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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 7 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Wisconsin 50's/60's research
From: Gary Myers
2. New File at Musica - Hurting Each Other
From: Paul Urbahns
3. Reparata and the Delrons
From: Martin Roberts
4. Magnificent Montague
From: Frank M
5. Joe Meek "Portrait Of A Genius" box set
From: Martin Roberts
6. Re: Sue Lynn
From: Dave Heasman
7. Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop update
From: Martin Roberts
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 10:38:48 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Wisconsin 50's/60's research
Hello all,
I'm in the final stages of my 2nd book covering Wisc. pop/rock
(incl. soul, jazz, r&b, c&w, etc.) of the 50's & 60's. If anyone
is so inclined, please visit this page and LMK if you recognize
any of the names that I'm still seeking:
http://home.earthlink.net/~gem777/id2.html
Thanks!
Gary Myers / MusicGem
http://home.earthlink.net/~gem777/
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 15:48:20 -0400
From: Paul Urbahns
Subject: New File at Musica - Hurting Each Other
This does not need to become the Hurting Each Other subject group,
but with the recent discussuions and posting of the Jimmy Clanton
and Ruth Lewis versions of the song, I felt I needed to pile on.
Having always been a fan of Ruby and The Romantics since they
first hit the charts. I was amazed at the quality, not only
technically but musically of their KAPP albums. Kapp was always
technically minded label and I cannot recall a single Kapp issue
that was not technically first rate. But many of the rock groups
of the period used Phil Spector's definition of an album as two
hits and ten pieces of junk. The effort put in the Ruby and The
Romantics album cuts is evident, they are most certainly not
junk.
That said, when I read in the booklet to the Carpenters' Singles
album, when it was firest issued, where Ruby and The Romantics
had recorded one of my favorite Carpenters songs, and this
recording served as the inspiration for Richard as well. Wow! I
started looking immediately and found a copy in short order.
The Jimmy Clanton version sounds to me to be somewhat like a Gene
Pitney / Righteous Brothers mix. I could imagine the Righteous
Brothers singing to the Ruth Lewis music track. It was the tempo.
The Ruby and The Romantics version still has a Phil Spector
production type quality but opens with a light latin beat and
considerably different tempo than the previous two versions
posted, which may have been what caught Richard's ear.
For whatever reason, The Ruby and The Romantics version deserves
not to to be forgotten and so it is now playing at Musica.
Enjoy!
Paul Urbahns
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 21:02:47 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Reparata and the Delrons
After decades of neglect Reparata and the Delrons seem to have
CDs available all over the place. Some seem a mite shady, others
feature recordings from various periods but the best is the Mick
Patrick anointed ACE Records release. Wonderful sleeve notes
including Mick’s interview with the 'real' Reparata. I loved the
review/feature on S'pop Recommends by Ray Otto:
http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/index2005.htm#Reparata
It may be of interest to know that the session for "The Boy I
Love" features 'ashtray' played and backing vocals by Frank
Amodeo. Frank is AKA Darin D'Anna (two superb 45s on World Artists
produced by the Jerome Brothers) and AKA Gino ("It's Only A Paper
Moon" and a slew of other excellent releases for Golden Crest/
Shelly). Groups he was in/lead include The Reflections, he
replaced Tony Micale as lead singer for their ABC and later High
And Mighty recordings, The Royal Aires and The Del-Quins. He wrote
using his own name for many of the records he sang on and for
folks such as Sammy Turner. The guy deserves a feature. One day I
might get round to prompting him for more stories and finish it.
But he stopped replying to my emails, who can blame him? :-)
Martin
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 21:04:57 +0100
From: Frank M
Subject: Magnificent Montague
Magnificent Montague can be heard saying "Burn Baby Burn" on an
incendiary (excuse the pun) version of In the Midnight Hour
recorded live at the 5/4 Ballroom in Watts. Three days later
according to the sleeve note of Wilson Picket's double Cd A Man
and a Half the riots broke out and Montague was looking for a
new catch pahrase.
Booker T and The MG's were backing Picket and a bunch of Stax
acts that weekend and I believe that's when Montague inveigled
several of the musicians to participate in the session that was
released as Hole in The wall by The Packers.
I should go back and Read Rob Bowman's books and notes for the
correct details but any mistakes in the above are mine.
Excerpts by the rest of the acts can be found on Funky Broadway;
The Stax revue at the 5/4 ballroom.
FrankM
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 21:02:45 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Joe Meek "Portrait Of A Genius" box set
For serious record collectors rather than the more casual buyer
I've yet to see a more mouth-watering compilation. Taking it as
read that anyone buying the box set already has the hits, (no
home should be without the double CD set, also on Sanctuary/
Castle, "Joe Meek - The Alchemist Of Pop"), these tracks feature
the great, the good, the bad and the down right ugly. As the
compiler Roger Dopson notes, Joe Meek 'warts'n'all'. Chronicling
Joe's musical output as an engineer in '55 to his final sessions
as a producer in '67 this set really is a 'Portrait Of A Genius'
at work. I want to hear the stuff not considered good enough to
be released, the tracks that enlist a, 'what the f*** was that
meant to be?' are just as important in showing the development
and understanding the work of an artist as the 'wow, how could
that have stayed in the can?' recordings. "Telstar", "Johnny
Remember Me", "Just Like Eddie", "Have I The Right" and many
others didn't just 'happen'. This set, the astute, thought
provoking foreword by Jon Savage, the excellent sleeve notes by
Bob Stanley and recollections by those who knew him show us the
talent and madness that created them. Besides the biggest hits
that had to be included, of the 117 tracks 30 tracks have never
been released, many get there CD debut and the rest can safely
be described as obscure. For the avid 'meekaphils' who may know
some of the tracks from swapped C90s the sound has been superbly
cleaned and restored by Peter J. Reynolds. The box set is
beautifully packaged, made up a four CD's, a super 46 page, full
colour half fullscap-sized booklet and cost £25s. Joe was not the
only producer, arranger to be troubled by his demons. Nobody with
any kind of interest in what lay behind many ‘pop’ hits and the
mental and physical torment, often caused, should be without a
copy.
Martin
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 21:28:58 +0100
From: Dave Heasman
Subject: Re: Sue Lynn
Will Stos:
> I've also just received the latest Dreambabes CD (Stonefree
> and Sassy or is it vice versa) in the mail and LOVE it! A
> particular standout is the weird and wonderful "Reach For
> The Moon" by Sue Lynn.
Is this Sue Lynn English by any chance? There was a top-ish
model by that name in the late 60s.
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2005 21:12:59 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop update
Sorry to have been a bit quiet of late [not that anyone
has complained :-)], however there is a new ROTW:
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/index.htm
Phil Spector expert and all-round good guy, David A. Young,
has written the first in a series of features on the
B-sides to Hale & The Hushabyes/The Date With Soul "Yes Sir,
That's My Baby". His first piece concerns the Hale's Apogee
recording "900 Quetzals". Many mysteries surround these
recordings. David will attempt to clear-up most of 'em.
Martin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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