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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 9 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Me and Arthur Brown
From: Claire Francis
2. Re: Fantastic DVD
From: Lex Cody
3. Re: French covers
From: Scott Charbonneau
4. Re: Claire Francis records
From: Claire Francis
5. Welcome Steve Propes
From: Mikey
6. Re: Tommy James covers
From: Dave Monroe
7. Re: Who Killed Teddy Bear
From: Claire Francis
8. Re: British car songs
From: Richard Havers
9. Re: Who Killed Teddy Bear
From: Dave Monroe
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:50:13 EST
From: Claire Francis
Subject: Me and Arthur Brown
Eddy wrote:
> Claire, Your work with Arthur Brown must have been circa 1965, when
> the band was still known as the Arthur Brown Union. Polydor turned
> down the tracks you recorded with him and to the best of my knowledge
> none of them have turned up since.
Hi Eddy,
Thanks for your e-mail. Please tell me **how in the world** did you
find that one out!? It totally blows my mind that you could know this
.....and I don't. That is why I love this group of music Shamans who
pass on the history in such a mystical way.
Love & Light,
Claire Francis
http://www.clairefrancis.com
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 06:08:57 -0800 (PST)
From: Lex Cody
Subject: Re: Fantastic DVD
Some of the songs are taken from these TV shows:
Petula clark - The Rock Teen Show Nashville 1964
Frankie Avalon - Alan Freed Show NY W.N.E.W TV 1959
PLayboys - W.K.I.E TV Canada 1965
Angels - Clay Cole Show W.P.I.X TV 1963
Fabian - Brooklyn Paramount 1959
Millie Small - W.K.I.E TV Canada 1964
Paul Anka - Alan Freed Show W.N.E.W TV 1957 NY
Lil Anthony - W.K.I.E Canada 1965
Lil Anthony - Murry The K show NY 1959
Del Vikings - Alan Freed Show NY W.N.E.W TV 1957
Frankie Lymon - Frankie laine Show W.N.E.W 1956 NY
The PLatters stuff is off a TV show from France 1958
and Canada W.P.C.N 1955
About 33 of the Songs are Live TV, the rest are
Scope a Tone kinda video clips.
Cheers.
- Lex
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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 15:17:48 -0000
From: Scott Charbonneau
Subject: Re: French covers
Ronnie Bird did a bunch of cool covers on his first LP. At least his
first LP as it was issued in Canada; I have no idea if it corresponds
with the track listing of his French Decca LP from 1965. Here is a
small listing:
Ou Va T'elle - The Hollies "Come On Back"
Je Voudrais Dire - James Brown "I'll Go Crazy"
Ce Maudit Journal - The Turtles "Almost There"
Tu Perds Ton Temps - The Pretty Things "Don't Bring Me Down"
Fais Attention - Nashville Teens "Find My Way Back Home"
Elle M'Attend - Rolling Stones "The Last Time"
Ronnie's second Canadian LP, issued in 1967, continues along the same
lines:
Ce N'est Pas Vrai - Rolling Stones "Blue Turns To Gray"
Chante - Them "I Can Only Give You Everything"
Cheese - The Knickerbockers "Lies"
While this second Canadian LP is not too hot, the first one
definitely rocks. The general consensus is that Ronnie Bird was
perhaps the only French singer of the 1960s who was a truly
convincing rocker. Any opinions one way or the other?
Scott
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 09:17:00 EST
From: Claire Francis
Subject: Re: Claire Francis records
Steve Harvey wrote:
> What tune was that the Yardbirds supposedly recorded by you? Even
> a time period would help.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your e-mail. The problem is that I don't even know the
answer to that question. I just remember once someone at Transglobal
Music (which was a New York office for EMI in the early sixties)
telling me that The Yardbirds recorded a song of mine or were going
to record a song of mine. Then when I came home from London after my
stint at Polydor...I truly remember someone else saying that to me.
Back then when I was a young girl, I never really cared about the
business of money or royalties...I know that sounds stupid now...but
I truly didn't and if I didn't have kids today...I probably wouldn't
give it a second thought either. It was never about the money. Mostly
what I cared about was making the records and writing the songs and
recording the songs.The music was always a Spiritual way to talk to
God (and still is). I never studied music, couldn't read or write it,
or took instrumental lessons. It all came from the heart and ear. And,
like a lot of people in the music business I moved around a lot...
followed the sounds....NY, London, Los Angeles,...and never gave any
address changes to any publishers or record companies...And now, I
can't remember a lot of the stuff that I did.
It would take alot to unravel the work of "the mysterious Claire
Francis" as Ian Chapman once referred to me in a 2000 archive...(which
appeared in Google, and is how I found out about my past work). I had
my fifteen minutes of fame in the sixties and it was great, but all I
really care about now is the memory and passing it on to my girls Kiva
and Dawn who are both in the music business. Kiva is a live concert
photographer ( http://www.upfrontphotography.com ) and Dawn is a music
publicist and owns her own business ( http://www.thepresshouse.com )
When my daughters and my husband heard my work from the past, thanks
to Spectropop, I was so happy to see their joy and I felt very proud.
This is what is pushing me to hear the rest of my records. This is
what I want to give my family. So, any help in the facts, the records,
help in getting Polydor to answer my emails, any help at all would be
greatly appreciated. This to me is why Spectropop is such an incredible
blessing to us all, you all hold the key to the memory. You guys are
the Shamans of this era.
Long Live Spectropop and it's groovy members... Happy and Healthy New
Year to you all.
Love & Light,
Claire Francis
http://www.clairefrancis.com
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Message: 5
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:15:10 -0500
From: Mikey
Subject: Welcome Steve Propes
Hi Steve, Just to let you know, your book on "The 45" was superb.
Loved it!!!
Mikey
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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 06:13:45 -0800 (PST)
From: Dave Monroe
Subject: Re: Tommy James covers
David Gofstein wrote:
> Lene Lovich did a GREAT ITWAN on Stiff Records...
Steve Harvey:
> She also did it in Japanese on a Stiff compilation...
Thanks again! The LP I have, but forgot about. The
Japanese version, however, I didn't know. Okay, next
question: Japanese versions of English-language
tracks? I've a few, but ...
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Message: 7
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 10:20:36 EST
From: Claire Francis
Subject: Re: Who Killed Teddy Bear
Phil Milstein:
> I do have a question, however. I note the inclusion of "Who Killed
> Teddy Bear" in your list, and wonder what your involvement with that
> was. The movie, directed by Phoebe Cates's father Joseph Cates, is a
> cult classic, and the recording of the title track is of great interest
> to fans of girl group sounds and other '60s pop musics. Please tell us
> whatever you can remember about your work on that project.
Hi Phil,
Thank you for your e-mail. I hope someday to put my whole collection
together. I am willing to barter with anyone for any help...check out my
website and you will see my works and links...I will custom craft
something special...do a reading...or pay for the records. Thanks...
Martin from the U.K...a great guy I must admit... sent me a copy of my
record label on this record and also a copy of the record. I produced
"Who Killed Teddy Bear" with Richard Hill, another A & R guy at Polydor
that I worked with sometimes. Mikki Young was the artist...she was also
an actress and might have even been in the film. Roland Rennie, the
Managing Director asked me to do this record. When I asked Roland what
kind of a sound he wanted I remember Roland saying "give me a James
Bond sound".... I don't even know if this was used in the film or not...
I will see if I can rent it from one of the video stores...unless
someone knows if it was used or not...and they can save me the trip!
I asked John Hawkins to do the arrangement. I loved working with him
because he took my musical ideas seriously even though I could not read
or write music. I never had any formal training to read or write or to
play an instrument (Joe Nelson...can you dig it?). But Johnny let me
sing the parts I heard in my head and lots of times used my ideas...
especially on drums/perc. and strings.
I also liked working with Richard Hill for the very same reason. Richard
was also a musician and also helped me to express my musical ideas. So,
have you any idea if my record was used in the film? Please let me know.
Thanks and again happy new year to you all.
Love & Light,
Claire Francis
http://www.clairefrancis.com
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Message: 8
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 14:01:17 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re: British car songs
Maybe a tad out of period, but there is the wonderful 'Cars and Girls'
by Prefab Sprout. If anyone has missed this it's well worth a listen -
"some things hurt much more than cars and girls".
Then there's Chris Rea, he's had a car thread running through much of
his work. Others....... 'Driving' from Everything But The Girl,
'Change' by the Lightning Seeds ......"foot down and drive". Terry
Reid's 'The Driver" from 1991, the album also has the sublime track
'5th of July'. The Kane Gang's 'Motortown' has a hook to die for.
One song that never mentions cars, driving or any word at all for that
matter is the perfect accompaniment to a 60s movie - it's Swing Out
Sister's 'Alpine Crossing'. If you happen to have it, play it and you
will instantly be transported back to 1967 - you'll be at the wheel of
a Sunbeam Tiger, somewhere in the south of France
Does John Carter's excellent 'One more mile to freedom' count?
Richard
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Message: 9
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 05:08:06 -0800 (PST)
From: Dave Monroe
Subject: Re: Who Killed Teddy Bear
Phil X Milstein wrote:>
> I do have a question, however. I note the inclusion
> of "Who Killed Teddy Bear" in your list, and wonder
> what your involvement with that was. The movie,
> directed by Phoebe Cates's father Joseph Cates,
> is a cult classic, and the recording of the title
> track is of great interest to fans of girl group
> sounds and other '60s pop musics. Please tell us
> whatever you can remember about your work on that
> project.
Ditto! I've an atrocious VHS copy, but perennially
find myself having to lend it around to friends who
remember it from the golden age of UHF television
(that is, the 70s, from our p.o.v.; I'm convinced a
greater variety of better films were shown on
broadcast TV back in teh day tahn ares hwon now on
cable). I also however want to know a well, what are
those tracks Juliet Prowse spins (over and over and
over ...) in tha club? And do note the single-
turntable DJ set up.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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