________________________________________________________________________
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
________________________________________________________________________
There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Carole King & Toni Stern's "Look Down"
From: Don
2. "surprising" originals//ska-pop for Julio//F&B Bryant
From: Hugo M.
3. Re: question re: Benny
From: Billy G. Spradlin
4. Al, Dan, Revisionism, and James Brown
From: Dan Hughes
5. Re: Karen Carpenter
From: Joe Nelsonjrnelsonsr@hvc.rr.com
6. Teenset/Andy Paley
From: Kingsley Abbott
7. Coming soon to Musica - Bob Crewe
From: Tom Taber
8. The Teen Queens
From: Phil Hall
9. Clusters on musica; birthdays
From: Country Paul
10. various reviews: recent RPMs and Rev-Olas
From: Partrick Rands
11. Re: Benny Andersson & the Hep Stars
From: Jeffery Kennedy
12. Take A Hint
From: Simon White
13. Re: Rod the Grade-Z Mod
From: Mike
14. Mrs Miller
From: Steve McClure
15. Re: Cooper/Dodge Band
From: Mike
16. PF Walmart Sloan!
From: Clark Besch
17. Jackie DeShannon on Am Dreams and DC5 Mike Smith update
From: Clark
18. Re: smiley faces sometimes (WMCA good guys sweatshirt)
From: Jim Shannon
19. Tom Wilson upload barrage
From: Phil X. Milstein
20. Can this be true?
From: Larry Lapka
21. Re: Tim Rose
From: Paul Bryant
22. Re: Beaver & The Trappers
From: MopTopMike
23. Re: Damita Jo, Hep Stars & the Canaries
From: Scott T.
24. Sour Suite
From: Jim Shannon
25. Re: The Hep Stars
From: David Coyle
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 01:18:10 -0000
From: Don
Subject: Re: Carole King & Toni Stern's "Look Down"
Michael:
> There's a Carole King/Toni Stern song called "Look Down"
> that the Monkees recorded in 1968 or so. I like this song,
> and I'm wondering if any other artists recorded it.
I don't know of any other artist recording this song. I think
all of the other King/Goffin or King/Stern songs by the Monkees
have been recorded by other artists.
Don
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 04:31:54 -0000
From: Hugo M.
Subject: "surprising" originals//ska-pop for Julio//F&B Bryant
Oops, looks like I misunderstood the premise of the "surprising
originals" game. How 'bout this one? According to Fuzz Acid & Flowers
people, Madonna's song "Ray Of Light" first appeared on a 1971-ish LP
by a UK flower/psych band called MULDOON.
Ska-pop for Julio. This is an OLD thread, and I am THAT lazy. There
was a NYC label called Steady Records that seemed to specialize in
licensing Jamaican hits to market them in the USA. Only artist I can
think of at the moment on that label is Eddie Lovette, and I don't
think he's a good example of what you're looking for, but there are
likely to be others that work for you ... OTHER Jamaican songs that
got exported in the '60s that come to mind: HIGGS & WILSON on Time
Records (1960, titles forgotten) and LASCELLES PERKINS - "Bam Bam" on
Scepter 12163.
I looked through my catalog thinking that a whole bunch of
songwriting credits for the Bryants were going to pop out at me, but
it looks as though I haven't noted down all the ones I have come
across. One that I did see in a quick look-through was "Baby Me Baby"
performed by Lonzo & Oscar on Decca 28624 (and presumably on LP as
well.)
Shimmy shimmy bop --
Hugo M.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 05:00:51 -0000
From: Billy G. Spradlin
Subject: Re: question re: Benny
Yes, it is the same Benny who was later in ABBA. "Sunny Girl" was the
the first ABBA-related 45 to be issued in the USA. The Hep Stars
released 2 other singles in the USA: "Farmer John" b/w "Cadillac" (Cameo
376) and "Musty Dusty" b/w "It's Now Winter's Day" (Chartmaker 414) in
1968.
Billy
http://listen.to/jangleradio
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 03:44:50 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Al, Dan, Revisionism, and James Brown
Dan screwed up and said,
>...Al Kooper listed his ten favorite albums, and one of them
> was an Elektra album of Gregorian chants!
Al chided,
> Revisionism, revisionism, revisionism. It's Music of Bulgaria
> which is far from Gregorian Chants. If one has never heard this
> early 60's Nonesuch release, I uneqivocably recommend it as one
> of the best girl group records ever made.
And Dan sheepishly replies,
Gee, I knew it was Nonesuch just as soon as I hit the send key,
but I wouldn't call it revisionism, just bad memory. I feel
(don't you?) that revisionism requires an agenda.
Al, you also listed James Brown Live at the Apollo, didn't you?
Do you remember the other 8?
---Dan
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 09:27:39 -0500
From: Joe Nelsonjrnelsonsr@hvc.rr.com
Subject: Re: Karen Carpenter
previously:
> Anyway, we used to throw a football around just outside
> the studio where Karen and Richard were recording. Though
> we seldom saw Richard, Karen would come out and want to
> throw the football around with us (not a bad arm; better
> voice). She was a very warm, unaffected person and fun
> to be around.
Think about it athletically: Richard's instrument was piano,
Karen's was the drums. Who would you want on your team?
Joe Nelson
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 11:44:58 -0000
From: Kingsley Abbott
Subject: Teenset/Andy Paley
Clark wrote:
> In fact, a WCFL Teen Set issue is seen atop Paul McCartney's
> piano on one cover. It could have been added to the pic,
> but I don't think so.
It would have been real - Teenset editor Judy Sims had
excellent access to The Beatles in the late sixties.
Teenset London correspondent Carol Gold also knew them.
When Judy came to town, she would get to do personal
interviews and get studio based photos as they did.
Teenset would also organise odball events for their US
photoshoots - like mass LA group ice skating with various
Beach Boys, Springfield, Gene clark group members and
girlfriends tumbling over each other. It must have been a
fun mag to work on!
Andy Paley, a recent Brian Wilson collaborater/band member,
is very much into the girl group sounds, esp Darlene Love
who he actually produced ("Mr Fix-It"). I recall giving
him some rare tapes at the Beach Boys London Convention
some years ago. Nice guy! The upcoming CD retrospective
sounds wonderful - the Paley Brothers early material was
pretty good!
Kingsley
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 06:54:32 -0800 (PST)
From: Tom Taber
Subject: Coming soon to Musica - Bob Crewe
Phil Milstein has been kind enough to offer to place
on Musica a 45 I have from the Spring of 1967 - "A
Special Message from Bob Crewe" which I think many of
you will enjoy. It was sent to radio stations to
inform them of a contest they could join to help
subtitle the followup to "Music to Watch Girls By."
Anyone know if the contest ran? It's in Parts 1 and
2, and 1 will appear first.
Tom Taber
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 02:21:07 -0000
From: Phil Hall
Subject: The Teen Queens
Does anyone know what happened to Rosie & Betty Collins,
who were The Teen Queens? I know they never had a hit
after "Eddie My Love" and that they later had problems
with drugs, but does anyone know where they are today?
Thanks,
Phil H.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 21:07:53 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Clusters on musica; birthdays
With a little help from my friends, I'm finally able to get
some tracks from my library posted to musica! After the recent
discussion regarding The Clusters, including Al Kooper's rave
about this track, Phil Chapman asked to hear "Darling Can't You
Tell" (wr. Hall-Martin, pr. probably George Goldner), Tee Gee
TG-102, 1958. They're 5 white guys, but they sound black because
of (1) the incredible bass singer, Joe Gugliotta; and (2) the
overdubbed second lead by Arlene Smith of the Chantels, added l
ater by Goldner without the group's knowledge. (Source: interview
with the group on WCBS-FM, New York.) This, a serious hit in New
York, is my all-time favorite uptempo doo-wop - an innovative song
and arrangement, especially the flute obligato. (There are versions
around with a fade-out ending; this is the original with the full
ending dubbed from the first-pressing 45.)
A new Clusters group is still singing in the New York area in 2004,
based around the original bass singer. Details:
http://www.clusters.homestead.com/Bio.html. There's also a WMGM
(New York) radio station survey posted at
http://www.musicradio77.com/wmgm/surveys/1958/surveysep2958.html
with the song listed - and a remarkable number of other songs that
are well-remembered today.
For an under-six-minute history of New York doo-wop, check out
http://www.bronxbabe.com/, and scroll down about 1/3 of the way
to "A distinctively New York sound."
It's a good day (March 17th) for Spectropop-oriented birthdays:
1940 Vito Picone, lead singer of The Elegants ("Little Star")
1941 Clarence Collins, member of Little Anthony & The Imperials
1941 Gene Pitney
1942 Paul Kantner (of Jefferson Airplane)
1944 John Sebastian
1946 Harold Brown, drummer for War
1947 Ian Gomm
More soon,
Country Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 14:49:21 -0000
From: Partrick Rands
Subject: various reviews: recent RPMs and Rev-Olas
I've been writing scads of music reviews lately that Spectropop
members would probably appreciate - check them out here and enjoy!
Girls Go Zonk: US Beat Chicks and Harmony Honeys
http://www.gullbuy.com/buy/2004/3_16/girlsgozonk.cfm
94 Baker Street: The Pop Psych Sounds of the Apple Era: 1967-1969
http://www.gullbuy.com/buy/2004/3_2/94bakerstreet.cfm
Folk Rock and Faithfull - Dream Babes Volume Five
http://www.gullbuy.com/buy/2004/1_20/dreambabes5.cfm
In The Garden - The White Whale Story
http://www.gullbuy.com/buy/2004/1_20/inthegarden.cfm
Night Time Music: The BT Puppy Story
http://www.gullbuy.com/buy/2004/2_10/nighttimemusic.cfm
All of this music is now in the WZBC (90.3 Boston College) music
library, so if you want to hear it and you live in the area, call up
and request it.
:Patrick
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 17:54:41 -0000
From: Jeffery Kennedy
Subject: Re: Benny Andersson & the Hep Stars
Jan Kristensen wrote:
> Benny was a member of the Swedish beatgroup Hep Stars in
> the early 60's. The lead singer of hep Stars - Sven - later
> married Charlotte Butler of the Sherrys and they formed a
> succesful duo Svenne & Lotte.
Spectropoppers might be interested to know that Svenne & Lotte
recorded many cover versions of American hits from the '50s and
'60s. Their recordings are slick europop a la ABBA, and Lotte
has a unique, appealing high-pitched voice.
http://www.skivhugget.se has English-language pages and sells
Svenne & Lotte as well as Hep Stars CDs.
Jeffery
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 23:05:19 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Take A Hint
Tony Leong:
> Julio: I read an interview with Kendra and from what I
> gather, she and Van sang in unison on those songs!!!! And
> YES, "Gee What A Boy", "Oh Happy Day" and "Stickin With My
> Baby" are wonderful songs!!
I had the pleasure of spending time with Kendra last year
when she came to he UK for an appearance. She confirmed what
Toni says here - she and Van sang joint leads and often you
can hardly tell the voices apart. If you have a copy of the
rare Vonettes 45 "Touch My Heart" on Cobblestone you will more
clearly hear them both. Van sings the chorus, Kenni the verse.
If you don't have the rare Cobblestone 45 and want to hear it
along with recently discussed tracks by Bob Brady & The Con
Chords and Witches & Warlock then I can only suggest that you
listen to:
THE METROPOLITAN SOUL SHOW, this SUNDAY 21 MARCH on
http://www.soul24-7.com at our NEW time of 3.pm-5pm GMT
and now repeated on TUESDAYS at 7.00-9.00 am GMT
Simon
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 00:32:05 EST
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Rod the Grade-Z Mod
I wrote:
> > And, just for laughs, there's one [Hit Parader] moment I'll always
> > remember ... so well in fact that I can quote it verbatim. When it was
> > announced that Jeff Beck had left The Yardbirds and was forming a new
> > group with Rod Stewart as their lead singer, HP's "London correspondent"
> > wrote, "All I can say is God help him with Stewart aboard ... a real Grade-
> > Z singer"! I've always wondered if anyone has bothered to remind him of > >
> > this statement over the years!
and T. D. Bell replied:
> Just for laughs? The London correspondent was right. Stewart's imitation
> of Sam Cooke is like gravely voiced Andy Devine singing tenor.
Rod Stewart is hardly my favorite singer in the world, but he's had his
moments ... particularly on his first two solo albums. Saying it's been "patchy" since then is probably being too kind. He's really only as good as his material.
And I must emphasize, the *right* material to suit him. The success of that
God-awful standards album he's peddling now has to be a case of mass hypnosis.
Even my mother bought it, for God's sake!
My original comment was based on Rod's undeniable commercial success -- which
obviously was not foreseen by the correspondent -- rather than any
considerations of artistic merit.
Mike
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2004 09:29:50 +0900
From: Steve McClure
Subject: Mrs Miller
Dear fellow Spectropoppers:
Remember Mrs. Miller? Well, after listening to the unearthly
sounds of Wing, I'm beginning to think that some mad scientist
has spliced Mrs. Miller's DNA with that of Yoko Ono.
Check it out:
http://www.wingmusic.co.nz/listen.html
Steve
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 01:02:07 EST
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Cooper/Dodge Band
Dave OGara:
> Talking with a radio colleague of mine the other day and discovered
> he was in a Connecticut-based band called the Cooper/Dodge band.
> He said the leader of the group was Don Cooper and my friend thought
> Don may have gone on to record solo on Roulette. I'm not sure of the
> years we're talking about. My guess is probably early to mid '70s.
> Anyone have any information on this artist? Thanks in advance for
> your help.
Actually, it's the reverse. Don Cooper started out as a solo artist
on the Roulette label with a self-titled album in 1969. Somehow, he
came to my hometown to promote it that summer, and appeared on a local
radio station for an interview. The DJ spun the major track from the
album, the six-minute-plus "Miss Georgia," and I was so taken by it
that I called up the station raving about it and wondering how I could
get the album.
The Roulette promo guy thanked me profusely and offered to drop off
a copy for me at a local record shop -- which just happened to be
Larry Green of The Edsels' Discount Records, which I mentioned in an
earlier post. I duly reported there, snapped it up, and for a short
time added my own (I'm sure awful) version of "Miss Georgia" to my
repertoire.
Don had at least a couple of subsequent solo albums released. The
Cooper-Dodge Band came later, I believe in the mid-to-late '70s or
early '80s. They released at least one single on Atco. John Dodge
was actually John Silliman, who was a student with me at Ohio
University in the early '70s and who was managed for a time by my
roommate Paul. (Paul was later involved with Cooper-Dodge as well
as an independent record promoter.)
Don Cooper played Athens frequently in his solo days, and that's
apparently how he and John got together. I saw John about five
years ago at a reunion function for the Classes of '70-'75, where
he performed with his OU group Silliman, Bare and Friends.
If I'm remembering correctly, power popper extraordinaire Richard
X. Heyman was also a member of Cooper-Dodge. I do know that Paul
recorded some demos on Richard in the mid-'90s (which I have and
treasure) for a project that never got off the ground.
Mike
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 05:46:26 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: PF Walmart Sloan!
Since we were talking about PF Sloan and the "Happy Together
Applebee's" commercial recently, thought I'd bring up the PF
Sloan song, "Secret Agent Man", being used for the Walmart ad.
That's gotta be a big dollar one, I'd think!
The new lyrics are "Rollback Man". Considering Flip supposedly
hated Johnny Rivers' version of Sloan's original "Danger Man"
when it was changed to "Secret Agent Man" and became a big hit
for Rivers, I wonder what he thinks of this really drastic lyric
change to promote Walmart. He might just be happy to get the
money out of it, if he owns the publishing rights-- sure hope
he does in this case!!
Clark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 16:54:13 -0000
From: Clark
Subject: Jackie DeShannon on Am Dreams and DC5 Mike Smith update
Hi, just wanted to cover a couple of topics. First, am wondering if
Bill George and others saw someone impersonating Jackie DeShannon
singing "When You Walk in the Room" on "American Dreams" this week?
I'm sure it was probably some TV or pop star of today, but I wouldn't
know. As for the performance, it was better than most of the
previous impersonators' (Nancy Sinatra's for one) and the singing
wasn't too bad. It was cool that they choose some of the artists'
lesser hits occasionally to have shown.
I like the scripts better this year than last, but they have gone
completely away from several musical ingredients they did better
last year. They tend to jump anywhere in music from variuos years.
They seem to be set currently in early/mid '66, yet they play music
ranging up to Simon & Garfunkel's "Bookends" LP and the artists are
usually singing a song a year or two older now (DeShannon's song was
an early '64 hit!). Also, I can't remember when they showed a true old
original clip or original song version from the '60s, which they did
almost every show last year.
This week, the Everlies (AGAIN) sing "Wake Up Little Susie"! I thought
it was odd that last year they showed them doing "Gone, Gone, Gone" in
2 different shows, but this is even worse. They were on "Shindig"
constantly in '65/'66, but usually doing current songs or non-Everly
"whole Shindig cast members" gatherings for rock standards.
Anyway, it's still a pretty good show, but the music timing and such
gets worse it seems. Then, all of a sudden, they do something cool like
this week, playing the Association's "One Too Many Mornings" in the
record store. Not likely in true-life 1966, but possible! We can only
hope (or do we?) we'll soon see our S'popper faves like Bobby Vee, The
Turtles, Johnny Tillotson or others that might have been on in '66 or
'67. The website has some cool '60s-ish things on it:
http://www.nbc.com/American_Dreams/
Mike Smith of The DC5 is improving. Latest from his website says
although he caught a "superbug" going around the hospital he's in,
he is getting more movement back in his arms, but will not likely walk
again. He is talking pretty well and has been taken off some
medication, making him less confused and better to be around. We can
only hope he keeps improving! For those who did not know, he fell
last October in Spain at his home and had vertabrae damage and has
had a very slow recovery.
Clark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 17:31:27 -0000
From: Jim Shannon
Subject: Re: smiley faces sometimes (WMCA good guys sweatshirt)
Clark Besch:
> Those Good Guy shirts were great! I've been working on a New York
> radio piece for Musica featuring all the great '60s NYC Dj's and
> their musical openings if anyone is interested.
Clark,
I still have my original "Good Guy" sweatshirt from WPOP.
Merchandising expanded to "Good Guy Music Survey" to bumper
stickers. After the "Good Guy" phase, many stations went with the
"Boss Jocks" concept. Would love to get those '60s DJ musical
openings.
Jim Shannon
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 13:52:50 -0500
From: Phil X. Milstein
Subject: Tom Wilson upload barrage
In respect to our recent discussion of Tom Wilson, I have played to
musica a set of excerpts drawn from the Velvet Underground edition of
his regular "Music Factory" radio show cum MGM promo (or, as I like to
call it in these synergistic days, an early example of "promotainment").
As far as I know, this is the only episode of the Music Factory in
current circulation; alas, those eager to hear Lou Reed's and/or John
Cale's comments will be dismayed by the virtual lack of same in my
edited version (but can contact me offlist to arrange to hear the
complete show).
To my ears, Mr. Wilson sounds a bit stoked on the wacky tabacky here, but
perhaps those who knew him can inform us of whether this is the way he
spoke ordinarily or not. To complete the Wilson barrage, I have also
posted the complete texts of a 1968 New York Times [Sunday] Magazine
feature on and a 1976 New Musical Express interview with him to the
Articles section, and a photo from the latter to the Photos area.
Now dig the cool that was Tom Wilson.
--Phil M.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 22:06:08 -0000
From: Larry Lapka
Subject: Can this be true?
Dear All,
Surfing on the Internet, I came up with this tidbit on Jeff Tamarkin's
Web site. He is the former editor of Goldmine, and has most recently
written a book on the Jefferson Airplane.
The blurb on his site says the following:
"Jeff is currently researching the legendary record company Cameo-Parkway
and will be writing the liner notes for the long-awaited C-P boxed set
and individual best-of CDs, due in mid-2004."
Has this been discussed here before? Is this simply old news, or did I
stumble on something relevant?
Let me know. I think Chubby Checker would love to know too, based on
his recent one-man protest crusade.
Larry Lapka
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 14:21:01 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul Bryant
Subject: Re: Tim Rose
Bill George to Al Kooper:
> Al, how was it to work with Tim Rose? I played a gig
> with him in England a couple years ago.
Hey, Bill - it might have been this one! A review of a
Tim Rose gig in the UK from a couple of years ago, by
a fiend of mine:
"What a gig. Tim Rose in a Leicester pub. Tim Rose is
pure walking, talking myth. Looks around 60, grey
ponytailed hair, thick neck, teeth flashing like a
lycanthrope, double chin,double belly. He comes on like
an oil rigger or a trucker just blown in from Tucson
to Tucumcarri, collapses onto a chair, picks out
sparse bluesy chords for 3 minutes and then power
strums into the most blinding opening delivery I've
ever heard. We're in the eye of a 10-minute hurricane
of a song, a vocal of primeval rage, lyrics that crackle
with contempt and betrayal as they chronicle the last
4 decades of the American century.
"This is the best new song I've heard by anyone in a
decade. I find out later from the man it's called
'Tigers in Cages.' He wrote it last year and it's
unreleased. Anyone walking in mid-song would have
thought this was an encore.
"Next song, another new original, is barely any kind of
relief. The guy is a force of nature. Raw emotion his
only mode of expression. Next song is a tribute to his
old buddy, Tim Hardin. 'If I Were a Carpenter' and this
punter is close to tears. His repertoire doesn't
include any kind of relief from the tension. He does
introduce long, humorous anecdotes about musicians he
knew and that's your recovery time.
"Then it's into his first original from the '60s, 'Come
Away Melinda,' and we're into murder and mayhem from
something like the Bloody Benders. Rose gets inside every
character. It's more than convincing, it's eerie, it's
living terror.
"Hell, then it's the interval - 04 numbers took around 40
minutes. 2nd set. Another 3 minutes of mesmerising
blues chords that slowly metamorphose into 'Hey Joe.'
The song is gut-wrenching and relentless as it builds
and builds over 10 minutes into yet more murder and
mayhem. Hendrix's vocal is as nothing compared to
this. No contest. The guy gets inside the song and
just about chokes off the oxygen supply to the rest of
the room. The power of performed poetry of this order
is a rare force indeed in this mundane reality we call
the world. Even he couldn't follow this.
"The pressure level does drop for the next 2 numbers.
This is a mortal man. More anecdotes from the road before
he goes out in a barrage of blood, steel and guts with
'Morning Dew.' At his most vocally deranged, he has total
control of phrasing and timing even as he exudes extreme
levels of emotion. He leaves drained after only 8 numbers
in total, refusing encores, which the audience is too
drained to bear anyway. I shake his hand, which is in a
vice-like grip. I say something about the most intense
performance in years and he says 'Hope I didn't scare yer.'
"Exactly that,man. My pantheon of greatest white blues &
soul singers consisted of only 2 - Van Morrison and Van
Vliet. Tim Rose makes 3. This gig rockets straight into my
all-time top ten."
(by Nick Barks)
pb
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 23:06:03 -0000
From: MopTopMike
Subject: Re: Beaver & The Trappers
The summer 1966 single "Happiness Is Havin'"/"In Misery"
came out on the White Cliffs label, which operated out of New
Orleans. No doubt Mike Curb threw a bone to his 'Orleans buddies.
I no longer own the orignal single, so I can't send an mp3. One
of the guys in the Trappers was none other than Richard Corell,
who appeared on the "Leave it to Beaver" TV series, and of late
produced several TV soundtracks.
MopTopMike
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 19:33:48 -0600
From: Scott T.
Subject: Re: Damita Jo, Hep Stars & the Canaries
Okay...
I am rereading the digests and I saw no one has responded
to two questions that I actually know the answers to. So
here goes:
1) Phil M. asked about Janet Jackson's new album. It's
called "Damita Jo" because that is her middle name: Janet
Damita Jo Jackson.
2) The Benny Andersson in the Hep Stars is indeed the
gentleman from ABBA. Here's an excerpt from an online bio:
"In 1964 he became the keyboard player of a rock 'n' roll
group called the Hep Stars. In 1965 Benny started to write
his first own material for the band.
"In 1966, while touring with the Hep Stars, he met Björn
Ulvaeus. Benny and Björn started composing together, and
teamed up eventually. In 1969 the lead singer of the Hep
Stars, Svenne Hedlund, his girlfriend Charlotte Walker,
and Benny decided to work together, but separately from
the other Hep Stars members.
"Then, in 1971 Björn Ulvaeus asked Benny to join him to
work as a producer at Stikkan Anderson's and Bengt
Bernhag's small record company Polar Music. In the beginning,
Benny had to share his salary with Björn as Stikkan couldn't
afford two producers.
"In the meantime, on a more personal level, he and Christina
Grönvall had broken up. In the beginning of 1969, while
touring with the Hep Stars, he met Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad,
to whom he would be engaged for 8 years before they married
in 1978. Anni-frid did not only become Benny's fiancée
and wife, but also his colleague. Together with Björn Ulvaeus
and Björn's wife Agnetha Fältskog, the couple would form one
of the most famous pop groups in music history: ABBA."
I hate asking unanswered questions, so I hope that helps ...
which brings me back to an old question of mine that seemingly
fell on deaf ears:
Does anyone know anything about the group The Canaries that
recorded one single on the Carole King's Dimension label around
1966? "Runaround Ronnie" was one of the titles. Can't remember
the flip.
With all the Brill Building-lovin' folks here, I can't imagine
no one knows about this record. If that's the case, it must
not really exist!
Scott T.
in Houston
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 02:03:57 -0000
From: Jim Shannon
Subject: Sour Suite
I've never cared for The Guess Who and the vocals of Burton
Cummings. "Shakin' All Over" was okay, but most of their material
was top-40 fodder. One exception was the introspective soft pop
ballad called "Sour Suite." A minor hit compared to their earlier
songs of the late sixties, this one is worth adding to your
pop music archives.
jim shannon
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 25
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 14:49:19 -0800 (PST)
From: David Coyle
Subject: Re: The Hep Stars
I have a 31-track CD (although it's missing the last
four songs) of the Hep Stars and it's pretty much hit
or miss. There were a few good beat and psych-pop
numbers in the bunch, but a lot of it is ballads,
pre-Beatles pop covers and novelties.
Among the songs the Hep Stars covered were "Wear My
Ring Around Your Neck" and "Young And Beautiful" by
Elvis, "Donna" by Ritchie Valens, "Hawaii" by the
Beach Boys, "Speedy Gonzales" by Pat Boone(!), and
"Only You" by the Platters. They also did a cover of
Mike Berry's "Tribute To Buddy Holly." Their live
album "Hep Stars On Stage" even has a version of
"Surfin' Bird."
"Sunny Girl," which I have on the original Olga 45,
was actually a pretty good number and a rather
accurate representation of their sound. I could've
lived without the other 30 Hep Stars songs I have in
my collection...
David
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
End
