________________________________________________________________________
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
________________________________________________________________________
There are 16 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Cowsills a L'Italiano
From: Frank Jastfelder
2. Re: the power of the DJ/payola
From: Fred Clemens
3. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
From: Lyn
4. Re: a visit to the Hall of Fame
From: Hal Muskat
5. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
From: Simon White
6. Re: NYC record shops -- update
From: Mikey
7. Re: "Celebrate" controversey
From: Joe Nelson
8. Re: Gene Pitney
From: Austin Powell
9. Re: labels for elders
From: Gary Myers
10. Re: The Aquatones Story
From: Judye
11. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
From: Stewart Mason
12. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
From: Patrick Beckers
13. Re: Love Of The Common People
From: Martin Roberts
14. Re: Gene Pitney
From: (That) Alan Gordon
15. Touch the Wall of Sound
From: Brian Davy
16. Re: Waddle, Waddle
From: Gary Myers
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 10:26:13 +0200
From: Frank Jastfelder
Subject: Re: Cowsills a L'Italiano
Paul Richards wrote:
> Is 'Le Opere Di Bartolomeo' the same song as Wayne Fontana's great
> 'The Words of Bartholemew'?
Nope, Le Opere ... is an original Italian composition by Cini/Bardotti. I'm
not familiar with these names but maybe one of our Sopranopoppers
knows some details. I will post the track to musica, but this will take some
time since I first have to transfer it on CD.
Frank J
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 11:23:54 -0000
From: Fred Clemens
Subject: Re: the power of the DJ/payola
Phil X. Mitein wrote:
> This same dynamic exists to this day, although such shows are generally
> annual events and under the banner of an entire station rather than a
> single DJ. It's also what brings us payola, and the very reason why it
> will always exist in some form or another. Artists and labels need radio
> in order to sell records, and will do whatever it takes to gain and
> maintain access to it.
Payola, as I understand it to where it makes some sense, is when records
were played for pay (or other reimbursement) and went undeclared as
income by the DJ and/or station. It was when the government didn't get
their cut that got them into trouble.
Fred Clemens
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 17:38:44 +1000
From: Lyn
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
For me, it's 1968's "Billy You're My Friend", a mini-opera in three-and-a-
third minutes.
As to whether that's an "obscurity," Pitney's quality repertoire was so large
that people in different places might have different ideas about what was
obscure or mainstream. "Billy ..." was a charting single in three of our four
major cities in Australia, but not in Sydney, our largest market. Pitney began
including "Who Needs It?" on his Australian tours, once he figured out that
the Aussies yelling out "Who Needs It?" at his concerts weren't hecklers but
fans requesting this song, a hit in Australia but known mainly as a B-side
elsewhere.
Lyn
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 05:56:13 -0700
From: Hal Muskat
Subject: Re: a visit to the Hall of Fame
John Fox wrote:
> I just got back from visiting the R&RHOF in Cleveland with my son, and
> we were struck by the tremendous inconsistency of the "official" Hall
> inductees.
You raise some excellent issues, Mr. Fox! Who determines deservedness,
and who elected them to do so? Do they speak for fans, musicians, labels
or what? Criteria has never been clear -- sort of like mystery meat.
I would have thought Mr. Kooper had a space there, and your points are
well taken.
Does the fact the museum is in Cleveland have anything to do with
anything?
Hal
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 19:27:42 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
Howard suggested:
> I'd like to nominate "She's A Heartbreaker", a great Inez & Charlie
> Foxx composition.
I'll second itm Howard -- didn't Richard "Popcorn" Wylie produce?
Simon
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 14:36:24 -0400
From: Mikey
Subject: Re: NYC record shops -- update
Correction. Midnight Records is gone .... busted by the Feds.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 15:08:02 -0400
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Re: "Celebrate" controversey
That Alan Gordon wrote:
> Joe Nelson, the song "Celebrity Ball" (aka "Celebrate") was written
> by (me) Alan Gordon and Garry Bonner.
That's what I figured. I just didn't understand why the guy (who operates
an oldies CD database for a living and should have known that) would
single that one track out as the one 3DN hit the group did write themselves
if it wasn't true. I thought there might have been some misinformation at
some point, and was wondering if you had any info on the history of same,
resolution (legal or otherwise), etc.
Joe Nelson
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 20:25:15 +0100
From: Austin Powell
Subject: Re: Gene Pitney
There was an excellent 50-track double CD of Gene issued in the UK by
Sanctuary in 2000. In the notes, which take the form of an interview between
GP and Roger Dopson, he confirms that "(I Wanna) Love My Love Away"
cost $30 to make, using a "small studio on 7th Avenue." The Musicor label
was formed by Gene's publisher Aaron Schroeder, with the help of Art
Talmadge at United Artists. The notes are almost as entertaining as listening
to the songs -- and what an array of songwriters!
Austin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 11:58:32 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: labels for elders
Country Paul wrote:
> Aren't there any labels out there, like Gold Castle once was, who are
> issuing new work by known artists who have "aged out" of the major-
> label machinery?
Pat Boone has a label of that nature. It was fun to see him and Little
Richard sitting side by side on the Today show last week.
gem
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 14:52:14 EDT
From: Judye
Subject: Re: The Aquatones Story
WOW!!!! What a GREAT Interview!!! Thanks for sharing it with us! Dave
most definitely has a way with words. I enjoyed this interview very much!
Let me say this again, The Aquatones new CD "40 Years Later" is
awesome. If you don't have it, get it -- you won't be sorry!
The Aquatones' number one fan,
Judye
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 12:17:14 -0700 (PDT)
From: Stewart Mason
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
Howard suggested:
> I'd like to nominate "She's A Heartbreaker", a great Inez & Charlie
> Foxx composition.
A fabulous track, but it was actually one of Gene's hits, hitting #16 in the
summer of 1968. (It was also his last chart record.) This is something
closer to a "lost hit," one of those chart records that you never hear
anymore because as far as oldies radio is concerned, Gene's only hits
were "Only Love Can Break A Heart," "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"
and "It Hurts To Be In Love." But that's a whole different rant, and one I've
ranted here before.
I've seen Gene live twice in the last three years, and both times "She's
A Heartbreaker" was one of the highlights of his live set, the song where
he lets the band have a workout.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 21:36:51 +0200
From: Patrick Beckers
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
I have three favorite obscure Pitney tracks:
Billy You're My Friend
Animal Crackers (co-written by our own Alan Gordon)
Shady Lady
Patrick Beckers
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 08:47:24 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Re: Love Of The Common People
I'm not sure of the release date -- mid- to late '60s, I'd guess -- but Deane
Hawley also recorded "Love Of The Common People", on Sundown 111. Produced by Marshall Leib, and arranged & conducted by Jimmy Haskell. Quite nice, but surely there is no finer version of this song than Nicky
Thomas's reggae version, from 1969.
Martin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 11:37:46 -0700
From: (That) Alan Gordon
Subject: Re: Gene Pitney
Not only is Gene Pitney one of the rare great voices ever, he has written
some great songs as well. "He`s A Rebel", "Hello Mary Lou", "I Wanna
Love My Life Away", just to mame a few. I also agree with my fellow S'pop
member that Al Kooper is too good to be in the R&R Hall of Fame. I would
however pay to visit a rock n roll pirates pavillion, where all the infamous
crooks would be displayed in wax!
Woudn`t that be great.
Best,
That Alan
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 19:28:20 +0100
From: Brian Davy
Subject: Touch the Wall of Sound
I recently acquired a copy of "Touch the Wall of Sound" - a 60-track double
CD on "Ring of Stars". Track 19 on side 1 is listed as "I Love Him" by The
Castanets, but clearly isn't. The title might well be "You Don't Do What I
Say" -- does anybody know who's singing?
Brian
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 12:07:02 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Waddle, Waddle
Julio Nino wrote:
> Is the main voice a girl or a boy? (it seems that I always have trouble
> distinguishing between boys and girls) <<
Hah! That could be a real problem. I'll bet you really had it tough with
Laurie London's "He's Got The Whole World ..." :-)
gem
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
End
