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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 24 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Cowsills "Most Peculiar Man" - and the Lincoln Park Zoo
From: Clark Besch
2. Re: April Young
From: Will Stos
3. Re: Oldies Radio
From: Steve Harvey
4. Philly acts/Madara & White
From: Kingsley Abbott
5. Re: April Young
From: Will Stos
6. The Grass Roots
From: Mick Patrick
7. The Cowsills and the Lincoln Park Zoo
From: David Coyle
8. Murmaid Sighting
From: James Botticelli
9. Re: The Grass Roots
From: Ed B
10. The Cowsills, the Park, and Other Things
From: James Cassidy
11. brand-new extensive Lesley Gore interview
From: David A Young
12. Re: Murmaid Sighting
From: Gary Myers
13. Re: The Grass Roots
From: Javed Jafri
14. Versatile Records
From: Country Paul
15. Re: The Grass Roots
From: MopTopMike
16. Not the Whyte Boots' "Nightmare"
From: Mick Patrick
17. Re: Murmaid Sighting
From: Steve Harvey
18. Re: April Young
From: Andres
19. Cowsills and the Lincoln Park Zoo
From: David Walker
20. Jerry Ross and April Young
From: Artie Wayne
21. Re: Grass Roots' "Midnight Confessions"
From: Artie Wayne
22. Re: Versatile Records
From: Phil X Milstein
23. Re: Not the Whyte Boots' "Nightmare"
From: Phil X Milstein
24. Re: Versatile Records
From: Karl Ikola
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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 15:32:54 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Cowsills "Most Peculiar Man" - and the Lincoln Park Zoo
Mike Bennidict wrote:
> Now "Most Peculiar Man" is the name of the song which I heard
> tonight but the album title is pretty interesting - "Lincoln Park
> Zoo". I'm from the Chicago area and of course that's the name of
> one of the area Zoos but why was the album titled that? If I'm not
> mistaken The Cowsills were from Connecticut.
Mike, what you have is a cash in album. The Cowsills did several
good tunes on Mercury singles prior to the Cowsills signing with MGM
and hitting big with "Rain, Park & Other Things". Like many labels
with old tracks did with artists, Mercury dug around for the old
Cowsills tracks (even tho the group was just "the boys" then) and
came up with quite a few, but not enough for an album. So, they
added two sides by Chicago's 60's band, the Lincoln Park Zoo, which
Mercury had released as a single that did not hit. Thus the Lp name
"Cowsills/Lincoln Park Zoo". The Lp was surprisingly released with
at east 2 different covers! Hope this explains it.
Clark
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 12:37:21 -0000
From: Will Stos
Subject: Re: April Young
Mick Patrick on April Young:
> Please select from the following:
> This Time Tomorrow/Will You Be My Steady Boyfriend (4-43046, 1964)
> To Be Loved By You/Kiss Your Baby Goodbye (4-43122, 1964)
> Gonna Make Him My Baby/Life (4-43285, 1965)
> Run To My Lovin' Arms/You're The One (4-43392, 1965)
I'd love to hear anything you'd recommend, Mick, but I haven't heard
either side of her final single. I really enjoy everything I've heard
by her. Anything left in the Columbia vault?
Will
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 08:30:47 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Oldies Radio
It's time for regional radio. That's where the station becomes a
particular station in the 50s and 60s and plays that city's playlist
for that day. Ft. Worth today, Minneapolis tomorrow, Wilmington the
next. All the tunes in their hot 100. Always liked to hear what made
it in one area, but not another.
Steve Harvey
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Message: 4
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 18:10:54 +0100
From: Kingsley Abbott
Subject: Philly acts/Madara & White
S J Dibai:
> Any historically important acts missing?
If you're looking at Madara/White (Len Barry and Spokesman, there
would be some more girl group records wouldn't there? - Ann D'Andrea
for example - Mick please confirm! ;-) Or am I recalling wrongly.
Madara and White were very prolific I think (and incidently,
whichever one of the pair was the short blond guy came with Len Barry
on his UK trip after 123 hit here - maybe they both did...)
Kingsley
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Message: 5
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 12:41:15 -0000
From: Will Stos
Subject: Re: April Young
Andres on April Young:
> I especially like the beginning of "Gonna Make Him My Baby" with
> girls on the background singing "Duran-Day-Run".... Smashing hit!!!
I've written about this before, but perhaps new members might be able
to answer this for me. I believe I have three different versions of
this song on cd or tape. One with the female chorus at the beginning,
one without, and one where it seems April's voice is either singing
in a higher key or it's not double tracked. I haven't listened to
them all back-to-back-to-back in a while, but it sounds as though the
first two are different mixes and the last one might be a different
take (or something funny happened when it was transfered from vinyl,
ie. it was playing at a higher speed than normal). Was the one with
the femme chorus the original single? Are their multiple takes/
versions of her other songs?
Will : )
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Message: 6
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 21:30:48 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: The Grass Roots
I'm hoping someone out there has an original single of the Grass
Roots' "Midnight Confessions" (Dunhill/ABC 4144), a Top 5 hit in
the latter half of 1966. I know the song was written by Sloan and
Barri and produced by Steve Barri, but is there an arranger credit
on the label please?
Excellent record.
Don't you just hate CDs that lack this sort of information?!
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 7
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 15:29:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: David Coyle
Subject: The Cowsills and the Lincoln Park Zoo
Actually, the LP you write about is called "The Cowsills Plus The
Lincoln Park Zoo." It was issued on the Mercury Wing label when the
Cowsills starting being a hit group in the late '60s. The recordings
on the album are ones that the group released on the Mercury label,
when it was just a quartet, before Susan Cowsill and Barbara, the
mother, started recording and performing with them.
I'm guessing the Lincoln Park Zoo was a band that had also recorded
for Mercury and that they tagged their single tracks onto the
Cowsills leftovers to make a full LP. It was obviously an attempt to
cash in on the Cowsills, with whom the label apparently dropped the
ball when the group added members and signed to MGM.
In any case, the early Cowsills recordings have a certain Beatlesque
charm to them, whereas the addition of the female family members
added a Mamas and Papas/sunshine pop vibe to the sound. The LPZ songs
are mainstream pop-rock and pretty pedestrian compared to the other
tunes on the LP.
David
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Message: 8
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 14:58:30 -0400
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Murmaid Sighting
>From another list I'm on:
Begin forwarded message:
> This weekend I was playing my guitar at the assisted living home
> where my mother was, and they told me that another act was going to
> be starting right after me. It was a "girl" trio called The
> Mermaids. I put girl in quotes because they were all in their late
> fifties/early sixties. They said that they had a hit in 1963... I
> remembered it, but I forget the exact title... it was one of those
> "These Are A Few of My Favorite Things" type songs with Popsicles
> being one of the things... These ladies were singing at a
> retirement home, they had only one hit over 40 years ago, and I
> think they were sincere musicians.
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Message: 9
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 23:09:00 -0000
From: Ed B
Subject: Re: The Grass Roots
Mick Patrick wrote:
> I'm hoping someone out there has an original single of the Grass
> Roots' "Midnight Confessions" (Dunhill/ABC 4144), a Top 5 hit in
> the latter half of 1966. I know the song was written by Sloan and
> Barri and produced by Steve Barri, but is there an arranger credit
> on the label please?
Although Sloan/Barri wrote many Grass Roots songs (and were the Grass
Roots for awhile) I'm sure Midnight Confessions wasn't written by
them and also was a big hit in spring/summer 68', as memory serves
me.
Ed
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Message: 10
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 12:11:33 -0400
From: James Cassidy
Subject: The Cowsills, the Park, and Other Things
Mike Bennidict asked:
> Now "Most Peculiar Man" is the name of the song which I heard
> tonight but the album title is pretty interesting - "Lincoln Park
> Zoo". I'm from the Chicago area and of course that's the name of
> one of the area Zoos but why was the album titled that? If I'm not
> mistaken The Cowsills were from Connecticut.
I reply: Close. They were from Rhode Island where, oddly enough,
Lincoln Park is a greyhound racetrack.
Jim Cassidy
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Message: 11
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 00:49:18 -0000
From: David A Young
Subject: brand-new extensive Lesley Gore interview
Just published today and featuring lots of cool photos (including a
much better current head shot of her than the one on the cover of her
new CD): http://www.afterellen.com/People/2005/6/lesleygore.html
Enjoy,
David A. Young
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Message: 12
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 02:19:56 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Murmaid Sighting
fwd from James Botticelli:
> This weekend I was playing my guitar at the assisted living home
> where my mother was, and they told me that another act was going to
> be starting right after me. It was a "girl" trio called The
> Mermaids.
Without looking it up, I believe it was actually spelled Murmaids.
Great to hear they are still singing. I believe "Popsicles & Icicles"
was written by David Gates, and it was out at the same time as my
only solo 45. (BTW, I'm still singing, too. ).
gem
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Message: 13
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 21:35:49 -0700
From: Javed Jafri
Subject: Re: The Grass Roots
Mick Patrick:
> I'm hoping someone out there has an original single of the Grass
> Roots' "Midnight Confessions" (Dunhill/ABC 4144), a Top 5 hit in
> the latter half of 1966. I know the song was written by Sloan and
> Barri and produced by Steve Barri, but is there an arranger credit
> on the label please? Excellent record.
I have the single in front of me but it's not a Sloan/Barrie tune.
It's written by Lou Josie ( ? ). There's is an a arranger's credit:
"horns arranged by Jimmie Haskell." Are you sure this is the tune
you are thinking of because I know it's also not from 1966 but rather
from 1968.
Javed
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Message: 14
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 01:19:28 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Versatile Records
Jim Fisher:
> I'd like to ask if anyone knows of the label: It's VERSATILE, 1674
> Broadway N.Y. 19, N.Y. the tracks are "Small Sad Sam" & "Chicken"
> by Phil McLean. Bright red in color and cataloged as Versatile 107-
> ZTSP 81100 and 81101 respectively. Anyone familiar with this record?
It got to at least #29 on WMCA, New York, in December, 1961, as an
answer to Jimmy Dean's "Big Bad John." Tom Taber mentioned his follow-
up. The only other thing I know of on the label is Versatile 104,
Johnny Yukon, "Thirteen Steps"/"White Oak Swamp," issued May, 1960.
Source: http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/labels/v/v1263.htm
Phil Hall notes:
> 1674 Broadway is just a few blocks up from the Brill Building and a
> short block up from 1650 Broadway, where so much of the '60s music
> was written. 1674 now houses several restaurants, and Versatile
> Records is now based in Washington, D.C.
I believe Atlas and Angletone Records, both r&b/doo-wop labels, were
at the same address. It's interesting that Versatile still exists; a
Screamin' Jay Hawkins LP, "his disco LP," is credited to the label in
the '70s. There's also a Versatile label in France, I believe.
Country Paul
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Message: 15
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 02:24:29 -0000
From: MopTopMike
Subject: Re: The Grass Roots
Mick Patrick wrote:
> I'm hoping someone out there has an original single of the Grass
> Roots' "Midnight Confessions" (Dunhill/ABC 4144), a Top 5 hit in
> the latter half of 1966. I know the song was written by Sloan and
> Barri and produced by Steve Barri, but is there an arranger credit
> on the label please?
You'll probably get a flood of responses, but the tune was written by
Ohioan Lou Josie. Recorded first by the Evergreen Blues, released on
Mercury in late 1967. Grass Roots 45 remake was released in late June
1968.
MopTopMike
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Message: 16
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 08:29:57 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Not the Whyte Boots' "Nightmare"
"Girls In The Garage, Volume 4½" (yes, that's right, 4½) contains a
version of the Shangsy "Nightmare" - not by the imaginary Whyte Boots
but a chick triad tagged the Jaye Triplets. I know the Whyte Boots
45 was released on Philips, but can anyone please tell me the label
on which the Jayes attempt was originally pressed? Some obscure local
logo, no doubt.
Greg Shaw, R.I.P.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 17
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 20:08:14 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Murmaid Sighting
>From another listn:
> This weekend I was playing my guitar at the assisted living home
> where my mother was, and they told me that another act was going to
> be starting right after me. It was a "girl" trio called The
> Mermaids. ... These ladies were singing at a retirement home, they
> had only one hit over 40 years ago, and I think they were sincere
> musicians.
Yeah, and Kim Fowley is a candystripper there too!
Steve
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Message: 18
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 10:52:25 +0400
From: Andres
Subject: Re: April Young
Will Stos:
> I've written about this before, but perhaps new members might be
> able to answer this for me. I believe I have three different
> versions of (April Young's "Gonna Make Him My Baby") on cd or tape.
> One with the female chorus at the beginning, one without, and one
> where it seems April's voice is either singing in a higher key or
> it's not double tracked. I haven't listened to them all back-to-
> back-to-back in a while, but it sounds as though the first two are
> different mixes and the last one might be a different take (or
> something funny happened when it was transfered from vinyl, ie. it
> was playing at a higher speed than normal). Was the one with the
> femme chorus the original single? Are their multiple takes/versions
> of her other songs?
I heard it from the Marginal 'Girl Girls Girls' series CD (I think it
was Vol 3, if I'm not mistaken), not from the vinyl.
Best regards,
Andres
http://www.monstr66.narod.ru
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Message: 19
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 20:23:21 +1000
From: David Walker
Subject: Cowsills and the Lincoln Park Zoo
Hi Spectroppers and other Cowsill fans,
Mike wrote:
> Now "Most Peculiar Man" is the name of the song which I heard
> tonight but the album title is pretty interesting - "Lincoln Park
> Zoo". I'm from the Chicago area and of course that's the name of
> one of the area Zoos but why was the album titled that? If I'm not
> mistaken The Cowsills were from Connecticut.
The title of the Album was The Cowsills Plus the Lincoln Park Zoo.
I fancy that it was an attempt to cash in on the success of the
Cowsills by releasing an album of some 7 songs obviously recorded
before they hit the big time. By listening to the tracks it appears
the kids are very young (ie. "Siamese Cat").
The Lincoln Park Zoo only have 2 tracks featured on the album.
"And, as a special added attraction, meet an exciting new group from
Chicago. The Lincoln Park Zoo, making their album debut with two
rocking numbers."
(The numbers being Love Theme from Haight Street and If You Gotta Go
(Go Now) both accredited to "Butler". The latter not being the Bob
Dylan song).
My copy is an English version released in 1967 on the Fontana label.
cheers,
David Walker
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Message: 20
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 08:58:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Jerry Ross and April Young
How ya'll doin'? My first wife, Sheilah and I were very close to
Jerry and April at one time. I wasn't aware that she had passed away.
Does anyone know how to contact Jerry these days?
regards, Artie Wayne
http://artiewayne.com
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Message: 21
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 08:52:16 -0700 (PDT)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Re: Grass Roots' "Midnight Confessions"
Mick...Javed...How ya'doin'? Lou Josie was the composer of "Midnight
Confessions". I met him when he came to me at Warner Brothers Music
in the early 70's looking for a writers deal.
He played me his original recording of "Confessions" on a small label
that Steve Barri heard and covered with the Grass Roots. I was
shocked that it sounded so little like the version we all know. Jimmy
Haskell [the arranger] and Steve did a remarkable job in
reconstructing the song to make it sound like a hit!
regards, Artie Wayne
http://artiewayne.com
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Message: 22
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 10:23:58 -0800
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Versatile Records
Country Paul wrote:
> It's interesting that Versatile still exists; a Screamin' Jay
> Hawkins LP, "his disco LP," is credited to the label in the '70s.
I think that was the release that killed Versatile once and for all.
Helpfully,
--Phil M.
--
new at Probe:
That's How I Got To Memphis in triplicate
Early April (Stevens)
added graphics to "Post-Sadler" and "Louvre" sections
http://www.philxmilstein.com/probe
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Message: 23
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 10:22:33 -0800
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: Not the Whyte Boots' "Nightmare"
Mick Patrick wrote:
> "Girls In The Garage, Volume 4 1/2" (yes, that's right, 4 and a
> half) contains a version of the Shangsy "Nightmare" - not by the
> imaginary Whyte Boots but a chick triad tagged the Jaye Triplets. I
> know the Whyte Boots 45 was released on Philips, but can anyone
> please tell me the label on which the Jayes attempt was originally
> pressed? Some obscure local logo, no doubt.
Barry Margolis reported in Spectropop Digest 1736:
> THE JAYE TRIPLETS Goal G-102
> (NIGHTMARE) I DIDN'T WANNA FIGHT/NOTHING'S THE SAME WITHOUT YOU
> ----cover of the Lori Burton classic.
Dig,
--Phil M.
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Message: 24
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 11:23:13 -0700
From: Karl Ikola
Subject: Re: Versatile Records
Country Paul wrote:
> It's interesting that Versatile still exists; a Screamin' Jay
> Hawkins LP, "his disco LP," is credited to the label in the '70s.
Disco? Nah, more like hard funk. Jay's Versatile LP is one of my
favorites by him...and rare as hen's teeth...KI
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