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Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
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There are 10 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Love Generation/The Beckies
From: Mark Frumento
2. Re: Bonner and Gordon?
From: Glenn
3. More Pete Records; Baby Jane...; Bills Soden and Hjerpe; Garry Bonner now
From: Country Paul
4. Lisa Hartman-Black
From: Stuffed Animal
5. Baby Jane Article/Thanks To Jan
From: John Clemente
6. Grassroots
From: Alan Gordon
7. Re: Lisa Hartman-Black
From: Phil Milstein
8. Re:The 45 Club on the 27th-Hollywood
From: simon white
9. Saturday Morning Playlist
From: Simon White
10. Simon's Saturday Morning Playlist
From: Ian Chapman
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 08:34:26 -0400
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Love Generation/The Beckies
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kingsley Abbott"
> Incidently, seeing the recent reference to The Love
> Generation, Joe and I did talk about the possibility
> of doing a comp of them at old revola time when we
> did Eternity's Children and The Sunshine Company,
> but at that stage we thought they were just a tad
> wimpy. Ok, I know their "Montage" is great and some
> other cuts are quite summery bouncy stuff, but I don't
> reckon they quite had the depth of other acts.
> Someone argue with me now please and make me
> go back and listen again....
I picked up the Sundazed comp on the strength of the one or two
cuts on "Sunshine Days" and I'll admit to being disappointed
in their material. It's not that they are wimpy (give me wimpy
any day), the songs just aren't that strong. Having said that...
the packaging, sound and the usual Sundazed quality help it along
and for soft pop fans it probably should probably beon your list
of purchases. Just not ahead of the two groups Kingsley mentions
in his post.
While on the subject of Sundazed: does anyone know if Sundazed or
any label is planning to release the Beckies album? Now that all
of the early Left Banke and Montage material is out it seems to be
natural that the Beckies would be next.
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 13:27:51 -0000
From: Glenn
Subject: Re: Bonner and Gordon?
unclemeatz wrote:
> A double-sided question:
> a) Anybody have an idea what this talented twosome (although
> I doubt they work together anymore) is up to now?
Well, I can answer question a), at least partly.
Garry Bonner has been singing with Kenny Vance in a retro-group
called The Planotones for the last 8 years. I don't think he
composes anymore.
Here's a link:
http://www.planotones.com/pl2b.htm
I once wrote him a long fan e-mail praising him to the heavens,
and after two months of prompting and urging by the people who
ran his website, he finally responded to me. Here's what he
wrote:
"Glen,
Thanks for the compliments.
Garry"
I always thought that it was weird that a guy with such a
thoroughly unconventional spelling of his first name, Garry,
who has probably had to deal with misspellings of it his whole
life, wouldn't even bother to spell my name right (two n's)in
his stunted, obligatory-sounding reply. So while I retain my
absolute idolatry of his talent, I think he's a jerk.
Bonner and Gordon split as a team around 1972. Boner (oh,
I mean Bonner) recorded some solo singles for ATCO which he
wrote himself. They weren't very good.
Alan Gordon formed his own publishing company, ExtraGordonary
Music (always loved that name) and continued to write songs
(mostly by himself without co-writers) at least well into the
70's. His biggest hit was with Barbra Streisand in 1977, a Top
10 song called "My Heart Belongs To Me". My favorite thing he
wrote post-Bonner/Gordon was a 1974 single by Sha-Na-Na called
"Maybe I'm Old Fashioned". I believe it bubbled but never made
the Hot 100, but it was well played on the radio here in Baltimore.
If you don't know this song, RUN and get it. I mean RUN. If you
can't run, spend a minimum of 50 hours trying to locate it on
the Internet. Bid $100 for it on eBay. It's also the lead-off
song on their album "Hot Sox", which would probably be easier to
find than the single, and which is a good album overall. But
"Maybe I'm Old Fashioned" is one of the greatest misses of all
time. Gordon's talent as a writer of great pop hadn't slipped a bit,
and had maybe even improved. Extraordinary dynamics and incredibly
inventive melody. Both Bonner/Gordon trademarks, but this time
without Bonner.
I don't know what Gordon is doing now. I'd like to write to him,
but I'm afraid to.
GleNN
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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 11:28:42 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: More Pete Records; Baby Jane...; Bills Soden and Hjerpe; Garry Bonner now
Some days there are Spectropop digests which are endlessly
fascinating; today is one of those.
Re: Erik Meinen's post, I don't think John Braheny had "December
Dream" out as a 45; at least I don't remember it. I too have the
album, "Some Kind of Change," although it's been years since I
played it through. Another cut just came to mind - "Tour Line
Ladies," in which you hear a Hollywood bus-tour driver narrating
a trek passing many of the stars' homes over a musical montage of
some sort. Guess I've got to re-listen to the album....
I remember someone playing Michael P. Whalen's "Puerto Rican Bay
Blues" on WBRU in Providence, RI back in the late 60's-early 70's;
it was sorta folkie-country if I remember. Doesn't it begin by
him counting the song off upward - and then back down? He dropped
the awkward "P" when he went to Reprise. It didn't make his career
take off, however!
"THE GROUP: But you know I love you/If's a big mighty word (Pete
711)...Produced by Joseph Porter." From the Status Cymbal? Nick
Archer, you're closest to the source on this. Any info?
The story of Baby Jane & the Rockabyes,
http://www.spectropop.com/BabyJane/index.htm answers so many
questions I didn't know to ask. I have the DeVaurs' "Where Are You"
on Moon - very nice doo-wop track. I never suspected they were
related, nor did I know the connection to the Halos, who hit with
the well-sung but irritating "Nag" on 7 Arts. I have a Baby Jane 45
on Spokane (the same label as Scott English's beautiful late doo-wop
hit, "High On A Hill," from 1963)> It's also interesting that they
backed Baby Washington; "Work Out" is a fun rocker from an artist
usually known for her ballads. Congratulations to John Clemente and
your contacts and team on the excellent piece. (And the following
story about the Swedish novel - who'd-a thunk it?!?)
Nick Archer, thank you for the Bill Soden update. I remember
playing "Soakin' Up Sun" on the radio, and thinking the artist
was too good to be that obscure. I look forward to the interview
- your session with Byron Warner (Status Cymbal) was superb, by
the way.
Thinking of that era reminds me of a singer-songwriter I haven't
thought about in years - Bill Hjerpe (the "H" was silent). I
have two 45's on Epic: the chaotic "Navigation Blues" and "Mrs.
Frost," a would-be Dylan-ish party song that wished it was the
follow-up to "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35."
Partial answer to "unclemeatz": Garry Bonner is currently singing
and touring with Kenny Vance and the Planotones. Vance, of course,
did "Vance 32", a wonderful Spectropop-oriented autobiographical
album on Atlantic from the early 70's (containing the immortal
"Looking for An Echo"), and "served time" with Jay & the Americans
and in Steely Dan's aggregation. I haven't seen the group live yet,
but am told they're really good. They're based in New York, and I
know there's a website somewhere.
Leonardo asks:
> Has anybody written a book about the Mob's connection to the 60's
> music industry?
...and lived? Seriously, I also read "Hit Men" and join Mick Patrick
in his recommendation.
Now I'm REALLY on vacation!
Country Paul
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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 16:39:11 +0000
From: Stuffed Animal
Subject: Lisa Hartman-Black
Will George:
> And if I remember correctly, she was discovered singing in a
> Houston club, but not by Jeff Barry. They were put together
> after her signing with Kirschner.
Sorry, but that's not what Jeff Barry told me. He said he got
a call from a songwriter friend named Dene Hofheinz (who ended
up co-writing most of the material on Lisa's debut album) to
come down to Houston and check out this hot young singer. He
did so, and then contacted Don Kirshner about Lisa, resulting
in a contract. This is logical because Jeff had a prior business
relationship with Kirshner as producer for The Monkees, Archies
and Globetrotters.
Stuffed Animal
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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 14:25:00 -0400
From: John Clemente
Subject: Baby Jane Article/Thanks To Jan
Hi All,
Thank you for the positive response to the Baby Jane & The
Rockabyes article. I want to thank Jan Khoubach for his help
and his tape. He was the one who told me about the Elektras
single. I own a copy and knew that the voice sounded familiar,
but couldn't make the connection. Since there were male voices
present, I thought it was a mixed group and left them out of my
appendix in the book. I knew about his efforts to write a novel
around the group, but unfortunately, I can't read them. Yvonne
was ill a few months back and is now recuperating. When she is
well enough, she will be doing a radio show with me (NYC).
Jan, if you read this, please e-mail me. I accidentally deleted
your address.
Regards,
John
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Message: 6
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 12:45:21 -0700
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: Grassroots
From: Glenn
Subject: Re: Grass Roots - Who Were They ?
> Bill Fulton actually WAS the lead singer on the Dunhill 45
> of "Where Were You When I Needed You" which charted. His
> version is on the now out-of-print Grass Roots CD "Their All
> Time Greatest Hits". P.F. Sloan's version appears on the CD's
> "Anthology" from Rhino and "The Millennium Collection" on MCA.
Hi Glenn:
You sound like you're a serious expert when it comes to all things
Botanical ("Grass Roots"... get it? Bad joke). But isn't the
original single on the Varese album, "Where Were You When I Needed
You" (VSD-5511 1994)? It says it's the "Original Single Version."
But of course liner notes have been known to be misleading. I
guess this really cool disk may be out of print now.
Ever notice how the lyrics aren't exactly the title? "Where were
you when I needed "YA."
Also: The Repertoire 2fer album of "Feelings" and "Let's Live For
Today", with a couple of extra bonus tracks is also very nice.
albabe
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Message: 7
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 15:15:12 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Lisa Hartman-Black
Stuffed Animal wrote:
> Sorry, but that's not what Jeff Barry told me. He said he got
> a call from a songwriter friend named Dene Hofheinz (who ended
> up co-writing most of the material on Lisa's debut album) to
> come down to Houston and check out this hot young singer.
FYI (and admittedly off-topic), Hofheinz is a big name in Houston.
Judge Roy Hofheinz - who I would assume to be a relative of the
songwriter Dene - was the big-bucks backer of the city's acquisition
of a baseball franchise back in the early '60s, and was the prime
mover behind the creation of the Astrodome (at the time promoted as
"The 8th Wonder of the World") and, with it, the dreaded Astroturf.
--Phil Milstein
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Message: 8
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2002 00:20:01 +0100
From: simon white
Subject: Re:The 45 Club on the 27th-Hollywood
Leonardo Flores wrote:
> Uplandmod'd Top 10
> 1) Maggie Thrett-Soupy (Dynovoice)
> 2) Invitations-What's Wrong With Me, Baby? (Dynovoice)
> 3) Beverly Warren-March (BT PUPPY)
> 4) Johnny & The Expressions-Boys and Girls Together (Josie)
> 5) Gene Chandler-It's Time To Settle Down (Checker)
> 6) Chuck Wood-Seven Days Too Long (Roulette)
> 7) Eddie Holman-Eddie's My Name (parkway)
> 8) Del Capris-Hey Little Girl (Kama Sutra)
> 9) Marvin Gaye-Little Darlin I Need You (Tamla)
> 10)Doris Jones-No Way Out (UA)
Sounds great! Two particular favourites there, Doris Jones
and Chuck Wood. Chuck was on the jukebox of my regular pub in
the late seventies and I used to hammer it and the instrumental
version of 'Harlem Shuffle ". Believe me, they were not like
the usual sounds you heard there!
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2002 10:40:00 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Saturday Morning Playlist
The Spy - The Guys From Uncle
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. - The Gallants
Run Spy Run - Billy Strange
Goldfinger/Goldfinger Pt 2 - The John Barry Orchestra/Jimmy Smith
You Only Live Twice - Little Anthony and the Imperials
Sock It To Em JB pt 2 - Rex Garvin
007 - Count Basie and his Orchestra
The James Bond Theme - Danny Davis
I Spy For the FBI - Jamo Thomas
Secret Agent Man - Mel Torme
Mission Impossible - The Billy May Orchestra
Secret Agents - The Olympics
Agent 34 24 38 - Mamie Galore
Come Spy With Me - Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
Agent OO Soul - Edwin Starr / The John Schroeder Orchestra
The Silencer - Chuck Jackson
Agent for Love - The Girls From Uncle
You Only Live Twice - Lorraine Chandler
Soul Bossa Nova - Pretty Purdie
Windy - Shades Of Brass
Fly Me To The Moon - Julie London
Spinning Wheel Pt 1- James Brown
Love For Sale - Henry Jerome And His Orchestra
Pulsation - Sonny Lester
Knowing When To Leave - Dionne Warwick
Good byee - Peter Cook and Dudley Moore
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Message: 10
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2002 10:35:37 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Simon's Saturday Morning Playlist
Simon,
For the ultimate in girl-group-goes-spy, you just gotta
hear the Kane Triplets' vocal version of "Theme From Mission
Impossible" on U.A! Definitely one for you!
This post will self-destruct in 20 seconds..........
Ian
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