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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: desperately seeking Dawn
From: Mick Patrick
2. Richard Willims on Laura Nyro
From: Dave Heasman
3. My old friend, Jack Keller R.I.P.
From: Claire Francis
4. Bob Crewe & Lesley Gore
From: Jim Allio
5. Karen Lake
From: Julio Niño
6. 'Searching' For Answers
From: Mark
7. Re: Karen Lake
From: Joe Nelson
8. Re: Tommy Dae and the High Tensions
From: Ed B
9. Re: Bad Splices
From: John H
10. "Music To Watch BIRDS By" LP
From: James Botticelli
11. Re: Sunflower, the label
From: Austin Roberts
12. "Alpert, Moss Donate A&M Papers, Mementos" (Bryan Adams too, eh?)
From: Phil X Milstein
13. Tom Austin
From: Gary Myers
14. Re: Jack Keller and Juggy Murray, R.I.P.
From: Phil X Milstein
15. Re: Bad splices
From: Bob Rashkow
16. Re: Sunflower, the label
From: Bob Rashkow
17. Re: "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone"
From: Phil X Milstein
18. Jack Keller, RIP
From: Bob Rashkow
19. Re: 'Searching' For Answers
From: Eddy
20. "Please Don't Ever Leave Me"
From: Stewart Epstein
21. Re: Sunflower, the label
From: Scott
22. Jack Keller, RIP
From: Steve Jarrell
23. Jack Keller/Al Kooper find
From: James Botticelli
24. Re: Sunflower, the label
From: Leslie Fradkin
25. Re: 'Searching' For Answers / "Popcorn, Double Feature"
From: Artie Wayne
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 22:15:11 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: desperately seeking Dawn
Sheila B:
> Hey gang: I'm looking for biographical info on Laurie Records' gal
> Dawn. Seems she also recorded for United Artists, ABC and APT.
S'right, the Dawn of whom you ask is a person, not a group. Her first
record, "Oo-wee Baby"/"Let's Get Together", released on Mercury 72344
in 1964, was as half of a duo, Billy & Dawn. Billy was Billy Carl,
aka Carlucci, of Philly vocal group Billy & the Essentials. I believe
Billy wrote, or co-wrote, the songs and the record was produced by
Madara & White, who were also responsible for the Pixies Three, the
Secrets and others. Dawn's mother, Frances Capitola, managed several
other Philly-area acts, including the Secrets and Johnny Caswell.
Billy & Dawn recorded a radio commercial for Doublemint Chewing Gum
too. I notice that Billy Carl also composed and arranged both sides
of Dawn's 1966 release, "Baby's Gone Away"/"Gotta Get Away", ABC
Paramount 10791. I really like all of Dawn's records - well, all of
the ones I've heard. I'd post one to musica, but it's full at present.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 21:39:51 +0100
From: Dave Heasman
Subject: Richard Willims on Laura Nyro
Recommended story:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,1450445,00.html
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 17:04:28 EST
From: Claire Francis
Subject: My old friend, Jack Keller R.I.P.
For Jack:
I met Jack when he was working with Howie Greenfield at Kirshner and
Nevins. I was a very shy young songwriter who kept knocking on doors
and Jack gave me lots of good advice. We fast became good friends
mainly because he always thought my girl friends were cute! All of my
friends had a crush on Jack. His humor, his talent, and his love of
music were just wonderful. Often, when I visited him at his office he
would play his songs for me and I would just sit there and be so mind
blown, he was really a great musician and song writer and I just
wished I could be like him! When he said "wadda ya think kid?" I
would be so tongue tied, all I could say was "It's great, I love it
Jack".
Eventually, I became a record producer and left for London in 1965.
Jack and I lost touch for a while. We met again in the early 70's
when I moved to California and was producing records there. I played
one of my artists for Jack and he was crazy over him. His name was
Tom Austin...and Jack wanted to produce his records with me. Jack and
I schlepped to the Bill Gavin Convention in San Francisco and played
Tom's demo for Clive Davis, who also loved it. I still have that
demo!! It could have been a great record, but unfortunately, when Tom
became engaged to be married, his wife to be told Tom, "It's me or
the music business." Tom Austin chose the lady. Jack and I were
really bummed, but we couldn't help laughing about it...how could
anyone want to give up the music business???
I met Jack's young family when he invited me over to his beautiful
home. I remember how I admired how he was an incredible loving Papa
and Husband. I was really happy for him. I saw how he played with his
kids and how his wife and kids adored him. Eventually I left the
music business when I married Norman, my childhood sweetheart. Jack
and I lost touch again. It was 34 years later, thanks to Spectropop
that Jack and I had the chance to say hello again when I saw his
picture in a photo from the Nashville S'pop gathering!! I was so
happy to hear from him. He was a great guy. He will be missed. My
sincere heart felt condolences to his family and friends.
Rest in Peace Jack. Your smiling face will always be in my heart.
Love and Light,
Claire Francis
http://www.clairefrancis.com
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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2005 14:00:36 -0800 (PST)
From: Jim Allio
Subject: Bob Crewe & Lesley Gore
I'm curious what the Lesley Gore - Bob Crewe sessions for Mercury and
Crewe were like.
Jim Allio
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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 01 Apr 2005 22:11:49 -0000
From: Julio Niño
Subject: Karen Lake
Hola everybody.
Country Paul wrote:
> I've recently come into a couple of mp3s I'd like to know more
> about: Karen Lake, "When I'm Not Teenage Anymore" ...
Hola Paul. "When I´m Not Teenage Anymore" by Karen Lake, ABC
Paramount 10087, 1960,( B-side "Kiss Me Quick And Go"), was composed
by Barry Mann and Joe Shapiro.
Chao.
Julio Niño.
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 02:25:03 GMT
From: Mark
Subject: 'Searching' For Answers
Hey Guys! Recently I purchased (with a gift certificate I got for my
birthday) the Searchers' "BBC Sessions" (fantastic CD, BTW), and
looking at the track listings, I have a couple of questions:
1) In the liner notes, they mention that "Have You Ever Loved
Somebody" was written by the Hollies, and indeed, the writer credit
is Ransford, who wrote a number of great Hollies songs. So, did the
Hollies ever cut this one in their own right?
2) There's a song on this disc entitled "Popcorn Double Feature",
which is credited to Weiss-English (I'm guessing this is Larry and
Scott, as I can't think of any other Weiss-English team). I'm curious
as to whether anyone here in the States did this song, or whether
they pitched it directly to the Searchers?
3) They cover "I Don't Believe", the song previously done by the
Guilloteens. Is the Guilloteens' original available anywhere on CD?
If not, any chance of it appearing in Musica?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Best,
Mark
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Message: 7
Date: Fri, 01 Apr 2005 22:37:58 -0500
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Re: Karen Lake
Country Paul:
> Back to our original era, I've recently come into a couple of mp3s
> I'd like to know more about: Karen Lake, "When I'm Not Teenage
> Anymore" (with a backing group who must have heard the Clusters'
> "Darling Can't You Tell") and Gigi Parker, "Lonely Girl Blue" (some
> Dion influences, good track, but I don't know about her voice - too
> cute by half). Inquiring minds want to know.
Damn. About thirty years ago I picked up a treasure trove of potential
musica posts when I bought a huge lot of old 45's from a yard sale,
one of which was Lake's single before the one you mentioned ("Nine
O'Clock" c/w "Will I Know (When I'm Really In Love)", ABC-Paramount
10050). Unfortunately, someone broke into the storage area I was using
shortly after I moved out of my parents' place about twenty years ago
and it all was stolen.
Joe Nelson
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Message: 8
Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 04:05:40 -0000
From: Ed B
Subject: Re: Tommy Dae and the High Tensions
Tom "Diamond Hunter" Diehl:
> Can someone give me some information about Tommy Dae and the High
> Tensions?
Tommy Dae and the High Tensions were from New Haven Ct. area if
memory serves me right. Ed
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 05:29:18 -0000
From: John H
Subject: Re: Bad Splices
Have a listen to Lesley Gore's "What's a Girl Supposed to Do?" About
forty seconds into the song, she sings "so I kissed hiiiiim," and
there's a noticeable change in sound quality in the "hiiiiim." Not
sure if it's a splice, but it's somethin'.
-John H
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Message: 10
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 01:49:49 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: "Music To Watch BIRDS By" LP
George Schowerer wrote:
> As for "Girl Watchers", that was done at Mira (16 tracks) with lots
> of overdubs. Bill Szymczyk (Eagles eng,) helped me on that date. He
> wasn't familiar with the console arrangement.
Sorry to be a pest George, but I was asking about the "Music To Watch
BIRDS By" LP. That, IMHO, surpasses "Music To Watch Girls By" and I
was just wondering if you were in on that or knew who was.
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Message: 11
Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 03:14:18 -0500
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Sunflower, the label
Nick Archer:
> Wasn't "Chick-A-Boom" by Daddy Dewdrop on Sunflower? I don't have
> the album anymore.
And the best promotion man I've ever worked with, Jerry Fine, brought
this record home for Daddy D.
Austin R.
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Message: 12
Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 17:44:10 -0500
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: "Alpert, Moss Donate A&M Papers, Mementos" (Bryan Adams too, eh?)
Alpert, Moss Donate A&M Papers, Mementos
April 2, 2005
By The Associated Press
Los Angeles -- Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, whose A&M Records label
recorded superstars such as Sting, the Carpenters and Quincy Jones,
have donated company papers and mementos to the UCLA Library.
The collection includes sound recordings, gold albums, letters,
photographs and items such as a score for "The Lonely Bull,'' a 1962
hit by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, according to an
announcement Friday.
The company was founded in 1962 in a garage behind Alpert's house.
Other music greats the label recorded include Carole King, Joan Baez,
Chet Baker, Burt Bacharach and Bryan Adams.
"A&M is a legendary company and we are deeply honored that Herb and
Jerry have chosen to give this collection to the UCLA Library,'' said
Gary E. Strong, librarian at the University of California, Los
Angeles.
"These materials provide a unique insight into the Southern California
music scene,'' he said.
A&M Records was sold to Polygram in 1989.
--------
On the Net:
UCLA Library: http://www.library.ucla.edu/amrecords/
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Message: 13
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 17:32:16 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Tom Austin
Claire Francis:
> Jack (Keller) and I lost touch for a while. We met again in the
> early 70's when I moved to California and was producing records
> there. I played one of my artists for Jack and he was crazy over
> him. His name was Tom Austin...
I wonder if this is the Tom Austin who became president of Sherman
Clay piano stores in the 80's. I know he recorded before that, and
he was based in CA.
The best to you with your present health concerns, Claire.
gem
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Message: 14
Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 20:21:25 -0500
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Jack Keller and Juggy Murray, R.I.P.
> Sadly, two more S'pop heroes have passed away: songwriter Jack
> Keller and Juggy Murray, the founder of Sue Records.
Very sad news indeed. Alongside Bobby Robinson's, Murray's was one of
the greatest family of independent labels ever to come out of New
York City.
Of Jack Keller, I will never forget the generosity he showed this
stranger, who'd called him out of the blue (on the recommendation of
the equally generous Bobby Hart) to inquire about a very minor
session he'd produced some 35 years earlier. The record in question
was the Gamma Goochee's third, final and most obscure release, "Booga-
Looa" b/w a most blues-wailin' interpretation of Keller and
Greenfield's own "Everybody's Somebody's Fool." That Keller actually
remembered a considerable amount about the session only made the
interview that much more pleasant an experience that it was to begin
with, and allowed me to write my Gamma Goochee article with
confidence that I finally had the story down.
My own little tribute to Jack is in the form of posting these two
sides, which originally leaked out in 1967 on MGM, to my Probe site.
Those two cats, they sure did rock.
--Phil M.
--
http://www.philxmilstein.com/probe
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Message: 15
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 22:39:50 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Re: Bad splices
Bob Radil:
> Another similarly poor edit was done to "Timothy" by the Buoys......
> for more "radio-friendly" lyrics.
Let's see: Hungry as heck (no food to eat) and Joe said that it would
sure be nice to munch on something sweet? Amazing how far they were
willing to go to protect people's ears. Bobster
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Message: 16
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 22:42:06 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Re: Sunflower, the label
Clark Besch:
> ...the only Sunflower record I know is Frank Mills' "Love Me, Love
> Me Love".......
You're forgettin' about their biggest one, Daddy Dewdrop's "Chick-A-
Boom." All the way to #3 in May of '71 (I think). Bobster
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Message: 17
Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 22:47:11 -0500
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone"
Joe Nelson wrote:
> It's not a splice, exactly - it's a punch in. Because people tend
> to project more when they sing than when they speak, spoken parts
> tend to be softer. To keep the volume levels even, spoken parts are
> usually recorded seperately from sung ones.
There seems to be a version of "Love Is Here ..." floating around
where, after the first gasp, a bit of chatter -- clearly retained in
error -- can be heard, in the L channel only if I'm not mistaken.
This, combined with Joe's interpretation plus the aural evidence of
the hit version (where that gasp is clipped), leads me to wonder if
the entire first spoken passage hadn't become necessary to mask the
engineer's screw-up, but the punch-OUT of which wasn't itself
imperfect. If this scenario holds up, then perhaps, after one
engineering error piled upon another, the producer (H-D-H?) decided
to simply cut his losses and sign off on the latter version, wart and
all.
> Without the luxury of eight track, Diane's spoken parts had to be
> punched into the same track she'd sung on (that is, the tape rolled
> in play mode, switching to record as soon as it was time to start
> singing, then the machine is taken out of record before the sung
> parts come back in).
Out of curiosity, anyone know when Motown went to 4-track*, and/or
8-track, in their main studio?
> In the case of the part you're talking about, they punched in for
> singing over a gasp for air. Had they gone back and done it over
> there would have been a risk of erasing something important because
> it happens so quickly, so it was left in figuring hopefully few if
> any people would notice.
I don't mean to be didactic, but I believe the gasp, which appears at
the end of each of the song's spoken passages, was introduced for
dramatic thrust, rather than to suit the singer's breathing needs.
Thanks for your thoughts on this, Joe!
--Phil M.
*and thus able to start working in the modern mode of overdubbing;
whereas, if I'm not mistaken, 3-track still limited engineers to the
basic ping-pong mode.
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Message: 18
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 23:15:44 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Jack Keller, RIP
That's very sad news. Didn't know he wrote the "Bewitched" theme. The
work Keller did with Diane Hildebrand, for the Monkees and other
artists, is exemplary. Together with Howard Greenfield he created
some of the most memorable early 60's pop hits. Condolences to all
who actually knew and worked with him. Bobster
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Message: 19
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2005 12:55:42 +0200
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: 'Searching' For Answers
Mark on the Searchers:
> In the liner notes, they mention that "Have You Ever Loved
> Somebody" was written by the Hollies, and indeed, the writer credit
> is Ransford, who wrote a number of great Hollies songs. So, did the
> Hollies ever cut this one in their own right?
The Hollies version is on "Evolution", which appeared well after the
Searchers had done their version. As for this Ransford character, do
note that this is just a penname for Clarke-Hicks-Nash.
And since we're on the subject of the Guilloteens, I was wondering if
somebody might have the Louis Paul 45 "The change will do you good"
(Intro Records 101) for a spin on Musica, or maybe even be inclined
to part with his copy... ?
Eddy
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Message: 20
Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2005 13:24:56 -0000
From: Stewart Epstein
Subject: "Please Don't Ever Leave Me"
I used to love a group called "The Cyrkle."...they had a sweet little
song called "Please Don't Ever Leave Me" which I thought was very
under-rated...does anyone know how "high" it ever got in the "Top
100" of its time?...that song is ripe for a re-making, in my view.
Stewart Epstein
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Message: 21
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2005 09:41:06 EDT
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Sunflower, the label
Sunflower's always interested me as a label for the weird selection
of acts they signed ... everything from Daddy Dewdrop to a Grateful
Dead LP ... I have the Daddy Dewdrop LP (it's okay). The other
Sunflower artifact I have is an interesting psych LP entitled Jasper
Wrath ...
Scott
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Message: 22
Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2005 14:09:58 -0000
From: Steve Jarrell
Subject: Jack Keller, RIP
In January at one of our S'Pop get togethers here in Nashville, Jack
Keller came and joined the group. This was the first time that I had
ever had the pleasure of meeting Jack. I loved the guy immediately.
His passion for the music after all his years in the biz was still
very much alive. He was talking about his involvement with Tony
Orlando. I asked him if he remembered a Tony Orlando song that had
been one of my favorites in my teen years. The song was "Chills".
Jack gave me a big grin and said,"Do I know it? I wrote it!" Within
the week I recieved a package in the mail from Jack. He had burned
me a cd of "Chills" and sent a nice note that I will always cherish.
Deepest sympathy to his family and friends.
Steve Jarrell
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Message: 23
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2005 12:23:22 -0400
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Jack Keller/Al Kooper find
Phil X Milstein wrote:
> My own little tribute to Jack (Keller) is in the form of posting
> these two sides, which originally leaked out in 1967 on MGM, to my
> Probe site.
Found yesterday: A 45 written by Jack Keller and Gerry Goffin,
flipside written by Al Kooper and Irwin Levine. Anyone wanna guess?
It's on Capitol. I will post later today all yesterday's groovy finds!
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Message: 24
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2005 11:19:52 -0600
From: Leslie Fradkin
Subject: Re: Sunflower, the label
Scott wrote:
> Sunflower's always interested me as a label for the weird selection
> of acts they signed ... everything from Daddy Dewdrop to a Grateful
> Dead LP ... I have the Daddy Dewdrop LP (it's okay). The other
> Sunflower artifact I have is an interesting psych LP entitled Jasper
> Wrath ...
Sunflower's roster choices were guided by two elements:
1) The musical taste of Mack David and Danny Kessler (Owners) and
2) Money (geez, what else?)
Mack, as you may know was an accomplished and well known MOR
songwriter ("It Must Be Him", "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White",
"Baby, It's You") and Danny was a great industry hustler whose taste
ran more rock than Mack's. Most releases were driven by top 40
mentality, nothing more. Albums were afterthoughts in some cases.
Dickie Monda got his LP out because his single went so big.
My record of "Song Of A Thousand Voices" was quite expensive to
record (over $5,000) and was done as their first single release. They
had high hopes for that single. We had quite a list of musicians on
that record including myself, Denny Seiwell, Randy Edelman, Russ
George, Russ Savakus, Corky Hale, the Blood Sweat & Tears Brass
Section, Gail Kantor, Dorthea Joyce, and Don Thomas. Randy Edelman
and Eddie Deane (who wrote "The Men In My Little Girl's Life" for
Mike Douglas and was, in fact , my publisher) produced the session.
Promotion money was squandered by certain people and a surefire hit
(Billboard gave it a Top 30 review) turned into a turntable hit.
Later, my song became a massive success in Europe. The Grateful Dead
albums were put out to get Sunflower on the map. Later they were sued
over them. But they both charted.
A lot of Sunflower's roster was left over from Together Records which
was Mike Curb, Curt Boettcher and Gary Usher's old label from 1969.
Danny Cox was one of the artists from that situation.
Randy Edelman, who was my producer for my first single, was an artist
on Sunflower cause he hustled his way to a deal with Mack when he
should have been paying attention to completing my first Sunflower LP.
I wanted to finish the LP up myself as producer. Mack & Danny gave me
The Yummies' record as a "test" of my ability to "stay on budget."
That worked out so I got the shot for myself. Used Mickey Leonard to
help with the arrangements. Meanwhile, Randy went off to do his first
Sunflower LP released in 1971.
So Sunflower was a label without a surefire direction until Daddy
Dewdrop hit.
Regards,
Les "Fearless" Fradkin
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Message: 25
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2005 10:21:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Re: 'Searching' For Answers / "Popcorn, Double Feature"
Mark...How ya' doin'? I think I was the first one to cut "Popcorn,
Double Feature" by Scott English and Larry Weiss in the U.S. The
artist was Tim Wilde on Tower records [a sub-sid of Capitol records].
regards, Artie Wayne http://artiewayne.com/
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