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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 11 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Bert Berns / Hoagy Lands / Gil Hamilton
From: Mick Patrick
2. Re: Little Eva's Alternate World / Jerry Blavat
From: Andrew Jones
3. Re: The Critters
From: Kitty Hinkle
4. Re: Mr Kipner & the S'pop Steves
From: James Cassidy
5. Re: Mickie Most
From: Scott Swanson
6. Re: Dave Baby Cortez
From: Dave Feldman
7. Music stuff - Song Swiping and Styling
From: Alan Gordon
8. Re: Jerry Blavat
From: Phil Milstein
9. Re: Dave Baby Cortez
From: James Botticelli
10. Re: Dawn Of Correction
From: Phil Milstein
11. Re: Jerry Blavat
From: James Botticelli
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 14:14:20 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Bert Berns / Hoagy Lands / Gil Hamilton
Me:
> More recently I was talking to Ernie Maresca who worked with Hoagy
> at Laurie Records. He was full of praise for the great guy. Watch
> out for a new-to-CD Maresca/Lands collaboration on a forthcoming
> Ace release.
Brett Berns:
> It's great to hear that Ace will be putting out a Hoagy Lands CD
> compilation, but I hope that they go beyond the Laurie output and
> include the Judi, MGM and Atlantic sides. Now that would be
> something!
Oh dear, I've misled everyone. The forthcoming Ace CD I mentioned is
a collection of tracks written by Ernie Maresca, not an entire CD by
Hoagy Lands. It will contain one track by Hoagy plus a couple of
dozen by other artists.
Brett:
> And in case they need any extra tracks, I think that I may have
> found a complete album of Hoagy Lands songs produced by my father
> called "Give 'Em Soul" (Capitol 1730, 1732, 1733, and 1737). There
> are four versions of this album, each with a different "Presenter",
> but I believe that each one is identical to the next. My dad wrote
> the brilliant liner notes (which I will soon be posting to our
> website, http://BertBerns.com) and wrote three of the songs
> included on the LP. But the voice on my copy of "Herman Griffith
> Presents - Give 'Em Soul" sounds like it's just got to be Hoagy
> Lands, even though his name is nowhere to be found. Does anyone
> know anything more about this obscure series of albums? Could this
> be Hoagy Lands? Long Live Hoagy!!
As I type, I am listening to a copy of this album, loaned to me by
Rob Hughes, leading Bert Berns collector/archivist. Rob has made me
privy to his very in depth research regarding this album, from
which I can reveal that Hoagy Lands sings lead on the following five
tracks:
"Cry To Me"
"On Top Of Old Smoky"
"Stand By Me"
"Stranger On The Shore"
"Georgia On My mind"
On the following three tracks the lead vocalist is Gil Hamilton,
better known as Johnny Thunder of "Loop De Loop" fame:
"When My Little Girl Is Smiling"
"Lover Please"
"Give 'Em Soul"
On the remaining four tracks, the vocals are shared by Hoagy Lands
and Gil Hamilton:
"He Will Break Your Heart"
"Bathtub Blues"
"It's Driving Me Wild"
"Splish Splash"
It seems there were up to eight different versions of the LP, each
one "Presented" by a different name DJ. Rob's copy is "George Hudson
Presents Give 'Em Soul" (Capitol T 1730).
Also recorded at the album sessions, but released only on a single
(Capitol 4766, July 1962), was "Tell Her" by Gil Hamilton. This is
the original version of the Exciters' "Tell Him", but you knew that
already.
Mick Patrick
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 09:22:26 -0400 (EDT)
From: Andrew Jones
Subject: Re: Little Eva's Alternate World / Jerry Blavat
Mick Patrick: The 4-LP set "The #1 Hits of the '60s," released in the US
during the early 1970s by Tele House, has the no-clap version of "The
Loco-Motion."
Good Fella: It's great to see Jerry Blavat's still around. I saw him on
a Monkees episode and on a short-lived TV show he had on the GoodLife TV
network, and I even have an old magazine (Life or Look - I'd have to dig
it up again to see which, but I know I've still got it) that has an
extensive interview with him in his prime.
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 16:28:57 -0000
From: Kitty Hinkle
Subject: Re: The Critters
James Botticelli wrote:
> For the experts among us...Any and all info on The Critters would
> be most helpful....
For those of you who may be REALLY interested, check out Don
Ciccone's official website at http://www.donciccone.com "Welcome to
the official website of the world-renowned singer, songwriter and
recording artist". Not only is there information about the Critters,
but he also serves up tidbits about Frankie Valli and the Four
Seasons and Tommy James and the Shondells. My single of "Mr. diengly
sad" is in pretty bad shape since I bought it when I was about 10,
but my 2 albums are playable - and I do play them now and then.
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 10:12:15 -0400
From: James Cassidy
Subject: Re: Mr Kipner & the S'pop Steves
F. Scott Fitzgerald was apparently wrong when he said there were no
second acts in American life, as proven by the life of Steve Kipner,
recently brought to our attention by the Spectropop Steves. When I
searched his name on the All-Music Guide, I discovered that after Steve
& Stevie and Tin Tin, Mr. Kipner went on to an intermittently successful
songwriting career that continues to this day, having written "Physical"
for Olivia Newton-John, "Hard Habit to Break" for Chicago, "The Hardest
Thing" for 98 Degrees, and "Genie in a Bottle" for Christina Aguilera.
Jim Cassidy
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 10:18:37 -0700
From: Scott Swanson
Subject: Re: Mickie Most
James Botticelli asks:
> (Mickie Most's) production of "Is It True" by Brenda Lee was the song
> that got me into her singing....What else did he do??
What ELSE?? Here's a sampling of his 1960s productions:
The Animals -- everything through 1966, including House Of The Rising Sun
Herman's Hermits -- everything
The Nashville Teens -- Tobacco Road, Google Eye (1964)
Donovan -- Sunshine Superman, Mellow Yellow, Hurdy Gurdy Man, etc. (1966-68)
Lulu -- To Sir With Love, Best Of Both Worlds, Moring Dew, Boom
Bang-A-Bang, etc. (1967-69)
Jeff Beck -- Hi Ho Silver Lining, Tallyman, Love Is Blue, plus the "Truth"
LP (1967-69)
The Yardbirds -- "Little Games" (infamous 1967 LP)
Terry Reid -- first two LPs (Mickie was the reason Terry wasn't allowed to
join Led Zeppelin) (1968-69)
Mary Hopkin -- Temma Harbour (plus several others in 1969-70)
Mickie Most was probably the most consistent hitmaking British producer in
the '60s.
Regards,
Scott
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 12:40:05 -0400
From: Dave Feldman
Subject: Re: Dave Baby Cortez
Phil Milstein wrote:
> * Does anybody know anything about the origins of the tune "Rinky
> Dink," the source of Dave Baby Cortez's 1960 hit? I recently returned
> from the cultural oasis of Branson, Missouri, where I saw a brilliant
> lounge organist named Jimmy Nicholas, who claimed that he wrote that
> song, as well as another Cortez hit "The Happy Organ," when he was 14
> years old. Besides being a great keyboardist Nicholas was also an
> engaging humorist, and it was hard to tell when he was being serious
> and when he was pulling the audience's leg, but when he told that
> story he seemed like he was being sincere. But I'm wondering if
> there's any corroborating evidence. The only copies of either
> recording that I own are on cheesy anthologies, which lack songwriting
> credits.
I pulled out my three DBC singles and here's what I found. "The Happy
Organ" has the following credit: (Wood-Clowney-Kriegsmann). On other
songs, there are credits for "Ken Wood" but I don't see Kriegsmann's name
anywhere else. "Rinky Dink" and it's flip, "Getting Right," are both
credited to Clowney, who was, of course, Dave Cortez Clowney.
As for Brian Wilson. Yes it's sad that he has to cancel a gig because of
slow ticket sales. But I think we fans tend to overestimate his "brand
name recognition." At a higher level of attendance for both group and
solo performer, it's a little like the Kinks/Ray Davies dynamic in the U.S.
You could argue that Ray Davies was at least as instrumental in the
greatness of the Kinks as BW is to the BB's, but he has little pull in
live venues stateside.
Dave Feldman
Website of the Week: http://www.whowouldbuythat.com/
CD of the Month: "bright yellow bright orange" (The Go Betweens)
Blatant Plug of the Month: visit http://www.imponderables.com
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 11:33:08 -0700
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: Music stuff - Song Swiping and Styling
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: More thievery
> Never thought these sounded like each other. Same chord sequences is
> not stealing as the melody can vary, even when the chords are the same.
> Think of all the three chord blues or the C Am F G progression which
> was used to death during the 50s.
Absolutely, Steve. But I did "preface" my thoughts with: "Sometimes they
were just more fun to do as a medley, than them actually being "identical"
songs. You decide". But...
...You are completely right. I'd be curious as to what percentage of the
"Pop" songs out there, from all ages and styles, either have as the first
two (sequential) chords in a song, the I to the IV (as in the first 2
chords of most blues progressions - C to F, or F to Bb, etc.); or the
whole 3 chord blues/Chuck Berry thang that you mention, I to IV to V (C to
F to G, or F to Bb to C, etc.); or the other one you mentioned, I to VI to
IV to V (which is sometimes played with a II chord substituting for the IV
chord - I to VI to II to V - which would be C to Am to F to G, or C to Am
to Dm to G). The last one (of the main 4) that I'm aware of, is the
simpler variation on the last one, which starts as II to V to I. A lot of
jazzier pop toons (and some serious jazz toons too, I might add) use this.
One other thing. As I paraphrase what you said; even though the song
"changes" may be the same, the songs may be radically different. Very
true, but... the Neil Diamond, John Cougar, Romantics, etc. songs that I
mentioned, have almost the exact rhythmic guitar parts, which to me
constitute a very recognizable sound (on the intro it's mostly apparent).
They aren't just the basic changes for the song to lay a melody on top...
they are almost exactly the same in terms of the guitar arrangement, and
I think even key - which on a guitar will give you the exact same voicings
... and you can also do that by changing keys by just moving a capo to
keep the same voicings.
Sorry if this is a little too mathematical/nonsensical for any of you kind
folks that don't play, but I've always loved the patterns, that seem to me,
apparent in all the arts. Seeing and appreciating these patterns in art,
make music and, poetry and all of the arts more interesting to me. But I
should clarify that, if I'd much rather be moved by a particular piece of
music (or Art, etc., for that matter) than analyze it. IMHO, the analysis
is basically masturbation...but as in all masturbation... still fun.
John Fox, Subject: More thievery:
> I always wondered why Cougar didn't mention Neil in the last verse where
> he pays tribute to Bobby Fuller, Mitch Ryder, Martha Reeves, James Brown
I remember that song sounding very similar to the previously mentioned
songs (even though I forgot it when I wrote my previous rambling
dissertation) but I never even thought of that point. In that light, that
would make me suspect that John knew the song had the same guitar part and
didn't mention Neil in the song because he he didn't want to draw
attention to it (by fans, or critics, or even the law), and then rewrote
history for the interviews, when the part was recognized by the fans...
interesting. Just my opinion, of course.
From: Steve Harvey, Mikey and all you other smart folks.
> Don and Juan: "What's Your Name?"
Doh! Sorry... this is what happen when I ramble without doing my research.
It won't happen again!!! Not!
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Message: 8
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 15:12:10 -0700
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Jerry Blavat
Andrew Jones wrote:
> Good Fella: It's great to see Jerry Blavat's still around. I saw him on
> a Monkees episode and on a short-lived TV show he had on the GoodLife TV
> network, and I even have an old magazine (Life or Look - I'd have to dig
> it up again to see which, but I know I've still got it) that has an
> extensive interview with him in his prime.
I understand there is a documentary film in the works about Blavat's
life and career. Ought to be a doozy.
--Phil M.
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Message: 9
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 15:22:47 -0400
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Dave Baby Cortez
Dave Feldman wrote:
> I pulled out my three DBC singles and here's what I found. "The Happy
> Organ" has the following credit: (Wood-Clowney-Kriegsmann). On other
> songs, there are credits for "Ken Wood" but I don't see Kriegsmann's
> name anywhere else. "Rinky Dink" and it's flip, "Getting Right," are
> both credited to Clowney, who was, of course, Dave Cortez Clowney.
Thanks for that info. A fave at this address. Just a personal addendum
...Dave's version of "Summertime" on RCA's 'Living Stereo' LP "The Happy
Organ" is unsurpassed. Thieves and samplers would do well to Pro-Tools
the opening 16 bars. Not that there's anything right with that!
JB
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 15:39:05 -0700
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Dawn Of Correction
A bit late to the table, but now playing on musica is The Spokesmen
(Madara & White)'s "Dawn Of Correction", the answer to "Eve Of
Destruction".
--Phil Milstein
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Message: 11
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 15:27:10 -0400
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Jerry Blavat
Andrew Jones wrote:
> It's great to see Jerry Blavat's still around.
Once he put The Destinations' 1971 Philly Soul relic "I Can't Leave You" on
a compilation I have been prostate at the 'Altar of Blavat'. I only wish one
of our well-educated British compilers would select this track for CD
reissue. One of theeee rarest Philly soul gems. Wishful thinking? We rely on
our Brit Brethren for this type of output. (And by 'we' I mean a small
handful of us Yanks who really appreciate the Brit-Take on U.S. Pop)
JB
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