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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. More on The Ofarims
From: Richard Havers
2. New Jeff Barry Yahoo Group
From: Laura Pinto
3. Re: Claire Francis & Birmingham (UK) Groups
From: philip hopson
4. Re: Collins working on King Records documentary film
From: Phil X Milstein
5. Re: John Fred gone
From: Dave Monroe
6. Re: John Fred gone
From: Clark Besch
7. Re: Motown diction
From: Phil Milstein
8. The Caslons from Noo Yawk; early Elton on musica; early John Fred on musica
From: Country Paul
9. More Questions than answers?
From: Ken Silverwood
10. RIP Jerry Byrd
From: Country Paul
11. Re: John Fred gone
From: Bob Radil
12. Re: Photo from Nashville
From: Ed Salamon
13. Re: John Fred gone
From: Irving Snodgrass
14. Follow-up: [Continental] Cousins, "Kana Kapila"
From: Country Paul
15. Re: John Fred gone
From: John DeAngelis
16. Re: Record shops
From: Phil X Milstein
17. John Fred RIP; recommended record shops
From: Richard Williams
18. Re: Seeco
From: James Botticelli
19. Chiffons in stereo on CD
From: Stefano
20. Re: "Judy In Disguise"
From: Andrew C Jones
21. Re: Lou Johnson
From: Robert Pingel
22. Re: "Judy In Disguise"
From: Bobster
23. Re: Claire Francis & Birmingham (UK) groups
From: Eddy Smit
24. Re: John Fred gone
From: Einar Einarsson Kvaran
25. Re: Motown diction
From: Chris Brame
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 09:39:24 +0100
From: Richard Havers
Subject: More on The Ofarims
This repeats some of the excellent notes from Dr. Mark, but
adds a little more.....
Esther, formerly an actress, and Abi, a choreographer, married
within a week of meeting each other in 1961. Born Esther Zaled
on June 13th 1943 in Safed, just north of Galilee, Esther, and
Abi, born Abraham Reichstadt, October 5th in Tel Aviv, had
already had success in Europe before their two UK hits in 1968.
In 1967 The Bee Gees song Morning of My Life had reached No.2 in Germany. In 1961, they were honoured at the Israeli festival,
got a first prize in Poland the following year, and Esther came
second representing Switzerland in the Eurovision song contest
of 1963, In 1964 year the couple won The Grand Gala Disque in
Holland. They also appeared with Frank Sinatra when he performed
in Israel in 1962 and it’s said he gave them some help with their
careers in the USA.
In 1967, they won a top award in Rome and were nominated "The
most beautiful singers in Switzerland". No doubt their appearances
in different countries was made easier by the fact that they were
fluent in French, English, German and Hebrew. The first performance
of their No. 1, Cinderella Rockafella, cowritten by their friend
Mason Williams, writer for the Smothers Brothers US TV show, was
seen in Britain on the Eammon Andrews show well before being
considered for single release. However, demand was such that
Philips rushreleased it. Cinderella Rockafella knocked Manfred
Mann's Mighty Quinn off the No. 1 spot, and the duos followup,
One More Dance made No.13 in the UK; this had originally been
recorded in Hebrew in the early 60's. They had a top ten album
in the UK 2 in 3 in 1968, followed by the less successful Ofarim
Concert Live '69, the following year. Esther later appeared on
a Scott Walker Til The Band Comes In album, but further chart
success eluded Esther and Abi.
Israeli language students will have noted that Ofarim is Hebrew
for Roe Deer, so if they had been of Latin extraction they may
have been called Esther and Abi Eapreolus Capreolus.
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 22:27:46 -0000
From: Laura Pinto
Subject: New Jeff Barry Yahoo Group
Hi Spectropoppers,
I would like to take this opportunity to invite you all to check
out my new Yahoo Group, Jeff Barry: The Man and His Music. This
is the companion group to the official fan site of the same name.
Discussion will focus on Jeff and his enormous body of work as
producer and composer, as well as the various artists with whom
Jeff has worked.
To visit, click on this link:
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/jeffbarry/
Thanks,
Laura
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 23:13:34 +0100 (BST)
From: philip hopson
Subject: Re: Claire Francis & Birmingham (UK) Groups
Austin Powell:
> I believe another of the groups that came under the deal were
> Giorgio and Marco's Men who released "Girl Without A Heart"
> c/w "Run Run" on Polydor 56101 in 1966.
Eddy:
> The Giorgio (Moroder) & Marco's Men 45 was a Richard Hill
> production with Johnny Hawkins as musical director. Both
> have worked on Claire Francis productions, but at least on
> the labels, there's no evidence Claire was involved here.
It certainly wasn't Giorgio Moroder (Giorgio and Marco's Men).
The group were Wolverhampton-based and their lead singer was
Giorgio Uccellini. "Run run" was the a-side and Giorgio's
brother, Marco, was also in the group - playing guiitar.
Marco was the composer of the b-side: "Girl without a heart".
Phil Hopson
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 18:34:40 -0400
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Collins working on King Records documentary film
Karen Andrew wrote:
> Collins working on King Records documentary film
Thanks for locating this article for us, Karen. It is very
exciting news, and it is always cool when a star not only
doesn't scorn his early work and associations, but becomes
actively involved in their documentation. I only hope they
get the financing that they need to do the job up right.
I forwarded the article to a friend of mine, a documentary
producer in S.F. who grew up in Cincinatti, a white Jewish
kid obsessed (as so many white Jewish kids seem to have been!)
with R&B. He used to hang around the King building, and later,
as an adult, somehow wound up with James Brown's old desk from
his King office. I got to see it once, even sit at it, and a
magnificent thing it is: enormous, a circular shape, cut in
half, with a "donut hole" where the chair goes. I hope he
contacts Bootsy and gets that desk represented in the movie.
--Phil M.
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 17:42:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dave Monroe
Subject: Re: John Fred gone
This as I just picked up his "Hey Hey Bunny" 45. Have
also long been spinning their take on "Hi-Heeled Sneakers"
(I have it as the b-side of some picture-sleeved foreign
pressing or another of "Shirley", I don't know how/where/when
it was released here). JF&HPB must have had some sort of
following in Spain, see, or, rather, hear also the cover
of "HHB" by Los Gatos Negros, as well as "Judy con Difraz"
by Los Salvajes (they also do a killer "Baby Come Back"
["Vuelve Baby"], among other things). There's also a
crazed version of "JID" performed by a (perhaps fictional)
punk band in Alex de la Iglesias' Acción mutante (1993),
but there was no OST release, and I can't locate who might
have recorded it. But the film is out on DVD.
Dave Monroe
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Message: 6
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 01:02:11 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: John Fred gone
I won't say that "Judy In Disguise" has any great meaning in
it, that it is the love song that "Happy Together" is, but to
me it is a great record! I could play it as much as I play
"Happy Together"! Both are two of the few I hear on oldies
radio that I never get tired of. I love "Hey Hey Bunny" too!
John, you are missed (with glasses!).
Clark
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Message: 7
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 03:01:10 -0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Motown diction
Chris Brame wrote:
> Like when Mary Wells sang "... and axed me to be yours"?
What song is that in?
--Phil M.
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Message: 8
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 01:33:09 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: The Caslons from Noo Yawk; early Elton on musica; early John Fred on musica
Phil M:
> Were a case of "dropped diction" to have occurred on an
> important side, I trust that Berry's Q.C. would've kicked
> into gear and done whatever was needed to smooth out the
> rough edges, but for a mere B-side or album cut, no such
> expenditure was necessary.
JB:
> It's like Toni Wine's "My Boyfriend's Coming Home For Christmas"
> on Colpix. During the piano solo in the middle she sobbingly
> talks about how "hawd" it is to be without him. Brooklyn ain't
> backwoods but it sure is distinguishable.
Noo Yawk accents are so much fun. The Wuhst Brooklyn Accent
Awawd to my ears goes to the lead singer of The Caslons
("Anniversary of Love"/"The Quiet One," Seeco 6078, autumn
1961, low-charted nationally but as high as #28 on WABC) who
comes close to (but in all honesty doesn't actually arrive at)
that old clichéd "toidy-toid 'n' toid" Brooklyn enunciation.
The hit side is a great uptempo late doo-wop, written by
Stallman-Jacobson; "The Kwoy-it One" is a pretty ballad. Both
sides are almost undone by the unintentional humor of that
accent. (Interesting that Seeco was almost exclusively a
Latin music label; this record was an anomaly for them.)
Dave Marheine:
> GO OUT AND GET IT (John Martyn)
Wow! "Early" and first-hits-era Elton John are my favorites,
before he got overly slick and image-ridden. This track is
delicious, and Linda Peters [Thompson] makes no small
contribution. Thank you, Eddy, for the play to musica. (I
think I've got to join
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Rockofages/files/ ....)
Previously, re: John Fred:
> "Judy In Disguise" was recorded in New
> Orleans with the Fats Domino band ...
Not quite. He had a regional New Orleans hit in 1959 called
"Shirley" (Montel 1002) which featured Fats' band; he was 16
at the time. From The Advocate, a Louisiana newspaper -
http://2theadvocate.com/stories/041605/new_fred001.shtml :
"[John Fred] Gourrier recorded 'Shirley' at Cosimo Matassa's
studio in New Orleans, where Fats Domino, Little Richard,
Huey 'Piano' Smith and many others had cut their national
hits. 'Shirley,' produced by fruit salesman-turned music
entrepreneur S.J. Montalbano, was a hit in various regional
markets, including New York City. The song got Gourrier, then
a 16-year-old Catholic High student, a spot on Alan Freed's
New York TV show."
I've taken the liberty of playing "Shirley" to musica in
tribute to a man who was much more than a one-hit wonder.
Get ready to rock....
Short takes:
You UK folks have me achingly curious about the "Chicken
[Pay]Back." Sounds like you're having way too much fun with
this one!
As an old radio guy, I can attest to "The Buckle Up" song
being a PSA from, I believe, The National Safety Council,
available to all broadcast outlets.
Country Paul
(now actually caught up!)
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Message: 9
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 10:06:01 +0100
From: Ken Silverwood
Subject: More Questions than answers?
Richard Williams:
> Had Lou Johnson, to take a Spectropop favourite, been able
> to negotiate such a such a deal with Big Top, then we might
> be able to buy his great original versions of various
> Bacharach-David songs on CD today.
So why are they not? Have any not slipped through onto Bacharach compilations? While were at it, I have never seen Dean Barlow's
"Third Window From The Right" comp. Bacharach/David anywhere
legit. It never got a release in UK what year & label was it
in USA? Listening to various versions of Lee Pockriss' "House
Without Windows" by Pitney, Cliff R, Orbison, Peterson with so
many varied treatments I was suprised to see it never charted,
although I only have Ray's as a 45 the others are album tracks.
I suppose my question is why did no one else release it as a
single?
In 1965 The Merseybeats brought out a single " Last Night I
Made A Little Girl Cry" I notice that Steve Lawrence also
had a release of that title that year. I presume it's the
same song, is it available anywhere?
Ken On The West Coast?
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 22:39:15 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: RIP Jerry Byrd
Another RIP - they're coming too thick and fast:
Jerry Byrd died in Hawaii last Thursday. He was in his 70s,
and was a long-time resident of Hawaii. He played steel guitar
on tons of 50s-60s Nashville sessions, and had a hit 45 with
an instrumental version of Roy Orbison's "Memories of Maria"
on Monument. (I've never heard a vocal version of this; is
there one to be found?)
Country Paul
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Message: 11
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 14:54:19 -0000
From: Bob Radil
Subject: Re: John Fred gone
Gary Myers wrote:
> John Fred dead at 63
Tom Taber:
> Sad news - "Shirley," "Judy," and "Hey Hey Bunny" are all
> time favorites for me ("Judy in Disguise" is the only song
> I know where I sometimes sing along to the bass quitar part
> for the whole record!) The "Agnes English" lp is very good,
> and contains a version of Spectropop favorite "No Good to Cry."
They also did "No Good to Cry"? I knew of remakes by The Allman
Bros. and the Poppy Family. That'd pretty good since the original
Wildweeds' version only got to #87 on Billboard although a mega-hit
here in the northeast. In Hartford it was #1 on this date in 1967.
Is the John Fred version postable to Musica?
Bob Radil
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Message: 12
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 15:37:46 -0000
From: Ed Salamon
Subject: Re: Photo from Nashville
Joe Nelson wrote:
> Just out of curiousity, just below the gold record on the
> wall between Austin and Larry it looks like the top of another
> head peaking out (almost looks like Michael Jackson). Any idea
> who or what that is?
It's Elvis. When Elvis died, WHN was the first radio station
(maybe company of any kind) to get permission use Elvis' name
and likeness in advertising. We did a series of subway posters,
of which mini versions are on display in my den.
Ed Salamon
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Message: 13
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 10:41:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: Irving Snodgrass
Subject: Re: John Fred gone
I played the heck out of that tune ["Judy In Disguise"]
as a dj at WSSB in Durham, NC back then. Seems like his
father was a famous athlete as I recall. Does anyone know?
Ken in Michigan
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Message: 14
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 14:39:37 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Follow-up: [Continental] Cousins, "Kana Kapila"
Despite the speed of the internet, sometimes you just have to
wait for answers. A while back I'd asked if anyone knew what
"Kana Kapila" meant; today, I received my answer from Michael
Keene, who hosts a Hawaiian music show of the same name
(actually "Kani Ka Pila") on KVMR, Virginia City, CA
(www.kvmr.org). He writes: "'Kani ka pila' means 'Lets play
music' or more specifically 'Let's play musical instruments.'
There have been albums with 'Kani ka pila' in the title, the
most well known is by the Maile Serenaders, circa 1960. It's
all guitar, ukuleles and bass. By the way, KVMR.org can be
'live' streamed on most computers." Their full program schedule
is also posted on their website, and it looks like quite the
interesting radio station.
In addition to Michael's comments, I found the following info,
including that the Cousins were around for years, with roots
in The Shadows' style:
- Lyrics here:
http://www.golyrics.net/lyrics/Continental+Cousins/Kana+kapila/
- Discography here: http://home.scarlet.be/~pin17653/cousins.htm
- Bio here: http://houbi.com/belpop/groups/cousins.htm
If you missed hearing the song and would like to, e-mail me off-list.
Country Paul
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Message: 15
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 14:57:45 -0000
From: John DeAngelis
Subject: Re: John Fred gone
Tom Taber wrote:
> I'm pretty sure that it was "Shirley" not "Judy in Disguise"
> that was recorded with Fats Domino's band ...
Makes sense to me. The band on "Judy" sound nothing like Fats'
band to my ears.
John DeAngelis
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Message: 16
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 18:38:32 -0400
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Record shops
James Botticelli wrote:
> In Boston my faves are: In Your Ear (Allston Store)
> Looney Tunes (two locations, Boston and Cambridge)
> Both have tons of vinyl which to me is huge.
I second Jimmy's nominations for Boston vinyl-hunting. Twisted
Village, in Harvard Square, also has good some stuff, although
a smaller selection.
> Also got an ad magazine from Nina's in PA. The
> Cameo-Parkway CD set is available there for $49.00.
I believe Nina's is, for better or worse, the mail-order division
of the Collectables label.
--Phil M.
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Message: 17
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 19:01:53 +0100
From: Richard Williams
Subject: John Fred RIP; recommended record shops
1. While "Judy in Disguise" was and is wonderful, I always had a particular
fondness for another John Fred 45, the equally danceable "Hey Hey Bunny",
which I think was the follow-up to "Judy".
2. Some recommendations for wayfaring strangers:
Windows in the Arcade, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Rockit Scientist, Greenwich Village, NYC, USA
Bleecker Street Records, Greenwich Village, NYC, USA
Disk Union, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
Lale Plak, Beyoglu, Istanbul, Turkey
Raoul's Records, St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia
78 Records, Perth, Australia
Clerkenwell Music, London EC1, UK
Selecta Disc branches in Nottingham, UK, and London W1, UK
Ray's Jazz & Blues Shop at Foyle's, London WC2, UK
Honest Jon's, Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London W11
Richard Williams
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Message: 18
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 19:02:49 -0400
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Seeco
Country Paul wrote:
> Interesting that Seeco was almost exclusively a
> Latin music label; this record was an anomaly
> for them.
I recently foung a VG+ "Felicia" by Bobby & The Orbits, also on Seeco!
Were they from the East L.A. Chicano Rock school of playing?
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Message: 19
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 19:06:53 -0700
From: Stefano
Subject: Chiffons in stereo on CD
I know there are several Chiffons compilations on CD right now,
but does anyone know which of them (if any) has the tracks in
true stereo? I have a great stereo version of "I Have a Boyfriend",
and I'd like to hear some others (besides the main hits) that way.
Was a stereo mix ever made of "What Am I Gonna Do With You
(Hey Baby)"? That would be wonderful.
Thanks,
Stefano
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Message: 20
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 23:55:13 -0400
From: Andrew C Jones
Subject: Re: "Judy In Disguise"
Phil M. asked:
> Did the line about the "living bra" make it through intact
> in all radio copies? How 'bout the orgasmic moaning on
> the break?
Whenever our radio station in Upper Michigan played it, it had
everything -- moans, "living bra" and all.
At the time the song was a hit, I (then a small boy) was sharing
a bedroom with my brothers (both teenagers), and there were a
couple of nights when they insisted on shouting the song's title
to one another. One would shout "Judy in disguise!", long pause,
then the other would fire back, "with glasses!" ... while kid
brother was trying to SLEEP! But I didn't dare say anything.
>From the posts here, though, it seems Mr. Fred was more than a
one-hit wonder, and I'll have to check out his other stuff now.
ACJ
"Optimism works. It is more useful than pessimism."
- E.Y. Harburg
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Message: 21
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 13:51:50 -0700 (PDT)
From: Robert Pingel
Subject: Re: Lou Johnson
Richard Williams:
> Had Lou Johnson, to take a Spectropop favourite, been
> able to negotiate such a such a deal with Big Top, then
> we might be able to buy his great original versions of
> various Bacharach-David songs on CD today.
All of the Lou Johnson releases on Big Top and Big Hill have
been released on a CD titled "Sweet Southern Soul", except for
"The Last One To Be Loved" and "Kentucky Bluebird". The latter
two can be found on Bacharach's "Look of Love" anthology.
Rob Pingel
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Message: 22
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:06:39 EDT
From: Bobster
Subject: Re: "Judy In Disguise"
I'm pretty sure Super CFL in the Windy City did play the moaning
on the break of "JID" when the record was Top Ten (1/68). Not sure
if they played the lyric, "... Cross your heart / With your livin'
bra...". The 45 I once had included both.
Bobster
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Message: 23
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 07:45:06 +0200
From: Eddy Smit
Subject: Re: Claire Francis & Birmingham (UK) groups
Philip Hopson wrote:
> It certainly wasn't Giorgio Moroder (Giorgio and Marco's Men).
The disc is included in a very comprehensive Giorgio Moroder
discography I saw, where they list it as his very first release.
Although they do admit it doesn't sound very Moroder-like.
Eddy
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Message: 24
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 22:20:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: Einar Einarsson Kvaran
Subject: Re: John Fred gone
Steve Harvey wrote:
> I bought the Playboys CD just to hear their take on
> "Sometimes You Just Can't Win"
Years ago (can I say "decades ago" here?) I got the John Fred
and Boys album while visiting a friend in Washington DC, largely
in order to hear what his version of Moby Grape's "Can't Be So
Bad" was like. The airlines LOST my suitcase on the way home
and I never did get to hear it! Any verdicts?
Einar
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Message: 25
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 05:22:33 -0000
From: Chris Brame
Subject: Re: Motown diction
Chris Brame wrote:
> Like when Mary Wells sang "... and axed me to be yours"?
Phil M. asked:
> What song is that in?
"You Beat Me to the Punch". She does say "... and asked me my
name" in the first verse, though.
- Chris
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