________________________________________________________________________
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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 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. No, no, no, no
From: Phil Milstein
2. Twinkle's Terry
From: Phil Milstein
3. No, no, no, no, yes!
From: Simon White
4. No more
From: Phil Chapman
5. Re: Twinkle's Terry
From: Mick Patrick
6. Re: Alzo & Uddin
From: Jeffrey Glenn
7. Re: Twinkle's Terry
From: Mark Frumento
8. Re: Reality Check -- "Girl Groups" Is Not "War and Peace"
From: Simon White
9. Re: Alzo and Uddin
From: Stuffed Animal
10. Pussy Galore (Part Two)
From: Stuffed Animal
11. Lala Brooks' 60s solo single
From: Ian Chapman
12. DCP label
From: Simon White
13. Re: Alzo and Uddin
From: "zombie7123"
14. Re: Alzo & Uddin
From: zombie7123
15. Re: Lala Brooks / Patrice Holloway
From: David Bell
16. Re: Na more
From: Mark Frumento
17. Re: Reality Check -- "Girl Groups" Is Not "War and Peace"
From: David Bell
18. Connie Stevens
From: Martin Roberts
19. Re: No, no, no, no
From: zombie7123
20. Josie/Patrice Holloway
From: Ian Chapman
21. Re: the Complete La La Brooks
From: Mick Patrick
22. Down-downs
From: Ian Chapman
23. Re: HONEY BEES / ROCKY FELLERS / CAROLE KING
From: Mike C
24. Astrud Gilberto single
From: Ian Chapman
25. Re: No, no, no, no
From: Simon White
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 09:09:05 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: No, no, no, no
Previously:
> yet strangely exhilarating. (It also, I believe, holds the
> record for the most "down"s in the lyrics of any song.)
It'd have to go a long way to top The Beatles' "I'm Down." At times I
think they even use it as a nonsense syllable.
> Speaking of which: has it ever been resolved which song
> has the most "No"s: "Land of 1,000 Dances" by Cannibal &
> the Headhunters, or "Break Away" by Irma Thomas/Jackie De
> Shannon? I suppose the answer must be well-known.
"Nobody But Me"'s got to be way up there.
--Phil Milstein
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 19:42:01 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Twinkle's Terry
I think it's about time I upgraded my weak-signalled cassette dub of
Twinkle's "Terry." Can anyone tell me if it's currently in print in a
well-mastered edition? Some sort of Twinkle collection would be
especially welcome ... if one exists.
--Phil Milstein
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 16:27:26 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: No, no, no, no, yes!
Before:
> Speaking of which: has it ever been resolved which song
> has the most "No"s: "Land of 1,000 Dances" by Cannibal &
> the Headhunters, or "Break Away" by Irma Thomas/Jackie De
> Shannon? I suppose the answer must be well-known.
I think there's a good chance it's The Human Beinz version of the Isley
Brothers' "Nobody But Me". But I ain't gonna count 'em, oh no no no no no no no
no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no oh no no no no no
no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no oh no no no
no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no oh no
no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
oh no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
no no oh no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
no no no no oh no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
no no no no no no oh no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
no no no no no no no no oh no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
no no no no no no no no no no oh no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
no no no no no no no no no no no no oh no no no no no no no no no no no no no
no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 16:31:17 -0000
From: Phil Chapman
Subject: No more
Simon White wrote:
> I think there's a good chance it's The Human Beinz version
> of the Isley Brothers' "Nobody But Me". But I ain't gonna
> count 'em, oh no no no no no no no....etc
Simon, ...you need to 'no' this:
Nobody But Me (Isley Brothers) - 33
Nobody But Me (Human Beinz) - 60
Break-A-Way (Irma Thomas) - 62
Break-A-Way (Tracey Ullman) - 70
Land Of 1000 Dances - 76 ("na"s)
But, so far, the outright winner is "No No No" by the
Voices Of East Harlem, clocking up a hefty 283 "no"s in 3:55
Phil
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 16:46:25 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Twinkle's Terry
Phil Milstein wrote:
> I think it's about time I upgraded my weak-signalled cassette dub of
> Twinkle's "Terry." Can anyone tell me if it's currently in print in
> a well-mastered edition? Some sort of Twinkle collection would be
> especially welcome ... if one exists.
A cassette copy of "Terry"?? Poor deprived baby! The remedy? Order
yourself a copy of Twinkle's "Golden Lights - Special Edition" UK RPM
505 - 24 music tracks (one of them sung in German and several
previously unissued), one video track, foldout inlay with interview +
discography, yada yada yada. And, hey, it even includes my theme
song, "Micky", with the great Doris Troy leading the back-up vocalists.
Heaven in a digipack.
Click below to view a full tracklist:
http://www.rpmrecords.co.uk
and/or here
http://www.cherryred.co.uk
MICK PATRICK
PS: Has anyone out there got Twinkle's French-language recordings?
I'm just so gagging to hear them!
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 10:15:26 -0700
From: Jeffrey Glenn
Subject: Re: Alzo & Uddin
> ... "Sitting in the Park" is relentlessly cheerful and upbeat, yet somehow
> with an ironic sinister undertone. "So Down" is the opposite: completely
> negative, yet strangely exhilarating.
So, are you able to play these to musica? Please? These sound great!
Jeff
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 18:35:59 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Twinkle's Terry
Phil Milstein wrote:
> I think it's about time I upgraded my weak-signalled cassette dub
> of Twinkle's "Terry." Can anyone tell me if it's currently in print
> in a well-mastered edition?
MIck Patrick wrote:
> The remedy? Order yourself a copy of Twinkle's "Golden Lights -
> Special Edition" UK RPM 505.
Yes the digipack on RPM is wonderful and the sound for the most part
is, as always, great. I don't have the CD in front of me but I seem
to remember that there were some long lost 70s or 80s tracks that
sound as if the source was in bad shape but even those tracks are
worth a listen.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 19:54:30 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: Reality Check -- "Girl Groups" Is Not "War and Peace"
John Clemente wrote:
> I hope "Girl Groups" served the purpose for which it was intended.
John, it does. That is all anyone even vaugely interested needs to
know really!
Simon White.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 19:03:41 +0000
From: Stuffed Animal
Subject: Re: Alzo and Uddin
"Alzo" according to the BMI database, is Alfred Affrunti. I believe he
later shortened his name to "Alzo Fronte" and recorded as a solo act in the
1980s. "Uddin" is Ali Noor Uddi (note the spelling), according to the same
source. This same duo recorded for Steed as The Keepers Of The Light.
Their release, "And I Don't Want Your Love" b/w "My Babe" was actually the
first single ever released on Jeff Barry's label. Needless to say, both the
Keepers and Alzo and Uddin singles were Jeff Barry productions.
Stuffed Animal
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 19:37:48 +0000
From: Stuffed Animal
Subject: Pussy Galore (Part Two)
Even though Capitol Creative Products (in collaboration with
Kellogg's Cereals) issued four different Josie & The Pussycats
singles which were available by mailorder, Capitol Records
proper only ever released two singles by the group. However,
there are Josie & The Pussycats-related singles on Capitol.
These were released in 1970 and '71, and helmed by the same
production team of Danny Janssen and Bobby Young (AKA Bob
Engemann of The Lettermen). What follows is a list of Capitol
45s anybody who craves a complete Josie singles collection
will need:
Capitol 2899
Knock, Knock Who's There? (John Carter-Geoff Stephens)
b/w Lovin' Blues (Danny Janssen-Sue Steward)
SUE STEWARD
Both sides are in stereo. Sue Steward was the vocal arranger
for Josie and The Pussycats, as well as co-writer of most of
their songs. She also lent an additional backing voice to
their recordings. Neither side is particularly memorable.
Capitol 2967
Every Beat Of My Heart (Danny Janssen-Bobby Hart)
b/w It's All Right With Me (Danny Janssen-Sue Steward)
JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS
The A-side is monaural, the B-side is stereo. A fake stereo
version of the A-side appears on the Josie and The Pussycats
album (all together now . . . UGH!). The flip only appears
on this single. Patrice Holloway takes the lead on both sides.
Capitol 3045
You've Come A Long Way, Baby (Danny Janssen-Bobby Hart)
b/w Stop, Look And Listen (Danny Janssen-Sue Steward)
JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS
Both sides are monaural. This funky two-sider is arguably the
best of the Josie singles. Patrice Holloway does the honors
again on both.
Capitol 3176
That's The Chance You Gotta Take
(John Baer-Kenny Morris-Eddie Singleton)
b/w Evidence (George Jackson-Ray Moore)
PATRICE HOLLOWAY
Both sides are monaural. From this point, production credits
go to Danny Janssen, Bobby Engemann and Clarence MacDonald.
Capitol plugged the wrong side! George Jackson wrote pop hits
for the Osmonds, but ironically, Eddie Singleton's "That's
The Chance..." is the song with all the pop/soul flavoring.
"Evidence," by contrast, takes Patrice squarely into Honey
Cone territory.
Capitol 3265
Black Mother Goose (Sid Jacobson-Lou Stallman)
PATRICE HOLLOWAY
The same song is on both sides, one in stereo and one in
monaural. My copy is a promo, and there may not have actually
been a commercial release. However, snatch and grab this gem
if you ever happen across it. A Black Pride song for children,
written by two Jewish gentlemen!!! Patrice sings the s**t out
of it!
From 1978 on, of course, there are Capitol singles and albums
by Cheryl Ladd, Josie and The Pussycats' other lead vocalist.
These don't have Janssen and Young involvement though, and
should be considered Pussycats-related only in a marginal sense.
Stuffed Animal
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 19:41:37 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Lala Brooks' 60s solo single
David A. Young wrote:
> ......Meanwhile, I thought that Lala completists who aren't
> already aware of it might like to know that she (beautifully)
> handles lead vocals on one song on a 1999 various-artists
> Christmas CD ponderously entitled "Ann Ruckert Presents Home
> for the Holidays: A Multi-Cultural Celebration of Christmas,
> Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah."
Another one that LaLa Brooks completists may or may not be
aware of is her Nov. '69 solo single cut as Sakinah for
United Artists. The A-side, "Dead End" is from "Hair", and
features LaLa in full-on rock/gospel mode, while the flip,
"Spring In December" (the better side IMO) is a philosophical
ballad about recollections of younger days and is a fine
showcase of her prowess as a soul vocalist.
A world away from the Crystals' records, but hey....it's *her!*
Ian
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 21:10:33 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: DCP label
Does anyone have a discography for the DCP label?
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 20:13:29 -0000
From: "zombie7123"
Subject: Re: Alzo and Uddin
Stuffed Animal wrote:
> "Alzo" according to the BMI database, is Alfred Affrunti....
> "Uddin" is Ali Noor Uddi (note the spelling), according to
> the same source. ... Needless to say, both the Keepers and
> Alzo and Uddin singles were Jeff Barry productions.
Thanks for the good info, which seems to confirm that "Uddin"
was and is the correct spelling for this group (i.e. as the
stage name for Uddi). But my original question still remains
unanswered: why then are they spelled as "Alzo & Udine" on
various CDs and on various Web sites (including past postings
on Spectropop!)? I have never once seen it spelled correctly.
Or did later releases have this different spelling? I still
have my suspicions that it's a sloppy misspelling that has been
slavishly copied over and over, since so few people have ever
actually seen one of the original singles.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 20:20:05 -0000
From: zombie7123
Subject: Re: Alzo & Uddin
> ... "Sitting in the Park" is relentlessly cheerful and
> upbeat, yet somehow with an ironic sinister undertone.
> "So Down" is the opposite: completely negative, yet
> strangely exhilarating
Mark:
> So, are you able to play these to musica? Please?
> These sound great!
Hmmm -- I'm not exactly sure what "play these to musica"
means or refers to, but whatever it is, I'm pretty sure
I can't do it. I have a low tech setup - old turntable
and older speakers - and I don't even have a CD player.
I would have no idea how to convert a vinyl single into
an mp3 file (if that's what you're asking for);
that's way beyond my technical know-how. Sorry!
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 16:35:20 EDT
From: David Bell
Subject: Re: Lala Brooks / Patrice Holloway
I try to be a LaLa completist but I never seem to quite
get there! I've ordered the Holiday cd from Amazon.co.uk
but have to wait between 3 and 5 weeks for it. Can either
or both of the Sakinah tracks be played to musica? It's
probably my only chance of ever hearing them.
I have a regular issue of Patrice Holloway's "Black Mother
Goose" but the choice of B side is a little disappointing
as it's "That's The Chance You Gotta Take", previously
issued on Capitol 3176.
David
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 20:38:21 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Na more
Phil Chapman wrote:
> Land Of 1000 Dances - 76 ("na"s)
Does it have to be "na" as in the "no" version of "na"
or can it be "na" as in "sha-na-na"?
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 16:46:02 EDT
From: David Bell
Subject: Re: Reality Check -- "Girl Groups" Is Not "War and Peace"
Well, you certainly have my approval for your book, John.
I've been a girl group fan since 1962 and yours is certainly
the most informative book on the subject that I've ever read.
Keep up the good work and try to track down more of our
favourite girls. The Baby Jane and the Rockabyes article and
photos are such a welcome supplement to your original book and
I'm hoping that you will eventually track down Mary Thomas to
give us the story of the Butterflys (that spelling irks me as
I'm an English language teacher).
David
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 21:59:22 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Connie Stevens
Back in the mists of time, March 31st 2001, while adding
suggested girly-type 'must haves' by Connie Stevens to
Jack Madani's list, I suggested (among others) a track I
only had on CD, "Little Miss-Understood". Writing credits
Botkin/Garfield, but no producer or arranger credits on the
Japanese CD.
I've just got a copy of the 45, arranged - for those among us
who MUST know these things - (as if we couldn't have guessed)
Perry Botkin Jr., who also arranged the B side "There Goes
Your Guy", written by Tipton/Cole, which is pretty fab also.
Martin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 21:17:04 -0000
From: zombie7123
Subject: Re: No, no, no, no
I originally wrote re. Alzo & Uddin's "So Down":
> It also, I believe, holds the record for the most "down"s
> in the lyrics of any song....
Phil Milstein:
> It'd have to go a long way to top The Beatles' "I'm Down."
> At times I think they even use it as a nonsense syllable.
OK, I've just listened to both songs repeatedly, and carefully
noted the number of "down"s in each. You are correct! The final
all-inclusive tally is:
The Beatles' "I'm Down": 60 "downs"
Alzo & Uddin's "So Down": 36 "downs"
BUT, there are a few extenuating circumstances that leave the
record in doubt: In "I'm Down," there are only 24 "downs" in
the normal body of the song; this is followed by a long,
drawn-out fadeout that contains 26 repetitive additional "downs";
and finally, at the end, John blurts out about 10 "downs" in
rapid succession a couple seconds before the song ends.
In contrast, ALL 36 "downs" in "So Down" are in the main body
of the song, without any tacked on bonus "downs" in any sort of
outro. Also, "So Down" is only 2'11", and has more "downs" per
minute of actual singing.
So, unless someone comes up with a better entry that beats
both of these, I'd have to declare "I'm Down" the technical
winner for most "downs" in a song, and "So Down" the winner of
the titles "Most 'downs' in the actual body of the lyrics" and
"Most 'downs' per minute of singing."
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 21:38:47 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Josie/Patrice Holloway
Stuffed Animal wrote about......
> ...... a list of Capitol 45s anybody who craves a complete
> Josie singles collection will need:
Thanks for the Josie listings, S.A. Didn't know about the
Sue Steward single, but it looks like it's a cover of the Mary
Hopkin hit that was the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest
for 1970.
Patrice Holloway's great "Black Mother Goose" did indeed get
a commercial release, with the official flip being, once
again, "That's The Chance You Gotta Take". Sam Nesbit first
did "Black Mother Goose" on Amos a year before Patrice's
version, while the post-Cissy Houston Sweet Inspirations did
a blistering version of "Evidence" in the same year as Patrice,
1971.
We should mention Patrice's earlier Capitol 45s too:
"Stolen Hours"/"Lucky My Boy" 5680 ('66)
"Love & Desire"/"Ecstasy" 5778 ('67)
"Stay With Your Own Kind"/"That's All You Got To Do" 5985 ('67)
All of these titles will be well-known to followers of UK
northern soul, where Patrice enjoys somewhat legendary status.
If you want to go back even earlier, there's her first release
"Do The Del-Viking" (Pts 1 & 2) for the Taste label in '63.
And more recently, the tracks she cut for Motown in the 60s
have started to surface, such as "For The Love Of Mike", on
the Debutante collection "This Is Northern Soul Vol. 2".
Did this girl ever make a bad record?
Ian
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 22:58:42 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: the Complete La La Brooks
Hi,
Methinks anyone out there intent on amassing a complete
La La Brooks collection had better prepare themselves for a
few albums by her former husband Idris Muhammad. As I type I
am listening to the funky drummer's recording "Brother You
Know You're Doing Wrong", a vocal track featuring a very
soulful lead by La La throughout. It's contained on the various
artists CD "Living In The Streets" (BGP - CDBGPD 130, 1999).
The track is plucked from an LP issued on Prestige PR 10036
in 1973, the title of which is unknown to me. Sakinah/La La
probably sang on numerous other Idris Muhammad tracks.
Anyone?
MICK PATRICK
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 22:10:45 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Down-downs
zombie7123 wrote:
> So, unless someone comes up with a better entry that beats
> both of these, I'd have to declare "I'm Down" the technical
> winner for most "downs" in a song, and "So Down" the winner of
> the titles "Most 'downs' in the actual body of the lyrics" and
> "Most 'downs' per minute of singing."
Yeah, but the BEST "downs" ever still belong to the Shangri-Las
on "Leader of the Pack" - even if there are only two of 'em!
Runners-up: Dandee Dawson & the Gingersnaps with
"The Sh-Down Down Song"
Ian
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 22:09:51 -0000
From: Mike C
Subject: Re: HONEY BEES / ROCKY FELLERS / CAROLE KING
Oh YES! I own "Girl Groups Fab Females.." by John Clemente.
And oh yes, I believe that The Cookies weren't involved with
"Some Of Your Lovin'" if Margaret Ross says so. I wonder if
Carole King would remember or say that it was just another
project......
Confirmation of the Rocky Fellers 'bonus' track as being them
is great, but I swear that's King singing. The demo of the
demo? Those "ohs" are hers. Nobody else sounds like that.
This is the perfect time and place for me to give John Clemente
a big THANK YOU after reading his post about his book. I comb
through it all the time. You can't see it, but there it is,
right there, sitting beside that box of gg cds. The book isn't
the problem. It's great! Thank you, John C. It's that box of
girl group cds that is a problem. That box doesn't have "Where
The Girls Are Vol. 5" in it and I'm having such a devil of a
time not being able to do "The Harlem Tango" with a tid bit about
who THOSE girls were. When, Mick, when?
Mike C.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 22:24:33 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Astrud Gilberto single
Here's a nice little 45 I picked up recently which must surely
be the ultimate in Girl-Group Sophistication: Latin ice-maiden
Astrud Gilberto produced by the Tokens on a medley of the
Fleetwoods' "Come Softly To Me" and the Mystics' "Hushabye".
This unlikely combination works amazingly well – Astrud's
subtle delivery is perfect for these songs (she does all the
vocal parts). And the harps are straight out of the Chiffons'
intro to "Tonight I'm Gonna Dream". Classy, cool and played to
musica for your pleasure. Issued on Verve in 1968.
Ian
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 25
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 00:00:07 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: No, no, no, no
zombie7123 wrote:
> So, unless someone comes up with a better entry that beats
> both of these, I'd have to declare "I'm Down" the technical
> winner for most "downs" in a song, and "So Down" the winner of
> the titles "Most 'downs' in the actual body of the lyrics" and
> "Most 'downs' per minute of singing."
I really don't want to get involved in this and it might be out
of the Spectropop 'oeuvre' [isn't that French for eggs?] but
Status Quo did do a song called "Down Down", which contains a
quite unwarranted number of "downs" in it.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
End
