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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 26 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Gig in Jersey
From: Gary Myers
2. Re: Aquatones
From: Austin Roberts
3. Shindig magazine
From: Jon 'Mojo' Mills
4. Re: Investigating The Lettermen
From: Mikey
5. Yummy Supersizing
From: Bill Pitzonka
6. Re: When You Walk In The Room
From: Peter Lerner
7. Re: First fuzztone
From: Mike McKay
8. Guess Who/the Shirelles/the Kingsmen/Al Gorgoni/Brian Wilson/Stan Polley/Tony Camillo/American Bandstand
From: Artie Wayne
9. Andrew Loog Oldham and Phil Spector
From: Michael Fishberg
10. Barbara Eden
From: Alan (Albabe) Gordon
11. Re: The Tams in a Dancing Mood
From: Ray
12. Andrew Loog Oldham and Pete Meaden
From: Dave Heasman
13. Re: Ray Whitley (and a bit of a ramble)
From: Martin Roberts
14. Re: Superbabs
From: (That) Alan Gordon
15. Gene Pitney
From: John Berg
16. Re: Investigating The Lettermen
From: James Botticelli
17. Re: Herb Alpert as "Dore" (and other early A&M delights)
From: Randy Kosht
18. Re: early fuzz
From: Brent
19. Re: demo'ing Pitney
From: ACJ
20. The Orlons' Steve Caldwell re: Philly hippies
From: Joe Nelson
21. Re: Mamas & Papas musicians
From: rbcsoup
22. Gene Pitney
From: Gary Myers
23. Fuzz; Kirsty; Other Brothers & Rinaldi Brothers
From: Country Paul
24. SF and Hippydom
From: Alan (Albabe) Gordon
25. Re: George McCurn; "Dore" Alpert; Brian's new CD
From: Frank Jastfelder
26. Aquatones; Judy Geeson; fuzz; Jim Lee; more
From: Country Paul
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 10:25:56 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Gig in Jersey
Bill Craig:
> ... my band The Legendary Rinaldo Brothers have a gig coming up
> wherein we will be doing a fair amount of Spectropop relevant material.
> Stuff like: Concrete and Clay, I Can't Find The Time To Tell You, The
> Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore, Romeo And Juliet, Walk Away Rene ...
Hey, that sounds great! I love it when oldies bands do songs that hardly
anyone ever does, instead of the same old 3 and 4-chord stuff. However,
I won't make it to the gig - I'm in the Los Angeles area.
gem
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 13:44:00 EDT
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Aquatones
David A. Young:
> Lynne (not Lynn) Nixon (who later tacked her married name Denicker
> at the end of her given name) replaced Bob Boden in the group in
> 1957, a year after its 1956 formation. She died in 2001, and was the
> voice of the group's 1958 hit "You."
Thannks to you David for even more good info on the Aquatones. 1958
was a long time ago, but what a classy record. That was one of my
favorite years for great records. Poor Little Fool, All I Have To Do
Is Dream, Little Star and on and on.
Best, Austin Roberts
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 18:46:27 +0100
From: Jon 'Mojo' Mills
Subject: Shindig magazine
http://www.shindig-magazine.com/reviews.html
Yes Shindiggers (and newsgroup listers and people on the mail-out)
we've been very busy, this is a BIG month. Tons of psych-pop,
soft-pop, garage punk/rock, folk-rock, acid-folk... you name it...
has been covered by our able team ... and way TOO much for me to
list. So just click on the above link, then select May and learn
about what's new.
You've read our reviews before, and know the score. NO WHERE ELSE
ON THE WEB CAN YOU READ REVIEWS LIKE THIS... and you don't have to
wait ages for the magazine to hit the stands. (If we saved these
type of reviews for the actual SD the albums would be sold-out by
the time you got to learn about them).
Shindig... We Set The Scene.
Enjoy the reviews .... the June batch will be up soon.
Exaltations!
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
Editor/Go-Getter
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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 14:23:41 -0400
From: Mikey
Subject: Re: Investigating The Lettermen
Well, "Feelings" wasnt bad, but there better songs that The
Lettermen covered in their own style that should have been
hits.
The truth really is, that Capitol Records lost interest in
the group around 1970 or so. I guess the suits just felt that
the group has finsihed their run, and the promo dept just did
not promote their records they way they had.
Certainly, The Lettermen could have had Easy Listening Hits
with their versions of "Love Me With All Of Your Heart", "A
Symphony For Susan" and "Forget Him", great performances all.
Awhile back, I compiled a Lettermen CD for ERIC Records, but
Bill decided not to put it out right now. I'm still hopeful,
and if it does come out, there are some fantastic
performances on there that arent available anywehere else
except the 60s Lps.
Mikey
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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 17:43:40 -0000
From: Bill Pitzonka
Subject: Yummy Supersizing
I went to see the documentary "Supersize Me" last night, chronicling
Morgan Spurlock's month-long McDonalds binge and the medical maladies
which accompanied it. His Last McSupper is accompanied by the joyous
strains of "Yummy Yummy Yummy" by Ohio Express (featuring the
trademark nasal whine of teenage tunesmith Joey Levine). While I
applauded the use of the track in this really quite fine film, I was
furious when it was erroneously attributed in the credit crawl to THE
1910 FRUITGUM CO.[!!!!!] Sadder still is I've worked with the people
in the BMG Special Markets department who control the Buddah Records
catalog and do the licensing! I really thought they'd be better
versed than to allow such a slip-up.
Ah, well.
Bill Pitzonka
Bubblegum Avatar
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 20:23:03 +0100
From: Peter Lerner
Subject: Re: When You Walk In The Room
Pres wrote:
> My question about this track is where did the faster version come
> in to play? Does any one know if the '64 reissue of this single
> was pitched faster or is this just a weird glitch that somehow has
> been forwarded for the past 40 years?
My answer to this, for what it's worth, is that when the Searchers
scored a hit with their faster version of the song, Liberty re-
released Jackie's original and speeded it up to sound more similar.
A great mistake. Liberty weren't averse to doing this, I believe they
also did it with some Eddie Cochran material.
Peter
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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 16:56:32 EDT
From: Mike McKay
Subject: Re: First fuzztone
Previously:
> Ginny Arnell was from New Haven, CT..."Dumb Head" was her first
> solo recording as far as I know. It made #8 on WAVZ in New Haven
> in October, 1963. She did record with Gene Pitney; at least one
> single, can't recall the title off-hand.
> Dumb Head is the earliest song that I've heard that has a fuzztone
> guitar sound on it. Anyone know of earlier songs?
We discussed this at some length a few months ago.
Marty Robbins' "Don't Worry" has a definite fuzztone guitar (actually
a six-string bass) on it, caused by a malfunctioning tube in the studio
recording board. It predates "Dumb Head" by some 2 1/2 years.
A few months after "Don't Worry" came Ann-Margret's "I Just Don't
Understand," also with a fuzztone sound.
Paul Burlison's work with Johnny Burnette and the Rock 'n' Roll Trio on
"Honey Hush" and "The Train Kept a-Rollin" (1956) is also often cited
in this discussion. But while Burlison got a distorted effect by
loosening a tube in his amp, you really can't call it "fuzztone," as it
differs in character from what's heard on the first two examples (and
subsequently on The Ventures' "2000 Pound Bee").
Mike
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 12:40:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Guess Who/the Shirelles/the Kingsmen/Al Gorgoni/Brian Wilson/Stan Polley/Tony Camillo/American Bandstand
How Ya'll Doin'?.....First I'd like to answer a few questions that
have been piling up and make a few comments about recent posts:
to Clark Blesh ........on one of my lost unreleased tracks by the
Guess Who, "Use your Imagination" which I wrote and Co-produced
[uncredited]. I did it when I was a staff writer Scepter records.
What I remember was is was one of three songs I wrote and co-produced
in the same week. The other two were, "Mama,your Soldier boy is comin'
home" with the Shirelles and "It's only the Dog" which I co-wrote with
Hugh McCracken and recorded with the Kingsmen.
to Alan Warner.......It's good to read your comments on Al Gorgoni. Al
and I became friends when we were both staff writers at Nevins/Kirshner
in 1960. He arranged the Joey Powers "Midnight Mary" album, which due
to the artists availability, had to be recorded from Nov.22-Nov.24, the
weekend of the Kennedy assassination. All of the musicians [that
included Charlie Macey, Al Rogers, Paul Simon, and Russ Savakis] played
with tears in their eyes.....but Al kept it all together. I'll never
forget him for that!!
to Phil Milstein.......My favorite Brian Wilson cut by a female is "God
only Knows" by Olivia Newton-John, which I gave her on my first day
running Irving/Almo music.
to Al Kooper.......I'm sorry to hear about your dealings with Stan Polley......fortunately, you have prevailed. My late friend, Peter Ham,
the lead singer for Badfinger, wasn't quite as lucky.
to Gary Myers, and others.........who want to know about Ben Raleigh
and other top writers of the 60's.....check out my recently updated
website http://artiewayne.com/
Finally, for those of you who laughed at my comparison of "American
Idol" to "American Bandstand"....saying that each is most important
music show of it's time. Ironically, it was announced yesterday that
the "Idol" producers have secured the rights to "American Bandstand"
and will produce a new dance show without Clark!!!
Don't forget to watch "Idol" Finale on Fox tonight.....I've heard it's
going to be spectacular..a preview of the the kind of music most of us
grew up loving but haven't heard in a long time.
regards, Artie Wayne
P.S. I apologize for being slow to respond to e-mails, but my new
publishing/songwriting consultant buisness is starting to take off
and demands most of my time.
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Message: 9
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 11:36:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Fishberg
Subject: Andrew Loog Oldham and Phil Spector
Previously:
> Andrew Loog Oldham had two other role models: Pete Meaden, the
> Who's first manager and one of the original mods, and the teenage
> svsngali and producer Phil Spector.
Oldham's imitations (may I call them that? - OK, let's say
'references') of Spector are most evident on an insanely rare US
London album entitled "East Meets West" which comprised (albut one
track) instrumental versions of Beach Boys (West Coast) and Four
Seasons (East Coast - geddit?). This features huge reverbs, crashing
percussion, wailing choruses and tubular bells. The stereo version
is well worth seeking out..
Michael Fishberg
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Message: 10
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 21:16:03 -0700
From: Alan (Albabe) Gordon
Subject: Barbara Eden
Hey John. Do you have a jpg of the Barbara Eden cover?
~albabe
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Message: 11
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 19:31:25 +0100
From: Ray
Subject: Re: The Tams in a Dancing Mood
The Tams "Dancing Mood" appears on either the group's first or second
album -- still waiting for the title, however. But it seems The Ink
Spots did it too, and their's may be the original version.
First two tams albums, it's on the second album... Second side track 4
Hey Girl, Don't Bother Me 1964
1. Weep Little Girl
2. Go Away Little Girl
3. What Kind of Girl Are You?
4. Hey Little Girl
5. Why Did My Little Girl Cry?
6. Hey Girl Don't Bother Me
7. Silly Little Girl
8. Candy
9. My Lady Elaina
10. Melancholy Baby
11. She's Funny That Way
12. Anna (Go to Him)
Presenting the Tams 1964
1. You Lied to Your Daddy
2. Do I Worry
3. Close to Me
4. Standing In
5. Riding for a Fall
6. Laugh It Off
7. It's All Right (You're Just in Love)
8. Got to Get Used to a Broken Heart
9. You Might as Well Forget Him
10. Dancing Mood
11. It's All Right
12. What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)
ray
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Message: 12
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 23:16:20 +0100
From: Dave Heasman
Subject: Andrew Loog Oldham and Pete Meaden
Previously:
> Oldham had two other role models: Pete Meaden, the Who's first manager
> and one of the original mods, and the teenage svsngali and producer
> Phil Spector.
> That Pete Meaden was a role model for Oldham rings vaugely familiar,
> and certainly makes sense,
That's odd, because Meaden & the Detours/High Numbers would only just
have hit the scene by mid '64, by which time the Stones had two UK top
10 records. And no small notoriety..
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Message: 13
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 10:32:43 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Re: Ray Whitley (and a bit of a ramble)
Thanks to Clark Besch and David Young for posting the original and a
version of "I've Been Hurt" to musica. I knew neither not that they
were anywhere near as good as the Irving Martin produced version for
Guy Darrell....:-)
Clark was also hunting through his drawers but failed to find his Ray
Whitley on Vee Jay. I have one, "It Hurts"/"Deeper In Love" (Vee Jay
448) both are dramatic, heart wrenching ballads in the Roy O style.
Recommended. I think he had others on the label.
One by him I'd love to hear is "Just A Boy In Love" on Columbia, this
co-written with Marty Cooper. Marty lost a lot of his early records in
a flood and I've been making CD-Rs for him from my collection.
Talking of "Just A Boy In Love"...Joey Paige had a great version of
this, produced by Marty in '67.
Talking of Joey Paige...A bit of 'a face' in the mid 60s. Have you
noticed in Stones stories etc how often Joey's name pops up as a guest/
host at the latest happening party? He also released some fine 45s. I
think David Young played his version of "Dream For Sale" to musica,
very good. As is his Gene Page arranged version of "Daddy's Home". But
the absolute cheese in his cracker is the Marshall Leib produced and
arranged, "Goodnight My Love" (Vee Jay). Think uptempo, doowop Angels
(with a slightly deeper voice) and Phil Spector style production.
Martin
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Message: 14
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 15:34:14 -0700
From: (That) Alan Gordon
Subject: Re: Superbabs
Clark, Like you, I only saw that outfit on the record cover. I never
got to work with, or meet Bobby Whiteside.
Best, That Alan
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Message: 15
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 18:35:49 EDT
From: John Berg
Subject: Gene Pitney
I flew through Heathrow yesterday (enroute to my Seattle home from a
visit to Egypt) and noted in the latest issue of "Q" magazine that
Pitney will be doing some UK dates later this year. My question is,
why has nobody produced a recent "contemporary" album with him along
the lines of those done with Roy Orbison and Del Shannon in the '80s?
Surely there are enough songwriters and musicians out there who
hugely admire Pitney's singing (and writing) and have industry "pull"
to make such a project feasible. Or is Pitney himself simply not
interested in such a venture? Anybody know the answers (or have I
missed a recent Pitney album of recent recordings?)
John Berg
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Message: 16
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 19:33:31 -0400
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Investigating The Lettermen
Clark Besch wrote:
> I must admit I really loved their version of "Hurt So Bad" when it
> became a hit in mid-'69, but for obscurities, when The Lettermen's
> version of Barry Mann's "Feelings" came out in May 1971, I really
> thought they'd be back riding the charts. That really didn't happen
> until they covered Lennon's "Love" three months later, which I liked
> as well. In May of '72 they tried again with Lennon's "Oh My Love",
> to lesser chart action. I think the public missed a good 45 in
> "Feelings".
For a treat as well check out their take on the old standby "Bright
Elusive Butterfly Of Love"
JB/I might wake up some morning
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Message: 17
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 02:19:27 -0000
From: Randy Kosht
Subject: Re: Herb Alpert as "Dore" (and other early A&M delights)
Country Paul:
> Not formally, Frank, but A&M 714, "Dina" by Dore Alpert (actually
> Herb, singing on record for the first time I know of) is perhaps
> my all-time favorite 45 -- certainly the only one I intentionally
> own three copies of.
Fred Clements:
> Herb recorded under the "Dore" moniker a couple (?) of singles for
> RCA, around 1962, and just before those a single for the Carnival
> label. He also, around 1959, recorded a vocal for the Prep label,
> using "Herb Alpert". I have the Carnival and one RCA single.
Do you have any details on the Prep single? I'd be interested in
tracking it down. As Dore, Herb recorded two for RCA but the
Carnival single came later. In fact, Herb has said his experiences
as an artist at RCA led him to consider having his own label.
Carnival 701 was "Tell It To the Birds," also released (outside
California) on Dot Records. A short time later, Carnival became A&M
and released "The Lonely Bull." "Dina" was the second of three
Carnival/A&M efforts, followed by "I'd Do It All Again" in '64.
The George McCurn and Dave Lewis messages were of interest to me.
George had a number of singles on A&M and also recorded for Liberty
and, I believe, Reprise. I had the hardest time finding a stereo
copy of "Country Boy Goes to Town," the second A&M LP ever released.
By 1970, it was so far out of the catalog that some A&M staffers were
unaware he had ever recorded for the label. Dave Lewis also had
about a half dozen singles at A&M. His "Little Green Thing" album
was one of my early purchases, thus I love it a lot. He did a
TJB "tribute album" for the Jerden label in the mid-'60s also. The
cover photo, by Peter Whorf, showed Dave with whipped cream in his
hair; Peter also shot the original TJB "Whipped Cream" LP cover.
And yes, A&M in the early days tended to record people they liked, at
least according to Derek Taylor's liner notes on the first A&M Chris
Montez LP.
Randy Kosht, A&Mania
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Message: 18
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 18:29:37 -0000
From: Brent
Subject: Re: early fuzz
Previously:
> Dumb Head is the earliest song that I've heard that has a fuzztone
> guitar sound on it. Anyone know of earlier songs?
John Fox:
> Not quite as early as Marty Robbins' "Don't Worry", but from later
> that year (it made the charts in July of 1961) is an incredible early
> fuzztone guitar in, of all songs, "I Just Don't Understand" by Ann-
> Margret. This song gets zero oldies airplay, even thought it hit the
> Top 20.
Very cool sound on the Ann-Margret song (the picture sleeve for the 45
is nice, too). At the risk of throwing a monkey wrench into the early
fuzz thread, I'd like to know if anyone can name a song by the Zombies
(with Paul Atkinson on guitar RIP) that has fuzz on it at all?
Best to all,
Brent
P.S.The Bergen White CD bonus tracks are the equal of the album, IMHO
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Message: 19
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 23:20:00 -0400
From: ACJ
Subject: Re: demo'ing Pitney
Al Kooper: Thanks for your memories of working with Gene Pitney. I kinda
figured you two had crossed paths in Schroeder's company, but I didn't
press the issue.
Y'know, I was a member of Gene's fan club during the mid-1990s, and in
his writings for the club newsletter, Gene was quite enthusiastic about
this new thing called the Internet and all the people he was meeting on
it. I'm kinda surprised that Gene hasn't shown up (as far as I know) in
a group like this one. (Heck, he doesn't even seem to have his own site,
although his fan club sorta has one.)
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Message: 20
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 17:21:20 -0400
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: The Orlons' Steve Caldwell re: Philly hippies
I recently emailed Orlons bass Steve Caldwell, letting him know about
the recent thread on "hippies" and asking for his input on the
subject. Pasted below is his reply:
"Yo! I will give you what I know. Kal Mann could come up with ideas in
a flash, and this is what he did when it came into his mind that most
every town had a street song. So Philly needed a street song and what
better street then SOUTH STREET where all the HIPPIES MEET.
Philadelphia way know for it's (HAP) People in the black areas, So
something else taken from us, change it a little and you have (Hippie)
One day if we can talk face to face I will tell you more. I thank you
for your interest, it will keep our good music alive.
Stephen James Caldwell Sr.
P.S. I found out about two weeks that Rosetta the lead singer on most
of The Orlons songs is alive and doing well in London England.
Hope this helps."
Joe Nelson
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Message: 21
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 03:22:16 -0000
From: rbcsoup
Subject: Re: Mamas & Papas musicians
Mike Melvoin (mostly on their 4th LP) and Larry Knechtel did most of
their Keyboard work. Althought Ray Manzarek hit the organ in Dancing
In the Street and No Salt On Her Tail.
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Message: 22
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 21:08:57 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Gene Pitney
Al Kooper:
> What a truly unaffected great guy, who can still sing the chrome off
> trailer hitches.
I backed up Pitney for a weekend in Milwaukee in late '63 and he was
very nice to work with, even though our guitar man didn't play the
right chords for many of the songs. When someone posted Pitney's email
address several years ago I wrote to him and he responded right away
with a couple of specific memories of that gig.
One of my favorite non-chart Pitney songs is "Donna Means Heartbreak"
- flip of "True Love Never Runs Smooth."
gem
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Message: 23
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 01:33:28 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Fuzz; Kirsty; Other Brothers & Rinaldi Brothers
Gary Myers wrote:
> The Ventures' "2000 Pound Bee" charted in 12/62. I think the generally
> acknowledged precursor to the fuzztone is the solo on Marty Robbins'
> "Don't Worry 'Bout Me"; from 1/61.
Al K.:
> The actual acknowledged precursor to the fuzztone would be Rawhide by
> guit-genius Link Wray. I'm too old to get up and look it up. Actual
> fuzztoneage is heard on Spector's Zip A Dee Doo Dah.
That was a real fuzztone sound on Marty Robbins, but I don't know if it was
a legit fuzzbox or something else. In the precursor division would also be
Robbie Robertson, playing guitar with Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks in 1962
and '63: "Who Do You Love" and "Bo Diddley" (two sides of one amazing 45 in
'63) and "Comes Love" (album cut, '62 I believe, with some hints of
controlled feedback and certainly a "heftier" guitar tone than most folks
were using at the time).
Angela, thank you for the Kirsty MacColl songs! She really "got it" on
"Believe," and "Water" is an unexpected treat. (By the way, for Beach Boys
fans, this week's Entertainment Weekly has a couple of page story on the
making and perpetuating of "Kokomo," the BBoys' last #1 song. Worth a read -
and a groan.)
Clark Besch:
> I also found Tollie 9010 by Them Other Brothers, with "Be a Good
> Little Girl" backed with "Just Forget 'Em", both sides co-written by
> Whitley and Mac Davis.
"Be A Good..." was a good little record as I remember; we gave it a bit of
play on WBRU. (VeeJay gave our little college radio station - closed circuit
at that time - some of our best record service.)
And please post re: the Rinaldi Brothers date again closer the event - like
early next week - as a reminder! (I've heard a couple of tracks by you guys
on a demo - very good.)
Country Paul
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Message: 24
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 21:39:02 -0700
From: Alan (Albabe) Gordon
Subject: SF and Hippydom
Clark Besch says stuff about Hippies and SF and albabe replies:
SF is still a very cool and gorgeous place. We've always had good
music and good comedy. I personally think our restaurants are as
tasty (the food, not the domicile) as New York and LA.
Small vestiges of the Love Generation are still apparent in the foggy
city. The people are very open-minded, accommodating and still pretty
groovy.
If you're out this way, let me know and I'll tell you where to eat etc.
peace,
~albabe
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Message: 25
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 11:00:05 +0200
From: Frank Jastfelder
Subject: Re: George McCurn; "Dore" Alpert; Brian's new CD
Me:
> ... George McCurn's "Country Boy Goes To Town" (one of the rarest
> A&M LPs, I guess). McCurn was one of the greatest bass singers in
> the gospel field. I think both releases were not fast-selling items.
Country Paul:
> ... but McCurn's 45, "I'm Just A Country Boy" (A&M 702 -- or close
> to that number, 1962), was a significant if not huge hit - and is a
> beautiful record!
Didnīt know that McCurnīs song was a hit. I too, have a Dore Alpert
single, A&M 729, (arranged and conducted by H.A. it says. What a poor
disguise.) The great thing is that Herb sings an early Harry Nilsson
tune on it, "Iīd Do It All Again" written together with Scott Turner.
Itīs pure drama with a big arrangement and it sounds already very
Nilssoneseque. Like on "Dina", I guess, since I donīt know the song
Herb sings in a very plaintive way. Funny that he hit it so big with
"This Guyīs..." later on.
Iīm very excited what you Sīpoppers will say to Brianīs new album.
Itīs good to see that Van Dyke is on board.
Frank
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Message: 26
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 01:06:40 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Aquatones; Judy Geeson; fuzz; Jim Lee; more
Austin Roberts:
> There was a hit record out somewhere around 1960 I think called
> YOU by the Aquatones. I loved the record but don't know anything
> about the group. Could somebody hep me?
>From Gary Myers:
> Formed in Valley Stream, Long Island, NY in '57. Lynn Nixon,
> Larry Vannata, David Goddard, Eugene McCarthy.
"You" was Fargo 1001, released in January, 1958. The website,
http://www.aquatones.freeservers.com/main.htm claims to allow listening to
samples of the new CD, but wouldn't allow me access to them. David Young,
you seem to have heard the new CD; is it good? By the way, the "Lynn"
(without the "e") Nixon error probably comes from the back of the Relic
reissue of the Fargo LP of the group, which has an decent bio of the group
and Fargo Records and includes six additional cuts, including the earlier
incarnation of the hit and the group, "You Are My Love" by The Teen Kings.
It also contains the group's exquisite final 45, a remake of the Heartbeats'
"Crazy For You" (Fargo 1016). Incidentally, "You" peaked nationally at #21
(the website claims it hit #1 in Boston and #7 in New York) in 1958, but the
initial release of their album (Fargo 3001) was in 1964, long after anyone
really cared. Sadly, Lynne Nixon died in 2001.
Bobster:
> What's Judy Geeson up to lately?
Bio sketch at
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-14168 shows her
acting in three episodes of The Gilmore Girls (2001-02), plus Touched By An
Angel (2000) and the continuing role of Maggie Conway on Mad About You
(1992-99). There was also the To Sir With Love TV Reunion Movie Sequel in
1996.
BB:
> [Ginny Arnell's] "Dumb Head" is the earliest song that I've
> heard that has a fuzztone guitar sound on it. Anyone know of
> earlier songs?
There's been an extensive previous discussion of this; check the archives.
I believe we decided Marty Robbins' "Don't Worry," from 1960, got the prize.
Martin:
> Regarding last week's Mark Robinson track: Was anyone foolish
> enough (like me) to assume the "Hazlewood & Lee Productions"
> was just 'clever' word play?....[T]he 'Lee' in question is
> actually Jim Lee (Monogram Records etc).
...and Indigo Records too.
Short takes:
Neb Rodgers, thank you for the Nick Drake listening post:
http://www.hyperlaunch.com/nickdrake/nme/
You have made me and many of my friends happy!
Me, earlier:
> ...my favorite Canadian 45, the Esquires' "So Many Other Boys,"
> which...I've never seen as a legit reissue.
...and which I can play to musica when there's room.
Angela Greene, gotta hear the Kirsty single, please!
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