.
On another topic, I recently received a CD called "Preparing For
The Millennium", which features the long awaited previously
unreleased album by The Ballroom, the band that Curt Boettcher led
shortly before Sagittarius and The Millennium. There are 23 tracks
on the CD, including the Ballroom album, several outakes and demos
by Ballroom and The Millennium, and some solo sides by Ballroom
members. What can I say, this CD really speaks to my sensibilities.
All of the tracks are magnificent, and because the Ballroom
stuff isn't quite as elaborate as Sag/Mil Boettcher's delicate
arrangements and angelic vocals really shine through. One Ballroom
track, called "I'll Grow Stronger" is to die for. Hey, if you
sixties fans and soft pop fans don't get right on this one you're
going to have to hang your head in shame. It took a long time for
the Ballroom stuff to see the light of day, but it was worth the
wait! On Revola Records, which is a division of Creation UK.
I'll be writing a review of the CD, either for Discoveries or an
L.A. paper called Entertainment Today, and I'll post the review as
soon as it's done.
--
Spectropop Rules!!!!!
Take Care,
David
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: bernadette! (no Four Tops content)
Sent: 09/25/98 7:22 am
Received: 09/26/98 3:22 am
From: Jack Madani, Jack_MadXXXX@XXX12.nj.us
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXXX@XXXties.com
>Hello Jack Madani:
Hello Alan Warner! Very pleased to have you be a part of
this list.
>I used CHICO'S GIRL by The Girls on an EMI-Capitol
>compilation called "Dream Babies" back in '85...
>in fact, it was so long ago that it only came out on vinyl!
>And yes, Bernadette Peters DID cover that song.
Ach, so!
>"Music Hound
>Lounge: The Essential Album Guide To Martini Music &
>Easy Listening". In its section on Ms. Peters, contributor
>Ken Burke states: "As a solo recording artist, Peters
>belatedly made her debut in 1980." Not so, for 18 years-old
>Bernadette cut a single for United Artists in 1962: the songs
>were ACADEMY AWARD c/w CHARM BRACELET!
There was also (and I assume it came after 1962, though not *much*
after) Bernadette's version of "We'll Start The Party Again," which
I knew from the UK vinyl compilation "Where The Girls Are!", from
the early eighties. That lp was my first introduction to the
infinite universe of girlgroups beyond the Ronettes, Crystals,
Chiffons, Shirelles, Shangri-Las.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Madani - Princeton Day School, The Great Road,
Princeton, NJ 08540 Jack_MadXXXX@XXX12.nj.us
"It is when the gods hate a man with uncommon abhorrence that they
drive him into the profession of a schoolmaster." --Seneca, 64 A.D.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Re: Diane Renay
Sent: 09/25/98 2:51 am
Received: 09/25/98 7:52 am
From: Doc Rock, docroXXXX@XXXcom
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXXX@XXXties.com
By the way, with four Diane Renay songs on the "Growin' Up Too
Fast" anthology, is it still worth it to acquire Renay's album?
jack
Oh God Yes!!! Are you serious! DR Rules!
Last Winter, she sent me a cassette of 80s material, btw.
Doc
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Diane Renay/Songs that make you tingle
Sent: 09/25/98 4:30 am
Received: 09/25/98 7:52 am
From: Stos, William, wsXXXX@XXXtyenet.com
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXXX@XXXties.com
Jack: I don't know about the rest of Diane Renay's album, but if
you don't have "Unbelievable Guy," the original A-side to her
"Navy Blue," single (the DJs flipped the record,) you've got to get
it! Hands down my favourite Diane Renay song ever! "Navy Blue" is
cool too, but the Spectorish qualities of the storming
"Unbelievable Guy," set me back every time I hear it.
Regarding your comments of songs that make you tingle here's a
partial list of mine:
The Thrill Is Gone by Clydie King
Remember Me Baby, and What Am I Gonna Do With You by the Chiffons
Doomsday by the Shirelles
The more harmonic songs the Mamas and the Papas did
The Hunter Gets Captured by The Game by the Marvelettes
Baby I Need Your Loving by the 4 Tops
Gonna Take A Miracle by the Royalettes
If I Were Your Woman by Gladys Knight and the Pips
What Becomes Of the Broken Hearted by Jimmy Rufin
Maybe by the Chantels
I started tingling just thinking about them! Either the emotion in
the voices, or the brilliant harmonies or arrangements always get
to me.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Re: RIVER DEEP
Sent: 09/25/98 2:51 am
Received: 09/25/98 7:52 am
From: Doc Rock, docroXXXX@XXXcom
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXXX@XXXties.com
Others who released versions of RIVER DEEP MOUNTAIN
HIGH include Deep Purple, Neil Diamond, Annie Lennox,
Eric Burdon & The Animals, The Flamin' Groovies plus the
combination of The Supremes & The Four Tops.
AW
And my very fave version is on a follow-up 45 by the 2 of Clubs to
their mid-60s hit, "Walk Tall." It is the only true GG version I
know of.
Doc
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Re: River Deep
Sent: 09/25/98 3:12 am
Received: 09/25/98 7:52 am
From: Ron Sauer, RGSaXXXX@XXXom
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXXX@XXXties.com
Had to plug a local Cincinnati girl group called the Two of Clubs
who did a single of "River Deep, Mountain High" on Fraternity
Records as a follow up to the single "Walk Tall" which grazed the
bottom of the Hot 100 around 1966 (I think).
Ron
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: NINO TEMPO AND APRIL STEVENS
Sent: 09/25/98 2:51 am
Received: 09/25/98 7:52 am
From: Doc Rock, docroXXXX@XXXcom
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXXX@XXXties.com
NINO TEMPO AND APRIL STEVENS
Sweet and Lovely the Best of Nino Tempo and April Stevens
Varese Saraband VSD-5592
This duo was one the best sister-brother acts of the rock and roll
era. It's a shame that they are largely forgotten today, for their
music has something to offer almost everybody. Nino plays a hot
sax and sports a perfect falsetto. April (real name Carol LoTempio
)
sings sweet and sexy. While their music is definitely rock and
roll ("Deep Purple" won the Grammy for Best Rock Record in 1963),
they have a strong pop appeal. Virtually all of their material
harks back to the Big Band era (and before). Nino played with the
Glenn Miller orchestra and April sang with Benny Goodman briefly.
Later, Nino also played sax, piano, drum, and/or guitar on most of
Phil Spector's Girl Group records. Some of their songs verged on
being novelty tunes. And their Wall-of-Sound overdubbed harmonies
with backgrounds by the Blossoms and Darlene Love lend their music
a Doo Wop/Girl Group appeal that took them clear to #1 in 1963.
Few artists straddled as many musical styles as these two!
The song selection on the CD is quite good. The earliest recording
is April's solo hit from 1959, "Teach Me, Tiger." It sounds as if
she is imitating Marilyn Monroe. In reality, this recording is
based on a popular TV ad of the time for hair cream. In the ad, a
pre-Get Smart Barbara Feldon rolled around on a tiger rug and
growled, "Hi, Tiger!" to the camera.
The rest of the CD skips their other solo hits and misses, and
picks up in 1962 when the two teamed up. They had six Hot 100
records between 1962 and 1967, and all six are included. Of their
eight songs that bubbled under the top 100, one is included. The
remaining 10 tracks are LP cuts, one unreleased recording from
1985, and one new 1996 recording.
The 1985 cut, "I'm Fallin' For You," is uncharacteristically
country, with Nino yodeling, and the 1996 track, "Why Don't You Do
Right," updates another pre-rock tune.
Updating pre-rock tunes was the foundation of the Tempo-Steven
repertoire, with "Deep Purple," "Whispering," "Stardust," "I'm
Confessin'," and more coming from the '20s and '30s. Occasionally,
Nino and April remade rock and roll songs, such as Bruce Channel's
"Hey Baby," not on the CD unfortunately, and the Paris Sisters' "I
Love How You Love Me," which fortunately is on the CD. This last
cut has to be heard to be believed! The Paris Sisters' barely
breathed the song; Nino and April belt it out, complete with
bagpipes and electric guitar! Hey, it worked for me when I bought
the single in 1965, and it's even greater in stereo CD sound.
Speaking of stereo, there are a few anomalies on this CD. "Deep
Purple" and "Sweet and Lovely" were both in stereo on the original
LP, but here they are inexplicably in monaural sound. And "Stardust,"
one of their best sides, is not the 45 version.
Speaking of 45s, I was disappointed that some good ones, including
"I Surrender Dear," ""Our Love," "My Old Flame," "Sea of Love/Dock
of the Bay (medley)," and "No Hair Sam" (a great answer record to
Charlie Rich's "Mohair Sam") weren't included. Maybe there'll be a
volume two?
And finally, it's long been rumored that Phil Spector produced
"Deep Purple," but could not be credited for legal reasons. The CD
liner notes are very informative and have lots of quotes from the
duo. But they do nothing to clear up the rumor. In fact, the
liners muddy the issue. In the paragraph that describes the
recording of "Deep Purple," Spector is mentioned, but not as a
participant. Hasn't the statute of limitations run out on that
thing yet?
These are small points. The CD, of course, sounds great, and the
Tempo-Stevens duo never disappoints.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
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