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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Happy Birthday, Jeff Barry
From: Laura Pinto
2. Re: Monkee Sugar
From: Laura Pinto
3. Re: American Dreams / Oliver Beene
From: Deena J Canale
4. Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
From: Paul Balser
5. Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
From: Gary Myers
6. The Tran-Sisters
From: Mick Patrick
7. Buddy Holly
From: Clyde Erwin Barretto
8. Coolest
From: Al Kooper
9. Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
From: Natasha McNamee
10. Larry Knechtel
From: Al Kooper
11. Portraits
From: Mike Dugo
12. Re: Jerry Tawney
From: Gary Myers
13. Re: Larry Knechtel
From: Doug Carey
14. Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
From: Mike McKay
15. Re: Paul Atkinson of the Zombies R.I.P.
From: S.J. Dibai
16. Re: Larry Knechtel
From: Austin Roberts
17. Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
From: Dan Nowicki
18. Skip Battin
From: Steve Harvey
19. Videos
From: Steve Harvey
20. Re: Coolest
From: Gary Myers
21. Van McCoy or Kendra Spotswood?
From: Mick Patrick
22. Flip Cartridge etc
From: Simon White
23. Re: Skip Battin
From: Scott
24. Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
From: Austin Powell
25. "Two Of A Kind"/ Obsessed with Van
From: Julio Niņo
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 14:10:18 -0000
From: Laura Pinto
Subject: Happy Birthday, Jeff Barry
Happy birthday to a living legend, Jeff Barry, one of the best
songwriter/producers in the biz. Have a great day, Jeff, and many
more!
Anyone who'd like to leave birthday wishes for Jeff can do so by
visiting his message board at http://jeffbarry.proboards26.com/ .
As an aside, I'd like to also wish a happy birthday to my ex-husband,
Jim, who like me is a fan of Jeff and his music and loves the sounds
of the 50's, 60's and 70's. (Hmmm ... both have names that begin
with the letter 'J' and both were born on April 3rd; what could this
mean? Wellll ... nothing, actually - except that I forgot to buy a
gift for Jim. Aaaagghhhhh!)
Laura :)
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 13:25:23 -0000
From: Laura Pinto
Subject: Re: Monkee Sugar
Albabe asks:
> ...can't a boy make a girl's life "so sweet"?
Bob Rashkow responds:
> Absolutely! ! ! It just seemed to me that this sort of thing wasn't
> the stuff hits were made of in 1967-69--i.e., would it have gotten
> past Don Kirshner? I automatically assumed either Kirshner or the
> song's penners possibly would have "suggested" that a female voice
> be thrown in if the lyric was to remain "I'm gonna....." But please,
> come up with examples of guys (artists) of the era who sang lyrics
> like this, I'd love to know about it! Weren't lyrics in which men
> associated themselves with qualities such as sweetness more prevalent
> in soul music in those days? I can't come up with any examples myself
> --anyone?
Laura throws in her two cents:
Actually, when Ron Dante performs "Sugar, Sugar" in concert, he sings
the "I'm gonna make your life so sweet" line himself, and it sounds
so right that nobody unfamiliar with the song would know that it was
originally a "girl's" lyric!
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 08:54:13 -0500
From: Deena J Canale
Subject: Re: American Dreams / Oliver Beene
> There is a fair amount of revisionism, but it's the best series since
> "Wonder Years' to relive those moments, actually covering pre-"Wonder
> Years" days so far.
If you like "American Dreams" (and I do, even with all its historical &
musical inaccuracies), you should LOVE "Oliver Beene," which in my
opinion does an even better job than "A.D." or "The Wonder Years" in
capturing the early '60s zeitgeist. It doesn't focus on music nearly
as much as those two series (in fact, a lot of the incidental music used
is decidedly non-'60s), but it does capture the look and the spirit of
those times, from the perspective of a wacky Jewish family in Rego Park,
Queens. Added bonus--it's freakin' hilarious. Better catch it while you
can--sporadic Sundays at 7:30 on Fox, a network that doesn't seem to know
what to do with the show.
Signed D.C.
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 11:13:19 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time)
From: Paul Balser
Subject: Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
Louis wrote:
> Do you know of any girl group songs about the Beatles?
Don't forget the song by the Carefrees - We Love You Beatles. Also
not a group but the song My Boyfriend's Got A Beatle Haircut by
Donna Lynn.
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 11:25:04 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
Louis wrote:
> Do you know of any girl group songs about the Beatles?
Does a duo qualify? If so, there is "I Want The Beatles For Christmas"
by Jackie & Jill, released first on Cuca, then USA.
gem
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 22:02:12 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: The Tran-Sisters
Request for Al Kooper:
Is it possible for you ask Jerry Ragovoy if he remembers anything
at all about the Tran-Sisters, a rather fine black girl group
from 1963. Jerry wrote, arranged and produced few songs for them,
one of which is currently playing at musica:
The Tran-Sisters "You Could've Knocked Me Over" (Imperial 5952,
1963) Co-written, arranged and produced by Jerry Ragovoy (aka
Norman Meade). Currently changing hands for big bucks among the
new breed of northern soul zealots, I gather. Lend a shell-like:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica/
Girl group anoraks neeeeeeeeeeeeeed to know.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 11:27:51 EST
From: Clyde Erwin Barretto
Subject: Buddy Holly
I was wondering if anyone here would happen to have a comprehensive
list of all of the songs that Buddy Holly has recorded / written
before he died?
Thanks!
Clyde Eriwn Barretto
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Admin Note:
Strictly off list replies only to this message please.
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Message: 8
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 19:09:34 +0100
From: Al Kooper
Subject: Coolest
Gem:
> I'm blown away that there are two people in here who have
> my records!
Gary,
This is the sickest, slickest, most foolish, coolest spot on the
web. If of course any of the latter adjectives apply to oneself....
Al Kooper
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 17:06:28 +0100 (BST)
From: Natasha McNamee
Subject: Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
Louis wrote:
> Do you know of any girl group songs about the Beatles?
It's not a girl group song but the Four Preps did a great wee tune
"My girl wrote a letter to the Beatles" worth checking out!!
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Message: 10
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 19:09:32 +0100
From: Al Kooper
Subject: Larry Knechtel
Doug:
> Perhaps those of you who know him will be able to let me know
> if it would be intrusive of me to approach him about sitting
> down to talk about his work. I'm a music teacher in town, but
> I don't know if that would carry any weight. I don't want to
> offend him, just pick his brain.
I live in Somerville, MA where most people have no idea who I am.
Fortunately, I never needed the reinforcement of being recognized
on the street to assuage my ego, so I rather enjoy walking around
a free man. In fact, the original visual recognition in the 60's
quickly turned me into a hermit, of which I am primarily a
textbook case. Today I do 98% of lectures & interview queries
because as I get older, I feel that what I know will be
extinguished forever when I pass - replaced by revisionist media
"versions" of what I truly know. I think Larry K would be
flattered to share his knowledge with you, but ya better tape it
and publish it so us selfish S'poppers can get some!
"Old" Al Kooper
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Message: 11
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 12:02:09 -0600
From: Mike Dugo
Subject: Portraits
GEM:
> I think I have some things on reel-to-reel (how old is THAT!),
> with, presently, no way to transfer >>them to anything else.
Gary - I'd be happy to have your reel-to-reel tapes of The Portraits
transferred to CD, and offer copies to other interested Spectropoppers.
Contact me off list if you're interested. Thanks.
Mike Dugo
60sgaragebands.com
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Message: 12
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 11:35:40 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Jerry Tawney
Mark:
> What more can you tell me about Jerry Tawney and what he recorded?
Mark, I've posted the discog. I know nothing of Angus or the Michael
Brennan item. It was around '83-'84 when I got details from Jerry,
and he never mentioned either of those.
> ... I heard he did some great Gary Puckett sound-alikes.
That would be some of the stuff done on Bell with Jerry Fuller. We
used to do "Woman, Woman" and "Young Girl" on the gigs.
IIRC, I think Jerry was also one of bg singers on a later Tommy
James LP (on Fantasy, I believe).
gem
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Message: 13
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 14:04:59 -0800
From: Doug Carey
Subject: Re: Larry Knechtel
Al,
I'll let Larry know what you said about taping for posterity. By
the way, if I can bribe you with a microbrew, I'd like to sit down
with you as well if you ever make it to the "cultural epicenter"
that is Yakima, WA : )
Thanks,
Doug
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Message: 14
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 17:08:11 EST
From: Mike McKay
Subject: Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
Louis wrote:
> Do you know of any girl group songs about the Beatles?
Well, "about" them in a roundabout way is "The Boy with the Beatle
Hair" by The Swans on Cameo-Parkway. I have a copy of this somewhere.
Mike
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Message: 15
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 22:19:53 -0000
From: S.J. Dibai
Subject: Re: Paul Atkinson of the Zombies R.I.P.
David Coyle:
> This may be old news to everyone on the list, but I just found out
> that Paul Atkinson of the Zombies passed away the other night.
Not old news to me, but not shocking considering how badly he'd been
doing recently. The Zombies are often seen as a brilliant keyboardist
and a distinctive vocalist plus three other guys. In my estimation,
however, they were five excellent musicians; Colin Blunstone and Rod
Argent just happened to be two of them. Paul Atkinson was a great
guitarist, unfairly overlooked in this keyboard-dominated band. He
could downplay his presence so that his instrument became a fluid
compliment to Rod's keys (as in "She's Not There") or he could step
up and take center stage with equal ease ("I Don't Want To Know").
One of the reasons I don't like "Odessey and Oracle" as much as their
earlier work is the fact that Paul wasn't even featured on some
tracks. Nevertheless, he did get a chance to experiment with
different styles on the tracks on which he did play.
Anyway, a sad but fond farewell to an important member of a great
band.
S.J. Dibai
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Message: 16
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 17:21:36 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Larry Knechtel
Doug:
> Perhaps those of you who know him will be able to let me know
> if it would be intrusive of me to approach him about sitting
> down to talk about his work. I'm a music teacher in town, but
> I don't know if that would carry any weight. I don't want to
> offend him, just pick his brain.
I worked with Jimmy Griffin (also of Bread) and we talked about
how great a guy Larry was. It can't hurt to ask him. Say hi for me,
Austin Roerts
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Message: 17
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 19:29:56 EST
From: Dan Nowicki
Subject: Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
Another one by a girl about a single Beatle is "Ringo, I Want to Know
Your Secret" by Pat Wynter (Take Five 631-7, 1964).
Dan N.
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.
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Message: 18
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 16:37:05 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Skip Battin
Hey Paul,
Skip was more like one of the last replacement members of the Byrds
since he was in the last incarnation of the band. Before he joined
you had Kevin Kelly, John York, Clarence White, that Parsons fella,
Gene Clark (unless he gets returning member status). Skip was a
helluva nice guy too.
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Message: 19
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 19:40:44 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Videos
Check out some of the stuff on this site. Some rare
Carpenters videos: http://roadode.com/
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Message: 20
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 17:53:53 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Coolest
>From Al Kooper:
> This is the sickest, slickest, most foolish, coolest spot on the
> web. If of course any of the latter adjectives apply to oneself...
Well, maybe half of them.
gem
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Message: 21
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 23:27:22 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Van McCoy or Kendra Spotswood?
Julio:
> ... "Gee What A Boy" by The Fantastic Vantastics (Tuff 406)
> ... a beautiful song, composed by Van McCoy... The song
> confuses me sexually, which is a sensation that I like. Who
> is the main voice -- Van, Kendra, or both?
Hola Julio,
Permit me to add to the confusion. Playing now at musica is
"Two Of A Kind" by Jack & Jill (Maxx 330, 1964), a rather
delicious song written and produced by Van McCoy. Jack and
Jill are actually Van McCoy and Kendra Spotswood. I'll leave
you to work out which is which, if it matters. Click to dig:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica/
Maxx is one of my favourite labels of all time - those Gladys
Knight 45s are sensational.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 22
Date: Sun, 04 Apr 2004 07:44:11 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Flip Cartridge etc
Country Paul wrote re Skip & Flip:
> A brief but thorough bio can be found at http://tinyurl.com/2ww4r
> So are they in your area of interest? Your call.
......errrrrr.. No. I could never get on with "Alley Oop". Don't know
why but I find it irritating.
However it now seems there is some doubt on these pages as to who Flip
Cartridge actually is. On aural evidence alone, I would say that there
is a distinct possibility that the voice on "Alley Oop" is the same as
that on "Don't Take The Lovers". But then what do I know? I can't tell
a waltz from a tango.
I said:
> Having said that, did people ever buy by label?
Paul said:
> Depends - not that I ever ran out to see what the latest Vee Jay
> release was, but certain labels had reputations which encouraged
> either taking a chance or shunning them.
Me too to an extent I suppose. Certainly there were things I would look
twice at when out record hunting because they were on certain labels.
But purely on a second hand buying basis.
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Message: 23
Date: Sun, 04 Apr 2004 07:14:31 EDT
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Skip Battin
Anyone hear Skip Battin's pre-Byrds outting - The Evergreen Blueshoes?
Scott
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Message: 24
Date: Sun, 04 Apr 2004 12:17:16 +0100
From: Austin Powell
Subject: Re: Girl Group songs about the Beatles
Louis wrote:
> Do you know of any girl group songs about the Beatles?
There was British actress Dora Bryan's "All I Want For Christmas
Is A Beatle" (It made #20 in 1963 on UK Fontana) and there's Cindy
Rella's "Bring Me A Beatle For Christmas" on U.S. Drum Boy.
Austin
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Message: 25
Date: Sun, 04 Apr 2004 14:07:53 -0000
From: Julio Niņo
Subject: "Two Of A Kind"/ Obsessed with Van
Hola Everybody.
Mick Patrick:
> Playing now at musica is "Two Of A Kind" by Jack & Jill (Maxx
> 330, 1964), a rather delicious song written and produced by Van
> McCoy. Jack and Jill are actually Van McCoy and Kendra Spotswood.
Thank you Mick, I love it.
Iīm getting completely obsessed with Van McCoy. I already loved his
perfect songs, but now Iīm fascinated with his voice. His demos (if
they exists) must be heaven. His voice melts perfectly with Kendraīs,
blurring the gender, which I think is very sexy. The song is a little
jewel that reminds me of some Smokey Robinsonīs tracks. Iīm gonna
spend the whole day listening to Vanīs songs.
Chao.
Julio Niņo
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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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