________________________________________________________________________ SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop! ________________________________________________________________________ There are 23 messages in this issue. Topics in this digest: 1. New 'Rock of Ages' Yahoo group ! From: Eddy 2. Re: The Shannons From: Peter Lerner 3. Shirley Spector / Jeanette From: Julio Niño 4. Re: 50s & 60s vocal groups From: Harry Jay 5. Re: Eleven of the Best--Carl Hall and Lakeside From: Mark 6. Re: A Tear For Tommy From: Al Kooper 7. Re: Raul Abeyta From: Billy G Spradlin 8. BS&T '68 From: Phil Chapman 9. Re: Katch-22 From: Howard 10. Re: Tokens From: Al Kooper 11. Raul Abeyta From: Michael Edwards 12. Ron Dante; Freddy Cannon From: Michael Edwards 13. Re: Ron Dante; Archies From: Billy G Spradlin 14. Groovy Baby From: Paul Urbahns 15. Re: Blue Beats on musica From: Bob Radil 16. From: Mark Hill / Laugh-In Update From: Mark Hill 17. Re: Progressive Monkees From: Bill Craig 18. Prescience From: Mike Rashkow 19. Re: Frank J From: James Botticelli 20. Linda Lawrence sings Al Kooper From: Mick Patrick 21. Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop Update From: Martin Roberts 22. Re: Preservation of master tapes From: Nick Archer 23. Re: Ron Dante; Archies From: Laura Pinto ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________ Message: 1 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 11:01:43 +0100 From: Eddy Subject: New 'Rock of Ages' Yahoo group ! In response to the recent groundswell of interest, a new Yahoo group has been created to complement the discussion here at Spectropop. Although there will be some artists in common, Rock of Ages will focus on the late 60's and continue well into the 70's. The emphasis is on rock, rather than pop. Every effort will be made to maintain the standards set by S'pop, so that your stay at Rock of Ages will also be a pleasant one. So allow me to invite you to join Rock of Ages at: http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Rockofages/ A splendid time is guaranteed for all ! Eddy -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 21:56:14 -0000 From: Peter Lerner Subject: Re: The Shannons Tom wrote: > Speaking of "Born Too Late", the Shannons did a version > of this song in the '60s. I love their version as well, > their voices are so innocent and their harmonies so pretty. > It's always made me wonder though, who are the Shannons? > The only other song by them I have heard is "Mister Sunshine > Man". Did they record anything else? Any info or pictures?" The Shannons did two 45s on Liberty. One was "Born too late" / "Mister Sunshine Man" on Liberty 56073. The follow-up (Liberty 56100) was even nicer, coupling the 30s standard "Little white lies" with a lovely swirling arrangement, and "Are you sincere". Sheer bliss. Peter -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 14:52:03 -0000 From: Julio Niño Subject: Shirley Spector / Jeanette Hola Everybody. Mick Patrick cited: > Phil Spector's older sister Shirley once managed a band called > Kip Tyler and the Flips. They cut some great rockabilly sides > for Ebb ("She's My Witch", "Rumble Rock"), Challenge ("Jungle > Hop", Starla and others. Among the members where Sandy Nelson, > Steve Douglas, Bruce Johnston and others..." I'm not a big of a fan of Rockabilly but I like "She´s My Witch" very much. It has a very exciting guitar sound, it sounds sexual and dangerous (a very suggestive combination). The song is included in The ACE Records CD "The Ebb Story. Vol 1". Changing the subject. I've been reading the last issue of Cha Cha Charming. It's good to see Chic-Hunters like Sheila rescue forgotten delicacies like Jeanette. I love Sheila's taste, although, unlike her, my favourite Jeanette´s songs are the tracks she recorded with Picnic in 1967, when she was sixteen. A kind of Lolita-folk. She issued three singles and a LP with this combo. She also recorded most of the songs in English. I also love the very erotic French version of "¿Por qué te vas?", 1974. The Spanish original version was included in the soundtrack of the film "Cría Cuervos" by Carlos Saura, this movie is specially remembered for featuring a very young Ana Torrent. I've also enjoyed very much the voyage around "It's My Party" written by Mick Patrick and Malcolm Baumgart. I love Mick and Malcolm (yes, I'm rather promiscuous). And Finally, these last weeks some messages have been posted about "Silly songs". Many of my favourite tracks can fit in that category. For my taste it is essential that they were performed by very young artists. The problems can arrive when the singers mature and they go on performing the same songs, producing a rather embarrassing "Baby Jane Effect". But for me, the recordings have a life of their own and remain forever young and delightfully silly. Chao. Julio Niño. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4 Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 15:13:27 -0700 (Mountain Standard Time) From: Harry Jay Subject: Re: 50s & 60s vocal groups Hans: > But I would also like to hear something about vocal groups > of the 50s,60s and so on. Hi Hans, Welcome to the club, just would like you to know that after 40 years our CD with 27 tracks, including a Acapella, & rehearsals, has just been released on Crystal ball records. You can find it on E-Bay, and Doo-bop Shoo-bop records store http://www.doowopshoobop.com & maybe several others. We did these in the 50s & 60s. Harry Jay (Larry & The Legends and other vocal groups) -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 01:27:48 GMT From: Mark Subject: Re: Eleven of the Best--Carl Hall and Lakeside Hi Al! I'm very familiar with two of the songs on your list. Carl Hall--"You Don't Know Nothing About Love" is certainly a great song from a great artist. I don't have the 45 unfortunately (have the song on the 2 CD Best of Loma Records comp), but the flip, "Mean It Baby", is supposed to be a pretty good Northern soul dancer. Ragovoy later cut "You Don't Know Nothing About Love" a couple of years later with another great vocalist, Howard Tate (who recently made a comeback after a number of years out of the business), for Atlantic. Carl had previously recorded for Mercury, as did his Loma labelmate and fellow Ragovoy disciple Lorraine Ellison. His muses at Mercury were the team of Dennis Lambert and Louis Pegues II (a/k/a Lou Courtney). His first Mercury single was "My Baby's So Good"/"What's Come Over You". The A-side, while a storming dancer, is a song I don't care too much for because of the cloying falsetto he sings it in. "What's Come Over You", though, is the polar opposite: a fantastic, well-sung beat ballad which makes this a record worth seeking out. Carl had three other singles for Mercury, billed as either C. Henry Hall, Carl Henry Hall or Carl Hall. After Loma, he briefly recorded for Atlantic and Columbia. Lakeside--"I Want to Hold Your Hand" This is a very effective version of the song, done as a romantic ballad rather than in the tempo of the Beatles' version (Al Green had also done a ballad-style version of this song). Lakeside were better-known for their funky dance tunes like "All the Way Live" and "Fantastic Voyage", but this song proves that they could more than hold their own with slower material. Speaking of "I Want to Hold Your Hand", I was listening to a CD comp on Arf Arf, "30 Seconds Before the Calico Wall", and it featured a fast garage version of the song, also effective in its own way, by the Moving Sidewalks (who later evolved into ZZ Top). Best, Mark -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6 Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 18:04:38 EST From: Al Kooper Subject: Re: A Tear For Tommy Me: > Okay poppers. A single on Epic, I think in the early 60's > with a female lead called "A Tear For Tommy" Probably a > group name. Anyone have this major obscurity? Phil C. > [from an old list] > "A Tear For Tommy"/"At This Stage Of The Game" > Linda Lawrence - Epic 9607 (1963) > I've seen it somewhere along the way. > Both sides co-written by you? I believe so. Definitely "Tommy". The other rings a bell Don't have a copy of this and would really like to get one Al Kooper -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 05:54:13 -0000 From: Billy G Spradlin Subject: Re: Raul Abeyta > I think "If I Never Love Again" is another title > mentioned previously here.... Right, it's the Looking Glass, Valiant 750. (B.DeVorzon/R. Abeyta) Produced by DeVorzon/Gallese, arranged by P. Botkin. Jr. Some believe Curt Boettcher had some hand in this song because it was issued between two of his productions on Valiant. Billy http://listen.to/jangleradio -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 21:12:35 -0000 From: Phil Chapman Subject: BS&T '68 Was savouring a Sunday afternoon anorak moment, and noted that BS&T's "I Can't Quit Her"/"House In The Country" is credited: .....for Past, Present & Future Productions Inc. Whose idea was that then, Al? Phil C -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 15:05:38 EST From: Howard Subject: Re: Katch-22 Mark T writes: > Do any of our British friends on this board know much about > these guys? Several singles on Fontana, an LP on Eros (?) > and 1 final CBS single. Some covers, but all high quality > harmony pop. Any chance of someone compiling a CD? > Are you listening, Rev-Ola? Katch 22 discography.. FONTANA (UK) TF 768 - Major Catastrophe/Hold Me - 1966 TF 874 - Makin' Up My Mind/While We're Friends - 1967 TF 930 - The World's Getting Smaller/Don't Bother - 1968 TF 984 - 100,000 Years/Pumpkin Mini - 1968 TF 1005 - Out Of My Life/Baby Love - 1969 CBS (UK) 4644 - Missus Jones/It's The Sunshine - 1969 They had one album released in 1968 on the SAGA label EROS 8047 - It's Soft Rock And Allsorts regards .. Howard -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10 Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 18:07:11 EST From: Al Kooper Subject: Re: Tokens Simon: > And here's my question. Is that Neil Sedaka singing lead with > the Tokens? And if so, who were The Tokens? Core classic Tokens were always Jay Siegel, Hank Medress, Phil & Mitch Margo Al Kooper -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 02:22:52 -0000 From: Michael Edwards Subject: Raul Abeyta C Ponti writes: I am a huge fan of Raul Abeyta. I have tapes of some of his stuff, like, "It Hurts Me". In the 70's he headed up Burlington Felstead's publishing arm, part of London Rec. He now works in country music. I think "If I Never Love Again" is another title mentioned previously here.... Raul Abeyta? Great songwriter. My favorite by him is "Stop Your Crying" (US Skyla, 1961) by one time post-Buddy Holly Cricket, Jerry Naylor. Not a hit anywhere but a top quality teen 45. It came out in the UK on the old Top Rank label. Would anyone know if "Stop Your Crying" by Lee Diamond & The Cherokees (UK Fontana, 1961) was the same song? Thanks, Mike -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 02:10:42 -0000 From: Michael Edwards Subject: Ron Dante; Freddy Cannon Me: > Freddy Cannon recorded an unreleased gem, "Ride, Roller Coaster, > Ride" written and produced by Ron Dante, Gene Allen and Bob Feldman. > This track came out on the recent Varese CD "The Very Best Of Freddy > Cannon, 1964-81". Ron kindly responds: > "Roller Coaster" was written on the Dick Clark Caravan of > Stars bus tour. I wrote it with Freddy and my fellow Detergent > Danny Jordan and it was the b side to "Where The Action Is". > Luckily for us. Hi Ron and thanks for the response. The b-side of "Action" was "Beachwood City" with the writing credits going to Freddy Cannon/Gerald Floris (Florio)/Ron Travis, but they may be pseudonyms. "Ride, Roller Coaster, Ride", written by you, Gene and Bob was supposedly unreleased and certainly I cannot find it in any Freddy Cannon database. Great song, though, and better than "Beachwood City". While I'm here, let me give another round of applause for Jay & The Americans' "(He's) Rainin' In My Sunshine", also written by you, Gene and Bob. Amazingly it only reached # 90 in the US but in the UK it was a favorite with the pirate radio stations. The late DJ (and later all-round personality), Kenny Everett, was mesmerized by this song and rightly so. Freddy Cannon is still touring and as I'm writing this he is appearing down the road in Smithtown, Long Island, with Johnny Maestro and Emil Stucchio. I couldn't make the show but not to worry because as Freddy tells us in the "Dedication Song": "I'll be back in a little while" Mike -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 06:03:08 -0000 From: Billy G Spradlin Subject: Re: Ron Dante; Archies > "Strangers In The Morning" – From 1972 and didn't even bubble > under. Produced by Ron, written by Ron and Howard Greenfield > with an arrangement by Jimmy Wisner... A great record, but the subject matter is a little um..."mature" for a bubblegum record. Visions of Archie and Betty (or another girl?) waking up together after a wild night? I think it would have fared well on Top 40 as a Ron Dante record. Billy -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14 Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 22:37:24 EST From: Paul Urbahns Subject: Groovy Baby previously: > I have an early sixties question. In early 1963 a group > by the name of Billy Abbot and the Jewels came out with > a little jewel called "Groovy Baby". Believe it or not but Cameo Parkway also issued a fairly decent version of that song as filler on the album "More Mancini Favorites" (Wyncote SW-9098 - Yes its real stereo) by Orchestra And Chorus of Rudolph Statler. It's in a Ray Conniff-like arrangement. The newest song on the LP appears to be "A Shot in the Dark", which will help you date his version. The reason I even have the album is I really liked his version of The Pink Panther Theme on his first Mancini album. The song runs about 7 minutes and sounds like the soundtrack to a Pink Panther cartoon. Statler did three Mancini albums, so somebody besides me must have bought them. Paul Urbahns -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 03:55:13 -0000 From: Bob Radil Subject: Re: Blue Beats on musica Country Paul wrote: > Good mentions, Jim; someone with the "tech knowledgy" might > want to play [the Blue Beats'] "Extra Girl" to musica. I > hadn't known about their subsequent name change, and haven't > heard The #1 yet - seems I've exceeded my alloted listening > time for now! :-) Me: > I've got it right here, waiting for space on musica... It's now on musica. Enjoy, Bob Radil -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 00:02:20 -0500 From: Mark Hill Subject: From: Mark Hill / Laugh-In Update Howard asks: > Dr. Mark: are you still keeping up with Laugh-In and the musical > acts? I was wondering if they've shown either the Legendary Stardust > Cowboy's appearance or Wild Man Fischer's (!) appearance on the show. I haven't been able to keep up as much as I'd like. But have caught a few. The Sonny And Cher episodes were from the period of her movie CHASTITY, c.1969 and they mentioned it several times. They seemed very natural in the skits and these appearances were clearly a predecessor to their own variety show. One day I tuned in late and saw the tail end of the filmed BEE GEES musical appearace that was mentioned here. All these celebrities and recording stars together having fun and entertaining us. What a shame there is nothing like this in todays rotting TV landscape. Upcoming musical acts on LAUGH-IN (on Trio TV): 02/19 8am and 1pm- Tiny Tim 02/20 8am and 1pm- Liberace 02/21 8am and 1pm- Bobby Darin 02/26 8am and 1pm- NANCY SINATRA & PIGMEAT MARKHAM But with all the non-sequiter pop star appearances, you never know who will turn up. "Dr. Mark" Hill * The Doctor Of Pop Culture /*/ drmark7@juno.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/popmusicpopculture -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17 Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 23:24:30 -0000 From: Bill Craig Subject: Re: Progressive Monkees Art Longmire wrote: > However, on those few occasions when I watched the TV show, > I remember always thinking Mike Nesmith was very cool. In > 1970 when I started buying records, his song "Joanne" was a > huge favorite of mine (I love the pastoral romanticism of > the song) as was "Silver Moon" and "Nevada Fighter" - great > songs all. And I agree with your assessment of Mike's version > of "Tumbling Tumbleweed" - having heard numerous versions of > this, Nesmith's is my favorite. I have all of Mike's First > and Second National Band albums from the early 70s and I have > always considered him one of my favorite musicians. I also like > many of his Monkees compositions, such as "Listen To the Band", > "You Just May Be the One", "Tapioca Tundra", and "Porpoise Song". > I am a fan of the Monkees, too - just a late blooming one. Art, I agree with much of what you say about the Monkees. Mike Nesmith was always my favorite, possibly because I had (and have) respect for him as a songwriter. Mickey Dolenz (Circus Boy!)is a talented comic actor but I was never a fan of his singing except that I always thought his voice had a similar quality to the late Tim Buckley's, who was indeed an original and significant singer/ songwriter of the first '60s wave. Having always thought their voices were somewhat alike I was amazed when at the end of one Monkees episode Mickey's off camera voice out of nowhere says: "Ladies and gentlemen, Tim Buckley" and T. appears and performs one of his songs. Does anyone remember this? I can't remember which song he did. Bill Craig -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 13:50:57 EST From: Mike Rashkow Subject: Prescience Having just watched a new commercial for the drug Cialis, I was moved to pull out (calm down) Howard Tate's classic "Look At Granny Run Run" for a quick picker-upper. Written by Jerry Ragovoy and Mort Shuman and arranged by our own Artie Butler (and I assume it is also his funky piano driving the track as well); I find it very interesting that this late 1960's R&B presages the reality of the Viagra generation by 40 years. here's a piece of the lyric......" he went to the doctor, got a brand new pill, the doctor said son, you ain't over the hill, now he can't sit still...." As an aside, having spent over 20 years in the advertising business as a copy/concept person, I am amazed at the brilliance and efficacy of the Cialis TV spot tag line: "erections lasting over four hours call for immediate medical attention". Is that good or what? In my house, erections lasting over four minutes require immediate applause. Di la, Rashkovsy -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19 Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 23:03:28 -0500 From: James Botticelli Subject: Re: Frank J Frank J wrote: > I did the two "Mad Mad World of > Soundtracks comps for Motor Music besides some others. Great job... > I collaborated > with Stefan on these. The last one was a 60s Christmas CD > called "Snow." Snapped up at this address. > The Sunshine Pop 2CD was his brainchild. It is as good as it gets, that Sunshine one. Especially the cover and the LP-like quality of the CD packaging. We're still doing those godawful plastic cases here in the USA. Motor is/was? too good to be true. The Walter Wanderley double is killer, the Get Easy French and German are fabulous. > But I'm afraid these times are almost over since the record > companies have to declare bankruptcy in the near future. ;-) Odd to see you winking over it, or is that a tear? I shall miss Motor. JB -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 20:35:59 -0000 From: Mick Patrick Subject: Linda Lawrence sings Al Kooper Al Kooper: > Okay poppers. A single on Epic, I think in the early 60's > with a female lead called "A Tear For Tommy" Probably a > group name. Anyone have this major obscurity? Phil C: > [from an old list] > "A Tear For Tommy"/"At This Stage Of The Game" > Linda Lawrence - Epic 9607 (1963) Yep, both sides written by Al Kooper, Bob Brass & Irwin Levine. I wish I could find a copy of the record. Until then I'll have to make do with some vile CD of dubious legality. "At This Stage Of The Game" is now playing at musica: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica/ Gotta go, it's BAFTA Night. Hey la, Mick Patrick -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 22:46:37 -0000 From: Martin Roberts Subject: Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop Update What a sophisticated audience Spectropop members are, and there was me thinking that you'd be bound to choose "Ringo". A good call though, and an excellent review of the track from guest reviewer Phil C. Chopin's "Revolutionary Etude", as arranged and produced by Jack Nitzsche is playing on the home page, http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/index.htm Next week's battle is between two composed, and possibly arranged, tracks from Jack's early days. Linda Collins, "The Way You Like" on New York's Time label, and from the West Coast, The Robins on Arvee with "Just Like That". The radio interview is rightly creating a lot of comment. This week, Jack chats about recording with Doris Day and shenanigans in the record biz while producing hits for Bob Lind. http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/radio.htm Rhino Handmade's 'Three Piece Suite' release is now available from other outlets. No longer the need to feel like a smuggler by getting a copy shipped outside the USA. To celebrate, a link to a good review has been added to http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/recordreviews.htm Enjoy! Martin -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 18:54:26 -0600 From: Nick Archer Subject: Re: Preservation of master tapes Ruby wrote: > I am currently enrolled in an archiving class, and am working > on a paper about the preservation of master tapes and other > tapes from the 50s on. It would be great if some of you would > relate some of your experiences with the preservation of/loss > of tapes from the 50s-80s. > What are some of our greatest losses? What are some of the small > labels (I'm thinking Cameo-Parkway, but I know you all know a lot > more than I do) whose entire output has been comprimised by the loss > of master tapes? For those of you who DID work in the music business, > have you lost anything? I started my first studio in Nashville in 1979, and we used the then best tape exclusively, Ampex Grandmast 456. It was one of the most affected tapes as far as oxide shedding. Ampex Nashville, before their sale to Quantegy, would bake any old master tapes that you brought them for free. We never lost any old tapes. The quarter inch two track masters we archived to DAT as soon as that was invented. In the past couple of years I bought a food dehydrator which holds 10 inch reels perfectly. 3 to 4 hours baking at about 135 degrees F drives out the moisture for about 3 weeks, giving you time to archive the tapes. You can repeatedly rebake the same tape with no ill effects. In the last year I've transferred tapes that I personally recorded in 1979-1980, and they came out fine. I learned most of the baking technique from articles on Wendy Carlos' website. Here's a link to an overview: http://www.wendycarlos.com/bake%20a%20tape/baketape.html Nick Archer Nashville TN -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23 Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 01:06:47 -0000 From: Laura Pinto Subject: Re: Ron Dante; Archies Michael Edwards wrote: > Let me keep the Archies' thread running by nominating > two of my favorite 45s: > "Strangers In The Morning" – From 1972 and didn't even bubble > under. Produced by Ron, written by Ron and Howard Greenfield > with an arrangement by Jimmy Wisner... > Ron Dante responded: > Howard Greenfield was such a great lyricist and person. > He was the total pro at putting just the right words to > a melody. When the Archies released Strangers in the Morning > they had run their course and since no live group had toured > radio stopped playing them. It was a cool ride all the same. Hi all, Now in musica, "Strangers in the Morning" by the Archies (Ron Dante on all vocals). Visit http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica/ to give it a listen. Great song! Laura -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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