________________________________________________________________________ SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop! ________________________________________________________________________ There are 25 messages in this issue. Topics in this digest: 1. Re: Johnny Crawford From: Pres 2. Re: Phil Kahl From: Andrew Charles 3. Re: Sweet Henry song From: Phil X Milstein 4. Re: Distant Cousins From: Al Quaglieri 5. Re: All's Quiet on West 23rd From: Phil Hall 6. Northern Soul Cover Up From: Frank Murphy 7. Re: Bend Me, Shape Me.. From: Howard Earnshaw 8. Re: Python Lee Jackson From: Phil X Milstein 9. Re: Eight Feet - Bobby's Come Back From: Ian Slater 10. Re: Kevin McQuinn / Diamond Records From: Mike Miller 11. Attention Claire Francis & Al Kooper: Dave Rich now playing @ Musica From: Mick Patrick 12. Brian Wilson In UK Top 40! From: Various 13. Richard Perry query From: Artie Wayne 14. The death Of Vinyl/Attic Records From: Mark Hill 15. Re: Distant Cousins; #1 then nothing; Megatrons From: Country Paul 16. The Distant Cousins Meet Frankenstein From: Frank Young 17. Re: The Distant Cousins; Richard & The Young Lions From: Clark Besch 18. Re: Kolsky brothers From: Tom 19. Re: Denny Zager; 1-HWs From: Orion 20. Re: Alley Oop; short takes From: Country Paul 21. Re: Python Lee Stewart From: Eddy Smit 22. Re: Elegants From: Al Kooper 23. Re: Dave Rich now playing at musica From: Claire Francis 24. Re: Bend Me, Shape Me.. From: Ed Salamon 25. Re: Sweet Henry song From: Austin Roberts ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________ Message: 1 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 08:44:34 -0400 From: Pres Subject: Re: Johnny Crawford Jim Fisher wrote: > I recently was given a copy of ("Cindy's Birthday") ...great teen- > tune ... My question: who had the hit version (if there was one) in > the US with this song? The hit version in the US (Del-Fi 4178) was by Johnny Crawford from TV's "The Rifleman" and former Mousketeer. The third of his eight charted records between '61 & '64, it was his career peak at #8 in the summer of '62. I just recently became familiar with this song from ACE's "The Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll" series and, although I'm not normally a fan of "pin up pop", I love this song. I have to say, when I first heard it I didn't know who was singing and I actually thought, "Is this a lesbian love song?" No disrespect to Mr. Crawford's teenage vocal chords intended. I'd love to hear the "Alvin Stardust" version. pres -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 09:29:40 -0400 From: Andrew Charles Subject: Re: Phil Kahl For Davie Gordon: One of Dickie Goodman's 1970s singles was co-produced by "Phil Kahl / Big Seven Music." If Big Seven Music was connected with Roulette (as I think it was), this could be the same guy. ACJ -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 12:57:39 -0400 From: Phil X Milstein Subject: Re: Sweet Henry song Phil Milstein wrote: > Here are the titles of a few Sweet Henry releases, all of them on > Paramount: ... Recognize any of 'em? Austin Roberts asked: > None of these fit. Do you know what years these were out? > For some reason I thought the label for our tune was Columbia. They are listed as being from '70 and '71. I believe the first two were from '70, and latter one from '71. --Phil M. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 13:16:18 -0400 From: Al Quaglieri Subject: Re: Distant Cousins I've posted a nice clean copy of The Distant Cousins' "She Ain't Lovin' You" at: http://www.alcue.com/distant.mp3 I'll put up some of their other singles in the next day or so. Wish there was a more generous file allowance. They don't even offer the option to buy more space...ridiculous! Al Q. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 18:09:51 -0000 From: Phil Hall Subject: Re: All's Quiet on West 23rd Tina Vozick wrote: > I can pick out names on the signs of this likely 23rd street > somewhere. That is totally New York City's West 23rd Street. The > YMCA is the McBurney "Y" on the north side of W. 23rd and Broadway > Bank was on the south side. I spent many an hour in the Automat on > the south side of the street. Also on the south side, of course, is > the famous Chelsea Hotel. Tina, Alas, the McBurney YMCA closed last year, the Automat is gone and the Broadway Bank is now the East of Eight Emigrant Savings Bank. The Chelsea is still there, though. Phil H. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 18:31:21 -0000 From: Frank Murphy Subject: Northern Soul Cover Up There was an acetate played last night at a local soul club . The title can only be "Every man must have a woman" and according to Spectropop's research tools a song of that name was written by Teddy Randazzo. Did he do his own demos? It sounded very much like one of his productions. Any info anyone? -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 15:00:52 EDT From: Howard Earnshaw Subject: Re: Bend Me, Shape Me.. Davie Gordon wrote, Re: Bend Me, Shape Me: > Isn't the original version the one by The Models (MGM 13775) I've another version of this by Henry Shed on UK Stateside. I like it too. :-) Howard -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 15:07:15 -0400 From: Phil X Milstein Subject: Re: Python Lee Jackson Rod Stewart, quoted by Eddy Smit: > 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. Thanks for providing this quote, Eddy. It's hard to picture such an intense performance as being only a guide vocal! Yeah, --Phil M. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 18:14:35 +0100 From: Ian Slater Subject: Re: Eight Feet - Bobby's Come Back Al Kooper on Eight Feet: > The flip was written by the girls, I think. Too lazy to dig it out. > I had great fun attempting to emulate Spector's sound on that record. Thanks for the gen on that record, Al. I wonder if the reference to Debbie fits in with anyone else's knowledge of a talented young New Jersey singer of that name. It would be great to find other tracks by her. According to the label, the flip (and I'm assuming you meant the flip of "Bobby..." not of the demo!) was written by R. Adams and L. Kusik. The publisher was "We Three Music Inc, BMI". If that brings back any more memories, it would be interesting to know. A great emulation of the Spector sound with a Dylanesque song: what a marvellous legacy of the 60s! -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 13:57:56 EDT From: Mike Miller Subject: Re: Kevin McQuinn / Diamond Records Davie, Regards the Kevin Mcquinn recording, "Ev'ry Step Of The Way", Charlie Calello stated in a 2002-2003 interview that this was the first song that he worked on with Bob Crewe. I believe it was October 1961, as the record charted someplace in the eastern US in November 1961. The 4 Seasons also can be heard quite prominently on this side, but not as easily as on the flip, "Keep Me On Your Mind". The 2 later releases on this label were: -Adventure / Same Time, Same Place -Philly-Del-Fi-Yea (Gaudio) / Turn Back (Crewe-Gaudio) It seems to make sense that Mcquinn was one and the same as Eddie Quinn from the Mello Kings, as their career sort of ended in early to late 1961, and he had taken a hand in many of their songwriting credits. Does anyone from this group know anyone from the original Mello Kings who could substantiate whether McQuinn and Quinn are one in the same ???? Mike Miller, doowopdaddy -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 23:46:00 +0100 From: Mick Patrick Subject: Attention Claire Francis & Al Kooper: Dave Rich now playing @ Musica Martin Roberts on Claire Francis productions: > ... "But I Don't Care", "I've Got My Own Thing Going" ... and > Dave Rich's "Last Two People On Earth" ... Al Kooper: > Curious if this is the same Last Two People that I co-wrote for > Gene Pitney. Never heard Dave Rich's version. It most certainly is. I don't have a copy of the record. Doh! Fortunately, Martin does, and he's very obligingly made it available for musica. I've just uploaded it for him. Find it here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica/ details are: Dave Rich "The Last Two People On Earth" (UK Polydor BM 56113, 1966) Written by Al Kooper/Bob Brass/Irwin Levine. Music Director Nicky Welsh. Produced by Claire Francis. Claire hasn't heard this for over 30 years. Hopefully, memories of her time spent in London's Tin Pan Alley will come flooding back. With any luck, she'll be able to tell us which musicians played on this track, all 150 of 'em! Is that the Breakaways on backing vocals? My favourites! Dave Rich sounds like a terrified teenager. I like that. Coming soon: the B-side, and more. Thanks, Martin. Hey la, Mick -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 19:19:30 +0000 From: Various Subject: Brian Wilson In UK Top 40! Some thoughts on Brian Wilson making this week's charts in Britain: ------- Richard Hattersley: Wow, I never thought I'd see this. Brian Wilson in the UK Top 40 with the single "Wonderful," from the Smile album entered at no. 29. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/top40/ How about that! http://www.wiz.to/richardsnow ------- Dave Feldman: Who would have thought this could ever happen? Right now, the #1 CD at Amazon US and UK is Brian Wilson's Smile. http://www.imponderables.com ------- Jens Koch: I know the charts of today don't get mentioned much on Spectropop, but number 29 in this week's official English chart is Brian Wilson's new single "Wonderful" -- and that's a VINYL single! http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/top40/ It's also number 4 on the indie charts. Why that's ... "Wonderful"! -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 15:15:14 -0700 (PDT) From: Artie Wayne Subject: Richard Perry query How y'all doin? Has anybody heard what my old friend Richard Perry is up to these days? Regards, Artie Wayne -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 18:44:04 -0400 From: Mark Hill Subject: The death Of Vinyl/Attic Records Record collectors, I dare you to look at this photo from the post-Ivan flooding in Pittsburgh last week. The Attic is the premier vintage vinyl store in Pittsburgh, the home of the $1,500 45: The Death Of Vinyl/Attic Records: http://tinyurl.com/5mepa For background on the flood and its damage: http://tinyurl.com/4fj8u Mark Hill -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 19:53:32 -0400 From: Country Paul Subject: Re: Distant Cousins; #1 then nothing; Megatrons Dave O'Gara, (1) my favorite Distant Cousins track was the beautiful "No More You" on DynoVoice. Agreed: good to see them discussed here. (2) re: Silhouettes "Get A Job" hitting #1 and the group never seeing any chart action again -- I didn't even know they had any follow-up records (although after a huge hit, they certainly would). At least they deserved their hit; I confess I never liked Zager & Evans' "2525", which Joe Nelson notes also hit #1. Rich wrote: > Bend Me, Shape M...by The Models (MGM 13775) [is] posted > at TweedlleDums Drive-In: > http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/TweedleeDumsDrive-In/ Thank you! Lyn Nuttall wrote: > I've been looking into the Megatrons' 1959 instrumental "Velvet > Waters" which had a life of its own in Australia as a vocal hit.... > (I'm summarising what I've put up on my "Velvet Waters" page at > http://poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=412 ) Wow! Great page, Lyn. I had no idea (1) that this sweet little instrumental had such a history, (2) that Heywood Henry was black, and (3) that the song hit overseas as a vocal. I wonder how its little label (which changed its name from Acousticon to Audicon mid-run) got it to be such a big hit. FYI, also on the label were The Passions ("Just To Be With You," etc.). To be continued ... Country Paul -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 16:58:27 -0700 (PDT) From: Frank Young Subject: The Distant Cousins Meet Frankenstein Has anyone mentioned the extremely unlikely film appearance made (in song only) by The Distant Cousins? It's in what, for my money, is the singlemost absurd and delightful Z-grade monster movie of the 1960s. 1965's black and white Frankenstein Meets The Space Monster features the very Beatley and catchy "To Have And To Hold" twice, including a long end-credits sequence. Also featured in this jaw-dropping film is The Poets' cult classic "That's The Way It's Got To Be," played over a montage of fab NASA stock-footage. Bob Crewe is credited as the producer of the Scottish Poets' song, which was actually helmed by Andrew Loog Oldham, as we all know ... This movie is a life-changing experience. The filmmakers had the impressive gall to repeat an entire sequence, verbatim, some three or four minutes after it was first shown -- dialogue and all! I've never seen this done in any other movie. The film was released on video in the early 1980s. I have a dub of it, obtained from a video store in Georgia. If it's ever released on DVD, I'll happily buy a copy. Keep your eyes peeled for this abnormal drive-in gem at your local decrepit mom 'n' pop video store! Frank -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17 Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 01:48:06 -0000 From: Clark Besch Subject: Re: The Distant Cousins; Richard & The Young Lions Al Quaglieri wrote: > I've posted a nice clean copy of The Distant Cousins' "She Ain't Lovin' > You" at: http://www.alcue.com/distant.mp3 I had asked Bob Irwin to get this incredible 45 on his next "Rock Artifacts" CD, but the series was dropped after volume 4. Its follow-up, "Stop Runnin' Round Baby," was another great 45, less garagy and more poppy, but a great song nonetheless. Dave the Rave wrote: > 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. Since "She Ain't Lovin' You" and "Open Up Your Door" were out at the same time, there were many ads with info on both groups in the trades at the time. I agree that "She Ain't Lovin' You" woulda been a cool song for the reunited R&YL guys. Maybe my good friend, drummer Twig of The Young Lions, doesn't know kettle drums? By the way, their story is out on DVD! Great hour plus many extras and great stories! Available from their waycool site: http://richardandtheyounglions.com/ Clark -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 20:06:48 -0000 From: Tom Subject: Re: Kolsky brothers Davie Gordon wrote: > Something about Diamond I've never been sure of - is Phil Kahl the > same person as Phil Kolsky who was an early business partner of > Roulette's Maurice Levy - I think he was in charge of publishing for > Roulette and related labels. Yes, Phil Kahl Is Phil Kolsky. His brother, Joe Kolsky, was president of Diamond Records. Phil was A&R head and produced a lot of Ronnie Dove's records with Ray Vernon (Vernon Wray, brother of Link Wray). Phil and Joe have both passed away -- I don't have death dates for either of them, except I was told Phil passed away sometime in late 2000 in Florida. Tom -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 21:36:07 -0500 From: Orion Subject: Re: Denny Zager; 1-HWs Gary Myers wrote: > I told him I did occasional stories for record collector's publications > and wondered if he would do an interview sometime. He said they had > just had some recent interest in re-doing the song from someone in NY, > and he'd like to wait until that happened. I wrote to him once after that, > but never heard anything further. I live in Omaha, NE which is only 40 miles away. I have tried to contact him a few times but he is not much for talking about the past. The few words I did get out of him were, "The days you speak of came and went fast, they aren't here anymore". With that he politely said goodbye. Many people want their privacy, and I believe they deserve it. Shawn Nagy wrote: > Depends how technical you want to get, Zager & Evans had three chart > entries, Singing Nun had two according to Cashbox. Always worth > considering both sets of charts. NOW, if a group didn't have more > than one entry on both Billboard & Chashbox I'd consider them a > bonafide "one hit wonder". I think many consider a "one-hit wonder" if they only charted one record in the Top 40 or so. I know I have purchased a few "One-Hit Wonder" CDs, and when looking them up in Billboard and Cashbox found much what you described. They only had one in the Top Ten and maybe another in the 90s or the like. Orion -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 23:15:31 -0400 From: Country Paul Subject: Re: Alley Oop; short takes Joe Nelson wrote, re: one-#1-hit-wonders: > 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 Hollywood Argyles hit #1 with "Alley Oop"? That version essentially bypassed New York completely, as the Dante & The Evergreens version on Madison was the big hit here. Interesting as they were both from the same town in California, according to Don "Dante" Drowty, who I had the pleasure of singing with (as an "honorary Evergreen") when he visited UGHA at the end of 2001. Gary Myers wrote: > "Purple Haze" was the chart follow-up AM&J on Laurie 3478. > I think the original flip of AM&J was "Daddy Rollin'" (3464). You're probably right, and I'm probably wrong. I need to do more rustling through the record collection before quoting statistics -- maybe the brain is ossifying with age! Al K., great story about Eight Feet. Wish you remembered more about the flipside, "What Am I Without You" -- it's absolutely gorgeous! More soon, Country Paul -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21 Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 08:22:40 +0200 From: Eddy Smit Subject: Re: Python Lee Stewart Although some of the songs throughout his career may not have been quite up to snuff, I think Stewart has always proven he's an excellent singer, regardless the material. He's just one of those people where the sound comes naturally. And especially because of the inferior material he did later on, one tends to lose sight of the fact that especially throughout the '60s Stewart made some magnificent records. In particular "Little Misunderstood" is one I'd like to single out here. Eddy -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22 Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 04:57:40 EDT From: Al Kooper Subject: Re: Elegants Austin Roberts wrote: > Greatest Dion soundalike, in my opinion, was the one-hit wonder, number > one record Little Star by The Elegants, circa 1958. What a great record! That would be Vito Picone, who I shared many stages with in my Royal Teen days. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23 Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 09:05:46 EDT From: Claire Francis Subject: Re: Dave Rich now playing at musica Thank you all so much for being part of my very grateful heart. Al, thank you for writing such a beautiful and special song. Your song had quite a lot of meaning for me. I always felt, and still do, like I wanted to save the world. Your song says it all for me. Mick and Martin, you are my angels. Tonight I heard my record and realized how blessed I am to know you all. Can you imagine what it must feel like to be me right this moment? Man, all I can say is -- this is love! You guys have really done something very special for my family and I. May the great spirit that created all life bless you all. Music is such a wonderful thing. The past is starting to come alive again, and I can see the studio session images right before my eyes. And yes, Dave Rich was a terrified teenager. I think he was about 22 years old when I met him. If my memory serves me correctly, I think I recorded his voice track in Paris. He lived on a houseboat on the River Seine. Nicky Walsh was a big bearded teddy bear of a man and a very kind person. Both he and Johnny Hawkins were my favorite people to work with, because even though I was a young girl and a female and from Brooklyn, New York, they took me seriously ... except when I would say the words "walk, talk was, water and coffee". They listened to my ideas about "big walls of sound" and really made them happen. Because we had so many musicians on this record we had to use the EMI Studio A. The Breakaways -- I haven't heard that name in so many years. I think they were on this session. I would love to see a picutre of them. I might remember even more. But I really think that it was them! I will write more as I remember. Meanwhile, thanks so much for all your help. Love and light, Claire Francis -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24 Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 15:18:11 -0000 From: Ed Salamon Subject: Re: Bend Me, Shape Me.. Howard Earnshaw wrote: > Isn't the original version the one by The Models (MGM 13775)? You are correct, sir! Co-writer (and my Nashville neighbor) Larry Weiss advises: "Yes, The Models did do the first version of 'Bend Me Shape Me.' The late Tom Wilson produced them, on MGM, and they actually were beautiful models for real!" Ed Salamon -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 25 Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 12:21:47 EDT From: Austin Roberts Subject: Re: Sweet Henry song Phil M. wrote: > They are listed as being from '70 and '71. I believe the first two were > from '70, and latter one from '71. This would have come out in 1973 or 1974, at the earliest. AR -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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