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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 20 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. It's no Secret
From: Michael "Doc Rock" Kelly
2. Now playing at Musica
From: Michael Thorn
3. Re: Warner-Spector / Jeri Bo Keno
From: Rick Hough
4. Re: different British versions
From: Norm D.
5. Re: Joe Brown
From: Norm D.
6. Re: Bobby Darin
From: Phil X Milstein
7. Re: Ramrods Rockin'?
From: Dan Hughes
8. Jack Good
From: Richard Williams
9. Re: Frankie Beverly & The Butlers
From: Teri Landi
10. Re: Hidden Cameras
From: Christian Steiner
11. Alan Boyd/Peter Lacey
From: Dinsdale H.
12. Chiffons banned?
From: Donny H.
13. Re: The Secrets
From: Pres
14. Re: Ghost Riders In The Sky
From: Gary Myers
15. Help please: song ID needed
From: Rick Hough
16. Joe Brown
From: Austin Powell
17. Re: France Gall
From: Various
18. Re: Joe Brown
From: Lyn Nuttall
19. Re: different British versions
From: Mitchell
20. Re: The Arkade - Where You Lead
From: Joe Nelson
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 00:08:19 -0500
From: Michael "Doc Rock" Kelly
Subject: It's no Secret
Damian Bassett:
> Working thru my mp3s last night, I came across "The Boy Next
> Door" by the Secrets.
Damian,
I interviewed all 4 Secrets in the late '90s. Norma got the city
right, Cleveland, but screwed up their names.
When I MC'd a Bobby Vee/Pixies 3/Martha and the Vandellas/Reflections
concert in Michigan in the md-90s, I invited the Secrets, but only
Patty was able to attend. She got a standing ovation when I introduced
her from the stage. (Jack Scott was also there, but would not allow me
to introduce him from the stage.)
Later this week I will post my in-depth Secrets piece on my web site
for all Poppers to enjoy.
Michael "Doc Rock" Kelly
The Rock 'n' Roll PhD
http://www.DocRock.us
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 10:07:26 -0000
From: Michael Thorn
Subject: Now playing at Musica
Now playing at Musica:
Arkade -Where You Lead (stereo promo)
Ronnie Dante - Follow a Dream (flip of "He's Raining in My Sunshine")
Enjoy!
Michael T.
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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 11:23:23 -0000
From: Rick Hough
Subject: Re: Warner-Spector / Jeri Bo Keno
Martin Jensen wrote re Jeri Bo Keno B-side:
> Has anyone here ever heard I Don't Know Why? If so, was it as
> elaborate and catchy as Here It Comes, or just another throwaway
> B-side in the typical Spector fashion? Do tell. :-)
Oh yeah Martin - it's right up there with classics like "Blues For
Baby" etc., and actually sounds like a rejected out-take from the
same session. A complete waste of recording tape, and a master which
wouldn't be missed if someone accidentaly spilt nail-polish remover
or something like that on it.
In defense of PS B-sides, I have been known to wail along with
"Tandoori Chicken" while driving in a groovy state of mind.
There are few songs which enable drivers to dance with the
steering wheel, and "Tandoori Chicken" is thankfully one of them.
Rick Hough
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 06:51:44 -0800 (PST)
From: Norm D.
Subject: Re: different British versions
Mike Edwards wrote:
> ... Johnny Horton sang that the British kept-a-comin' on the
> US issue of "The Battle Of New Orleans" but "rebels" replaced
> "British" on the UK 45.
Lonnie Donegan had the hit, cover version in the UK, of course.
And in Ireland, so I've been told, the popular sing-a-long pub
version turned the "rebels" back into "British" who got the sound
thrashing....
And as for the BBC bowdlerising "Lola": cross-dressing is OK,
but advertising isn't. Such absurdity.
Norm D.
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Message: 5
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 08:26:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Norm D.
Subject: Re: Joe Brown
Country Paul wrote:
> can someone please fill me in on where Joe Brown's "place"
> is in the pantheon of British pop and rock?
In my view, he's widely known but very under-rated. He's only
really had one big hit ("Picture Of You") in the early 60's,
but he has constantly performed and toured, and not just on
the strength of that one record. He is a superb guitarist -
there's an early 60's Billy Fury album that features his playing,
and shows him as a great r&r picker. He also had strong musical
connections with George Harrison in his later years - he was
probably influential for The Beatles when they were on their way
up. If you get the chance, do catch him live - he's a wonderful
entertainer with no "side" on him at all.
If you want to hear an archived radio interview (BBC London,
the Danny Baker show), check out: http://tinyurl.com/yu5cc
Scroll down to 03/03/04
Norm D.
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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 14:20:07 -0800
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Bobby Darin
That Alan Gordon wrote:
> ... He was with his new squeeze at the time, who was the ex
> of A&P heir Huntington Hartford.
Hartford himself, by the way, shows up as a character in the
current biodrama "Kinsey."
--Phil M.
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Message: 7
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 13:50:24 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: Ramrods Rockin'?
James Botticelli wrote:
> 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.
James, the Vincent Bell in the Ramrods was actually Vincent Bell Lee
(real name Gambella) and he died several years ago, so he wasn't the
famed Vinnie Bell .
---Dan
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Message: 8
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 21:56:36 +0000
From: Richard Williams
Subject: Jack Good
UK Spectropop members should look out for 'A Good Man is Hard
To Find', a one-hour documentary to be transmitted by BBC2 on
Sunday January 16 at 11.15pm, dealing with the life of Jack Good,
from 6.5 Special through Shindig and Catch My Soul to his recent
years on top of a mountain in New Mexico, wearing a monk's habit
and painting religious icons. It's directed by Greg Wise, the
actor who played the part of Good in the West End musical, "Good
Rockin' Tonight", a decade ago. I've seen a preview tape and there
are glimpses of Don Lang and his Frantic Five, the young Cliff,
Dickie Pride, Sam Cooke, the Blossoms and others, although the
main focus is on Good today. What a wonderful character he was and
is -- his columns in Disc in the early 60s were full of enthusiasm
for the kind of music we celebrate on this web site. And I remember
being in his office at the Astoria Theatre 20 years ago while he was
firing P J Proby from the cast of Elvis, a surprisingly effective
musical in which three actor-singers -- including Proby and Shakin'
Stevens -- played the three ages of Presley. For the finale, Proby got
to sing American Triology from a pulpit in front of a back-projected
film of Elvis's funeral cortege. Magic.
Richard Williams
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Message: 9
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 19:25:03 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
From: Teri Landi
Subject: Re: Frankie Beverly & The Butlers
Does anyone have a copy of Frankie Beverly & The Butlers Fairmount
single "Because Of My Heart" B/W "I Want To Feel I'm Wanted"
(F1017)? If so, I'd like to know what the production and arranger
credits are. I know that his other Fairmount single credits Quaker
Town Productions (Leon Fisher, Morris Bailey & Leon Mitchell) and
gives arranger credit to Frankie himself.
Thanks,
Teri
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Message: 10
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 22:56:46 +0100
From: Christian Steiner
Subject: Re: Hidden Cameras
Mark Wirtz:
Since good old uncle Phil is our patron saint, this must be
the right place to ask -- has anybody here heard the new
HIDDEN CAMERA "Rough Trade" album yet? Supposed to be more
Spector-like than Spector. I'm curious.
Dear old Mr. Weatherman!
I own the new Hidden Cameras' LP and I love it. For me it sounds
like a mixture of mid-eighties NZ-Pop (Chills, Clean etc.) and a
more poppier Polyphonic Spree. Very melancholic, even the uptempo
songs. But in my opinion the album prior to this was even better!
Both of them have aspects of Wall Of Sound, but I would locate
them more in an indiepop- than in a sixties-context...
Krischan
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Message: 11
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 09:17:59 -0000
From: Dinsdale H.
Subject: Alan Boyd/Peter Lacey
Country Paul wrote:
> Susan, (re: Alan Boyd) Alan's music is very Beach Boys-esque,
> but it goes beyond that....
> I now have three of his four albums, and there are standouts
> on each. Both these guys are certainly "favorite sons" among
> the "children of Brian."
Country Paul, yup indeed, two favorite sons approaching their
"dad" from very different angles. We hada lot of fun over the
holiday with Alan's "Channel Surfing" - a muso friend of mine
and I played the same game you can with Neil Innes Rutles tunes
- hunt the template! Alan's songs are like a conundrum - made up
of something very familiar, but what?...other than that it's fun
to dance to.
Peter Lacey's disc is a much more earnest affair and the inspiration
of Brian and others somewhat subtle. Standouts for me are the
beautiful "More Than Wonderful" and "The Old Haunt" (complete with
Vaughan Williams string coda) the bright eyed McCartneyesque "Sunrise"
The ever so raunchy "Finishing Touch" and the mosaic "River Round".
Better still the record company offer his first very Wilsonesque
album BEAM! free with first orders, which makes up 33 tracks in all,
as Paul says with many standouts in there to enjoy.
http://www.dumbangel.freeserve.co.uk/shopsfal.htm
is the Pink Hedgehog Records direct link.
best
Dinsdale H. :-D
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Message: 12
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 20:00:57 -0000
From: Donny H.
Subject: Chiffons banned?
Someone is selling The Chiffons' "Three Dips Of Ice Cream" on
Ebay and the item description states "THIS VERSION WAS BANNED
OFF N.Y.C. RADIO." I've read a lot about the Chiffons but
never this. Has anyone ever heard anything about this?
Donny H.
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Message: 13
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 22:06:55 -0500
From: Pres
Subject: Re: The Secrets
Damian Bassett:
> Working thru my mp3s last night, I came across "The Boy Next
> Door" by the Secrets.
The Boy Next Door (Philips 40146) written by John Madara/
David White produced by Johnny Madara & David White.
Everything I've read notes that they are from Cleveland. I always
think of the Angels when I hear it. The lead singer sounds like a
less soulful Peggy Santiglia. Or a more soulful Connie Francis.
Pres
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Message: 14
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 21:04:42 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Ghost Riders In The Sky
Paul Urbahns wrote:
> (Ghost) Riders In the Sky (remake of a 1949 Vaughn Monroe
> number one hit)
BOOK PLUG ALERT!
Because Monroe lived in a Milwaukee suburb for a short time
during his teen years (won state trumpet championship art age 14),
he is profiled in my Wisconsin book. :- )
Gary Myers / MusicGem
http://home.earthlink.net/~gem777/
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Message: 15
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 11:30:38 -0000
From: Rick Hough
Subject: Help please: song ID needed
I came upon this really cute tho' unidentified track while
cleaning up my HD. Sounds late 50's, boy vocal in the Teddy Bears
/ Aquatones groove (if anyone actually had a groove back then).
"You captured my heart
Tell me my dear we'll never part
You I love you so
Tell all the world our love will grow
I love you, just you
You are the one for me
I'll never set you free
Our love will always be
Until eternity"
That's it. Repeated 3 times over. I'd be mighty thankful if
anyone could ID this one.
Rick Hough
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Message: 16
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 16:56:00 -0000
From: Austin Powell
Subject: Joe Brown
Country Paul:
> 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?
Paul....Joe Brown was an "early rock 'n' roller", recording
first for UK Decca as Joe Brown And the Bruvvers (cockney
pronunciation of Brothers). Joe wasn't a Londoner though - he'd
been born in rural Lincolnshire, but moved to London at the age
of 2. He was managed by the legendary (in Britain) manager Larry
Parnes, nicknamed Mr. Parnes, Shillings and Pence, (another play
on the cockney accent) for his ruthless business methods. Parnes
also managed Billy Fury and lesser known rockers like Duffy Power,
Vince Eager and Marty Wilde (note similarity in name styles ?).
Joe had a "cheeky" grin, a crew-cut hair style and was full
of London humour. He first made our charts in 1960, but it
was while signed to Pye that he had his greatest successes with
"Picture Of You" which made #2, "It Only Took A Minute" #6 and
"That's What Love Will Do", #3. Altogether he made the charts
about a dozen times. He was an excellent guitarist and despite
never being a superstar, he's fondly remembered. Later he went
country-ish with Brown's Home Brew and has worked consistently
since the hit days of the early 60s.
He married Vicki Houseman, a member of Britain's premier girl
session group, The Breakaways and his daughter Sam had a solo
hit here in the 80s.
I think Sanctuary Records have re-issued most everything he
recorded for Pye Records.
Austin P
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Message: 17
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 19:45:09 -0000
From: Various
Subject: Re: France Gall
For convenience, a selection of recent post concerning France Gall:
Frank J. wrote:
> Julio, I really like the German compilation but you must be joking
> about the "beautiful" picture on the cover. IMHO France looks like
> a heroin junkie on it. Given that everyone, including me, loves the
> "Poupee" image of France I wonder what the cover designer had in
> mind when he chose this picture. It could be easily used for a best
> of Nico CD.
Hola Frank, that is what's often called "Heroin Chic". I love that
depraved Bambi look. Do you think I should join Amber's psychotherapy
sessions?
I wonder what France Gall will think of that picture?. Maybe (the other)
Frank could ask her.
Chao.
Julio Niño
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Frank wrote:
> Among the singles from this time was "Zoi Zoi," and I've heard such
> great things about it... After some careful checking, this track is
> one of the few she made while contracted to a company called "La
> Compagnie". It went bankrupt and no one knows where the catalogue
> went. I know France would very much like to have all the songs she
> recorded during her stay there but as of now we have been unable to
> locate them.
Wasn't "La Compagnie" Michel Colombier's own label?
Cedric
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Dave Monroe:
> Unfortunately, however, very few French artists/acts seem to have
> been consistent. I get the feeling that domestic French music
> production in the '60s (not to mention beyond) was ridiculously to
> the point of senselessness trend-driven, given the strange variety
> and inconsistency of tracks by any given artist.
You have a point there. In the Sixties the French music scene was so
successful that could almost record anything and thanks to a single
radio program (Salut Les Copains) it could become an instant hit.
> And I'm not talking, say, "White Album" variety. Take the weird mix
> of garage and, I don't know, "music hall" (chanson?) tracks on any
> given Jacques Dutronc EP. But I'm not talking Village Green
> Preservation Society variety, either. Maybe it's just musical Ugly
> American chauvanism on my part, but ... well, ironically, I like my
> French music when it's at its least French.
Dutronc is not the best example you can find. As a matter of fact he
was probably one of the very few artists who had his own style and a
definite consistency. It was all in the lyrics, he had the most
original lyrics of them all and was instantly recognizable through
them.
> But I also recall reading an essay that claimed that, while the rest
> of the '60s pop world was taking its cues from The Beatles, the
> French were instead emulating The Troggs. Which isn't necessarily a
> bad thing, but I can't say that I can much corroborate it, either.
This is absolute rubbish. There were two different periods in the
French sixties scene. The first one (which started it all) was 100% US
influenced with (bad) covers of Gene Vincent, Chuck Berry, Little
Richard, Buddy Holly,... Really below par stuff that found a huge
audience due in part to the translated lyrics. Then as a perfect
replica of the US scene when Rock N' Roll was washed away by the pop
idols. We got every single US hit covered again. From Phil Spector to
Bobby Vee including almost every top twenty chart makers.
Then when the British scene broke they jumped on the bandwagon and
every British hit was then covered in French, even the Beatles and the
Stones. Those who were able to really be originals and not mere copy
cats were probably less than a handfull.
> But many of these people (Vartan, Hallyday, Fran?ois, Gall, Dutronc,
> Hardy, Sheila, et al) are STILL at it, having passed through either
> a '70s country (Hardy) or disco (Vartan, Sheila) or traditionalist
> (Dutronc, Fran?ois) phase and ending up as the Gallic equivalent of
> a Vegas (or Tahoe, or Atlantic City, or ...) act (all those "a
> L'Olympia" live albums).
I honestly think that if they're still there it's mainly because of
the nostalgia power.
> There are some great -- heavy, even -- Dutronc tracks ca. 1968-70,
> ditto Hallyday, who apparently had The Small Faces backing him on a
> few tracks, even, but ...
>
> Francoise Hardy has survived the best, in my opinion, perhaps by
> keeping up with the times elsewhere, recording with, variously,
> Malcolm McLaren, Blur, Air, and Iggy Pop (!). And she has her
> obvious contmporary fans (St. Etienne, Stereolab, Keren Ann, Coralie
> Clement (q.v., all)). Meanwhile, Dutronc and Hallyday have shown up
> in some decent films (Merci Pour Le Chocolat and Man On A Train,
> respectively).
Quite right, but when it comes right down to it Françoise survived also
because she really never gave a damn. She just couldn't care less about
her recording carreer! A very peculiar girl.
Frank
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Jean-Emmanuel Dubois wrote:
> 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 ...
"Frankenstein" is, as far as I know, the only F. Gall track I can use
left for me to get. I've only ever seen jukebox 45s of it go on sale,
however, and I've never quite had the combination of nerve and cash
necessary to score one on the sporadic occasions that I've seen it
offered. Indeed, I don't even have it on CD. I'm not sure that it's
availble on CD. If not, I'd appreciate somebody posting it to musica.
Thanks!
Dave Monroe
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Message: 18
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 23:16:46 -0000
From: Lyn Nuttall
Subject: Re: Joe Brown
Country Paul wrote:
> Joe Brown was a lot bigger a phenomenon in the UK than the
> US... can someone please fill me in on where Joe Brown's
> "place" is in the pantheon of British pop and rock?
Joe Brown was familiar to us in Australia too, mainly through
'Picture Of You' (1962) and 'That's What Love Will Do' (1963),
two fine, melodic songs with strummy guitar, vocal harmonies
and lyrics that stuck in your mind.
The second of these, 'That's What Love Will Do', was on the
charts in my home city of Melbourne in May '63, the same month
as our first big Beatles hit, but true Beatlemania was still a
few months away down here.
It's a subjective judgment, but I've always felt that Joe Brown's
records were a sign of things to come, that there was a continuity
between his sound and the Beatles.
Lyn
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Message: 19
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 07:18:12 -0800 (PST)
From: Mitchell
Subject: Re: different British versions
My favorite change required for the UK market, is the one made to
Mott The Hooples' version of David Bowie's "All The Young Dudes."
The line:
"And when you're stealing clothes from Marks & Sparks"
had to be changed to:
"And when you're stealing clothes from unmarked cars"
Is the law that forced these changes still in effect in the UK?
Just wondering. Thanks from a long time lurker,
Mitchell
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Message: 20
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 14:46:42 -0500
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Re: The Arkade - Where You Lead
Steve Fuji:
> 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?
IIRC, "Morning Of Our Lives" came out with a picture sleeve with a
photo of the group.
Joe Nelson
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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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