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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 18 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Crabby Appleton
From: Einar Einarsson Kvaran
2. Re: Puffy
From: Jesse
3. Re: Crabby Appleton
From: Clark Besch
4. Re: Dobie Gray's "Rose Garden"?
From: Clark Besch
5. Re: Dobie Gray's "Rose Garden"?
From: Robert R. Radil
6. Jennie Lee
From: Keith Beach
7. Wayne Newton vs Johnny Carson
From: Richard Gagnon
8. Radio, radio; Bob and Robert; Cha Cha Charming articles
From: Country Paul
9. Jennie Lee; Honey Ltd.; Bubblegum?; Get well quick, Claire Francis!
From: Country Paul
10. Re: Heavy Bubblegum
From: Michael Thom
11. Mann & Weil
From: Damian
12. girl group chatter
From: Phil X Milstein
13. Re: Turtles' "Guide for the Married Man"
From: Bob Rashkow
14. Re: Crabby Appleton
From: Eddy
15. Re: Oprah annoys / Shirelles snub
From: Bob Rashkow
16. Sylvie Vartan
From: Dave Monroe
17. Charlie Purpura of The Front Porch passes on
From: Country Paul
18. Everlasting Remakes
From: Bob Rashkow
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 11:17:01 -0800 (PST)
From: Einar Einarsson Kvaran
Subject: Re: Crabby Appleton
Eddy Smit wrote:
> Michael Fennelly also made two solo LPs. The first one, "Lane
> Changer," is especially interesting, with its Zombies link and
> a guest shot by Jeff Beck.
Just curious, 'cause the Zombies were the first big name band that
I saw live [Manila, c. 1967] - what was the Zombies connection?
Einar
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 19:17:43 -0000
From: Jesse
Subject: Re: Puffy
Joe Nelson wrote:
> I was surprised to find an interview with, of all people, Ami
> Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura of Puffy AmiYumi.
Spectropop members might enjoy Puffy's song Ai no shirushi, a sublime
pastiche of dynamic sixties pop. I think it's on their Jet cd, from
1998. Hear it once, and it will be in your head forever. The song was
used in the comedy Water Boys, about a group of schoolboys in a
synchronized swimming team. Other songs used on the soundtrack are
Sylvie Vartan's irresistible hit Irrésistiblement (the only song by
her I really like), as well as Gakuen Tengoku by Finger 5, Japan's
version of the Jackson 5 (with better haircuts). Great movie,
wonderful soundtrack.
Jesse
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 19:24:21 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Crabby Appleton
"Peace by Peace" (from the first album) got a bunch of airplay around
here and I really like the first album. Clark
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 19:20:25 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Dobie Gray's "Rose Garden"?
Dave O'Gara wrote:
> Clark, do you happen to know if one of those Dobie Gray releases on
> White Whale was an early version of "Rose Garden," eventually made
> popular by Lynn Anderson? I don't have the 45, but in my mind's eye
> I seem to recall seeing possibly a promo copy at our radio studio in,
> say, late '69 or early '70. I don't ever remember playing it, so I
> can't comment on Dobie's version, although any review on the
> recording would be nice if anyone remembers it.
Dave, yes, Dobie Gray's "Rose Garden" was WW 300 from early spring,
1969. I think Varese may have licensed it to someone recently, as I
was asked for a scan of the record. I don't personally have it, but
was able to find a scan. Hope this helps, Clark
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 20:30:52 -0000
From: Robert R. Radil
Subject: Re: Dobie Gray's "Rose Garden"?
Dave O'Gara wrote:
> Clark, do you happen to know if one of those Dobie Gray releases on
> White Whale was an early version of "Rose Garden," eventually made
> popular by Lynn Anderson? I don't have the 45, but in my mind's eye
> I seem to recall seeing possibly a promo copy at our radio studio in,
> say, late '69 or early '70. I don't ever remember playing it, so I
> can't comment on Dobie's version, although any review on the
> recording would be nice if anyone remembers it.
I may not be Clark, but I can answer. "Rose Garden" by Dobie Gray
was a White Whale single released in 1968. It's the same song later
a hit for Lynn Anderson. I believe written by Joe South.
Bob Radil
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Message: 6
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 23:29:46 -0000
From: Keith Beach
Subject: Jennie Lee
Country Paul wrote:
> I've played to musica a very fine country/rockabilly version of
> Jan & Arnie's first hit, "Jennie Lee," by prolific pianist Moon
> Mullican.
Love it! But the best version has to be Billy Ward & His Dominoes
version...which I think uses the same backing track. Given the
period when white artists where ripping off black artists, I like
the irony of a black band turning the tables.
Keith Beach
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Message: 7
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 18:17:23 -0500
From: Richard Gagnon
Subject: Wayne Newton vs Johnny Carson
Phil wrote:
> Johnny Carson, however, would likely have disagreed. According to
> legend, Newton, who'd came to national fame while still a scrawny
> and squeaky-voiced adolescent, was pushed finally over the edge by
> Carson's gags at the expense of Newton's (presumed lack of)
> masculinity. (And, granted, Carson was hardly the only one at the
> time to use Newton's name as shorthand for "gay," that is when
> they weren't using Liberace's or Paul Lynde's.) He busted into
> Carson's office one afternoon and in no uncertain terms told the
> talk-show king that if he didn't knock it off, the now full-grown,
> newly-buff and karate black-belted singer would knock his scrawny
> block off. Thus ended that stream of humor, a turnabout which
> helped signal the arrival of Newton as an adult star.
Ah, so it actually happened! I only knew of this incident from Josh
Alan and Drew Friedman's satirical bio comic of Newton's "Mr.
Excitement! The Living history of Wayne Newton" (available in their
hilarious "Any Similarity to Persons living or dead is purely
coincidental"...the Friedman bros (yes, the sons of Bruce Jay Friedman)
mix fact and fiction so freely, and let's face it, some of the facts
are so larger-than-life and over the top that it's hard to draw the
line!
Richard
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Message: 8
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 17:12:44 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Radio, radio; Bob and Robert; Cha Cha Charming articles
Ed Salamon:
> A lot of radio folks don't agree (with me) that it is all that
> important to play originals. Whenever there is a version in
> stereo, it often is chosen over the orginal. When United Stations
> bought the RKO radio networks, Dick Bartley and I differed on
> this - particulary over the alternate stereo take of "Do You Love
> Me" that had just been issued for "Dirty Dancing"....
> My son Drew, who sells oldies station 3WS (Pittsburgh)among
> others, thinks I'm just a grumpy old man and no one else notices/
> remembers these things, except for three or four other guys who
> are probably on this board. I remind him that I felt the same
> back when I consulted oldies KBZT (San Diego)in the 70s.
Ed, as a 29-year radio guy, I'm of two minds on this, but 95% of my
mind is on your wavelength. I want to hear the *original performances*
of the original hits that people plunked down money to buy. If there's
a remake that brings something NEW to it (i.e., the Beay Brummels re-
interpretation of their own "You Tell me Why" on Bradley's Barn, or
Bobby Vee's Robert Thomas Velline reinterpretations, that's
fascinating too, but billboard that version and play it occasionally
*in addition,* not as a substitution. I have little or no use for a
note-for-note remake; even if the notes are there, the feeling often
is lacking or missing altogether.
That said, here's the one place I differ with you - sometimes: if the
original performance was known in mono, but there's a high-quality
stereo version *of the same performance* that sound the same, only
fuller, let's hear it. All too often, early stereo changes the
character of the song; for example, there are several stereo
Raindrops tracks, notably "The Kind of Boy You Can't Forget," which,
rather than being in true stereo, have the track hard right and the
vocal hard left, never the twain to meet. The net effect:
emasculating a muscular song with a low-volume track and isolated
vocals. (And of course a lot of early Beatles tracks suffer from
the same "disease.") However, if a fuller richer stereo effect
exists to reinforce the song (for example, the gorgeous stereo of
"Oh Why" on "Early Girls, Vol. 4"), then it's fine to play that,
since it may sound more like what we think we remember of the
original. (There were some fake-stereo vinyl mixes of the Frankie
Lymon & The Teenagers, first Chantels and first Little Anthony & The
Imperials albums, achieved by playing with the equalization, which
came out remarkably well in my opnion.)
Having said the above, I was making a compilation tape yesterday and
had to choose between the mono and stereo of The Tammys' "Egyptian
Shumba." It was a tough decision - the stereo mix made from the mono
multitrack isn't bad - but ultimately I opted for the mono for the
addition punch and power.
Me, earlier:
> By the way, [Bob Lind] professed to not knowing who "Robert" who
> posted that note was; but knowing of the WWN affiliation, I wonder
> if *that* was goofin' on me. ("Will Robert dispute this?" he asked,
> good-naturedly.)
Robert responded off-list, and assures me he and Mr. Lind are two
different Roberts!
Sheila B., nice work on the Chantal Kelly, Sylvie Vartan and Gillian
Hills articles. Gillian Hills was discussed here a little while back,
and "Look At Them" has been a delightful addition to my library. (The
song would not sound out of place in a Natalie Merchant concert - but
I'd be enjoying Gillian's vocals more.)
My e-mail server sdeems to have decided to malfunction (again), so I
don't kknow when this is going out or what else might be coming in....
Country Paul
(e-isolated in the suburbs)
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Message: 9
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 00:45:17 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Jennie Lee; Honey Ltd.; Bubblegum?; Get well quick, Claire Francis!
Fred Clemens:
> Another way to hear (and understand) the lyrics to "Jennie Lee"
> would be to listen to the cover version by Billy Ward & The
> Dominoes, from April of 1958 on Liberty Records -- Jan & Dean's
> future home.
It's a really good record, Fred, unusual in that it's a note-for-note
cover which actually retains much of the feeling of the original. But
I still never heard the lyrics as clearly on the Ward/Dominoes
version as I do on the Mullican. Interesting how a "teenage garage
stomp" worked so well for an r&b group and a honky-tonk country
pianist.
Jonathan Ward:
> I recently finished a lengthy piece on the Honey Ltd., the Lee
> Hazlewood-produced girl band whose one LP is insanely rare -- and
> good. If you'd like to check it out, it's posted in the new edition
> of Perfect Sound Forever: http://www.perfectsoundforever.com
> Thanks, and thanks for making my musical life much more
> interesting!
And thank you for your contribution to *our* musical lives. It's a
fascinating article, and made more interesting by the comments of all
the group members. I have the Honey Ltd. 45, and can attest to the
exceptional harmonies and unusual stylistic juxtapositions. The
changes are so abrupt that its almost as though they had too much
talent and had to get everything out at once. Obviously, like most
people, I never knew there was an album. Do you know if the album and
subsequent singles are available on CD?
Clark Besch:
> If that wasn't enough, a heavy metal guy was asking about Ram
> Jam's 77 hit, "Black Betty" and when i pulled it, it was produced
> by KASENETZ-KATZ!!!
Joe Nelson wrote:
> One of the guys was in the Lemon Pipers: between the two something
> critics of "too sweet bubblegum music" might consider.
Dave Nelson adds:
> This, by the way, is precisely the kind of stuff I've been digging
> for these days, heavy bubblegum (e.g., The Ohio Express' "Try It"),
> bubblegum breakbeats (e.g., Tommy Roe's "Sweet Pea"), bubblegum
> psych, what have you. Bubblegum deep cuts. But Chapmann/Chinn
> also come to mind as purveyors of this sound here. Thanks!
It's interesting; while he certainly hit with many major bubblegum
songs, I associate Tommy Roe with more straight ahead rock and pop,
i.e., "Sheila," "Everybody," and "It's Now Winter's Day." And while
Katz-Kasenetz produced Ram-Jam, I personally feel that track has
nothing to do with bubblegum except for its short length; there was
even a 12" single of it, which, I believe, had an expanded edit of
the song for FM progressive outlets. (I remember the single's
existence, but I may be wrong about the timing.) One group marketed
as bubblegum, Wadsworth Mansion, became such by virtue of the mix of
"Sweet Mary." To see this scruffy bunch of Rhode Island hippies (said
with great respect - one of their guitarists became my band's bassist)
play that track or handle the clever vocals of "Michigan Harry
Slaughter" live would undermine anyone's bubblegum references. I
personally find bubblegum to be a narrow and by definition self-
limiting genre, and could live without most of it in my personal life
(although I respect the craftsmanship that went into its execution).
However, I'd consider "Black Betty" and these other tracks I'm citing
to be outside the realm of "pure" bubblegum (i.e., "Yummy Yummy,"
"Chewy Chewy" and the like) even though done by artists associated
with the genre.
Phil Milstein, to Claire Francis:
> I am not a pray-er, but I promise you I will be sending you every
> ounce of psychic energy I can muster in every other form I know of.
> Take good care, get well soon, and promise to return to Spectropop
> when you're ready!
Seconded in all aspects.
Country Paul
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Message: 10
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 00:15:00 -0600
From: Michael Thom
Subject: Re: Heavy Bubblegum
Clark Besch:
> If that wasn't enough, a heavy metal guy was asking about Ram
> Jam's 77 hit, "Black Betty" and when i pulled it, it was produced
> by KASENETZ-KATZ!!!
Joe Nelson wrote:
> One of the guys was in the Lemon Pipers: between the two something
> critics of "too sweet bubblegum music" might consider.
Dave Nelson wrote:
> This, by the way, is precisely the kind of stuff I've been digging
> for these days, heavy bubblegum (e.g., The Ohio Express' "Try It"),
> bubblegum breakbeats (e.g., Tommy Roe's "Sweet Pea"), bubblegum
> psych, what have you. Bublegum deep cuts. But Chapmann/Chinn
> also come to mind as purveyors of this sound here. Thanks!
Bill Barlett of the Lemon Pipers was also in Ram Jam. While "Black
Betty" was the K&K "comeback" hit, they first attempted a comeback
in 1975 with their own label, Magna Glide, which was distributed by
London. Magna Glide only issued a handful of singles, but the "heavy
bubblegum" sound was well in force there, as evidenced by the two
releases by Canyon, "Top of the World (Make My Reservation)" (MG 323,
the first release on the label) and "Overloaded" (MG 327).
nsor
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Message: 11
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 19:08:58 -0000
From: Damian
Subject: Mann & Weil
Last year there was a brief Broadway run of "They Wrote That?", a
cabaret style revue capturing many of the Mann & Weil compositions
of the last 45 years. Does anyone know if an 'original cast'
recording was released? If so, where could I go to find it?
Thnx.
Damian
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Message: 12
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 13:54:04 -0800
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: girl group chatter
Are the girls chattering in the background of Janis Ian's "Younger
Generation Blues" the same ones as on The Whyte Boots/Lori Burton's
"Nightmare"?
It's not my fault she's dead,
--Phil M.
--
Cover Art Gallery:
http://www.aspma.com/temp/gallery
lotsa new posts:
http://www.aspma.com/probe
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Message: 13
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 16:36:28 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Re: Turtles' "Guide for the Married Man"
According to Umphred, there are probably some DJ copies around. But
he indicates that White Whale 251, "Guide For The Married Man" /
"Think I'll Run Away", was pulled from distribution immediately after
it was released. The song, with the typical Kaylan/Volman harmonies,
is by far the best thing about the film IMHO. I found "How Sweet It
Is" (James Garner/Debbie Reynolds), with even lovelier Jim Webb/
Picardy music, especially "Montage", somewhat funnier.
Bobster
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Message: 14
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 09:28:31 +0100
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: Crabby Appleton
Eddy wrote:
> Michael Fennelly also made two solo LPs. The first one, "Lane
> Changer," is especially interesting, with its Zombies link and
> a guest shot by Jeff Beck.
Einar wrote:
> Just curious, 'cause the Zombies were the first big name band that
> I saw live [Manila, c. 1967] - what was the Zombies connection?
The album was produced by Chris White and had Rod Argent on keyboards.
After the breakup of Crabby Appleton, Fennelly moved to the UK. Hence
the association with these UK-based musicians. Although I can't seem
to find him in IMDB, I seem to have a vague memory of Fennelly getting
involved in soundtracks. Can anybody confirm?
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Message: 15
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 16:31:39 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Re: Oprah annoys / Shirelles snub
Right on Tony--Glad I didn't happen to watch this stupidity. BTW, I'm
one of those who was not aware that Roberta even recorded "Will You
Love Me Tomorrow", if only because I don't own, nor have heard, any of
her albums in their entirety. While I'm on the subject I've been
scouting for the 4 Seasons' 1968 version, which dented Top 30 in
Chicago in March of that year. I don't believe I've ever heard that
one either!
Bobster
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Message: 16
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 16:28:31 -0800 (PST)
From: Dave Monroe
Subject: Sylvie Vartan
Jesse wrote:
> Other songs used on the soundtrack are Sylvie Vartan's irresistible
> hit Irrésistiblement (the only song by her I really like) ...
Try "L'oiseau," "L'enfant aux papillons," "Face au soleil," "C'est un
jour à rester couché," or, again, her recording of "Walk Away Renee"
("Quand un amour renaît"). All pure pop goodness. But thanks for the
tip. "Irrésistiblement" in a US OST, who'd've thunk it?
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Message: 17
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 21:39:06 -0000
From: Country Paul
Subject: Charlie Purpura of The Front Porch passes on
It is with great sadness that I report that Charlie Purpura, lead
singer/songwriter of the Front Porch, passed away on Sunday, March
20, 2005. His death is reported to be from natural causes.
In his honor, I have played to musica the two unreleased demo tracks
the group recorded but never released, showing the direction they
wanted to move in, as opposed to the direction they were pushed in by
Jubilee Records. The sound quality is not the best, and there are
sections where the playing would have been further polished in a
final product; but the musical intent is definitely discernable.
One last Front Porch quest: Charlie, Marc Scott and I never did
figure out what was on the flip side of the second Jubilee
single, "Under The Boardwalk," each of us owning only A-side-only DJ
copies of it. ("Boardwalk" was later coupled with "Wonderful Summer,"
the group's last A-side, for their final commercial release.) If
anyone has a commercial copy of "Boardwalk" with a B-side, please let
me know on- or off-list.
(Note: one of these demos was previously played to musica at the time
my article on the band was posted, but I don't remember which one.
I'd be glad to substitute one of their records for it. Also, if
anyone wants to fill in their collection with any of their four
released sides, please contact me off-list.)
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Message: 18
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 17:08:55 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Everlasting Remakes
OK, gang. Here's my question (no, I don't know the answer; anyone?)
How many different remakes of Robert Knight's magnificent
"Everlasting Love" have charted nationally since 1967? Each one sounds
to me to be less emotional and more totally computerized. I don't
know if people were actually dancing to this record when Knight's
version was released, but I'm afraid that folks born after, say, 1970
or so are only going to remember it, if at all, as a disco tune. What
really scares me is that sometimes I think I'm hearing Knight and it
turns out, after all, to be Carl Carlton's 1974 smash version, which
to give credit where it's due, isn't too bad. Back then I was somehow
able to deal with an occasional remake if I thought it was cleverly
arranged enough; a classic example would be Charlie Kulis (whoever he
may be!!)' take on Del Shannon's "Runaway", which did OK on the charts
in 1975--Kulis' version, I mean!
Bobster
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