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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Knechtel's best
From: Al Kooper
2. Re: Early Bob Seger on Cameo
From: Jim Nelson
3. [that] Alan Gordon/"Happy Together"
From: Artie Wayne
4. Re: Larry Knechtel
From: Michael Fishberg
5. Re: Aretha
From: Mike Rashkow
6. Lovin' Spoonful/Hep Stars connection; Bowery
From: Chris Ponti
7. Ray re: Reparata!
From: Jimmy Crescitelli
8. "That's What Sends Men To The Bowery"
From: Hugo M
9. Re: Gary Myers and the Portraits
From: Gary Myers
10. Re: The Paul Simon Songbook
From: Austin Roberts
11. Re: and Joni Mitchell says:
From: Joe Nelson
12. American Dreams
From: Karen Andrew
13. Re: "Selfish One" and more intros
From: Gary Myers
14. Thanks
From: Gary Myers
15. Re: and Joni Mitchell says:
From: Jim Shannon
16. MOR Reggae etc.
From: Jeff Lemlich
17. Priscilla Paris
From: Gary Myers
18. '60s Pop Rock Reunion
From: S.J. Dibai
19. Ella Johnson - Remembering an Unsung Vocal Hero
From: Steve Harvey
20. Ana Belén / MOR Reggae and Jealousy.
From: Julio Niño
21. Re: Early Bob Seger on Cameo
From: Robert R. Radil
22. MOR Reggae
From: Dave Heasman
23. Re: P.F. Sloan demos
From: Jeremy
24. Re: Reparata & the Delrons
From: Tony Leong
25. John Gummoe ("Rhythm of the Rain") praises "Halley's Comet"
From: Rodney Rawlings
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 09:02:31 EST
From: Al Kooper
Subject: Knechtel's best
Mike Rashkow:
> I'll always remember [Larry Knechtel] for "the best ever
> rock n roll piano solo" (tm) on Duane Eddy's "You Are My
> Sunshine" back in '59.
The subtle best of Knechtel is the bass on The Byrds' "Tambourine Man."
Al Kooper
Usually a Herbie Flowers fan
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 09:04:41 -0500
From: Jim Nelson
Subject: Re: Early Bob Seger on Cameo
Clark:
>> Watched Bob Seger get inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame last
>> week on VH1. Sad to say that due to Allan Klein, his true rock n
>> roll best is still unavailable. You think that Capitol stuff was
>> good? You ain't heard Bob Seger rock for real until you hear the
>> Cameo (Hideout originally) stuff!! That's what I want to hear first
>> from these vaults. Makes sense with the induction so recent.
Mike McKay:
>Clark, you can get the early Seger stuff on a CD entitled "The Best of
>Hideout" from Sabre Disc. A friend of mine got it as a present for her
>boyfriend this past Christmas, so I can testify that it does exist. I
>don't know anything of the legalities involved -- perhaps someone
>associated with Hideout retained the rights to this stuff despite it
>later appearing on Cameo/Cameo Parkway.
I'm not sure. It seemed like HideOut was leasing the tracks to Cameo
back in the day, yet when "Sock It To Me, Santa" was leased to
Polygram Special Products (now Universal) for the Rock And Roll
Christmas comp the lessee was listed as ABKCO. So strange, and
certainly NOT a vynil dub.
>By the way, I certainly agree with you about the excellence of the early
>Seger stuff. I never much cared for him after "2 + 2 == ?" and "Ramblin'
>Gamblin' Man,"
Now, THERE's the real mystery. No trouble with getting Capitol on CD,
so where's THIS material????
Joe Nelson
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 06:40:30 -0800 (PST)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: [that] Alan Gordon/"Happy Together"
Alan ... How ya' doin'? Congratulations on the Applebees
restaurant commercial using "Happy Together." I usually hate
rewrites of hit songs to fit a product, but I think the lyric
"Imagine steak and shrimp on just one plate ... so happy together"
is perfect. It sells the product without compromising the
integrety of your song. Did you write the new lyric or did someone
at the ad agency? Now might be the time to suggest to your
publisher to get "Happy Together" to Mike Curb for Faith Hill and
Tim McGraw.
regards, Artie
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 06:40:56 -0800 (PST)
From: Michael Fishberg
Subject: Re: Larry Knechtel
In his post-R&R days, he started calling himself "Laurence"
Knetchel.
Michael Fishberg
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 10:04:21 EST
From: Mike Rashkow
Subject: Re: Aretha
Phil Milstein:
> I've long been aware of the fact that Aretha Franklin is from Detroit.
> But it only recently occurred to me to think of Aretha's Detroit in the
> same mental breath as the Detroit of Motown Records. Once so doing,
> however, I had to stop and wonder how it is that she didn't wind up
> recording for them.
The timing is close, but i think she was already in New York recording
for Columbia before Motown was meaningful. And, if that is the case, how you
gonna get them back to Detroit after they've seen NYC?
Which reminds me: The record that brought me the gift of Aretha was on
Columbia - a Belford Hendricks arrangement of Van McCoy's " Sweet Bitter Love". The track is almost Lizst-ish or Rachmaninoff-like - over which she slowly rises to her own level of competence, then soars like a Pentecostal angel. Wow, did I say that?
Di la,
Rashkovsky
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 16:51:02 -0000
From: Chris Ponti
Subject: Lovin' Spoonful/Hep Stars connection; Bowery
Yo, Phil M! There was quite a lot of contact between the Spoonful and
the Hep Stars. John Sebastian came back from the Spoonful's tour of
Sweden with the single of "Sunny Girl" and was singing their praises
to anyone who would listen. There may have been some shared bills at
Swedish venues. I think he even tried to be a standard bearer for them
with Koppleman & Rubin or other labels in the States.
Elsewhere, re: "That's What Sends Men To The Bowery." The Bowery is
now Nolita, full of posh restaurants, hot models and what sends a man
there these days is the desire to purchase an expensive co-op and
dine at Cafe Lebowitz!
C. Ponti
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 12:27:04 EST
From: Jimmy Crescitelli
Subject: Ray re: Reparata!
Hi, Ray, thanks for the Reparata update. My best friend's sister was a
freshman at St. Brendan's High School when the Delrons were seniors;
consequently, Stephanie has sent me xeroxes of the Delron's beautiful
high school yearbook photos. Amazing! All that hair! Even Cathy Romeo
was xeroxed for me; I have her, Mary, Carol, Sheila, and a couple of
the other also-Delrons.
We used to go to the Beach at Neponsit all the time; neighboring Riis Park
was definitely "déclassé" by the 1970s LOL!
Give her my regards; tell her we are big fans and appreciators of all she
struggled with ... and best of luck. I'd LOVE it if she would be in touch.
Thanks,
Jimmy Crescitelli
Brooklyn and Orlando
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Message: 8
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 17:40:25 -0000
From: Hugo M
Subject: "That's What Sends Men To The Bowery"
Howdy all --
I confess I wasn't following the Flip Cartridge thread very closely,
but the song title leapt out at me and triggered a long-buried
memory. Around 1967, 1968, very possibly the first vinyl I ever
owned, promo 45s being given away by a DJ at some carnival/festival/
streetfair kinda thing, and that's the title of the one he gave me.
Oh, to go back in time...
Now I'm going to have to go lose my musica virginity and plug in to
see if this is the same record.
doo-ron-ron-ron...
Hugo M.
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 10:49:14 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Gary Myers and the Portraits
Martin Roberts asked me:
> Did you work on any other records for Sidewalk (and its sister [?]
> label Uptown)?
Martin, are you sure these two were connected?
One funny thing (to me) about your mentioning Uptown is that they put
out one of Ruth Christie's releases, and Christie (real last name:
Stratchborneo) was the owner of Tide/Edit, for whom I first recorded.
gem
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Message: 10
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 20:11:29 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: The Paul Simon Songbook
How's about Paul Simon's Red Rubber Ball made famous by the Cyrkle.
You reckon he liked that one?
Austin Roberts
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Message: 11
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 00:51:50 -0500
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Re: and Joni Mitchell says:
Austin Roberts:
> Re Joni Mitchell in Rolling Stone... Well, we all know how `awful'
> the business has been to her! I've lived and worked (writing and
> producing) in Nashville for 25 years and have seen it go from a
> `creatively' driven force to a corporate nightmare. All I can say
> is keep on writing; I, for sure, can't do anything else, especially
> electronics.
Mebbe, but next time you see Alan Jackson ask him how often he's
tempted to go back to being an auto mechanic. I suspect he isn't
planning anything soon.
Joe Nelson
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Message: 12
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 10:26:26 -0800 (PST)
From: Karen Andrew
Subject: American Dreams
I'm glad to see that other people besides me are fans of the TV
show "American Dreams". I was about the same age as the blonde
daughter, Meg, during that time period, but I sure don't remember
some of the events, etc. that occur on the show. I can't come up
with an example right now but I know some of the expressions/
language used on the show are from today, not back then. And not
being a music expert, I'm sure there are many discrepencies, as
you've described, on the show's version of American Bandstand.
I'm with you though - some the people imitating the stars of that
era just aren't that great; however, I guess the show's producers
have to use today's pop stars to lure in the younger audience. And
those producers, advertisers, etc. are out to make money so why
should they be accurate? (I'm not defending them, believe me) But,
I'm glad they are at least attempting to cover an important and
memorable era. Also, I think the young people of today think that
all we did in the 60s was party and take drugs. This TV program
shows we did other things too!
KA
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Message: 13
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 10:52:08 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: "Selfish One" and more intros
> Billy Paul's "Me & Mrs Jones" quotes "Once I Had A Secret Love"
> in the intro
Yes! Another fun example. I've worked a couple of times with a sax
player who toured with B. Paul (after the record) and even he
hadn't noticed that until I mentioned it to him.
gem
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Message: 14
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 10:50:24 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Thanks
ACJ:
> Gary Myers - welcome to S'pop! (To others: Gary is the author
> of a splendid book about Wisconsin rock acts and their records,
> and he's been a big help to me in my "U.P. Grooves!" project.)
Thanks very much, Andrew, for the welcome and the kind comments.
gem
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Message: 15
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 19:35:48 -0000
From: Jim Shannon
Subject: Re: and Joni Mitchell says:
This is something she's been saying fabout the record biz or
decades. To quote her from "Free Man in Paris", "There's
nobody calling me up for favors an and no one's future to decide.
You know I'd go back there tomorrow, but for the work I've taken
on stoking the star maker machinery behind the popular song"
Jim Shannon
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Message: 16
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 19:49:42 -0000
From: Jeff Lemlich
Subject: MOR Reggae etc.
Phil X. Milstein:
> I'm looking for track suggestions or other input on a new
> compilation I've got on simmer, of reggae covers of relatively
> tepid U.S. or UK pop tunes. Examples include Take Me Home
> Country Roads, Red Red Wine and Pied Piper. Tentative title:
> Can A Rastaman Sing The Whites?
One candidate that comes to mind is Eddie Lovette's "Me And You And
A Bag Of Boo". No wait, it was a Dog Named Boo. Is that a tepid
enough song?
> If The Monkees had indeed tackled Sugar Sugar when it was offered
> to them, which Monkee do you suppose would've taken the "I'm gonna
> make your life so sweet" line?
Definitely Micky, in his "Zor And Zam" voice.
> If, according to Don McLean, "the music died" one day in 1959,
> then what does he call what the hell it is that he's doing?
Making what we disc jockey types call a bathroom record!
Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com
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Message: 17
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 11:03:58 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Priscilla Paris
Me:
>... we appeared on TV-8 Dancetime in San Diego and Priscilla was
> on the same show with her current single (which, IIRC, was on York).
Martin:
> Guess it must have been "He Noticed Me"/"Help Me" ...
Actually, I'm pretty sure it was "He Owns The World" (York 409), which
IIRC, was about her young son. Flip is "By The Time I Get To Phoenix".
gem
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Message: 18
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 23:26:46 -0000
From: S.J. Dibai
Subject: '60s Pop Rock Reunion
Dear Spectropoppers,
I wanted to tell you that if you haven't seen the latest PBS oldies
concert, "'60s Pop Rock Reunion," do yourself a favor and check it
out next chance you get! It was easily the most consistently
enjoyable of all the PBS oldies specials I've seen (and I've seen
more than I can count right now). Worst act: Gary Lewis, whom you'd
expect to suck anyway (I like his records, but really, did you expect
him to be good in this day and age?). Even he was better than some of
the acts I've seen on these shows, however. Most entertaining act:
Peter Noone and his current lineup of Hermits. He had me laughing out
loud at the way he was goofing off during "Henry the 8th." And I damn
near cried to see the long overdue reunion of Chad & Jeremy, who
accompanied themselves on acoustic guitar and piano with no backing
band. Very foky, very coffeehouse. It was beautiful.
Also featured were The Buckinghams, Mark Lindsay, Tommy James & the
Shondells, and The Grass Roots (whoever their current lead guitarist
is, he really made that thing beg for mercy!). Great show.
S.J. Dibai
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Message: 19
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 15:33:48 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Ella Johnson - Remembering an Unsung Vocal Hero
>From the NY Daily News:
Remembering an unsung vocal hero
By David Hinchley
A woman named Ella Johnson died Feb. 16 in New York. She was 86 years
old. She was, in the best sense of the phrase, one of the ladies who
sang with the band. She sang beautifully, she was a lovely woman, and
it's terribly sad that she's gone.
Equally sad is how little note history seems to make of the music she
sang, the rhythm and blues of the late '40s and early '50s.
With few exceptions, it's as if Ella Johnson and her peers just kept
the radio warm until rock 'n' roll showed up.
Ella, who sang with her brother Buddy's swing band, represented a kind
of singer who is especially overlooked: The women who came out of the
big bands, swing and the blues, and put it all together into a
marvelously distinctive style that built bridges from big bands to
combos, from jazz to R&B, and eventually to rock 'n' roll.
These women were unique among themselves, but they had this in common:
When they got hold of a good ballad, they sent it washing over you in
a way that cleansed your dusty soul like cool summer rain.
In 1945, Buddy Johnson wrote a ballad like that, "Since I Fell for You."
Ella Johnson was the first to sing it, and even Lenny Welch didn't sing
it better.
Ruth Brown and LaVern Baker came out of this school. Etta James, of
course. Della Reese. Linda Hopkins. Miriam Makeba was singing smooth
ballads like "Lovely Lies" in the '50s.
Many of the names, well-known then, have faded from the pages. Nellie
Lutcher. Annisteen Allen. Laurie Tate. Edna McGriff. Hadda Brooks.
Margie Day. Little Esther. Linda Hayes. Maggie Forman. And all this is
before we even get to Savannah Churchill, for my jukebox nickel the best
of them all. Two verses into any Savannah Churchill song and she has you.
Ella Johnson was one of those women, and like so many others, she is gone
now. That's just how it works. But if we also let her music slip away,
that's on us.
Originally published on March 24, 2004
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Message: 20
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 20:40:28 -0000
From: Julio Niño
Subject: Ana Belén / MOR Reggae and Jealousy.
Hola Everybody.
Phil Milstein asked about who played guitar in Ana Belén´s "Tengo
un nuevo ángel". I´m sorry Phil, but I have no idea. It´s very
difficult to find that kind of information about Spanish sixties
songs. Most of the pop made here in the sixties has never been
reissued and probably it will never be.
The same Ana Belén´s EP included another song that I like very
much "Muy cerca de ti". I first heard that song in the version
that the Spanish Punk group Los Pegamoides played in Almodovar´s
first film "Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón". Ana Belén's
version is almost impossible to find, and although my copy is very
crackly I will play it someday in Music.
Phil again:
> ...I'm looking for track suggestions or other input on a new
> compilation I've got on simmer, of reggae covers of relatively
> tepid U.S. or UK pop tunes. Examples include Take Me Home Country
> Roads, Red Red Wine and Pied Piper. Tentative title: Can A
> Rastaman Sing The Whites?...
I love the versions of pop songs made in Jamaica in the sixties.
They are often very surprising. Some Jamaican cover of songs of the
Spectropop-field that might interest you:
1- "Will You Love Me Tomorrow": Dave Barker; Dezil Dennis or Slim
Smith (my favorite).
2- "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" : Alton Ellis (very soulful version
of the Sedaka song).
3- "Oh Carol": Denzil Dennis or Fredy Mckay.
4- "The 12th Of Never"/"Then You can tell Me goodbye" : by the
ultracool Pat Kelly.
5- "Then He Kiss Me": The Marvels.
6- "Sh´boom (Life Could Be a Dream)": The Ethiopians.
7- "Mr. Bojangles"/"You baby"/"Help Me Make Through The Night": John
Holt.
8- "Bless You": Horace Andy.
9- "Diana": Alton Ellis.
10- "What´s New Pussycat": The Wailers.
11- "The Same Feeling Again": The Gaylettes.
12- "So Much Love": Joe White.
13- "Bobby Socks to Stockings": Boris Gardiner.
14- "Weather Report": The Tennors (a loose cover of "The Only Living
Boy in NY").
15- "Sweet Dreams": The Pionners.
16- "Julie On My Mind": Jackie Edwards or Danny Ray.
17- "A Thing of The Past": Phyllis Dillon, perhaps my favorite
Jamaican singer.
18- "We Have Lost That Loving Feeling": The Heptones.
etc., etc. If You want more let me know.
Thanks to Country Paul for playing Antonio Prieto´s "Rumores". I like
it more than David Soto´s version, which was a hit in Spain. The song
is very characteristic of the type of pop that was made in Latin
America and Spain in the early sixties.
Finally, I have to say that I´m a little jealous of the lucky people
that are "Spectropopping" tonight at the "Spectroparty".
Chao.
Julio Niño.
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Message: 21
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 23:21:19 -0000
From: Robert R. Radil
Subject: Re: Early Bob Seger on Cameo
Mike McKay wrote:
> By the way, I certainly agree with you about the excellence of the
> early Seger stuff. I never much cared for him after "2 + 2 = ?"
> and "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man," but the earlier "Persecution Smith"
> and "Heavy Music, parts 1 and 2" are both excellent. And the best
> of all is "East Side Story" -- which has been at the top of my
> urban punk hit parade for many, many years now.
These can all be posted to musica when space permits, if anyone is
interested. This includes the rare original mono single mix of "2 + 2
= ?", the inferior stereo remix, and my stereo recreation of the
single version.
Bob Radil
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Message: 22
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 00:39:56 -0000
From: Dave Heasman
Subject: MOR Reggae
Phil Milstein:
> I'm looking for track suggestions or other input on a new
> compilation I've got on simmer, of reggae covers of relatively
> tepid U.S. or UK pop tunes. Examples include Take Me Home
> Country Roads, Red Red Wine and Pied Piper. Tentative title:
> Can A Rastaman Sing The Whites?
Here's a must:- Hopeton Lewis' version of Steve Goodman's "Spirit
of New Orleans". A quiet masterpiece.
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Message: 23
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 00:53:22 -0000
From: Jeremy
Subject: Re: P.F. Sloan demos
Previously:
> P.F. Sloan: All I can say is that his music is great! His lyrics
> are great. Even tho many are "downer" lyrics, they really hit you
> in the heart and make you feel better. Plus, many are very
> uplifting as well. I have to again thank my buddy Spectropopper
> Doug Richard for getting me to truly recognize Phil's greatness.
> His pop songs are wonderful too. The Varese Cd of demos is a "must
> have".
Agreed - the demos on that CD are of equal quality to a lot of the
material on his first two albums IMO.
Question: Two of my favorite songs of his I have not been able to
find anywhere on CD - his versions of "Autumn" (later done by the
Thomas Group) and "I Can't Help But Wonder, Elisabeth" (covered by
the Grass Roots). Sloan's version of the latter song in particular
is to my ears quite a bit superior to the cover. Does anybody know
if these tracks have been made available somewhere? My apologies if
this has been covered previously. . .
Thanks,
Jeremy
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Message: 24
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 04:55:35 -0000
From: Tony Leong
Subject: Re: Reparata & the Delrons
Phil: Hi, it was Phil CHAPMAN (great guy who sent me some CD's and I
need to scan him some photos from the party) whom I met at the
Spectropop party. I think he introduced me to another Phil???
That's who I thought you were.
Anyhow, you are welcome for the Reparata and the Delrons info. As
for a Mary and Lorraine reunion--well, in the words of the Shangri-
Las: "I don't think--it will ever-happen--again!!!"
Another original Delron, Carol Drobnicki, passed away many years ago.
Ironically, my friend Paul Errante says that there is supposed to be
a reunion of the St Brendan's High School alumni sometime soon in
Brooklyn (his aunt went there at the same time as the Delrons!!), so
no doubt, most of the former Delrons will be there. Not just Mary and
Nanette, but Kathy, Regina, and all the other girls that left before
the group was signed to a deal. Gee, I wouldn't mind going to that
party to see ex-Delrons and find out what they are all up to!!!!!!!
No doubt if I do, I'll be typing about it here!!!!
Tony Leong
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Message: 25
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 01:55:59 -0000
From: Rodney Rawlings
Subject: John Gummoe ("Rhythm of the Rain") praises "Halley's Comet"
John Claude Gummoe, who wrote "Rhythm of the Rain," a major hit of
The Cascades, has this to say about my own tune "Halley's Comet":
"Very, very nice. [V]ery creative, edgy, nice use of dynamics and
chord structure. Keep up the good work."
Mr. Gummoe, who has an entire website about his own song at
http://www.rhythmoftherain.com has permitted me to quote him. If
you want to hear my tune, please click below.
My paean to Halley's Comet (headphones or good speakers urged!)
http://solohq.com/Articles/Rawlings/halleys.comet.mp3
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
End
