Spectropop - Digest Number 631

• From: Spectropop Group
• Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002

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______________        S  P  E  C  T  R  O  P  O  P        ______________
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                        Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
                  http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
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There are 14 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Re: Stones Documentary
           From: Richard Tearle 
      2. Re: Val Valentin
           From: Jack Madani 
      3. Re: And Your Bird Can Sing
           From: Richard Havers 
      4. Re: the Honey Bees
           From: John Clemente 
      5. Bert Berns
           From: Bill Reed 
      6. Re: Top Instrumental Hit?
           From: james botticelli 
      7. Re: the Honey Bees
           From: Mick Patrick 
      8. Re: Wedding music
           From: james botticelli 
      9. Nick DeCaro
           From: Martin Roberts 
     10. Re: Stones Documentary
           From: Peter Lerner 
     11. Nooney Rickett (was instrumentals, multi-charters, garage & more)
           From: Jeff Lemlich 
     12. Re: Commercial freakout continued
           From: Phil Chapman 
     13. Re: Wedding music
           From: Peter Lerner 
     14. Re: Bert Berns
           From: Mick Patrick 


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Message: 1
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 14:02:31 -0000
   From: Richard Tearle 
Subject: Re: Stones Documentary

Previously:
> ...Stone's Wives Documentary...it was claimed that Lennon's "And Your Bird 
> Can Sing" was written by him because he was p****d off about Mick Jagger 
> boasting about Marianne Faithfull. Any thoughts? Or any other 'stories behind
> the songs'?

This story was new to me too, I have to admit. The first two lines certainly 
make sense, but are they facts to fit a theory? I don't recall the name of the 
guy who said it as I was only half watching it. I've posed the same question in 
a number of groups, but one of my group members suggests there may be a 'sub 
text' regarding the Lennon/Jagger friendship...

Cheers,

Richard



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Message: 2
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 10:28:15 -0400
   From: Jack Madani 
Subject: Re: Val Valentin

Previously:
> I'm curious about the man known as Val Valentin, director of engineering on 
> so many great albums on MGM, Verve, Forecast and others.

Gregg, funny you should mention Val Valentin just as I was playing a Lou
Christie recording to musica.  It's a cover of "Always Something There To
Remind Me", the leadoff track from the MGM album "Lightning Strikes".  Side 1 
was all covers, and Side 2 was all Lou originals.  Val Valentin is listed as 
the director of engineering on the album.

There's a couple other tracks from this album that I hope to play to musica, 
once a little more space opens up there; I have a couple of questions and a 
comment or two about Lou that I want to bring up.

jack



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Message: 3
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 16:58:51 +0100
   From: Richard Havers 
Subject: Re: And Your Bird Can Sing

Previously:
> ...Stone's Wives Documentary...it was claimed that Lennon's "And Your Bird 
> Can Sing" was written by him because he was p****d off about Mick Jagger
> boasting about Marianne Faithfull. Any thoughts?

I think much more likely is it was Lennon having a Dylanesque moment!

Richard



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Message: 4
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 12:35:21 -0400
   From: John Clemente 
Subject: Re: the Honey Bees

Hello All,

While doing my research for Girl Groups, I listened to "Please Be My Boyfriend" 
over the phone (thanks, Rudy).  The intonation was like Barbara's, so I assumed 
it was.  When I finally received a copy on tape (after the book came out 
[darn], of not one, but two different vocalists singing the lead, I thought 
differently.  I played the tape for Dee Dee and she said it is not them.  There 
are only three vocalists on "Boyfriend", La La not among them.  

The Cookies, at first, thought their backgrounds were on "Some Of Your Lovin'", 
but Margaret said, upon closer listening to a tape I sent her, that she doesn't 
think so.  I will now swear, however, that the "preferred" lead on "Boyfriend" 
is the same lead on "Some Of Your Lovin'".  Just who is this mysterious trio of 
young girls?  Maybe the Lovelites?  I asked Louise and she said that they never 
did any demos for Gerry Goffin.  Maybe it was the trio of junior high school 
kids (two girls and a boy)? The gentleman was the one who wrote in to 
Spectropop a few months ago to say that one of the girls had passed.  He (I'm 
sorry, his name escapes me) also said "no".  This is a tough one.

John Clemente



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Message: 5
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 16:31:17 -0000
   From: Bill Reed 
Subject: Bert Berns

In today's (10/13/02) issue of the L.A. Times there is a profile of 
writer-producer-performer Bert (Twist and Shout) Berns. An article 
about the new Berns tribute album, The Heart and Soul of.  . ..

Bill Reed
http://www.pinkywinters.com




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Message: 6
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 13:43:48 -0400
   From: james botticelli 
Subject: Re: Top Instrumental Hit?

Terrie Neilson wrote:
> Of the instrumentals listed in this post, the only
> ones that seem to get played on my oldies stations and
> other stations that run oldies-themed programming are
> Classical Gas and Love Is Blue.

Neglected but great: The Beach Boys "Summer Means New Love"



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Message: 7
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 18:32:15 +0100
   From: Mick Patrick 
Subject: Re: the Honey Bees

Stuffed Animal:
> ...it must also be said that Barbara Alston never really 
> got her "props". Can anyone confirm that Barbara is the 
> lead vocalist on The Honey Bees' single "Some Of Your Lovin'"
> /"You Turn Me On, Boy"?

Hello,

I just listened to each side of the 45 and, you know what Don, 
I think you could well be right. Isn't Dee Dee of the Crystals 
still claiming that it was the real Crystals who sang "He's A 
Rebel", not Darlene Love & the Blossoms? What bollocks! I think 
I'd rather ask another member of the group about the mysterious 
Honey Bees' single. Incidentally (I use that word as a euphemism 
for if anyone cares), on listening to Carole King's own version 
of "Some Of Your Lovin'", it suddenly struck me that she and Gerry 
Goffin probably wrote the song with the great Betty Everett in mind.

Mick - Mick, Bo - Bick, Banana...oh never mind!



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Message: 8
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 13:54:19 -0400
   From: james botticelli 
Subject: Re: Wedding music

Keith Beach wrote:
> my point is that there isn't one particular track or type 
> of music that is guaranteed to get people on the dance floor.

Y'oughta visit the states and see the magic wrought by Y.M.C.A.  
For tales of DJ ribaldry see "Last Night A DJ Shaved My Wife" 
by visiting http://www.weeklydig.com and typing in Cleve...
It's a column about the hazards of DJ-ing for John Q Public!
-- 

Jimmy Botticelli
Taking The E-Z...Way Out!



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Message: 9
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 19:04:15 +0100
   From: Martin Roberts 
Subject: Nick DeCaro

Nick DeCaro: Big In Japan by Bill Reed: 
http://www.spectropop.com/NickDeCaro/index.htm

Thanks to Bill Reed for his verbal and pictorial portrait 
of the later years of Nick DeCaro. A look at the list of 
folk he worked with is very impressive, seeing all the 
names reminds me of how many of my favourite records bear 
the 'arr Nick DeCaro" credit.



Sure sounds like he must have died a contented man, knowing 
his music would live on. I'd guess Bill's next job would be 
to carry on promoting the musical legacy Nick has left us.

Congratulations Bill, on your article and good luck with 
more in the future!

Martin



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Message: 10
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 19:42:09 +0100
   From: Peter Lerner 
Subject: Re: Stones Documentary

Richard commented about the excellent Stones' wives 
documentary and asked who the journalist was who told the 
"And your bird can sing" story.

> The music journalist (if my memory serves me who quoted the 
> story) was unknown to me.......did anyone else catch it?

It was Keith Altham, who used to write for the NME when 
I was a lad! Quite a character. And so is Kenny Lynch, 
for that matter.

Peter



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Message: 11
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 22:44:30 -0000
   From: Jeff Lemlich 
Subject: Nooney Rickett (was instrumentals, multi-charters, garage & more)

Country Paul wrote:
> Jeff Lemlich: thanks for the Joni Lyman note. 
>Now, who is Nooney Rickett? I remember seeing a record 
> under the name Nooney Rickett Pure (on Capitol, I
> think). Was that a group name? I always thought he was 
> Mr. Pure, if the name was even real.

I interviewed Nooney Rickett in the 80s for an article that I never 
got around to writing.   I don't have the transcript in front of me, 
but I remember a lot of it, and have the notes from my discography, 
so here goes:

His real name is Norman Rickett.  He had a brother who couldn't 
pronounce Norman and called him "Noo Noo" -- which is how he came to 
be called Nooney.

He is a proud Hoosier, originally from Indiana.   Rickett moved out 
to California, which is where he did most of his recording.

His first record, released in April 1960, was strongly influenced by 
Conway Twitty:
MGM 12889   Heaven On Earth/Trying To Forget

His second record came four years later:
20th Century Fox 500  Bye, Bye Love/In The Swim

Nooney's group was doing the Swim in California clubs before Bobby 
Freeman picked up on it.

The Nooney Rickett IV appeared in two movies in 1964 - 1965:

(64) PAJAMA PARTY (American International)
Nooney & band perform two instrumentals, and are shown backing Donna 
Loren on "Among The Young" and Annette on "Pajama Party".  Nooney 
told me he was surprised to see Annette smoking cigarettes!

(65) WINTER-A-GO-GO (Columbia Pictures)
Nooney & band perform "Do The Ski (With Me)" and "Ski City".  They 
are shown backing Joni Lyman on "King Of The Mountain", and The 
Reflections on "I'm Sweet On You".

The core of the group at this time was Nooney Rickett, Tom Funk, Kent 
Dunbar, and Tommy Poole.   Sax player Funk was formerly with the 
touring version of the Hollywood Argyles.

Nooney's third record was issued in November 1965:

Dimension 1051   Maybe The Last Time/Bye Bye Baby

His next two records were released on the IT label.   "What Makes A 
Dance", "Player, Play On", and "Tomorrow Is A Brand New Day" have all 
gone on to receive Northern soul plays.   

Rickett later moved on to Capitol, for two recordings as NOONEY 
RICKETT & PURE, both issued in 1969.   He became reacquainted with 
Arthur Lee and did some recording with the newer Love line-ups.   
Some members of his old group became involved in the Baha'i faith.  
In the 80s he was part of a duo with his (then) wife known as "Nooney 
and Cricket Rickett".   No, I'm not making that up!

Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com



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Message: 12
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 23:27:27 -0000
   From: Phil Chapman 
Subject: Re: Commercial freakout continued

Neil Hever wrote:
> I wonder, does anybody else think about the irony of 
> this stuff.  A song about global warming used to sell 
> cars

Talking of ironic uses - full marks to whoever allowed
"Wouldn't It Be Nice" to be used in the film "Roger And
Me", as a backdrop to scenes of urban deprivation in 
Flint, Michegan resulting from General Motors' plant 
closures.

Phil



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Message: 13
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 19:43:38 +0100
   From: Peter Lerner 
Subject: Re: Wedding music

Yeah, but "Dancing Queen" by Abba always works. Believe me, Keith.

Peter
 




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Message: 14
   Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 21:20:17 +0100
   From: Mick Patrick 
Subject: Re: Bert Berns

Bill Reed:
> In today's (10/13/02) issue of the L.A. Times there is a profile of 
> writer-producer-performer Bert (Twist and Shout) Berns. An article 
> about the new Berns tribute album, The Heart and Soul of.....

Hi,

Those who admire the late Bert Berns as much as I do might care to know 
that the complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.calendarlive.com/cl-ca-hilburn13oct13,0,7786819.story

Thanks to Bill for the heads up (whatever that means) :-)

MICK PATRICK



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