man
12 Lynsey De Paul - Because
13 Bee Gees - She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
14 Richard Cocciante - Michelle
15 Four Seasons - We Can Work It Out
16 Helen Reddy - The Fool On The Hill
17 Frankie Lane - Maxwell's Silver Hammer
18 Brothers Johnson - Hey Jude
19 Roy Wood - Polythene Pam
20 Bee Gees - Sun King
21 Status Quo - Getting Better
22 Leo Sayer - The Long and Winding Road
23 Henry Gross - Help
24 Peter Gabriel - Strawberry Fields Forever
25 Frankie Valli - A Day In The Life
26 Tina Turner - Come Together
27 Will Malone & Lou Reizner - You Never Give Me Your Money
28 London Symphony Orchestra - The End
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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 16:48:31 -0700
From: Leslie Fradkin
Subject: Re: Beatles Covers
Scott Charbonneau wrote:
> And let us not forget ESP Recording Artists The Godz and their
> reconstruction, or should that be destruction, of You Won't See Me.
Dear Group,
Les Fradkin of the Godz here. Thank you so much for your support of
"You Won't See Me." Without question, a unique performance!
Happy holidays,
Les Fradkin
"Reality-The Rock Opera"
http://www.lesfradkin.com
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 23:51:19 -0000
From: Andy
Subject: Re: Beatle covers / All This and WW II
My favorite cover is on this wonderful 2 LP set .....the Four
Seasons with We Can Work It Out. As mentiond by Artie Wayne this
is an album worth looking for. Maybe i'll even see if it's
available on CD. BTW others on this album include: Elton John,
Leo Sayer, Tina Turner, Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood.
Happy Holidays to all, Andy
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Message: 5
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 17:19:42 -0800 (PST)
From: Bob Hanes
Subject: Re: Standells / Ed Cobb
"lovers, muggers and thieves"... also failed to mention the Standells'
first Lp, Live at PJs (in L.A.).
Ed Cobb was definitely a Four Prep, as he was announced on one of
the UCLA albums, "Edward- 'all american'- 'trueheart'- 'albino',
Cobb".
The Right Reverend Bob, dumb angel chapel,
Church of the Harmonic Overdub
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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 21:40:29 EST
From: Mike Rashkow
Subject: Santa Baby
Well, I'll tell ya'--- got an interesting book for Xmas from an
old friend. I'm sure that all you "keepers of the flame" are
already aware of the tome. It's far from perfect, I've already
found 5 listings for Woke Up This Morning and none of them were
credited to B.B. King, as well as other oversights--but nothing
is perfect, even my memory it seems.
Anyway the book is named "Who Sang Our Songs?" The Official Rhythm
& Blues and Doo-Wop Songography".
It is kind of self published by an organization called the United
In Group Harmony Association.
They list 30,000 songs by title, then show artist, label(s) and
record number(s).
Also has a couple of appendices, including the UGHA Top 100 Vocal
Group Recordings, which shows Golden Teardrops by The Flamingos at
#1 and Close Your Eyes by The Five Keys at #98--that could start an
argument in an empty apartment. (originally "roo in an empty hoose"
by Johnny Cymbal's mother")
So, I'm not really recommending it. Still it's another ready
reference if you're into such things and certainly contains some
arcane items.
ISBN # 0-9713979-0-2 in case you want to check it out on Amazon or
something.
Di la,
Rashkovsky
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Message: 7
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 19:46:00 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Michael Brown
Dave Heasman wrote:
> (Michael Brown's) later group, Stories, was average at best, and
> since then next to nothing.
The Stories were forgettable, but the stuff Brown did the Beckies
and Montage is great! Rhino needs to do a compilation of all his
stuff.
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Message: 8
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 01:41:16 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Jerry Lordan / The Shadows
Thanks for the info, I never knew that about Apache. Now a Shadows
question. Were they the first to record Mr. Moto or was it an
American surf group called the Bellairs (sp?)? AR
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Message: 9
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 02:22:41 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Jim Croce
Thanks Artie, great hearing from you. I got to know Jimmy and
Maury through Cashman and West (a\k\a Minogue And Picardo), who
were my first publishers in 1968 at Ampco, Pampco (land of Cymbal
and Rashkow). Jimmy was a wonderfully friendly and inquisitive
soul. He used to ask me to tell him southern colloquialisms and
stories, since he knew I was from the south. His ability to tell a
story as if he were there when it happened, plus his beautiful love
songs, have stood the test of time. I still stay in touch with
Tommy West, one of his producers and, I believe, the one who
brought Jim to New York after they had been to Villanova at the
same time. It was a terrific time for pop music when the Jim
Croce's could talk about Time In A Bottle and Zep could shred the
charts with Whole Lotta Love plus many many different kinds of
music being played and accepted by fans everywhere. I am so
thankfull to have been a part of this business for the past 36
years. It keeps you young.
Look forward to staying in touch, as I know we have many mutual
friends.
Have a great holiday season, Austin Roberts
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Message: 10
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 08:27:36 +0100
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: Judith or Judy Powell
Ken Mortimer:
> One name from the '60s is a complete mystery to me - Judith
> (or Judy) Powell. She seems to have been around the '60s
> session scene in London but I can find nothing about her. Can
> anyone help.
Hey Ken, My info shows Judith Powell on the Manfred Mann's
Eathband album "Messin'" and the first Stephen Stills solo album.
Eddy
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Message: 11
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 02:59:05 -0000
From: David A. Young
Subject: Please Phil Spector
My dear fellow Spectropoppers,
For over a quarter century, I have called Phil Spector
every December 26 to wish him a happy birthday. This
year, in addition to paying him my personal tribute in
that way, I offer as a gift to him - and to you - an
article documenting the many ways that others have paid
tribute to Phil in their own art, musical and otherwise.
Eight pages deep (besides the introduction), lavishly
illustrated, and organized into cross-referenced categories,
"Please Phil Spector" is presented for your enjoyment thanks
to the much-appreciated assistance and support of our beloved
administrators. Simply click below to begin your journey...
http://spectropop.com/PPS/index.htm
...and thank you so very much for letting us spend this
Phil Spector's birthday with you!
David
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Message: 12
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 14:20:43 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: US Chart Question, Still Unanswered
Paul, in the "golden age" there were three main music "chart
creators" in the USA. All the charts were put together by the
magazines that featured them: Billboard, Cashbox, and Record
World. If the charts were based solely on sales reports, the
charts would be identical. They were not; surely someone here
can explain how each of the magazines determined chart positions.
Rumor has it that Cashbox was run by the Mafia and that their
charts were "fixed". When an honest man was brought in to clean
up the magazine, he was promptly assassinated; details here
(in the Chuck Dixon obit):
http://www.radiocountry.org/newsletters/jan02news.htm
Billboard is the only one of the three left; it was always the
biggest and best-known since it started (I believe) in the 1800's
as a newsmagazine for vaudeville performers and touring circuses.
Every radio station subscribed to Billboard, many of them also
got Cashbox, and I believe Record World was a distant third.
Doesn't answer your question but hopefully provides some insight
on the magazines that produced the charts.
Dan, http://members.soltec.net/~dan (spiffy home page)
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Message: 13
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 00:01:35 -0000
From: Dave Heasman
Subject: Re: Rod Stewart
Artie Wayne:
> ...my late partner Lou Reizner .....Rod Stewart [who Lou
> discovered].
?? I didn't know he was lost.
I suppose Rod had a quiet-ish period between the Steampacket folding
& his joining Jeff Beck, but he wasn't really off the scene. He was
fairly active in London between 65 & 68.
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Message: 14
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 22:19:56 -0500
From: TD
Subject: Re. "uptight"
Richard Williams:
> I'm absolutely sure (from personal recollection) that "uptight"
> enjoyed a brief usage, circa '66, as a synonym for "groovy",
> "happening", "far-out", etc, before being redefined to mean
> "small-minded", repressed", "bent out of shape by society's
> pliers", etc...
>From personal recollection, back in the 1950s, "uptight" meant
"ill-at-ease, frightened, worried"--it was a veiled reference to
the involuntary natural withdraw of the testicles when the male
is threatened...
-- TD
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Message: 15
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 02:31:01 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Dirty Water
Steve Harvey:
> I always heard the "Dirty Water" had to do with the Boston
> Strangler ("I'm a wishing and a hoping - Dusty where are you? -
> that just once those doors weren't locked"). Reinforced by the
> line "with lovers, buggers and thieves" for further criminal
> elemental flavoring.
Thought it was 'muggers'.
Austin
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Message: 16
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 04:29:23 EST
From: Jon Cook rotone@aol.com
Subject: Re: Michael Brown
Could you tell us a little about the interview from last year?
I'd be very interested to hear what he's up to, why he's dropped
out of sight, etc. I was surprised to hear that he had done an
interview so recently. My understanding was that he was a recluse
and that his sister controlled access to him; And she didn't let
much, if anything, through to him. Something similar to the Syd
Barrett situation. Was that incorrect?
jon cook
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Message: 17
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 08:12:57 -0500
From: Mikey
Subject: Re: Jerry Lordan / The Shadows
Austin Roberts:
> Now a Shadows question. Were they the first to record
> Mr. Moto or was it an American surf group called the
> Bellairs (sp?)?
Austin, it was The Belairs. Paul Johnston of The Belairs
wrote it, I believe.
PS...I have your LP on Chelsea!! Did Hal Blaine play
drums on that?
Mikey
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Message: 18
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 08:37:23 EST
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Beatle covers / All This and WW II
Andy:
> My favorite cover is on this wonderful 2 LP set .....the Four
> Seasons with We Can Work It Out. As mentiond by Artie Wayne this
> is an album worth looking for. Maybe I'll even see if it's
> available on CD. BTW others on this album include: Elton John,
> Leo Sayer, Tina Turner, Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood.
The soundtrack is kind of interesting, but what in the world
were they thinking about when they came up with the movie concept
... geez talk about 1970s excesses!
Happy holidays to all,
Scott
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Message: 19
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 08:10:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Re: The Grass Roots Sing Artie Wayne
Glenn........How ya' doin'? Thanks for putting"I Wanna' slow
Dance Again" [Wayne/Helms/Hirsh] by the Grass Roots up on
Musica. I'm really proud of that song...........it reflects
my own love of "Oldies"and a simpler time.
"Hey, Mr. DJ, the fast songs you play are OK ....but I Wanna'
Slow dance Again
Play somethin' tuneful...make it by the Lovin'Spoonful I Wanna'
Slow dance Again........."
Merry Christmas,
Artie Wayne
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Message: 20
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 16:34:00 -0000
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Re: Left Banke, Michael Brown
Austin Roberts wrote:
> I think Mike Brown's combination, classical, rock pop
> arrangements (his father was a violinist with the New York
> Philharmonic, I believe), were so unique and the perfect
> marriage to the songs that they developed their own niche.
and Dave Heasman replied:
> Mike Brown's father was Harry Lookofsky, a fine classical
> violinist who also played some genuine swinging stuff & some
> innovative "in-between" music.
Harry Lookofsky is (as I'm sure Austin knows) aka Hash Brown
who is credited on almost all the Jerome Brothers recordings
as "Hash Brown & his Orchestra" or as conductor. I've been
told that, "Harry had a piece of the action. He also wrote
with them as H. Lookofsky or H. Brown which leads me to assume
that the M. Lookofsky writing credit belongs to Michael Brown.
Martin
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Message: 21
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 12:07:18 EST
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Michael Brown
Steve Harvey writes:
> The Stories were forgettable, but the stuff Brown did the
> Beckies and Montage is great! Rhino needs to do a compilation
> of all his stuff.
Personally I like the Montage LP, but the Beckies album doesn't
do much for me.
Scott
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Message: 22
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 17:17:59 -0000
From: Phil Hall
Subject: A-side Records
A-Side records out of Japan had some great stuff. Does
anyone know if any of that stuff is still around anywhere?
Phil Hall
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Message: 23
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 10:10:21 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: The Prefab Four
Definitely the Belairs. April 1961 was when they
released Paul Johnson's tune. They were also one of
the earliest "surf" bands although they didn't call
themselves that. I can't recall the Shadows doing much
surf stuff or even "Mr. Moto". I know they did do a
cover of "Walk Don't Run" (but so did the Ventures -
ha!) By the way, that is Cliff Richards on chinese
gong on "Apache".
One thing that is not said much about the Shadows
is the influence they had on the Beatles. Their
lineup, lead guitar, rhythm, electric bass and drums,
was the template for the Beatles instrumental
formation. In some way we could call them the Prefab
Four.
Also, they were mainly known for their
instrumentals and the Beatles first commercial release
written by themselves was, "Cry For A Shadow". The
Beatles would only release one other instrumental,
"Flying", during their career and that was in 1968.
Because the Shadows were the biggest pop group
before the Beatles the Fabs tried to distance
themselves from the old school sound. I remember
reading their tailor talking about the Beatles coming
in and saying, "We don't want to look anything like
the Shadows".
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Message: 24
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 11:58:34 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul Bryant
Subject: Re: Gilbert O'Sullivan and John Fogerty
Stuart Miller wrote:
> He got involved in a long and serious legal dispute
> with Gordon Mills which took many years to resolve.
> He won millions of pounds or even more millions of dollars.
During this period his recording career was more or
less on hold, I understand, and didn't the same thing
happen to John Fogerty after Creedence disbanded and
he was about to launch a solo career? Big names, huge
lawsuits and no new records for years - talk about
killing the goose that laid the golden egg.
pb
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Message: 25
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 13:13:18 -0500
From: Steven Prazak
Subject: Re: All This & World War II
Oooh, thanks to Artie Wayne for bringing up this oft forgotten
elpee. Despite its considerable star power, no one paid much
mind to what ultimately proved to be a daring re-tooling of
some classic Beatles tunes. Lou Reizner and especially arranger
Wil Malone (of Orange Bicycle "fame") really tested the waters
playing with the melodies, inverting them, and countering them
...giving this already deathless music some fascinating new
branches of life. Really inspirational stuff, this! The tunes
that stick with me the most are Fool On the Hill by, of all people,
Helen Reddy, and especially Leo Sayer's Long and Winding Road.
A bit heavy on the bombast and sweeping crescendos, but if you
don't mind the drama, this is quite a convincing collection of
Len-Mac interpretations. And good luck in finding a copy! Oh,
and Artie, Earth Wind & Fire's Got to Get You Into My Life
actually popped up on the few-years-later Sgt. Pepper film
soundtrack. A great take nonetheless. Pity about the film, though.
By the way, has anyone actually seen the All This & World War II
film that this music is supposed to accompany? Apparently, it went
into release and hibernation the same day.
Steven Prazak
Atlanta, GA
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