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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 15 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: correcting the Lou Johnson record
From: Robert Pingel
2. Re: early J5
From: Ed Salamon
3. The Smoke
From: Paul
4. Re: early J5; John Fred
From: Clark Besch
5. Re: John Fred gone
From: Irving Snodgrass
6. Re: Lou Johnson
From: Gary Myers
7. "Seattle" by the New Establishment
From: Larry Lapka
8. Re: Giorgio
From: David Walker
9. Re: John Fred
From: Rex Patton
10. Re: John Fred, Judy, and censored lyrics
From: Larry Bromley
11. Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends; Ides Of March
From: Mike Bennidict
12. Re: Chicken Payback; Felicia; more John Fred
From: Country Paul
13. Paul Revere & ...
From: Phil X Milstein
14. Re: Record shops
From: Mark Frumento
15. Teddy & the Pandas
From: S'pop Projects
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 09:22:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: Robert Pingel
Subject: Re: correcting the Lou Johnson record
I wrote:
> 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.
Richard Williams replied:
> Are you sure, Rob? I bought the reissue of "Sweet Southern
> Soul" the other day. It consists of a session produced for
> Cotillion in Muscle Shoals by Jerry Wexler and Tom Dowd,
> with the Muscle Shoals rhythm section and the Memphis
> Horns, several years later than the material recorded for
> Big Top in New York.
It appears that there are two versions of the "Sweet Southern Soul"
CD. My copy contains a dozen or so Big Top/Big Hill recordings,
followed by the Cotillion session. I was incorrect, though, to say
that it included all the Big Top/Big Hill material except for the
two mentioned, as I believe it may also be missing "It Ain't No Use".
I'll check my CD again, and post the entire roster soon.
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 14:48:17 -0000
From: Ed Salamon
Subject: Re: early J5
Phil X Milstein asked:
> Anyone know of the availability of the pre-Motown Jackson
> 5ive sides?
I have "The Jackson 5 Pre-History," released by Brunswick in 1996.
It contains 14 sides recorded for Steeltown in 1967 -- about half
sound like crude master sessions and half sound like rehearsals.
Ed Salamon
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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 12:31:12 -0000
From: Paul
Subject: The Smoke
Does anyone know the whereabouts of the '60s outfit The Smoke, of
'My Friend Jack' fame? Or know what happened to the band members
following the band's demise?
As a fellow Yorkshireman I'd like to pay tribute to one of the
coolest bands to emerge from my neck of the woods, so if any of
you knowledgeable sorts out there have any information please
drop me a line.
Cheers!
Paul @ RSG! website
http://www.ready-steady-go.org.uk
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 04:49:26 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: early J5; John Fred
Phil M. asked:
> Anyone know of the availability of the pre-Motown Jackson
> 5ive sides?
I have a CD single that was given to me at a convention in the '80s.
The sleeve said it was from a CD of the Ripples/Jackson 5 days on
Steeltown. I assume it was transferred from 45, but maybe not. I'm
not sure I ever listened to it. I know one of their 45s made the
Sound 10 Stairway in '68 on WCFL. I'm sure the CD has been cut out
by now. Maybe a big label has issued the stuff now, but I have no
idea. I think the CD single I got was called "Big Boy." I'm not sure
if I helped or not.
By the way, I have a stereo "corrected" version of "Judy In Disguise."
There is a mistake in the song where John sings "come with me tonight"
in one channel and "come TO me tonight" in the other. In the corrected
version both channels have "come to me tonight". Love that song!
Clark
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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 08:18:57 -0700 (PDT)
From: Irving Snodgrass
Subject: Re: John Fred gone
Ken in Michigan asked:
> I played the heck out of "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?
John Fred Gourrier was born in 1941 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
His father, Fred Gourrier, had played professional baseball with
the Detroit Tigers organization.
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 10:02:39 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Lou Johnson
Robert Pingel wrote:
> All of the Lou Johnson releases on Big Top and Big Hill
> have been released ...
I worked with Johnson three or four times in the late '80s/early
'90s. The first time he was in a Del Vikings group, and we were
backing most of the acts on an oldies show. While running
through the songs before the show, he went over to the keyboard
and showed us a couple things he wanted. I was quite surprised,
as most of these kinds of vocal groups that I've worked with know
next to nothing about music. Then I found out who he was.
On later gigs he was with an Ink Spots group and a Drifters group.
gem
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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 10:29:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: Larry Lapka
Subject: "Seattle" by the New Establishment
Does anybody have the song "Seattle" by the New Establishment?
The versions by Perry Como and Bobby Sherman are readily
available, but this one is not. Please contact me offlist.
Much obliged,
Larry Lapka
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Message: 8
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:07:01 +1000
From: David Walker
Subject: Re: Giorgio
I reckon Giorgio Moroder was in Italy or Germany in the 1960s.
"Son Of My Father" by Giorgio was given substantial airplay here
in Adelaide the early 1970s, then Chicory Tips' version seemed
to take over on the charts.
And then, of course, we had the wonderful years of disco and
that marathon recording of "Love To Love You Baby" by Donna
Summer by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte.
David Walker
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Message: 9
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 17:25:42 -0400
From: Rex Patton
Subject: Re: John Fred
Einar Einarsson Kvaran wrote:
> Years ago 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?
It was an excellent version and was included in a medley with a cover of
"Sweet Soul Music" with Pete Townshend, Johnny Winter and what sounds like
Harry Nilsson taking the place of the usual soul stars names in the lyrics.
It was on John and the Playboys first and only album on Uni. The first side
is as good as anything they ever did, the second side less so. The group
had lost a few members, the most important being John's main writing
partner, sax player Andrew Bernard. The LP has songs cut with the old band
and the new one, as they broke up in the middle of the recording sessions.
It would be nice if someone would release it on CD.
I interviewed John for Goldmine a few years ago and he said that he had
followed Neil Diamond into Russ Regan's office at Uni to sign his contract
right after Neil had signed his. While he was in there, Russ played John
an acetate of Elton John's followup to his flop first single, "Border Song,"
to see what he thought of it. John said he knew "Your Song" was a hit from
the moment he heard it and told Russ he should definitely put it out.
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Message: 10
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 15:17:56 -0700 (PDT)
From: Larry Bromley
Subject: Re: John Fred, Judy, and censored lyrics
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?
When "Judy in Disguise" was on the charts, the top stations in
South Florida were 560 WQAM and WSRF 1580. As far as I recall,
the "living bra" phrase and the moans remained in local playings
on both stations. The only censored lyrics I remember were those
of a song recently discussed in this group, the Buoys' "Timothy",
although, in that case, I remember two versions being played.
Another case of a problem with lyrics came from a different
station, 610 WIOD. They bleeped "the whole damn town" part of
"Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "When I think back on all the crap"
from Paul Simon's "Kodachrome," yet allowed Tony Orlando to say,
"Now the whole damn bus is cheering." Don't get me started on
singers who cover hit songs, but change words that offend them.
Larry Bromley
good day!
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Message: 11
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 23:05:15 -0000
From: Mike Bennidict
Subject: Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends; Ides Of March
Anyone familliar with Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends?
I just heard a song by them called "Love's So Fine."
The Ides of March were probably only known nationwide for a 1970 hit
called "I'm Your Vehicle," but there were others which I know of being
from the Chicago area. Their first local hit was a song called "You
Didn't Listen To Me," released in 1966, but I don't know of any other
songs between 1966 and 1970. Actually, there's one from 1969, I think,
called "Nobody Loves Me." There's a radio show here in the Chicago
area that plays some of their other releases, though the guy who hosts
it doesn't see fit to play any other songs from that timeframe I
mention. Anyone know of any other single releases in that period?
They certainly wouldn't have charted nationally.
Mike
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Message: 12
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 19:40:03 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Re: Chicken Payback; Felicia; more John Fred
Courtesy of a group member, I've had a chance to hear "Chicken Payback" by
The Bees, recently discussed here. Yes, it's contemporary, but you'd swear
it's a great R&B rocker from the early- to mid-'60s. I stand by my early
pre-conclusion: the UK crew is definitely having way too much fun with this.
And I also found out from my transatlantic correspondent that the band is
from the Isle of Wight, "hardly the hippest place"; maybe, but I think the
Isle's Hipness Quotient just went up a notch or two. Any of us Yanks know
if US radio is playing this at all -- or if it's even been released here?
Jimmy Botticelli asked:
> 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?
They were on Seeco, too? Was that the original label? I know nothing about
Bobby & His Orbits (to be precise) except that some fraternity bands at
college used to have a good time seriously corrupting the lyrics, starting
with her name. ...
Speaking of such, 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?
They sure did in provincial Providence, RI.
Phil again:
> I ran Fred's version of "No Good To Cry," along with a few
> other cherce items from the "Agnes English" LP, up to my
> own Probe site, at http://www.philxmilstein.com/probe
"No Good To Cry" features a pretty good Al Anderson imitation; the track
does the song justice, too. "AcHenall Riot" is interesting too -- pop-psych
as its finest. Ol' John was quite the vocal chameleon -- and has generated
a remarkable amount of commentary, too.
Got the new "Nina's Discount Oldies" (yes, a division of Collectibles)
catalog today. There may be more shopping in my future. ...
Country Paul
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Message: 13
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 22:46:14 -0400
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Paul Revere & ...
Does anyone know why the long-time name "Paul Revere & The Raiders" was
collapsed into simply "The Raiders" in the late 1960s, at a time when
most bands were, if anything, taking the opposite route? Did Revere
leave the fold for a while? Did they change the name just to get
attention, but found that since they already had the long version the
only direction they could go in was to shorten it? Did Revere resent
Mark Lindsay being singled out for glamour-puss attention?
Thanks,
--Phil M.
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Message: 14
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 02:57:32 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Record shops
Norm D. wrote:
> Please add:
> "Beano's", Croydon, Surrey: supposedly the largest
> store for used records in Europe. A bit pricey, c'est
> la vie... www.beanos.co.uk
Phil C. ushered me off to Beanos within hours of my arrival into
London last year, and it was well worth the visit. The guy at the
counter was actually somewhat friendly and willing to help. I think
because of their size they get offered good records. I was able
to check several items off of my wantlist after visiting that store.
For the almost barren Middle East Coast of the USA, Record Connection
in Ephrata, Pennsylvania (Reading/Lancaster area) is one of the best
places for vinyl. In fact they have the largest selections of 45s I've
seen in many years. You need at least two full days to go through
everything they have, if not more.
Mark F.
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Message: 15
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 00:51:44 +0100
From: S'pop Projects
Subject: Teddy & the Pandas
Dear Members,
The Team are proud and pleased to announce the publication of another
new S'pop feature article:
Once Upon A Time In Massachusetts
The Teddy & The Pandas Story
by Mike Dugo
An excerpt:
>From their inception, Teddy and the Pandas had formulated a plan that
would allow them the opportunity while performing live to test their
original songs on wildly enthusiastic crowds in and around the
Massachusetts North Shore. Their plan succeeded for the most part,
but The Pandas later found their musical prowess compromised by a
production team keen to latch onto the latest misguided musical
trend, resulting in the band's eventual dissolving. Yet, despite this
and other questionable management decisions, the Pandas succeeded in
recording several songs that certainly position the band as one of
the very best the '60s Boston rock'n'roll scene had to offer.
Read the whole thing here: http://www.spectropop.com/Teddy/index.htm
Enjoy,
The S'pop Team
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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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