________________________________________________________________________
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
________________________________________________________________________
There are 16 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. The Esquires now playing on musica
From: Country Paul
2. Crab Creek; Gene Pitney; Pat Boone's label
From: Country Paul
3. Re: A Visit to the Hall of Fame
From: Clark Besch
4. Re: Favorite obscure Pitney track??
From: Al Kooper
5. Marty Cooper; Statues; Dina
From: Country Paul
6. Re: Bobby & I
From: Clark Besch
7. Re: Cowsills a L´Italiano
From: Clark Besch
8. Re: Favorite obscure Pitney track??
From: thirteen_eagle
9. Re: Murray the K and the power of the DJ
From: Clark Besch
10. Re: Favorite obscure Pitney track??
From: Clark Besch
11. Gene Pitney on CD
From: Mike Edwards
12. The quality of recent messages
From: Mike Edwards
13. Re: Favorite obscure Pitney track??
From: Paul Underwood
14. Re: a visit to the Hall of Fame
From: Gary Spector
15. Re: 1965 hits
From: Clark Besch
16. Re: 1965 hits
From: Nick Archer
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 01:10:36 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: The Esquires now playing on musica
In the light of the recent Canadian discussions, I have played to musica "So
Many Other Boys" by The Esquires (Capitol of Canada), a Canadian hit in
1964. Not only was this never released in the US, it didn't even make their
albums in Canada, despite being in "heavy rotation" at CHUM and the other
major Toronto rock/pop stations. I think it's a forgotten masterpiece, and
welcome your opinions. (I bought my original copy new in '64, but my then-
girlfriend left it on the shelf of the back window of my car, where the
summer sun turned it into a potato chip! It took nearly 40 years to come up
with another one!)
Country Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 00:07:16 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Crab Creek; Gene Pitney; Pat Boone's label
Martin Roberts: re: "Jack Nitzsche Record of the Week":
> ...The Crab Creek County High School Band - with The Gantry
> Mission Trumpets and their rendition of "Chivaree".
How did this get on Old Town?!? It's actually sorta cute in a funky kind of
way. But Old Town?!?
Hope you enjoyed Dave Goddard's comments about the Aquatones. One mea culpa:
missing is a "DG" in front of the paragraph starting "Sounds like a plan."
But you probably filled that in mentally anyway....
Lyn in Australia:
> 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.
A very cool record, perhaps the most Mersey-influenced of his songs that I'm
familiar with. His duet with himself reminds me of the interesting but less
successful duets he did with George Jones - trying to mine that crossover
gold, I guess.
Me, earlier:
> 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?
Gary Myers:
> 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.
Pat Boone? With Little Richard? Great cooga-mooga! What's the label called,
who's been recording on it, and is the product any good? Inquiring minds
want to know....
Country Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 06:27:50 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: A Visit to the Hall of Fame
I'll keep this short. The Hall of Fame is ridiculous under its
current criteria. Absurd. Irritating! Just call it the Museum
of Rock 'n Roll and I'll be quite happy with it! Clark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 03:55:14 EDT
From: Al Kooper
Subject: Re: Favorite obscure Pitney track??
Billy G. Spradlin chose:
> ... "Hawaii" which was the flip of "It Hurts to Be in Love" has been
> a favorite of mine for years. It could easily have been a A-side.
> What girl group sings the intro? ("Palm Trees reach out to the sky
> up above, surfin' and swimmin' in a wonderland of love..." Nice intro!)
I gotta say I shrivel up everytime I hear the backup gals on that record.
I think they are the whitest lamest sound I ever heard in my life. Not
just the intro, but thruout the entire song. Other than that, I like it
fine. I was not at that session or I would have spoken out...
Al Kooper
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 00:57:25 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Marty Cooper; Statues; Dina
Martin Roberts, thanks for the Marty Cooper thumbnail. He sure was one
prolific cat. In addition to all you mention, there seems to also be a
tie-in with The White Stripes! (I'm still trying to figure out that group.)
FYI, Googling "Marty Cooper" also gets you the information that a(nother)
Marty Cooper invented the cellular telephone!
Also, Martin, thank you for the details on the Statues. The Jordanaires
connection makes sense considering the astounding bass singing. Their "Blue
Velvet" has always knocked me out. It's great to know more about it.
Bill Craig, thanks for re-posting the Rinaldo Bros. gig info. We'll be at a
symphony concert that night at NJPAC [scene of the cancelled Brian Wilson
concert last year], but perhaps, if my wife is still awake afterwards, we
can swing by for a set.
Re: Dore Alpert's "Dina" - someone else out there liked it when it was new!
KQV, Pittsburgh, had it as a "Future Favorite" for the week of August 25,
1963; it got at least as high as #40 on their Top 50 in early September.
Country Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 05:50:53 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Bobby & I
Never heard of Bobby & I, but the song you played is GREAT!! If
Jefferson Airplane ever did this kinda stuff, they could have
sounded like this!! On the boy/girl duo thing, this reminds me of
a cool 45 and Lp by Janey (Schramm) & Dennis (Pereca) on Warner
Brothers from 1970. Produced by Jerry Corbetta of Sugarloaf fame
in 1970 on Reprise records. "Northern Boy", the 45 from the Lp,
was very different and very good vocal song. The duo also wrote
all the songs. Anyone know more about them or wanna hear "Northern
Boy"?? Again, thanks Phil for that great musical addition!! Clark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 05:25:11 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Cowsills a L´Italiano
Previously:
> And since there was still some space left I thought you might enjoy
> an italian version of "We Can Fly" by the Cowsills.
Andy:
> Wonderful, if these kids learned that phonetically, then it's the
> best I've ever heard !!!!!
This is great! So many followups to big hits get buried in the luster
of the big hit and "We Can Fly" is certainly one of these. A terrific
song that gets overlooked completely due to "Rain, Park..."
Thanks for posting! Clark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 06:28:20 -0000
From: thirteen_eagle
Subject: Re: Favorite obscure Pitney track??
Denis Gagnon chose:
> ... "That girl belongs to yesterday"; But only the 45' version, as
> all the versions I have heard from albums, are different than the
> one on 45'.
I'll second that - and it sounds like the difference is another vocal
overdubbed on the finished track, and is probably mixed mono, which
is why it doesn't show up on the albums - right? "I've Got Five
Dollars and it's Saturday Night" is a close second; something a
little less serious!
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 06:25:02 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Murray the K and the power of the DJ
Certainly, the DJ had a major pull in the 60's. As WLS' Ron Riley
(co-winner of the "Clark's favorite DJ award with Larry Lujack)
mentions often in interviews, he was treated much like the Beatles
sometimes simply because he had met the Beatles!! The fans couldn't
get at the Beatles, but they could get at me, he'd say. Not to let
Murray the k off the hook, but SO many DJs, promoters, managers had
artists play for nothing at big shows in order to get the publicity
that Murray really shouldn't be singled out. It was often "part of
the business" IMO.
What was funny was how the artists needed the DJs to feel liked, but
so often put them on or made fun of them, that DJs sometimes looked
pretty silly. From the stupid questions they asked artists to the
intentionally stupid answers artists gave back in return, there had
to be times they wanted nothing to do with the radio Gods. I think
of a few instances where the Beatles treat Murray that way. I think
of the PBS 1970 CCR special where some fast talking DJ from their
hometown SF is asking questions and you can see John Fogerty rolling
his eyes. It was give and take I guess with artists usually giving
and promoters taking....Clark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 06:00:17 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Favorite obscure Pitney track??
I know this isn't really obscure, but "Just One Smile" by Gene is
one of the most underrated of his hits. Despite its' low national
chart action (#60 if I remember), it was top 10 on WLS Chicago and
one of the great moments of 1966. Some group covered it on Columbia
a couple years later and did a great job as well!
Say, speaking of Gene, anyone (Al?) remember Gene's tour of stars he
did like the Dick Clark tours in mid-60's?? I can't think of anyone
but Gene that had several acts appearing like the DC tours, can you?
Did anyone see them. I have a Lincoln station's promo to win dinner
with Gene Pitney before the show here in Lincoln! Would thata been
cool? Just like being "Backstage"!!!
PS. Don't forget Gene's "Animal Crackers" written by That Alan!!
Clark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 19:04:18 -0000
From: Mike Edwards
Subject: Gene Pitney on CD
Mikey writes:
> You know, speaking of Gene Pitney, when Bear Family does 5 Cd
> Box Sets of Jerry Lee Lewis and Lesley Gore, good as they
> are, why haven't we seen a 5 or 6 Cd set on Gene Pitney?? God
> knows Gene has recorded enough GOOD tracks to fill up such a
> set, and what a great way to finally collect all the "lost"
> Pitney classics in one place. What do you folks think?
Probably not necessary. UK Sequel has released most of Gene Pitney's
albums on CD as 2-fers. They retail for £8.99 on amazon.co.uk. Could
even be cheaper if you use their "used and new" option. Pick up the
ones you like and get Sequel's "Looking Through - The Ultimate
Collection", a double CD with 50 top cuts, which has been mentioned
favorably on this site. This is a little more expensive but a bargain
at £11.99 (before discounting).
Mike
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 19:21:12 -0000
From: Mike Edwards
Subject: The quality of recent messages
I have had to lie down after going through the volume of messages we
have seen posted about Gene Pitney over the last week or so. Back in
February 2002, I had the privilege of seeing Gene perform in Liverpool
(with Robbie's "Angels" included) and sent a review to Spectropop – it
garnered one response.
Conclusion? Management's decision to back off the "rock" and go with
the "pop" has brought forth a lot of meaningful and worthwhile
messages.
I also think that having members who wrote such great tunes as "This
Diamond Ring", "Johnny Will", "Midnight Mary", "Queen For Tonight",
"Navy Blue", "Kiss Me Sailor", "Sailor Boy" and "Coney Island Sally"
has brought awesome definition to the group. This is the music and
this is the group where you can read about it.
Mike
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 10:22:53 +0200
From: Paul Underwood
Subject: Re: Favorite obscure Pitney track??
Lyn Nuttall wrote:
> This may illustrate my earlier point about Pitney's repertoire varying
> from market to market. This song [She's a Heartbreaker] did indeed
> chart Top 20 in the States, but doesn't seem to have made such an
> impression in Britain (an obscurity?).
I don't think "She's a heartbreaker" was even released in the UK!
Pitney had some 11 top twenty hits there in the sixties: 24 hours from
Tulsa, That girl belongs to yesterday, I'm gonna be strong, I must be
seeing things, Lookin' through the eyes of love, Princess in rags,
Backstage, Nobody needs yoour love, Just one smile, Something's gotten
hold of my heart, Somewhere in the country.
Only the last one (my favorite) could conceivably be an obscurity to
British ears, but a number of these titles have come up as favorite
obscurities.
I would nominate "The Boss's daughter". Is that an obscurity out there?
All praise to Al Kooper: his suggestion has served to underline the
depth and quality of the Pitney catalogue.
Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 03:52:53 -0600
From: Gary Spector
Subject: Re: a visit to the Hall of Fame
I was just wondering. Has anyone ever been taken out of the Hall of
Fame because of something they did?
G. Spector
Not just another P.S. fan.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 14:21:45 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: 1965 hits
Previously:
> Nearly 1000 singles made the BILLBOARD charts in 1965, more than
> any year in history. Of those songs, a whopping 322 made the Top
> 40 - also setting a record for the sheer number of major hits for
> a single year.
Good reason to not slight records from the period (DC5, Beatles, etc)
that made the top 10, but disappeared in 8 weeks of charting. It was
rapid fire hits and it was the best of times!!! Clark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 06:57:37 -0500
From: Nick Archer
Subject: Re: 1965 hits
Previously:
> Nearly 1000 singles made the BILLBOARD charts in 1965, more than any
> year in history. Of those songs, a whopping 322 made the Top 40 --
> also setting a record for the sheer number of major hits for a
> single year.
I remember reading a Wolfman Jack interview, and he said that 1965 was
his favorite musical year because Motown, British Invasion and West
Coast Surf music were all at or near their peaks.
Nick Archer
Nashville TN
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
End
