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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 13 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Early Bob Seger on Cameo
From: Clark Besch
2. Re: California Dreamin' TV Special
From: Al Kooper
3. Eight Feet - "Bobby's Come a Long Way" (written by Al Kooper)
From: thirteen_eagle
4. Re: Aretha
From: Artie Wayne
5. Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop update
From: Martin Roberts
6. Re: Aretha Franklin
From: AlFonts@aol.com
7. Re: UK Oriole / Dream Babes 5 / etc
From: Austin Powell
8. Re; "Take A Girl Like You" Soundtrack
From: Dave Heasman
9. Broadway/Flip
From: Simon White
10. Re: [that] Alan Gordon/"Happy Together"
From: Alan Gordon
11. Re: P.F. Sloan songs
From: Clark Besch
12. "I'll Love You For A While"
From: Tony Leong
13. Spectropop Party, 2004; Ya should have been there...
From: Martin Roberts
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 05:16:37 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Early Bob Seger on Cameo
Mike, Altho I like some post "Ramblin G" songs, it KILLS me to think
that people think Bob Seger's late 70's and 80's songs are his prime
songs. I have a Cd of his hits too and I imagine it has more than the
Hideout Cd, since mine is all Seger (including the Beach Bums classic
novelty) with 20 cuts or so and the Hideout Cd likley has many other
artists. I gotta believe Abcko has the rights or Sundazed and every
other label would be jumping on these masters like crazy!! None
on "Nuggets" 1 or 2??? No way! Gotta be the Allan Klein thing. I'd
have to choose "Heavy Music" as the best, but barely. Really love
the stories in "Chain Smokin" and "Death Row". Hearing "Persecution
Smith" on WKYC in the 60's was a great thing for me. Allan, give up
the punk!!! Clark
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 01:40:25 EST
From: Al Kooper
Subject: Re: California Dreamin' TV Special
Re: California Dreamin' TV Special
This show stopped me from ever doing interview shows again. It was a
bad set-up. AND it WAS the BBC.
They interviewed me about BS&T and The Blues Project at my home in
Boston about 7 years ago. Than they went & interviewed Steve Katz.
Now, Steve Katz, for one reason or another, really believes that he
& Bobby Colomby came up with the concept, started BS&T, and asked me
to be in it. So naturally, he poured all that out in his interview,
and they edited the show in such a way, that I appear to be lying
about EVERYTHING. Morally, it is the worst piece of journalism I've
ever seen and it got to me BIGTIME, because, I don't lie and I
actually did come up with the horn band idea and asked those two to
join the band (biggest mistake I ever made in my entire career!)
Leaving the band after Child Is Father To The Man was the best
musical decision I ever made in my career. Bobby & Steve got what they
wanted (money, success and forgettable music) The royalties for Child
Is Father To The Man, paltry as they are by comparison to the next two
albums, have always been sent directly to the existing band now owned
by Bobby Colomby. I have never been paid a cent as an artist for that
album, most of which I wrote, sang & arranged. Ironically, in the
Rolling Stone 500 Best albums of all time, Child Is Father To The Man
is the only BS&T album represented. I rest my case Soooo, if ant of
you 'poppers watch that show, please keep all this in mind.
Sorry for the rant, but that TV show is one of the few things that has
ever got to me in a bad way.......
Al Kooper
Screwed by the music biz?
Don't get me started.....
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 06:44:42 -0000
From: thirteen_eagle
Subject: Eight Feet - "Bobby's Come a Long Way" (written by Al Kooper)
Eight Feet - "Bobby's Come a Long Way" (written by Al Kooper)
First off, as a new member I'm sorry if this was discussed before,
but is there anyplace I can find the lyrics for this song? It's one
of my favorites but it's very difficult to decipher (example: "Using
comic book intelligence/and a farmer's touch of arrogance"???) Thanks!
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 08:35:04 -0800 (PST)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Re: Aretha
Bob.......How ya'doin'? I first met Aretha Franklin in 1961 when
she was 19 years old and freshly signed to Columbia records.
Publisher "Goldie Goldmark" brought Ben Raleigh and me over to
play a new song we just wrote, "Here's Where I Came in [and Here's
Where I Walk Out]" for Aretha and her A+R Man Bob Mersey. They
loved it.....and we were on her first recording date. We came out
as the b-side on her second release.
I think she didn't consider Motown because it would have put her
in a narrow musical box. Although Columbia offered her the chance
to show her versatility...from, "Running Out of Fools" to "Rockabye
Your Baby" they didn't have the ability to get the solid R+B airplay.
When Jerry Wexler brought her over to Atlantic, and put her together
with the best Memphis and Muscle Shoals musicians.....the best songs
.....the best producers.....and the Atlantic Record promotion machine
....all the elements for success were in place!!
regards, Artie Wayne
http://artiewayne.com/
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 07:50:50 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop update
Despite the excitement of the S'pop party, (you may be able
to tell that I don't get out much) normal service has been
resumed with Jack's site. The ROTW is Jimmy Griffin, "A Little
Like Lovin You", http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/index.htm
Jack's radio interview focuses on his score for "One Flew Over The
Cuckoo's Nest", http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/radio.htm
And new items keep turning up...the discography is updated,
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/discography.htm
Martin
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 09:47:29 EST
From: AlFonts@aol.com
Subject: Re: Aretha Franklin
Bobster:
> I don't know the whole story about how Aretha Franklin broke
> onto the R&B scene from first gospel and then pop, but most
> likely Ahmet Ertegun or whoever was in charge at Atlantic around
> '65 or so picked up on her amazing voice and offered her the
> recording contract with them. At a certain point, if I'm not
> mistaken, Aretha left her native Detroit and settled, as many
> top recording artists eventually do, in Los Angeles (or NYC--
> or both!!??). I do agree with Phil that it was just as well if
> not better that Motown didn't reach her first. Her style is very
> distinctive and much of her soul from the late 6Ts and early 7Ts is
> influenced by jazz, rock, blues, gospel, pop......and please pitch in
> if I left any influences out!
Aretha spent an excruciating amount of time being mis-produced/
recorded at Columbia Records. With the exception of her signing
and first album, both by John Hammond, Sr. she was diabolically
forced into singing 40s standards, film themes, etc. and kept away
from playing the piano. Jerry Wexler saw the crime being committed,
and as soon as her contract ran out, snapped her up, took her to
Muscle Shoals, AL and stuck her behind a grand piano. The end
result? "I Never Loved A Man", a string of hits and quality never
heard before, and of course, the mantle, Queen Of Soul.
Get well Baby !!!!!!!
Al "also Never Loved A Man" Kooper
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 16:07:34 +0100
From: Austin Powell
Subject: Re: UK Oriole / Dream Babes 5 / etc
Alan V. Karr:
> For whatever reason, almost no Beat-era UK Oriole/CBS product
> has been reissued by Sony. Some collectors have speculated that
> Oriole wiped their pre-CBS master tapes. Also Oriole & UK
> CBS made a lot of lease deals that might be hard to untangle
> but a few items have come to light occasionally. Youd figure
> since Sundazed has an "in" with Sony Legacy something might
> turn up but nothing. Any thoughts?
It's probably just a "legend", but years ago I heard that the
owner of Oriole was "so tight" that frequently the multi-channel
masters were wiped and re-used. Odd bits of Oriole have seen the
light of day, most notably its "Merseybeat" LPs produced by John
Schroeder.
Maureen Evans's hit, "Like I Do" has been used on compilations
a few times and the Zircon label used a couple of the label's
instrumentals from The Players and The Ted Taylor Four.
Arguably Oriole's biggest hit was "Freight Train" by Chas McDevitt
& Nancy Whiskey in 1957 (it made about 40 in the U.S. as well),
but collectors remember it most for its short-lived Oriole-American
label which released some great "early" Motown material. Christine
Quaite's US hit was from Oriole as well. It was also the label on
which Tony Sheveton recorded "A Million Drums" which was a big hit
in Australia, though meant nothing over here, just like most Oriole
releases.
Austin
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Message: 8
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 22:49:20 +0100
From: Dave Heasman
Subject: Re; "Take A Girl Like You" Soundtrack
Sean:
> Does any know where I can find a copy of the 1970
> Soundtrack LP to the film "Take A Girl Like You"?
Ray:
> http://tinyurl.com/2y5pw
Unfortunately this is a link to the soundtrack to the
2002 or 2003 TV series. Same story, different tunes.
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Message: 9
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 10:49:35 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Broadway/Flip
Thanks to those who replied on my Flip Cartridge/Gary Le Mel
postings. I had no idea that Flip was part of Flip and Skip,
but then I have no real idea who Flip & Skip where anyway. I
suspect they are outside my immediate area of interest! But I
still wonder if it was Skip or Shirley Bassey who had the
original version of "Don't Take The Lovers From The World"?
As for Gary Le Mel, I wonder what his Vee Jay album is like?
The 45 "On Broadway" is a somewhat individual take on the song.
And what a strange label Vee Jay was. Gary is sandwiched among
Billy Preston, El Clod (?), The Rivingtons, Arthur Godfrey and
Jerry Butler. The label didn't last long beyond these 1965
releases. Having said that, did people ever buy by label?
Simon
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 19:24:37 -0700 (MST)
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: Re: [that] Alan Gordon/"Happy Together"
Hi Artie, glad you like the Applebees spot. Our own Ron Dante
did the vocals. He did such a good job the Turtles were upset
because it sounded TOO much like them! I did not rewrite the
lyric, I do not like it when they mess with the song, especially
that song. I'll let the publishers know about the casting ideas
you have, as a matter of fact YOU should contact them and make
some kind of arrangement with them, you always have such good
casting ideas you should be an independent consultant. Be well
your friend and fan.
Alan
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Message: 11
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 05:05:46 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: P.F. Sloan songs
Jim Shannon:
> One of my favorites of his (P.F. Sloan) was the Searchers' "Take
> me for What I'm Worth". Only a marginally successful song that
> barely charted into the top 20, it should have gotten more airplay.
> And yes, I played it on my progressive rock shows in the early
> seventies.
Jim, Altho I love all the Searchers songs nowadays, "Take me for What
I'm Worth" was my fave by them in the 60's and I didn't know who PF
Sloan was then. The simplicity of the demo Cd is really great too!
So many songs on there are shouldabeen classics. My fave (just
barely) is "Spinning Wheel" (not the BST song, obviously), a
beautiful song. So great to hear his version of "Another Day,
Another Heartache" after knowing the 5th Dimension version so long.
Other faves are "Cling to Me" (would love to have someone post our
own Johnny Tillotson's version to Musica), "My First day Alone" (just
got the Steve Alaimo cover if anyone wants to hear it), "See Ya Round
on the Rebound" (a nice companion to the last song I listed (Shelley
Fabares/Sandy Posey cut it), "I Know that you'll Be There" (Shelley
Fabares and Turtles did this too), and "Baby I can't Help Myself"
(which I might make people cring, but Barry Manilow could do this in
the 70's and have a huge hit!). Funny, but to me, the worst song on
the collection is his "Danger Man" version we've been talking about.
Anyway, the Cd is a keeper! Unfortunately, sales weren't enough to
get Varese to do a second volume, which apparently was a possiblity.
Is any label listening???? Take care, Clark
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Message: 12
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 04:03:45 -0000
From: Tony Leong
Subject: "I'll Love You For A While"
HELP!!!!! One of my favorite Dusty Springfield songs is "I'll Love
You For A While" (1965). Yesterday, my friend played me a version of
the song (the original I understand) by a singer named Jill Jackson.
Does anybody out there know if that original version is available on
any CD compilation???????
And who originally sang "All Cried Out"???? What CD is that available
on??
I have to admit, I am a huge fan of Dusty's early stuff, but I love
to hear the original versions of those songs that she copied or the
demos (like Ellie Greenwich's wonderful demo of "I'll Try
Anything")!!
PS The friend, Paul, that I wrote about at the beginning also had
Vicki Carr's original version of "He's A Rebel". Well, I'll tell
you, it was NO competition for the Crystals (ahem--Darlene-Fanita-
Edna-Gloria-version) that we all know and love!!!!
Tony Leong
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Message: 13
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 22:21:22 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Spectropop Party, 2004; Ya should have been there...
Rashkovsky wrote;
> To everyone who attended the big party in London this weekend, I
> hope that it was a great affair and that a good time was had by
> all. Sure sorry I could not be there.
Oh what a shame, because the evening really was magical... Almost
Tolkienesque, with guests including wise sages and giants, fun-
loving Hobbits and elves, with only the Orcs conspicuous by their
absence (I dare say put off by the prevailing good humour and
laughter).
The venue, Bush Hall (a turn-of-the-century music hall) was
honoured by many of the throng donning bushy beards, flowing locks,
wild ringlets and hair formed into strange and wonderful spikes and
tufts.
The guests were richly rewarded with meats cooked over open fires
and cheeses, salads, 'tatoes and strange delights on sticks, ably
prepared by Neil and Simon with full support from Gwen and Alan,
whilst the inn-keeper (the only person present who levied a fee for
his chattels) was the purveyor of the finest ales and wines.
Many minstrels were present with enthralling tales of their
triumphs and disappointments on the musical front line, including
Mark Wirtz, Tony and Anthony Rivers, Kris Ife, Mike Ross, Billie
Davis, Simon Bell and Kay Garner.
New friends made, old friendships rekindled, including an
unexpected treat with the arrival from the Shire across the pond,
Mark Frumento. Some folk who would have come if they could and were
missed: Ian C, Keith B, Peter L, Sheila B, Kingsley, Prof Bell, the
lovely Delia and others. But a special mention must go to Keiko Kondo
who has previously crossed two continents to cement the bond of
friendship. Guarding the door with his usual courtesy was the
fearsome puppy Eric Charge.
Organising the piped music with a choice selection of musical
treasures was the keeper of the hall of records, Mick Patrick.
The wizard in control of the moving picture show was Dr Phil Chapman
who had applied his patented Sound Replacement Therapy to a seemingly
endless supply of images of pretty and exotic women and some
strapping young bucks that, in the main, had performed before the
world was filled with colour.
If this entertainment was not enough, there was more, much more.
Simon swapped his chef's blue and white checked trousers for his
master of ceremonies garb and executed his new role with consummate
ease. He introduced those Spectropop favourites, a travelling troupe
of voluptuous maidens, the Actionettes, who danced synchronously with
infectious abandon. No wonder they have built such a loyal following.
Many of their routines were performed as support to two songbirds,
Elisabeth and Emma.
Elisabeth, well-known from previous parties sang four numbers in
great voice, one of them being Samantha Jones' "Today Without You"
which thrilled the writers, who happened to be in attendance. Later,
she teamed with famed session singer Simon Bell to duet on another
S'pop classic, Nino Tempo's "Boys Town". This was superb and brought
the house down.
Although I'd previously heard of Emma being a TV talent-contest
winner, this was the first time I'd actually heard her sing. She
delivered breathtaking first-time renditions of Dionne's "Another
Night" and Dusty's "Willie And Laura Mae Jones".
No show would be complete without audience participation which was
spontaneously supplied by Tony Rivers and his son Anthony, with a
flawless Everly's two-part a cappella rendition of "Let It Be Me".
Tony first became known with his group, the Castaways, and later
enjoyed hits as Harmony Grass. His excellent harmony work can be
heard in the background of numerous recordings, including some by
Cliff Richard and Brian Wilson. And his son Anthony is clearly
continuing the tradition of excellence.
After further listening, watching, talking and drinking (I hope to
be sober by tomorrow) it was time to hit West London's brisk night
air. The spell was broken.
Let me extend grateful thanks to those good folk at Spectropop for
putting on the best party yet and I'm looking forward eagerly to the
next.
Martin
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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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