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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 9 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Just Four Men to Musica
From: Clark Besch
2. PF Sloan to Musica
From: Clark Besch
3. Re: Peter Noone
From: "mattmattador60"
4. Re: Just Four Men to Musica
From: S.J. Dibai
5. Re: Bob Finiz/Dionn Label/Kit Kats
From: S.J. Dibai
6. Dick Clark Sells Old Footage
From: Mike
7. Judy Dyble; Beach Music; Minuteman Records; "Stranded"?
From: Country Paul
8. Totally transformed oldies; short stuff
From: Country Paul
9. Goldstar invoices/Righteous Brothers Discography new website address
From: Peter Richmond
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 14:16:13 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Just Four Men to Musica
New to Musica, "There's Not One Thing" by Just Four Men. This quite
intriguing song written by Christopholos/Keiman matches some nice
harmony with the classic British beat sound of 1964 along with a ton
of compression on the music that create a beautiful Chad & Jeremy/
Billy J. Kramer sound. The Tower 45 (#163) was released in late fall,
1965 as a Capitol "cash in" on the tracks they had left in the can
from having Freddie & the Dreamers before Mercury signed them in 65.
Seems Capitol tried just what they were mad at Swan and VeeJay about
in 1964. At least Capitol DID release "I'm Telling You Now" in 1963
on Capitol and it failed, unlike giving the Beatles a chance.
Anyway, Just Four Men got thrown on the back side of this 1965
release, "Send a Letter To Me" by Freddie and the Dreamers. I was
shocked by how great the "B" side was. Under "Four Just Men", they
had another "B' side, but this is the only one I found to be
worthwhile. I'm guessing "Just Four Men" were session UK men. Seems
like I remember reading about them in the past. Someone likely has
their story in SPop somewhere. I believe they also appear on a Tower
various artists Lp in 66, but can't remember which one. Just a track
I thought you might enjoy.
Clark
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 17:50:32 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: PF Sloan to Musica
Now playing to Musica is an unreleased song from the early 60's by
P.F. Sloan. As a big fan of Phil, this song comes to mind when
thinking about the cool Carole King acetate of "Go Away Little
Girl". Both are sung as they would be done by the opposite sex, thus
making both unlikely releases by the artists themselves. Enjoy!
Clark
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 20:08:15 -0000
From: "mattmattador60"
Subject: Re: Peter Noone
--- In spectropop@yahoogroups.com, Dave O'Gara wrote:
> his voice seems not to have changed all that much from his teenage
years.
True, he has retained his "little boy" sound (to try and sound
mature while singing the likes of "Can't You Hear My Heart Beat"
would be just plain weird now wouldn't it!), but he is a much
stronger singer now much to my surprise and delight. I had the
pleasure of meeting him after a show a couple of years ago and he was
just as nice as could be, despite being exhausted following an
outdoor show on a hot July nite in Georgia. I was at the very end of
the autograph line which lasted at least 20-30 minutes but he stayed
until each and every person in that line had finished. A real
sweetheart!
'Cause yo're the one I lu-uv,
ModGirl
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 20:52:04 -0000
From: S.J. Dibai
Subject: Re: Just Four Men to Musica
My computing abilites are touch-and-go right now, so I can't download
that file, but regarding Just Four Men's identity, they were not a
bunch of session men. They were an actual Liverpool band--that Greek
surname in the writer's credit was probably their lead singer,
Dimitrius "Dee" Christopholus, while "Keiman" is probably supposed to
be "Kelman," as in lead guitarist John. The band later changed their
name to Wimple Winch and put out some Mod-influenced stuff under that
name.
S.J. Dibai
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 21:00:31 -0000
From: S.J. Dibai
Subject: Re: Bob Finiz/Dionn Label/Kit Kats
> James Botticelli:
> I have never heard a word about [Finiz] although his name seemed to
> frequently come up on records on the Dionn label which I believe
> was Philly based. Brenda & The Tabulations, The Ordells....Others I
> can't recall, I'm sure. I'd be interested on what 'poppers may know
> about him as well.
The Dionn label was one of the many, many Jamie/Guyden subsidiaries,
but that's about all I know. J/G was and still is a Philly-based
company.
As for Finiz, I was not aware that he was one of the Four J's, but I
knew he did a lot of production and engineering. As far as I know, he
produced all of the Kit Kats' Jamie-label studio recordings, and is
listed as one of the engineers on their Jamie debut LP, "It's Just A
Matter Of Time." Interestingly, the LP that the Kats issued under the
name New Hope ("To Understand Is To Love") credits "Mike" (as in
Apsey) as the producer and engineer, but some of its tracks are
actually Finiz-era Kit Kats tracks with overdubs, or remixed into
stereo, and/or slightly edited.
More on the Kit Kats/New Hope, including detailed discussion of the
New Hope LP and the chance to ask Kit Kat Karl Hausman questions, at
my group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kitkats_newhope
S.J. Dibai
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 00:41:48 -0000
From: Mike
Subject: Dick Clark Sells Old Footage
I got an e-mail from another newsgroup where someone mentioned that
Dick Clark has just sold all of his old clips. Does anyone know
anything about this? Hopefully we can see some of the "Action" shows
in their entireity. I just hope that Sofa Entertainment or whatver
operation it is doesn't get the DC stuff. What a hatchet job on the
Ed Sullivan clips, putting the same ones over several DVDs!
Mike
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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 00:47:29 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Judy Dyble; Beach Music; Minuteman Records; "Stranded"?
Kingsley Abbott:
> For those who wanted follow-up info, Judy's new album 'Enchanted
> Garden' emerges on 6th September on Talking Elephant Records.
> The lady herself invites any interested parties to visit
> http://www.JudyDyble.com for more details.
Sounds nice, especially the last sample. Any idea if it will be released in
the US? It's a tad pricey to import.
JB:
> If you're still unsure [of what Beach Music is], listen to the
> ultimate Beach anthem, The Embers' "I Love Beach Music."
I was under the impression that The Showmen's "It Will Stand" (Minit) was
the defining song - or certainly one of them. Also, might I assume that
Billy Graves' early hit "The Shag" (Monument; hook lyric: "The Shag is
totally cool") would also be considered a godfather of Beach Music?
Ed Bangs:
> Minuteman was a local Boston label in the mid-'60s, who also released
> three 45s by The Improper Bostonians.
...including the beautiful "Gee I'm Gonna Miss You." The label also had the
original of Teddy & The Pandas' hit "Once Upon A Time," if I recall
correctly. And it was interesting that the Just Us 45 on Minuteman became an
album on Kapp.
Fred Clemens:
> Anybody here close enough to Robert John to find out the name of
> the group that backed him on "Stranded"?
I just passed your question along to Marc Scott of the Front Porch, who knew
Robert John; no promises that he knows - or will respond - but it's a
shot!
Country Paul
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 01:15:22 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Totally transformed oldies; short stuff
Norm D. Plume [what a great handle, guy!]:
> ... a version of "Bony Maronie" in the style of The Rooftop Singers...
Gary Myers:
>> Probably the Applachians on ABC-Paramount, charted up to #62 in late spring
>> of '63.
I'd forgotten about that one! I used to think of it in the same terms as the
Coronados' version of "Johnny B. Goode," a smooth ballad version which
actually worked, and the Front Porch's "Shake Rattle & Roll." Which brings
up another possible thread: rock classics totally transformed stylistically
and given another meaning or thoroughly different spin in the process. (One
later version: Petty Booka's exquisite girl-group Hawaiian-guitar version of
the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" - retitled "Girlfriend" - on the
Japanese label Benten/Sister from around 2000 or so.)
Some other catch-up stuff:
Great Nervous Norvus review:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Az2cm96hokep5 Way to go with
your comp., Phil M.! (And thanks for the URL, ModGirl.)
Gary, thanks for the lead to the Larry Bright article (Goldmine #322,
11/27/92). Will definitely check it out. BTW, I notice little or no mention
of Goldmine or Discoveries, my two major resources before my knowledge of
Spectropop. Do folks here (still) subscribe to them?
Tough week for DJs: RIP Hunter Hancock from LA and Chuck Leonard from NYC.
Tickled to hear that Little Joe Cook ("Peanuts") is still alive and well.
Gotta come visit Boston and take him in sometime!
Country Paul
(now only six days behind)
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Message: 9
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 11:04:49 +0100
From: Peter Richmond
Subject: Goldstar invoices/Righteous Brothers Discography new website address
As promised I have put the three scans of the Gold Star Recording Studio invoices sent to Philles Records relating to the recording sessions of "I Can't Make It Alone" that was intended for the Righteous Brothers. These are under the Righteous Brothers/Spector Collectors items.
Also please note that the address to my website has now changed to
www.righteousbrothersdiscography.com
Peter
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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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