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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 11 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: How about brilliant tracks with ONE inept ingredient!
From: C Ponti
2. Gene Hughes
From: Anthony James
3. Re: "California Dreamin'" -- out-of-tune flute?
From: C Ponti
4. Re: Inept must be a compliment
From: John Sellards
5. Re: "California Dreamin'" -- out-of-tune flute?
From: steveo
6. Re: Louie Louie
From: steveo
7. Jaynetts, Scooby-Doo, Talking songs, Ineptness
From: Bob Rashkow
8. Lloyd Thaxton
From: Larry Lapka
9. Grapefruit; Jill Gibson; Celine Dion
From: Bob Rashkow
10. Re: Medicine Man / Buchanan bros
From: Bob Rashkow
11. Re: Most Inept Hit
From: bryan
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2004 06:23:00 -0000
From: C Ponti
Subject: Re: How about brilliant tracks with ONE inept ingredient!
Phil M:
> One of the Papas comes in early after the break in "I Saw Her
> Again," abruptly cutting off his "I saw her ..." before order is
> restored. Given how professional, talented and careful the M's &
> the P's ordinarily were, however, I wonder if this little glitch
> wasn't somehow intentional.
It has been written, in either a John Phillips' interview or his book,
that Phillips played the track for the Beatles while it was in
progress, i.e. between tracking and mixing. He pointed out to Paul or
John that the voices or a voice had come in early and would be cleaned
up and erased later. The Beatles advised him it was cooler with the
anticipation and activity of the "I saw her...I saw her again". I
think it is a really cool moment in that song and almost ended up on
the cutting room floor....
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2004 01:19:11 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time)
From: Anthony James
Subject: Gene Hughes
Can anyone give me some more information about Gene's accident.
We here in Cincinnati would like to know what happened and when.
Any info would be great so we can pass on to his fans here.
Anthony James
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2004 06:10:41 -0000
From: C Ponti
Subject: Re: "California Dreamin'" -- out-of-tune flute?
Rodney Rawlings wrote:
> I've heard it implied that the instrumental break in the Mamas and
> the Papas' "California Dreamin'" is out of tune. Specifically, a
> critic reviewing Denny Doherty's stage show DREAM A LITTLE DREAM
> commented that it was nice to hear the flute play its melody in tune
> for once.
Rodney,
Yes, the flute is flat, or lower than the perfect note.
Flatness can work to good effect. If it is not too flat it can create
a sense of "phasing", or a chorus effect. Cass Elliott was one of our
greatest American voices, but she often sang flat. It worked though,
and you never got the feeling it was the wrong note. "Sing For Your
Supper" has some wonderful flat effected notes. Brian Wilson used to
tune his white piano with some notes a bit flat and others a bit sharp
to create the same modulation effect.
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2004 05:31:58 -0000
From: John Sellards
Subject: Re: Inept must be a compliment
Ian Slater:
> The fogginess of "Sally Go the Roses" (deliberate we all now know -
> - thanks Dan & Artie) was essential to the appeal of that record. So
> why not "wrong" notes, "flat" singing, "out-of synch" drums, etc.,
> if the result sounds great? Lets call it "improvisation".
You have an excellent point; it's true that I love "Angel Baby"
precisely because it sounds like a bunch of heartfelt 15 year olds,
and Rosie's vocal is, to me, the most sublime example of recorded
puppy love that there is. If it had been cut under different
circumstances and with session musicians, it wouldn't be the same
(and probably wouldn't have been 3:42, either).
John Sellards
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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 21:16:26 -0800 (PST)
From: steveo
Subject: Re: "California Dreamin'" -- out-of-tune flute?
Rodney Rawlings wrote:
> I've heard it implied that the instrumental break in the
> Mamas and the Papas' "California Dreamin'" is out of tune.
> Specifically, a critic reviewing Denny Doherty's stage show
> DREAM A LITTLE DREAM commented that it was nice to hear the
> flute play its melody in tune for once.
Rodney,
I remember those days in Hollywood(the sixties),and everyone
working under a deadline...Mamas and Papas, B Boys and others
recording at Western Studios on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood.
My guess is the the flute solo was overdubbed, and the pitch
didn't exactly match the track.However, I think Lou Adler and
John Phillips deemed it acceptable (within the ballpark). If
I remember correctly, it was Paul Horn, session man who did
that solo.
Steveo
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Message: 6
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 21:04:28 -0800 (PST)
From: steveo
Subject: Re: Louie Louie
Mike McKay wrote:
> Any other nominations for this kind of very obvious
> musical "mistake" on well-known records?
> Meanwhile, fie upon anyone who characterizes "Louie Louie" by
> The Kingsmen as inept. Energy and drive can make up for a lot
> of lack of musical perfection. The bass player cooks...etc.
Mike,
The guitar solo on Louie Louie is first rate, and I enjoy the
Kingsmen's guitar player on those early sides..there were some
instrumental B sides with the guitarist as well.I don't know
who really played those guitar solos. Was it a session man?
He was good.
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2004 00:13:38 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Jaynetts, Scooby-Doo, Talking songs, Ineptness
Thanks to Dan Hughes (and to Artie Butler) for that fascinating
story about the recording sessions for "Sally, Go Round The Roses",
surely one of the most intriguing and powerful 6Ts hits. I believe
Pentangle took a turn with this one too in 1969.
I have a soft spot in my heart for TV themes, including certain
animated shows pre-1976 or so. Who recorded the Scooby-Doo theme
song, notable particularly for the tune--Austin Roberts did you
work at all on this? Was it just Hanna-Barbera studio singers--
and who penned it? It is fast becoming an early 7Ts relic.
As there were dozens and dozens of "talking records" on and off
the charts in the sixties, so there must have been dozens and
dozens of "inept hits". Benton Harbor's own Five Empressions
(Five Emprees) continuously lose the key even as they encourage
Little Miss Sad to "Lose your blues to the sound of the drum beat".
Fortunately, from what I've read, their club presence completely
overshadowed this.
The Kingsmen on "Louie Louie" at Verse 3 jump the gun, and it
works perfectly! He's supposed to be singing "Said" or "She said"
and it fits in as "Say....." But it's clearly a boo-boo.
Unfortunately probably the strongest living example of the talking
record is also IMHO one of the most terrifying, even if it is a
classic example of just how unique a time the 6Ts is:
Victor Lundberg's "An Open Letter To My Teenage Son" and (Thank God!)
it's not quite as successful answer recording, Every Father's Teenage
Son's "A Letter To Dad"--which someone ought to play to musica if not
too many S'poppers have heard it
--Bobster
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Message: 8
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 20:31:28 -0800 (PST)
From: Larry Lapka
Subject: Lloyd Thaxton
Dear Mr. Thaxton:
You might remember that I wrote to you several months
ago and asked you if you remember having Bobby Hebb
("Sunny") on your show--he sung his hit and then
proceeded to play a tune on spoons he had on him. You
didn't remember, but didn't tell me that I was crazy
either, which I appreciate.
Anyway, I used to watch you on Channel 11 in New York.
Is there a possibility that some of your shows will be
coming out on video in the near future? Is there
anything else you can tell us about your future plans
related to music?
Thanks again.
Larry Lapka
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Message: 9
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 23:20:07 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Grapefruit; Jill Gibson; Celine Dion
Grapefruit's 1st album is nothing short of incredible sounds.
My favorites are "Ain't It Good" and "Theme for Twiggy" which
was renamed at the last minute but not quickly enough for the
revised title to make it onto the record itself. "Dear Delilah"
is a fabulous tune that should have gone Top 20; "Round Going
Round" and "Another Game" conjure up the 6Ts in my head every
time I hear them!
Now that we know that Jill Gibson indeed had her own terrific
version of "It's As Easy As 1,2,3", which I am fortunate enough
to have and play every chance I get, I did NOT know she was one
of the Mamas and Papas, even if for a brief time. Also didn't
know she was Jan Berry's main squeeze. Wonderful talent.
Agreed about "My Heart Will Go On". Irritating song from a movie
that (believe it or not) I didn't see....after "A Night To Remember"
(1958) there couldn't possibly be any more great Titanic flix as
far as I'm concerned, but to each their own. Just look at what
today's teenagers and 20somethings (with, thankfully, a number of
exceptions) eat up. The generation gap is now full circle, but all
the music lives on!
Bobster
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Message: 10
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 22:53:57 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Re: Medicine Man / Buchanan bros
Austin Roberts:
>sorry for the confusion.
That's OK Austin, I've got "Son of a Lovin' Man" too.
Great job! Pistilli's lead on "Medicine Man" blew me
away back in '69. Can't ever stop playing that one!
Bobster
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Message: 11
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 19:20:09 -0800
From: bryan
Subject: Re: Most Inept Hit
David Coyle asks:
> Was "Love You So" by Ron Holden actually a hit?
Lousy musicianship aside, it was actually a hit. "Love
You So" entered the Billboard pop chart on April 10,
1960, and eventually peaked at #7 nationally on both
Billboard and Cashbox's Top Ten charts. It started
off as a regional #1 hit first -- the flipside, "My Babe,"
was #2 -- in the Seattle area (according to Pat O'Day,
the program director at KJR). Bob Keane picked it
up for wider distribution via his Del-Fi label. He
re-released it via two distributors -- Record
Merchandisers, the largest record distributor in L.A.
at the time (they were unable to move any copies), and
a second distributor, A&A Distributors. It took off
after Huggy Boy started playing the song. Keane's
"national promotion man" at the time, or so he claims,
was Bob Krasnow.
Bryan
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