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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 8 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Sie Liebt Dich
From: Steve Harvey
2. 4-Evers; 45s
From: Country Paul
3. Bill Pinkney's birthday
From: Bill Swanke
4. Tell Me What She Said; songs & sampling; Jackpots; Ellie Greenwich
From: Country Paul
5. Legends of DooWop; Top Rank; Emjays; Jackpots
From: Country Paul
6. Re: The 'Oooo
From: Joe Nelson
7. Re: Bobby (Pedrick, Jr.) & the Consoles
From: Fred Clemens
8. "Don't Cross Over (To My Side Of The Street)"
From: thirteen_eagle
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 07 Aug 2004 20:01:44 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Sie Liebt Dich
Eddy wrote:
> Except for its appearance on the Swan 45, Sie liebt dich remained
> unreleased in both UK and USA until the Rarities LP's.
Not quite, it's on Past Masters Vol. 1.
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 07 Aug 2004 23:41:09 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: 4-Evers; 45s
It's catch-up time again - this goes back to July 20th, so if it has been
covered, I apologize for the duplication.
Justin McDevitt wrote:
> I would appreciate any background information on this group who,
> according to Ron have a 33-track CD comp of their music released on
> Magic Carpet records. An initial search on Amazon did not net any
> results, though I will keep on looking.
Fred Clemens gave a brief summary of some of their early records and hits,
and added:
> If you like what you heard, it might be worthwhile to continue to
> seek out the CD, as it MIGHT contain a history on the group....Or
> if any S'Poppers already have the CD....
I do - there's an extensive booklet included, too long to summarize here,
but the group started in 1957 with "the infamous 'Marty & The Joltineers'"
(in some circles, I guess) and included Rashkovsky's friend Steve Tudanger.
The group evolved into the Vocal Lords, which absorbed some members of a
group called The Paladins, featuring Jimmy Gallagher, who left to find fame
with The Passions. They became the 4-Evers or Four-Evers shortly before
signing to Columbia in 1961, where they had their own singles and did
extensive back-up work. The records on Smash were produced by Bob Gaudio,
who signed the 4-Evers and "gave the group" to Gaudio as his production
project. Their biggest hits were on Smash (sounding a lot like the Four
Seasons); when those dried up, they recorded for Constellation and again for
Columbia, then Laurie and Red Bird. The personnel changed periodically;
there was a later version of the group known as Playhouse. IMO, the CD
(Magic Carpet 1001) is pretty good, not great, but the hits are still
outstanding. It is indeed an Ed Engel production. There's no label address,
but most good oldies stores should have it or could get it.
I'm almost finished reading "45 RPM" by Jim Dawson and Steve Propes. It's
truly a collectors' book, but the history parts are lots of fun. The slant
is heavily toward 50s r&b, but the pictures are priceless, including shots
of RCA's early color-coded vinyl and labels, depicting the type of music on
the record (green vinyl for country, for example).
Country Paul
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 07 Aug 2004 22:06:47 -0500 (Central Standard Time)
From: Bill Swanke
Subject: Bill Pinkney's birthday
I would like to remind you of this upcoming event.
Bill Pinkney's birthday
Date: Sunday, August 15, 2004
Bill Pinkney celebrates his 79th birthday
Willie C.
See the Cafe at:
http://www.BeachMusicCafe.com
Listen to the Cafe at:
http://www.live365.com/stations/williecs
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 08 Aug 2004 01:19:03 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Tell Me What She Said; songs & sampling; Jackpots; Ellie Greenwich
Charles Ellis:
> I believe the song ("Tell Me What He Said") is the hit made famous
> by Helen Shapiro, who was the British version of Connie Francis.
> She was so big in the early 60s that the Beatles opened for HER!!
The US version - a small hit - was by The Playmates.
Re: Dickie Goodman/Nikita The K, etc.: I believe the rules regarding doing
someone else's song state that you get four notes that sound like something
else to claim for your own; beyond that, you're redoing someon else's work
and they get paid for it. On the other hand, in the recent CD project,
"Largo," Little Isidore and the Inquisitors quoted the "Hey Hey Hey Hey"
line from the Isley Brothers' "Shout," and gave them author credits - and
that's only four notes. (The song is called "Before The Mountain" and it's
the best track on that album by light years, in my opinion.) I don't know
about sampling now, but I remember when "Flying Saucer" was new and on the
Top 10, WMGM couldn't play it because there were clearance problems. Whether
they were with the radio station or the record companies or the publishers,
I don't know. (Heck, I was 10 at the time!)
I previously asked about The Jackpots - darn if MJ didn't have the answer in
the next digest I'm catching up on. Thank you! (But why were they only
released in Sweden and Canada?)
> How To Write A Hit Song by ELLIE GREENWICH:
> http://www.spectropop.com/EllieGreenwich/index.htm
Much still is true today. Neat piece, folks!
Country Paul
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 08 Aug 2004 01:27:04 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Legends of DooWop; Top Rank; Emjays; Jackpots
Mike Miller:
> ...an eBay power seller called "Legends of Doo Wop". It is operated
> by a doo-wopper himself, Steve Horn of The Five Sharks. Look on his
> website from time to time. He also goes by the name of "lawofboca".
Horn is the remarkable bass singer of the group, Legends of DooWop, along
with Jimmy Gallagher, Tony Passalacqua and Frank Mancuso.
Ken Silverwood:
> For a Top Rank label listing, this link proves successful:
> http://www.btinternet.com/~davemct/singles/top_rank/top_rank01.html
Finally got to check it out after a previous futile try. I never knew what a
reissue label it was in the UK! There are some pretty interesting items on
their roster:
- JAR 176, Little Bill & The Bluenotes, "I Love An Angel," is a very
crude-sounding rock ballad from the Pacific northwest on very early Dolton
(No. 3, I believe) - and the band is still around today: see and hear at
http://pnwbands.com/bluenotes.html
- JAR 146, The Megatrons, "Velvet Waters," an instrumental originally on
Acousticon 101, which changed its name to Audicon, and hit big with The
Passions, who Top Rank also released
- JAR 226, Lee Greenlee, "Starlight," a beautiful cha cha c. 1958-59
originally on Brent
- JAR 145, The Emjays, "Cross My Heart"/"All My Love, All My Life,"
originally Greenwich GR-412 in the US. "This Is My Love" and "Cross My
Heart" were sort of hits. There were a mixed male-female group with some
innovative arrangements; a lot of their sides had no bass. Does anyone have
any more info on these folks? They also had one heck of a rocker called
"Waiting (The Pitty Pat Song)," the flip of "This Is My Love" (Greenwich
GR-411); great rockabilly, silly lyrics, no bass again. In an earlier post a
few years back I asked for any info on the group; the request is still open.
The Top Rank discography is a real memory blast for me; thanks, Ken.
JB:
> ...The Jackpots (who the heck were they?)
Good question - I have a Canadian albm by them, although they're obviously
not Canadian. Mid 60s, no liner notes. One excellent song: "Tiny Dancer"
(not the Elton John song).
Country Paul
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 07 Aug 2004 19:29:25 -0400
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Re: The 'Oooo
Previously (i.e. yours truly):
> ... Often cited as proof the group could never see anything through
Al Kooper:
> Now that is very untrue with Tommy being the best example. At the
> time of Tommy's creation, there probably were a handful of musos
> that could have written a "rock opera". No one but Townshend had the
> focus and vision to see it all the way through, however. Believe me,
> it takes some doing. Ask Brian about "Smile". Ask Paul about Magical
> Mystery Flop.
I never said I agreed with the assessment (which was usually pre-Tommy
when said anyway). If anything, I felt the breakdown was semi-
intentional, being a sad comment on the sudden demise of the pirate
stations. Now, to really complete the statement the breakdown would
have led to the worst cuts on the LP - because the BBC channel that
was intended to replace the pirates was horrendous.
Joe Nelson
(what would you know, 40 year old American boy???)
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 08 Aug 2004 09:25:22 -0000
From: Fred Clemens
Subject: Re: Bobby (Pedrick, Jr.) & the Consoles
stereoldies wrote:
> Speaking of Bobby Pedrick, Jr. and doo-wop, I have added an
> mp3 to musica by Bobby and the Consoles, with their song "My
> Jelly Bean" (co-written by Pedrick), which was another release
> on Diamond Records, from 1963.
You mention in the file that your recording is from the bootleg 45.
For those who have a copy but are not sure what they have, here are
the differences.
On the bootleg, the obvious difference is the Artist credit. The
bootleg 45 credits "BOBBY AND THE" on one line, and "CONSOLES" on a
second line. The original 45 has a one line credit, showing as "BOBBY
& THE CONSOLES". With that, all other differences are moot (production
placement, label shade). The fidelity on the original is also much
richer (understandably so).
The promo notes "PLUG SIDE" "NOT FOR SALE" (on two lines, right
center bottom) under four stars on the "MY JELLY BEAN" side, and
"PROMOTION COPY" "NOT FOR SALE" (on one line, center bottom) on the
"NITA, I NEED YOU SO" side. Side numbers are etched in the trail
off ("D-141-A", "D-141-B" on the boot; "D-141A.", "D-141B." on the
originals), along with the "Bell Sound" stamp, and another stamp I
can't quite make out (on the originals). Another thing with the Promo
Copy, as with alot of Diamond promo's I've seen, it was pressed on
translucent brown vinyl (hold it up to the light to see it). The
bootleg might be found on colored vinyl (probably red and/or multi-
colored in very limited numbers).
I bought the bootleg (on black vinyl) when it came out (late 70's),
and aquired the originals not too long afterwards. Since the bootleg
looked so "real" to me at the time, I etched an additional "* THIS IS
A BOOTLEG *" in the trailoff just so I wouldn't be confused should an
original come along.
Fred Clemens
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Message: 8
Date: Sun, 08 Aug 2004 01:53:07 -0000
From: thirteen_eagle
Subject: "Don't Cross Over (To My Side Of The Street)"
Previously:
> The flip, "Don't Cross Over (To My Side Of The Street)," is by
> another artist, Linda Brannon, and was written by D. Hess and C.
> Monte. Both sides shoulda been hits!
"Don't Cross Over" got some airplay on KPLS in Santa Rosa, CA; on
April 19, 1964 it was the tenth song to be played on the station's
first day of broadcasting (thanks to fellow member Matt for that
one).
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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