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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 6 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Herb Bernstein -- '60s discography
From: Davie Gordon
2. Re: Christmas Records
From: Thom Lambertson
3. Karl Hammel Revisited
From: Fred Clemens
4. Re: Herb Bernstein (Ciao Baby connection)
From: Davie Gordon
5. Re: Jerry Lordan
From: Austin Powell
6. Christmas Memories
From: Artie Wayne
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2005 13:03:11 -0000
From: Davie Gordon
Subject: Re: Herb Bernstein -- '60s discography
Peter Lerner wrote:
> Having just looked at my Sequel Best of The Happenings CD, I
> note that all the 25 tracks on it, except one, are credited
> to Herb Bernstein as arranger. Let me know if you would like
> me to list them out.
Thanks for the offer, Peter.
I've a track listing for the CD so if you could just confirm
which one he didn't work on that would save you a lot of typing.
Thanks to everybody for all the additions to the Herb Bernstein
discography - I'll incorporate them and post a revised list after
the holiday period (when I'm sober :))
As well as all the additional info. you've supplied I've come up
with a stack myself and leads on around a twenty more artists
with whom he worked in the sixties. When I saw some of the stuff
that wasn't included in the first draft I was mentally doing
Homer Simpson impersonations - forgetting Walter Jackson's
wonderful "My Ship Is Coming In" for starters ...
I'm having difficulties with tracing exactly which tracks he
worked on with these artists so if anybody's got the time
to check I'd appreciate it
The Serendipity Singers
Connie Francis
Joel Gray
Frankie Avalon
John Denver
Chad Mitchell Trio
Al Hirt
The Four Seasons
A mixed bag indeed !
Davie
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2005 07:31:29 -0500
From: Thom Lambertson
Subject: Re: Christmas Records
Kingsley Abbott:
> PS - someone please tell us all what to 'Town a Treacher'
> entails!!
Probably a credit to Merv's announcer/sidekick, Arthur
Treacher!
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0871546/
and, we certainly can't forget...
http://www.arthurtreachers.com/about-at.htm
Merry Christmas, "to us all",
Thom L
Vero Beach, FL
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2005 03:27:09 -0000
From: Fred Clemens
Subject: Karl Hammel Revisited
I realize he's been discussed on the Board before, but I decided
to revive it in hopes of finding out anything from newer members.
Does anyone here have ANY background on this elusive singer? I've
acquired a few of his records over the years, beginning in 1958
on Gone, and ending in 1963 on Laurie. It seems Jimmy Krondes had
direct input on most of the songs he recorded, either as composer
or producer or both. I'm beginning to think that Krondes was
Hammel himself! Today I took the liberty of contacting Paul Evans
about him, partially because he co-wrote at least two of Hammel's
songs with Krondes, patiently waiting for a reply. Jimmy Krondes
was an amazing writer, with Paul Evans, with others, or by
himself, and would personally rank him up there with more well
known Brill Building and Aldon staff writers yet I rarely hear
him mentioned.
Anybody here work with Hammel, or see him actually perform? Any
behind the scenes background on Krondes?? I know his son is
keeping his lagacy alive.
Merry Christmas to All...
Fred Clemens
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2005 13:06:28 -0000
From: Davie Gordon
Subject: Re: Herb Bernstein (Ciao Baby connection)
Lyn Nuttall wrote:
> All this posting about Ciao Baby, and I missed Davie's post
> on Herb Bernstein, who just happens to have been arranger
> and conductor for Lynne Randell's 1967 recording of 'Ciao
> Baby' on Epic.
Thanks Lyn, that's one that escaped me. Who produced Lynne's
version ?
Here are the Billboard review dates for some of the US issued
versions of the song.
The Toys (Philips 40432) BB 02.25.67
Lynne Randell (Epic 10147) BB 04.29.67
The Eternal Flame (Viva 621) BB 10.28.67
The Montanas (WB 7021) wasn't reviewed but appears to have
been issued at the same time as Lynne Randell's.
WB 7020 (The Everly Brothers) BB 04.22.67
WB 7022 (Jackie Trent) BB 04.29.67
The Montanas' version seems to have been given another shot
by Warner Brothers the following year as I also have it
listed as WB 7208 which would have been around June '68 going
by the number.
I think you're right about the Toys' being the original - I'm
sure I remember a full page trade ad for it which helpfully
told you how pronounce the title.
Here's the BB review for The Toys
"Initial entry by the group on Philips should enjoy healthy
sales activity and make a dent in the Hot 100. Easy rocker
given a solid workout" (Billboard, Feb 25, 1967)
And for The Eternal Flame :
"Popular expression set to a rock beat comes off as a strong
piece of dance rhythm material loaded with sales potential.
Group has fresh and smooth sound" (Billboard, Oct 28, 1967)
Time for a solid workout .........
Davie
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2005 11:53:52 +0000
From: Austin Powell
Subject: Re: Jerry Lordan
Some other random bits of information to round out the picture:
Jerry Lordan hated Bert Weedon's version of "Apache". In 1993
he said "It's a dreadful version. He hasn't even played the
music that I wrote".
Of the Shadows "Apacahe" session Jerry recalled that it was
actually Cliff Richard who supplied the bom-bom-bom,bom -
bom,bom,bom,bom beat. On the two track recording Tony Meehan
couldn't play his kit and the extra drum for the "Indian drum
sound". In fact it turns out it was a Chinese tam tam drum
that Cliff used, holding it over Meehan's kit to catch the
microphone.
Jerry regarded "The Old Man And The Sea" as his best ever song.
Released on CBS, George Martin did the arrangement for a 32
piece orchestra and Ron Richards produced the session. It sold
just 286 copies apparently.
Thanks to all S'poppers for another fascinating year. Seasons
greetings to you all and every good wish for 2006.
Austin P.
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Message: 6
Date: Mon, 26 Dec 2005 12:59:33 -0000
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Christmas Memories
How ya doin'... Christmas is a hard time for a lot of people,
with so many memories and emotions to deal with.
This Christmas was one of the best I ever had. I'm currently
living in a small town in the California desert. It didn't
look much like Christmas here...but it sure felt like it.
Once again I spent it alone, with my cats, Whoppy and
Streaker, my little pals for almost ten years.
Most of you know my story, which you can check out in the
Spectropop archives, at your leisure, but I'm writing this
to let you know how much your e-mails and notes in my guest
book have meant to me meant to me...and why.
I never thought much of my body of work as a writer, artist
and producer in the 60s and 70s, because I didn't attain the
success of many of my peers like Paul Simon, Neil Diamond,
or Jeff Barry.
I remember running into my old pal, Shel Silverstein [“A boy
named Sue”, “Sylvia’s Mother”], outside of the Troubador, 30
years ago. When he asked what I'd been up to, I lowered my
head, and almost apologetically, said that I was showing
other people’s songs at Warner Brothers Music. He didn't bat
an eye, but said, “You don't have to be ashamed of that...
you could be just as creative, as you've always been, just
in another area.” I never forgot that.
I’ve asked Mick to put up another track at musica – a rare
Warner Brothers Music Christmas Cut-in record.
One thing that I didn't mention, in my story behind the song
“I Lose It When I Hear ‘White Christmas'” [Wine/Wayne], is
what happened to me about an hour later. I informed the
night nurse that I decided, for Christmas, I'd stop taking
my all the heavy medication I'd been prescribed, including
massive doses of steroids.
I didn't know that such a sudden withdrawal would result in
me freaking out Christmas morning. It took several L.A. cops
to bring me down, and strap my hands and feet to a table,
where I remained for three days.
Regards, Artie Wayne
P.S. If you haven't signed my guestbook yet, remember it's
closed to new entries on Dec. 31st, but will remain on
display forever. Just click onto http://www.artiewayne.com
and leave your mark for posterity.
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