Spectropop - Digest Number 911

• From: Spectropop Group
• Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2003

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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 12 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Re: The Wham Of Sam
           From: Mike Rashkow 
      2. new here
           From: psychschmaltz 
      3. Re: Wilson/Valli
           From: David Mirich 
      4. Re: The Critters
           From: Chris Ullman 
      5. Artie Wayne
           From: Clark Besch 
      6. I Don't Want To Discuss It /Laura Nyro
           From: Bill Craig 
      7. Beverly Bremers
           From: David Bell 
      8. Re: The Robbs Race With The Wind
           From: Patrick Rands 
      9. Re: Robbs
           From: Lapka Larry 
     10. Re:
           From: John Hesterman 
     11. Re: In the red corner is Brian and in the blue corner Frankie Valli
           From: Billy G Spradlin 
     12. Rick Nelson, Glen Campbell & Jerry Fuller - Lost Recordings
           From: Alan Gordon 


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Message: 1
   Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2003 22:23:57 EDT
   From: Mike Rashkow 
Subject: Re: The Wham Of Sam

Stuffed Animal asked about Sammy "Lavender Blue" Turner?

Not sure, but I believe he passed a few years ago.



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Message: 2
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 04:15:32 -0000
   From: psychschmaltz 
Subject: new here

Hi all - Just became a member here, played a great garage/pop 
45 from 1966 by the Distant Cousins "Stop Runnin' 'Round 
Baby". Hope you enjoy it.

I actually came across this group via an archived message from 
last year about the "Soft Sounds for Gentle People" comp - 
someone was looking for the track list. I'm listening to it right 
now actually courtesy a friend of mine (and it's really good), if 
the track list is still wanted I can provide....I was actually 
looking for cover art, does anyone have a link to this?

Anyway looking forward to this group....cheers!

Psychschmaltz



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Message: 3
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 06:47:42 -0600
   From: David Mirich 
Subject: Re: Wilson/Valli

> What a blast with this Wilson vs Valli thing, but I can't
> possibly take sides. This is like comparing and contrasting
> Spector and Crewe.

Who had more top 40 hits between the 2 groups?  Also, is there 
a "4 Seasons" touring group apart from Valli?

Dave Mirich



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Message: 4
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 08:05:27 -0000
   From: Chris Ullman 
Subject: Re: The Critters

Clark Besch wrote:
> Chris, I love both sides of the Giant Jellybean Copout 45.  
> I always assumed Bob Dileo (wrote the songs) was the man behind 
> this record in all ways (writer, singer, etc).  The 45 got picked 
> by Billboard to  make Top 60 in 68. In '69, Bob had a solo 45 on 
> Columbia called "Band in Boston" which is another very pop 
> oriented psych thing complete with phasing.  I really thought it 
> was cool (not unlike what the Arbors did later in the year with 
> "The Letter"). In 70, he also did "I Just Can't Help Believin" and 
> "Jessica" as I remember (?) as 45s which all went nowhere on the 
> charts. I wonder who Bob is and where he went.

You could be well be right Clark, I was just going on the sleeve 
notes of Fading Yellow 3 in the absence of other info and sleeve 
notes can often be wrong. Running a search on Giant Jellybean copout 
on Google reveals postings claiming both Jim Ryan and Robert dileo 
as sole composer, singer, producer etc, however the Jim Ryan ones 
seem to stem back to the Fading Yellow notes. Also playing the 
Critters japanese import cd with the Jimmy lead tracks, I don't 
think the lead singer is the same guy as on "Look at the girls", so 
I'm inclined to think you're right. The only way for proof is if any 
people have the actual single out there?

On a related tangent, after my last posting I ran a search on 
Critters on ebay to find their Portuguese promotional EP with four 
project 3 tracks (among them "touch and go") with 40 minutes left on 
the auction and NO BIDDERS! So I've bagged that at $9.99 
unbelievably. Now I'll have to start looking out for the Bob Dileo 
stuff too!

Chris




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Message: 5
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 13:17:24 -0000
   From: Clark Besch 
Subject: Artie Wayne

Hi Artie,
I enjoyed your note about Mickie Most very much. I agree that 
keeping up with old friends is a good thing.  I've tried as much 
as possible to do so.

Just thought I'd see if you remembered an article I ran across on 
you from Teen Life Oct. 1967.  The 3 page article is titled "So 
You Want to be a Record Producer".  It is a decent article, but 
really cool for the 6 pictures of you that are with it! The photos 
are from the recording session for Tim Wilde's "Popcorn Double 
Feature" on Tower records.  I have the Searchers' version (and I 
believe I have a version by the Castaways?), but not sure about the 
Tim Wilde one.

Anyway, you are usually the most happy and enthusiastic looking guy 
in the pictures.  Dark sunglasses, headphones, horizontal-striped 
shirt and a dark tan (?).  First has you and Tim looking over the 
material with him singing and you seated at the piano playing. Then 
a session musicians pic.  Then, two of you and Tim listening to a 
playback of the backing track.  Several takes are made, and the 5th 
pic says "Tim looks worried, but Artie is happy."  Last pic is all 
back in control booth beginning the mixing.  Pretty cool!

The article itself starts with the comment that you can do a great 
job producing a record, but you never know if it will be a hit.  
HOW TRUE!  Then it goes into where record producers come from.  
Quoting from the article now: "Take the case of artie Wayne who has, 
at the age of 23, established himself as a well-known producer in 
New York City. Says Artie: "'I first got interested in the business 
when I was going to school.  I taught myself to play the guitar and 
started to write songs.  First as a hobby and then seriously.  I 
knew that I wanted to get some of my songs recorded and published 
but I didn't know anybody in the recording business who could tell 
me how to go about it.  So one day I went to New York and walked up 
and down Broadway collecting names and addresses of publishers in 
the city.  I then decided to go knocking on all their doors, along 
with my guitar, in the hope that someone would listen to my songs.  
I can't remember just how many offices I got thrown out of, but I 
was determined not to give up and eventually someone listened to me.  
This person seemed to like what he heard, and took me along to a 
small studio to make some demonstration records if my songs.  Just 
me and my guitar. Funny thing was that I was offered a contract as 
a singer! From then on I spent a lot of time in the recording studios 
and was fascinated by the ways producers got different sounds and 
effects and the whole procedure of cutting a record.  I sort of picked 
the brains of producers and learned some of the recording tricks of 
the trade.  Eventually I decided I wanted to become a record producer 
myself.  One day I booked a studio and some musicians and spent hours 
just playing around with ideas and trying different things to get 
unusual sounds."

The article mentions that your first record production wasn't a hit, 
but not long afterwards came your success with "Midnight Mary".
"What qualifications must a would-be producer have?  Says 
Artie: 'First of all, you must have a creative mind and be continually 
on the look-out for new talent and material to record. You must always 
make a record with the hit parade in mind.  And you musn't give up 
when it doesn't make it.  Considering the number of records that are 
released, only a very small proportion do.'

On the then-new Tim Wilde single: "I'm very excited about it,' 
says Artie.  'We spent days experimenting with electronic effects
--for instance using an electric saxophone, using old computer 
tapes to get weird sounds, slowing the tape down and recording 
over it and then speeding it up again.'" The article then explains 
how a record is made in these steps: Find a song for a suitable 
artist, producer calls in arranger to make suitable arrangements.  
Studio and musicians are booked. After a lot of rehearsal, the 
instrumental track is recorded. Backing vocals next and then the 
lead singer sings over that. Then, the article states, the "art" 
of the record production comes in.  Mixing the tracks with balancing 
instrumental and vocal tracks, adding echo or double-tracking to 
vocals, and even possibly re-record the instrumental track over the 
same track to get a fuller sound.  "For instance,' Artie says, 'on 
Tim's record we started off with about ten instruments, but by the 
time we had finished recording again and again over the same 
instrumental track, we ended up with the sound of ninety!'"  After 
the producer is happy, the article states, he decides the company 
he'd like to place the record with. If they take the record, a deal 
for promotion, release date, royalties, etc are worked out.  After 
release, everyone keeps their fingers crossed.

Actually, it seems a pretty straightforward explanation of the 
process as it was in 1967!  Artie, do you agree that they got your 
story pretty good?  Sounds like the way Mickie Most ping-ponged tracks 
to make finished mono masters too. 

Now, a few questions about the article that I have.  Can someone play 
the Tim Wilde 45 to Musica?  Artie do you remember the recording?  
The pics of you at 23 remind me of pics I have of Terry Melcher 
producing the Raiders about that time!  Self taught guitar player 
and song writer--that's talent!  What was that "first" record alluded 
to that was a flop?  Did you stay mainly in New York or did you venture 
to LA in the 65-7 happening days out there?  Please feel free to expound 
on this article.  
Thanks, 

Clark Besch



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Message: 6
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 13:28:01 -0000
   From: Bill Craig 
Subject: I Don't Want To Discuss It /Laura Nyro

The first version I ever heard of "Discuss It" was by Rhinoceros 
in either '68 or '69. I think they were on Electra.The Rod Stewart 
is really quite good also, coming from fairly early in his recording 
life.

On another subject, having just read a good bio of one my all time 
fave's Laura Nyro, I wonder if Allan Rinde could find out 
if Toni Wine has any remembrances of the late great Laura.

Bill Craig



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Message: 7
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 13:17:58 EDT
   From: David Bell 
Subject: Beverly Bremers

I'm sure that I'm teaching my granny to suck eggs here but I 
hope Beverly Ann is aware that there are 4 lovely black and 
white pix of her in the booklet that accompanies the BMG CD 
release "Turning My Heartbeat Up" (7431 774012). She looks fab! 

As Kev Roberts wrote "Country / Pop singer with one of two 
Northern soul associations. A real obscurity and poor seller 
to boot. I can imagine the look on her face as someone runs 
into her at a flea market in Wyoming, revealing she's a star 
in the UK." The song is "He's Coming Home", of course.
So does she realise she's a star in the UK, Simon?
Best wishes,

David.



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Message: 8
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 16:43:13 -0000
   From: Patrick Rands 
Subject: Re: The Robbs Race With The Wind

Bob Rashkow wrote:
> Almost forgot!  Patrick Rands, why DIDN'T "Race With The Wind" 
> become a bigger hit--a puzzler, huh?  Could you enlighten those 
> of us who are mystified by this (and happen to love the Robbs!)  
> It was such a great tune! They were so talented! More's the pity! 

Hi Bob,
There are others who probably could expound on this topic better than 
I, but I would have to say that there were many reasons The Robbs did 
not have any huge hits, nor even break the top 100 charts. The 
biggest reason is that their record label Mercury relied on their 
exposure on Dick Clark's Where The Action Is, rather than doing any 
proper promotion of the group. In regard to Race With The Wind, I 
think their vocal harmonies were *too* good, considering they were 
trying to do a Dylan-esque folk rock song. But that's just my 
personal thought on the matter.

The Robbs truly are a pop fan's mount of gold, because they had so 
many great cuts, which we can enjoy and mull over just why they 
didn't make it. It'll be a great day, when The Robbs finally get 
their due and a cd reissue which mines their creative catalog.

Hopefully, some of you were able to tune in Friday night for The 
Robbs special. It went really well, and some of you who tuned in 
might have noticed a special guest in the studio: that was my 
daughter who is not yet two, tearing up the place coz I couldn't find 
a babysitter. Other than her keeping me on my toes the entire hour, 
the show went really well :). I'll try and make sure the show gets 
put into the archive for those who couldn't tune in.
:Patrick



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Message: 9
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 10:13:20 -0700 (PDT)
   From: Lapka Larry 
Subject: Re: Robbs

Dear Bob Rashkow:
I supplied some of the Robbs music Patrick used on his
radio show on the Robbs, so I think I can answer your
question about whey they never made it.

It is my opinion that even though they were on TV
nationally on Where the Action Is, they were still
thought to be a regional band. I don't think they were
promoted correctly. In fact, I don't think they ever
turned up on anything not related to Dick Clark
(WTAI/Bandstand). I think this association with DC,
and his apparent exclusivity in their TV appearances,
just about killed their chances for national stardom.

But apparently, many of their records were hits in
various places in the US, but not in New York or L.A.
I never remember hearing any of their songs on WABC or
WMCA on New York radio.

And, finally, I think Paul Revere and the Raiders
eclipsed everyone on WTAI, and I mean everyone, from
Steve Alaimo on down.

Larry Lapka



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Message: 10
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 06:08:19 -0700
   From: John Hesterman 
Subject: Re:

Andrew Hickey ranted:
> London has an intense aura of evil about it that means only
> truly great music can entice me down...

I just returned from a week in London (including a day in Liverpool 
where we did a show at The Cavern) and found London vital, exciting 
and a truly fascinating experience!  I've heard the endless discussion 
about which Brits are more friendly and engaging, Northerners or 
Southerners, and I have to say that I found them all a great lot :)  
England is a country the British can be very proud of, with beautiful countryside and thriving cities steeped in rich history and wonderful 
music, all of which do not add up to evil . . .

John H.

***CHECK OUT MY LATEST CD! IT'S CALLED "OUR FLAG," AND IT'S A WONDERFUL
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   __________
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  |   JAM    |
   \________/  . . . . The Sixties Rock!



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Message: 11
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 18:36:39 -0000
   From: Billy G Spradlin 
Subject: Re: In the red corner is Brian and in the blue corner Frankie Valli

> Not really true. I can't remember the quote exactly, but 
> there was an absolutely *SCATHING* quote from Bruce Johnston 
> from the early 90s when he said that the 4 Seasons knew nothing 
> about harmony and couldn't sing (a stance he seems strangely to 
> have stopped taking since the 'Beach Boys' got Frankie Valli 
> impersonator Adrian Baker into the band and started doing Sherry 
> live). And then there's the "Surfers Rule - 04 Seasons you'd better 
> believe it" in the track Surfers Rule...

Which is strange, especally when you can hear Bruce clearly on "East 
Meets West" - which always sounded like they shipped the master tape 
all over the place to get every Beach Boy singing on it.

I dont think Brian ever hated the Seasons - I remember reading some 
article in a 60s era Hit Parader (or Song Hits) that mentioned Brian 
having Seasons 45s in his Jukebox at home.



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Message: 12
   Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 14:13:21 -0700
   From: Alan Gordon 
Subject: Rick Nelson, Glen Campbell & Jerry Fuller - Lost Recordings

I forgot who was mentioning in here that they were going to 
pick up the "Rick Nelson, Glen Campbell & Jerry Fuller - 
Lost Recordings."
I'm curious what he/she or anyone thinks of the package?


peace,
albabe




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