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Volume #0187 November 29, 1998
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"New Orthophonic" High Fidelity
Subject: Re: the Flirtations
Sent: 11/28/98 11:42 pm
Received: 11/29/98 8:18 am
From: CHARLES THOMPSON, CHAZTHOMXXXXXXXXigy.net
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
Subject: Re: The Flirtations
WILLIAM STOS ......writes:
>Does anybody have info on this late 60s group? I've been
>listening to their single "Nothing But A Heartache," over and
>over again. Someone told me they might have a comp on Marginal
>records, but that sounds too good to be true. Help! Anybody?
A while back I picked up the Marginal Records release of
"Sounds Like The Flirtations" CD. There are some very nice
recordings on this CD, (actually when I listen to it, there is
a very similar orchestration sound reminiscent of Freda Payne's
"Contact" record album of the early 70's (I think). In fact a
couple of the recordings could have just as well been sung and
included by Ms. Payne on her "Contact" album and blended very
nicely, especially the Flirtations recording of SOUTH CAROLINA.
The truth is, although the recordings sound very good, and are
handled well by the '3 gals', there is nothing as dynamic and
memorable as NOTHING BUT A HEARTACHE. The notes on this recording
mention the Flirtations as having 2 hits (.....HEARTACHE) and
SOMEONE OUT THERE. Quit honesty, I don't recall the 2nd 'hit' at
all. There are 19 selections on the CD and all but 3 are written
by the team of Bickerton and Waddington (they wrote ......HEARTACHE)
.......nice CD.
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Subject: Flirtations/It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference
Sent: 11/26/98 10:05 AM
Received: 11/26/98 1:49 PM
From: IAC, ianXXXXXXXXalnet.co.uk
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
Hi Will,
The Flirtations have quite a history. Originally a four-piece
girl-group called the Gypsies - three sisters Betty, Shirley &
Earnestine Pearce plus Lestine Johnson (later replaced by Viola
Billups) - Formed in '62, they had a couple of releases for Old
Town - you may know "Jerk It". Betty had also left by '65, around
the same time they became the Flirtations and switched to Josie
("Change My Darkness Into Light") There was also a release on
Festival ("Stronger Than Her Love"), not sure of the date. Came to
the UK in '67, signed to Decca subsidiary Deram, where they cut
several good singles, including "Nothing But A Heartache", and a
couple of albums. Got plenty of TV exposure, but never quite made
the big time. In the early 70s, still in the UK, they had a few
45s for Polydor - one was a nice re-work of Marvin Gaye's "Little
Darling", and also "Why Didn't I Think Of That" on Mojo (same song
as Brenda & the Tabulations). Viola went solo, first recording a
one-off single as Vi, then she adopted the name Pearly Gates on
several labels, including RCA, Bronze and Polydor, where she cut a
great tongue-in-cheek girl-group death disc called "Johnny & the
Juke Box" on Polydor (to all Spectropop fans - find it, it's
great!!). She also did some hi-nrg stuff, as did the remaining
Flirtations ("Dirty Work"), having replaced Vi. Both were still
recording into the 80s. Very likely that the Marginal comp does
exist, although I haven't yet seen it - after all, they have also
done 60s compilations on the Caravelles, Madeline Bell, and Kiki
Dee.
Finally, has anybody mentioned the great version of "It Wouldn't
Have Made Any Difference" by Manhattan Transfer on their "Coming
Out" album? Janis Siegal on lead (an ex-Red Bird gal! Was in the
Young Generation) - highly recommended!
Ian Chapman
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Subject: it wouldn't have made any difference
Sent: 11/26/98 7:29 AM
Received: 11/26/98 1:49 PM
From: Jack Madani, Jack_MaXXXXXXXXk12.nj.us
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
>> Hi, I have heard a version of Todd Rundgren "It wouldn't have
>> made any Difference" on my oldies station, and have been
>> wondering who is playing it, it is done at a faster speed, but
>> it is obviously not Todd. The sound is early to mid 70's. Any
>> help would be greatly appreciated.
>Marie, I believe you are in Montreal, right ? OK so you must have
>heard Tom Middleton's version of "Difference".
I thought it might be of interest to note that the Manhattan
Transfer also did a very nice cover (with a female lead) of this
song, on I think it was their second album called "Comin' Out" or
something like that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Madani - Princeton Day School, The Great Road,
Princeton, NJ 08540 Jack_MaXXXXXXXXk12.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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Subject: Sad notes
Sent: 11/28/98 3:04 pm
Received: 11/28/98 9:21 pm
From: Alan Warner, wiXXXXXXXXetcom.com
To: Spectropop List, SpectrXXXXXXXXities.com
We lost two more important music figures in the last
couple of weeks...
DON JULIAN, who led the Meadlowlarks with that blissful
"Heaven And Paradise" on Dootone in 1955 passed away on
November 6th. He continued o to be an important west coast
R&B/doo-wop pioneer, and hit the best-sellers in 1965 with his
self-composed THE LARK, credited this time to The Larks, on
the Money label.
The funeral was held last week for HAL DAVIS who, along
with Marc Gordon opened and ran Motown's Los Angeles office
in 1963. As a songwriter, he'll be particularly remembered
for the Jackson 5 hits, I'LL BE THERE and DANCING MACHINE.
As a producer, Hal worked on both of the above Jackson 45's
and also Diana Ross's milestone smash LOVE HANGOVER.
The latter song, written by Pam Sawyer and Marilyn McLeod,
was sampled on the current smash hit, THE FIRST NIGHT by
Monica.
**************************************************************************
Re: Paul Urbahns' comment on Little Eva, I'm very surprised
because I was told that she sang both LET'S TURKEY TROT and
KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY BABY as well as THE LOCO-
MOTION during her set on a concert in Eastborne, England, just
the other Saturday, 11/21.
Incidentally, that particular show was the final nite in a British
tour which played to SRO audiences and starred Bobby Vee,
Brian Hyland, Johnny Preston and Chris Montez plus, of course,
Ms.Boyd herself.
AW
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Subject: that's me!
Sent: 11/26/98 8:07 AM
Received: 11/26/98 10:52 AM
From: Barbara Alston, BARBXXXXXXXXcom
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
Hi Jimmy,
I've emailed you my fax number and address if you wish to mail
that data and thanks loads. I will speak with you again about them
as soon as I receive them. If they are legible enough to go in the
book, you will be rewarded accordingly. Thanks again.
Hi Bob,
Yes, that's me! Very short stay with the Terri Nelson group, but
memorable.
Babs
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Subject: Twice as Much
Sent: 11/27/98 5:15 pm
Received: 11/28/98 8:36 am
From: Jamie LePage, le_pageXXXXXXXXities.com
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
I was fortunate to receive from a good friend a copy of
the Twice as Much CD, which contains both of this UK duo's
full-length albums "Own Up" (1966) and "That's All" (1967).
Both albums are typical Andrew Loog Oldham productions and have
that unmistakable sound of UK recordings from those evolutionary
years. The productions and arrangements have the obligatory
Beatles references, but Oldham's sound usually aspires to West
Coast producers such as Spector/B. Wilson/Nitzsche/Adler. Very
folky, very arty; certain Stones songs on Flowers, much of
Between the Buttons and a few tracks on Metamorphosis have this
same feel.
Anyway, great use of harpsichord, and Oldham's "borrowing" of
contemporary production ideas from that absolutely magical
time between the spring of 1966 and fall of 1967 make this a
great period collection, obscure as the recordings may be and
perhaps flawed by Oldham's typically loose rhythm tracks.
This is very West Coast inspired, so fans of Nitzsche and Botkin,
Jr. will like the arrangements. Of particular note to Spector fans
is a cover of the Ronettes "Is This What I Get For Lovin' You Baby."
More information on Oldham/Immediate recordings please post.
--
le_pageXXXXXXXXities.com
RodeoDrive/5030
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Subject: Marginal Records
Sent: 11/26/98 8:28 pm
Received: 11/27/98 6:50 am
From: Tyler Kieron, kieXXXXXXXXs.org.uk
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
I understand that Marginal is shortly to cease existing....
So if there's anything you're after (and there's quite a bit I
want), its probably a good idea to get it soon!
All the best, Kieron
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Subject: Question Mark & the Mysterians
Sent: 11/27/98 2:09 am
Received: 11/27/98 6:50 am
From: Glenn Sadin, glenn_maXXXXXXXXhlink.net
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
Big L sez...
>It was a promo for the new Drew Barrymore movie. But that song...
>THAT'S a trivia question even for someone who grew up on punk
>bands and mid 60s Cleveland radio!
>
>It is, of course, "Can't Get Enough Of You, Baby" by ? and the
>Mysterians, which was the followup to "I Need Somebody." It
>received very little airplay anywhere.
>
>The idea of using such an obscure song in a movie in 1998 makes no
>sense to me at all. Why would they do such a thing?
Two possible reasons: That song was a pretty big hit in the '80s
by a spinoff band from the Specials (was it Fun Boy 3?). Also,
Question Mark & the Mysterians have been pretty active lately.
They've toured the US & Europe several times (with, I believe, the
original lineup!) in past year or so, and they've just released a
new single on Norton Records, which is quite true to their 1966
sound with the Vox organ and all. I saw them perform here in San
Francisco earlier this year and they were brilliant - they place
was really stompin'! The only bummer was the organist was playing
one of those cheesy nowadays plastic synth abominations instead of
a real Vox organ, but, hey, those old Voxes are kinda pricey these
days and not too reliable.
BTW, you grew up in Cleveland in the '60s? If you tell me you saw
the Choir perform in person, I'll flip!!
Glenn
glenn_maXXXXXXXXhlink.net
Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for THE BERKELEY SQUIRES:
http://www.termites.com/BerkeleySquires.html
Read about JAPANESE POP MUSIC from the 1950s thru the 1990s:
http://home.earthlink.net/~glenn_mariko/nihon.htm
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Subject: Re: "Can't Get Enough of You Baby"
Sent: 11/27/98 2:01 pm
Received: 11/28/98 8:36 am
From: Billy G. Spradlin, biXXXXXXXXore.net
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
I first heard "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" On the 4 Seasons
"Working My Way Back To You" album. Its a great song, written by
Linzer and Randell (who wrote "Workin") but I don't know if the
Seasons recorded the first version of this song or if another 60's
group did.
If their's was the original version of that song then they "threw
away" a hit, the Seasons had so many great songs on thier albums
and B-sides (example: Pity) that could have been A-Sides.
This song was also covered by a UK group called The Colour Field
in 1985 and it was a popular "New Wave" radio hit. In fact I think
Smashmouth's version is based on this cover.
Billy G.
Billy G. Spradlin
29 Rim Road
Kilgore, Texas 75662
ICQ: 15036049
Email: biXXXXXXXXore.net & bgspraXXXXXXXXhink.net
Homepage? www.tyler.net/wildbill
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Subject: Can't Get Enough Of You Baby
Sent: 11/26/98 9:41 AM
Received: 11/26/98 10:52 AM
From: Alicia Martuge, ZabXXXXXXXXv.net
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
I heard ? and the Mysterians version of the song on WHAS-AM a
Louisville Ky. station I recieve here in Brooklyn! And when I saw
them perform in Central Park July 4, they mentioned it being
covered in the movie "Can't Hardly Wait". That's the video where
Smash Mouth does the song. Anyway ? says "more power to you (them)"
and I couldn't agree more. I'd cover it myself!
P.S. The only reason I went to see ? and the Mysterians was because
they knocked the Four Tops "reach Out I'll Be There" off the #1
spot, and the Tops were never #1 again!
Alicia
fourtopsgirl-smile!
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