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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. Handbags And Gladgrags
From: Alan Warner
2. Re: Be My Multilingual Baby
From: Frank
3. Re: Phil Spector now...
From: Richard Hattersley
4. Falsetto memory syndrome
From: Richard Williams
5. Re: Falsettos etc.
From: Roger Smith
6. Re: falsettos (and close harmony in general)
From: Jack Madani
7. Remixing The Four Seasons
From: Paul Urbahns
8. Way Out West
From: James F. Cassidy
9. Re: Melisma
From: William Murphy
10. Daylight And Darkness
From: Phil Milstein
11. Miss Frankie Nolan / Bob Crewe
From: Ronnie Allen
12. Four Seasons remixes
From: Stewart Mason
13. Foskett
From: Kingsley Abbott
14. Falsetto; Andy Pratt; Scott Garrett; Bobby Doyle
From: Country Paul
15. Re: Hammond & Hazlewood
From: Luis Suarez
16. Bruce does a Ronnie does a Frankie
From: James F. Cassidy
17. Brian Wilson DVD
From: Richard Havers
18. melismata!
From: Stratton Bearhart
19. Re: Foskett
From: Richard Havers
20. Re: Hammond & Hazlewood
From: Richard Havers
21. Re: Demis Roussos
From: Ron Weekes
22. Re: Andy Pratt
From: Phil Milstein
23. Randy and The Rainbows
From: Stuart Miller
24. Re: Randy and The Rainbows
From: Phil Milstein
25. Re: Four Seasons remixes
From: Vincent Degiorgio
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 01:01:39 -0800
From: Alan Warner
Subject: Handbags And Gladgrags
For all you TV Themes buffs out there, Mike D'Abo's
HANDBAGS AND GLADRAGS (originally recorded by Chris Farlowe on
Immediate in '67, covered by Rod Stewart on Mercury in '69 and
successfully revived last year in the UK by Stereophonics on V2)
is used as the signature tune of the critically-acclaimed British
TV comedy sitcom "The Office"; BBC America just started running
the first series of this show last night.
Rock on!
Alan Warner
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 10:19:57 +0100
From: Frank
Subject: Re: Be My Multilingual Baby
David A. Young:
> A number of folks have already responded to Guy Lawrence's
> request for information about French-language versions of
> "Be My Baby"......
> Chance "Reviens Vite Et Oublie" (French)
Hey David,how on earth did you ever hear of Chance ???
This is a group I produced a long time ago with quite a few
covers of US hits, Rhythm Of The Rain, Come Sofly To Me,
Three Cool Cats,Sh-Boom, Hey Paula...
I just can't believe this one was known outside of France !!!
Frank
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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 13:08:11 +0000
From: Richard Hattersley
Subject: Re: Phil Spector now...
Alias:
>What is Phil Spector up to these days? Where does he live?
The Last I heard, he was producing tracks on the new Starsailor
album. I also heard mutterings that he dates Nancy Sinatra.
Richard
http://www.wiz.to/richardsnow/
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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 12:08:42 +0000
From: Richard Williams
Subject: Falsetto memory syndrome
Another big guy with a wonderful falsetto gift: the late,
great Billy Stewart (particularly "I Do Love You").
Richard Williams
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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 09:40:55 -0500
From: Roger Smith
Subject: Re: Falsettos etc.
Bob Rashkow:
> Anyone else as helplessly in love with Roussos' voice as I am?
I'm not very familiar with Roussos, but, as a fan of Harry Nilsson,
I was surprised to learn that he had a modest hit (in France and
Italy) in 1980 with a recording of an obscure Nilsson song called
"The Wedding Song". Harry Nilsson and Perry Botkin Jr wrote "The
Wedding Song" for the musical play "Zappata!" which opened (and
closed) off-Broadway in 1980. Oh .. and Demis Roussos and Harry
Nilsson share the same birthday - June 15.
-- Roger
http://www.harrynilsson.com/
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Message: 6
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 09:23:00 -0500
From: Jack Madani
Subject: Re: falsettos (and close harmony in general)
Stuart Miller:
> I was surprised by the support that Russell Tompkins had.
> Compared to the sweet soul of the Delfonics, this was chicken
> in a basket nite club stuff. Did the guy ever sing in anything
> other than alto? He seemd to be stuck up there permanently.
It's possible you're being a bit hard on Russel Tompkins, whose
voice I love. But it's also possible that what made those Stylistics
ballads so gorgeous is as much the Thom Bell production as it was
that male falsetto.
> It is an interesting point when you think of it, that the male
> voice forced into a higher register, can produce such an attractive
> sound that it has permeated popular music and had an influence as
> profound and as prolonged as it has.
So true. I spent years and years singing in college a cappella
groups, and whenever we went to jamborees I was always struck by
how much better the all male groups sounded than either the all
female groups or the mixed voice groups. I agree with you that
the high register male voice can sound really beautiful, and what
I think all of those a cappella women's groups usually did wrong
was to try to emulate the male style, and send their high voices
even higher. Consequently the female groups' harmonies ended up
sounding like they were pumped up by helium. And the SATB groups
ended up sounding choral, instead of sounding like close pop
harmony, because they too gave the highest notes to the women.
Naturally, I'm speaking from my own experience, but the only
women's a cappella group that I ever dug was the early '80's
Smith Smiffenpoofs. The key to their good sound was that they
had a couple of outstanding altos with a deep range like the
low voice in the Pointer Sisters. Consequently, instead of trying
to go high, the Smiffenpoofs went down. I think that came
out not exactly how I meant it. I hope you get my drift.
On the other hand, the Anita Kerr singers always sounded awesome
to me, so it is definitely *possible* to get a great tight harmony
with female voices on the top end. I guess the trick is to sing
with as little vibrato as possible.
Of course, without a good arrangement it'll all be for naught.
jack
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Message: 7
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 09:29:29 EST
From: Paul Urbahns
Subject: Remixing The Four Seasons
Ron asked:
> Did the Four Seasons rerecord or remix their hits? I have a
> version of "Ain't That a Shame" that sounds like the original
> but little things are different. It is most noticeable at the
> ending where the group sings the word "shame" over and over but
> without Frankie's singing in between as I remember he did on
> the 45. I'm too lazy to dig out my single.
According to what Bill Inglot told me there are no multi-track
master tapes on the Four Seasons material. All Frankie got from
the label was album and singles masters same as Freddy Cannon
got from Swan. Apparently they didn't see any value in having
the actual work tapes.
Anyway, Frankie or Bob Crewe (can't remmber which) said there
was a lot of remixing done for the Edition of Gold LP (DEL ORO)
and that could explain a different version of "Ain't That A Shame".
I don't have that album, but I believe "Ain't That A Shame" is on
there.
Paul Urbahns
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Message: 8
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 11:35:26 -0500
From: James F. Cassidy
Subject: Way Out West
Jimmy B asked me to elaborate on my tongue-in-cheek remark
about the Mae West rock album produced by Ian Whitcomb.
The album, "Way Out West" (1966), featured the 74-year-old queen
of sexual innuendo warbling and moaning her way through such rock
standards as "Great Balls of Fire" and "Twist and Shout." As camp,
I suppose it's worth a laugh or two, but Mae's shaky vibrato at
times sounds like a cat in heat duct-taped to an unbalanced washing
machine on the spin cycle (don't tell me you haven't tried that old
party game!).
If you're still interested in hearing it and can't find the original
vinyl, Mae's "Twist and Shout" and "Light My Fire" appear in
crystal-clear (or is that crystal-shattering?) digital quality on
Rhino's "Golden Throats" CD collections (volume I and II,
respectively), alongside such gems as Jack Webb flat-lining his way
through "Try a Little Tenderness" and Leonard Nimoy struttin' his
Vulcan funk on "Proud Mary".
Jim Cassidy
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Message: 9
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 09:26:08 -0800 (PST)
From: William Murphy
Subject: Re: Melisma
A melisma is one syllable spread over several notes -
strictly speaking, anything more than a single note.
That's all it means. Trust me.
Bill M.
(MA in Music, so no arguments!)
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Message: 10
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 11:31:34 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Daylight And Darkness
Somebody here -- Richard Williams, if I'm not mistaken -- recently
mentioned a Smokey Robinson song (apparently from the solo end of
his career) entitled "Daylight And Darkness". Does anyone know if
that track's available on a CD of any sort?
--Phil M.
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Message: 11
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 12:41:57 -0500
From: Ronnie Allen
Subject: Miss Frankie Nolan / Bob Crewe
There was a recording that came out in 1961 by an artist named
Miss Frankie Nolan. It was called "Summer All Year Round" and
was on the ABC-Paramount label.
I've heard that Bob Crewe produced it and also that the Four
Seasons (or some of the members of that group) were on it.
And I've heard a really far-out rumor (that I really don't believe)
that Miss Frankie Nolan is, in fact, Mr. Frankie Valli!
Can anyone here provide more details about that unheralded
commercial flop that in my opinion deserved a much better fate?
Thanks!
Ronnie Allen
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Message: 12
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 12:59:55 -0500
From: Stewart Mason
Subject: Four Seasons remixes
Ron asks:
>Did the Four Seasons rerecord or remix their hits? I have a version
>of "Ain't That a Shame" that sounds like the original but little
>things are different. It is most noticeable at the ending where the
>group sings the word "shame" over and over but without Frankie's
>singing in between as I remember he did on the 45. I'm too lazy to
>dig out my single.
I'm sure there must be at least one CD of remixed Frankie Valli/Four
Seasons hits out there. When I was living in Albuquerque, my local oldies
station of choice occasionally used to play a version of "Oh What A Night
(December 1963)" that really emphasized the disco pulse of the song much
more than the original single did and included a sort of dub-style
instrumental break with echoed vocal interjections. They also played the
more familiar version.
Said station, Big 98.5, is one of those rare oldies stations that has local
jocks (itself a vanishing concept in the increasingly Clear Channelized
radio world) who actually, to an extent, program their own shows. For
example, whenever Bobby Jones is on, you're gonna hear a lot of prime '70s
soul, whenever Bobby Box is on, expect rockabilly and '50s crooners, and
whenever Lightnin' Larry is on, you're gonna hear a lot of late '60s acid
rock. (This is the only oldies station I know of that has the MC5's "Kick
Out the Jams" in light rotation.) If you're ever in central New Mexico,
have a listen. You'd be amazed what a few simple changes to the standard
oldies-radio mix can do.
Stewart
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Message: 13
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 18:06:40 -0000
From: Kingsley Abbott
Subject: Foskett
Kingsley Abbott:
> any current discussion on classy falsettos should include
> Jeff Foskett, currently with Brian Wilson's band.
From DJ Jimmy B:
> and aural evidence of this assertion of Jeff's prowess can
> be found at......?
http://www.new-surf.com
As I said, The 'Thru My Window' is my fave, but there is a nifty
21 track 'Best of..' that includes many of his own songs and
covers of 'I Live For The Sun', 'Reflection OF My Life',
'I Can't Let go' and 'New York's A Lonely Town'. Also at the
same website are details of the other Jeff - Jeff Larson - whose
albums are harmony filled, melodic and filled with strong songs.
With jeff larson, I'd recommend 'Watercolour Sky' as the strating
point.
Back to Jeff F for his 'prowess evidence', anyone who attended the
Brian Wilson tour, may recall Jeff's delivery of the four high
lines on 'Desert Drive'. Absolutely classic '63/4 surfin' wail!
Kingsley
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Message: 14
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 13:25:59 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Falsetto; Andy Pratt; Scott Garrett; Bobby Doyle
I never meant to start a "best falsetto ever" contest (if indeed
it was me), but I developed the taste from doo-wop. Missing are
some of the great high voices of the 50's - the smooth falsetto
on the Five Discs' "I Remember" (Emge/Vik/Rust) (Eddie Parducci?)
and Vince Castro on "Bong Bong" (Apt)(originally "I Love You Madly",
but a Charlie & Ray song had that title earlier), which has a
gorgeous twin falsetto line on the fade.
Nor do I mean to say Larry Henley had the best falsetto voice -
just a highly effective one for what he was doing. And I guess
I can forgive "Wind Beneath My Wings" - he did give us "Everything's
Alright" and "Shake Hands" plus that neat website! (And Mochili,
thanks for the info on the Louisville connecytion. I also have a
CD by Dean and Marc as a duo, but aside from "There Oughta Be A Law"
and a cover of Travis & Bobn's "Tell 'Em No," they really needed Mr.
Henley's leads for maximum impact.)
Phil M., re: Andy Pratt, "Avenging Annie" was my big discovery -
WBRU played it in demo form (which I got from his studio) and
made Andy a local superstar in Providence, RI for a few months.
He actually sold out an 1100-seat hall based on his Polydor album
and the demo of "AA". Unfortunately, being a serious practitioner
of artistic temperament, he'd fired his band a few days before and
showed up with new and unrehearsed one. As his songs were highly
complex, the show was an edge-of-your-seat "are they gonna make it
through this one?" experience, but one not to be missed. If there
was ever a record that should have been a hit, this was it! There's
also a Clive Davis story about this song; he asked a candidate for a
producer job to name 10 songs that should have been hits and weren't.
#1 on the list: "Avenging Annie." Davis hired him.
Re: the discussion about the song "The Day I Died" - I have a
version by Scott Garrett, an obviously white guy on OKeh, best
known for R&B artists. I guess the date was '58 or '59 (it's on
the yellow label). Taken about 30% faster than the Playmates'
version, the breakneck speed sort of undermines it, IMO.
OKEH 4-7104
"The Day I Died" (S. Edwards) [no other credits listed]
"In My Heart" (Eisner-Weiss)
Laurie 3023
"A House of Love" (Jimmy Craig) Arr./Cond. Sid Bass "With the
Voices of Elise Bretton"
"So Far So Good" (S. Hodes)
The follow-up was a syrupy and preachy ballad with spiritual
content - what they used to call a "religioso" at the time -
which actually got some airplay, at least on New York radio.
(Pass on the flipside.)
Stephane Rebeschini:
> I have a rather interesting LP by Bobby Doyle...." The Bobby
> Doyle Introductory Offer" Warner WS 1744 '68 USA LP....From
> Houston, Texas - white, blind soul/rock/pop singer....That's
> the kind of obscure records Warner produced in the late 60s
> and which are often quite good, with great musicianship.
Stephane, thanks for mentioning this. The album contains the
outstanding original version of "Nobody There At All," which
I have as a 45 (!), Warner Bros.-Seven Arts 7207. The song was
later done by Spooky Tooth on their excellent "The Last Puff" LP.
(A wildly uneven group, but their many peak performances were
spectacular.) And yes, there was a significant period where the
Warner or Reprise imprint was a true imprimatur of quality.
Mick Patrick, thanks for clearing up the Irma Thomas "Anyone Who
Knows What Love Is" history. My fave is still the straighter
(whiter?) reading, which I was grateful to get after many years of
searching - it had been left off most of her collected "greatest"
in previous issues. But you, sir, are a veritable geyser of amazing
knowledge. Again, thank you.
Finally, Bob Rashkow mentions Eddie Holman's "This Can't Be True".
Yes - what a way with that title phrase!! And thank you too for the
compliment; I always enjoy your posts, too.
Country Paul
(eternally catching up - now only 4 digests behind!)
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Message: 15
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 18:48:11 -0000
From: Luis Suarez
Subject: Re: Hammond & Hazlewood
Great write-up, Richard.
A couple of corrections - It was "Oliver In The Overworld" that
Hammond & Hazlewood wrote for. It was a BBC chidren's TV special
that featured Freddie Garrity of Freddie and The Dreamers. I have
the soundtrack LP and it's great - bouncy toytown stuff.
Also, I think the Radiohead connection has more to do with the
fact that Albert Hammond thinks that "Creep" sounds an awful like
the Hammond & Hazlewood-penned Hollies smash "The Air That I Breathe"
than anything else. I doubt Hammond and Thom Yorke have ever been in
the same room together, at least not without their lawyers present.
There are tons of H&H tunes and productions that Hammond doesn't list
on his website - they're great ones too.
Luis
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Message: 16
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 13:55:39 -0500
From: James F. Cassidy
Subject: Bruce does a Ronnie does a Frankie
As Jack pointed out, Springsteen did a Ronnie Spector on "Born
To Run". For her part, Ronnie has said her whole style of singing
was an attempt to sound like Frankie Lymon. Who was Frankie
trying to sound like - Clyde McPhatter or the Ink Spots maybe?
And the beat goes on.
Jim Cassidy doing a Sonny Bono
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Message: 17
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 19:10:50 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Brian Wilson DVD
News just in......or have I missed this?
Brian Wilson - On Tour. DVD, GBP18.00. Due In: 28/02/03
Brian Wilson on tour is a documentary film celebrating the
music of this legend. Following Brian through the U.S. and
Japan on his first ever solo tour, this DVD also show Brian
teaching his 10 piece... For more info:
http://www.freakemporium.com/cgibin/product.cgi?BRCD099
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Message: 18
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 19:18:12 -0000
From: Stratton Bearhart
Subject: melismata!
Basically,the term is that used by musicoligist to describe a
vocal device found in numerous cultures which involves the
singing of many notes over the restriction of metre in spoken
languge in syllables etc.
Yet melisma has become most obvious in Western music through
the colision of African pentanonic scales with church music.
So we can identify it in Gospel music where it is most prevalent
as a musical aspiration towards spiritual ecstacy and in black
popular music as personified in the work of Stevie Wonder and
others and in modern pop in the over-used vocal ornamentations
of a myriad sterile singers. A sad prospect for such a liberational
singing style which has its roots in something deeper.
Stratton Bearhart.
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Message: 19
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 20:23:27 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re: Foskett
DJ Jimmy B:
> and aural evidence of this assertion of Jeff's prowess can
> be found at......?
Kingsley:
> anyone who attended the Brian Wilson tour, may recall Jeff's
> delivery of the four high lines on 'Desert Drive'. Absolutely
> classic '63/4 surfin' wail!
Kingsley's absolutely spot on.......Jeff's got one of the great
falsetto voices.
Richard
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Message: 20
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 20:33:23 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re: Hammond & Hazlewood
Hi Luis
Thanks for the info on 'Oliver in the Overworld', and the
kind words.
I got jittery when I read the bit about 'Creep', because I
know when I wrote it, about 3 or so years ago, I had looked
into it pretty thoroughly. I went to the Ascap site to check
it out.....
CREEP (Title Code: 330472529)
Writers:
GREENWOOD COLIN CHARLES
GREENWOOD JONATHAN RICHARD GUY
HAMMOND ALBERT LOUIS
HAZLEWOOD MICHAEL E
O BRIEN EDWARD JOHN
SELWAY PHILIP JAMES
YORKE THOMAS EDWARD
It might have been one of those 'plea bargain' situations.
Radiohead write it, then realize what they have done, contact
messrs H&H and say we'll do you a deal. We will cut you in on
the writing credit.....everyone ends up a tad richer than when
they started.
Best
Richard
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Message: 21
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 14:02:50 -0700
From: Ron Weekes
Subject: Re: Demis Roussos
Stuart Miller wrote:
> ...the worst proponent of them all--Demis Roussos....
Then Frank added:
> Demis Roussos was (and still is) an incredibly gifted singer.
> I've known him personally from the very beginning (I co-wrote
> one of the Aphrodite's early song). He could have done great
> things if he had been interested but I always had the feeling
> that he was just there for the money (unlike his pal Vangelis)
> and he did not really care. Bad management took him away from
> the success he had in the beginning. He now regularly gives
> concerts in churches.
I missed the first part of this thread. I had completely
forgotten about Demis Roussos. He was extremely popular as a
solo artist during a two year period (1973-75) when I was living
in the Mexico City area. At the same time, one of the newer
Latin stars that was just emerging was a fellow by the name of
Julio Iglesias. My favorite male Latin singer of the time was a
fellow named Roberto Carlos. A bit far from the original Demis
Roussos thread, but it brought back some great music memories of
a time when I lived in a country that has become a second home to
me. And isn't this list about great musical memories?
Landlocked in Idaho!
Ron Weekes
http://www.garyusher.com
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Message: 22
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 15:49:30 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Andy Pratt
Country Paul wrote:
> Phil M., re: Andy Pratt, "Avenging Annie" was my big
> discovery - WBRU played it in demo form (which I got from
> his studio) and made Andy a local superstar in Providence,
> RI for a few months. He actually sold out an 1100-seat
> hall based on his Polydor album and the demo of "AA"......
Great record, great story. It might interest you to note that
the Boston Globe has run several stories in the past few weeks
referring to Pratt's return to the local club scene, after a
decade or more toiling (musically and otherwise) in Europe.
Perhaps I should try to catch one of those shows, before he's
gone again.
--Phil M.
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Message: 23
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 21:15:47 -0000
From: Stuart Miller
Subject: Randy and The Rainbows
I might have missed it over the last 40 years or so but did
the Tokens ever own up to Randy and the Rainbows?
Every interview I've ever read on them makes no mention.
Stuart
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Message: 24
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 16:21:39 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Randy and The Rainbows
Stuart Miller wrote:
> I might have missed it over the last 40 years or so but did
> the Tokens ever own up to Randy and the Rainbows?
To being influenced by them? or to BEING them?
--Phil M.
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Message: 25
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 13:44:05 -0800
From: Vincent Degiorgio
Subject: Re: Four Seasons remixes
Ben Liebrand, very famous in Holland and parts of Europe for
his productions and remixes, did a great job on "Oh" as well
"Long Train Running" by The Doobies.
The biggest crime where FV & The Four Seasons are concerned
in remix land is that no one ever did proper ones on "Soul"
and "Heaven Above Me" on FV's solo album. Simply amazing songs...
V
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End
