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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 7 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: "Words Of Love" and other Ms & Ps differences
From: Richard
2. Re: basslessness
From: Joe Nelson
3. Re: Garfunkel & Simon (& Everlys)
From: Robert
4. Re: go West
From: Eddy Smit
5. Re: Bobby Vee's "I Can't Hear You"
From: Ken Silverwood
6. Randy Bachman reports on Shadows reunion
From: S Jones
7. Re: Randy Bachman reports on Shadows reunion
From: Mikey
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 11:41:46 -0000
From: Richard
Subject: Re: "Words Of Love" and other Ms & Ps differences
Rodney Rawlings wrote:
> I'm just listening to the version of "Creeque Alley" with the extra
> piano and horn bits on an aircheck of The Real Don Steele recorded
> on June 17, 1970. I think this is the version available on "The Magic
> Circle: Before They Were the Mamas and the Papas," which Varese
> Sarabande released in 1999. It's out of print, but still appears on
> the V.S. website.
> There's a mono single mix of "Words of Love" on the "All the Leaves
> Are Brown" reissue that MCA released in 2001 (it consists of the
> first four albums, plus a few bonus tracks). That might be the one
> you're thinking of.
I was a consultant and contributor to All The Leaves Are Brown. Rodney
is correct -- The Magic Circle is the best source for the original single
version of Creeque Alley. The one used on All The Leaves Are Brown
is actually a yet still different (yes, third!) version -- the mono album
rendition. That one and the single version did have more horns and
piano. And no, you never hear it on the radio.
Words Of Love's single was quite different sounding than the album one.
Cass' voice was far more upfront, and there is the whole horn element
already mentioned. Basically it was mixed different.
I Saw Her Again's single version can be heard on All The Leaves Are
Brown, as well as on one of Varese Sarabande's Dick Bartley compilations
several from years ago. The harmonies and separation of voices is far
superior on the mono/single version
"Even If I Could," "For The Love of Ivy," "Free Advice" and Cass' "A Song
That Never Comes" are other Ms and Ps/Cass singles with differences.
Some are subtle nuances, others are quite distinct.
Visit the Official Cass Elliot Website, http://www.casselliot.com
Richard
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2004 18:35:23 -0400
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Re: basslessness
Phil X Milstein wrote:
> The Cramps have never used one, instead keeping one of their guitars
> buzzing around in the lower register, a la Duane Eddy. Other groups,
> such as Patti Smith and Velvet Underground, never kept a dedicated
> bassist, but did have their musicians switch instruments often enough
> that they managed to include bass on many of their songs, and filled the
> bottom in other ways (usually keyboards) most of the rest of the time.
If you really want to stretch it, you could put Paul McCartney in this category.
Technically the bass is his instrument of choice, but he spends so much time
playing other instruments that his rhythm guitarists Denny Laine and later
Hammish Stewart became the second most important members of the band.
The use of keyboards to fill the bottom is obviously the most common
(and convenient) alternative to bass guitar. It's always fascinating to hear
what happens when people try to find a way to avoid using that heavy stringed
guitar. My personal fave in this category is probably Prince's "When Doves
Cry", which gets its sole bottom from the kick drum. It takes a great musician
to make the most notable part of a song be something that isn't there -- if less
is more, then nothing is everything.
I think it's interesting how to this day Jack White of The White Stripes keeps
telling the fans he sees no need to add a bass player. Being a bassist myself
you'd think I'd be offended, but when you think about it it makes perfect
sense. I try to imagine myself trying to fill the slot, trying to decide whether
to pattern my playing after Jack's masterful guitar work or Meg's smashing
away at the drum kit like she's Courtney Love coming out of withdrawl -- okay
now, play something that fits. I wouldn't have a clue. Jack started experimenting
with bass lines on the new album, and came up with some interesting ideas (the
bass line on "Seven Nation Army" is the dominating aspect of the whole track),
but now that the supposedly vital ingredient has been added something's missing.
What can you do?
Joe Nelson
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 05:48:16 -0000
From: Robert
Subject: Re: Garfunkel & Simon (& Everlys)
I agree totally that Art is as much an artist as Paul. The way you can feel
from the great SOUND of a song is no less important than the way you
can feel from great lyrics. But having said that, I also think Paul is an
extremely effective singer.
As for the Everlys, why are they only doing four songs? Is this by choice?
My mouth has remained permanently agape since recently discovering
their '60s Warner Bros. catalog. This is some of the most amazing music
ever made! I can't believe they had so few hits during this time. Much love
and respect to the Everlys for all their astoundingly timeless music.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 10:56:34 -0000
From: Eddy Smit
Subject: Re: go West
Don wrote:
> I just posted a country version of that song to musica, by Albert West.
> I don't know much about him but he also did "Halfway To Paradise".
Would that be Albert West, ex-lead singer for Dutch band The Shuffles?
After he went solo in 1973 he basically made a career out of covering '60s
songs like Tell Laura I Love Her, Put Your Head On My Shoulder, Ginny
Come Lately, and many more.
Eddy
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2004 23:58:50 +0100
From: Ken Silverwood
Subject: Re: Bobby Vee's "I Can't Hear You"
My favorite version is the one by Betty Everett, on Vee Jay in 1964. I think
there's one by Dusty Springfield, on an album as well.
Ken On The West Coast.
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Celli
To: spectropop@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 12:47 PM
Subject: Bobby Vee's "I Can't Hear You" & Other Carole King Demos
Previously:
> On the topic of Mr. Velline, his "I Can't Hear You" is interesting -
> I know it well by The Newbeats, who I thought did a superb job with
> it, but about halfway through, I "got" the Vee version, sped up as
> it is. Nice to have an alternate on this.
I haven't had the opportunity to hear another version of this song so
I don't know what Carole had in mind when she wrote it. I can tell you
that Lincoln Mayorga did the arrangement if that helps. As far as the
other demos I mentioned, I will eventually put them up, so keep an eye
out!
Bob Celli
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 01:06:09 -0000
From: S Jones
Subject: Randy Bachman reports on Shadows reunion
Standing in The Shadows
from Winnipeg Free Press (June 19, 2004)
Legendary U. K. band inspired a thousand sound-alikes, a million
fans, including Randy Bachman
By Randy Bachman
I first heard The Shadows when I auditioned for Allan & The Silvertones.
I was 17 or 18, The Silvertones were the best band in Winnipeg, and
their guitar player was leaving. Bassist Jim Kale set up a meeting, and
someone handed me a Shadows 45. It had four songs on it. I learned
every note.
I was auditioning for rhythm guitar, but in the middle of our first rehearsal
days later, the lead guitarist broke a string. So I switched over to lead to
finish the song. When we were done, everyone in the band was staring
at me.
Allan Kobel, who later became Chad Allan, said, "Well, you can certainly
play lead better than I can. How would you like to play lead all the time?"
That was it. I learned the Shadows LP and several more of their EPs and
singles and we were off.
In the '60s in Winnipeg, everybody played The Shadows. It was the ultimate
thing, to get one of their records. Once you learned it and played it around
town, you were different and cool. And lead guitarist Hank Marvin's sound
was like no one else's: I used an old Korting tape recorder into Jim Kale's
Fender amp to get that sound, with an orange Gretsch Chet Atkins Model
6120. Chad Allan & The Reflections/Expressions (which later became The
Guess Who), Neil Young & The Squires, The Fifth, The Quid, The Galaxies
and many others -- we all played The Shadows.
We were not alone: The Shadows' signature instrumental sounds were
copied by every early '60s band in the world. Besides their material, we
covered other U.K. Shadow sound-alikes -- Shane Fenton & The Fentones,
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Mike Berry & The Outlaws, and so on. We caught
the British Wave before The Beatles. In fact, The Shadows' influence on
musical culture was only equalled in later years by The Beatles and Elvis.
The Shadows stopped recording and dissolved their partnership a few
decades ago, but their legend and music lived on in repackaging, classic-rock
radio, CDs, commercials, TV, movies and in the hearts of millions of fans.
The announcement of a Shadows U.K. reunion tour had every guitar player
in the world dreaming of seeing them, and clamouring for tickets for the
May and June concerts. I was determined to be there.
I persuaded a friend months ago to wait in line overnight outside the
Hammersmith Apollo in London to buy tickets. He got me six, at £65 apiece,
in row M, which wasn't too far back -- on the aisle for view and in the middle
for great sound (too close is never good; you can't hear the sides).
To see Hank Marvin on lead guitar, Bruce Welch on rhythm guitar and
Brian Bennett on drums would be a teenage dream realized that I had
never thought possible. But finally, last Saturday, June 12, at 5:30 p.m., there
I was. The Shadows were doing a sound check, and I was ushered into the
auditorium and allowed to sit in the front row to watch and listen.
It was amazing; my own little private performance. After a few songs, they
came down and greeted my family and me. A true fan, I had brought things
to autograph. I had a huge trophy, The Shadows 20 Greatest Hits Gold Record
award, and the back panel of a Vox AC 30 amplifier that used to belong to
Hank Marvin. They were quite amused and flattered and signed everything.
Then Marvin took me up on stage and showed me his guitar setup, handed me
his Strat to play, show me some of his tricks, and told me how to obtain his
special pickups and tremolo-bar setup.
At 7:30, they took the stage and played for more than three hours. They
performed every A and B side, every album cut of note, and songs from Cliff
Richard movies. They looked and sounded fantastic. Every note they played
was exactly like the record in sound and performance. Marvin's lead guitar
sound could best be described as beautiful, rich, unforgettable -- and unattainable
by the thousands of guitarists who've tried to copy it. In reality, his guitar/amp
setup is no different than that of Mark Knopfler, Chris Rea, Vince Gill, Eric
Clapton, myself and many others. It's the player's hands that make the
difference.
A standout of the evening was when Brian Bennett did a 10-minute drum solo.
It was Little B (from Out Of The Shadows) but performed and magnified to the
nth degree. Never in my lifetime have I experienced a drum solo like this.
Brian's own children and grandchildren had never seen him play with The
Shads, and for them to witness his incredible solo and five-minute wild standing
ovation with the crowd chanting "Brian ... Brian ... Brian" was a moment he
had waited for all his life. During the standing ovation, his grandkids rushed the
stage with their hands in the air and their fingers showing a "V" sign for granddad.
Brian May from Queen was sitting a few rows in front of me. We met up after
the show in the Shads' dressing room and agreed it was the most incredible
concert either of us had ever experienced. To be so influenced in one's lifetime
by an artist or band, to shape one's own sound and career from that influence,
and then to get to see them perform after waiting over 40 years -- and have it be
even better than we could have imagined -- was a highlight in our lives that we will
never forget.
On the way home, it all seemed like a dream. I relived so many memories and
flashbacks to earlier, more innocent times when I had played all those songs on
stage. I'm sure I could have played alongside them. Every single song.
The Shadows played their last show at London's Palladium on Monday. There are
plans for a DVD and CD of the live show. Their current compilation release, The
Shadows -- Life Story, is on the U.K. Top 10.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 13:05:58 -0400
From: Mikey
Subject: Re: Randy Bachman reports on Shadows reunion
Previously:
> The Shadows played their last show at London's Palladium on Monday.
> There are plans for a DVD and CD of the live show. Their current
> compilation release, The Shadows - Life Story, is on the U.K. Top 10.
I'm waiting anxiously for the DVD.....I hope it's a full 2 hours.
Since it's the last word on the second greatest Instrumental Group in
the world (after The Ventures, of course) I hope they did it right.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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