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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 20 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: France Gall
From: Jean-Emmanuel Dubois
2. Re: Bobby Darin
From: Clark Besch
3. Re: A Whiter Shade Of Pale
From: Richard Havers
4. Seals & Crofts on T-A; Ramrods
From: Country Paul
5. Bang/Shout discog. info
From: Niels Junker-Poulsen
6. Bobby Darin; Procol Harum
From: Country Paul
7. fresh Pet
From: Bill Mulvy
8. Re: Joe Jeffrey Group
From: Lyn Nuttall
9. Re: different British versions
From: Jeff Lemlich
10. Re: 45s and EPs
From: Frank
11. Re: The Arkade - Where You Lead
From: Steve Fuji
12. Re: Ramrods Rockin'?
From: James Botticelli
13. Re: French covers
From: Dave Monroe
14. Re: Samantha Jones; "Summer is Over"
From: Julio Niño
15. Joe Brown
From: Country Paul
16. Fascinating archive at Black Cat Rockabilly
From: Country Paul
17. Re: Bobby Darin
From: That Alan Gordon
18. Re: Louisville's Own
From: Phil X Milstein
19. Re: Dusty B-sides
From: Jeff Lemlich
20. Re: Ramrods Rockin'?
From: Steve Harvey
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2005 21:49:59 +0100
From: Jean-Emmanuel Dubois
Subject: Re: France Gall
Dave Monroe wrote:
> The Sexologie comp is out of print, but there's one called Dingo
> that might yet be available. I got it on both CD and LP from Dusty
> Groove America http://www.dustygroove.com/ which is typically a
> good source for at least reissued French material here. But there's also
> a nice Jazzman reissue 45 out as well. Again, try DGA, if not Jazzman
> itself. There's also a cover on a Japanese comp called Cuties.
And Frankenstein by France Gall, what a killer too. It's a '74 song by Serge
Gainsbourg and with a great video with Jacques Dutronc (in fact in the '60s
and '70s the leading pop shows were done by the Carpentier and you were
able to see lots of artists meeting and playing, singing other artist songs, etc.)
JED
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2005 20:54:07 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Bobby Darin
Artie Wayne wrote:
> Everytime I'd see him, the first thing he wanted to know
> was how I was getting along after being one of the first people
> in the U.S. to have open heart surgery in 1965.
Artie, I musta missed your heart transplant story--WOW, 1965? As scary
as it is today, I can imagine (no, I can't!) how worried you must have
been about the procedure back then. I assume your heart has lasted
nearly 40 years now? Amazing thing. Glad you are here with us to relate
these great stories of music. Hope it lasts another 40!
The fact that you wrote a B-side for Darin and Alan Gordon wrote the
cool '67 A-side, "She Knows", I would think Darin due for a box set with
these more hard-to-find sides, don't you? Now is the time, Rhino Records!
Now, Alan, your story on "She Knows" and how Darin came to record it
and if you met him and talked about his recording, please?
Clark
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 21:58:47 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re: A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Lex Cody wrote:
> Richard look here: http://www.procolharum.com/awsop.htm
> That will answer everything you want to know about that song,
> abandoned lyrics, etc.
Thanks Lex, I went there before and just about the only thing it doesn't
have is the recording date. It's well worth a visit by anyone slightly
interested in this classic song, though!
Richard
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 17:05:39 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Seals & Crofts on T-A; Ramrods
Davie Gordon wrote:
> ...[Y]ou can now see a listing of almost every single issued
> through Amy-Mala-Bell in the period 1959 - 1974. ... [T]here's
> more than enough information to give you a good idea of the
> range and depth of the A-M-B Group. ... The URL for the AMB
> Yahoo Group is
> http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/amymalabell
I have not one but TWO Seals & Crofts singles on T.A. (or, as the logo reads,
T-A), from back when they were still considered hip:
Ridin' Thumb (matrix 9788-S), wr. Seals and Crofts, 3:53
Leave (9789-S0), wr. Seals and Trombatore, 4:18
TA-208 (stereo, promo copy, full-color label), arr. Seals & Crofts,
pr. John Simon, Harem Music-Dawnbreaker Music, BMI, released 10/70
Gabriel Go On Home (9835), wr. Seals and Crofts, 3:54
Robin, wr. Seals and Crofts, 1:53
TA-210 (mono, promo copy, grey & white label), arr. Seals & Crofts,
pr. John Simon, Harem Music-Dawnbreaker Music, BMI, released 2/71
Both 45s carry the note "From the LP, T. A. 5004, "Down Home". The two
A-sides were the top tracks on the album, a then-unusual case of the folks
choosing the singles getting it right. I had the pleasure of having them in the
control room for a live concert at WHCN -- just them, a bassist, and me and
a few thousand listeners. They were REALLY good; unfortunately, the tape
deck that was supposed to be was recording them didn't. I don't think either
single charted ("Ridin' Thumb" might have), but this is the album that got them
noticed.
Dan Hughes wrpte:
> Actually, (Ghost) Riders In the Sky (remake of a 1949 Vaughn
> Monroe number one hit) by the Ramrods entered the Billboard Hot
> 100 in January 1961, stayed on the chart for 9 weeks, and peaked
> at number 30. ... The very first Hit Parader magazine I ever bought
> (I was 13) had a feature article on this hot new group from Connecticut.
The Ramrods were from CT? Any more details on that, please?
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 23:52:23 +0100
From: Niels Junker-Poulsen
Subject: Bang/Shout discog. info
I'm looking for some help getting a complete listing for (Bert Berns') Bang
Records 500 and Shout 200 series. I primarily need Shout 241 and 256
plus Bang 507, 513, 548, 560, 564, 565, 567, 572, 573 and 589. But info
on which producers (Feldman/ Gotthehrer/ Goldstein; Jeff Barry; Chris
Huston; George Tobin, Johnny Cymbal, and of course Berns himself) did
which singles, and any other people involved with the own productions of
the labels, are equally welcome. Please write me offlist.
Of course, I do know about his son Brett's fabulous site, but he seems to
be only interested in the recordings of his father.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Best,
Niels
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Message: 6
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 17:56:27 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Bobby Darin; Procol Harum
Artie Wayne, thanks for the Bobby Darin recollections. I haven't seen the
movie yet, but I'm mighty curious. I thought Darin was a consummate rocker
and folkie, and I appreciated (but didn't particularly enjoy) his "ring-a-ding"
style, which I thought he had down as well as Sinatra did (based on my
limited recording exposure alone). I urge anyone who might think that
Darin "strapped on" the introspective attitude in the early '70s to be trendy
to flip over "Queen Of The Hop" and listen to "Lost Love" (which was the
first side promoted in New York, by the way). I know the movie of necessity
leaves out a lot, but as Don Kirschner (I think it was him) noted, Darin
lived at least three lifetimes in his short years. I'm eager to see it.
Richard Havers wrote:
> Does anyone happen to know the precise date that Procol Harum
> recorded A Whiter Shade Of Pale? I am pretty sure it was early
> April 1967.
Don't know, but according to www.procolharum.com it was first reviewed
on May 13, 1967 in NME. http://launch.yahoo.com/ar-260863-bio--Procol-Harum
notes that "In early May of 1967, the group performed "A Whiter Shade Of
Pale" at the Speakeasy Club in London," and that "the prototypal Procol
Harum made its concert debut in London opening for Jimi Hendrix at the
Saville Theater on June 4, 1967. Four days later, "A Whiter Shade of Pale"
reached the top of the British charts for the first of a six-week run in the
top spot, making Procol Harum only the sixth recording act in the history
of British popular music to reach the number one spot on its first release
(not even the Beatles did that)." Anyone have any ideas on who the other
five were?
That's the best my mid-level research could come up with for now.
I notice lots of activity here for the new year, which is good. Musica's
apparently been busy, too -- couldn't get in to listen to anything this
afternoon. ...
Country Paul
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Message: 7
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 19:37:26 -0600
From: Bill Mulvy
Subject: fresh Pet
Petula Clark has a new DVD out called "Petula Clark Live at the Paris
Olympia." It was from a live performance in 2003.
This lady is 70 years old and still sounds like she did 40 years ago! About
half the performances are sung in French, with most of the big hits sung
in English. The intensity of her performance is simply amazing, as well as
being very professionally done.
This is one of the sleeper music DVDs of the year. I found it online at
Circuit City.com for only $15.95. I have yet to see it available in stores
(probably because of its partial French content).
This is better than her other DVD, which mixed old and recent footage within
the same performance, and seemed to be a more tentative performance.
All Pet Clark fans will love this DVD.
These are not exactly French covers, but her own songs sung in French.
There's plenty of songs in English, too.
See you "Downtown."
Bill Mulvy
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 08:00:07 -0000
From: Lyn Nuttall
Subject: Re: Joe Jeffrey Group
Shawn Nagy wrote:
> I can't find any info on Joe on the net, does anyone know much about
> him or have a link for more info?
You're right -- there's not much to be found, either on the Net or in any of
the reference books I own. A few leads:
Bomp List has a post by Mike Markesich from July 1999:
> Joe Jeffrey was indeed a Cleveland, Ohio native (real name Joseph
> Stafford, Jr.) The song was co-written by another Clevelandite, Al Russ,
> but you won't see his name on the 45 ...Not sure where the songs
> were cut ..."
http://bomplist.xnet2.com/9907/msg01591.html
Citi-Music Cleveland has a post from the daughter of Al Russ who
"arranged, produced and lead the recording session". She has an email
address for anyone wanting more details:
http://www.esquirerecords.com/emails/emails.asp
There is a Buffalo NY connection, through the song's publisher and the
radio station that broke it (WKBW), perhaps leading some to mistakenly
think the band was from Buffalo. The above Bomp post mentions it, as
does this one: http://bomplist.xnet2.com/9907/msg01566.html
The Joe Jeffrey album "My Pledge Of Love" album is listed on the Wand
Records discography at Both Sides Now (with track listing and sleeve
shot): it was issued under JJ's name only, not the Joe Jeffrey Group.
http://www.bsnpubs.com/scepter/wand.html
Lyn
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Message: 9
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 20:44:49 -0500
From: Jeff Lemlich
Subject: Re: different British versions
I can think of a record that had different lyrics (and a
different title) for the Canadian market: "Squeaky Vs.
The Black Knight" by the Royal Guardsmen. Blimey!
Now playing in Musica: the first in a series of Kenny Young
publisher demos for TM Music. This week's installment is
"Slauson Street", which Kenny later re-recorded as "Freddy's
Street" (to capitalize on the success of Freddie & The Dreamers).
Now if he just would have released "Slauson" in one country, and
"Freddy" in another...
Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com
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Message: 10
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 20:20:04 +0100
From: Frank
Subject: Re: 45s and EPs
Dave Monroe wrote:
> By the way, on vinyl, the 45 and/or EP can go for pretty good
> money (I consider myself lucky to have brought it in for less
> than $100) ...
When I think of the number of EPs and singles I just threw away ... !!
Frank
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Message: 11
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 19:23:06 -0000
From: Steve Fuji
Subject: Re: The Arkade - Where You Lead
Austin Roberts wrote:
> Dan Walsh sang lead on Sentimental Lisa. He sang most of our
> B-sides and he and Michael Price wrote most of the songs we cut.
> I thought Danny had a great pop voice. One thing about the group,
> all three of us were great friends. LA in the late 60's-early 70's was
> a great place to be if you were a writer or artist or both.
I just listened to the recording of "Where You Lead" by Arkade that is
playing in musica. Thanks to whoever posted it, because I was not aware
of that record. How many Arkade records were released? There are no
listings in any of the discographies that I have. I bought "Sing Out The
Love" and "Morning Of Our Lives" when they first came out and have
always enjoyed them, and this cover of "Where You Lead" is really nice.
I'm aware that this was a studio group, but were there ever any group
photographs taken?
Steve Fuji
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Message: 12
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 14:24:11 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Ramrods Rockin'?
Phil M. asked:
> So that would be a different Ramrods than the Rockin' Ramrods,
> the Boston group of the middle '60s?
Dan Hughes replied:
> Phil, here ya go:
> http://www.icebergradio.com/artist.asp?artist=27589
Thanks for the link, Dan. I'm wondering if the Vincent Bell who played lead
guitar for "those" Ramrods is the same Vinnie Bell that became legendary as
a session guitarist whose "underwater" blip sound on the guitar became his
trademark.
JB
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Message: 13
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 11:37:55 -0800 (PST)
From: Dave Monroe
Subject: Re: French covers
Stephane Rebeschini wrote:
> It's Jean Musy, masquerading under a "English sounding name",
> as many French musicians did in the 60/early 70's (Eddy Mitchell,
> Dick Rivers, Long Chris, Johnny Hallyday...). Musy was behind
> many "dance craze" projects in the late 60's/early 70's, and most
> of them seemed to have failed.
That "Le Rock Steady" track is, on the one hand, novelty-record goofy, but,
on the other, it has a great beat to it (lifts the opening, er, "breakbeat" of
Lee Dorsey's "Working In A Coal Mine" and runs with it), and a great organ
bit hits just when it's become a bit too cute otherwise. Plus the back of the
sleeve diagrams the dance for you, which is always appreciated.
> Bonne Année à tous / Happy New Year
Right back atcha! And if you're, say, Chinese, Jewish or Muslim, a few more
yet to come.
Thanks, as always ...
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Message: 14
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 20:15:11 -0000
From: Julio Niño
Subject: Re: Samantha Jones; "Summer is Over"
Hola Everybody.
Mark Wirtz wrote:
> By far my favourite of the recordings that I produced with Sam is
> "Today Without You", which I co-wrote for her with Kris Ife and
> which became the UK entry in the Eurovision Song contest.
Hola, Mark:
I'm not familiar with "Today Without You", but I really love "Go Ahead", it's
a very atmospheric recording. Samantha's voice goes easily from whispering
to very stratospheric notes, blowing you away like a hurricane. I also like very
much her earlier recordings produced by Charles Blackwell, Like "Don't
Come Any Closer", or "Just Call And I'll Be There", both of them covered
in French by Françoise Hardy. Other favorites of mine are the wonderful
"I Deserve It" or "Somebody Else's Baby".
Frank wrote:
> Wasn't "Summer Is Over" a B-side too?
Hola Frank.
Yes, the evocative "Summer Is Over" was the B-side of "Losing You",
Phillips 1369, 1964.
Chao.
Julio Niño.
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Message: 15
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 17:55:50 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Joe Brown
I know that Joe Brown was a lot bigger a phenomenon in the UK than the US,
but his "Teardrops In The Rain" (a particular favorite of mine) was released
here on Jamie in the early 60s. Check out http://tinyurl.com/6nwpr , a page
on his website, which announces a series of UK performances in mid-February.
He's also written a stage presentation with Roger Cook.
So, a question from an unlearned Yank: can someone please fill me in on
where Joe Brown's "place" is in the pantheon of British pop and rock?
Country Paul
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Message: 16
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 18:43:07 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Fascinating archive at Black Cat Rockabilly
I am probably late in discovering this (or perhaps rediscovering it), but
there's an amazing library of short bios collectred by Black Cat Rockabilly
at http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/references.htm. I obviously can't
vouch for the complete accuracy of each one (some are tales gleaned
from other sources, not always fully accredited), but there some interesting
stories told, and I know at least some to be true. The links page,
http://www.rockabilly.nl/links/index.htm , will keep you entertained for
hours. Please note: this isn't just rockabilly, but a lot of pop, r&b and
other genres of 50s and 60s music.
Country Paul
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Message: 17
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 18:51:02 -0700
From: That Alan Gordon
Subject: Re: Bobby Darin
Clark B., in answer to your Bobby Darin questions. Bobby did four of our
songs: "She Knows", "Whatever Happened To Happy" "Lady Fingers" and
"Me About You." He did a wonderful performance of each one.
"She Knows" was the B-side to "If I Could Talk To The Animals". I've told
this story before, but for those new members of S'pop that might have
missed it I will tell it once more. We met Bobby at the studio when he was
doing "She Knows". I wanted Bobby to throw in a couple of "hey hey hey"s
at the instrumental break, but he was adamant about not doing that, saying,
"I've done that a couple of times on other recordings". I implored him,
saying, "Please Bobby, do it for me. I really think it would be great". He
finally agreed, and put it in. Now, of course, each time I hear the record
I kinda smile to myself at those "hey hey hey"s, knowing he did them
just for me.
I think "She Knows" is still a great record and holds up well. I will try to
get it to a new artist, after all when Bobby sings it people take notice. Jack
Nitzsche did a brilliant arrangement. After the session, we met up a a park
in Beverly Hills for a softball game. Bobby drove up in a nifty white foreign
sports car, a convertible. He was with his new squeeze at the time, who was
the ex of A&P heir Huntington Hartford. Later that night Bobby invited us
to see him in concert at a venue in Anaheim, with Chad & Jeremy opening.
Wonderful memories.
Best,
That Alan
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Message: 18
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 20:05:54 -0800
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Louisville's Own
Don Syzmansky wrote:
> Louisville's Own was published in 1983 by Brenda and Bill Woods
> ... Not sure if it is still available, but you may find it online
> somewhere.
http://www.abebooks.com does list a single copy available for sale, from
a store in Columbia KY. But someone's gonna have to want it REALLY bad
to pick it up at the price they're charging for it: $500! Oh, and 95 cents.
The page for it might still be worth a visit, though, as it includes an exhaustive
list of the artists covered in the book.
--Phil M.
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Message: 19
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 20:54:31 -0500
From: Jeff Lemlich
Subject: Re: Dusty B-sides
I have an original publisher's demo of "Now That You're My Baby", one
of the Dusty B-sides mentioned in a recent post. Since Toni Wine was a
co-writer, I have to suspect she's one of the singers on the demo. Expect
this to turn up on musica in the near future.
Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com
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Message: 20
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 17:45:14 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Ramrods Rockin'?
Phil M. asked:
> So that would be a different Ramrods than the Rockin' Ramrods,
> the Boston group of the middle '60s?
Definitely differents bands.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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