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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 21 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Slow Fizz - Post-party!
From: Elisabeth
2. Billy Mitchell
From: Phil Milstein
3. Motown Musician Johnny Griffith Dies at 66
From: Neb Rodgers
4. Johnny Griffith, RIP
From: James F. Cassidy
5. Then He Kissed Me
From: Stuffed Animal
6. Neil Sedaka demos
From: Antonio Vizcarra
7. Re: Day Tripper, DC5
From: Peter McDonnell
8. RE: Johnny Griffith, RIP
From: Rik
9. Re: Day Tripper, DC5
From: Doug
10. Neil Sedaka Tonight On Biography
From: Alan Gordon
11. art? my 2 cents... how much is that in pence these days?
From: Alan Gordon
12. Re: Day Tripper, DC5
From: Richard Tearle
13. Re: Day Tripper, DC5
From: Phil Milstein
14. Re: Day Tripper, DC5
From: Steve Harvey
15. Re: art? my 2 cents... how much is that in pence these days?
From: Phil Milstein
16. Re: Day Tripper, DC5
From: Billy G Spradlin
17. Re: Singing Bodies
From: Bill George
18. Monkees demos
From: Phil Milstein
19. Dave Clark to the Max!
From: Steve Harvey
20. Re: Dave's 5 Hermits
From: Dave Swanson
21. new issue of "JACKIE"
From: Bill George
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 16:42:05 -0000
From: Elisabeth
Subject: Slow Fizz - Post-party!
Just wanted to post a big public thank you to everyone who
helped to make Slow Fizz a fantastic event.
Despite a stressful start due to extremely unlucky technical
problems, the genius of Phil saved the day and the party went
on to be a great night. Thank you to everyone who bought me
drinks to help me calm down!
Mick, Ian and Simon shared the decks with Declan Meehan
(Spectropop lurker I think!), Declan Allen and Tag. With 6
fabulous record collections like that on the go, I don't
think I stopped smiling and rushing off to the dance floor.
My vintage heels certainly took a battering that night!
Manning the door meant that I made sure I met just about
everyone who turned up (hello to Spectropoppers Ken & Janet
from Blackpool!), but it was especially wonderful when Carole
& her friend Michael arrived and kept me company - we got to
meet at long last and have a good old pop gossip.
Listings in City Life and the Guardian TV guide, oodles of
posters and flyers distributed throughout Manchester and Leeds
and plugs on suitable mailing lists meant we drew quite a good
crowd, with the venue humming away by the time I went on to do
my PA.
Thanks (again!) to Phil for also sorting out the backing tracks
and getting the equipment working - for those interested, the
songs were:
Felice Taylor - I Feel Love Coming On
Jackie Trent - Take Me Away
Breakways - That's How It Goes
Ronettes - Be My Baby
Felice Taylor - It May Be Winter Outside
Lisa (Mychols) - Lost Winter's Dream
The dance floor was rarely empty after that point, and I even
got to see Phil & Ian cut some rug.
Special extra thanks:
- Mick, for the sheet music scans - everyone raved about how
nice they made the room look.
- Carole, for videoing the night and bringing along *that*
Dusty miniskirt...
- Lisa M, who kindly sent me the correct lyrics so I could do
Lost Winter's Dream justice.
- Martin Roberts, who sent me good luck flowers since he & Sue
couldn't make it (such a lovely surprise!)
- Delia, for getting Slow Fizz into the listings.
- All my DJs!
Hope I haven't forgotten anyone or anything.
We'll be doing it again, but at a different venue - possibly
around Valentine's day. Watch this space!
elisabeth x
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 01:42:57 -0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Billy Mitchell
This came to me from a friend in Melbourne; not sure what
paper it originated in.
--Phil M.
------------------
Billy Mitchell, 71, a former singer with the Washington-based
rhythm-and-blues group the Clovers who was best known for his
rollicking rendition of "Love Potion No. 9," died Nov. 5 at
Washington Hospital Center after strokes. He had colon cancer.
------------------
[ The full story can be found in the articles area
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/articles ]
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 16:39:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Neb Rodgers
Subject: Motown Musician Johnny Griffith Dies at 66
We lost another great one over the weekend.
-Neb
-----------------------
Motown Musician Johnny Griffith Dies at 66
Sun Nov 10, 07 :11 PM ET
DETROIT (Reuters) - Johnny Griffith, a classically trained musician
who played keyboards on many Motown hits of the 1960s, died on Sunday
at age 66, his publicist said.
The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
------------------------
[ The full story can be found in the articles area
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/articles ]
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 12:10:52 -0500
From: James F. Cassidy
Subject: Johnny Griffith, RIP
Johnny Griffith, 66; helped provide the rhythm to Motown
By Los Angeles Times, 11/12/2002
LOS ANGELES - Johnny Griffith, a keyboard player with the Funk
Brothers, the highly skilled group of Detroit studio musicians who
helped create and define the legendary Motown sound, died of a heart
attack Sunday at a Detroit hospital. He was 66.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ The full story can be found in the articles area
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/articles ]
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 17:36:32 +0000
From: Stuffed Animal
Subject: Then He Kissed Me
Does anyone like the Sonny Bono arrangement of "Then He Kissed
Me" that he cut with Cher for their first album? I think it's
absolutely enchanting! Nobody can top La La Brooks singing this
number, but I actually prefer Sonny's arrangement to Jack Nitzsche's.
It just sounds more . . . romantic.
Stuffed Animal
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 20:30:29 +0100
From: Antonio Vizcarra
Subject: Neil Sedaka demos
Hi everybody
I have just bought the Neil Sedaka double cd from Brilltone
which includes some of his demos and I have to say it´s
excellent!!!
Fantastic versions of "My Best Friend Barbara", "We Had A
Good Thing Going"(later released by the Cyrkle) and especially
two takes of the Monkees' song "The Girl I Left Behind Me".
There are also some songs I had never heard which are also
really good.
Does anybody know if there are other demos of songs given
later to the Monkees on cd on the market? I would love to listen
to them :-)
All the best,
Antonio
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 12:51:33 -0800
From: Peter McDonnell
Subject: Re: Day Tripper, DC5
> Daytripper was about a prostitute.
> One of three hooker tunes the Fabs did.
If it's been established that "Day Tripper" is really not about
a prostitute, then I'd be curious about which were the other two
Fab tunes written about that subject...are you counting "Maggie
Mae" from Let It Be?
Alan Gordon:
> I must be in the minority here. But I have always really dug
> the DC5. I may be of Russian/Jewish background, but I always
> really liked that gestapo beat they had going on stuff like:
> "Bits and Pieces" and "Any Way You Want It". I also thought
> that "Because" was a great romantic slow dance song, still do
> ... great organ.
Regarding the influence of the DC5 on other rockers, I recall
reading a bit about Bruce Springsteen asking Dave Clark about
how he got that revved-up, stomping groove that they used in
"Any Way You Want It"...and then doing his version of it for
his epic rocker "Born To Run"...anybody else ever hear that one?
friscopedro
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 20:20:37 -0000
From: Rik
Subject: RE: Johnny Griffith, RIP
> LOS ANGELES - Johnny Griffith, a keyboard player with the Funk
> Brothers, the highly skilled group of Detroit studio musicians who
> helped create and define the legendary Motown sound, died of a heart
> attack Sunday at a Detroit hospital. He was 66.
Yes, and he was due to perform at the Roostertail that evening
in front of a specially invited audience at a pre- release
showing of "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" - a film all
about the Funk Brothers.
Rik
Editor - Chatbusters
The only monthly Motown magazine in the world!
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 22:02:13 -0000
From: Doug
Subject: Re: Day Tripper, DC5
Peter McDonnell wrote:
> Regarding the influence of the DC5 on other rockers, I recall
> reading a bit about Bruce Springsteen asking Dave Clark about
> how he got that revved-up, stomping groove that they used in
> "Any Way You Want It"...and then doing his version of it for
> his epic rocker "Born To Run"...anybody else ever hear that one?
Well, it's really not that far from Gary "U.S." Bonds (whom
Springsteen championed) to the DC5, is it?
Doug
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 14:26:44 -0800
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: Neil Sedaka Tonight On Biography
just a reminder :
A & E Biography tonight!!!
Neil Sedaka
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 15:31:00 -0800
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: art? my 2 cents... how much is that in pence these days?
TO: Phil Milstein Re: Music and emotion
Sorry I'm so late commenting on this.
First I have to say: Holy friggin' Moley!
What a fantastic commentary, Phil. I have pages upon pages
of my own, mostly tangential, meanderings on this subject.
I almost always think of "Chris In The Morning" from Northern
Exposure being the writers vehicle to explore thoughts like
these... great stuff.
> Book-length writing is, in a sense, the most stupid medium,
> being the only one that requires more than one sitting to
> complete.
I agree "almost" wholeheartedly (would that then be "holeheartedly?),
with most of your commentary, but I would never refer to Book-length
writing as stupid. What does "stupid" have to do with immersing
oneself in the lengthy emotional dissertations of Rilke, Shakespear,
Joyce, Stan Lee, et al? What does one's attention span have to do
with something being "stupid"? That seems obtuse reasoning to me...
no offense. Maybe I just misinterpreted.
> Dance requires nothing but one human body to achieve its
> effects, but how often do the remnant images of a dance once
> seen creep into the mind and take hold?"
With me? A lot. I get quite lost seeing the movements (and Music)
to Giselle in my mind... I'm sure I'm in the minority here.
And music is the same as dance to me, as it requires just one
instrument.
> The bidding would often get down as low as three or
> four notes, and I once saw a lady recognize Java in just
> one note!"
Actually that's impossible. All notes are relative, to most of
us humans without perfect pitch. No specific note is any different
than another note except in it's relationship to another. But of
course I'm sure you are actually speaking of situations regarding
more than one note. If someone is playing a recording of a popular
tune by a specific performer, even if it's only one note of the
melody, it "plays" other notes of the arrangement, even if these
"notes" are percussion and room ambience.
IMHO I generally define art as something that enlists the "observer"
in a metaphor. A metaphor being an image or idea that has no word...
which is by definition "ineffable." This includes writing, because
it's a string of words that creates the metaphor.
My own idea about music and it's power over the human soul, is that
it is in no small way, a bookmark in our lives. It makes the
complicated nature of our being just a little less complicated
for a moment.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 22:34:11 -0000
From: Richard Tearle
Subject: Re: Day Tripper, DC5
Peter McDonnell:
> If it's been established that "Day Tripper" is really not about
> a prostitute, then I'd be curious about which were the other two
> Fab tunes written about that subject...
The only song of which I know for certain was about a prostitute
is Norwegian Wood which John wrote after a 'visit' and was
terrified that Cynthia would find out. As for the other one
(or two) it's anybody's guess....
Cheers
Richard
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 17:10:35 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Day Tripper, DC5
> Regarding the influence of the DC5 on other rockers, I recall
> reading a bit about Bruce Springsteen asking Dave Clark about
> how he got that revved-up, stomping groove that they used in
> "Any Way You Want It"...and then doing his version of it for
> his epic rocker "Born To Run"...anybody else ever hear that one?
I read somewhere that the DC5 were a big influence on the MC5.
Could that be possible?
--Phil M.
(sorry Peter, I'm just havin fun not makin fun)
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 16:13:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Day Tripper, DC5
I thought that Norwegian Wood was about John trying to
pull Bridget Bardot.
I'm not convinced about Daytripper not being about a
hooker, but to each his own. The other two tunes are
Lady Madonna (wonders how she'll pay the rent) and
Maggie May (which was an old 'pool ditty they probably
heard growing up).
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 23:11:54 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: art? my 2 cents... how much is that in pence these days?
Alan Gordon wrote:
> First I have to say: Holy friggin' Moley!
Thank you for your response to my comments.
> I have pages upon pages
> of my own, mostly tangential, meanderings on this subject.
Which was pretty much what I went into this "dissertation"
with. At the risk of straining the attentions of S'poppers,
I posted it in part to help me sort out various strands of
disparate and inconclusive thoughts on the matter.
> I agree "almost" wholeheartedly (would that then be "holeheartedly?),
> with most of your commentary, but I would never refer to Book-length
> writing as stupid. What does "stupid" have to do with immersing
> oneself in the lengthy emotional dissertations of Rilke, Shakespear,
> Joyce, Stan Lee, et al?
I meant it purely as a provocative point in the context of
the (obviously absurd) comparison to other art forms. Books
of course have charms for which the other forms can but
yearn, but the more-than-one-sitting factor has always
struck me as something of an oddity -- which, by my
accounting, is far from an undesirable description -- among
the arts.
> Actually that's impossible. All notes are relative, to most of
> us humans without perfect pitch. No specific note is any different
> than another note except in it's relationship to another.
Call it a lucky guess, then? Aw, you caught me in a moment
of self-amusing hyperbole. But I definitely do recall a
small handful of very impressive stabs at naming that tune
in two notes. Given the success of several gameshow revivals
in recent years, I propose that it is high time for the
return of Name That Tune!
> My own idea about music and it's power over the human soul, is that
> it is in no small way, a bookmark in our lives. It makes the
> complicated nature of our being just a little less complicated
> for a moment.
But in what way does that make it unique among the arts?
--Phil Milstein
(You're welcome to continue this thread off-list, Alan, if
you feel we're in danger of losing the group's patience on
it.)
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 05:07:48 -0000
From: Billy G Spradlin
Subject: Re: Day Tripper, DC5
Phil Milstein:
> Regarding the influence of the DC5 on other rockers, I recall
> reading a bit about Bruce Springsteen asking Dave Clark about
> how he got that revved-up, stomping groove that they used in
> "Any Way You Want It"...and then doing his version of it for
> his epic rocker "Born To Run"...anybody else ever hear that one
Ken Barnes mentioned this meeting in the liner notes to
Hollywood's "History of the Dave Clark 5" compilation - no
mention of when it happened. He also mentions the band's
influence on Max Wienberg, and (gasp!) Alex and Eddie Van Halen.
BTW anyone who thinks the DC5 made lousy records should check out
this 2-CD compilation (if they can find it, Collectors Choice music
may still have a few copies left on their website). Also check out
the movie "Having a Wild Weekend", which was the first film directed
by John Boorman and much better than most of the teenage movies
featuring rock groups of that era.
Billy
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 00:49:25 EST
From: Bill George
Subject: Re: Singing Bodies
Phil C :
> OK Bill, sing along AYOR. [Singing Bodies - "What Am I
> Gonna Do With You (Hey Baby)]. Not for the faint-hearted.
Yikes! I don't think they could hear the track very well....
thanks for playing. It's actually quite a lot of fun :)
-Bill
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 23:34:12 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Monkees demos
To whomever was asking for Monkees demos, although it wasn't
technically a demo I could play (to musica) The Gamma Goochee's
version of I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog. As noted here recently, this
version preexisted The Monkees', and may even have used the same
tracks.
While revisiting The Gamma Goochee, I note that one of John
Mangiagli's pre-G.G. incarnations was as Johnny Donn who, with
The Jazzrockers, released a 45 of Smog b/w What Happened
Last Night (Crest 1058).
--Phil M.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 16:16:38 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Dave Clark to the Max!
Don't forget that Max Weinberg thought enough of Dave
Clark to put him in his book on drummers.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 19:39:21 -0500
From: Dave Swanson
Subject: Re: Dave's 5 Hermits
Huh. I am assuming those of you who are blacklisting the DC5
and The Hermits from your ears have never actually listened to
either group. There is a load of great records between these
two combos. So Dave Clark didn't play drums on the records;
So they were hated by Graham Nash (according the that Vanity
Fair article); So what. I'll take "Glad All Over" over "Marakesh
Express" any day of the week. The DC5 made some of thee most
killer 45s of the era hands down! You find a more sonic assault
than "Anyway You Want It"! That record alone is enough to love
'em. "Try Too Hard", "Doctor Rhythm", "Glad All Over", "Catch
Us If You Can", "Havin A Wild Weekend"! Not to mention more
obscure ones like "Maze Of Love", "All Night Long" or "Inside
And Out". All solid killers! I'll stack those up against not
only the British Invasion bands records but those are some of
the best 45s of the 1960s! The sonic quality of an old Epic 45
is something to behold! As for The Hermits, give another listen
to "No Milk Today", "Hold On", "Take Love Give Love" or the
obscure killer "My Reservation's Been Confirmed" and then tell
me they were all crap! Sure The Hermits had a lot of twee and
beyond wimpy nonsense, but there are some great records between
the sap.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 00:49:22 EST
From: Bill George
Subject: new issue of "JACKIE"
Just a heads-up that the latest issue of "Jackie" is finished
and online for your viewing pleasure at the Jackie DeShannon
Appreciation Society's website, found at
http://jackiedeshannon.tripod.com
Enjoy!
-Bill
(and can someone please repost the URL to see the Spectropop
party pix? I couldn't find it in the photos section. Thanks.)
Admin:
[ http://www.spectropop.com/party ]
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
End
