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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. The Teddy Bears' "Oh Why"
From: S'pop Projects
2. John Carter
From: S'pop Projects
3. Dennis D'Ell, R.I.P.
From: S'pop Projects
4. Re: Bob Crewe at Private Stock
From: James Botticelli
5. Boffalongo
From: Bob Rashkow
6. Re: Chris Montez; Jackie DeShannon; Eskew R. and a cold.
From: Julio Niño
7. Re: Hogsnort Rupert’s Original Flagon Band
From: Dave Monroe
8. Re: Go And Take Your Dumb Idea To Columbia, Says Archie
From: Gary Myers
9. Re: Billie Davis sings Joe Meek?
From: Scott Swanson
10. Re: Bob Crewe at Private Stock
From: Anthony Parsons
11. Andy Kim CD
From: Pres
12. Keely Smith
From: Ken Silverwood
13. Re: Hogsnort Rupert's Original Flagon Band
From: Sandi
14. Tony Hatch songs
From: Rodney Rawlings
15. Chris Montez
From: Bob Rashkow
16. Re: Love fires Arthur Lee
From: John DeAngelis
17. Re: The Inner-Circle: just Barri - or Sloan & Barri?
From: Frank Young
18. Re:Dark End of the Street
From: Bill George
19. Bryan MacLean
From: Richard Havers
20. The current Love
From: Andrew Hickey
21. Re: Bob Crewe at Private Stock
From: Joop
22. Re: Go And Take Your Dumb Idea To Columbia, Says Archie
From: Joop
23. Re: "Call Me"
From: Joop
24. Bryan MacLean
From: Richard Havers
25. Link Wray or Way
From: Norm D Plume
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 16:06:45 +0100
From: S'pop Projects
Subject: The Teddy Bears' "Oh Why"
Talking of the "Oh Why" . . .
This little-heard treasure by Phil Spector's Teddy Bears is contained
- in stereo, no less - on the recent CD "Early Girls, Volume 4".
Read Country Paul's review here:
http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/index2005.htm#earlygirls
And find more details here:
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=4483
Here: http://tinyurl.com/c553p
And here: http://tinyurl.com/arfka
Enjoy,
The S'pop Team
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 16:06:43 +0100
From: S'pop Projects
Subject: John Carter
Talking of John Carter . . .
Three CDs by this top British songwriter are the latest additions to
the S'pop Recommends section.
An excerpt:
Awash with exotic harmonies, "Tahiti Farewell" by Haystack, for
instance, comes close to beating the Association at their own game,
while Stormy Petrel's "Hello Hello Hello" is a magnificent piece of
orchestrated pop. More familiar is "Beach Baby" by First Class from
1974 - one of the best pop records ever to come out of London's West
End, surely. The three other First Class tracks contained here are
almost as good. Also included are a number of previously unissued
John Carter demos. These include familiar songs like "Sunshine
Girl", "My Sentimental Friend", "Knock Knock Who's There" and
"Winchester Cathedral", plus lesser-known wonders like "I Couldn't
Spend Another Day Without You" and "Playing With Fire". Harmony Pop,
Sunshine Pop, Bubblegum, call it what you like - these CDs contain
some of best British pop records ever made.
Find the full review here:
http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/index2005.htm#JohnCarter
Enjoy,
The S'pop Team
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 16:06:37 +0100
From: S'pop Projects
Subject: Dennis D'Ell, R.I.P.
Talking of Joe Meek . . .
Sad to report that Dennis D'Ell, lead singer of the Honeycombs, whose
Meek production "Have I The Right" was a #1 record in 1964, died on
July 6th. A obituary has been added to the S'pop Remembers section:
http://www.spectropop.com/remembers/DDobit.htm
The "Have I The Right" recording session is a featured scene in the
play Telstar, currently running in London's West End.
R.I.P.
The S'pop Team
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 09:51:50 -0400
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Bob Crewe at Private Stock
Nick Archer wrote:
> The song was "Street Talk", and I think artist was listed as the
> Bob Crewe Connection. Does anyone else remember this?
Yup...the hardest Crewe LP to find. I have Music To Watch Girls By
(on stereo which is hard to come by) and Music To Watch Birds By
(highly recommended, and recorded following a Crewe trip to England).
I also have a cool and strange one with Crewe and Bhen Lazzorini or
something like that. VERY interesting LP.
JB/anyone have Rod McKuen's Disco LP where he's diggin' into a can of
Crisco on the cover?
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 10:28:40 EDT
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Boffalongo
One of the best things about the otherwise undistinguished 1977
release, "The Chicken Chronicles" with Steve Guttenberg as a typical
frustrated suburban American pimple-faced teenager of 1969 or so, was
the use of Boffalongo's "Sea's Gettin' Rough" on the soundtrack. It's
a great blues-rock tune and seemed perfect for the film. This was at
a time when compilations of different recordings for movie
soundtracks was still a FAIRLY novel thing.
Bobster
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 14:36:43 -0000
From: Julio Niño
Subject: Re: Chris Montez; Jackie DeShannon; Eskew R. and a cold.
Hola everybody,
I've caught a cold (probably for swimming in the sea after midnight).
Never mind, I like it (both, swimming by night and having a cold).
Robert Pingel wrote about discovering the gender of Chris Montez:
> ...After Dick Clark made the introduction, a loud collective sigh
> rang out when we discovered that Chris Montez was a guy...
I've always found very sexy Chris Montez's girlish voice. Curiously,
although in his A&M recordings he doesn't sound as natural and fresh
as in his earlier Monogram recordings, he sounds more sophisticated
and perhaps even more femenine. I find very relaxing his A&M
recordings, with that poppie-bossa style that I like so much. One of
my favorite among his songs for this label is "Fooling Around", I
find it melancholic and happy at the same time, an interesting
combination of flavors.
My favorite tunes these days in Barcelona are Jackie DeShannon´s "Are
You Ready for This", a perfect song for dancing (has this song had
any repercussion in the Northern Soul scene?) and "No, Never Again",
Minit 1962 by Eskew Reeder, a wonderful song in which Eskew reminds
me a lot of Chuck Jackson.
Chao.
Julio Niño
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 09:32:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dave Monroe
Subject: Re: Hogsnort Rupert’s Original Flagon Band
Margaret G. Still wrote:
> I have a Warner Brothers promo 45 (WB 7455) by this group: "Pretty
> Girl" (written by Dave Luther) backed with "Tender Look" (written
> by J. Beveridge - P. Oakman) - "A Peter Dawkinds Production". A
> little research suggested they may be Australian or New Zealanders.
> Any info on this group?
Taking the easy way out ...
http://folksong.org.nz/pretty_girl/
http://www.sergent.com.au/hogsnortrupert.html
http://www.emicatalogue.co.nz/Biography.aspx?artist=3190
Hope something there is of some help/interest ...
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Message: 8
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 09:38:09 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Go And Take Your Dumb Idea To Columbia, Says Archie
Phil Milstein:
> ... the story of his version of "Moon River." According to Andy
> Williams ... Williams jumped to Columbia soon after that .... Not
> long after THAT, he received a call from the music director of the
> upcoming Academy Awards show, asking him to sing "Moon River"
> during its nomination segment. ... Columbia of course jumped on the
> idea, had the record ready on time, and, according to Williams,
> sold half a million copies in the first week following the Oscars
> presentation.
This doesn't seem to fit the related chart info. William's 1st LP on
Columbia charted 1/60 before anyone had heard of "Moon River", which
was in 1961's Breakfast At Tiffany's. Williams never had a chart
single with the song. Jerry Butler's hit charted 10/61. Williams' LP
with the song charted 5/62. I don't know the date of the Academy
Awards show on which Williams sang it, but wouldn't it have been
earlier than May '62?
gem
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 10:13:56 -0700
From: Scott Swanson
Subject: Re: Billie Davis sings Joe Meek?
Mark Maldwyn:
> There's a 4xcd advertised entitled "Portrait of a Genius - The RGM
> Legacy of Joe Meek" which apparently features Bille Davis. Is this
> the "tea-chest" material?
I'm not sure if the Billie Davis track (the previously-unreleased
"Don't You Knock At My Door") is from the infamous "tea chest
tapes"), but you can see the full tracklist here:
http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/sanctuary_records/joe_meek.htm
Lots of previously-unreleased songs on there. Hope this helps,
Scott
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Message: 10
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 13:17:53 -0500
From: Anthony Parsons
Subject: Re: Bob Crewe at Private Stock
Nick Archer:
> In one of my former lives as a disco DJ, I played a Bob Crewe disco
> album that I think was on Private Stock. The song was "Street
> Talk", and I think artist was listed as the Bob Crewe Connection.
> Does anyone else remember this?
Anyone who was around and dancing back then should remember, I
certainly do. The album actually appeared on Elektra records, after
a 12 inch single of the full version of Street Talk came out on 20th
Century. There was also a great remix of the cut Menage A Trois
which appeared on an early commercial Elektra 12 inch single. The
album has been reissued on a Japanese label but without the Menage
remix, which is a shame.
Antone
(aka The High Priest Of Disco)
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Message: 11
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 15:45:06 -0400
From: Pres
Subject: Andy Kim CD
I just received a copy of "Reflections: The Best of Andy Kim" or, if
you ignore the cover and read the spine and/or CD, "Andy Kim's
Greatest Hits" on the Common Folk, a label operating on the shortest
shoestring budget. The booklet is so cheap that my other half picked
it up and said, "Not one of your better works", thinking it was one
of my home made comps. The back copy reads "Under license from MGMIPG
Netherlands", whatever that means. The sound is not bad, though.
pres
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Message: 12
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 20:53:12 +0100
From: Ken Silverwood
Subject: Keely Smith
I've always been surprised that Keely Smith had a UK #14 hit in April
1965 with "You're Breaking My Heart" arranged & conducted Ernie
Freeman, produced Jimmy Bowen. It didn't do a thing in the USA. It
was done in a style that Dean Martin was having some success with at
the time.
Ken On The West Coast
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Message: 13
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 08:04:33 +1200
From: Sandi
Subject: Re: Hogsnort Rupert's Original Flagon Band
Margaret G. Still on Hogsnort Rupert's Original Flagon Bandwrote:
> A little research suggested they may be Australian or New
> Zealanders. Any info on this group?
Hogsnort Rupert were a kiwi band:
http://www.sergent.com.au/hogsnortrupert.html
This is a wonderful site for anyone with an interest in NZ music.
I've lived here for 22 years and haven't heard of 3/4 of the artists
listed there. Hogsnort Rupert were before my NZ time, but they were
big.
Sandi
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Message: 14
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 21:54:51 -0000
From: Rodney Rawlings
Subject: Tony Hatch songs
I'd be very interested to know if Tony Hatch is aware of the great
similarity in rhythm between two of his most famous songs:
--------
Call me--don't be afraid, you can
Call me. Maybe it's late, but just
Call me. Call me and I'll be around.
--------
Downtown--things'll be great when you're
Downtown. No finer place, for sure.
Downtown--everything's waiting for you.
--------
I should say that the melodies are very different, so I am certainly
not implying anything negative whatsoever! In fact I greatly prefer
the latter song, a very great one with a great lyric--the first song
never appealed to me.
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Message: 15
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 20:53:00 EDT
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Chris Montez
He changed his style after Herb Alpert signed him. As a kid I was
unable to distinguish between his and Petula Clark's versions of
"Call Me", Chicago MOR stations played both. Then, in 1967 or so, I
heard "Let's Dance" for the first time, thinking it was from that
same period and not realizing it was from '62. I realized this had
to be the same guy. It was also the first time I'd actually heard
his name, so I was able to put the puzzle together to see that the
later record was him singing in a very high voice. Still, I can
imagine what a shock it must have been even when his first A&M LP
came out, with its mixture of sambas and standards! "Oh--Chris is a
guy, not a woman!!!"
Bobster
PS I think Peggy Lee recorded the song too, on her 1965 or '66 album
with "You've Got Possibilities" etc. I could have sworn the MOR
stations used to play her version every once in a while too. (Unless,
of course, that was Petula.)
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Message: 16
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 02:45:22 -0000
From: John DeAngelis
Subject: Re: Love fires Arthur Lee
Florence Gray wrote:
> ...Love IS Arthur Lee. Always was, always will be. Sorry, but the
> rest of the guys are just talented window dressing...
I'm not sure what you mean by "talented window dressing", Florence.
For my money, Bryan MacLean's "Alone Again Or" and "Old Man" are just
as important as anything else Love ever did.
John DeAngelis
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Message: 17
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 20:19:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Frank Young
Subject: Re: The Inner-Circle: just Barri - or Sloan & Barri?
Margaret G. Still wrote:
> Two really well done P.F. Sloan fan websites say that Dunhill 4128
> by The Inner Circle (The Sloan-Barri song GOES TO SHOW (Just How
> Wrong You Can Be) backed with Leonard Cohen's SO LONG MARIANNE) did
> not include any P.F. Sloane performances. Sure sounds like Sloan on
> "Goes To Show". If anyone else here knows this record, I'd love to
> hear whether you also hear Sloan.
There are three distinct versions of this song. The earliest is an
unissued ('til 1991) version by the Fantastic Baggies, which is a
great close-harmony version almost ruined by bad harmonica overdubs.
Then there's Sloan's more pensive solo version on his first Dunhill
LP, SONGS OF OUR TIMES... Then there's the Inner-Circle (yes,
complete with hyphen) take. I believe that Sloan is on this version.
I believe it to be an old publisher's demo which was overdubbed. It's
very similar to the Fantastic Baggies' take. There are other voices
on it, but they're different from those heard on the A-side (to my
ear, at least). By the time the Inner-Circle 45 appeared, Sloan was
alienated from Lou Adler and living in New York. I think Steve Barri
put the song on the B-side as a favor to his former collaborator, who
was struggling and hitless at the time.
Best, Frank
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Message: 18
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 02:27:54 EDT
From: Bill George
Subject: Re:Dark End of the Street
I'm catching up after a month on the road (basically). The first
version I heard of this song was Linda Ronstadt's, and it was my
favorite for years. But more recently I heard Eva Cassidy's version
and it blew me away. Exquisite. What a great song. Are there any BAD
versions?
Bill
PS. I'm now in beautiful North Vancouver, British Columbia.
Unfortunately, I've been here two weeks now, and my belongings still
haven't arrived. Hard to get excited about anything when you're
sitting on the floor with no TV, no cookware, no computer (I'm on a
laptop that isn't mine), no piano, etc. Mostly I've been reading and
painting.
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Message: 19
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 11:42:28 +0100
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Bryan MacLean
John DeAngelis wrote:
> I'm not sure what you mean by "talented window dressing", Florence.
> For my money, Bryan MacLean's "Alone Again Or" and "Old Man" are
> just as important as anything else Love ever did.
And add to that 'Orange Skies', 'Softly To Me' and the fact that
MacLean co-wrote 'And More' and you have a substantial song writing
factor in the band's success. I must admit I took Florence to mean
the people that now make up 'the Love Band' as her description of
talented window dressing.
Maclean had a CD put out by Sundazed in 1997 featuring demos from
his Love days, and later, and includes Alone Again Or. On the Love
original Bryan's voice is well down in the mix. Amongst the tracks
are some really good songs with just Bryan and his guitar, called
'IfYouBelieveIn' the title song is excellent. In the post-Love years
Bryan dealt with heroin addiction, alcohol problems, found God, and
attempted a number of comebacks both with Lee and solo. Debbie Boone
apparently recorded one of Bryan's songs on her 'You Light Up My
Life' album and he worked with his half sister Maria McKee; he wrote
a song for the Lone Justice's debut album.
Richard
(who loves Love and saw then at the Greyhound in Croydon (S. London)
March 1970; that night they were not the Love I love!)
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Message: 20
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 10:36:48 +0100
From: Andrew Hickey
Subject: The current Love
Florence Gray wrote:
> ...Love IS Arthur Lee. Always was, always will be. Sorry, but the
> rest of the guys are just talented window dressing...
John DeAngelis:
> I'm not sure what you mean by "talented window dressing", Florence.
> For my money, Bryan MacLean's "Alone Again Or" and "Old Man" are
> just as important as anything else Love ever did.
But the current 'Love Band' consists of Baby Lemonade plus Johnny
Echols. No other members of the Love that played on the records are
touring with them.
--
DUMB ANGEL HAS UPDATED 13/8/05!
http://dumbangel.keenspace.com
A webcomic about Smile
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Message: 21
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 10:05:25 -0000
From: Joop
Subject: Re: Bob Crewe at Private Stock
I have the album "Street talk". It's not The Bob Crewe Connection,
but The Bob Crewe Generation. "Street talk" was co-composed by the
great Cindy Bullens, who plays guitar on this album.
And James I think you mean the 1977 Rod McKuen album "Amor" which was
released in France on the Ibach-label.
Joop greets
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Message: 22
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 10:33:51 -0000
From: Joop
Subject: Re: Go And Take Your Dumb Idea To Columbia, Says Archie
In the UK Danny Williams had a NR 1 hit with "Moon river" at the end
of 1961. Maybe Danny (sorry Andy) thought mistakenly he had the hit
in the UK.
Some more on this song:
http://www.originals.be/eng/main.cfm?c=t_upd_show&id=4243
Joop greets
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Message: 23
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 10:46:45 -0000
From: Joop
Subject: Re: "Call Me"
You're right Bob, "Call me" was on Peggy's 1966 album "Guitars alà
Lee": http://jazzdiscography.com/Artists/Lee/capitolee2b.html
Joop greets
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Message: 24
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 12:19:25 +0100
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Bryan MacLean
I forget to mention another album of MacLean demos and such issued
by Sundazed. Called 'Candy's Waltz' it lacks a little compared to
the other album, but it will strike a cord with those who have a
soft spot for west coast rock of the late 60s. There are several
outstanding tracks including the title song and 'Love Will Be Here'
(a Forever Changes reject) and 'Most of Us'.
Bryan is no longer with us, having passed away on Christmas Day
1998. If people are sad about Arthur, then they should spare a
thought for one of the great lost talents of the 60s. He, like many,
was a casualty of the lifestyle.
Richard
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Message: 25
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 04:12:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: Norm D Plume
Subject: Link Wray or Way
The recent postings about Link Wray coincided with an advertising
card I just found poked through my door for a local cab firm called
....Link Way.
I once, also, saw a courier firm called Quicksilver Messenger Service.
Any other examples of like this (intended or otherwise)?
Norm D.
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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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