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Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
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There are 17 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. October Country song by Michael McGinnis
From: Art Longmire
2. Run To My Lovin' Arms
From: Martin Roberts
3. More Dino
From: Alan Gordon
4. David Box CD; Bob Lind; Starsailor
From: Country Paul
5. Re: Catherine Howe
From: Richard Havers
6. Re: Brian Hyland/Jackie DeShannon
From: Bill George
7. Chiffons Complete on CD???
From: Tony Leong
8. Re: Chico's Girls
From: Mary
9. SF party?
From: Alan Gordon
10. The Girls
From: Mary
11. Re: More Wirtz?
From: Michael Stroggoff
12. Association Alternate Anthology?
From: David Goodwin
13. Chiffons Complete on CD???
From: David Bell
14. Re: Chiffons
From: Andrew Hickey
15. Re: Catherine Howe
From: Ken Mortimer
16. Re: Chiffons
From: Mick Patrick
17. Re: Chiffons
From: Ray
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 21:22:30 -0000
From: Art Longmire
Subject: October Country song by Michael McGinnis
I have another song titled "October Country" by an artist named
Michael McGinnis. It appears on his LP "Welcome To My Mind" on
the Forward label from 1969. If anyone has any info regarding
this LP please let me know, I haven't been able to turn up much
on it other than an entry on a Japanese website that is only
partially in English.
The "October Country" song on this album is an outstanding track
with an extremely melancholy, mournful, almost apocalyptic feel.
I especially like the horns on the song, which are reminiscent of
the horns used on Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man". Several years
after finding this LP I found that the song's lyrics are actually
a poem by Ray Bradbury from his book "The October Country".
However, this is not acknowledged in the songwriters credits.
Another noteworthy song on the LP, called "Orange Ice", is the
most upbeat, psychedelic track and is another superb tune. This
song has a childlike, whimsical atmosphere that still manages to
sound slightly sinister, and clocks in at less than two minutes.
For the most part the album is what I would call country rock,
not as psychedelic as the title "Welcome To My Mind" would lead
one to believe...the backing musicians are former members of
The Moon and Colours. If anyone else has run across this or has
any info on who McGinnis is, please post here or e-mail me.
Best,
Art Longmire
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 00:58:03 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Run To My Lovin' Arms
I'm pleased Ken liked the Sunny acetate playing on musica.
At the same time as acquiring this and several other UK demo
recordings I bought 3 ten inch female-voiced "Screen Gems
Columbia" demos, recorded at "Dick Charles Recording Studios",
NYC. Musically only one is of interest, "Run To My Lovin'
Arms". The song was of course released; perhaps best known
in the UK as sung by Billy Fury and in the US by April Young.
A good T. Powers - G. Fischoff song which I feel with a better
production could have been a fair sized hit. I've no idea who
the vocalist is and no other information to go with the disc,
bar the comment written in pen, "Female Version". Nice piano!
Now playing at musica.
Martin
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 19:40:17 -0700
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: More Dino
Martin Roberts wrote re. Dino DVDs:
> Worldwide, the only "Dean Martin TV Show" DVD available
> for purchase is called "That's Amore"... etc.
"ay, there's the rub;"
I assumed everyone knew what I was talking about... I should
go back to teaching, just to re-educate myself on how to
communicate simple basic ideas to others... doh. I apologize
for my ignorance and lack of said ability.
I purchased the "That's Amore" DVD a short while back. Great
stuff. A bunch of interviews with Dino's business partner
from years ago. And bits and pieces from Dino's Variety show.
There's also a few really great live numbers of him performing
with some hip orchestra way back in the olden days.
With that said... Here in the colonies we have these *very
interesting* late night advertisements on cable TV... in fact
we have channels that do nothing but show these half hour to
one hour long advertisements disguised as commentaries or
"reports" on everything from scrotal ointment to.... Dino
(...and beyond).
The ad that I saw a few nights back advertised 7 (seven)
separate DVDs (or tapes) that were supposedly episodes of the
Dean Martin Variety Show.
I called their 1-800 number and didn't get that much information
from their friendly but very uniformed order-taker. He sorta
informed me that:
They are $19.95 each. Except the first one which they discount
for $9.95.
They are 1 (one) hour each. Which, to me, is a vast waste of
the possible 6 hours of very high res "superbit" plus 5.1 &
stereo sound that is available on double (triple) layered DVDs.
But it's all commerce.
They are (and I quote) "probably compilations" rather than
entire shows.
After you receive the first *single* disc, they then send you 2
at a time, every other month, for $19.95 each, which amounts to
a whopping $39.90 for 2 hours of yummy but very expensive stuff.
Has anyone ordered these discs yet?
peace,
albabe
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Message: 4
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 22:59:54 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: David Box CD; Bob Lind; Starsailor
Back on the catch-up trail again. Been living with "The David
Box Story" (Roller Coaster [UK] RCCD 3024) for several days,
and I think he would have been a major talent had he lived.
His voice is about 1/3 Buddy Holly (his idol) and 2/3 Roy
Orbison in a unique systhesis. Orbison, in fact, wrote several
songs for him, and the connection is a remarkable synthesis.
(Box was also a solid writer himself.) My favorite track is
still "Little Lonely Summer Girl" (a Box original), in which he
really found his own voice. It's as close to a hit as he had
(and probably would have been bigger on a more major label than
JoEd). There are also two versions of each of two songs, both
written by Roy Orbison: a gorgeous ballad called "If You Can't
Say Something Nice," with and without overdubbed strings on the
same basic session; and "I've Had My Moments," an early rockin'
version and a later "Orbisonic" ballad, both good. There are lots
of interesting discoveries - imperfect tracks loaded with promise
and "if only" - and an overriding sense of who he was and where
he wanted to go. If you like the Holly-Orbison-Texas sound, I'd
give this CD a strong vote of confidence.
Simon White:
> http://www.michaelkelly.fsnet.co.uk/karl.htm
> [Roy Orbison in Clingfilm]
What?????
JB:
> I did manage to abscond with a copy of Elisabeth's CD,
> artwork by Sheila...very innocently provocative.
Available where, please?
Ian Chapman re: Bob Lind:
> But if he never did anything else, I'd always be grateful
> to him for his composition and delivery of "Elusive Butterfly",
> a record that would have to figure somewhere in my all-time
> pop Top 20.
If I haven't already agreed with you elsewhere, let me do so now.
David Young:
> The new NME has a feature on the upcoming Starsailor album
> arriving in September, as well as member James Walsh's
> impressions of working with Phil. Only two of the Spector
> tracks have been selected for release, including the album's
> title cut, "Silence Is Easy," due out as a single a couple
> of weeks before the full-length.
Read more here: http://www.nme.com/news/105392.htm
Great to meet you in NYC, David! Have you or anyone heard this/
these yet?
Only a week behind,
Country Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 08:29:13 +0100
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re: Catherine Howe
Ken Mortimer wrote:
> The LP 'What A Beautiful Place' by Catherine Howe is incredibly rare
> (and incredibly expensive when it does turn up). I'd like to badger
> the owners of the master tapes to put it out on CD. The LP was
> released on the Reflection label. Does anyone know who might own the
> rights to Reflection releases?
Hi Ken,
Did that album have "Harry" on it? If it did, I have a feeling I saw a
CD release about 6 or 7 years ago. Not 100% but it does stick in my mind
somehow.
Best
Richard
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Message: 6
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 01:40:36 EDT
From: Bill George
Subject: Re: Brian Hyland/Jackie DeShannon
Mike Edwards wrote:
> One song I have always wanted to hear by Brian is one also
> recorded by Jackie DeShannon called "He Don't Understand
> You", a title Jackie co-wrote with Randy Newman. Anyone help?
He does a very nice job with it. Possibly my favorite version
of the song, including Jackie's! (It's not one of my favorite
of her recordings.)
-Bill
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Message: 7
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 07:40:55 -0000
From: Tony Leong
Subject: Chiffons Complete on CD???
Hello All:
Today, I picked up a used casette of Chiffons material issued by
Laurie in 1986. I know that years ago, there was a vinyl boxed
set of their material put out by Murray Hill, but does anybody
know if there is a plan for a complete Chiffons CD-set??. I'd love
to get their 4 LPs and cuts like "What Am I Gonna Do...?" and "Only
My Friend" on CD. Perhaps there can be outtakes like SYLVIA's
original lead on "One Fine Day" or the Pat-led unreleased "Gee How
I Love That Boy"?? Gee how I'd love that set!!!!!!! Who owns the
Chiffons' tapes?? The Tokens??
Tony Leong
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Message: 8
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 19:12:27 -0000
From: Mary
Subject: Re: Chico's Girls
Mick Patrick wrote:
> The Girls were a Los Angeles sister act comprising Diane, Sylvia,
> Rosemary and Margaret Sandoval. Curiously, I am in possession of
> a taped interview with the lyricist Cynthia Weil in which she claims
> that she sang lead on this version of "Chico's Girl". I tend to
> think she might be mistaken, but you never know. Whatever, it's one
> GREAT record.
Mick,
I am a friend of the group who recorded "Chico's Girl". Margaret
Sandoval was the lead singer on it, not Cynthia Weil. It would be
great to hear the taped interview you have. I am in the process of
setting up a web site dedicated to "The Girls". As soon as it's
published, probably in a couple of days, I will be back with the
link for all the fans of The Girls.
Mary
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Message: 9
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 12:37:08 -0700
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: SF party?
Is anyone keeping track of the bay area locals that might be
interested in a party?
Is there a way that we could have a sign-up list somewhere on
the Yahoo site?
peace,
albabe
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 20:24:26 -0000
From: Mary
Subject: The Girls
I would love to hear from other fans of The Girls. Their
recordings of "Chico's Girl" and "My Baby" have been
published on several compilation albums including the famed
"Brill Building Sound Boxed 4-CD set" which has become a
collectors' item.
Mary
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 13:31:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Stroggoff
Subject: Re: More Wirtz?
I have a copy of his rare LP on World Record Club if interested...
Best,
Michael Fishberg
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Message: 12
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 18:02:15 -0400
From: David Goodwin
Subject: Association Alternate Anthology?
Hey all,
Something I've been curious about for quite some time. Around the time
the Association "Just the Right Sound" Anthology came out, I recall
reading that the overseas versions (Japan and Europe) utilized a
different track listing. As I recall, I read that the "solo" tracks
("Pegasus" and whatnot) were deleted and replaced by more Association
tracks, and that the instrumental track of "Pandora's Golden Heebie
Jeebies" was a bonus track.
Thing is, however, when I look on the 'net now, it seems as if the
overseas tracklistings are identical to the US one, "solo" tracks and
all.
BUT!
A little while back, I found the in-house promo of disc one of the
Anthology in a record store. It's a Warners Special Products CDR in a
card-sleeve. However, it has several deviations from the final
tracklisting: no "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You," other tracks shifted
around, "Changes," "Reputation" *and* the backing track of "Pandora's
Golden" as track 28.
Questions: Do overseas versions of the Anthology indeed have these
different tracks (and websites are just wrong?) Or was that in the
planning stages, and never materialized?
Thanks,
-D
PS: Is there any indication that these CCM releases are the be-all and
end-all of Association reissues that we can expect? I'm kinda
disappointed that stereo/mono/singles discs (well within the space
limitations of compact discs) aren't happening, and indeed that these
CCM discs are *less* useful than the Japanese reissues.
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Message: 13
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 18:23:57 EDT
From: David Bell
Subject: Chiffons Complete on CD???
I'm a great Chiffons fan and my appreciation of this great girl
group was heightened last year when I saw Judy appear on the
Bobby Vee show that toured England this year.
Judy still has a wonderful, expressive voice and she was such a
gracious lady when we met after the show.
I'm intrigued by a Sylvia-led "One Fine Day" and a song I've never
heard of with a lead vocal by Pat "Gee How I Love That Boy".
Can anyone provide me with a complete Chiffons' discography? Very
foolishly I had thought everything that had been recorded by the
group had been released over the years.
Best wishes,
David.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Sat, 05 Jul 2003 01:22:04 +0100
From: Andrew Hickey
Subject: Re: Chiffons
David Bell:
> I'm intrigued by a Sylvia-led "One Fine Day" and a song I've
> never heard of with a lead vocal by Pat "Gee How I Love That Boy".
Is that the same song as the doo-wop classic "Gee!" by the Crows?
The chorus line to that one is 'how I love that girl', and most of
the rest of the verse is just 'oh gee, well oh gee'.
That song was also covered by Frank Zappa, and part was used in one
of the alternate versions of "Heroes & Villains" by the Beach Boys...
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Sat, 05 Jul 2003 01:05:07 +0100
From: Ken Mortimer
Subject: Re: Catherine Howe
Hi Richard,
Thanks very much for the reply. Catherine Howe's hit, 'Harry' was
released in 1975 when she was signed to RCA. Her album 'What A
Beautiful Place' was released on the Reflection label some 5 years
earlier when she was a comparative unknown. I think back then she
was an actress who could sing rather than a singer/songwriter full
time. Her LP for Reflection was a definite one off and as far as I
can tell, she didn't release anything else until she signed to RCA
in '75. I'd love to know what happened to her. Does anybody know?
Thanks,
Ken
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Message: 16
Date: Sat, 05 Jul 2003 01:11:36 +0100
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Chiffons
Tony Leong wrote:
> ...I know that years ago, there was a vinyl boxed set of
> (Chiffons) material put out by Murray Hill...
Hey la,
Ah, the Chiffons. What a wonderful group. Such great harmonies.
I never heard of the Chiffons set on Murray Hill. Do tell more.
I do have that label's Chantels box-set, though.
> I'd love to get cuts like "What Am I Gonna Do...?" and "Only
> My Friend" on CD.
You and me both.
> Perhaps there can be outtakes like SYLVIA's original lead on
> "One Fine Day"...
I've never heard this track. What's it like please?
> or the Pat-led unreleased "Gee How I Love That Boy"??
Oh dear, another one I've not heard! Is it any good?
> Who owns the Chiffons' tapes?? The Tokens??
The original founders of Laurie sold the label to Capitol/EMI
c. 1992. So EMI now own the tapes and the copyrights to same.
Of course, whether they can find all of the tapes is another
matter. Of course, the Tokens, to whose Bright Tunes production
company the Chiffons were affiliated, may be in possession of
the unissued tracks and might also own the copyrights to them.
By my reckoning, the Chiffons released 50-odd tracks on Laurie,
enough for a double CD, but perhaps not a box-set. But not *all*
of the tracks are that great. I'm thinking of "Da Doo Ron Ron"
and "The Loco-Motion", for starters.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 17
Date: Sat, 05 Jul 2003 01:38:17 -0000
From: Ray
Subject: Re: Chiffons
I too think the Chiffons are great. My favorites are "Easy to love,
hard to get", "Tonight I met an angel", "I have a boyfriend" and "A
love so fine"
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