Spectropop - Digest Number 1863

• From: Spectropop Group
• Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005

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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 11 messages in this issue.


Topics in this digest:

      1. Re: Rare Breed
           From: John Fox 
      2. The Cowsills' "We Can Fly"
           From: Christian Steiner 
      3. Re: The Austin Roberts
           From: Austin Roberts 
      4. Re: The Austin Roberts
           From: Austin Roberts 
      5. Re: Byrds vs Searchers
           From: Mark 
      6. Clydie King
           From: Dave Monroe 
      7. Re: Rare Breed/"Come On Down To My Boat"
           From: Javed Jafri 
      8. Re: Bob Johnston
           From: Steve Harvey 
      9. Re: Clydie King; Stan Robinson; the real "Sugar and Spice"
           From: Country Paul 
     10. New Rev-Ola group
           From: Little Nemo77 
     11. Re: Whistling Jack Smith
           From: Phil X Milstein 


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Message: 1
   Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 17:41:11 EST
   From: John Fox 
Subject: Re: Rare Breed


previously:
> The Rare Breed consisted of: 
> ... Alexander "Botts" Norbett (bass) ...

So THAT'S the guy who's more out of tune than anyone's ever been on 
any record!
 
John Fox





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Message: 2         
   Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 23:41:48 +0100
   From: Christian Steiner 
Subject: The Cowsills' "We Can Fly"


Is my mind playing tricks on me or did somebody once mention here that
The Cowsills recorded an Italian language version of "We Can Fly"? 

Thanks a lot, 
Krischan





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Message: 3         
   Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 18:36:38 -0500
   From: Austin Roberts 
Subject: Re: The Austin Roberts


Martin Nathan asked:
> Are you "the" Austin Roberts? If so, I want you to know I've 
> always enjoyed your songs. I've have the minor hit "Mary 
> And Me", but my favorite song by you is "One Word."

Hi Martin,

I appreciate the kind words. "Mary And Me" was one of those songs that 
was a hit wherever it got play, but Phillips apparently had bigger fish to fry 
at the time. Never got many of the major markets. Rollye James, who now 
has a super oldies show that is syndicated out of Philly, was a disc jickey 
at the big pop station in Miami when it was out, and broke it all over Florida,
and still plays it on her show. I saw her after a '60s/'70s show I recently 
did,and we talked about her involvement in it. Very nice lady and knows 
a ton of info on oldies -- she would fit right in with Spectropop. 

I liked "One Word" too, and The Grassroots cut a good version of it. After 
"Something's Wrong With Me" and "Keep On Singing," I didn't have another 
hit with Chelsea Records, although "One Word" went over well in concert.

Good talking with you,  
Austin Roberts





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Message: 4         
   Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 18:52:36 -0500
   From: Austin Roberts 
Subject: Re: The Austin Roberts


Larry Bromley wrote:
> "Mary and me, driftin' along on a carousel."? I loved that one!

Hey Larry,

You've got a good memory; that was 1968. It was about a girl who was 
dancing around in Central Park while I was sitting under a tree with an 
old Gibson 12-string, bereft of any song ideas. She told me her name was 
Mary, and, because of the simplicity of what she was doing, the song just 
came together as she was still dancing. Ah those hippy days. The song 
was banned in several places because they thought it was about 
marijuana.

Austin R.





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Message: 5         
   Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 19:11:18 -0500
   From: Mark 
Subject: Re: Byrds vs Searchers


Anthona Arena wrote:
> Yes, The Beatles opened the doors for The Searchers in the 
> USA, but the Byrds' sound should always be seen as a reaction 
> to the English sound of groups like The Searchers, blended 
> with the American folkie tradition. The Searchers' influence on 
> American bands shouldn't be underestimated. 

Searchers have said that they never even used a 12-string on "Needles 
And Pins," which was the blueprint for The Byrds' sound.

Mark





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Message: 6         
   Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 15:50:31 -0800 (PST)
   From: Dave Monroe 
Subject: Clydie King


Julio Niño wrote:
> One of my favorite songs these last days is the melancholic 
> "Something To Remember You By" by Clydie King. I can't get 
> enough of that type of songs, with that almost cruel beauty.

Clydie King's "I'll Never Stop Loving You" is an all-time favorite track of mine.  
I've also been spinning "One Part Two Part" and "Mistakes Of Yesterday." 
Beautiful, nigh unto stately soul. Guess I'll have to get 'em all.





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Message: 7         
   Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 20:50:39 -0800
   From: Javed Jafri 
Subject: Re: Rare Breed/"Come On Down To My Boat"


Matthew David wrote:
> This is the band that played on "Beg, Borrow & Steal" -- both the 
> Rare Breed 45 on Attack and Ohio Express 45 on Cameo. The 
> group was previously known as The Conquests. All members 
> were high schoolers in the Brooklyn/Bronx area of New York.

Thank you, Matthew! This is the most detailed description that I have seen
about The Rare Breed/original Ohio Express, and the only time I recall the
personnel being mentioned. BTW was "Boat" not recorded by a third band
as well, and a regional hit at that?

Javed






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Message: 8         
   Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 17:13:51 -0800 (PST)
   From: Steve Harvey 
Subject: Re: Bob Johnston


Artie Wayne wrote:
> Columbia producer Bob Johnston produced some of the
> best Bob Dylan albums.

... and one of the worst Byrds LPs. They fired him after they heard the way 
he produced their version of "Lay Lady Lay".

Dan Hicks remixed his debut album for CD because of Johnston's mix of 
the original album. However, Artie is right about the Dylan stuff. Anybody 
who could turn Mr. "Dog with its leg caught in a barbwire fence" into Mr. 
Smoothie Countrypolitan ...





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Message: 9         
   Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 00:03:13 -0500
   From: Country Paul 
Subject: Re: Clydie King; Stan Robinson; the real "Sugar and Spice"


Wow, the Clydie King track on musica ["My Love Grows Deeper"] sounds like
what would have happened if Phil Spector had produced The Supremes 
back in their best days. Really nice! Thanks for playing it, Mick.

Kees wrote to Skip Woolwine re: John D. Loudermilk:
> It's a funny thing you wrote about "Nuthin'". John D. actually wrote
> a song "Nuthing", it was performed by Stan Robinson, a good 1959
> rocker.

Was that the follow-up to "Bomm A Dip Dip"? Robinson had a minor hit with 
it (Monument 402); as of April 4, 1958, it was #75 on Cashbox's Hot 100. 
I know it got airplay in New York. Interestingly, his sons, Chris and Rich
Robinson, formed the current hit band The Black Crowes. Rich mentions
his father in an interview: http://tinyurl.com/3ry39

Interesting side note: the same CashBox survey still lists The Fleetwoods'
"Come Softly To Me," #2 on the charts, as Dolphin 1. ("Venus" is #1.) See
the chart at http://tinyurl.com/5x7vw

Oops! Me, previously:
> "Sugar and Spice" will always be a Drifters song.

Roy Clough caught my error:
> Strange, it was written by Tony Hatch, the Searchers' producer -
> just a historical note. I think you actually mean "Sweets For My Sweet".

Guilty as charged. That is indeed the song I got it confused with. And I must 
agree with Bill Mulvy, who put the proper group with the song, saying: "'Sugar 
And Spice" will always be remembered as a Cryan' Shames song. The
others are in the rear view mirror, if at all."

Country Paul









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Message: 10        
   Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 12:30:59 +0000
   From: Little Nemo77 
Subject: New Rev-Ola group


You are all cordially invited to join the new Rev-Ola discussion group. We 
aim to establish a free place in which to meditate and mouth off on all
manner of strange and wonderful pop music, from Martin Denny to The 
Fifth Dimension to Big Star to The Sex Pistols and far, far beyond. Be the 
first to hear about new ideas and forthcoming releases from the bespoke 
Rev-Ola label and maybe even participate in their creation. Join up now --
you know you want to...
 
To learn more about the Rev-Ola group, please visit
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rev-ola
 
Regards,
Moderator, Rev-Ola







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Message: 11        
   Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 10:49:29 -0800
   From: Phil X Milstein 
Subject: Re: Whistling Jack Smith


ModGirl wrote:
> Anyone out there know the inspiration/origin of this whimiscal little
> tune? Did Jack do complete albums of nothing but whistling?

I can't add anything about Whistling Jack Smith to the info Richard Havers
provided, which corresponds precisely with the info on "Smith" presented 
in "Billboard's Book Of One-Hit Wonders." I would, though, like to mention
that the character's name was obviously chosen in reference to Whispering
Jack Smith, a British singer whose war injury severely curtailed his projection 
abilities, leading to both his vocal signature and his kicky nickname. Beyond 
that, my intuition suggests that the record was influenced by an imagined
interpretation of "Col. Bogie's March" (aka the theme from "The Bridge On 
The River Kwai") had it been composed by Bert Kaempfert.

--Phil M.
-- 
Cover Art Gallery:
http://www.aspma.com/temp/gallery
lotsa new posts:
http://www.aspma.com/probe







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