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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. The Letter
From: Mike Rashkow
2. Re: Nanker Phelge
From: Richard Havers
3. Elvis has left the forum
From: S'pop Team
4. RIP Adam Faith
From: Phil Chapman
5. Re: The Hooven-Winn-Smith axis
From: Bryan
6. 4 Seasons (Alanna) in musica
From: Michael Edwards
7. Re: Spiral Staircase/Brenda K. Starr
From: Jeff Lemlich
8. Re: The Hooven-Winn-Smith axis
From: Guy Lawrence
9. Re: The Letter
From: Scott
10. Re: Even less McCartney
From: Scott
11. RIP Adam Faith
From: Norman
12. Wayne Carson Thompson
From: Michael Edwards
13. Ronnie's Riverside Dr apt. in NYC
From: Rob
14. Wilson-less Newton
From: James Cassidy
15. Re: Organs R Us
From: Artie Wayne
16. A question for Mike Rashkow
From: James Cassidy
17. Re: Nanker Phelge
From: Scott Swanson
18. Alex Chilton -The Letter
From: Steve Harvey
19. wayne newton
From: Kingsley Abbott
20. Imitation
From: Steve Harvey
21. Re: 4 Seasons On E-Bay
From: Billy G Spradlin
22. Ballard
From: Steve Harvey
23. Thanxxx from Jeff, Ellie and Stuff
From: Stuffed Animal
24. Re: Cuff Links/Ronnie Dante
From: Peter Lerner
25. Re: Nanker Phelge/Macca slap
From: Steve Harvey
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 11:45:48 -0000
From: Mike Rashkow
Subject: The Letter
Bob Rashkow:
> The Letter - The Box Tops - Mala (1967). This is the one,
> gang. This is the record nobody in 6th grade in Skokie could
> possibly resist getting up and dancing to!
I happened to be sitting in one office at Amy/Bell/Mala when
Papa Don Schroeder brought that record up. He was playing it
in the adjoining office for Larry Uttal and others. We heard
it through the walls and through the halls- it grabbed you right
away. Killer from the first note--so unique, such an interesting
voice, such a strange track. Everybody in the place knew it was a
hit. I think it was written by Wayne Carson Thompson--is that the
same Wayne Thompson who wrote (with others) "Always On My Mind"
The "B" side "Everything I Am" is worth a listen.
Rashkovsky
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Admin note: This is not a cue for an encyclopaedia of 'Letter' records:-)
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 09:20:13 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re: Nanker Phelge
Steve Harvey wrote:
> Why would were there be an L. Ransford as well as a
> Nash/Clarke credit or an A.Smith/Bernard Webb as well
> as a McCartney credit? Sometimes it's to cover up a
> writers' identity.......
> If the royalties were going to everybody then why not just
> list the Rolling Stones? Why only two names? Have you seen
> a royalty statement with all five listed? You may be right,
> but I've never heard of this before.
I think in an earlier post I explained the reason for the use
of Nanker Phelge and how it came about. It was of course very
much the Stones' humour and Brian in particular. Yes I have
seen a royalty statement, definitely it is all five of the
original Stones.
Best
Richard
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 12:05:37 -0000
From: S'pop Team
Subject: Elvis has left the forum
With thanks to all those who contributed, the Team feel
it is now time to hang up the telephone, and for Superman
to return to Metropolis.
Elvis too has left the forum:
The Presley legend, and the question of what is Rock and Roll,
will probably outlive us all, but here are a few closing
comments.......
S'pop Team
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Billy G Spradlin
While Elvis Sun recordings were brilliant, Elvis still made a bunch
of fantastic recordings after he signed to the Dog. Yes there was a
truckload of fluff (especally after 1961) but Elvis had a way of
turning the lamest lyrics into something special.
Without the huge push and promtion of RCA behind him the Rock & Roll
explosion of the 50's in the USA (and also around the world) would
have NEVER happened. You have to give someone there credit for being
the second major company to sign a rock artist (Decca was first with
Bill Haley).
What has always sold "Hound Dog" to me (I bought it as an oldies 45
in the 70s) wasnt the lyrics but that great SNARE drum that gets
attacked by DJ Fontana at every verse! Big Mama Thornton's original,
while a ledgendary R&B record, never had that.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
David Feldman
It's just not true that Elvis had no presence in the R&B charts
after he left Sun. Indeed, he was a dominant force in R&B during
his first decade at RCA. Here are his top 20 R&B hits through
1963, with it's position and year (sorry for the misalignment)
Heartbreak Hotel/ 5 1956
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You/ 10 1956
Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog 1 1956
Love Me Tender/ 4 1956
Too Much/ 7 1957
All Shook Up/ 1 1957
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/ 1 1957
Jailhouse Rock/ 1 1957
Don't/I Beg of You/ 4 1957
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck/ 7 1958
Hard Headed Woman/Don't Ask Me Why/ 2 1958
One Night/ 10 1958
(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such As I/ 16 1959
A Big Hunk O' Love/ 10 1959
My Wish Came True/ 15 1959
Stuck On You/ 6 1960
It's Now or Never/ 7 1960
Are You Lonesome Tonight?/ 3 1960
I Feel So Bad/ 15 1961
She's Not you/ 13 1962
Return to Sender/ 5 1962
One Broken Heart for Sale/ 21 1963
(You're the) Devil in Disguise/ 9 1963
Boss Nova Baby/ 20 1963
As I recollect, as late as "In the Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds,"
Elvis continued to have success on the R&B charts.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Mike Rashkow
Many people have made good points in favor of post Sun. I stand on my
previous.
We all know the joke about opinions.......everybody's got one and they
all stink.
But no, I don't think Sam was packaging anything for the masses--he had
Cash, he had Jerry Lee, he had others and he wasn't dependent on Bill
Black's combo. The man was ahead of the curve.
I would also offer that Otis Blackwell could likely write what he had
to write to get it done--he was a pro. Besides it isn't really a B&W
issue. Van McCoy was pretty vanilla and Dr. John is the real deal.
I think this is the last Elvis post I'm going to answer. Over and out.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
James Botticelli
> ......More importantly there was deep and sincere poignancy and
> feeling behind such classics as "Kentucky Rain," his version of
> "Unchained Melody" and "If I Can Dream"....
....which come across to me as being corny. Sentiment accepted, but
the overblown 'affect' as opposed to effect--at least at the time,
(haven't heard it for a couplea decades)--rankled this listener with
its artificiality. Of course one must factor in the Tom Jonesian
Lounge-Acceptance Quotient. While a lyrical miracle delivered by a
passionate interpreter has its value, its zeitgeist must be factored
into the equation. In '68 Elvis was a has-been in wanna-be Vegas
doing second-rate material and if you listened to him at the time it
was hard to accept him otherwise if you thought of him first as a rocker.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Peter McDonnell
I agree. Col. Tom Parker was both the best thing and the worst thing
to happen to Elvis Presley. The Colonel got a rather (for the times)
astronomical sum for Sam Phillips' contract with Elvis, who was really
a regional story at the time, got him hooked up with the huge recording
concern RCA to put records out on him, which turned him into a huge,
international phenomenon. Naturally, Elvis delivered the goods once he
was given the shot, but the Colonel really got him there. He got huge
sums for Elvis to appear on TV, and, subsequently, movies. The problems
began when the Colonel then got Elvis to 'clean up' his act, once the
controversy about Elvis' "suggestive" movements, blatant sexuality and
obviously "black" influences began (it's easy to forget now that Elvis
and his ilk created a hell of an uproar at the time). And he manipulated
the 'enlistment' of Elvis into the army as an attempt to make Elvis seem
like a good, wholesome American boy, when obviously Elvis would have been
doing greater service for his country making millions of dollars and paying
big taxes on them. Then there's the horrible movies that he had Elvis doing,
churning out dreck, justifying them by pointing out that Elvis movies w/o
songs in them just didn't do as well as the ones that did. In other words,
the bottom line was more important than any kind of concerns about artistic
integrity. I think Elvis should have just cut himself loose from Col. Tom
right after "Viva Las Vegas", started doing movies he liked, and putting out
real albums instead of those lousy movie soundtracks...well, it's all water
under the bridge now, isn't it?
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Mike Rashkow
> And what is "Mary In The Morning"?
Oh, a little minor league folky piece of junk that has sold about
7-9 million worldwide...maybe more-- I don't know how many Presley's
version sold.
I know that it was on Glen Campbell's Gentle On My Mind album which
did 6mm in vinyl and tape. It also is a BMI Million Performance Song.
Personally, I don't think it is worth the paper napkin it was written
on, but I do like the money I've been earning on it for 35 years.
God bless Elvis.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Mike Rashkow
In response to the deluge of contrary opinions regarding Elvis, I
can only say it is clear that I failed in the music business because
I didn't have "pop" ears and I didn't have a feel for what would
captivate the masses. My taste may be skewed, I've always liked the
Raylettes much better than I liked the Ray Charles Singers.
I'm just always been out of touch with what makes things popular.
Now you can all stop badgering me with teeny bopper hits, O.K.?
I'm sorry I started it but I'm glad it got all of you riled up.
Good Golly Miss Molly, what if I said I didn't own a Beatles
record--a stoning?
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 14:18:46 -0000
From: Phil Chapman
Subject: RIP Adam Faith
Sad to learn of the loss of Adam Faith, who died of a heart attack,
age 62, in the early hours of Saturday morning after a performance
at a theatre in Stoke On Trent.
Adam Faith, born Terry Nelhams, got started in a mid-50s skiffle
group called "The Worried Men". As a teen idol, initially performing
in an accentuated Buddy Holly style, he enjoyed a fairly consistent
run of solo hits from 1959, with "What Do You Want" and "Poor Me",
thru' to late '64 ("Message To Martha"), by which time the Beat Boom
had really got a grip on the charts.
He turned briefly to management/production (was generally credited
with 'discovering' Sandie Shaw) - I had the pleasure of working with
him on some Leo Sayer sessions in the 70s. A very likeable chap. He
was soon back on the UK TV screen again playing the role of "Budgie",
a chirpy cockney rogue. This success led to other TV series, but he
moved away from 'show business' in the early 80s to concentrate his
efforts, not so successfully, on financial investment.
He was a good all-round guy, who will be missed.
For the full story, with some early TV pics, visit:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2832221.stm
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 18:35:17 -0800
From: Bryan
Subject: Re: The Hooven-Winn-Smith axis
> Hal Winn and Joe Hooven were the producers, and, I think, the owners
> of the Double Shot label; Alfred Smith is Brenton Wood himself.
I remember learning a bit about Hooven-Winn when I worked at Del-Fi.
Bob Keane told me Joe Hooven was a trumpet player and arranger for
the Ted Weems band, who often played at the Casa Manana Ballroom
in Culver City, where Keane and his wife Elsa (one of the Nilsson twins)
used to go all the time. They became friends with the Hoovens -- Joe's
wife was Marilyn Hooven. She also wrote songs and even recorded a
single for Del-Fi ("My Love"/"We Belong Together" - Del-Fi 4104 April 1958).
Jeff Hooven, their son, was also a songwriter, and along with Hal Winn
(I believe it was Hal Winn), wrote songs for Johnny Crawford ("Cindy's
Birthday" and "Your Nose Is Gonna Grow"). Hope I have my facts straight.
Bryan
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 05:10:59 -0000
From: Michael Edwards
Subject: 4 Seasons (Alanna) in musica
Kingsley writes:
> That 4 Seasons on the Alanna label is not our boys.
> Another earlier group on a one-off record, that isn't
> particularly distinctive in any way. Save your money!"
Not so fast. I like music from Pittsburgh, right there in Western
Pennsylvania, home of the great quarterbacks. Alanna was a small
label founded by local record man, Bill Lawrence who was one of the
people behind the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You". The 4 Seasons
who recorded for Alanna had only two releases, the second of which
was a pretty decent up-tempo novelty item, "Hot Water Bottle" (1960).
Sung in the style of the Crests, the lyric was innocent at the time
but seems pretty bizarre today. It is well worth owning for lovers of
vocal groups from the era and it is now playing in musica.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 05:47:24 -0000
From: Jeff Lemlich
Subject: Re: Spiral Staircase/Brenda K. Starr
Larry Lapka wrote:
> Brenda K. Starr, is the result of a mixed marriage.
Simon White:
> Is this the same Brenda who did a wonderful record,
> "Satan, Let Me Sleep Tonight"? It's on my wants list!
I think they're two different people. To me the two Brendas
don't sound alike, plus "Satan" came out in 1969, the same
year as "More Today Than Yesterday". "Satan" is a Rudy Clark
song, but I think you knew that already!
Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com
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Message: 8
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 10:02:55 -0000
From: Guy Lawrence
Subject: Re: The Hooven-Winn-Smith axis
Me:
>Anybody got any other credits on Smith, Hooven and Winn?
Charles G. Hill:
> Hal Winn and Joe Hooven were the producers, and, I think, the
> owners of the Double Shot label; Alfred Smith is Brenton Wood
> himself.
Thanks Charles. Just got off my chair to check a couple of my own
resources and I see that Hooven and Winn produced all of the Count
Five's Double Shot output, including "Psychotic Reaction". Record
Master at http://www.recordmaster.com/ lists 55 singles on Double
Shot and there are some really interesting ones among them.
Guy.
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Message: 9
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 07:30:32 EST
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The Letter
Mike Rashkow:
> Killer from the first note--so unique, such an interesting
> voice, such a strange track.
Also interesting for how friggin' short it is ... blink and
the song's over (leading you to play it again and again and again).
I remember being totally floored to learn that Alex Chilton was
a white, high-school aged kid ... I always wondered how a geeky
teenaged kid could have gotten such a deep growling voice ...
He literally sounded like some 70 year old R&B veteran.
Scott
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 07:08:54 EST
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Even less McCartney
Stratton Bearheart:
> My thoughts move from McCartney to Paul Simon, who,I think,
> emerged from a "folk tradition" and ventured into a far more
> interesting harmonic territory than PM. (even if a little
> boring!)
In spite of the usual critical raves, Simon's last couple of LPs
have struck me as being dull ... I bought them, but can say I take
much pleasure in playing them on a regular basis.
That said, Simon and Garfunkel sounded pretty good the other night
for their mini-reunion. The pair looked a little dour and uptight,
but they hit those old magical harmonies ...
Scott
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Message: 11
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 23:05:15 +1030
From: Norman
Subject: RIP Adam Faith
So sad to hear of the passing of one of the icons of the
early days of British Pop, Adam Faith.
He will be missed.
Norman
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Message: 12
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 14:45:28 -0000
From: Michael Edwards
Subject: Wayne Carson Thompson
Bob Rashkow started it:
> The Letter - The Box Tops - Mala (1967)"
Mike Rashkow followed through:
> I happened to be sitting in one office at Amy/Bell/Mala when
> Papa Don Schroeder brought that record up. He was playing it
> in the adjoining office for Larry Uttal and others. We heard
> it through the walls and through the halls- it grabbed you right
> away. Killer from the first note--so unique, such an interesting
> voice, such a strange track. Everybody in the place knew it was a
> hit. I think it was written by Wayne Carson Thompson--is that the
> same Wayne Thompson who wrote (with others) "Always On My Mind"
Very well said and so true. A look at Wayne Carson Thompson's BMI
catalog shows both "The Letter" and "Always On My Mind" under his
name as is "Soul Deep" and "Mr. Bus Driver" to name a couple more.
And as the Box Tops' "Letter" started off with an airplane sound,
Bruce Channel's "Mr. Bus Driver" began with the sound of a big
Greyhound bus leaving the depot. Two gentlemen to mention here:
Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham (although Dale Hawkins was at the
controls for "Mr. Bus Driver"). What a great job they did in
turning those soul and country sounds into state of the art pop
records. When I first purchased James & Bobby Purify's "I'm Your
Puppet", I just dropped the needle on it, put the turntable into
repeat mode and let it play for hours.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 14:56:46 -0000
From: Rob
Subject: Ronnie's Riverside Dr apt. in NYC
Does everyone know that there was a gold single for "Be My Baby"
at this apt? I visited numerous times there and the disc was on
a mantle in the living room. There was also a huge b&w photo
of Estelle above the fireplace which was truly beautiful! So
beautiful that I asked Ms. Beatrice (RIP) for it and she laughed
it off. One of her favorite quips for me was "Why don't you just
move in here?" since I was there almost every week.
A teen at that and in love with the Ronettes, I began to do little
errands for Ms. Beatrice like paying some bills, groceries, etc.
There was a Chock Full of Nuts place near their house and I would
buy donuts and coffee, especially if she had guests.
The only person there I didn't get along with was their cousin who
sometimes replaced Ronnie on shows. I think her name was Elaine.
OK enough trivia. My favorite Ronette was and will always be
wonderful Estelle! (Though I loved them all)
Dr. Roberto Tirado, PhD
(I never thought I'd become a mental health professional!)
(My best to John Raush & Mark L.)
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Message: 14
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 09:57:25 -0500
From: James Cassidy
Subject: Wilson-less Newton
I hesitate to correct Country Paul, whose encyclopedic knowledge
of the Spectropopically arcane never fails to awe, but "Coming
On Too Strong" by Wayne Newton did not have any Brian Wilson
involvement, to the best of my knowledge. It did, however,
involve several Wilson acolytes/associates - Gary Usher (co-writer,
also producer?) and Bruce Johnston, to name two.
Jim Cassidy
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 07:36:59 -0800 (PST)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Re: Organs R Us
Ken.....the instrument used on "Runaway" is called the Ondiolene
[not sure of the spelling] I loved the sound and tried to use it
several times whenever I used Allegro studios in the basement of
1650 B'way .......but I could never get it in tune with the track.
I couldn't even keep it in tune with itself !!!
regards,
Artie Wayne
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 10:24:28 -0500
From: James Cassidy
Subject: A question for Mike Rashkow
My apologies to all if this question has been posed to you before in
this forum, Mike, but could you share with us your recollections of
working with Ellie Greenwich and Dusty Springfield on "What Good Is I
Love You?"
Thanks,
Jim Cassidy
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 08:27:22 -0800
From: Scott Swanson
Subject: Re: Nanker Phelge
Steve Harvey writes:
>Why only two names? Have you seen a royalty statement
>with all five listed? You may be right, but I've never
>heard of this before.
ASCAP and BMI don't have entries for all the "Nanker Phelge"
songs, but here's what I did find:
Little By Little - Jagger/Jones/Perks/Richards/Stewart/Watts (ASCAP)
Now I've Got A Witness - Jagger/Jones/Perks/Richards/Stewart/Watts (ASCAP)
Stoned - Jagger/Jones/Perks/Richards/Stewart/Watts (ASCAP)
Play With Fire - Jagger/Jones/Richards/Watts/Wyman (BMI)
I'm All Right - Jagger/Jones/Richards/Watts/Wyman (BMI)
Under Assistant West... - Jagger/Richards (BMI)
Off The Hook - Jagger/Richards (BMI)
Spider And The Fly - Jagger/Richards (BMI)
P.S. Two more songs to add to the "Nanker Phelge" list:
"Spector And Pitney Came Too" (Phelge/Spector) and "Godzi"
(unreleased instrumental).
Regards,
Scott
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 08:39:09 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Alex Chilton -The Letter
The story I heard was that Alex was coached by the
producer, Spooner Oldham (?), on how to sing the tune.
He was copying his lead vocal which was erased once
Alex's track was recorded.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 19:25:54 -0000
From: Kingsley Abbott
Subject: wayne newton
Wayne Newton's 'Comin' On Too Strong' was a Bruce Johnston
& Terry Melcher production, not a Brian Wilson one - it's
basically a Rip Chords track with his voice on top much like
Pat Boone's 'Little Honda'/'Beach Girl' on Dot. The Newton
track did crop up on CD on the M&M Bruce & Terry 'Rare Masters'
collection (MMCD 1001)
Kingsley
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 11:42:44 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Imitation
Rhino had it on CD. Got mine for $2. Love "Is She
Thinking Of Me". Also has one of the earliest
emancipationist tunes, the one about visiting one's
kids on the weekends. Ahead of its time for the 60s.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 19:57:05 -0000
From: Billy G Spradlin
Subject: Re: 4 Seasons On E-Bay
Stuart Robertson wrote:
> What do you folks think of the album "Genuine Imitation Life
> Gazette", I enjoy this album myself,good arrangements,and those
> harmonies, I love the track Mrs Statelys Garden(correct title?)
I love the LP too - one of thier very best. Love the packaging (the
USA version with gatefold and insert - Philips UK really botched it
up) but it was the beginning of the end of the original 4 Seasons to
me.
Like so many Pop groups of that era who tried to make their "Sgt
Pepper's..." it wound up confusing the old fans while the people
they were trying to impress (FM radio and the counterculture)
ignored it. At least its become a cult item for Soft Rock fans!
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 09:17:25 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Ballard
On Fresh Air they ran the old Hank interview. He said
what made his version of "The Twist" special was the
country lick done on the guitar. Springsteen had Robin
Thompson and Bruce Hornsby join him onstage in
Richmond. They did "Let's Go, Let's Go" along with
"Monkey Time". Bruce saved "Tell Me Why".
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 20:06:55 +0000
From: Stuffed Animal
Subject: Thanxxx from Jeff, Ellie and Stuff
Dear Spectropoppers,
As I prepare to forward the first 500 signatures on the "Send
Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich to Cleveland" petition to Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame CEO Terry Stewart, I want to take a moment
to thank, on behalf of Jeff and Ellie, all the people who've
supported this effort thus far.
As I scan through the names on the petition, I'm thrilled to see
those of many well-known people, some of whom I've admired for
years: Writers like James Crescitelli, David A. Young, Phil Chapman,
Kingsley Abbott, Greg "Who Put the Bomp" Shaw, Gene Sculatti, Gary
"Pig" Gold and John Clemente;'60s pop superstars like Gene Pitney
and Jody Miller; the legendary Bob Keane of Del-Fi Records; the
redoubtable Stephen "Brute Force" Friedland; members of the Crystals
and The Pixies Three; Cassie and Brett Berns (the children of
songwriter/producer extraordinaire Bert Berns); my personal friends
Tom Mourgos, Dr. Lester E. Blue, Jr, Susan D'Asaro, Laura "Pineapple
Princess" Pinto, Ron Rooks of Kansas City's Music Exchange, and
Michael V. Skeen; not to mention Brian Wilson, Paul Williams, Gary
Spector, May Pang, the late, great Jamie LePage and even someone who
calls himself "Flipped Out Phil" (well...it MIGHT be him, mightn't it?)!!!
Also, I'm simply overwhelmed by the many BEAUTIFUL heartfelt comments
that petition supporters have left behind, as are Jeff and Ellie. One
person wrote: "Dreams are ripples in the night . . . I hope one (ripple)
will carry Jeff and Ellie's dream." Goddammit . . . reading things like
that is enough to start me sniffling (and I never wrote a hit song in
my life)! If, God forbid, this petition effort fails, it won't really
be a failure, because it's served as a means for people all over the
world to express their love and appreciation for the incredible body
of work which bears the names of Barry and/or Greenwich.
Forgive me for the overt sentimentality, folks, but you gotta understand
. . . I been MOVED! Anyone who wants to view the petition in its
entirety should just mosey on over to the web page, http://www.petitiononline.com/jbeg/ . . . and if y'all should be of a
mind to weave your signature into this tapestry of love, go ahead!
Take my word . . . it makes you feel downright GOOD.
Stuffed Animal
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 22:36:34 -0000
From: Peter Lerner
Subject: Re: Cuff Links/Ronnie Dante
Me:
> The album sleeve notes for "Tracy" however would have us
> believe that the Cuff Links were a "new pop group" with
> nine members. None of whom is pictured on the sleeve.
> However there is a young lady with a stripey shirt and
> blue jeans - wonder if she's Tracy? You mean I shouldn't
> believe that either?
Dan:
> But Peter, it's true that the front cover of the album has a
> photo of a girl (Tracy?), but the back cover has a collage of
> faces in a circle, each of them being Ron with a different
> hairstyle/beard/mustache etc. If you didn't know, you probably
> wouldn't realize that they are all the same guy.
Ha! but mine's the British version on our very own UK MCA label,
and I can assure you that the picture on the back is once again
the delctable Tracy, standing against a tree, with no collages
or Ronnies in sight. The start of a thread, guys.......... how
many UK releases of US albums had different sleeve pictures and
designs, and why? Like the UK Liberty release of Jackie DeShannon's
"Put A Little Love In Your Heart" album had the same photos and
design as that on US Imperial, but with the US front on the UK
rear, and vice versa. Why? (answer - so that idiots like me have
to collect them both?)
Peter
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 25
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 08:49:15 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Nanker Phelge/Macca slap
So Richard,
Who showed Macca how to slap? Maybe Nanker Phelge?
Seriously, given that slapbass is not something one
can easily pick up on your own I'm curious as to how
Paul learned it. There are a couple of videos out,
but they are fairly recent issues.
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