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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 19 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. obscure Goffin-King ditty posted to Musica
From: Frank Young
2. Old (?) Al Kooper
From: Joe Nelson
3. Re: session musicians
From: Brent Cash
4. Re: The Truth about The Truth?
From: John Berg
5. Quarteto Em Cy / Girls from Bahia radio show
From: Patrick Rands
6. Re: Reissue series of the '70s
From: Charles Ulrich
7. Re: The Truth about The Truth?
From: Roy Clough
8. Prophets Of Old
From: Charles Ulrich
9. Re: "Witchy Tai To"
From: Charles Ulrich
10. Happenings & Brooklyn Bridge / Carole King demos / "She Knows Me Too Well" / The Truth about The Truths
From: Country Paul
11. Cal Green, R.I.P.
From: John Berg
12. Re: Dean Christie, Andy Rose and Clyde Stacy
From: Country Paul
13. Brother Ray
From: Phil X Milstein
14. Dave Lewis Trio
From: Phil X Milstein
15. The Other Two
From: Mick Patrick
16. Re: Peter James: is he P.J. Proby?
From: Mike Edwards
17. Re: Rockin' Country Style
From: Phil X Milstein
18. Re: Syreeta Wright, R.I.P.
From: Bill Reed
19. musica
From: S'pop Team
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 01:16:54 -0000
From: Frank Young
Subject: obscure Goffin-King ditty posted to Musica
For your listening pleasure, I present the 1965 RCA single of "Don't
You Want To Love Me, Baby?," an au-go-go Goffin/King toe-tapper, as
rendered by a seemingly tongue-in-cheek pair of "dolly bird" types
known as the Other Two. Hope you enjoy it!
Frank
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 18:57:31 -0400
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Old (?) Al Kooper
Previously:
> Old Al Kooper
Old? I figure if there's a fifty year old guy who enjoys doing this
(Bob Radil) and a sixty year old guy who enjoys doing this (Al
Kooper), then it makes it easier for my forty year old self to picture
the coming years as something more positive than sitting in a sterile
room eating strained food and waiting to die. Better yet, the presence
of a teenager who enjoys this kind of thing (Tom Diehl) reaffirms
youth, that the preservation of rare records is not an old man's
preserve.
Joe Nelson
(who won't be old for another 150 years)
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 23:14:59 -0000
From: Brent Cash
Subject: Re: session musicians
Austin Roberts wrote:
> how's about Joe Osborn?
Too True! You can always pick out his twangy sound very easily.
BTW, when's the last time I heard a diminished chord on the radio??
"Maybe Someday" Celine or somebody will cover that song of yours
and they can exist on the airwaves again. Pleasure to converse with
you!
Al Kooper wrote:
> Bernard Pretty Purdie!!!
You win. There would be no "Rosanna" drum part played by the late,
great Jeff Porcaro had it not been for the "Purdie Shuffle". But,
unless this has been discussed before here, what do you think of
his claim of playing on some Beatles records?
Best wishes,
Brent Cash
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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 20:16:34 EDT
From: John Berg
Subject: Re: The Truth about The Truth?
Nope, the Truth we released on our Epilogue label is not the same group
as the one with a release on Chess. Yes, like I noted there were many
groups using the name "Truth". Just like there were several bands called
The Knack (I know of two who recorded a decade apart for Capital, plus a
UK group and an Aussie group.) Without tday's internet to mount proper
"due diligence" before choosing a band name, it was pretty easy for lots
of bands to opt for similar or exact same names. Gotta keep the lawyers
busy, right?
JB
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Message: 5
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 00:00:25 -0000
From: Patrick Rands
Subject: Quarteto Em Cy / Girls from Bahia radio show
Be sure to tune in this friday night (7/9/04) between 6-7 pm (Eastern
Standard time) to hear my Quarteto Em Cy radio show spotlight.
I'll be spotlighting the Brazilian girls output between 1964 and 1978,
with a heavy spotlight on the two lps they released stateside under
the alias The Girls from Bahia, where they were caught singing in
their un-native tongue English.
It should be a great show and sure to add a spring to your step with
their Brazilian grooves. You can tune in on the radio if you live in
the local Boston, MA area at 90.3 FM, or online at
http://www.zbconline.com - if you can't tune in at that specific time,
the radio shows are usually archived at a later date on the same website.
:Patrick
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 17:21:03 -0700
From: Charles Ulrich
Subject: Re: Reissue series of the '70s
Phil M.:
> United Artists had a similar series at the time, called "Legendary
> Masters," with artists taken from the Liberty and Imperial family of
> labels. The only one I have is Eddie Cochran, but I assume they also
> did L.M. releases on Bobby Vee, The Chipmunks, Ricky Nelson, Fats
> Domino, Jackie DeShannon, etc.
I have the Fats Domino album (UAS-9958). Glued into the gatefold was
an 11-page booklet with detailed personnel information for each track,
discography, and text by Greg Shaw and Michael Ochs.
--Charles
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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 22:55:19 -0000
From: Roy Clough
Subject: Re: The Truth about The Truth?
Truth as opposed to The Truth were in fact a UK duo whose only
success chartwise was with their version of "Girl" the Beatles song
featured on Rubber Soul. They also released a version of "I Go To
Sleep" a Ray Davis song later a hit for The Pretenders.
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 17:29:01 -0700
From: Charles Ulrich
Subject: Prophets Of Old
Does anyone know anything about the Prophets Of Old? From what I've
heard, they seem to have been a vocal group somewhat like the Mamas &
the Papas.
I know that they gigged in Los Angeles circa 1969, and that they
covered the Mothers Of Invention's "Go Cry On Somebody Else's
Shoulder". I've heard this recording, but I don't even know the date
or label.
--Charles
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Message: 9
Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 17:15:45 -0700
From: Charles Ulrich
Subject: Re: "Witchy Tai To"
Frank Murphy:
> Could anyone confirm that Legs Larry Smith of The Bonzo Dog Doodah
> band recorded a version of "Witchy Tai To"? Or am I havering?
I haven't heard it, but yes, he did.
Topo D. Bil, "Witchi Tai To"/"Jam", 1969, Charisma CB 116.
In addition to Legs Larry Smith, this project reportedly involved
Roger Ruskin Spear and members of Yes.
--Charles
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Message: 10
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 02:03:23 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Happenings & Brooklyn Bridge / Carole King demos / "She Knows Me Too Well" / The Truth about The Truths
Interesting 4th of July weekend - before the fireworks on the night
of the 3rd, I saw (at a great distance) The Happenings. Lots of covers,
plus "I've Got Rhythm" and "See You In September" done credibly. We
were quite far away, but I'm told there were 3 singers and 3 horn
players on stage; I don't know who, who else, or who was original.
Then the night of the 4th, the "warm-up" to the pyrotechnics was
Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge! They were really good, and 4 of
the 6 were original Bridgers. Unfortunately, I always disliked the
Bridge's repertoire, and time hasn't changed that. However, I always
loved Johnny Maestro's voice, and the group did a lot of the Crests'
big hits which were overall good-to-excellent. He also did an
exceptionally fine cover of the Righteous Brothers' arrangement of
"Unchained Melody," truly channeling Bobby Hatfield, and was hip
enough to credit the original to Al Hibbler, who sang it in the early
50s flick called "Unchained." (For the few of you who didn't know,
it's about prison reform in California - the title of the song makes
sense with the background info). Johnny Maestro has lost none of his
vocal range, either. By the way, when it was time for "The Star-
Spangled Banner" before the fireworks began, the group did it a
capella - and very credibly, too.
Which brings us to yet another superb Carole King demo, "I Can't Make
It Alone." I am just loving these demos, which got me thinking about
the fact that I never was a fan of Carole King's big-hit solo albums.
My favorites by her have always been "It Might As Well Rain Until
September" and "Bad Boy," which sounded like a demo anyway (as well
as "Snow Queen" from The City's LP). What has dawned on me is that,
unlike how I feel about lots of other artists where the production is
integral to the record's success, I really like her early, intensely-
personal readings of her songs mnore than the polished hit stuff. Just
an observation which has sort of surprised me about myself....
In other news, there's a Brian Wilson interview in the magazine section
of Sunday (July 4)'s New York Times. Haven't read it yet, but will
Mike McKay:
> I have listened to a lot of music in my time, but "She Knows Me Too
> Well" is among a handful of songs that has brought genuine tears to
> my eyes.
Seconded. And I'd add Tony Leong's comment: "deep, melodic, memorable"!
Dave Heasman:
> I think "The Truth" covered "Walk Away Renee" in England? Yes,
> released March 1967. But I think that must have been a different
> group.
Reminding me of a group, The Truths, and a song called "Pending" (mid-
60s, on a little London-distributed label whose name I forget). Very
Byrdsy, double lead vocals, sounds like a 3-piece band. Any info on this,
anyone, please?
Country Paul
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Message: 11
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 15:19:46 EDT
From: John Berg
Subject: Cal Green, R.I.P.
While we are observing passings, it should be noted also that another
death also recently occured in the LA area, that of Cal Green, who
along with his brother Clarence rose to some esteem amongst blues and
soul lovers, first in Texas and later in SoCal where Cal opted to
reside over the final several decades of his life. His playing can be
found on some of the best numbers by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters,
along with several albums released under Cal's own name. And he was a
nice guy!
John Berg
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Message: 12
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 01:44:17 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Re: Dean Christie, Andy Rose and Clyde Stacy
Mick Patrick:
> I'm hoping some kind soul can help me with a little biographical info
> on three one (small) hit wonders from the early-'60s and late-'50s:
> Dean Christie: had a hit in 1962 with "Heartbreaker", an excellent Dion
> soundalike. Andy Rose: "Just Young" 1958. Clyde Stacy: "So Young", hit
> the charts in 1957 and again in '59.
I happen to own all three of these! I sent Mick a bunch of info off-list,
but here's some of it:
Dean Christie had one hit, several misses. Heartbreaker was Select 715;
a followup on Select and at least one more each on Mercury and SWL seem
to be the known output of this phantom.
Andy Rose's "Just Young" was Aamco ALS-100, released August, 1958; he had
a follow-up on Aamco ALS-103, "Classroom Cutie"/"My Devotion," released
November, 1958 or possibly later; no chart action. "Just Young" shows as
high as #28 in CashBox, October 11, 1958. It also shows a less-successful
cover by Paul Anka on ABC-Paramount 9956. (Ahh, for the days when the
trades used to list the cover versions!) It was a bigger record in New
York, where it made it as high as #17 on WMGM's survey, October 13, 1958.
Some late-breaking additional information: Rose had another hit in New
York, "Hey Scooter" (as Andy Rose and The Thorns, Golden Crest 590,
probably 1962) which was an adaptation of the theme song of the B.
Mitchell Reed show on WMCA. Reed was a musically-astute fast-talking
evening DJ on the "home of the Good Guys" who went back to California to
become one of the founders of freeform progressive FM. (Sadly, Reed died
young.) "Scooter" is collected on a CD called "Teen Scene" (on Dee-Jay
55113) claiming to be of rock artists from Long Island, most of whom are
extremely unknown. Rose also recorded at least one other 45, "You Weren't
There" (Coral 62284, flip side and release date unknown by me).
Clyde Stacy hits paydirt in the research department. Born in Eufala,
Oklahoma on August 11, 1936, his "So Young"/"Hoy Hoy" on Candlelite was
the first of half a dozen singles listed at:
http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/s/stac1000.htm , which I've found to
be a pretty reliable resource, although not always complete. (If you've
never heard it, "So Young" was a great reason for your parents to think
that rock and roll *was* all about sex; there's a female co-star with
Clyde, unnamed but unforgettable.) Interesting that for essentially a
rockabilly artist, he was on Candlelite (1650 Broadway, NYC) for this and
the follow-up and also on Len (from Philadelphia, the same label as Little
Jimmy & The Tops' "Puppy Love"/"Say You Love Me"). Another unusual note:
Leroy Kirkland was the arranger and conductor on one of his releases, on
Bullseye. Also on Bullseye (from 1958) he did a song called "I Sure Do
Love You Baby," a cover of an original by Bobby Lee Trammell on Fabor in
1957; Trammell was discussed here a while back.
(There was also a version of "So Young" by Robert Wagner, the movie star,
on Liberty 55069; this comes from a page on David Seville (!),
http://www.rockabilly.nl/artists/dseville.htm)
There's a full CD of Clyde Stacy's material available at:
http://www.doowopcenter.com/doo-wop/product_info.php?&products_id=1086 ;
it might have liner notes with more info.
An interesting sidebar: a pianist named Rocky Frisco apparently played with
Stacy in Toronto in 1958; see http://www.rocky-frisco.com/rockmusic.html
and scroll down about 40% of the page for the reference. Further down
there's another reference to playing a New Year's Eve gig with Stacy in
1958, after which Stacy retired. Maybe that's a different Clyde Stacy, but
the name is unusual enough, so maybe Frisco got it wrong, as there are more
Stacy recordings after 1958. (By the way, check the photo of "A Tulsa Band
in 1959" with "Leon" Russell Bridges on piano! There's also an early photo
of Rocky with "Johnny Cale," later J. J. Cale. It is indeed a small world.)
Country Paul
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Message: 13
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 16:04:38 +0000
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Brother Ray
Al Aronowitz files an interesting article on Ray Charles on his web-log,
loaded with quotes drawn from a month-long roadtrip taken with Brother
Ray in 1963. Worth reading for any R.C. fan: http://www.bigmagic.com/pages/blackj/column107.html
--
Ubi dubium ibi libertas:
"Where there is doubt there is freedom."
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Message: 14
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 17:08:43 +0000
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Dave Lewis Trio
While listening to my History Of Northwest Rock, Vol. 1 the other night
(alas, I don't believe they ever got around to releasing a vol. 2), I
found in the gatefold a photo of the Dave Lewis Trio, who we'd discussed
here a few weeks ago and which I thought some of y'all would enjoy
seeing. The "2" in the upper left corner is a reference to a caption,
which unfortunately fails to identify Lewis' two sidemen.
Find the photo, most appropriately, in the Photos section.
Dig,
--Phil M.
--
Ubi dubium ibi libertas:
"Where there is doubt there is freedom."
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Message: 15
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 23:31:15 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: The Other Two
Frank Young:
> For your listening pleasure, I present the 1965 RCA single
> of "Don't You Want To Love Me, Baby?," an au-go-go Goffin/
> King toe-tapper, as rendered by a seemingly tongue-in-cheek
> pair of "dolly bird" types known as the Other Two. Hope you
> enjoy it!
My pal Malcolm Baumgart has a copy of the original Screen Gems
acetate demo of "Don't You Want To Love Me Baby", found down
Portobello Market for a groat. Would anyone like to hear it?
If so, I could post it to musica.
Before anyone starts askin' about the Other Two (again!), I
thought I'd ferret in the S'pop archives, where I discovered
the following old message from Brit Girl maven Ian Chapman.
There's even more info to be found there. You know the link,
yes? If not, it's: http://www.spectropop.com/search/index.htm
Ian Chapman wrote:
> The Other Two were ... Jemima Smith and Caroline Attard ...
> The duo had three singles released in total, which included
> versions of the Tammys' "Hold Back The Light Of Dawn" and
> the Goffin/King song, "Don't You Wanna Love Me Baby" ...
>
> The girls were a little way-out for the time and had a
> memorable "one-blonde-one-brunette" image. Check out the
> "pictures" section, where Mick has posted a great 60s shot
> showing Jemima, left and Caroline, right. They split after
> Jemima married Duane Eddy; Caroline went on to join the
> band Storyteller in '69, marrying Andy Bown, previously of
> the Herd. As Carolyn Bown, she gave an interview to John
> Tobler in '97, which can be found at Andy Bown's website:
> http://www.andybown.com/ and follow the link to Storyteller.
>
> In it, Carolyn gives the story of the Other Two's unusual
> entry into the music biz (they were managed by Don Arden)
> and mentions their stint at the Star Club and touring with
> Chuck Berry. Sadly, Carolyn passed away in July 2001.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 16
Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2004 00:01:32 -0000
From: Mike Edwards
Subject: Re: Peter James: is he P.J. Proby?
Ash writes:
> I need clarification that PETER JAMES IS INDEED P.J PROBY. If anyone
> can tell me so or tell me who Peter James is, that would be
> fantastic. He sure sounds like PJ to me.
Hi Ash. Hope all is well with you and great to see you in this group.
The subject of whether or not Peter James was P.J. Proby came up
about a year ago. I don't believe we reached a definitive conclusion.
Peter James does sound like PJ, none more so than on a great 1963
popcorn title, "Feelings" (Liberty 55627). However I think the b-
side is the giveaway, as I believe it is the original version
of "Wind Me Up, Let Me Go", a big UK hit for Cliff Richard a couple
of years' later. Given Proby's ego and the fact that he had relocated
to the UK at that time, it's highly unlikely that he would have not
reminded us of who recorded the original version.
There has been some excellent titles in musica recently – so much so
that I've had to get up at 3:00am to beat Yahoo's "collecting" rules.
I wonder, though, if anyone could play Peter James' version of "Wind
Me Up". I have "Feelings" if anyone is interested and the astute
among you will realize that I don't have it on a 45.
Mike
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Message: 17
Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2004 01:40:15 -0400
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Rockin' Country Style
Country Paul wrote:
> Clyde Stacy hits paydirt in the research department. Born in Eufala,
> Oklahoma on August 11, 1936, his "So Young"/"Hoy Hoy" on Candlelite was
> the first of half a dozen singles listed at:
> http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/s/stac1000.htm , which I've found to
> be a pretty reliable resource, although not always complete.
The "incompleteness" of Terry Gordon's database is a matter of policy,
allowing him to identify a subgenre he calls Rockin' Country Style. The
brief version of what Terry requires to allow a record past the
gatekeeper reads:
"First, is it rock & roll? Second, is it country (or primarily derived
from country)? It is often painfully difficult to make one or both of
these decisions."
The full set of his criteria, which is detailed at
http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/criteria.htm , makes his point abundantly
clear, and is a hilarious read to boot. I've truly never seen anything
quite like it.
Dig,
--Phil M.
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Message: 18
Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2004 05:56:38 -0000
From: Bill Reed
Subject: Re: Syreeta Wright, R.I.P.
I bought up every copy of Stevie Wonders Presents Syreeta I saw in
cut-out bins over the years. I just recently gave a copy of it to my
15-year-old goddaughter, Tiffany. I played it for her and she was
thunderstruck. Clearly felt that this 1974 album (which one site
calls one of the the great lost 70s soul albums) held its own with
any music of today.
Me: And so it doesn't sound old-fashioned to you?
Tiffany: Not at all.
Me: If a friend walked into your bedroom and heard you playing it,
they wouldn't laugh at you?
Tiffany: No, they would want a copy, too.
Me: You're not just saying that to please an old fogie? [We're about
four decades apart.]
She thought it even "As good as Usher." . . .and so forth and so on.
I ended up burning her TWO copies---one for her, one for a friend as
yet to be determined---of this LONG OUT-OF-PRINT masterpiece. (Go
ahead and bust me RIAA. . .I dare you.)
Tiffany had numerous questions about the album, not the least of
which was one that has always been one of MY great Baroque worries as
well, to whit: WHY is this great work not in print? To my ears one of
the great extra-categorical albums of all time.
Not by a long shot the first time we have BONDED over music, and most
likely not the last.
I'm not even certain that SW Presents Syreeta has ever been available
on CD in the U.S. I knew little else about Syreeta Wright except for
the fact that she had co-written and sung this great, great LP which
I have listened to as much over the years as Pet Sounds, Revolver,
etc. It was even a surprise to me to just learn in an on-line obit
that the album was made AFTER Wright and Wonder had divorced. Hard to
imagine a more compatable couple based on the evidence of "Presents."
Tearfully yours,
Bill Reed
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Message: 19
Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2004 17:25:13 +0100
From: S'pop Team
Subject: musica
Many members have reported problems accessing musica. No additional
password or credentials are required, but Yahoo Groups has recently
introduced a daily (unspecified) quota for the files areas.
If you can't get to hear a particular track, try the following day.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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