________________________________________________________________________
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
________________________________________________________________________
There are 5 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: All Night Workers
From: Phil X Milstein
2. Re: Elliot Kendall
From: Chris
3. more on Brian Wilson-Larry King int.
From: Phil X Milstein
4. Re: Odessey and Oracle and Al
From: Brent Cash
5. Re: "98.6" and Keith
From: Spectropop Projects
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 11:54:20 -0400
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: All Night Workers
S.J.Dibai asked:
> ... Since it was released on a Pickwick subsidiary, could this
> account for Lou Reed's involvement? I know he was a member
> of their song factory in his pre-Velvet Underground days.
I would say so.
--Phil
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 10:03:53 -0000
From: Chris
Subject: Re: Elliot Kendall
Elliot Kendall wrote:
> I'll admit it, I'm a lurker.
Don't sell yourself short, Elliot -- without you at the PCC record meets, I'd
never have found the best music I have in my collection (including the
definitive version of "Honda Bike" on your "Le Hot Show" CD). Still got my
fingers crossed that you'll get back in the studio again soon -- and maybe
cut your version of "Surf Side"!
Thanks again,
Chris
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 13:20:37 -0400
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: more on Brian Wilson-Larry King int.
I had a few more thoughts this morning about last week's Wilson-King
interview. I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but figure that those who
haven't gotten a chance to see the show might find it of interest.
One odd recurrence of the interview was the fact of Brian's trail-off
utterances at the end of several of his comments, things which King, in
his inattention, failed even to hear, let alone respond to. These, I
thought, were among the most tellings of Brian's comments throughout the
entire interview, in that they were the most unguarded. We've mentioned
a few of them here already, but one more I'd forgotten about until today
was Brian's response to the mention of his brother Dennis's name. As
Larry was starting the next question, Brian said of Dennis, "He was a
nice guy." I find it interesting that of all the things one could say
about Dennis Wilson, in the memory of his brother and close friend, was that.
Another thing we haven't yet mentioned here is the fact that Brian and
Melinda talked about the three young children they've adopted, even
showing a few photos of them. I'm sure it'll be tough for these kids to
grow up with parents as old as their's (Melinda is in her mid-50s, and
Brian around 62), let alone having a dad with as troubled a
psychological history as Brian's, yet I still must assume it will be a
significant improvement over the childhood they'd have in store for them
had they never been adopted by anyone. Apart from that I hope and trust
that the Wilsons will be able to give them everything they have to give,
especially their love. Still, this fact of Brian's current life is a
noteworthy one, and I didn't want it to go unmentioned here.
--Phil M.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 17:14:49 -0000
From: Brent Cash
Subject: Re: Odessey and Oracle and Al
Robert wrote:
> Did a Zombies search in the message archive and saw that 6 months
> has gone by since Mr. Al Kooper has been thanked for helping bring
> the still amazing Zombies Odessey and Oracle LP to a wider audience.
> Thanks again Mr. K! Was re-reading the cd booklet for the 30th
> anniversary re-issue cd and was reminded of Mr. Al's involvement.
> Actually, all of the Zombies 60's music is just mind-boggling in
> it's consistency and atmosphere. I'll take them over the Beatles
> any (and every) day!
Rob, let me second you on that!Also,let's give it up for that DJ in Boise,
Idaho for starting the (if I'm not mistaken) very first regional breakout
of "Time Of The Season" in the US. I guess up there they know their
potatoes and future #3 Billboard hits.
Pres asked:
> Anybody on this list in the East Cobb/Atlanta area?
I'm over near Gwinnett County, bro ... and did you OK your nickname
with Lester Young beforehand? haha...
Best to all,
Brent Cash
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 08:32:38 -0700
From: Spectropop Projects
Subject: Re: "98.6" and Keith
A compendium of responses to the following inquiry:
C. Ponti wrote:
> Does anyone have remembrances or info on Keith or "98.6"?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bryan:
I don't have any particular remembrances, but earlier this year I
turned down the opportunity to write the liner notes for a Keith
CD compilation. It's now available, if anyone is interested in
checking it out:
http://tinyurl.com/6gua6
Here's the description from that Amazon page:
2004 compilation for the Sunshine Pop singer includes his two
Mercury albums, '98.6/Ain't Gonna Lie' (1967) and 'Out Of Crank',
plus all singles recorded with Jerry Ross between 1966-67. Keith is
best remembered for his 1967 smash '98.6', this is the only CD
collection on the market. Includes essay from interview with Ross
and rare pics. 27 tracks. RPM.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Steve Harvey:
Lesley Gore did a great version, as a medley with "Lazy Day" fused
onto it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pres:
Keith is alive and well and can be found at http://www.keith986.com
After falling in love with "I Can't Go Wrong," which I found on the Jerry
Ross compilaton "Yo Philadelphia! Look What I Found", I bought the
RPM compilation of his Mercury stuff. I'd only known 98.6 and was
pleasantly surprised.
"I Can't Go Wrong" should be a wedding anthem.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
S.J. Dibai:
Funny you should mention Keith. I recently purchased the compilation
that RPM put out on him earlier this year, which is called "Ain't
Gonna Lie." It appears to have everything he cut for Mercury Records
with Jerry Ross--two albums, a couple of non-LP sides, an unreleased
track. Honestly, I picked it up only because the guy was a rare
Philadelphian pop act of note from the mid-to-late '60s. What
notable pop and/or rock acts did Philly have from that era? The Kit
Kats, The Nazz, Keith, and to a lesser degree, The Magic Mushrooms
(though I don't like to brag about that) and apparently The
Spokesmen. Our golden age of pop/rock was over, but historians –
and Philadelphians -- often forget that we weren't lying dormant in
that department after 1963.
Back to Keith: I have to admit, I found the CD largely underwhelming
on first listen. I don't think Keith had a particularly impressive
voice, nor was he much of a singer. He was a blandly handsome
teenage boy who had a pop producer with a knack for turning out
mainstream hits. The perfect teen idol formula. Nevertheless, a few
tracks did catch my attention.
"98.6" -- of course, with an appealing vocal and arrangement, funny
lyrics.
"Tell Me To My Face" -- a fabulous cover of The Hollies song, but with
an Arab flair instead of the Latin feel of the original. A strong
vocal from Keith, too. It was a top 40 hit.
"Ain't Gonna Lie" -- a great, Philly soul-flavored pop tune, his first
hit. Another top 40. Perhaps the best thing on the CD.
"Our Love Started All Over Again" -- a dramatic Pitney-type ballad.
"The Pleasure Of Your Company" -- a frantic flop single, crediting "E.
Cobb" as writer. I guess that's Ed Cobb.
There were some other good ones on there, but the tunes listed above
caught my attention most on the first listen. I haven't had a chance
to give it a few more spins yet. I will say this: a lot of the stuff
is just generic period pop with not much to set it apart from the
similar teenybopper pop from that era. A few of the songs and
performances are appaling ("Sweet And Sour" comes to mind
immediately), but overall it's not bad -- just not terribly
significant. Still, a reasonable purchase if you want to learn more
about this guy.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Robert:
Cherry Red just put out "Ain't Gonna Lie," a cool Keith compilation
containing his entire first two albums and more. I read somewhere
he's now a sound man for "Judge Judy," or one of the other
courtroom shows.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Phil X. Milstein
All I know about Keith is that Joey Ramone once tried out to be
his drummer -- unsuccessfully, I might add.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
End
