________________________________________________________________________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ S P E C T R O P O P ______________ ______________ ______________ ________________________________________________________________________ Jamie LePage (1953-2002) http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ There are 24 messages in this issue. Topics in this digest: 1. Carla Thomas' "Gee Whiz" From: Team Spectropop 2. Re: Ain't That Funny From: Alan Warner 3. Re: Strangeloves From: Richard Tearle 4. Re: Strangeloves From: Eddy Smit 5. Re: The Ronettes' Cousin Elaine From: John Rausch 6. Re: Hang On (a bit longer) Sloopy From: Bill Craig 7. Re: Jackie DeShannon / Strangeloves' "Love, Love" From: Mike Edwards 8. Re: Hang On (a bit longer) Sloopy From: Eddy Smit 9. Re: The Animals From: Richard Tearle 10. Re: Strangeloves (Cara-Lin vs Caroline) From: Lindsay Martin 11. Re: Strangeloves From: Robert Beason 12. Re: Ronettes and Murray the K From: Deena Canale 13. Re: Hang On (a bit longer) Sloopy From: James Botticelli 14. Re: The Animals From: Frank 15. Re: The Cannon label / Johnny Worth / Johnny Young From: Ken Silverwood 16. Re: Love, Love / Love, Love, Love From: Dan Hughes 17. Re: Museum Of Television And Radio, NY From: James Botticelli 18. Re: The Stangeloves From: Guy Lawrence 19. Re: The Cannon label / cheap UK soul cover versions From: Simon White 20. Re: Strangeloves (Cara-Lin vs Caroline) From: Richard Tearle 21. Re: Museum Of Television And Radio, NY From: Phil Milstein 22. I was the engineer From: Mike Ross 23. Thane Russal From: Lindsay Martin 24. Re: The Big Hurt From: Serge Lacasse ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 1 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 10:56:34 -0000 From: Team Spectropop Subject: Carla Thomas' "Gee Whiz" Dear Members, "Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)" by Carla Thomas, written as a poem when the singer was just 15-years-old, was a Top 10 record early in 1961. Forty-odd years later Carla's "Gee Whiz" LP has just made its CD debut, and at mid-price. A more delicious collection of string driven teen ballads it would be hard to find. Mick Patrick's review of the CD can be located at Spectropop Recommends: http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/index.htm#CarlaThomas Enjoy, The Spectropop Team -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 02:46:03 -0800 From: Alan Warner Subject: Re: Ain't That Funny As Peter Lerner says, Les Vandyke was a pseudonym for Johnny Worth who wrote some of Adam Faith's big hits in the early '60s including POOR ME and SOMEONE ELSE'S BABY, the latter co-credited to Perry Ford. As Les Vandyke, he also wrote WELL I ASK YOU, GET LOST and FORGET ME NOT for Eden Kane around that same period as well as APPLEJACK, the third 1963 instrumental smash by former Shadows Jet Harris & Tony Meehan. He also wrote under the name John Worsley and as such co-authored JACK IN THE BOX, the song that Clodagh Rodgers sang in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest. Finally, I believe that he used 'Johnny Worth' when he recorded as an artist himself on the (British) Woolworths-distributed Embassy label back in the early '60s. Rock on! Alan Warner -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 08:26:10 -0000 From: Richard Tearle Subject: Re: Strangeloves Dan Hughes: > I dimly remember a pre-"I Want Candy" song by the Strangeloves, > called "Love Love". A slower song. Am I dreaming? Didn't the Strangeloves do the difinitive version of 'Caroline' - used as promototional jingle for the great Radio Caroline? Cheers Richard -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 08:18:03 +0100 From: Eddy Smit Subject: Re: Strangeloves Dan Hughes: > I dimly remember a pre-"I Want Candy" song by the Strangeloves, > called "Love Love". A slower song. Am I dreaming? Dan, "Love, love, love" was the first single by The Strangeloves on Swan in 1965. Then they signed to Bang. Eddy -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 02:06:31 -0500 From: John Rausch Subject: Re: The Ronettes' Cousin Elaine After reading the few posts regarding Ronnie's cousin Elaine filling-in for her in concert, I went thru my archives, and uploaded 10 photos containing Elaine (to the best of my knowledge). Feel free to check them out in the Spectropop members photos area folder 'The Ronettes (with cousin Elaine)'. http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/lst Most pics are from a contact sheet, a few from Ebony magazine '66. The outfits match and the bit of text says from Dodger Stadium, opening for some guys with long hair who call themselves the Beatles, or something like that. But seriously, check out the pics, if anyone has any insight, feel free to enlighten us all. Also of interest, in the pics with text, notice how Estelle seems to be the "spokesperson" ... No Ronnie. Also, I seem to remember reading (?) somewhere that Elaine was told to keep her head down so no one might realize she was an "imposter" and not Ronnie. In the pic of the girls walking across the playing field it's clearly not Ronnie with her head down. Also want to wish everyone a happy holiday. John Rausch -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 02:36:37 -0000 From: Bill Craig Subject: Re: Hang On (a bit longer) Sloopy Did not something similar happen with The Animals' House Of The Rising Sun after the greatest hits album's version included a longer Alan Price organ break and either one or two additional verses("I'm going back to New Orleans,my race is almost run...." and/or " Well it's a one foot on the platform and the other foot on the train..." Or do I think Bob Dylan said that?)? Also, at what point does The Yardbirds' version of My Girl Sloopy enter the fray? Was it a single? Bill Craig -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 01:44:18 -0000 From: Mike Edwards Subject: Re: Jackie DeShannon / Strangeloves' "Love, Love" Peter writes: > One of my favourite early Jackie DeShannon 45s is "I Won't Turn You > Down" on Liberty 55358. This nice and tuneful teen ballad was > written by Ellen Carol. Does anyone have anything to say about > Ellen? Only clue is the publisher - Laki Inc (BMI)." I think you're going to draw a blank on this one, Peter. This song is from 1961, the other side of "Wish I Could Find A Boy (Just Like You)", the follow–up to the better-known "Heaven Is Being With You" – a Goffin-King-Weil song. I could not find any reference to Ellen Carol on BMI's website nor on Jackie's website: http://jackiedeshannon.tripod.com/ This is a wonderful site and even if you do not find the specific information you are looking for, you will have a ball. I have a similar question. One of my favorite Jackie songs is from late 1966, "Come On Down (From The Top Of That Hill)". This song is written by J.Bromley-D. Cleminson-P. Cooper – now there's a well- known team if ever there was one! Does anyone know them? A look in BMI shows that the trio wrote only 3 to 4 songs of which this gem was one. I guess not everyone can be Burt Bacharach. No questions about this one, though: from Jack Nitzsche's Magical World comes "I Keep Wanting You". From the label, Jack and Jackie did it all! And what a marvelous song it is too. Dan writes: > I dimly remember a pre-"I Want Candy" song by the Strangeloves, > called "Love Love". A slower song. Am I dreaming?" No, Dan, "Love, Love (That's All I Want From You)" was released on Swan in 1964. It is included on their Sony Legacy CD, "I Want Candy – The Best Of The Strangeloves", released back in the days when big companies were putting out oldies' CDs. The song has had a lot of mileage. I can think of good versions by Barbara McNair (Roulette, 1961) and Diane Ray (Mercury, 1963). I have always hated that story about the Strangeloves passing themselves off as Australian sheep- herders. The only reason I forgave them is because as Feldman- Gottehrer-Goldstein, they wrote "What's Gonna Happen When Summer's Done" for Freddy Cannon – also on Swan. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 12:29:57 +0100 From: Eddy Smit Subject: Re: Hang On (a bit longer) Sloopy Bill Craig: > Also, at what point does The Yardbirds' version of My Girl Sloopy > enter the fray? Was it a single? As far as I can tell, the Yardbirds' Sloopy has never been released as a single. It first appeared in the States on the For Your Love album (July 5, 1965) and was issued in the UK on the Five Yardbirds EP (August 11, 1965). Eddy -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 11:57:49 -0000 From: Richard Tearle Subject: Re: The Animals Hi Bill: I seem to remember a reunion thing on BBC TV when they definitely sang the 'my life is almost over/my race is almost run' verse but also I think they did the 'female version' where the 'heroines' sweetheart (rather than the 'hero's' father!) was a gambling man, and also included an extra verse which goes: 'He fills his glasses to the brim/passes them around/the only time he's half satisfied/is bumming from town to town'. The verse which begins 'oh mother tell your children...' I believe might have been changed to 'oh mother tell my (baby) sister... Practically a different song, then!! Of course, I may be mistaken... cheers Richard -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 22:12:46 +1000 From: Lindsay Martin Subject: Re: Strangeloves (Cara-Lin vs Caroline) Richard wrote: > Didn't the Strangeloves do the difinitive version of 'Caroline' - > used as promototional jingle for the great Radio Caroline? I guess there'll be a jukebox of Spectropoppers lined up to tell you that the Strangeloves song was "Cara-Lin". "Caroline", as used by Radio Caroline, was by UK group The Fortunes, and is a different song. By the way, Australians will know "Cara-Lin" courtesy of Johnny Young's hit cover version, "Cara-Lyn". (Hope I've got the spelling right: every source seems to vary it slightly. Johnny Young's version did change the "i" to a "y", though.) Lindsay -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 12:14:37 +0000 From: Robert Beason Subject: Re: Strangeloves Richard wrote: > Didn't the Strangeloves do the difinitive version of 'Caroline' - used > as promototional jingle for the great Radio Caroline? No, I believe that was the Fortunes. Thanks to all who responded to my question about the mysterious extended version of "Hang On Sloopy," and happy new year to all Spetropoppers! Bob Beason -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 08:38:48 -0400 From: Deena Canale Subject: Re: Ronettes and Murray the K From: Bill Craig: > Is there any story behind New York DJ Murray(The K)Kaufmann > back in the day always referring to The Ronettes as "Murray > The K's Dancing Girls"? There sure is. Once (in their pre-Phil days, but not too long after they'd recorded their first single for Colpix), while standing on line to get inside the Peppermint Lounge, the doorman mistook the gals for the evening's entertainment, a girl group hired to dance on stage with Joey Dee and the Starliters. He went in to get the manager, who chastised them for being late and wondered why the heck they were standing in line. The gals didn't bother to correct the manager and danced in the other group's place, with no-one the wiser until the show was finished. They went over so well that the manager hired them to be regular dancers at the club. When a Miami branch of the Peppermint Lounge was opened in 1962, the gals went down for the opening night. Now I'll quote directly from Ronnie's autobiography (co-written with Vince Waldron), "Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness or My Life as a Fabulous Ronette" (Harmony Books, 1990): "The Miami Peppermint Lounge turned out to be as big a hit as the one in New York. In fact, so many vacationing New Yorkers showed up there that sometimes it seemed like we'd never left home. That's probably why it didn't surprise us to see Murray the K backstage on opening night. Murray 'the K' Kaufman was the disc jockey that all the kids listened to back home on WINS. He could make a record go number one faster than anyone in the country, and you knew you'd made it when he booked you on one of the rock & roll shows he staged at the Fox Theatre in Brooklyn. Having him come back to see us was like getting a visit from royalty. 'You kids are fantastic,' he said in that way he had of making everything he said seem like the most important thing in the world. 'I'd love to get a couple of girls like you for my show in Brooklyn. Do you ever come through New York?' We thought he was putting us on. 'Are you kidding?' I said. 'We live at 149th and St. Nicholas! We listen to you every night.' But Murray wasn't kidding--he really hadn't heard of us in New York. We had to go down to Miami to be discovered! Going to one of Murray the K's rock and roll revues at the Brooklyn Fox was the highlight of any New York kid's week in the early sixties. For $2.50 you got to see at least a dozen acts, and these were the top names in rock & roll--from Little Stevie Wonder to Bobby Vee to the Temptations, everybody played these shows. Murray first put us on the bill at the Brooklyn Fox for his springtime revue in 1962. Actually, we weren't exactly on the bill, at least not as the Ronettes. He only put the top ten or twelve acts up on the marquee, so we were one of the acts listed under '...and others.' For those first few shows Murray didn't even introduce us as the Ronettes. When he brought us out onstage, he called us his 'beautiful dancing girls,' which is pretty much all we were at first. We would come onstage and dance around between the acts just to keep the show moving. Then Murray would come out to introduce the next act, and he'd do some shtick with us...Murray also used us as background singers for all the acts that couldn't sing real well. After a while he even started letting us do one or two numbers on our own. We'd do 'Twist and Shout' or 'What'd I Say?'--anything, as long as it had a fast tempo that we could dance to. That was the key, because the more we shook our behinds in our tight skirts, the louder the kids would applaud." Ronnie goes on to explain that the Ronettes' image was really formulated in the dressing room at the Brooklyn Fox during the long waits between shows. To pass the time, they'd hold little contests to see who could tease their hair the highest or extend their eyeliner the furthest. "We'd look pretty wild by the time we got out onstage, and the kids loved it...the louder they applauded, the more mascara we'd put on the next time. We didn't have a hit record to grab their attention, so we had to make an impression with our style." The gals also became regulars on Murray's radio show, doing flirtatious little skits with the d.j. on the air. Ronnie's book is well worth tracking down. Along with Wolfman Jack's bio (I think the title is "Have Mercy, Baby") it contains one of the best accounts of growing up as a rock & roll fan in New York City ever written. And if you're ever in NYC, one must-visit place is the Museum of Television and Radio. Among the many programs you can watch there in the viewing library is "It's What's Happening, Baby," an amazing rock & roll extravaganza masquerading as a promotional tool for a U.S. government-funded teen job placement and training program. It's hosted by Murray the K and includes killer footage from a mid-sixties Brooklyn Fox revue, including Little Anthony, Dionne Warwick, and Chuck Jackson. It also includes some lip-synched videos--among them the Ronettes doing "Be My Baby" on a NYC street, Martha and the Vandellas doing "Nowhere to Run" while sitting in a Mustang being assembled on the Ford production line, and Cannibal and the Headhunters meeting Herman Munster (or was it a gorilla?) and the Shindig dancers on a beach to the tune of "Land of 1,000 Dances." (Some brief clips of this show were used in the recent PBS oldies concert "R&B 40.") The Museum also owns a complete print of the TAMI Show, some complete Shindig programs, and a program about mid-sixties teenage life whose title escapes me, which includes a segment on Phil Spector. They also hosted the world premieres of some of those great A&E Bios on the likes of Sam Phillips and the Brill Building songwriters. Signed D.C. (amazed that I've had something to contribute to this list two days in a row!) -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 11:57:33 -0500 From: James Botticelli Subject: Re: Hang On (a bit longer) Sloopy The original version was by Chicago's Vibrations and was a soul record on Atlantic in early '64. Charted somewhere in the 20's I believe (R&B only). Anecdotally, my former primary soul record detective went to the Rolling Stones' first Boston appearance. But did he see the Stones? NO! He came to see The Vibrations open up for them. Then he left. He was a Charlestown hockey rat and had the juice to get in for free. JB -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 18:58:37 +0100 From: Frank Subject: Re: The Animals Well if you have not heard the ridiculous French lyrics as sung by Johnny Hallyday which was a huge hit in France, you haven't heard anything. One of the much too numerous watering down of English lyrics in France. Frank -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 18:13:00 -0000 From: Ken Silverwood Subject: Re: The Cannon label / Johnny Worth / Johnny Young Alan Warner: > As Peter Lerner says, Les Vandyke was a pseudonym for Johnny Worth > who wrote some of Adam Faith's big hits in the early '60s including > POOR ME and SOMEONE ELSE'S BABY, the latter co-credited to Perry > Ford. As Les Vandyke, he also wrote WELL I ASK YOU, GET LOST and > FORGET ME NOT for Eden Kane around that same period as well as > APPLEJACK, the third 1963 instrumental smash by former Shadows > Jet Harris & Tony Meehan. He also wrote under the name John Worsley > and as such co-authored JACK IN THE BOX, the song that Clodagh Rodgers > sang in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest. Finally, I believe that > he used 'Johnny Worth' when he recorded as an artist himself on > the (British) Woolworths-distributed Embassy label back in the early > '60s. Absolutely, and he also put tracks out on Columbia & Oriole, as Johnny Worth. In the late 50,s & early 60,s I used to purchase the Embassy singles as I couldn't afford a genuine disc every week. Does anyone remember a label called "Cannon" in the UK, it was red & yellow and obviously featured a cannon on the label. I think you got three songs per side, one I bought had "The Loco-motion", "Started All Over Again", "Crying In The Rain" on, I forget the rest. Lindsay: > ...Australians will know "Cara-Lin" courtesy of Johnny Young's hit > cover version, "Cara-Lyn". Is this the Johnnie Young who did the two Bee Gees covers on Polydor; "Craise Finton Kirk" & "Every Christian Lion-Hearted"? Ken On The West Coast -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 10:34:46 -0600 From: Dan Hughes Subject: Re: Love, Love / Love, Love, Love Me: > I dimly remember a pre-"I Want Candy" song by the Strangeloves, > called "Love Love". A slower song. Am I dreaming? Eddy: > Dan, "Love, love, love" was the first single by The Strangeloves > on Swan in 1965. Then they signed to Bang. Hi Eddy, Are you sure there were three Loves there? I remember the chorus as: "Love-love, that's all I want from you, Love, A love that grows and grows, Love, Not one that comes and goes, Love" And believe it or not, I feel certain I remember hearing this song on the day of the Alaskan earthquake in 1964. (My high school math club was serving at a dinner that day, and this song played on the PA system as we were setting the tables). So maybe it wasn't the Strangeloves? Who did "Love Love"? ---Dan -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 12:10:24 -0500 From: James Botticelli Subject: Re: Museum Of Television And Radio, NY Deena Canale wrote: > And if you're ever in NYC, one must-visit place is the Museum of > Television and Radio. Among the many programs you can watch there > in the viewing library is "It's What's Happening, Baby," an amazing > rock & roll extravaganza masquerading as a promotional tool for a > U.S. government-funded teen job placement and training program. seconding the emotion...that museum is a virtual mid twentieth century pleasure palace. Located near 53rd and 5th I believe, (sorry Joey, i'll meetcha at 53rd and 3rd in the hereafter) it has reams of visual cultural "debris". On my last visit I watched a 1958 Christmas special hosted by Pat Boone and Doris Day sponsored by Frigidaire and the all new 1958 Chevrolet Impala among others.... JB -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 22:44:02 -0000 From: Guy Lawrence Subject: Re: The Stangeloves The Strangeloves classic "Cara-Lin" was recorded in Britain by the Sorrows and "I Want Candy" was recorded here by Brian Poole & The Tremeloes. The latter is an absolutely thrilling, white-knuckle ride of a track - one of the most exciting records I've ever heard! The Legacy Strangeloves CD is strongly recommended by me also - that is, if it's still in print. Unlike most Legacy albums it never got a release in the U.K. As well as "Love, Love" it also includes some later singles (one sounding exactly like a Bubblegum record) and The Beach-Nut's "Out In The Sun" a great Feldman/Goldstein/Gottehrer attempt at the West Coast sound - how come New York surf records are always so excellent? What it didn't include, however, was the cool single Jerry Goldstein released as Giles Strange - "Watch The People Dance/You're Goin' Up To The Bottom" (Boom 60022) and the Sheep's version of Bunker Hill's "Hide & Seek" (Boom 60000) which was basically the backing band on the "I Want Candy" album. Anyone know of any other "solo" releases by any of the Strange brothers? Or any other Sheep singles? I could talk about the Strangeloves all night - for me, "I Want Candy" is one of the best ten albums of the Sixties! Forget "Sgt. Pepper" !!! Regards, Guy. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 19:59:31 +0000 From: Simon White Subject: Re: The Cannon label / cheap UK soul cover versions Ken Silverwood wrote: > Does anyone remember a label called "Cannon" in the UK, it was red & yellow > and obviously featured a cannon on the label. I think you got three songs per > side, one I bought had "The Loco-motion", "Started All Over Again", "Crying > In The Rain" on, I forget the rest. I might need some therapy. I've started to get interested in the cheap U.K. soul covers. Remember the Avenue [I lived near the label as a kid!] Ken? Remember a version of Edwin Starr's "S.O.S." that got covered up as Frank Wilson and Eddie Foster on the Northern scene? I'm on the west coast next weekend! -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 22:19:16 -0000 From: Richard Tearle Subject: Re: Strangeloves (Cara-Lin vs Caroline) Hi Lindsay - thanks for that, I knew the Fortunes had done a song of that name and had forgotten the Strangeloves was a) a differtent song and b) a different spelling! it was a long time ago, though! Cheers Richard -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 14:35:13 +0000 From: Phil Milstein Subject: Re: Museum Of Television And Radio, NY James Botticelli wrote: > seconding the emotion...that museum is a virtual mid twentieth century > pleasure palace. Located near 53rd and 5th I believe, (sorry Joey, i'll > meetcha at 53rd and 3rd in the hereafter) it has reams of visual cultural > "debris". On my last visit I watched a 1958 Christmas special hosted by Pat > Boone and Doris Day sponsored by Frigidaire and the all new 1958 Chevrolet > Impala among others.... The museum also houses footage the closest extant to that of a Velvet Underground live performance, from a WNET (NYC public broadcasting) special on Andy Warhol broadcast late in 1965. I believe they do Heroin and Venus In Furs, but, alas, without vocals. Still, the black-and-white video is remarkably vivid and, most pertinently, cannot be viewed anywhere else. --Phil M. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22 Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2002 01:49:33 -0000 From: Mike Ross Subject: I was the engineer (From the Spectropop Bulletin Board) I have just discovered your great site and was interested to find that on many of the records in discussion (mainly Irving Martin and Mark Wirtz) I recorded as engineer. I worked for CBS Records during this period and it is nice to see all this work being mentioned. Even though many were not hits it was a wonderful time in my life filled with experimentation and discovery. I wonder where all these artists are today. It would be nice to hear from anyone who remembers those days. Mike Ross -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23 Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2002 14:43:36 +1000 From: Lindsay Martin Subject: Thane Russal Mike Ross wrote: > I worked for CBS Records during this period Mike, I may be way off target here, but would you have been involved with the recording of Thane Russal and Three's classic version of "Security"? It was a moderate (Top 20) hit in Australia but apparently disappeared without trace elsewhere. The arrangement was recycled in '76 by a popular Australian band, so it is more familiar to Australians in this form than the original Otis Redding record. There was always much speculation here about the identity of Thane Russal: some thought he might've been Mick Jagger, but - as Glenn A. Baker pointed out in the early 90s - he was actually a singer called Doug Gibbon. Baker says the Thane Russal sessions were produced by Paul Raven (Gary Glitter). Perhaps, if you were there, you can recall some details of how this record came about, and especially the author of the fine arrangement. Lindsay -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 18:13:07 -0500 From: Serge Lacasse Subject: Re: The Big Hurt Monophonius; > I have an article from Modern Recording magazine Feb/Mar > 1976 issue in which Larry Levine is interviewed. The > piece is called THE MEN BEHIND THE WALL OF SOUND. In it, > Levine is asked about "The Big Hurt": > > Larry Levine: Then I cut Tony Fisher's "The Big Hurt" in > 1958. > > Modern Recording: "The Big Hurt?" I remember that record! > It was really a strange-sounding record in its day. > Didn't it have a phasing effect in it? > > Levine: Well, yeah! But it didn't originally start out > that way. It was recorded 3-track and mixed. Wayne > Shanklin, the producer, loved the mix but didn't think > that Tony's voice was out far enough. He wanted me to run > a simultaneous copy--run the two copies together--in order > for her voice to be doubled and more out front. I told > him it wouldn't work, that the machines wouldn't hold in > sync. It didn't, but he loved it. The phasing was very > effective on the "gliss" that was being played by the > strings. So then I recorded each 8-bar signature, > allowing the machine that was running faster to start a > little later--and then, in catching up and passing, the > phasing would happen. I did this with each section of the > song and then edited the pieces together. It was an > accident..that worked! Hi, I'm new to this list, which I find very interesting. Just writing about Miss Toni Fisher's hit "The Big Hurt" (1959). It was the subject of a rather long discussion in February-March 1999 on this list, as well as in November-December 2001. For those interested in continuing the discussion, I have drawn a kind of "score" of the phasing effects as heard in the song. It's in my doctoral dissertation, but it's also available on my website: http://www.serge.lacasse.com under "Graphs" click on "segmental", it's in pdf; my dissertation is also available online at the same URL; (see section 3.1.3.3, p. 131-136). I found that the descriptions provided by Ross and Levine correspond rather well with what is actually heard on the recording. I am currently working on a paper to present at a musicological conference (SMT), so any input would be greatly appreciated! I post Levine's comments (as originally posted by Monophonius) for easier reference. Thanks! Cheers! Serge Lacasse -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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