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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 16 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. What's New Pussycat
From: Phil X Milstein
2. Re: answering the answers
From: Phil X Milstein
3. Jackie & Gayle and Sean
From: Phil X Milstein
4. Re: Roy Orbison bios
From: Phil X Milstein
5. Calendar Girls
From: Steve Harvey
6. Re: Thane Russal & Jimmy Page & The Rolling Stones
From: Lyn Nuttall
7. Re: Thane Russal & Jimmy Page & The Rolling Stones
From: Scott Swanson
8. Re: Ben Raleigh
From: Rob Pingel
9. Re: The Royal Guardsmen
From: Javed Jafri
10. Re: "Where the Boys Are" / "Blue Beat" by Jerry Kennedy
From: ACJ
11. Re: Chuck Sagle
From: R. Stevie
12. Re: Roy Orbison, R.I.P.
From: R. Stevie
13. Re: Roy Orbison bios, etc.
From: Gary Myers
14. Re: Claire Francis and Sonny Childe
From: Claire Francis
15. Les Surfs
From: Peter Andreasen
16. Artie Wayne yester-photo!
From: Clark Besch
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 11:43:44 -0500
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: What's New Pussycat
A recent trip through the 2-CD "Tom Jones: The Singles [Plus]" CD (BR
Music, Holland, 1995/2002) raises a question that intrigues me. It never
occurred to me before, but the intro to Jones' title song to "What's New
Pussycat" includes a sound effect, of glass breaking, from the movie
itself (which, if I recall correctly, accompanied a scene in which Peter
Sellers tosses a rock into the upstairs room of a lady to whom he's
hoping to pay, in the parlance of today, a late-night "booty call"; then
again I could have that all out of whack, as it's been a while since
I've seen the damn thing). I don't recall too many other movie title
songs that included ANY pieces of the extramusical soundtrack -- come to
think of it, I don't recall ANY other movie songs that do that. Does
anyone else know of any?
Listening to it reminded me of the early days of MTV. Once the typical
MTV video moved past its first wave of straightforward performance
films, they began introducing increasingly convoluted storylines (which,
coincidentally, DECREASINGLY involved the musical artist). It wasn't
long after that that directors began piling extraneous sound effects on
top of the musical soundtrack. While these effects make sense in movies,
where an outside song is, at least in theory, in service to the screen
action, in the music promo film the screen action should theoretically
be in service to the song. Thus, SFX in MTV-type videos would annoy the
hell out of me. But, for better or worse, the music video hardly even
seems to exist anymore, so that's one less annoyance left in my life.
Biff bam pow,
--Phil M.
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 11:43:21 -0500
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: answering the answers
Musica recently hosted Lorna Dune's "Midnight Joey," which, we were
informed, was an answer to Joey Powers' "Midnight Mary." Both were
written by the same team, Artie Wayne and Ben Raleigh. One the one hand
it seems odd to me for a songwriter to come up with the answer to his
own original record, yet on the other hand I note that it seems to have
been done frequently. This prompts me to ask Artie if answering one's
one hit was something of an industry standard; or, if not, how you and
Ben happened to be in a position to do so in this case.
With all due respect to Artie, as well as to anyone else who might've
written or recorded answer records, quite frankly I haven't found too
many of them to be all that impressive. They tend, in fact, to be
virtual rewrites of the original, only with new names, opposite genders
and perhaps a few other details slotted in place. In those cases where
the tunes or other elements do vary, they still tend to do so only
slightly, perhaps just enough to technically be called a "new" song.
Furthermore, although they are meant (I assume) to be funny, most of
them are devoid of much in the way of wit.
I realize the whole idea of the answer record is, in most cases, to ride
the wave of a hit, and that the concept most likely dates back to the
early days of the recording industry. But still, while I often find
myself sucked into checking out a title that seems like it's in response
to a beloved classic in the hope that it will offer some little spark of
its own, far more often than not I find myself disappointed by the
results. Do others of you share this same experience, or am I simply
lucky enough to keep finding the duds while missing the clickers?
--Phil M.
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 12:20:40 -0500
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Jackie & Gayle and Sean
Some time back we were discussing Jackie & Gayle, that mediocre
girl-duet mainstay of the Shindig show, here. I just found an
interesting reference to them in, of all places, Richie Unterberger's
interview with Sean Bonniwell of The Music Machine:
-----
You knew Roger McGuinn before the Byrds took off.
Roger formed the Byrds. Crosby was doing a single in the folk era, and
(laughs), I remember him as a single folk artist, he had a very peculiar
attitude on and off the stage. He treated the audience and everyone he
knew with unbridled contempt. So by the time he got into the Byrds --
and I first saw them -- I was playing with the Wayfarers, and Roger was
playing bass for a duo called Jackie and Gail. Jackie was then John
Davidson's wife, or she became John Davidson's wife, she was Randy
Sparks' wife at the time. And McGuinn was just playing bass fiddle.
-----
The complete interview is available at
http://www.richieunterberger.com/bonniwell.html . The reason I was
looking up Bonniwell info on the Web, by the way, was to try to find out
which Wayfarers albums he played on, but I remain in the dark on that
question. Anyone know? What I am most after is a photo of him in that
group, so any LP he's on that includes him in the cover photo will satisfy.
--Phil M.
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 17:10:37 -0500
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Roy Orbison bios
S.J.Dibai wrote:
> Not sure if this is the one I was talking about, Gary. I've read two
> Orbison books. "Dark Star: The Roy Orbison Story" by Ellis Amburn was
> pretty good. Amburn was clearly a big fan of his subject, and wrote
> with great passion and love. His style was also clear and easy to
> follow.
Thanks for the tip, S.J. I'd long wondered whether that book was worth
reading or not. It might not be perfect, but unless anyone can suggest a
better Orbison bio, "Dark Star" it will have to be for now.
> But then I read Clayson's book. Or at least as much of it as I could
> stand. The writing was unbearable. Clayson jumped all over the place
> chronologically, wrote in an emotionally detached style that made him
> sound like he didn't really care about Roy, and tried to
> overcompensate for his lack of writing talent by being as
> grandiloquent (a word I learned from that book) as possible.
As long as we're Clayson-bashing, I might as well dive in with my own
version. With no other English-language bios of Serge Gainsbourg
available at the time, about 10 years ago or so I went to great lengths
to procure a copy of Clayson's. I was aware that he had a lot of other
titles out there as well, many of them of artists I was equally
interested in, and decided that if I liked his take on Gainsbourg I
would pick up some of his others.
But, I didn't. In fact, I hated it. Although there were bits and chunks
of meat in the book, it read like a first draft, which in a way
explained how he could be as prolific a writer as he was. I struggled to
get through the damn thing, after which I vowed to spare myself further
aggravation by avoiding his other titles. If I were his mama, though,
I'd urge the guy to invest twice as much time (at least) as he did on
each manuscript, even if it means writing half as many books. At least
that way the ones he finished would be readable.
--Phil M.
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 16:05:59 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Calendar Girls
While watching the movie Calendar Girls (about some mature women in
Britain that raised money for charity by posing nude for a calendar
- Neil Sedaka had nothing to do with this one) today I couldn't help
but smile at one of the highpoints in the film. Just when things
look bleak two of the characters are vindicated when they walk into
a room full of the press. What should be playing as they make their
entrance, but "Sloop John B" by those Hawthorne Hotshots. What made
it special was that it was the instrumental version off of
Stack-of-Tracks.
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 00:10:24 -0000
From: Lyn Nuttall
Subject: Re: Thane Russal & Jimmy Page & The Rolling Stones
Margaret G Still:
> I hear that it was a hit in Australia and nowhere else, but don't
> know that for a fact. I saw rumors on an Australian website... that
> Gibbons may also have connected with Jimmy Page and that Page, ...
> may have played on "Security"- any thoughts on that?
I plead guilty to repeating on my website the speculation about Page
playing on 'Security'. I found it on a French website ("la
participation de Jimmy à la guitare-fuzz n'a pu être certifiée") and
repeated it almost apologetically as no more than an interesting
rumour. However, the connection between Gibbons & Page is, I believe,
well established.
URLs seem to be okay here (within reason!): this one of mine has just
about everything I know about Thane Russal & 'Security', though it
won't answer your more extensive questions:
http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=B0
There I have linked back to what appeared to be some reliable sources,
so maybe those links are worth exploring (especially the Page
sessionography), but I'm happy to be corrected if they turn out to be
misleading.
As to it being a hit in Australia and "nowhere else": it certainly was
a hit in some Australian cities (see my page above for chart
positions) and it is a fairly well-known oldie down here. "Nowhere
else" usually indicates it didn't chart nationally in the UK or USA,
which says nothing about regional charts or, for that matter, Malta or
Zimbabwe or any other corner of the world we don't have chart books for.
Lyn
at http://www.PopArchives.com.au
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Message: 7
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 23:43:38 -0800
From: Scott Swanson
Subject: Re: Thane Russal & Jimmy Page & The Rolling Stones
Margaret Still asks:
> I know that Thane Russal was supposedly Doug Gibbons, and that he
> sang a "ballad-style" song on Decca in 1965 before he did
> "Security." Could be that this was Jackie deShannon/Jimmy Page's
> "I Got My Tears to Remind Me" - and it could be that Thane/Gibbons'
> band was called The Outsiders.
Doug Gibbons released one 45 in April 1965: "I Got My Tears To Remind
Me" b/w "I Found Out" (Decca F 12122). The A-side is indeed a version
of the DeShannon/Page song, and it's rumored that Page played acoustic
guitar on it. Both tracks were produced by Tony Calder with Mike
Leander as MD.
I've read that Gibbons was indeed a member of a group called The
Outsiders at one time, but they may have been totally unrelated to the
Outsiders that recorded for Decca later in 1965 (that band was fronted
by Mick Wayne).
I'm 99% certain that Gibbons and Russal are the same person, as Andrew
Oldham mentions it in his bio.
> I saw rumors on an Australian website (I don't know if the rules here
> permit urls, but I'll provide it if it's okay) that Gibbons may also
> have connected with Jimmy Page and that Page, aside from co-writing
> that song above, may have played on "Security"- any thoughts on that?
It wouldn't surprise me, as Russal, Page and Paul Raven all worked for
Andrew Oldham in 1965/66.
> Was it common for 60's British musicians to go to Italy to make money?
Very. The Primitives and The Rokes come to mind. Basically, a down-on-
its-luck band will go wherever the money is!
Hope this helps,
Scott
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 16:37:58 -0000
From: Rob Pingel
Subject: Re: Ben Raleigh
Great to read anything about Ben Raleigh. His name is familiar to
anyone who paid any attention to songwriter credits in the 60's.
With over 700 listings in BMI, he deserves to be in the Songwriters
Hall of Fame.
My own list of favorites by this prolific lyricist would include:
Dead End Street - Lou Rawls; I'm Stepping Out of the Picture -
Johnny Maestro; Once a Fool - Lesley Miller; That's How Heartaches
Are Made - Baby Washington; Years of Tears - Ronnie Dove;
Strangers - Jack Scott; Your Other Love - Connie Francis; Baby
Tomorrow - Paul Jones; Wild and Wonderful - Murmaids.
Rob Pingel
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Message: 9
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 22:58:04 -0800
From: Javed Jafri
Subject: Re: The Royal Guardsmen
Clark Besch:
> That bloody "Buck toothed beaver" has risen again! Funny, but while
> doing radio chart research this week, I noticed CJCA in Edmonton,
> Alberta Canada charted "Squeaky" at #26 up from 36 on December 18,
> 1966. On January 22, 1967 it was #1, but as "Snoopy vs the Red
> Baron"! Both were on Quality. My guess is that word got out about
> the Snoopy version and it quickly was re-thought to issue the proper
> version. That's probably why it's hard to find. Which would you
> choose? A "funny lookin' dog" or a "buck toothed beaver"??
Not quite Clark. I'm just looking at a copy of the CHUM Chart (1050
CHUM Toronto) from December 12, 1966 and Snoopy Vs The Red Baron makes
it's debut at # 21. It is also the CHUM Dinger of the week (highest
rising song on the 50 song chart). The song eventually spent four
weeks stuck at # 2, kept off the top spot by I'm A Believer/Not Your
Stepping Stone. A big hit in Toronto, it was number 17 on the year end
top 67 of 67 survey.
Javed
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Message: 10
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 23:04:46 -0500
From: ACJ
Subject: Re: "Where the Boys Are" / "Blue Beat" by Jerry Kennedy
For Dave O'Gara: That same story is told in a long, extensive article
about Connie Francis in an issue of Goldmine magazine that I still have.
My guess is, it's a true story.
I also have the Jerry Kennedy single "Blue Beat" (promo), on Smash. The
horns are a little off-key, but the proto-reggae rhythm is nice, and
there's some fine solo acoustic-guitar work from Mr. Kennedy (a studio
guitarist before he went into production).
ACJ
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Message: 11
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 04:58:02 -0000
From: R. Stevie
Subject: Re: Chuck Sagle
Re Chcuk Sagle, checketh this out:
http://www.geocities.com/rsmko/goods.html
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Message: 12
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 05:25:56 -0000
From: R. Stevie
Subject: Re: Roy Orbison, R.I.P.
I miss Roy. Checketh this out:
http://www.angelfire.com/tn2/bobloyce/orbison.html
http://www.angelfire.com/tn2/bobloyce/
R. Stevie
Bloomfield NJ
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Message: 13
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 22:13:52 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Roy Orbison bios, etc.
S.J. Dibai:
> ... then I read Clayson's book. The writing was unbearable ... tried
> to overcompensate for his lack of writing talent by being as
> grandiloquent (a word I learned from that book) as possible ...
> However, Gary, I don't recall there being a lot of factual errors in
> this bio.
Could there be yet another Orbison bio? Your description of the writing
sounds right on - it seemed as if the author's primary purpose was to
show how many words he knew, especially words that might make him sound
hip. But, although I don't recall any specifics, I'm sure that there
were also several factual errors. Also, I had posted my review of the
book at amazon.com and, when I went to look for it just now, it's not
with Clayson's book, so maybe there are *2* unreadable Orbison bios.
Me, earlier:
> Stroud was jamming with Buddy Miles (on guitar) and a bass player.
> Miles had been tired to tutor Stroud on drums.
While Miles might have, indeed, been tired, first he was HIRED!
gem
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Message: 14
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 10:59:05 EST
From: Claire Francis
Subject: Re: Claire Francis and Sonny Childe
Mick on Sonny Childe's "Two Lovers" 45:
> So Claire, what memories does this baby stir up for you? Tell
> us how you found working with (arranger) Alan Tew. Well, as
> you'll see, Sonny certainly looks like Sam Cooke. I can reveal
> that he also sounds very much like him. It's claimed on the back
> cover of his LP that he was Sam's nephew. Having been once married
> to Sonny, I'm sure Claire can tell us whether that claim is true,
> or a load of old BS. I think I know the answer, but over to you,
> Claire. Either way, gorgeous cape!
Mick my love, thank you so much for playing another Claire Francis
production in musica. And thanks one more time for sending me the
whole LP!!! Here are my comments (besides hugs and kisses)...
As far as my memory goes about working with Alan Tew... for now,
it's not great. It would probably help if I could see a pix of
him, maybe I could remember more. The thing that does come to my
mind - and I don't know if this is off the wall or not - but I get
a vague image of a man that has a goatee and that he is about 5'8
or so and he is slightly "pudgie", dark brown hair and maybe a bit
thin on top. That is the image I got the moment I saw/read the name
Alan Tew. Now I could be totally wrong! The other thing that comes
to my mind is that he was a very, professional, quick, and "cheery"
man and a very accommodating arranger and conductor - kind is a
better word.
As far as hearing my production, wow! it was just wonderful hearing
that part of my work in London once again, I know I really enjoyed
producing that record. As far as hearing the voice of my ex....well,
that was really a trip down memory lane. The whole story is in my
book, but you can read a little bit about that in my "Bio" on my
website.
It is a lucky thing that my husband Norman met Sonny way back when,
because I played the LP for him. He just loved it because it was my
work! We all agree that Sonny looks and sounds like Sam Cooke. And
I swear as a young and naive girl in her twenties, I truly believed
him when he told me he was Sam's nephew. But now that I'm a little
older, wiser and maybe not so gullible, I don't really believe it!
As far as the cape goes, it was mine. I lent it to Sonny for the pix.
Talk about memory lane...yikes! Another very helpful and totally
mind-blowing mp3 that I received from Phil C. was my production
of The Vikings record and The Youth record. I am so amazed! It
still blows my mind that someone would find something by me in a
record shop today. I was so overwhelmed that I cried. Man oh man,
what memories can do.
Phil said:
> Incidentally, 'The Youth' sounds awfully familiar. What's the
> story there?
Well when I heard it, at first I thought it was Bob Marley!! (for a
moment). I would really love to know who that singer is today, that
I recorded 39 years ago.
Actually, the singer from the Vikings on "It's A Bad News Feeling"
also sounds very familiar - l think he went on to be a big name.
I would appreciate it if you could play these records (A & B sides
of both) to the S'pop nation and play them in musica so that maybe
they can tell me who these lead singers are? The S'pop group
KNOWS EVERYTHING!!!! I would love to hear what they have to say.
Thanks again for playing my songs in musica. I can't help feeling
special when I see my name up there. It is definitely a link to my
past that I had totally buried because of so many medical problems
in my family. But as I hear these songs and productions today, I say
"Did I really do that?!"
Love & Light,
A grateful Claire Francis
http://www.clairefrancis.com
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Message: 15
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 09:14:11 -0000
From: Peter Andreasen
Subject: Les Surfs
Vlaovic B wrote:
> Lots of talk about French artistes leads me to ask about one of my
> favourite French acts of the 60s. Les Surfs! Why haven't they
> been brought up lately? I ask how many 6 piece brother sister acts
> of Madagascar origins, producing French R&R were there? Were they
> really popular in their time? Great stuff though. Any recommended
> compilations?
Les Surfs have 3 CDs out on Magic records, easy to buy directly from
their web-site. All great stuff from 1963 to 1966, including 5 covers
of Spectortracks: Be my baby, baby I love you, why do lovers...and Do
I love you. The CDs include French, Italien, Spanish and a couple of
English versions. Some of the Spanish ones are not as clear in sound
as the rest. Two older CDs, also from magic Vol.1 and 2. can probably
be found at Gemm, Musicstack etc. Universal has a compilation out
called "Tendrea annees 60" with 15 tracks - Try Amazon.fr.
Reviens vite et oublie.
Peter.
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Message: 16
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 16:42:51 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Artie Wayne yester-photo!
Ok Artie, We saw you in 74, now let's "Flashback" (still wanna hear
this Wayne/5D song in stereo!) to ten years earlier. Posted to the
photo section (since I can still post on there), Artie Wayne:
Automated Man in deep reflective mood! Enjoy, Clark
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