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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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