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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 22 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Es Drosvoitia, coc puszge viatcha
From: Claire Francis
2. Re: Sweet Henry song
From: Phil X Milstein
3. Mea culpa
From: Country Paul
4. Re: R.I.P. Alby Power 9/22/04
From: Davie Gordon
5. Music biz stories
From: Claire Francis
6. Distant Cousins, etc
From: Dave O'Gara
7. The Models' "Bend Me, Shape Me"
From: Rich
8. Sister acts
From: Steve Harvey
9. Re: Lecia & Lucienne
From: Niels Chr Junker-Poulsen
10. Heywood Henry: from Erskine Hawkins to The Megatrons
From: Lyn Nuttall
11. Kevin McQuinn
From: Country Paul
12. Re: The Models' "Bend Me, Shape Me"
From: Joe Nelson
13. Cindi's Birthday
From: Jim Fisher
14. Re: One-hit Wonders
From: John Fox
15. Re: One-hit Wonders: Barry Sadler, Elegants, etc
From: Joe Nelson
16. Thanks for the welcome
From: Claire Francis
17. Dion 45s
From: Gary Myers
18. Re: Annette Tucker
From: Gary Myers
19. Re: The Distant Cousins lineup
From: Dave the Rave
20. Neon Philharmonic
From: Jeff Lemlich
21. Beverley Jones
From: David Bell
22. Re: Python Lee Jackson
From: Eddy
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 23:32:21 EDT
From: Claire Francis
Subject: Es Drosvoitia, coc puszge viatcha
Dear Andres.
Es Drosvoitia, coc puszge viatcha -
I think I said hello to you in Russian.
Thanks for your beautiful e-mail. It was really a touching moment to
hear my work again and I am glad to have been able to have shared that
experience with the S'pop group. Stay in touch -
Love & Light,
Claire Francis
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 17:08:17 -0400
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Sweet Henry song
Austin Roberts wrote:
> Hi folks, It's Mr. Memory again (Austin Roberts). I have a question
> about a song that Barry Mason (the great British writer) and I wrote
> in the early 70's and an artist named Sweet Henry cut and released
> on Columbia (I think)? Here's the rub, I don't remember the title of
> the song. DUH! Can somebody help the dolt out? Thanx ahead of time,
>
> Austin, uh, Roberts
Here are the titles of a few Sweet Henry releases, all of them on Paramount:
-----------
Cecelia /
Ooh Reba
Her Favorite Time (Is All The Time) /
Any Old Time You're Lonely And Sad
Love Is Two /
Fallin' In Love With Baby
-----------
Recognize any of 'em?
--Phil M.
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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 17:29:23 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Mea culpa
I wrote earlier:
> ...[the Elegants] are only one of three artists pre-1980 (IRRC) to
> have had a #1 hit and then never anything else on the charts. (The
> Singing Nun and SSgt.Barry Sadler were the others....
Dan Hughes caught my error:
> Barry Sadler's followup--The 'A' Team--went to #28 in Billboard.
I was under the impression it was those three. Obviously, I've been
misinformed for lo these many years! Actually, I'd managed to forget
that "The A Team" (the song, not the soldiers) existed at all - and
I may have been better off for it! :-)
> Maybe Barry McGuire is the third? He never had another
> top 40, but he did have two followups on the Hot 100....
I knew that McGuire charted again, but don't remember with what. Not
being a chart completist, I was just going from memory. I always
found it interesting that while The Signing Nun and the Sorta-Singing
Sergeant were essentially "novelty" acts (term applied loosely), Vito
Picone and The Elegants were working musicians who found themselves
in that unusual happenstance. But since it wasn't Sadler, I wonder if
there indeed was a third artist to fit that criteria. Can anyone with
better chart access than I help?
Mea culpa, and thanks for catching me, Dan.
Country Paul
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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 21:14:27 -0000
From: Davie Gordon
Subject: Re: R.I.P. Alby Power 9/22/04
Previously:
> I have to sadly report the sudden loss of Alby Power, who was the bass
> player for the Liverpool bands: The Tuxedos, The Panthers, The Kirkbys
> and the 23rd Turnoff. Alby died suddenly last night of a heart atack.
> He had been fighting a battle against cancer for some time now and was
> due to come home, as he seemed to now be in regression.
That's sad news - just last week I bought a CD of video footage of some
sixties' pyschedelic bands and the 23rd Turnoff's "Michaelangelo" was
used as background music for a typically groovy body-painting scene. I
hadn't heard the track for years and had forgotten just how good it was.
It's saddening that the first reference to them that I've seen since
then is your new of the loss of one of the members, especially when the
signs of a regression of the cancer looked hopeful.
I haven't heard his other bands but Alby left behind a wonderful track
in "Michaelangelo".
Davie
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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 17:43:25 EDT
From: Claire Francis
Subject: Music biz stories
Hi Country Paul,
Glad you like my stories from the music biz. I promise I will keep
them coming. I have a lot of really good ones. And every time I hear
another song of mine in the musica room it sparks more memories. I
can't remember a lot of my sessions...I want so much to get them on
cd so that I can recall the events around the sessions and artists.
This is my first contact with my work in so long...I just went
through a box of casettes that have some songs I wrote that never
got recorded, and I am beginning to be inspired again to have them
heard....even if it is only on S'pop. Everyone in this group is so
cool and filled with beautiful energy. I love the posts and the heart
felt stories and the salutes to those who have gone before us.
Love & Light,
Claire Francis - from New York
P.S. if any one writes to me - please tell me the state or country
you are in. I am so thrilled to be able to connect so far and wide
around the globe. Take care you all.....
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Message: 6
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 22:34:03 -0000
From: Dave O'Gara
Subject: Distant Cousins, etc
I'm glad there's been some mentions of the Distant Cousins here. Two
singles they issued have always been big favorites of mine: 'She
Ain't Lovin' You", which I believe was at least co-written by Bob
Crewe, is an outstanding uptempo number. I can't believe it never
even cracked the Top 100. My other favorite is "Mr. Sebastian", a
tribute to the song writing talents of John Sebastian. Don't know the
writers or producer of this one, but I'd like comments from anyone
who knows and/or likes these songs.....
Answer to a previous post about hitting Number One on Billboard and
not charting again: "Get a Job" by the Silhouettes from 1958, 15
weeks on the chart and then nothing else.
Dave 0'
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Message: 7
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 23:29:47 -0000
From: Rich
Subject: The Models' "Bend Me, Shape Me"
Davie Gordon, Re: Bend Me, Shape Me
> Isn't the original version the one by The Models (MGM 13775), from
> late July '67? Anybody know who they were? They were a girl group
> made up of ex-models (of course).
Country Paul:
> I seem to remember liking The Models best of any version I've heard.
Just for you Paul and anyone else who is interested the song has been
posted at TweedlleDums Drive-In:
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/TweedleeDumsDrive-In/
Sixtiesoldiesguy
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Message: 8
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 16:50:37 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Sister acts
Lapka Larry wrote:
> Now the question: are there any Spectropop-type singers who became
> famous and have siblings that never reached those heights because
> they are so much like their siblings vocally?
How about Carly Simon's sister, Lucy (I think). She recorded as folk
act with Carly, did a solo lp after Carly took off, but I think she
actually is an opera singer.
Jimmy Webb's sister, Susan, did one lp with her brother at the reins
before fading away.
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 01:17:02 +0200
From: Niels Chr Junker-Poulsen
Subject: Re: Lecia & Lucienne
Martin in Denmark:
> I have a few other interesting girl group recordings from Denmark I
> can upload if you so desire. A personal favorite of mine is the Dandy
> Swinger's cover of 'River Deep Mountain High' - a huge local hit in
> Denmark. Of course, the production is raw and basic compared to
> Spector's, but Anisette, the lead singer of the Dandy Swingers, give
> Tina a run for her money, IMHO. (For those who might know the
> progressive Danish rock group Savage Rose, I can add that their
> carismatic leadsinger Anisette started her career with the Dandy
> Swingers.)
As far as I remember, "River Deep - Mountain High" reached the lower
part of the Danish top 10, and it was only a hit after the formation of
Savage Rose. I wouldn't really call Dandy Swingers a girl group, as
Anisette was the only girl. But as far as Lecia & Lucienne goes, they
did make a few hit records with The Scarlets back in the 60'es. I think,
She Taught Me How To Yodel was ... dare I say, a huge hit.
Niels.
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Message: 10
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 00:40:36 -0000
From: Lyn Nuttall
Subject: Heywood Henry: from Erskine Hawkins to The Megatrons
I've been looking into the Megatrons' 1959 instrumental "Velvet
Waters" which had a life of its own in Australia as a vocal hit.
The Megatrons (a reliable informant tells me) were a studio outfit
put together by Heywood Henry, but not much seems to be known about
them except that "Velvet Waters" was apparently written by a
Megatron, Walter Plunkett. Another source indicates that Heywood
Henry played the clarinet solo on "Velvet Waters".
This man had a long and extraordinary career, it turns out. He was a
highly respected jazz saxophonist who played with the Erskine
Hawkins Orchestra from the 1930s, but he also worked extensively as
a session musician for artists ranging from from Billy Holiday to
Screamin' Jay Hawkins. He worked with Mickey Baker of Mickey &
Sylvia, and Sylvia's 1951 recording debut was with the Heywood Henry
Orchestra.
(I'm summarising what I've put up on my "Velvet Waters" page at
http://poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=412 )
Has anyone here come across - or better - worked with Heywood
Henry? (His name seems to be [mis?]spelt sometimes as 'Haywood'.)
Any further insight into his achievements? Even a scrap of
information about the Megatrons would be interesting.
Thanks,
Lyn
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Message: 11
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 20:03:30 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Kevin McQuinn
Mike Miller:
> I have discovered that a singer [Bob Crewe] starting working
> with in 1961 named Kevin Mcquinn (real name Ed Quinn jr.) made
> 3 records on the Diamond Label of which the 4 Seasons sang
> backup on. He later recorded a 2 sider for Vivid in 1963 (4
> Seasons are on these songs too ) and then re-appeared in 1964
> on the Mala label as Evan Mitchell.
Never knew the rest of the story, Mike, but Kevin McQuinn's "Every
Step of the Way" (Diamond 101) was their first release, and was
somewhat of a hit in NYC. (Considering my immediate past experiences,
I'll leave chart positions out of my end of the discussion!) I had no
idea that was the Seasons behind him. Excellent record, especially
where his singing gets a bit gritty at the end.
Country Paul
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Message: 12
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 22:50:15 -0400
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Re: The Models' "Bend Me, Shape Me"
Davie Gordon, Re: Bend Me, Shape Me
> Isn't the original version the one by The Models (MGM 13775), from
> late July '67? Anybody know who they were? They were a girl group
> made up of ex-models (of course).
Country Paul:
> I seem to remember liking The Models best of any version I've heard...
...which just got posted to Tweedle Dum's Drive In. Strange psychedelia
with those sound effects. I'll try to crosspost to Musica if interest
warrants it.
Joe Nelson
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Message: 13
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 18:46:25 -0700
From: Jim Fisher
Subject: Cindi's Birthday
I recently was given a copy of the above...great teen-tune and I
remember it from my romantic youth in Australia as being done by
-???--the son from the TV show "The Rifleman"-- Paul/Ray Peterson
perhaps? I suffer from teen idol confusion. This version of it is
by the wonderfuly-named Shane Fenton, a Brit apparently and also
apparently known later as Alvin Stardust. Frankie Avalon should
have had a crack at this one. My question: who had the hit version
(if there was one) in the US with this song?
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Message: 14
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 23:53:00 EDT
From: John Fox
Subject: Re: One-hit Wonders
Previously:
> The Elegants, they had a ton of releases ("Goodnight" was probably
> as close to a hit as they came after "Little Star"; it charted in a
> few markets, including Providence, RI) but they are only one of
> three artists pre-1980 (IRRC) to have had a #1 hit and then never
> anything else on the charts. (The Singing Nun and SSgt. Barry Sadler
> were the others;
Barry Sadler's other "hit" has already been covered. But the ultimate
in this category is (are?) Zager & Evans--6 weeks at #1 and no other
chartings.
John Fox
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Message: 15
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 22:40:58 -0400
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Re: One-hit Wonders: Barry Sadler, Elegants, etc
Previously:
> ...they [the Elegants] are only one of three artists pre-1980 (IRRC)
> to have had a #1 hit and then never anything else on the charts.
> (The Singing Nun and SSgt. Barry Sadler were the others; IMO, they
> deserved their obscurity - the Elegants didn't.)
Tom Taber:
> I'd swear Barry Sadler's "The A Team" made it to something like #28
> in Billboard - I let this pass months ago, but this time I'm saying
> it - am I wrong?
You're right. "The A Team" did in fact chart, disqualifying (!?!)
Sadler from one-hit-wonder status. The other artists were the Singing
Nun as noted, plus the Hollywood Argyles and Zager and Evans. (If you
want to go past the Seventies, you could include M.)
The mystery of course is how the Elegants ended up in such dubious
company. The Singing Nun was a one-off project that wasn't even
recorded for commercial release, the Argyles were simply a Gary Paxton
solo project (he thought he was signed to Brent Records as a solo
artist, which turned out not to be the case) and Zager and Evans
released the unpromotable "Mr Turnkey" as their sole followup to "In
The Year 2525" before Denny Zager decided he'd tired of the act. The
Elegants, on the other hand, made numerous attempts at following up
"Little Star", yet the public wasn't having any. What gave?
Joe Nelson
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Message: 16
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 23:35:31 EDT
From: Claire Francis
Subject: Thanks for the welcome
Hi Country Paul, I just wanted to take this moment to thank you for
your "welcome" email. I am happy to discuss my stay at Polydor from
what I can remember. I have been posting little bits and pieces on
the boards. Have you gotten a chance to read them. Look forward to
more talk. Take care..
Love & Light
Claire Francis
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Message: 17
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 21:13:36 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Dion 45s
Previously:
> I did think Abraham Martin And John was incredible.
> AM&J was historic, but turn the record over; the re-imagining of
> "Purple Haze" is absolutely brilliant!
"Purple Haze" was the chart follow-up AM&J on Laurie 3478. I think
the original flip of AM&J was "Daddy Rollin'" (3464).
gem
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Message: 18
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 22:51:14 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Annette Tucker
Mick Patrick:
> Al "B. Bumble" Hazan interviewed Annette Tucker for S'pop a while
> back. It's a rather splendid read. Try it:
> http://www.spectropop.com/AnnetteTucker/index.htm
Nice story, Mick, very interesting. Thanks.
gem
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Message: 19
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 06:03:53 -0000
From: Dave the Rave
Subject: Re: The Distant Cousins lineup
I am pretty certain that I read a small article in Billboard back in
the 60's that Raymond Bloodworth and Larry Brown became friends
while both serving in the armed forces, and that they themselves
were the Distant Cousins or the backbone of it.
Just a side note on the Distant Cousins, their song "She Ain't Lovin
You" was one that I suggested to the late Richard Tepp of Richard &
the Young Lions(RYL) for their new upcoming CD that is being helped
by the likes of Little Steven's Underground Garage.
Being that Bloodworth & Brown had written most of the sides that
R&YL released on Philips, I suggested that RYL record "She Ain't
Lovin You" as it fit Richard's style and it would seem like simply a
lost RYL tune because of it being another Bloodworth & Brown
composition. I believe the band did rehearse the song but it will
not be on the upcoming release.
IMHO, the Distant Cousins Date 45 of "She Ain't Lovin You" deserved
a better fate than the actual success achieved. Of course that is
something said about countless 45's.
Dave the Rave
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Message: 20
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 02:20:46 -0000
From: Jeff Lemlich
Subject: Neon Philharmonic
Gary Myers:
> And, no doubt you've heard the bizarre story of one of the main
> guys on that record - was it Don Gant?
Gant died 20 years ago, but Tupper Saussy remained controversial and
defiant as ever, going on the run for refusing to pay income taxes,
before finally doing his time in California. He's a free man now and
provided a lot of insight in the 2-CD Neon Philharmonic box set.
(Saussy's little brother Tommy was a member of the Trojans, the Tampa
garage band that did such an awesome version of the Zombies' "Leave
Me Be" on the Boss label.)
> Jeff, you made it through the hurricanes OK?
Up to this point, yes, but we're under yet another hurricane warning
right now. Creeping Jeanne is on her way.
Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com
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Message: 21
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 04:24:24 EDT
From: David Bell
Subject: Beverley Jones
I was in a record shop in York last weekend when I came across a cd,
which contained the Beverley Jones version of the Vandellas' "Heat
Wave". After putting it at the front of the rack to return to later,
I then went through loads of other cds, which I bought.
The inevitable happened..... and a week later I got up and realised
that I'd left the cd behind. Now, of course, I can't remember what
the cd was called, nor on which label it was released. Does anybody
have any idea of the cd title that I am desperate to get hold of?
Any help to locate it will be gratefully received.
David (growing increasing forgetful and vague as time goes rapidly by).
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Message: 22
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 09:10:31 +0200
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: Python Lee Jackson
Austin Powell:
> My old boss at WEA Records in London, Geoff Grimes told me more than
> once that he played keyboards on the "Broken Dream" session and got
> paid £7.50p for his troubles! I think Mikki Dallon produced the record?
Re: In a broken dream, from the Rod Stewart "Storyteller" box set:
This was only meant to be a demo, which I did for a friend in exchange
for a new set of carpets for my automobile (he was a car salesman trying
to enter the field of rock & roll managment - a lethal combination). He
said, "I only want a guide vocal to show my new signing how it should be
sung". I, of course, obliged like a friend. Subsequently, three years
later, it was released and became a major hit in Europe. I was conned.
Never mind, life goes on.
Eddy... well, Rod Stewart actually ;)
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