Spectropop - Digest Number 1511

• From: Spectropop Group
• Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004

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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 17 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Re: The Girls From Bahia (Americanized Bossa Nova)
           From: Paul Levinson 
      2. 5 Emprees
           From: Clark Besch 
      3. Re: a visit to the Hall of Fame
           From: Phil X Milstein 
      4. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
           From: Bob Rashkow 
      5. Re: Buzz Cason book
           From: Austin Roberts 
      6. Is it a boy, or is it a girl?
           From: Brent 
      7. Chubby Chequered / David Bowie "Learns To Love"
           From: Phil X Milstein 
      8. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
           From: Julio Niño 
      9. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
           From: Ken Silverwood 
     10. Re: a little bit Marty Cooper, a little bit Jimmy Osmond
           From: Phil X Milstein 
     11. Re: Mike Smith update
           From: Karen Andrew 
     12. Re: NYC record shops
           From: Scott Sookman 
     13. Re: a visit to the Hall of Fame
           From: Bob Rashkow 
     14. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
           From: Gary Myers 
     15. Sir Ben, Bri' and The Beatles
           From: Phil X Milstein 
     16. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track
           From: Richard Williams 
     17. Re: favorite obscure Pitney track / Relic
           From: Wes Smith 


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Message: 1
   Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 03:30:14 -0000
   From: Paul Levinson 
Subject: Re: The Girls From Bahia (Americanized Bossa Nova)

Patrick Rands asked:
> Were there any other Americanized Bossa Nova acts from the mid-60s 
who
> aren't remembered today?

Eydie Gorme?

No. I guess she's still remembered ...

(Sorry, couldn't resist. Great record, though.)

Paul
www.sff.net/people/paullevinson





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Message: 2
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 16:19:50 -0000
   From: Clark Besch 
Subject: 5 Emprees

I just received the long awaited Arf!Arf! CD of the 5 Emprees best. 
Erik Lindgren has done an excellent job of compiling all those 
obscure 45s from several labels and putting together a wonderful 
CD of 25 tracks with (for the most part) great sound. 

"Little Miss Sad" is their lone charter, but a great slice of '65 pop 
rock. The first 11 tracks are as presented on their lone LP. For the 
most part these are the lame tracks of the CD. Mediocre covers 
("Running Bear"?) abound, but their cover of "Hey Baby" stands 
out as a Hollies-sounding rocker that became the follow-up to their
hit, and also charted on WLS Chicago. As the liner notes state, it is a 
true feather in the group's hat that all those great Chi groups followed 
in the 5 Emprees' footsteps. "Mama Didn't Know" is another decent 
song from the LP. 

The singles that comprise the remaining tracks are pretty good, for 
the most part. "Little Miss Happiness" is really good, despite its obvious 
ripoff attempt of their hit. Despite a few flat notes from the lead singer, 
"Pretty Face" is a Left Banke-sounding ballad in many ways -- need I say 
more? "Would You Believe" sounds like a Boyce & Hart vocal and song. 
Both of these were before the artists I compared them to had their similar 
sounding hits, too. "Gone From My Mind" is that classic Fortunes song. 
The sparser Emprees version is more Hollies-sounding, and a pretty 
originally good effort on Smash. Funny that they released "Hey Diddle 
Diddle" and "Shake" on 45s around '68, since Mason City, Iowa's very 
popular area group, the Pete Klint Quintet, also released these songs 
as 45s. Wonder if one got the songs by hearing the others'?

The final three tracks are VERY interesting and I'd never heard them. 
A 1968 re-recording of "Little Miss Sad", with a new vocalist this time. 
I think the singing is better than the original, although it's very true to 
the original. The surprise here is adding American Breed-styled horn 
overdubs! Works pretty well, despite the original being better (IMO). 
Track 24 is "Nobody Cares". The entire CD is worth buying just for THIS 
track! Just an amazing sunshine-harmony song! It was the B-side of the 
new "Little Miss Sad" 45, apparently. Shoulda been the A-side! Great 
harmonies, and a nice horn break! The Cd notes mention that many 
recordings were made that seem to be lost. One "found" nugget is the 
final track, "Lurkin'". The acetate that is shown in the booklet is the 
source for this cool nugget. If you heard the opening and didn't know, 
you'd swear you were hearing the opening of my beloved Cryan Shames' 
"Mr. Unreliable". Despite the similarities, the 5 Emprees' song is really 
good, and has a melody of its own. 
 
I have anticipated this CD for over a year, and it did not disappoint! Well 
worth the money from www.arfarfrecords.com. BTW, it's all mono, but 
sound is nice. If you like Chicago '60s, ya gotta buy this one! 

Clark



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Message: 3
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 09:52:40 +0000
   From: Phil X Milstein 
Subject: Re: a visit to the Hall of Fame

Hal Muskat wrote:
> You raise some excellent issues, Mr. Fox! Who determines deservedness,
> and who elected them to do so?

I believe that is Ahmet.

> Does the fact the museum is in Cleveland have anything to do with
> anything?

Cleveland is to the history of rocknroll as Cooperstown, NY is to the
history of baseball. I think it's funny, though, that the industry deems
Cleveland to be the ideal place to site their precious museum, yet it's 
not good enough to host their annual induction ceremonies. They did
try having it there once or twice, but promptly reverted it to New York.

--Phil M.



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Message: 4
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 12:54:25 EDT
   From: Bob Rashkow 
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track

Isn't that sad? I never even hear "Mecca" anymore! But I think they still
recognize "Town Without Pity", although maybe not as much as the other 
mentioned Pitney smashes. What a repertoire this great singer has, and
I'm probably only familiar with15 percent of it! So much listening to do!  

Bobster



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Message: 5
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 13:34:05 EDT
   From: Austin Roberts 
Subject: Re: Buzz Cason book

Buzz Cason's very recently released book "Living The Rock And Roll 
Dream" (Hal Leonard Pub) is already in its second printing. It has some 
great info on the pop/rock scene from 1957 to the present. Buzz, besides 
being a dear friend, has been there for many of the hot times and changes 
as a writer/artist/producer/and publisher. I think you'll be amazed at some 
of the info -- including, of course, all of the info on The Statues.

Austin (book promoter) Roberts



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Message: 6
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 22:04:58 -0000
   From: Brent 
Subject: Is it a boy, or is it a girl?

Julio Niño on the Bracelets:
> Is the main voice a girl or a boy? (it seems that I always have 
> trouble distinguishing between boys and girls)...

Gary Myers:
> 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 ..."  :-)

And, no doubt, Robin McNamara's "Lay A Little Lovin' On Me", as well.
Great job, Laura Pinto! Great single too, Robin & J. Barry ...

Brent




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Message: 7
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 16:20:31 +0000
   From: Phil X Milstein 
Subject: Chubby Chequered / David Bowie "Learns To Love"

Anyone know of Chubby Checker's psychedelic album? According to my
information, it was released in at least three versions: under the title
"New Revelation" in the U.S.; "Chequered" in England; and "Chubby
Checker" in Spain. The Spanish version, on Ariola, apparently includes
two more songs than the other two. I'm very eager to get a copy of this 
thing, in any of its versions.

Along similar lines, I wonder if anyone knows of the whereabouts of an
obscure David Bowie track titled "Even A Fool Learns To Love."

Please contact me off-list if you can help out with either of these items.

--Phil M.





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Message: 8
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 20:34:54 -0000
   From: Julio Niño 
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track

Hola Everybody.

Continuing with the flow of obscure Gene Pitney´s tracks, I don't think
anybody has mentioned yet one of my favorites: " Dream for Sale", a 
gorgeous pocket drama.

Chao.
Julio Niño.



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Message: 9
   Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 00:22:56 +0100
   From: Ken Silverwood 
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track

previously:
> "There's No Livin' Without Your Lovin'", which is not only one of the 
> biggest hits Gene never had, but one of the biggest hits the Righteous 
> Brothers should've had! Hoowee!
 
I've a copy of Manfred Mann doing this same song, with Paul Jones on 
lead. It's on an album, and I don't think was ever put out as a single. The 
track Al Kooper named as his F.O.G.P.T., "Take It Like A Man" (funny, that 
line is in "I'm Gonna Be Strong"!), is on the super "Blue Gene" LP. I 
always remember the song "She Lets Her Hair Down" for the Sunsilk hair 
products advert. Can't help noticing his US and UK chart successes differed, 
with "She's A Heartbreaker" and "Last Chance To Turn Around" going top 
twenty Stateside but not doing much here, being prime examples. 

Ken On The West Coast (feeling "Tower Tall")



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Message: 10
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 12:22:18 +0000
   From: Phil X Milstein 
Subject: Re: a little bit Marty Cooper, a little bit Jimmy Osmond

Martin Roberts wrote:
> Country Paul asked about Marty Cooper's musical history:
> ... wrote "A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock N Roll" and
> plenty more besides!

"A Little Country/Rocknroll" -- now THAT'S impressive! When I was in
Branson last year, I took great amusement from the fact that that song
had become the focal point of the city's #1 controversy.

Whereas the older Osmond Bros. (i.e., pre-Donny) had been one of that
entertainment mecca's mainstay acts for a long number of years, by the
early '90s the scene there had become overexpanded, and began
experiencing serious consolidation strains. Many stars who'd previously
headlined their own ("own") theaters were now being forced to double up,
or suffer some other form of downsizing. The Osmonds, for instance,
found themselves working breakfast shows, at an anonymous theater at
that. While their star was hurtling earthward, little Jimmy had mosied
into town and was now top-naming a highly successful '50s-styled
"jukebox" show. Without having gained their permission (I'm not positive
that he even asked for it), Jimmy had appropriated Donny & Marie's
tagline of "little bit country/little bit rocknroll" as his own
(rephrasing it as "I'm a little bit country, I'm a little bit," etc.),
causing his near-ostracization from the family. I'd be curious to learn,
however, whether the recent death of family matriarch Olive Osmond 
has led to some sort of reconciliation.

--Phil M.




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Message: 11
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 17:31:40 -0700 (PDT)
   From: Karen Andrew 
Subject: Re: Mike Smith update

Clark Besch wrote:
> Here is some heartening news on DC5 lead singer Mike Smith's latest 
> condition after his terrible fall at home in Europe.

What happened to Mike Smith? I'm sure this was covered recently, but my 
poor memory is failing me!

Thanks,
Karen



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Message: 12
   Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 01:25:14 -0000
   From: Scott Sookman 
Subject: Re: NYC record shops

Sadly, Midnight Records has vanished after about 20 years. Their website
is also gone. Sniff.  

Although I've lived in L.A. since 1989, I shopped at Midnight six or seven
times over the years, and always found it to be the epitome of a big city 
record store: a tiny shop in an ancient building, crammed full of the coolest, 
most obscure, specialist items imagineable. One of my faves.  

R.I.P.




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Message: 13
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 12:43:30 EDT
   From: Bob Rashkow 
Subject: Re: a visit to the Hall of Fame

John Fox: 
> ...the guy answered, "Is she (referring to Jackie Wilson) an inductee?"  

Of course they must have mixed him up with Jackie DeShannon. :--)

Welcome to the 21st Century.  

It's also not too difficult to figure out why "Celebrate" gets more airplay on
oldies and "classic rock" stations than "Easy To Be Hard" or "Eli's Coming" --
my take is that 1) it's a party tune and 2) the Rago-Radni and Nyro tunes 
might be (gasp gasp) considered more -- dare I even breathe the word --
revolutionary?!  

Bobster



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Message: 14
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 10:09:35 -0700
   From: Gary Myers 
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track

This one is a B-side that did chart, but I've always liked:
"If I Didn't Have A Dime"

gem



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Message: 15
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 16:25:37 +0000
   From: Phil X Milstein 
Subject: Sir Ben, Bri' and The Beatles

I found this paragraph recently in an online bio of actor Ben Kingsley:

"Made his London stage debut in 1966 as the narrator of 'A Smashing Day'
produced by Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. He wrote the music for the
production as well as sang and played guitar for same. After one
performance, John Lennon and Ringo Starr came backstage and told 
him that he should go into music and that if he didn't, 'he would regret 
it for the rest of his life.' He was subsequently offered a deal by the
same publishers who handled the Beatles, but he chose to remain 
an actor. The next year, he was invited to join the Royal Shakespeare
Company and his choice was made."

I've never heard of this musical before. Is it a known entity to Beatles 
experts?

--Phil M.





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Message: 16
   Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 23:40:34 +0100
   From: Richard Williams 
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track

My vote would go to "24 Sycamore" -- if it's obscure enough.

Richard Williams





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Message: 17
   Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 04:41:44 -0000
   From: Wes Smith 
Subject: Re: favorite obscure Pitney track / Relic

Al Kooper wrote:
> OK, come outa the basements, lads... Favorite obscure Pitney trax?
> Mine is One Day. Also love Donna Means Heartbreak & Marianne.

I'll certainly go along with the two above -- real nice, although I didn't 
think "Donna Means Heartbreak" was anywhere near obscure as 
"Marianne". Also I must add two more that I was unaware of for years,
"Angels Got Together" and "Rising Tide Of Love". Both real nice, to my 
ears.

Phil X. Mil wrote:
> Relic Rack, which, if I recall correctly, spawned the Relic line of doo-
> wop reissues, although the two separated from one another after a
> while. Relic Rack shut down a few months ago, a sad event which 
> prompted a brief thread in these parts.

Apparently the Relic label has been  gone for some time, too. A real 
shame, because they did things right.

Wes Smith





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