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Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
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There are 19 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Fugs
From: Stewart Mason
2. Re: Mike Smith Returns
From: Michael Coxe
3. Re: Producer H. Ratner
From: bnbnk
4. Re: garage band resurfaces: The Mods - Toledo, Ohio 1963-1970 - New website
From: Larry Smith
5. Brian Wilson Productions
From: Team Spectropop
6. Slowing Steam
From: Andrew Jones
7. Re: Producer Norman Gregg H. Ratner
From: Steve Stanley
8. Re: "Pet Projects: The Brian Wilson Productions"
From: Mick Patrick
9. The Mills Brothers: a question for the braintrust
From: Matthew Kaplan
10. Re: Producer Norman Gregg H. Ratner / The Forum
From: James Botticelli
11. Re: Producer Norman Gregg H. Ratner / The Forum
From: Dan Hughes
12. Re: Fugs
From: Dan Hughes
13. Re: The Mills Brothers: a question for the braintrust
From: Richard Havers
14. Alzo / Flora Purim
From: Greg
15. Re: Clark Weber, The Fugs
From: Bob Rashkow
16. Re: Producer Norman Gregg H. Ratner
From: Mick Patrick
17. Gregory Carroll, Doris Troy writer
From: Kim Cooper
18. Re: Norm Ratner/UNI label
From: Claus
19. Re: Boston stuff and more
From: Country Paul
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 11:53:07 -0500
From: Stewart Mason
Subject: Re: Fugs
> 2) Why on earth her parents -- who were a professional
> photographer and the manager of several Cambridge coffeehouses
> and were most hip on the folk scene, certainly enough to know
> the Fugs -- nonetheless *let their 13-year-old daughter go alone
> to a Fugs concert!*
James Botticelli:
> The answer to that lies in the question itself...they were
> Cambridge liberals ;-)
Ahem. *Allston* liberals, thankyouverymuch. ( ;-) right back atcha
and apologies to non-Bostonians who don't get the reference).
Actually, I was just listening to my Fugs records a few weeks
ago in relation to another project, and I truly think they're
overdue for a reapprasial. They fit much more neatly into the
garage-rock tradition than they're given credit for: "Slum Goddess",
the mighty "Couldn't Get High" (which smokes half of what's on the
NUGGETS box), "Frenzy," "Supergirl", even "Boobs A Lot" (actually a
Holy Modal Rounders composition, of course) and "Dirty Old Man" all
have a refreshingly punky energy, and most of them are surprisingly
catchy as well. The first couple of Fugs albums are better than
anything on the International Artists label that doesn't have Roky
Erickson or Mayo Thompson's name on the back cover, yet they're
slotted so thoroughly into the critical label of "crazy New York
artsy intellectual pornographers" that I think most garage rock fans
haven't ever investigated them. Their first two (and best) albums
are available on eMusic if anyone cares to investigate.
S
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 09:41:08 -0800
From: Michael Coxe
Subject: Re: Mike Smith Returns
John Hesterman scribed:
>For those of you who may be interested, Mike Smith (keyboardist, lead
>vocalist and primary writer) of the Dave Clark Five will be touring
>the U.S. East Coast and Midwest in March.
And possibly the most prolific "winker" of the 60's. I remember all
those Ed Sullivan appearances (well most - 18 in all!) and Smith was
the prime attraction. Girls of the Raleigh, North Carolina variety
thought him cuter than any of the Beatles. He also helped make the
Vox Continental the most popular keyboard for a bit. Though I wonder
how many casual observers assumed Smith was the Dave Clark. I mean
who in hell names the band after the drummer??? ;>
- michael
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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 10:05:46 -0800
From: bnbnk
Subject: Re: Producer H. Ratner
Jason:
> From what I can tell, Ratner started off on Mira with The
> Leaves and The Forum and then progressed on towards UNI.
> I'm a big fan of the UNI label in general and would love
> to get my hooks on that Orange Colored Sky & Future LPs!
I recently inherited a 45 on Mira Records by a group called
The Forum (The River Is Wide b/w I Fall in Love ) produced by
Norm Ratner, engineered by John Haeny. Don't know when it was
released. It's a decent single. Any idea on the year?
cheers,
bnbnk
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 18:49:45 -0000
From: Larry Smith
Subject: Re: garage band resurfaces: The Mods - Toledo, Ohio 1963-1970 - New website
Hi,
Just wanted to inform everyone that I am a former member of
The Mods, a classic garage band from Toledo, Ohio 1963-1970.
Our songs are on a few garage band compilations. No one had
any information on us for the compilations, so I created a
tribute website. Here is a link to the site. I hope you enjoy
it. http://www.geocities.com/themods1966
Larry Smith - former bass guitarist for The Mods 1963-1970
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Message: 5
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 15:26:28 -0000
From: Team Spectropop
Subject: Brian Wilson Productions
"Pet Projects: The Brian Wilson Productions" - the most eagerly
anticipated CD here at S'pop HQ for quite some time - is out at
last. So was it worth the wait? Harvey Williams reckons it was.
Click below to read his review, and then scroll down to see what
else Spectropop Recommends:
http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/index.htm#PetProjects
The Spectropop Team
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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 11:46:04 -0500 (EST)
From: Andrew Jones
Subject: Slowing Steam
I have three compilations released in the early Seventies,
"Do It Now" (on its own label),
"The #1 Hits of the '60s" (on Tele House)
and "Solid Gold Rock & Roll Volume One" (on Mercury),
all of which contain Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye."
On "Solid Gold," the recording sounds normal, but on the other two,
the song keeps slowing down during its second half. It's like
someone is slowly turning down the speed with every "na na" repeat.
Did this happen on any other albums or compilations containing the
song? Is there a story behind it?
Thanks
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Message: 7
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 12:05:15 -0800
From: Steve Stanley
Subject: Re: Producer Norman Gregg H. Ratner
Confused Claus:
> Anyone with similar interest in these producers? I suppose Norman
> Gregg and H. Ratner were 2 guys. On several albums only Norm Ratner
> is mentioned. He/they produced albums by The Leaves (Mira), Future
> (Shamley) and Orange Colored Sky (Uni) to name a few. Who were these
> guys? Somehow I once heard something like Norman Ratner also produced
> as Norman Schwartz. Maybe it was his real name? In my files I see
> Norman Schwartz produced the superb Wendy & Bonnie album on Skye
> records.
Hi Claus,
Norman Gregg H. Ratner was/is one person.
Norm Ratner was a Penthouse Productions staff producer in the mid-sixties
and was then best-known for producing "Hey Joe" by Mira label mates The
Leaves. Ratner also produced Don Grady of The Yellow Balloon and the great
Frank Zappa-arranged Bobby Jameson single "Gotta Find My Roogalator." This
single was released in 1966 on Penthouse Productions, which was owned by Pat
Boone and was a Mira Records subsidiary. It's well worth seeking out if you
can find it.
Later in the sixties, Ratner landed a position at Russ Reganıs UNI Records,
eventually becoming the companyıs vice president. It was at UNI where he
went on to produce such disparate artists as The Topanga Canyon Orchestra,
Future, Orange Colored Sky, The Hook and Mark Ericıs elegant 1969 offering,
"A Midsummer's Day Dream" (recently reissued in the U.K. on CD by
Revola/Cherry Red). He also co-produced (along with Les Baxter) The Forum's
1967 LP, "The River is Wide" has also just been reissued on Rev-Ola with
several bonus tracks: http://www.revola.co.uk Spectropoppers would greatly
appreciate both the Mark Eric and Forum CDs.
-Steve Stanley
NP: "Foolish Seasons" by Dana Gillespie
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Message: 8
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 20:48:47 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: "Pet Projects: The Brian Wilson Productions"
The Spectropop Team:
> "Pet Projects: The Brian Wilson Productions" - the most eagerly
> anticipated CD here at S'pop HQ for quite some time - is out at
> last. So was it worth the wait? Harvey Williams reckons it was.
> Click below to read his review, and then scroll down to see what
> else Spectropop Recommends:
> http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/index.htm#PetProjects
On a flying visit to the HMV Shop in Oxford Street on the way home
from work, I noticed that they have a special Ace / Kent / Big Beat
promotion at present. Any three CDs for £20: brand new releases and
catalogue items. That's about half price. Better than a poke in the
eye. The new "Pet Projects: The Brian Wilson Productions" CD is part
of the deal, as is "Where The Girls Are, Volume 5". And hey, you
can't even buy them on the internet for that price.
Right, back to my new video(s) of Glen Campbell performing "Guess
I'm Dumb" (thanks Phil).
MICK PATRICK
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Message: 9
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 15:52:25 EST
From: Matthew Kaplan
Subject: The Mills Brothers: a question for the braintrust
Can anybody send me in the right direction, an artist that I am working
with has created a song that includes samples of two songs and I'm
having a hell of a time trying to find out who controls the masters. So,
does anybody out there know who owns the masters for the Mills Brothers
tracks:
How'm I Doin'? (words & music by Lem Fowler and Don Redman)
and
Sweeter Than Sugar (words & music Bolian, Reed & Reed)
Also I would love to know the original label and catalog numbers for these
releases that I believe were released in 1932 and 1934 respectively.
Thank you in advance.
Matthew Kaplan
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Message: 10
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 15:14:51 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Producer Norman Gregg H. Ratner / The Forum
Previously:
> I recently inherited a 45 on Mira Records by a group called
> The Forum (The River Is Wide b/w I Fall in Love ) produced by
> Norm Ratner, engineered by John Haeny. Don't know when it was
> released. It's a decent single. Any idea on the year?
July, 1967, a trio from Pasadena. #45 pop lasted 8 weeks...A completely
unusual slice of pop, later covered by The Grassroots. I scored the LP
a few years back and The River Is Wide was clearly recorded under entirely
different circumstances. Decent LP though, and River is in stereo
JB
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Message: 11
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 15:13:09 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: Producer Norman Gregg H. Ratner / The Forum
> I recently inherited a 45 on Mira Records by a group called
> The Forum (The River Is Wide b/w I Fall in Love ) produced by
> Norm Ratner, engineered by John Haeny. Don't know when it was
> released. It's a decent single. Any idea on the year?
1966. Mira released this 45 with two different flip sides--the other was
A Girl Without a Boy, and they both had the same release number: Mira
232.
---Dan
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Message: 12
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 15:16:46 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: Fugs
Stewart sez:
> The first couple of Fugs albums are better than anything on the
> International Artists label that doesn't have Roky Erickson or
> Mayo Thompson's name on the back cover...
Stewart, who's Mayo Thompson?
Besides the Elevators, I enjoyed the Red Krayola and Lost & Found and
even Bubble Puppy on IA.
---Dan
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Message: 13
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 21:54:39 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re: The Mills Brothers: a question for the braintrust
Matthew Kaplan wrote:
> Can anybody send me in the right direction, an artist that I am working
> with has created a song that includes samples of two songs and I'm
> having a hell of a time trying to find out who controls the masters.
> So, does anybody out there know who owns the masters for the Mills
> Brothers tracks: How'm I Doin'? and Sweeter Than Sugar. Also I would
> love to know the original label and catalog numbers for these releases
> that I believe were released in 1932 and 1934 respectively.
How'm I Doin is Brunswick B11378 A recorded February 16 1932
Sweeter Than Sugar Columbia (pretty sure anyway) 38613A recorded
September 12 1934
My guess would be the masters are controlled by Columbia, if they still
exist. I know the Mills Brothers have been extensively released in
Europe on what are affectionately called bootlegs by the US record
companies.
Anyway that's my contribution for the night.
Richard
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Message: 14
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 22:45:21 -0000
From: Greg
Subject: Alzo / Flora Purim
After lurking for a while, I have decided to hop in and introduce
myself. I live in NY, collect records and DJ, and have a vast field
of different musical passions, and am glad there is a place here
where I can find others who love the same left-of-center 60s pop
that is one of my big interests.
After months of searching on the Net, I finally found the great,
mysterious Alzo Fronte of Alzo & Udine somewhat-fame, alive
and well and living on Long Island. I've been exchanging emails
with him, and he's perplexed but happy that there are people out
there still enjoying his music. I want to see if I can get him to
perform with a friend's band which is greatly influenced by much
of the music discussed here. Like everybody else I've turned
Alzo's music on to, he's now a big fan, but what I want to know
is....how many Alzo fans are out there? I know the Japanese
reissue's been around a while, and I see him discussed on this
and a couple other sites. If he were to perform in the New York
area, how many people would be interested? I'm just trying to
gauge awareness of the man and his work. This is all theoretical
still, but any feedback would be appreciated.
On another note, does anyone on this list know anything about a
1968 Flora Purim single on Tetragrammaton with the tracks
"Why Can't I Cry"/"Les Biches"? I have all her other records and
NEVER heard of this one before. Fascinating Dusty Springfield-like
orchestrated pop produced by Milt Okun that's nothing like what
you'd normally associate with her. I scored this single a couple
weeks ago and want to know how rare it is.
Greg (vibeman71)
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Message: 15
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 18:17:49 -0500
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Re: Clark Weber, The Fugs
Thanks Dan Hughes!!! Clark Weber the former DJ is alive and well on
Chicago's North Shore. (No doubt with tons of happy memories of "Go!
Go! 8-9-0!").
Altho I've only heard 2 of the Fugs' albums, I am totally in love with
them. As a relic of the late 6Ts they are second to none in rebellion
music, and that includes Zappa and Country Joe, much as I love them
too. Can you imagine today's teenagers listening to "Group grope
baaaaa-byyyy!" and actually digging it? I suspect they would rather
listen to stuff such as I heard this afternoon at my local (should I
say, ONE of my local) McDonald's: a digitalized dance version of Over
The Rainbow (only the chorus, none of the actual verses) sung by a
voice that, if it came from a human being, must have been overdubbed by
a computerized audio voice--Garland would be turning over in her grave
or flattered, I'm not sure which! Of course our folks were hardly able
to comprehend Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, etc. (well, at least most of
our folks).
Bobster
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Message: 16
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 23:09:38 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Producer Norman Gregg H. Ratner
Confused Claus:
> Anyone with similar interest in these producers? I suppose Norman
> Gregg and H. Ratner were 2 guys. On several albums only Norm Ratner
> is mentioned. He/they produced albums by The Leaves (Mira), Future
> (Shamley) and Orange Colored Sky (Uni) to name a few. Who were these
> guys?
Steve Stanley:
> Norman Gregg H. Ratner was/is one person...a Penthouse Productions
> staff producer...best-known for producing "Hey Joe" by Mira labelmates
> The Leaves...Don Grady of The Yellow Balloon and the great Frank Zappa-
> arranged Bobby Jameson single "Gotta Find My Roogalator"...The Topanga
> Canyon Orchestra, Future, Orange Colored Sky, The Hook and Mark Eric...
> He co-produced (along with Les Baxter) The Forum's 1967 LP, "The River
> Is Wide"...
Add to the list of Norm Ratner/Penthouse Productions two very excellent
45s by Melinda Marx, lovely daughter of Groucho:
The East Side Of Town / How I Wish You Came VEE JAY 657 1965
What / It Happens In The Same Old Way VEE JAY 689 1965
MICK PATRICK
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Message: 17
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2003 21:14:52 -0800
From: Kim Cooper
Subject: Gregory Carroll, Doris Troy writer
Dear Spectropoppers,
I'm forwarding the following request for Jamie Berg in Artie Ripp's
office:
> I have been trying to track down a song writer who co-wrote Doris
> Troy's hit, "Just On Look", Gregory Carroll. I cannot seem to locate
> him, (he may be dead) but I had no luck with ASCAP or BMI.
If you know anything about Mr. Carroll's whereabouts, please reply to
Jamie directly at jamie@rippent.com
thanks,
Kim
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Message: 18
Date: Thu, 06 Feb 2003 06:44:07 -0000
From: Claus
Subject: Re: Norm Ratner/UNI label
Thanx so much for the interest and help on this topic. For those into
the UNI label I've posted all known album releases here:
http://home19.inet.tele.dk/peakimp/uni.htm
And I definately agree... I guess the Mark Eric album is delicious
candy to Spectropoppers ears.
I still miss the surname Schwartz relation to Norman Ratner?
Best, Claus
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Message: 19
Date: Thu, 06 Feb 2003 01:57:51 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Re: Boston stuff and more
Chris Stovall Brown:
> I was actually able to contact and get a reply from Dick Summer.
Glad you did - he was indeed one of the unsung heroes of progressive radio,
and a darn nice guy as well (I had the pleasure of meeting him several
times). I see from his website he's in Pennsylvania these days.
> I had discovered the "American Revolution"-WBCN and Mississippi Harold
> Wilson...soon followed by Woofer Goofer aka Peter Wolf....Around 1969, I
> recall WBRU trying to do a similar program switch that ifmemory serves me
> correctly was only for a couple of hours a day at first. I still preferred
> BCN and their more knowledgeable dj's.
Yep - Steve Kerwood was on 'BCN for a while, and then the other two became
its first stars. They started out from 10pm-5am, then expanded. WBRU (same
year, '68) had one progressive hour one night per week before 'BCN, came on
three weeks before 'BCN with a progressive shift (3 hours weeknights) and
went fulltime three weeks after they did. As the 'BCN guys were doing it
fulltime in Boston, and we were jamming radio in between college classes, I
do give them the edge, but we didn't suck. In fact, my dream gig was to jock
at 'BCN; never got there, though. (And yes, I remember the old Tea Party,
upstairs in the old temple; saw the Velvet Underground there with a
16-screen Andy Warhol media installation!
Glad Howard Tate is as good as I remember him to be. Where was he all these
years? Gotta dig out my Verve LP - original DJ pressing, too.
Stuart Mason re: Dick Summer:
> 1 hen, 02 ducks, 03 speckled geese...700 Macedonians in full battle array
Boy, you're making the memory banks work overtime! I hadn't thought of this
in years - and don't remember who did it, either. But I've got some folks I
can ask. And I think it was "ten thousand Macedonians."
Re: The Fugs - more memory bank short circuits. They were sloppy and rude
when on ESP-disk (although they did the gorgeous "Morning, Morning," which
was even released as a 45!), but when they got to Reprise they put out some
really fine stuff. (Although I wonder if it would still sound as good
now....) Saw that incarnation live in Providence; the bassist and drummer
came from a local band.
Martin Roberts on Gentle Soul's "Our National Anthem":
> do I list it in Jack's discography, and, if so, in which category?
It sounds a bit like the Mamas and Papas meet Surrealistic Pillow - big,
full, pop, wonderful. I'm way behind on commitments to folks, but perhaps I
could send you an audiocassette. Contact me off list.
Jeff Lemlich on fumbled projects:
> on Columbia: "In The Winter" by Janis Ian. Following up her biggest hit,
> I thought this couldn't miss!
Perhaps not a smash, but a very fine track. Good ears, Jeff!
Country Paul
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