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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: Best of White Whale / Christmas Spirit
From: Clark Besch
2. Re: Stereo 45s
From: Clark Besch
3. Wm. Shatner; UGHA stuff; Lloyd & Logan; answers for Austin; more
From: Country Paul
4. Re: Chris Hodge
From: Eddy
5. Re: Lambert-Potter productions
From: Glenn
6. Taste
From: TD
7. Re: Brian Wilson influence / My Fair Lady
From: Bill George
8. Re: Good morning little school girl
From: TD
9. White Whale Records
From: C Ponti
10. Re: The Buchanan Bros
From: Austin Roberts
11. Re: Dickie Lee
From: Austin Roberts
12. Re: Brian Wilson's last great song
From: Billy G. Spradlin
13. Janie Marden
From: Don
14. Re: Mob / Arkade "Where You Lead" versions
From: Don
15. Re: Del Shannon & the Wilburys
From: Scott Swanson
16. The Soul Club Jukebox
From: Mike Edwards
17. Re: Jimmie Haskell / Don Walsh
From: Austin Roberts
18. Re: Adam & Eve
From: recordedonvinyl
19. Re: Bi question
From: Kenneth
20. Re: (Why) Brackets?
From: Ted T.
21. Re: Beatles & Beach Boys / Influences
From: David Mirich
22. Re: Worst 45 pressing, Diamond Head, Buzz Cason
From: Nick Archer
23. Re: MacArthur Park
From: chelsearegent
24. Re: MacArthur Park
From: TD
25. Re: (Why) Brackets?
From: Paul Bryant
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 06:45:32 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Best of White Whale / Christmas Spirit
Art Longmire wrote:
> I posted on the Liz Damon track "You're Falling In Love"
> several weeks ago, I'm glad somebody else rates it so highly.
> It never occurred to me to compare it to Pet Clark/Tony Hatch.
> This CD is one I definitly would be interested in - I already
> have the Varese White Whale CD. Speaking of White Whale B-sides,
> one I really am looking for is "Superman" by the Clique.
Art, as I mentioned previously, "Superman" is on Varese' "Best
of the Clique" Cd in both mono 45 and stereo Lp versions.
Mark T wrote:
> Two compilations of White Whale rarities and why does neither
> one have the single by Christmas Spirit which is The Turtles
> and a young Linda Ronstadt? That's maybe the priciest and
> rarest 45 in the catalogue.
Mark, I cannot speak for the new one, but when working with
Cary Mansfield on the first WW Cd, I brought up the "celebrity"
Christmas 45. I mentioned that like you said, it was probably a
very rare 45. I have it and it has the A side on both sides. He
said it crossed his mind, but didn't think a Christmas 45 was right
for the CD. I am thinking it will show up soon enough, as WW stuff
is getting more releases all the time. Take care,
Clark
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 06:56:41 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Stereo 45s
Mike McKay wrote:
> Then on LP, you had the reverse of this phenomenon -- at least
> with The Left Banke and some other Mercury/Smash acts. I have
> a copy of the "Walk Away Renée/Pretty Ballerina" album that
> says mono on the label and the jacket but that in fact plays
> stereo. I'm not sure if this album was ever actually issued in
> mono or not, and it's my understanding that this was the case
> with several other releases at this time when "playable on mono
> phonographs" stereo LPs first came out.
Yes, especially Philips/Smash/Mercury. Brian Hyland's "Joker Went
Wild" Lp is always stereo, no matter what the cover says it seems.
Billy Spradlin wrote:
> RCA released some very rare Stereo 45s in the late-early 60s
> (Elvis, Jim Reeves and I think Neil Sedaka also got this
> treatment). But I agree with Mikey these were all pressed
> mainly for stereo jukeboxes and didn't sell well with the
> general public. Hit Records from Nashville had many "Compatible
> Stereo" 45s in the early-mid 60s.
I cant think of any 45s from 1967 that were issued stereo-only!
> At http://www.oldiesfun.com/oldiesfunfactoids.html someone
> mentions buying Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs "Goin Away" in
> May 1968. You might be right with the Doors having the first
> Stereo 45 to hit the Top 40. But I have a original copy of
> "Hello I Love You" in stereo, and that was the single released
> before "Touch Me".
Billy, you are so right! I forgot I have stereo Hit Records label
45s from before 67, 65 I think! I'm thinking it was maybe "Help"
by whoever. That's pretty amazing a 39 cent 45 was issued in
stereo! I can't think of any stereo store 45s from 67 either.
I dug out an old "Beat" newspaper headlined "Stereo Singles Are Now!"
from Feb 68. It states: "Stereo singles became a record store
reality this week as Buddah Records announced the scheduling of the
next Lemon Pipers single, "Rice Is Nice", as a rush release stereo
single". It goes on to talk about radio stations getting these
previously. It goes on to quote Neil Bogart, GM of Buddah, as saying
all future Buddah 45s would be issued in "compatible mono-stereo" and
that the Lemon Pipers were the appropriate artists to begin with. It
also goes on to say that Jac Holzman, head of Elektra, planned to
have all their singles in stereo within 3 months and that the label's
first would be Love's "Alone Again Or". He comments that the lack of
stereo singles has led to a decline in singles sales and that they
were not contemplating a price increase for the stereo singles.
Of interest there is that "Green Tambourine" was not issued as a
stereo single. I'd never seen it that way, even tho someone here
(Billy?) thought they had one. Altho I don't remember that Love 45
being a stereo 45, someone thought it was here and this article may
bear that out. Holzman's comments on declining 45 sales and price
increases were something I hadn't even thought of. Imagine if they'd
raised the prices to $1.50 in 1968!! I clearly remember the first
time I payed over $1 for a new release 45. I walked into World Radio
and bought "Free Ride" by Edgar Winter for $1.09! I couldn't believe
it! I do remember liking the new Orange Epic label tho! Funny,
huh. Back to the Lemon Pipers--I really loved the "Rice Is Nice"
followup, "Jelly Jungle" and it was straight mono on 45. Turned out
to be good thing, cause the stereo version is quite different
sounding to me. Good stereo, but not as cool sounding as the mono
version. Also, "Rice Is Nice" might have been the first stereo store
45, but I was also surprised by another aspect of the 45. WKYC
Cleveland had been playing the song as an Lp cut before its'
release. Imagine my surprise when I got my 45 and the the short Lp
piano intro was not there! Thus, it became one of the early songs to
have a 45 edit of the Lp version!
Lastly and not dealing directly with the early stereo 45s, I was
against this new stereo "Thing" in 67. Surprise! I was against Cds
20 years later. By mid 68, I loved stereo. Another reason I loved
stereo? One day in 68, I walked into the Dodge City, Kansas Gibson's
Discount Center (our first discount store--yippee!) and was dismayed
to see they were deleting mono Lps. Then I was suddenly happy! Their
mono Lps were all grouped in a $1.87 bin!!!! As I thumbed thru with
my $4 or so I had, I remember bypassing a shrinkwrapped new mono
"Magical Mystery Tour" because my brother had the stereo copy and I
was looking for stuff I didn't have access to. Don't remember what I
ended up buying (I'm thinking it was the "Good Timin" Lp by Jimmy
Jones--it was old, I loved the song, and thought I'd never see it
again and I still have it!), but I just read in the new Discoveries
that a sealed mono copy of "Sgt Pepper" sold on ebay recently for
$1850. OUCH! Sorry Jimmy, but I made a mistake in judgement that
day. By the way, today, I have plenty of copies of "Good Timin'" and
I still love the song.
Those were the days......Clark
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 02:31:44 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Wm. Shatner; UGHA stuff; Lloyd & Logan; answers for Austin; more
"Ripped from the headlines" (actually from the outsider Music group):
"William Shatner to release new album
"William Shatner has recorded a new album featuring a guest appearance
by US punk legend Henry Rollins. Shatner, who played Captain James T
Kirk in the original TV series of Star Trek, has also enlisted Joe
Jackson and US country star Brad Paisley to guest on the album. The
album will be produced by Ben Folds, leader of the Ben Folds Five,
reports the New York Post. Shatner is generally acknowledged as having
recorded the worst ever version of a Beatles song."
Now back to our regularly scheduled program......
Re: Beatle covers, a pitch here for Spooky Tooth's marvelously
distended version of "I Am The Walrus." Imagine a 45 played at 33.
Imagine Vanilla Fudge with talent. And in a completely different vein,
Fats Domino's "Lady Madonna" also "gets it." (With Christmas just past,
anyone hear his "Frosty The Snowman"? Perfect New Orleans rock!)
Mike Rashkow:
> ...[G]ot an interesting book for Xmas from an old friend....
> [T]he 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....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....
Great turn of a phrase, Mike. I don't want to say I'd recommend it or
not; if you agree with that kind of spread, you're a fan who will find
this essential. Even if you're not, there's a lot to recommend it as a
general reference. I'm proud to be included with both releases of my
Fabulous Dudes 45's, so maybe I'm a bit prejudiced. But thanks for
bringing it up. (If interested: http://www.ugha.org )
By the way I saw the Five Keys live at Radio City Music Hall a couple
of years before lead singer Rudy West passed on. The years had taken
nothing from them; they were remarkable. A memorable night.
Martin Roberts;
> I've played another great fun track from "Laff Blasts..."; The
> Cashmeres (Barbara and Lorraine Joyner and Annette and Valerie
> Swinson) with Eddie Jones (who coached the Shirelles) "Daddy Can
> I Go To The Hop" recorded in '59, to Guy's
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TweedleeDumsDrive-In/ site.
Fun in a Coasters sort of way. Thanks, Martin!
Mark T:
> ... [F]or any act that hits it big on the charts, there will be
> an imitator. I happen to love finding these....
Since you mention a Creedence Clearwater imitator, here's another: try
to find Lenny Damon & The Bah Humbug Band (Jubilee, late 60's or so)
with a song called "Tippicaw Calley." A bit more pop than CCR, it's a
fun ride, with a great lyrical line with an interior rhyme regarding a
witch: "Hattie's gonna slam me with a whammy one day..."
Dave Heasman, more on Lloyd Price and Harold Logan: I knew Lloyd Price
for a while in 1962-63 when he and Harold Logan had Double L Records at
1650 Broadway in New York. I wish I'd been more aware at the time, but
I was a 17-year-old kid in my freshman year at college and slightly
starstruck. I met Logan briefly only once (nice man, as I recall).
Their label (which had some great Lloyd Price big band tracks, including
"Misty," and have the original Wilson Pickett "If You Need Me") also
owned Lloyd & Logan Publishing, which published the original material on
that label. Price was an absolute gentleman as well as a serious talent.
There's a good capsule bio (with a couple of errors) at:
http://www.history-of-rock.com/price.htm
another at http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/price_lloyd/bio.jhtml
and a third at http://www.garycape.com/price.htm
each contributing something to the story. Price is still active (he'll
be 71 in March) and there's a link to book him for a gig at
http://www.onlinetalent.com/Lloyd_Price_homepage.html
Jeff Lemlich:
> There is an article about my web site/music research....
> http://www.newtimesbpb.com/issues/2003-12-18/music.html/1/index.html
Excellent article! Congratulations. A Florida question for you: I
visited Fort Lauderdale several times in the late 50's, and remember a
rock & roll DJ who used to do live radio shows at a big pinball hall
out West Broward Blvd. Possibly George was his first name. Any leads on
this, please?
Egads! I erred - in an earlier post I identified Richard Barrett as the
original lead singer of the Dubs when it was actually Richard Blandon.
(Ronnie I of UGHA will never forgive me!)
Tony Baylis, despite the opinion of my friend Mick Patrick, I like the
Four Preps, perhaps the whitest group on record, to be sure, but among
many hits "Big Man" rocks, "Down By the Station" is sweet and their
version of "Kaw-Liga" would make Hank smile. And then there's the
delicious "26 Miles." But I do agree with Mick re: Ed Cobb's work with
Ketty Lester; to me, even better than the excellent "Love Letters" is
the achingly beautiful "Once Upon A Time" from "The Fantasticks."
Kind comments and answers acknowledged: S. J., ACJ, and Austin Roberts.
Austin, some notes re: your comments:
- It's great that you mentioned the Royal Teens' "Big Name Button";
this is a long-time fave, and has one of the best rock beats ever put on
a 45.
- "Ricki Ticki Ta Ta Ta" is kinda sweet, too; way better than most
bubblegum, IMO. Thanks for playing it to musica
- The Lafayettes: links a-plenty at
http://www.artweb.org/RandB/lafayettes.htm - article, pics, etc.
Dan Hughes:
> Bob, thanks for bringing up Soma (Bobby Vee's first label)....
> [A]re you east-coasters familiar with this Minneapolis label?
I am, but didn't know Mr. Velline started there. As Bob "veefriends"
said, Soma was Amos Heilicher's first name spelled backwards; he had
Heiclicher Bros. Distributors, and decided to start a label. (Amos
Garrett is a musician; full story at http://www.melmusic.com/amos_garrett/ )
On Soma, I of course know the Fendermen, Trashmen and Gestures; wasn't
there also another would-be British invasion (via the Twin Cities) group
called The Underbeats, who had "Sweet Words of Love"? Great song, but the
tempo at the end was about 33% faster than at the beginning!
And now *I* end, about 33% slower than the beginning....
Country Paul
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 07:59:43 +0100
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: Chris Hodge
Nick Archer:
> Also, how about Chris Hodge's "I'm On My Way"? A record
> with a unique sound.
Isn't that "WE're on OUR way" (Apple 1850)? One of the best
Apple 45s IMO.
Eddy
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 07:58:09 -0000
From: Glenn
Subject: Re: Lambert-Potter productions
Nick Archer wrote:
> As long as we're in the Lambert-Potter mode, I have two singles
> that I'd love to get more information about. One is "This Heart"
> by Gene Redding on Haven Records, and the other is "If That's
> The Way You Want It" by Diamond Head on Dunhill. Both are
> written by and produced by Lambert-Potter. Does anyone know the
> story of these records?
I mentioned the Diamond Head single in an earlier post about Haven
Records. I know nothing about this group at all, and if anyone else
does, I'd also love to learn ANYTHING about them. All I know is that
they cut the very first version of "If That's the Way You Want It",
which was later covered by several artists, including Tavares, the
Righteous Brothers and Jack Jones.
I DO know that I've never heard or been able to find that Diamond
Head single on Dunhill, so if there's any way you could upload it to
Musica, I'd love to hear it. BTW, what was the flip side?
Diamond Head later signed to Haven, and also had a Lambert-Potter
written/produced single released there, called "All for the Love of
Music". The flip side was one of the many songs that Walter Becker
and Donald Fagen wrote in their stint as staff writers for
ABC/Dunhill's publishing arm, before they formed Steely Dan. That
song was called "Proud to Be Your Slave". In case anyone wonders why
Becker and Fagen didn't succeed as staff writers for other artists,
knowing that their idea of what would be a commercially successful
love song was something called "Proud to Be Your Slave" pretty much
answers the question. On the other hand, it was actually a pretty
good song.
Other than the one-off single for Dunhill and that one-off single for
Haven, both of which flopped, Diamond Head never had anything else
released. There is another group called Diamond Head that put out an
album, but they are unrelated.
Speaking of "unrelated", when Gene Redding put out "This Heart", a
story went around, even repeated on radio stations, that he was
related to Otis Redding. He wasn't. I happen to have some inside
knowledge that this false story was actually started by someone at
Haven Records, who I will not name.
"This Heart" was the maiden single for the new Haven Records label,
and the album it came from, Blood Brother, was also the first album
released on Haven. This was also Gene Redding's first released
record, though he had been kicking around for several years and had a
very good reputation around L.A. as a fine soul singer.
"This Heart" was a solid hit, charting both R&B and pop.
Interestingly, it was also a hit in both Europe and Asia. Lambert and
Potter had sharpened their chops writing soul songs over at Dunhill
for the Four Tops, where they wrote a series of big hits that really
brought the Tops back to the, uh, top. They also co-produced these,
along with Steve Barri. And bringing things full circle, their
biggest hit with the Tops, "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" -
hey, it even had PARENTHESES - was originally recorded by - tah dah! -
Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. In a radically different upbeat pop
version, BTW.
Back to Gene Redding, his follow-up single to "This Heart" was
another Lambert-Potter song called "Blood Brothers". Although
superior in many ways to the initial hit, and a big favorite to this
day of hardcore soul fans, "Blood Brothers" flopped, and that was it
for Gene Redding. To my knowledge, nothing else was ever released by
him on any label.
Hope this helped. Unfortunately, it's all I know about those two
singles.
Glenn
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 14:39:24 -0500
From: TD
Subject: Taste
Mark T:
> I learned in a sociology class in high school that matters of
> taste can never be argued.
Paul Simon takes issue with your sociology teacher in "Mama, Don't
Take My Kodachrome Away" starting from the first line and procedes
to argue his taste for color photographs.
--TD
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 12:03:28 EST
From: Bill George
Subject: Re: Brian Wilson influence / My Fair Lady
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Lindsay Buckingham in this
thread. He has said, and it is obvious in his music/production,
that he was greatly influenced by Brian Wilson. And as someone
else mentioned, many new "alternative" bands owe Wilson a big
debt. Wilco being perhaps the most successful. Also groups like
Fountains of Wayne. It's not the surfing songs that have had the
most impact, it is the tunes like Caroline No and God Only Knows.
Beautiful and timeless.
And in case nobody has corrected this yet, My Fair Lady was
written by Lerner and Lowe, not Frank Loesser (he did Guys and
Dolls).
Bill
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Message: 8
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 14:07:57 -0500
From: TD
Subject: Re: Good morning little school girl
The melody is the same as Memphis Minnie's "Chauffer Blues"
and Bob Dylan's "Obviously Five Believers" on his Blonde on
Blonde LP
--TD
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 17:23:09 -0000
From: C Ponti
Subject: White Whale Records
For those who've read OFF THE CHARTS or other record ind.
books, they know how colourful is the story of White Whale.
One of the nice aspects of the story is that The Turtles are
one of the few or only band to come out of that era owning
their own masters. When W.W. exploded, Mark & Howard managed
to buy back the Turtles masters for a pretty fair price. There
were accusations of alleged inequities in accounting which led
to one of the principals having what I believe was a fatal heart-
attack at the factory when told that the auditors were on the
way to determine whether the books had been cooked.
C Ponti
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Message: 10
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 18:05:30 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: The Buchanan Bros
The Buchanan Bros. were actually Cashman and mess and me on lead
vocals. The rest we put toether in the studio. One in particular,
though I can't remember, John Tartaglia and I passed it off as
this really (model like) good looking kid as the lead singer. All
seemed well until the prez. of the label set up a big party in his
back yard to introduce the act to the press label hotshots and some
of Hollywood's pretty people. Everything was going well until the
kid started singing, got thru about a line of the song and puked
all over the mic, bass, and most of the press up front. Needless to
say he went nowhere except home and still hates parties.
Another weird story, Austin
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Message: 11
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 18:08:09 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Dickie Lee
Mark T:
> I was just wondering - what did you think of Dickey Lee's
> cover of your hit "Rocky"? I thought it was pretty good.
Dickie is a great artist and did a terrific job on the song
(No. 1 country). He's also one of my best friends in Nashville.
Great writer.
Austin
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Message: 12
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 07:31:11 -0000
From: Billy G. Spradlin
Subject: Re: Brian Wilson's last great song
I haven't been that impressed with much of Brian's late 80's - 90's
material, (legit or bootlegged releases) since the 1988 S/T Sire
album. There's been some fun and super-melodic songs, but nothing
that gives me that gives me the goosebumps like like "Love and Mercy"
did. IMHO thats the last great Brian Wilson song that ranks up there
with all his 60's greats, unless theres a unreleased gem in a tape
box somewhere. There's been rumours for years about him making a new
album with the Wondermints (his backing group) but nothing has
appeared.
BTW "Water Builds Up" was another old song that was unearthed
for "Imagination". I believe Brian wrote it in the early 80's and a
part of it was used for the verses of "Lets Go To Heaven In My Car".
(a 1987 single that's on Rhino's reissue of the S/T Sire album).
Billy G. Spradlin
http://listen.to/jangleradio
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Message: 13
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 06:35:47 -0000
From: Don
Subject: Janie Marden
I don't know if it was here that I learned about a version of Goffin
and King's "Make The Night A Little Longer" by Janie Marden but I see
the 45 is for sale on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dllViewItem&item=2585519629&category=45539&rd=1
I would ask if it was worth the money, but at an opening bid of $73,
I don't think I'm going near it. Does anyone else have this? Is it
any good? It must be pretty rare, as I have had eBay searching for
this for several months and this is the first time it has come up.
Don
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Message: 14
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 06:31:45 -0000
From: Don
Subject: Re: Mob / Arkade "Where You Lead" versions
James Holvay wrote:
> ....(Soul'd Out) was originally called The Red Velvet. That
> was the first club my group (The Mob) played in LA, when Capitol
> flew us out to record in '66.
Didn't The Mob also cover Carole King's "I Feel The Earth Move"?
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Message: 15
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 22:08:20 -0800
From: Scott Swanson
Subject: Re: Del Shannon & the Wilburys
Country Paul asks:
> I do know of 4 Wilbury-related Del Shannon recordings, though:
> 1. Hot Love (with Lynne, Petty & Harrison)
> 2. Lost In A Memory (with Lynne & Petty)
> 3. I Got You (The Bird's Song) (with Lynne & Petty)
> 4. Walk Away (with Lynne & Petty)
> Where are these available, please?
The latter three tracks were produced by Jeff Lynne in 1989 and
included on Del's posthumously-released "Rock On!" album.
"Hot Love" is available on Del's "1961-1990" anthology -- however,
an alternate (and supposedly superior) version of the song was
released on a rare single in 1991.
Hope this helps,
Scott
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Message: 16
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 04:57:33 -0000
From: Mike Edwards
Subject: The Soul Club Jukebox
Will Stos:
> I just stumbled across a site called http://the.soulclub.org
> which has hundreds of really hard-to-find tunes available for
> your listening pleasure.
Country Paul:
> Indeed - but two notes: (1) the files have the extension ".ram"
> which I haven't encountered before; and (2) artists are filed by
> first name or, in the case of groups starting with "The..." under
> the letter T. But yes, Will, what a find!
Happy New Year to you both. Paul, .ram files play fine with Real
Player (which I think can still be downloaded free). They don't play
on Windows Media Player or Roxio. The files download very quickly,
probably because they are only 32kbps (that's about 1/3 or ¼ of the
size of the files that typically play on musica). I tried a couple of
tunes and the quality is excellent. I'm not sure whether music files
this small will burn to CD but it's an excellent way to sample little
known songs. Thanks for passing on the good word, Will.
You're right Paul, they don't use the Dewey classification so you
have to hunt around. Looks as if the site is put together by folks
who know what they are doing, though.
Mike
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Message: 17
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 18:48:38 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Jimmie Haskell / Don Walsh
One thing about being a songwriter and a professional songwriter
could be a hit song, so keep writing and don't be surprised if it
happens.
You're right about Jimmie Haskell, he was the best and a fun guy
to work with, though he sent my wife and me a Xmas present that we
couldn't for the life of us figure out what it was, So I asked
Bobby Hart if he could figure it out and all he could come up with
was `it might be a conversation piece'(Thanks Bob).
Dan Walsh had agoriphobia and couldn't go above the 2nd floor of any
building; fortunately for us all, Dunhill's studio was on the second
floor. When Sing Out came out we couldn't get Danny to come `out', so
we were stuck. It was huge in some area like Hawaii, but that meant
a plane or boat; not a chance. We were all three very close, so we
didn't mind too much. Steve actually wanted to buy Something's Wrong
With Me but we had made the deal deal with Wes Farrell that morning
for Chelsea.
No regrets and I've always loved Steve Barri's records and his
mentoring manner. We worked with Hal Blaine, Joe Osborn and Larry
Knechtal, with Ben Benay and Louie Shelton on a lot of them, and,
pound for pound, they were the best studio band I've ever worked with.
They knew I was a southern, laid back, looney, so we got on great.
No egos anywhere, and Steve was such a great producer that he would
let the guys come up with things themselves. He'd stick me next to
Hal since he wanted the writer's feel to songs. Hard not to sound
good next to Hal Blaine.
I think Dan Walsh is still grounded. He and Havey Walsh are a terrific
writing team and I hope they get back together again.
Austin
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Message: 18
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 23:52:38 -0000
From: recordedonvinyl
Subject: Re: Adam & Eve
I noticed Jeffrey's request about ADAM and EVE, BUZ CASON from way
back then. Does anybody know if he received a reply. I've just been
going thru old vinyl and trying to clean up my copy for CD.
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Message: 19
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 12:32:31 -0000
From: Kenneth
Subject: Re: Bi question
JD Doyle wrote:
> I think my February show will be on bisexuality in music...
> not bisexual artists, but songs actually lyrically about that.
> There are numerous recent songs to be found, but I'm having
> trouble finding many "older" ones.
Glenn suggested:
> "Well I'm not the world's most masculine man
> But I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man
> And so is Lola..."
>
> La-la-lo-lo Lola
>
> That would be by the aptly-named Kinks, in case you're not
> familiar with it.
Glenn...yes...and even more bolder when you hear the version
peformed by The Raincoats (UK all female band of late '70s)
without any changes made to the gender in the lyrics.
JD...one that springs to mind is a track by an Australian band
of the '70's called Supernaut. The track is called "I Like It
Both Ways" and was something of a minor hit in it's day. If
that's not a blatant title...the lyrics followed suit also....
I don't know what is....
Kenneth
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Message: 20
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 14:13:52 -0800
From: Ted T.
Subject: Re: (Why) Brackets?
Andy is quite right here. Apart from reasons of fun, aesthetics and
easy consumer identification, an occasional ancillary reason for
the use of parentheses was a desire for accounting efficiency. Some
publishers/writers/artists were anxious to ensure that royalties
collected for their song would be channeled correctly to their
accounts and not toward people and firms who had songs or records
with identical or similar titles. They believed that tacking on an
extra phrase would help to differentiate their songs and thus make
accounting and auditing more accurate. E.G., in theory, at least, a
title like "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers In Your Hair)"
would be less easily confused with all the other songs with San
Francisco in the title.
Happy 2004 to everyone - Spectropop continues to amaze.
Ted T.
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Message: 21
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 06:26:01 -0700
From: David Mirich
Subject: Re: Beatles & Beach Boys / Influences
Alan Z. wrote:
> I think it was last week, someone on this list said something to
> the effect that "The Beatles and The Beach Boys created the
> template for pop music and no one has taken it further since".
> Just on principle, I can't agree with an idea like that.........
> I'd be interested to hear from the people who were around making
> music at the time. What might pop music have sounded like without
> the Beatles or Beach Boys?
Very good points Alan. I know that for my part I did post that I
felt that without Brian Wilson (and the Beatles) that the music
we've been listening to since the '60s would not be the same, not
yet anyway. Those two influences IMO gave pop music a huge jump
start in the the mechanics and structure, the styling, feel, the
sofistication if you will, of what folks wanted to hear. They were
like Edison and Tesla, racing to be the first to invent and perfect
something great, to be remembered forevermore among the geniuses of
our time.
Would someone else have discovered AC electricity had it not been
for Tesla? Would the secrets of the universe have ever been
unlocked without Einstein's vision and genius? Would controlled
flight have happened without the Wrights? Of course, but at a
later time! Just as the first cave man who used fire was just the
first to do it. But oftentimes, the course of life for countless
generations and millions of people would have been diminished
waiting for the next genius to come along and advance the species.
When Linda Rhonstat said in the biopic "I Just Wasn't Made for
these Times" that "In these 50 years Brian Wilson has no equal,"
she chose her words correctly. Many of the great composers of the
classical age of music were of a celestial talent brought about by
equal parts of genius, discipline, formal study and structure, and
years of apprenticeship as well as being in the right place and
time. Without Bach, would there have been classical music as we
know it? Of course, or very close to it -- it just might have
taken an additional 50 years to get there. I'm glad that Brian
Wilson (and the Beatles) were born when they were and created their
magic when they did so that I wouldn't have had to be cheated out
of having to wait while other, lesser talents bumbled around,
looking for the formula.
Dave Mirich
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Message: 22
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 07:29:14 -0600
From: Nick Archer
Subject: Re: Worst 45 pressing, Diamond Head, Buzz Cason
> A 45 that gets my vote for the worst pressing is the Elektra
> 45 compatible mono/stereo 1967 release of the Doors "Light My
> Fire".
I was a program director at a rock station in Winston-Salem, North
Carolina in the mid 70s. During the "vinyl shortage" of 1976, we
received promo 45s from London Records( like John Miles) that were
vinyl SPRAYED onto styrofoam discs! They were incredibly light,
warped if you looked at them, and lasted about 4 or 5 plays before
the needle wore through to the foam underneath.
I DO know that I've never heard or been able to find that Diamond
Head single on Dunhill, so if there's any way you could upload it
to Musica, I'd love to hear it. BTW, what was the flip side?
My copy of the single (Dunhill D-4342) is a dj promo copy, with the
song in stereo on one side and mono on the other. It's also tagged
as (no intro). Maybe there were other versions? I'll upload to
musica as soon as possible.
I noticed Jeffrey's request about ADAM and EVE, BUZ CASON from way
back then. Does anybody know if he received a reply.
I mentioned that record to Buzz Cason when I saw him at a concert
this summer. He laughed and said, "That record got me to Australia.
I got to go over and do a tour based on the chart there".
Nick Archer
Nashville TN
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Message: 23
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 13:49:04 -0000
From: chelsearegent
Subject: Re: MacArthur Park
John Lang wrote:
> Yes, absolutely! Macarthur Park has always been and probably
> always will be #1 on my list of all-time worst songs, closely
> followed by Send In The Clowns.
>
> The metaphoric line about the 'sweet green icing flowing down'
> and the other gastronomic reference about 'never have that
> recipe again' absolutely make me cringe.
Thank you, John Lang. You can never be too careful, shooting off
your mouth about this song. After all, it was written by the much
venerated Jimmy Webb, spoken of, in some circles, as if he was
Irving Berlin/Doc&Mort/Burt&Hal/Carole&Gerry/Jeff&Ellie/Barry&
Cynthia all rolled into one. The only thing worse than the actual
song was Richard Harris' grotesque reading. Thank you.
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Message: 24
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 09:19:08 -0500
From: TD
Subject: Re: MacArthur Park
Phil Milstein:
> Anyone remember John Candy's hilarious portrayal, on an episode
> of SCTV, of Richard Harris trapped in MacArthur Park Hades,
> caught up in an endless loop of it on the "Mel's Rock Pile" teen
> dance program?
As another writer noted, "MacArthur Park" was pretentious schlock.
On SCTV, it was Dave Thomas (not John Candy) who lampooned Richard
Harris.
TD
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Message: 25
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 06:23:39 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul Bryant
Subject: Re: (Why) Brackets?
Ted T. wrote:
> They believed that tacking on an extra phrase would help to
> differentiate their songs and thus make accounting and auditing
> more accurate. E.G., in theory, at least, a title like "San
> Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers In Your Hair)" would be less
> easily confused with all the other songs with San Francisco in
> the title.
Such as "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear some Brylcreem in Your
Hair". But seriously, folks, I think Ted's got it here. Makes
sense to me.
pb
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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