Spectropop - Digest Number 1283

• From: Spectropop Group
• Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004

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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Royal Teens trivia / Planet Rock
           From: Dr. Mark 
      2. Re: Elvis Sun Records master tapes
           From: steveo 
      3. Love this board.....
           From: Dan Hughes 
      4. Re: Del Shannon
           From: Doug Richard 
      5. Re: Elvis master tapes
           From: Rex Strother 
      6. Re: Bubblegum
           From: GEORGEROBERTSON@aol.com
      7. Re: Sock It To Me Time: Strawberry Alarm Clock on "Laugh-In"
           From: Bobster 
      8. Re: Austin, thanks for asking
           From: GEORGEROBERTSON@aol.com
      9. Biggest record label blunders!
           From: Steve Grant 
     10. Re: Bubblegum
           From: Michel Gignac 
     11. P.J. Proby Question
           From: Mark Frumento 
     12. Biggest record label blunders!
           From: Al Quaglieri 
     13. Re: Biggest record label blunders!
           From: Fred Clemens 
     14. Re: Lorna dune/Geld/Udell/Good Vibrations/short records/spine ti...
           From: Bobster 
     15. Re: Backwards on the A-side and elsewhere
           From: Bobster 
     16. Re: lyrics to instrumentals
           From: Chris Schneider 
     17. Re: I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
           From: Al Kooper 
     18. Re: Label Blunders
           From: andrucharlz 
     19. Re: lyrics to instrumentals
           From: Mike 
     20. Austin Roberts Live ?
           From: Orion 
     21. Re: Peter Shelley
           From: Stewart Mason 
     22. Re: sediS-B sdrawkcaB fo noitalipmoC :eR
           From: Robert R. Radil 
     23. Re: Why Beatles?!!
           From: Phil Milstein 
     24. Steve Tudanger & the Four-Evers
           From: Al Kooper 
     25. Wilson / Dylan
           From: Bob Hanes 


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Message: 1
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 19:40:39 -0500
   From: Dr. Mark 
Subject: Royal Teens trivia / Planet Rock

Al Kooper wrote:
> I did my time in The Royal Teens. Starting in 1958 at 
> the ripe old age of fourteen. 

Hi Al,

Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1996 says you "joined 
the group for a short time in 1959." But who's to argue with 
the horse's mouth?! Right?

I guess you weren't on "Short Shorts" (is that right?),
because it says here that it was first released on Power 215 
in 1957. (Hit 01-58 on the ABC-Paramount label.)

Also noted is that the flip side of "Short Shorts" was called 
"Planet Rock". Seems like an awfully forward-thinking title for 
the late '50s. What kind of a song was that? ("Planet Rock" was 
later the title of #48 rap hit for Afrika Bambaata in 1982.)

And checking my bubblegum notes, I have a question mark if 
Jeff Barry was ever involved with The Royal Teens?

Anyone? ...

Dr. Mark



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Message: 2
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 16:20:09 -0800 (PST)
   From: steveo 
Subject: Re: Elvis Sun Records master tapes

John Sellards wrote:
> Does this mean that the actual tape for this session
> has turned up (the Sun session, not "Do The Clam")?  
> Every reissue I've heard - and I don't have "Sunrise" 
> or anything more recent, which may be better - it sounds 
> fuzzy and as if reverb had been added. When did they find 
> this tape?

John, I would suggest to you that all that echo and was added 
in on the board as it was recorded. The fuzz was probably just 
the distortion of Sam's recording equipment at the time.

Steveo



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Message: 3
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 18:23:09 -0600
   From: Dan Hughes 
Subject: Love this board.....

I'm a big fan of old (REALLY old) radio shows, and I've read 
a lot of biographies of old-time radio actors., people like 
Jack Benny and Groucho Marx.  And one thing I always envied 
about those folks was that they frequently had famous people 
drop by for dinner or a bridge game, or just to visit.  I 
always envied that lifestyle!

And now I realize, the same thing is happening to us.  The 
celebrities may not stop by the house in person, but they 
drop in to chat with us here on Spectropop, many of them 
almost daily.  And we don't have to worry about straightening 
up the house for them!

Thanks again, board admin guys, for making this all possible....

--Dan



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Message: 4
   Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:27:39 -0000
   From: Doug Richard 
Subject: Re: Del Shannon

I don't think anyone has mentioned that the Del Shannon/Andrew 
Loog Oldham material was released in the US in the early '90s 
on the Del Shannon "Liberty Years" CD.  It's out of print now, 
but it's not that hard to find.  If you love Pet Sounds, you 
really need to hear these tracks.

Doug



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Message: 5
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 15:30:56 -0700
   From: Rex Strother 
Subject: Re: Elvis master tapes

Let's get a jump on this and start dicing up Britney Spears' 
master tapes now!



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Message: 6
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 21:28:11 EST
   From: GEORGEROBERTSON@aol.com
Subject: Re: Bubblegum

Mark T wrote:

> What about you Austin? Do you still perform at all? 
> It would be great to see you on one of these BG 
> package tours.

I appreciate the question. I quit recording in 1977 when my 
son was born (I had averaged 7 months a year for about 10 
years and missed a loy of the early fun with my first daughter, 
born in 1970). Anyway I wanted to concentrate on writing which 
has been great to me, especially in Nashville. It's funny you'd
ask becaause I'm performing for the first time in 25 years for 
my friend Gene Hughes' Benefit in Nashville in February. I 'll 
probably get the bug again and maybe do some more dates since my 
3 kids are grown now. Also,I'm interested to see if I can remember 
any lyrics. Ha, who knows, but I used to love performing

Thanks for asking,   
Austin



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Message: 7
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 22:08:04 EST
   From: Bobster 
Subject: Re: Sock It To Me Time: Strawberry Alarm Clock on "Laugh-In"

I'm three days late, Mark, so this may have already been answered.  
The song SAC was performing was "Tomorrow", their marginally 
successful follow-up to "Incense & Peppermints."  

Bobster





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Message: 8
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 21:14:19 EST
   From: GEORGEROBERTSON@aol.com
Subject: Re: Austin, thanks for asking

Artie,

So sorry about your health lately but it sounds like you're feeling 
better, great!

Man,I love Meet Me at Midnight Mary. Didn't Alan Rinde and Toni Wine get 
married recently? Don't know Alan well,but have collaborated and done some 
background work with toni, who is a super lady.

As far as what you're doing now,I 've had about 30 songs in movies,including 
the Oscar nominated Over You (with Bobby Hart) from Tender Mercies so I would 
be interested in talking with you further on what you're doing.

Hope you continue to feel better.

My best to you,
Austin



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Message: 9
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 21:40:18 -0500
   From: Steve Grant 
Subject: Biggest record label blunders!

Previously:

> Anyone else have any other blunders to add?  Let's hear from ya!

"Congradulations" on the Stones' 12x5 LP.





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Message: 10
   Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 02:48:54 -0000
   From: Michel Gignac 
Subject: Re: Bubblegum

Dan Hughes asked:

> Anybody know the origin of the term Bubblegum music? I first heard it
> used to describe Yummy Yummy Yummy by the Ohio Express, then the other
> Buddah hits that followed: 1910 Fruitgum Co, Ohio Express, et al. Was
> the term in use before that?

Dan,

I don't know exactly when the term was first used, so I'll give only 
my impressions. Did you hear the term "bubblegum music" when "Yummy 
Yummy Yummy" has been released (mid '68) or was it only a bit 
later?  When I bought 1910 Fruitgum Co. album "Simon Says" in 
the '70s, I found that there was a track on it, called "Bubble Gum 
World". The LP was released in April of  '68. On March of '69, Buddah 
released the various artists album "Bubble Gum Music In The Naked 
Truth". So the word was widely known then. 

The first time I heard this term, it was on January of '69 when two 
songs, both titled "Bubblegum Music", were playing on radio. One by 
The Sweet Bippies (on A&M label), the other by The Rock And Roll 
Dubble Bubble Trading Card Company Of Philadelphia 19141 (!!) on 
Buddah label. They were two different songs. They were surely already 
recorded in 1968. But they were obscure singles. 

Now we know who first used the term, but anybody can tell when it was 
first used and when it was generally used to describe that kind of 
music (not only used by Kasenetz & Katz) ?

Michel Gignac.





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Message: 11
   Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 03:27:35 -0000
   From: Mark Frumento 
Subject: P.J. Proby Question

I have a demo of a song that I believe is called "Didn't Give A 
Damn" by P.J. Proby. Was this song released?




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Message: 12
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 21:55:49 -0500
   From: Al Quaglieri 
Subject: Biggest record label blunders!

Denny wrote:

> Two playing time blunders:
> Hold Your Head Up by Argent: The original single (Epic 10852) shows
> the correct playing time of 3:15.  Epic Memory Lane and grey label
> reissues also include the single version, but the labels show the
> full LP version playing time of 6:15!

I think you'll find a lot of playing time blunders on newer CD 
compilations. So many of them are put together with impossibly tight 
deadlines, and the packaging has to be completed a week or more before the 
master is due. So often the printed time is what the producer reasonably 
expected it to be before the artist, the label, or time considerations 
forced a last-minute change.

Then, of course, there are just plain F-ups. Hee!





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Message: 13
   Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 03:15:50 -0000
   From: Fred Clemens 
Subject: Re: Biggest record label blunders!

Denny wrote:

> The most famous blunder is most likely "Please Please Me" by 
> The "Beattles" (Vee Jay 498)

I seem to recall seeing a book awhile back showing UK releases of 
some Beatles records showing the spelling as "The Beattles", so I 
hardly think it was a blunder.
 
> And get this: I picked up what I thought was a copy of "Do It (Till 
> You're Satisfied)" by B.T. Express.  (Scepter/Roadshow 12395).  
> Placed it on the turntable, and to my surprise and shock, the song 
> turned out to be "I Shot The Sheriff" by Eric Clapton!

A couple years ago, I picked up a record that was supposed to be "The 
Underdog Theme", from the popular 1960's cartoon, complete with a 
picture cover. Instead, it played Jay and the Americans UA release 
of "Sunday And Me". Evidently the master numbers were close and no 
one was paying attention when it was pressed.

Long before that, I picked up the Fat's Domino Anthology (early 70's) 
that played some weird live concert. Needless to say, I took it back 
and exchanged it for the right copy.

Fred Clemens




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Message: 14
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 21:49:29 EST
   From: Bobster 
Subject: Re: Lorna dune/Geld/Udell/Good Vibrations/short records/spine ti...

Thank you, Artie Wayne.  I assume you're referring to 
The Banned's beautiful blatantly anti-war song, 
"It Couldn't Happen Here."  Even better was "Goodbye 
Groovy Goodbye" b/w "A Blanket of Sound", which if I 
have to guess just didn't catch on.  Both terrific tunes! ! !  

Bobster





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Message: 15
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 22:28:35 EST
   From: Bobster 
Subject: Re: Backwards on the A-side and elsewhere

Yeah, isn't that final minute or so on BALAKLAVA 
spine-shivering!  You feel as though you're 
crash-landing out of a nightmare (or a very weird 
dream) and then suddenly it STARTS to slow down and 
then you hear, just as in the opening: "I am Trumpeter 
Landfrey......" as if to suggest that the entire cycle 
of blood, sweat and suffering begins again. But 
seriously, folks. Cher's "Believe" is a truly 
stupendous achievement.  I even dare say it's 
one of the best disco records that DIDN'T come 
out in the 7Ts.  Not quite enough to make me give 
up my obsession with Northern Soul, but close!

Bobster 



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Message: 16
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 19:53:54 -0800 (GMT-08:00)
   From: Chris Schneider 
Subject: Re: lyrics to instrumentals

Dr. Mark:
  
> As I uncover, research and learn more about pop music, I'm 
> finding more vocal versions of big instrumental hits that I
> never knew. I'd be willing to bet that every one of those
> instrumentals has eventually or originally had a lyrics version.

A good example of that might be the vocal version of Neil Hefti's 
"Odd Couple" theme, which has some quite adroit lyrics by 
Sammy Cahn.  Perhaps, though, Cahn's words articulated what 
others might've preferred to be left inarticulate:

"As I've indicated,
"They are never quite separated
They are peas in a pod.
"Don't you think that it's odd?"

(Why do I keep imagining this as a single by Pansy Division, 
coupled with Paul Simon's "Old Friends"?)  

I'm also kinda fond of the dippy vocal version of the "That Girl" 
theme -- composed by, of all people, Earle Hagen of "Harlem 
Nocturne."

But the one that's really good, though, the one I'd recommend to 
anyone under any circumstances, is the vocal version of David 
Raksin's "Bad and the Beautiful" theme, with first-rate lyrics 
by Dory Langdon (soon to be Previn).  

People like June Christy and Tony Bennett recorded "Bad and the 
Beautiful."  As for the Hefti ... the versions tended to be 
non-vocal.  

"The People Up-Front Don't Know Of The Battles You Wage,
"Back-Stage  ..."

Chris





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Message: 17
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 23:02:53 EST
   From: Al Kooper 
Subject: Re: I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know

Martin wrote:

> Al, I discovered your '69 single "You Never Know Who Your Friends Are"
> last year through the "Rare + Well Done" collection, and that song
> definitely represented one of that year's great discoveries. I don't
> know how you feel about this song, but I really like it & the
> production.

> I was also wondering... have you heard the late Donny Hathaway's
> take on "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know"? It's on
> his "Extension of a Man" album..... A great rendition, IMHO...

'You Never Know...." was the most blatant attempt I ever made at trying to 
construct a hit single. It's subsequent failure to become one instantly cured me 
of that particular affliction and I got back to music for music's sake again. 
I do however harbor a fondness for that track especially the instrumental 
fade with the blaring guitars in three part harmony.
Donny Hathaway's versin of ILYMTYEK changed my life. It became the definitive 
version of the song and turned many future R&B artists on to it. It's the 
most covered song in my catalogue with versions by Carmen McRae, Kenny Latimore, 
Dakota Staton, Cold Blood and Tony Toni Tone   just a few that come to mind. 
Every Friday night on the David Letterman show approx. 13 mins before the end 
of the show, Paul Shaffer sings the song and a special guest comes and puts a 
cape around him James Brown-style. This has been going on almost three years 
now every Friday unless it's a repeats week or Dave is not on the show. Some of 
the "cape guests" have been Donald Trump, Solomon Burke, Cyndi Lauper, Bill 
Morray, Nathan Lane, and even James Brown himself, believe it or dont. This 
exposure has not hurt the song either.

al kooper



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Message: 18
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 23:05:48 -0500 (EST)
   From: andrucharlz 
Subject: Re: Label Blunders

Denny wrote:

> Anyone else have any other [label] blunders to add? Let's hear from ya!

I have a single on the Ardent label by its most famous act, the
early-70s cult band Big Star. The label says the songs are "Don't Lie To
Me" b/w "Watch the Sunrise." Well, on my copy, the B-side in the grooves
is indeed "Watch the Sunrise," but the song in the grooves on the A-side
is "Thirteen," a different track from their first album. And from what I
hear, other "combinations" were put out as well!




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Message: 19
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 23:15:53 -0500
   From: Mike 
Subject: Re: lyrics to instrumentals

Dr. Mark wrote:

> I wonder if there's a vocal version of WIPEOUT!

Bet you guys didnt know that there is a VOCAL version of The 
Ventures "Walk Don't Run"!!

mikey



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Message: 20
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 22:26:07 -0600
   From: Orion 
Subject: Austin Roberts Live ?

Austin Roberts:
> my friend Gene Hughes' Benefit in Nashville in February. I 'll
> probably get the bug again and maybe do some more dates since my
> 3 kids are grown now. Also,I'm interested to see if I can remember
> any lyrics. Ha, who knows, but I used to love performing.

Austin, I believe you will be terrific. If you get anywhere near 
Omaha, NE please let me know. I wouldn't miss a concert by you.
Orion





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Message: 21
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 20:47:09 -0800 (PST)
   From: Stewart Mason 
Subject: Re: Peter Shelley

Austin Powell writes:
> Mark...I can't fill in any personal details but Ben Findon 
> started producing records in the late sixties...He had "Easy 
> Squeezy" by the Love Children (featuring "Little Joe") issued 
> on Deram in 1969.  The song was written by Ben and his partner 
> Pete Shelley.....

Ah, now this reminds me...what all has Peter Shelley done? 
(Note to my fellow punk fans: no, he's not the singer/songwriter 
from the Buzzcocks, that's a different one.)  I ask because Peter 
Shelley's son, John Southworth, is among my favorite singer/
songwriters of the last ten years. Spectropoppers should in 
particular look for his debut album MARS PENNSYLVANIA (all of his 
albums so far have had place names as their titles), which is 
probably the great sunshine-pop record of the '90s, an album that 
takes Van Dyke Parks' SONG CYCLE, Harpers Bizarre, Bacharach, 
SMILEY SMILE, Roy Wood-era ELO and Paul McCartney's solo work as 
its starting points and turns them all into something uniquely his 
own, with lyrics that rarely settle for the usual lost-love 
cliches when there are songs to be written about abduction by UFOs, 
dying mountain towns, sweets obsessions and the love of a good 
female astronaut. Although John Southworth is British, he lives and
works in Toronto; Ontario-based Spectropoppers can occasionally see 
him live at the Rivoli.

S



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Message: 22
   Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 04:49:46 -0000
   From: Robert R. Radil 
Subject: Re: sediS-B sdrawkcaB fo noitalipmoC :eR

Me:
> This is going a little off your topic but "Mirage" by Tommy James 
> & The Shondells is based on "I Think We're Alone Now" played 
> backwards.

Glenn:
> Myth. Total myth.

Myth?

Give me a few days to locate the 2 songs. I'll then reverse "I Think 
We're Alone Now", attach it to "Mirage" in an MP3 for all to hear.

Bob Radil




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Message: 23
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 20:43:08 -0500
   From: Phil Milstein 
Subject: Re: Why Beatles?!!

Paul Bryant wrote:
> ... How many classic rock & pop songs before the 
> Beatles were written by British people?

Move It, Shakin' All Over; Telstar; maybe one or two others. I wonder 
if The Beatles were influenced at all by J. Kidd & his Pirates.

> So I really don't think it's difficult to see why the Beatles
> were a big success. What still, perhaps, needs to be explained
> is why it took America so long (one whole year) to catch up on
> them ...

I think there was a natural resistance here at the time to such imports,
if only because we felt we had enough talent here to cover all our
musical needs. But The Beatles' force was so undeniable that that
resistance caved pretty easily to it. The build-up, anticipation and
hype prior to their breakthrough is indicative of that, because if they
didn't "have it" they'd have been laughed all the back to Liverpool.

> I have heard
> the old theory about it being something to do with JFK - the
> Beatles were giving American youth the excuse to have a good
> time after weeks of national grieving - but I don't know if I
> buy that.

For that to have been true suggests that had there been no assassination
attempt The Beatles never would've broken through here, or at least
their acceptance would've been greatly muted. But their music itself
denies that possibility -- again, it was simply too strong to resist.

--Phil M.





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Message: 24
   Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 02:56:20 EST
   From: Al Kooper 
Subject: Steve Tudanger & the Four-Evers

The S'pop Team:
> Readers are recommended to avail themselves of two more Coke ad
> demos freshly installed @ musica. Both were written and performed
> by Ellie Greenwich, Mike Rashkow and Steve Tudanger:

Wasn't Steve Tudanger in the Four-Evers on Smash & Constellation?
I loved that group! They covered onre of my songs called "Stormy."
Al Kooper.



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Message: 25
   Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 21:02:10 -0800 (PST)
   From: Bob Hanes 
Subject: Wilson / Dylan

During the '90s when both Bob and Brian were living in the "Malibu
Community" they got together and Dylan put his voice on a BW song called
The Spirit of Rock n Roll.  Sometime after that Dylan was quoted as
saying about Wilson.  "that Brian Wilson's ears belong in the
Smithsonian", and in another article, "Brian Wilson must have about a
million melodies in him".  I don't remember the exact sources,but my
recollection is that is was either MoJo and/or a similar British music
publication.

 The Right Reverend Bob, dumb angel chapel, 
Church of the Harmonic Overdub




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