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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 12 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. "Susan" & the Cryan' Shames
From: Clark Besch
2. Re: two Austin Roberts rarities
From: Austin Roberts
3. "Lavender Popcorn" John Kongos
From: Jack Russell
4. Re: "Midnight Confessions"
From: Austin Roberts
5. Re: This Time Tomorrow Is Another Day
From: Phil X Milstein
6. Re: Gardena Records
From: Gary Myers
7. Re: Chicago Bands
From: Gary Myers
8. Rosenblatt & Millrose
From: Joop
9. Re: "Susan"
From: Michael Thom
10. BoxTops at my local Tastefest?
From: Rob
11. Jacki Bond versus the Chosen Few
From: Mick Patrick
12. Re: Chicago Bands
From: Billy G Spradlin
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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 05:32:19 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: "Susan" & the Cryan' Shames
S.J. Dibai:
> Is it true that WLS only played an edit of "Susan" that didn't have
> the weird musique concrete in the middle? Let's not forget The
> Cryan' Shames while we're at it. A lot of bands tried to emulate
> the experimentations of "Pet Sounds" and "Revolver," but the
> Shames' "A Scratch In The Sky" is an album that did so with
> surprisingly tasty results.
SJ, YES, let's NOT forget the Cryan' Shames! Thanks for reminding
me! :) In answer to your "Susan" question, no WLS did not play the
edited 45 version. They played the whole song fromthe very beginning
of its' hit status to end.
Clark
PS. Anyone heard from our Alan Gordon? Two days ago I saw that his
home area was having the wildfires in Arizona. I emailed, but have
not received a reply. Anyone? Hope you're ok, Alan (That Alan).
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 12:23:35 EDT
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: two Austin Roberts rarities
Bob Rashkow:
> Aaarrghhh!! There you are again in my 45s collection, Austin
> Roberts! You and Robert John sang "Haunted" by Tuesday on Buddah? I
> wish I did know what the B-side is, I have a DJ copy of this 1975
> recording, with the same song on both sides. It's a great song! I
> picked up a copy at a rummage sale at Lake Forest College when I
> was a student there, and held on to it because it really grew on
> me. I had no idea!
Hey Bobster, I honestly don't remember the B side to Haunted, though
there must've been one. You may have gotten a DJ version;some labels
sent out only one song so jockeys couldn't flip them. If I talk to
Robert John anytime soon, I'll ask him if he remembers, though, I
think his memory is as bad as mine.
Best, Austin R.
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 11:54:03 -0000
From: Jack Russell
Subject: "Lavender Popcorn" John Kongos
I had as big a shock as anyone when Sanctuary released the "Lavender
Popcorn" compilation album by John Kongos in 2003. I co-wrote Linda
Loves Linda with John Kongos and was a member of both Floribunda Rose
and Scrugg. My name is Jack Russell. John was South African and came
back to SA in spring of '67. He saw my band working in a Jo'burg
nightclub and asked us if we would cut an album of demo material with
him. As experienced session musicians we agreed. The lead guitarist
was Pete Clifford (who is still working in SA with a band called the
Bats) I played bass guitar and sang; our drummer was Nicholas "Doc"
Doktor. We were known as 004.
After we cut the album John suggested that instead of paying us our
agreed fees he would pay for our fares back to London instead. We
arrived back in the UK in June 1967 and called the band Floribunda
Rose. It was Flower Power Time!! We went straight into Pye #1 studio
and cut Linda Loves Linda and One Way street. Al the voices on that
track are John and me. In fact John and I either duetted or I sang
harmony to his lead on every track we ever cut. Maurice King managed
the band. Maurice handled the Walker Bothers, the Ivy League, the
Rocking Berries and others. Our A&R man at Pye was John Schroeder.
A friend of John's also joined the band in SA, his name was Chris
Demetriou, also known as Chris Dee. He played a Farfisa organ, later
a Hammond.
Pete Clifford had been Dusty Springfield's guitarist for some years
before breaking that bond and taking a band to SA in 1965. That band
included me and two other guys, Brian Gibson and Pete Stember.
We dropped the Floribunda Rose name after the first release because
it did nothing. We got a lot of airplays but no smell of a chart
position. I named the band Scrugg after Earl Scruggs. Pete Clifford
couldn't work with JK and Dok left in the December of 1969 to be
replaced by Henry Spinetti. We became a four piece. Henry has become
famous in his own right having worked with Clapton, Tina Turner,
Cliff Richard, Bill Wyman etc etc as well as having been the drummer
on one of the worlds most played records "Baker Street" by Gerry
Rafferty. Henry also was the drummer who played at George Harrison's
memorial "Concert for George" along with Jim Keltner and Ringo Starr.
That gig came as a result of Henry's ongoing contact with Eric
Clapton who arranged the concert.
I played on all the Scrugg tracks and the Floribunda Rose tracks but
left the band in 1969. John became solo after that split and very
studio orientated. Despite his huge talent he never really got over
the fear of playing live. His songwriting ability may still be
largely hidden by his reclusive attitude and paranoia.
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Message: 4
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 13:13:47 EDT
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: "Midnight Confessions"
Ed:
> Although Sloan/Barri wrote many Grass Roots songs (and were the
> Grass Roots for a while) I'm sure Midnight Confessions wasn't
> written by them and also was a big hit in spring/summer 68', as
> memory serves me.
Right you are Ed. Lou Josie wrote it and it was out spring and summer
of 1968. I was on my fist radio, tv promotion tour and Midnight was
all over the place.
Best, Austin Roberts
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Message: 5
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 13:18:51 -0800
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: This Time Tomorrow Is Another Day
Mick Patrick wrote:
> Great songwriting team, Rosenblatt and Milrose - "Tomorrow Is
> Another Day", anyone? Any questions?
Did they write any songs that didn't have the word "Tomorrow" in the
title?
--Phil M.
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Message: 6
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 03:43:24 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Gardena Records
Karl Ikola:
> Gardena Records was based in Gardena, Calif.
Tony & Joe were also on Gardena. I assume this is that same T&J
(Saraceno) that had "The Freeze" in '58. None of the other names on
the discog meant anything to me.
> Gardena had a big card/gambling house before they had proliferated
> elsewhere in the state.
Yes, if you're talking about the place I'm thinking of, Danny Flores
(Champs) was working there around that time. I sat in with him many
times and did the gig once or twice. That place is now the Hustler,
owned by the magazine guy.
gem
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Message: 7
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 03:46:41 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Chicago Bands
S.J. Dibai:
> Is it true that WLS only played an edit of "Susan" that didn't have
> the weird musique concrete in the middle?
I don't think I ever heard that section on *any* station at the time
the record was hit.
gem
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Message: 8
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 18:41:26 -0000
From: Joop
Subject: Rosenblatt & Millrose
Mick Patrick wrote:
> Great songwriting team, Rosenblatt and Milrose - "Tomorrow Is
> Another Day", anyone? Any questions?
Phil M:
> Did they write any songs that didn't have the word "Tomorrow" in
> the title?
Yes Phil, They wrote "Smokey mountain boy" for Elvis in 1964 and in
1965 they wrote "Startin' tonight" for him.
Joop greets
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Message: 9
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 14:07:36 -0500
From: Michael Thom
Subject: Re: "Susan"
Clark Besch:
> In answer to your "Susan" question, no WLS did not play the edited
> 45 version. They played the whole song fromthe very beginning of
> its hit status to end.
I expect Clark knows this, but Columbia did issue a special
promotional 45 of "Susan" with the middle part edited out. I tracked
down a copy several years ago. It's an awkward edit, which may
explain why stations didn't play the edited version. Or maybe it's
just because the complete version is so good!
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Message: 10
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 21:04:07 -0000
From: Rob
Subject: BoxTops at my local Tastefest?
BoxTops at my local Tastefest?...on July 4th...so apparently they've
re-formed and are touring...I'm wondering if I should get excited...
any reviews of any recent shows?
Thanks ~ Rob
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Message: 11
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 23:35:34 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Jacki Bond versus the Chosen Few
Phil Milstein:
> *Yet the Chosen Few's "Why Can't I Love Her," played recently to
> musica by Jeff Lemlich, is my Musica Record of the Year so far. A
> monstrous record! Thanks, Jeff.
Jeff Lemlich:
> You're welcome, Phil. Now does anyone have the Jacki Bond version
> of this song they can share?
You're in luck, boys. I don't have the record, but my pal Clunkie
does, and he's the sharing type. Just the other day sent me a CDR*
containing the track. I've taken the liberty of posting it to
musica: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica/
Details are: Jacki Bond "Why Can't I Love Him" (UK Strike JH 320,
1966), written by Lori Burton and Pam Sawyer.
The other side of the 45, "He Say", can be found on the CD "The Best
Of Strike Records" (RPM 221). According to Kieron Tyler's essay in
the booklet, Jacki was the secretary at Strike and lived in Golders
Green.
Any questions?
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
* Also on Clunkie's CDR: half a dozen tracks by the Playboy Club
Bunnies. Sheesh, y'ain't lived until you've heard 'em do "Call Me"!
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Message: 12
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 21:45:10 -0000
From: Billy G Spradlin
Subject: Re: Chicago Bands
Previously:
> Is it true that WLS only played an edit of "Susan" that didn't have
> the weird musique concrete in the middle?
The edited version is on one of Dick Bartley's "On the Radio" comps
from Varese Sarabande. Its a good edit, great for dancing.
> "I Confess" is the ultimate proof of how supportive radio was of
> local acts in those days--#2 on WLS??? No offense to our Chicago
> members, but that's one of those records that has me in tears of
> laughter by the time it's over. I love it dearly, though. I like
> "Love You So Much" a lot, too. Some of their later easy listening
> stuff is also good, but the problem with this band was that they
> were sort of hit-or-miss no matter what they did
"I Confess" is one of those records that shouldnt work but does! I
read they took two songs and combined them together. I also love that
timpani they tossed in for "dramatic effect". It was proably sitting
in the back of the studio and someone in the band had a brainstorm to
use it. I would love to hear a modern girl group like It's My Party
(are they still together?) cover it.
But like the Ides of March (another great Chi-town band!) "You Wouldnt
Listen" the youthful performance forgives any amaturish songwriting
faults. I have adored "Love You So Much" since I found it at a
Oklahoma pawn shop in the early 80's. Great use of Vara-Speed! It was
the record that got me interested in the NC6.
Billy G.
http://listen.to/jangleradio
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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