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Spectropop - Digest Number 1920



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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 8 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Re: name changes
           From: Clark Besch 
      2. "Good Vibrations" closes on Broadway; Judee Sill
           From: Country Paul 
      3. This Week's Finds
           From: James Botticelli 
      4. In defense of Paul Anka
           From: Rob Pingel 
      5. Re: Hebb's hits
           From: Gary Myers 
      6. Re: (Young) Rascals
           From: Phil X Milstein 
      7. Re: my Samona
           From: Gary Myers 
      8. Re: Hard Times
           From: Clark Besch 


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Message: 1 Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:19:00 -0000 From: Clark Besch Subject: Re: name changes Bob Radil wrote: > From what I understand, The Young Rascals were > originally "The Rascals" but Atlantic wanted a younger > image for them. They went back to simply "The Rascals" > starting with "A Beautiful Morning". At that point they > also no longer did separate 45/LP mixes. I have heard interviews that The Rascals indeed just wanted the grown-up name as their music had become pretty sophisticated by 1968. Grand Funk was still billed for concerts as "Grand Funk Railroad" through the early '70s. So many people had been shortening the name in conversation by that time that it may have been just evolution that shortened the title. As far as The Raiders, the name change came with the January 1970 release of "Just 17", so I am thinking they thought that for a new decade they might need to drop the "old-fashioned" image of Paul Revere and the redcoat thing. As it turned out, the year 1970 was a strange one for the group. As mentioned, Terry Melcher was gone from the scene and Mark Lindsay seemed in control of things record-wise. He was writing some and producing all the product at this stage. His solo 45, "Arizona," was huge, and may have hurt sales for "Just 17," which failed to make the Hot 100 -- amazing to me, as that had not happened since 1965. Just after his "Miss America" solo followup was a hit, the Raiders' second release under the new name was a revamped LP cut, "Gone - Movin' On", which amazingly also failed to chart! One would think the name change doomed the Raiders. Lindsay's solo career did well through 1970, but toward the end of the year "Problem Child" barely charted. So it was back to Raiders releases finally in spring '71, with "Indian Reservation". That rejuvenated the Raiders' career, while Lindsay's solo career died (record sales-wise) over the next years. Thus, 1970 was indeed a strange transitional year for them, and 1971 seemed a reversal year from Lindsay solo success back to Raiders success. In reality, it was probably all Lindsay material -- just different monikers. Clark -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2 Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 13:51:33 -0400 From: Country Paul Subject: "Good Vibrations" closes on Broadway; Judee Sill Courtesy of a friend, I saw the closing performance of the Beach Boys musical "Good Vibrations." I'm sad to report that I agree with the critics; what an overall disappointment. The people next to us commented, "It seems like a high-grade high school production," and I agree that it came off as a live cartoon verson of the Beach Boys' "vision" of California. All the "chicks" are giggly, all the boys are hyper-exuberant. High point: "In My Room," done commandingly in a choral version with alternating leads; definitely the show-stopper and the only honest moment of emotion of the performance. Low point: the "showbizzy" style of most of the lead singing, especially the females; the lead female came off to me like a bad version of Bree Vandekamp in "Desperate Housewives," but without the polish and mock self-assuredness. Many of Brian's songs survived the sonic assault (but not all); I sensed the cast was "doing songs" and didn't "get" the respect built into even the fun songs. My feeling was that the show was to Brian Wilson's music and the "California experience" what "Happy Days" was to the '50s. Innovative casting: black cast members were integrated into the proceedings with absolutely no notice taken of their race; it worked. Also, more often than not the backing band seemed to understand the musi. But sadly, that's about all that worked -- and, of course, "In My Room." It's sad that the show closed, but then again I wonder how it lasted as long as it did (the critics lambasted it.) I think had its creators paid more respect to the music and the material, while playing the comedy less broadly (and executing it with much better timing), it might have stood a chance. Kim Cooper: > The new "Dreams Come True / Hi – I Love You Right Heartily > Here" double album of Judee Sill rarities is just out on > Water/Runt in the US. I just ordered it; will report. (Also ordered a new CD by Anna Nalick, who's music has been played on the soundtrack of the "Joan Of Arcadia" TV series, and which impressed me enough to find out more. Will report on both.) For obsessives like myself, an excellent review of all of Sill's recorded output may be found at http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/367 . Julio Niño: > I would like to thank David A. Young for playing in musica > Cathy Carroll's "I Wish You were A Girl". Fascinating -- teen angst, mature singing, and a song that could've been done by Dionne Warwick. Neat stuff. Country Paul -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3 Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 21:29:00 -0400 From: James Botticelli Subject: This Week's Finds Your Rekkid Detective is on the case again, and dadblastit if he hasn't found some more goodies to report on! The listed "A" sides are strictly those of the Rekkid Detective and not necessarily those intended by the rekkid companies. 1. Jack Gold Sound: Summer Symphony (Columbia). Penned by Sedaka/ Greenfield, this stereo/mono copy is a soft rock blueprint, with ocean waves rushing, an ever-so-slightly funky bass, and Sandpiper-like male vocals. Find of the Week! 2. Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart: I Wanna Be Free / L.U.V. (Let Us Vote) (A&M). Better known by The Monkees, this is the way the writers did it. 3. The Shades Of Blue: With This Ring / Lonely Summer (Impact). The followup to "Oh How Happy", complete with miked-up xylophone a la that rekkid. B-side penned by Edwin Starr. 4. The Sugar Shoppe: Privilege / Poor Papa (Capitol). From the movie "Privilege", penned by John Paul Jones, of Manfred Mann maybe? Nice. 5. Sounds Of Sunshine: Make It Happen / Nature Boy (Ranwood). Another fabulous soft pop male vocal. Nice melody, with the "B" side being the Eden Ahbez nugget. Who WERE these guys, anyway? 6. The Sidekicks: You Gave Me Somebody To Love / Sight And Sound (RCA Victor). "A" side penned by Poncia, Andreoli and Jerry Ross; "B" side arranged by Jimmy Wisner. Take your pick! 7. Paul Williams: We've Only Just Begun / Waking Up Alone (A&M). Sung by the guy who wrote it. 8. Hurricane Smith: Oh Babe, What Would You Say / Getting To Know You (Capitol). A bit of a novelty, but a hook- driven thing, and this copy's pristine stereo so I'm groovin' to it. JB/The Rekkid Detective -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4 Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 21:20:46 -0000 From: Rob Pingel Subject: In defense of Paul Anka I was surprised to discover that anyone would consider Paul Anka one of the two worst singers of the late '50s/early '60s (with Neil Sedaka was almost as much of a surprise.) Everyone, of course, is entitled to their opinion. Mine obviously differs. Not only do I think that Paul Anka was one of the finest singers during the period in question, but also deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Consider the following: Unlike many of the established greats of early rock and roll, Anka wrote the majority of his hit material, both words and music. You would be hard-pressed to find any two that sound alike. Between 1957 and 1963 he had at least 30 records hit the Billboard Hot 100 charts, most of them in the Top 40. Other than Fats Domino, I don't believe that there was any other writer during that six-year period who came close to equalling Anka's writing success. The label of "teen idol" as it is perjoratively used is not appropos. He certainly was a teen idol, but the music came first. Anka was no manufactured pretty boy. Early photos of him on albums, picture sleeves, and sheet music are not of the variety that would readily melt the heart of a typical teenage girl. He was extremely short, slightly pudgy, had a large nose, and looked a bit nerdish. By the time he got around to getting a nose job (a most noticeable improvement), his dominance of the record charts had been firmly established. It was Anka's singing that sealed the deal. Whatever one's opinion of the music, his voice was undeniably distinctive. You could never mistake an Anka vocal for anyone else's. His range was amazing, and sense of pitch unerring. He literally dominated the recordings, and brought a whole new dimension to ballad singing in the rock and roll era. He eschewed the facade that characterized most ballad singing in the late '50s; think Four Lads, Don Cherry, or Vic Damone. Those are all wonderful singers, but their approach to most songs left a distance between performer and audience. The best description would be "playing it safe." Anka's style was much more revealing. He wasn't afraid to leave a piece of himself on record, which isn't a small thing. A good example of what I'm talking about is the song "Puppy Love." The final verse starts with one of the strangest and most effective vocal riffs ever to find it's way onto a record: "someone help me, help me, help me please." Anyone who has ever heard the recording knows this line in particular. Anka delivers it with a naked angst that would make Johnny Ray seem downright subtle. I feel fairly certain that the performers out there understand the kind of artistic guts it takes to do that sort of thing. That's what real artists do. In the process, this marvelous singer took a great song with a great arrangement, and made it BETTER. That's a gift. I just wanted to give credit where credit's due. Rob Pingel -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5 Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 17:00:58 -0700 From: Gary Myers Subject: Re: Hebb's hits Bob Rashkow: > "Sunny" as originally done so successfully by Bobby Hebb > has grown on me over the years ... Now I truly believe it to be > one of the best "one-hit wonder" tunes. Actually, Hebb had a Top 40 follow-up with "A Satisfied Mind," a remake of the old C&W song. gem -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6 Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 20:03:05 -0800 From: Phil X Milstein Subject: Re: (Young) Rascals Mikey wrote: > The band was called The Rascals, and right when they were > signed by Atlantic and it was announced in Billboard, musician > and bandleader Johnny Puleo of "Johnny Puleo and The Harmonicat > Rascals", a popular group with the older set, sued for use of > the name "Rascals." Bill Mulvy wrote: > If that's the case how were they able to use the name later in > their career? I think Johnny Puleo had broken up by then. By the way, another group that shortened its name due to public acclamation was Chicago (Transit Authority). --Phil M. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7 Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 17:48:31 -0700 From: Gary Myers Subject: Re: my Samona I wrote: > I may be way off-base, but it seems to me that he [Jim Peterik] > also produced a single (maybe of the Beatles' "Things We Said > Today"?) by Sam Cooke's daughter. Phil Milstein replied: > Would that daughter be Linda, of later Womack & Womack fame? Again, I may be way off, but what I remember is Samona Cooke, on Epic about the same time as Peterik. gem -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8 Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2005 06:01:43 -0000 From: Clark Besch Subject: Re: Hard Times Bill George wrote: > Someone here recently mentioned the Pozo Seco Singers' > version of Chip Taylor's "I Can Make It With You". ... I have > a video of a group called 'Hard Times' doing it. It's a great > version. Was this ever released on vinyl? No doubt it is video from "Where the Action Is", as they were regulars. I have the Rev-Ola CD, but it does not have the song. The original LP doesn't either, so unless it's on some obscure 45, I am guessing it was recorded as a "hit" record type version just for the show. like many still unreleased Raiders tracks. Maybe Dick Clark owns all those covers by such groups. Clark -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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