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Volume #0341 November 5, 1999
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Phil & Annette
Subject: Re: Sequel/Castle releases
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: Derrick Bostromxxxxxpuppets.com
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
> So I'm doing this record deal over at Castle Music in
> England and one of the major perks of doing entertainment
> law is that you can generally blag some swag.
Don't pass up their Ivy League and Pinkerton's Colours/
Flying Machine comps! And if it were me, I wouldn't leave
without their Jerry Ross Symposium collection and all the
Easy Project titles.
Derrick Bostroxxxxxpuppets.com
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Subject: Sequel girls (& boys)
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: iandrew, iaxxxxx.net
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
Matthew wrote:
>Are all nine of of the "Here Come The Girls" collections
>essential? I think that I'm going to stay away from the
>boy group series, just doesn't have the same thrill.
Matthew....
I think it's a pretty safe bet to say that a Spectropopper
would find something appealing on all the volumes of HCTG,
so grab 'em while you can. The series bows out with Vol.
10, which is a double-set (of mixed quality, IMO) entitled
"Girls Don't Come" (yes, really).
Don't be too quick to dismiss the two "Here Come The Boys"
sets, though. Although they were poor sellers, you'll find
some excellent Spectropop stuff hidden away on these that
may not appear on CD again for quite a while. Stuff like
the Chants' "She's Mine" (the Alice Wonderland/Swans song),
their great Frankie Lymon-ish take of "I Could Write A
Book", and the stompy 4 Seasons-styled "I Don't Care".
Then there's "Bu Bop A Lu Bop A Lie" by Robb Storme (Da
Doo Ron Ron influence), Mark Wynter's fantastic surfy
Andrew Oldham-produced version of Sloan & Barri's "Can I
Get To Know You Better" (for me THE version), plus good
quality harmony pop from the likes of the Ivy League and
the Sands of Time. And the Searchers' jangling Spectorised
version of the Jackie de Shannon song "Each Time" is solid
gold. Try it, you'll like it!
Ian Chapman
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Subject: commercial music IDs
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: Frank Youngwerth, xxxxxcom
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
Anybody recognize the ethereal Tijuana Brass-type music
that comes in at the end of those TV commercials now
running for e-stamps (where the guy goes out to buy stamps
and when he finally gets back it's decades later)?
Also, have the short electronic pieces Eric Siday created
in the 60s for radio and TV ever been collected on LP or
CD? I would assume he did the one for Mutual news that
gets sampled in Roky Erickson's "Creature with the Atom
Brain."
Frank Youngwerth
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Subject: Darlene & "Little Sister"
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: Mark Landwehr, mxxxxxbbs.com
To: Spectropop List, Spectxxxxxities.com
Just wanted to update everyone on an old thread...Many
moons ago, there was a discussion re: the EEOC records/
Phil Spector/Brian Wilson - When the dust had cleared, it
was agreed upon (I think) that Brian wrote the tune for
the Ronettes & played piano on the track that Spector cut
but eventually gave away for use on the EEOC
public-service records.
Mention was made of the Ronettes doing work on a possible
release of the tune, originally titled "Don't Hurt My
Little Sister"...Something that never panned out. But, no
mention was made of any other artists..
I have reason to believe (speculate) that Spector MAY have
thought about using Darlene Love on the cut, pre-Blossoms/
EEOC...I have an acetate of the instrumental track that
Spector cut for "Don't Hurt My Little Sister" (later to be
used by EEOC), and on the label is printed "Little Sister -
D. Love" and "Mar. '65"...At least we can conclude WHEN the
track was cut.
To Carol Kaye:
Do you have any recollection of being part of that session?
Sorry if I'm repeating a question that someone asked you
previously...My brain cells are slowly deteriorating.
Mark
Phil Spector Label Gallery at
http://www.toltbbs.com/~msland/Spector
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Subject: Paper Dolls
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: iandrew, iaxxxxx.net
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
Will Stos wrote:-
> Can anyone give me some info on the Paper Dolls (the
> British girl group)?
Hi Will,
The trio was lead singer Suzi "Tiger" Mathis, Pauline
"Spyder" Bennett and Sue "Copper" Marshall. Their first 45,
"Something Here In My Heart (Keeps Telling Me No)" on the
Pye label, went to #11 in the UK chart in '68, and spawned
an album, "Paper Dolls House" (the hit, a couple of
originals, mostly covers). For a short time, they had a
pretty high profile, with some sharp marketing (Paper Doll
toys, books etc), but no further chart action. They had two
more Pye 45s, "My Life"/"There's Nobody I'd Sooner Love",
and "Someday"/"All The Time In The World". Neither as
strong as the hit, but "There's Nobody I'd Sooner Love" is
pretty cute, and some UK Brit girl collectors may know an
earlier version of "All The Time In The World" by Stevie
Kimble. The Dolls moved on to RCA in '70 for 2 more
singles, a dull version of "My Boyfriend's Back", and the
bouncier "Remember December", and that was it.
Some of their sides have appeared on Sequel's "Here Come
The Girls" series, and readers may be interested in this
quote from the liner notes of the latest (and last) volume,
#10: "We heard some wild stories about the Dolls
recently but can't reprint them here in case we end up
having to pay our own legal costs". Make of that what you
will!
(Little-known fact: In 1980, Suzi Mathis was the vocal
coach for the St. Winifred's School Choir and their
irksome freak #1 hit "There's No-One Quite Like Grandma".
Forgive me, UK readers, for reminding you of this!!)
Ian Chapman
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Subject: Re: THE COOKIES - I NEVER DREAMED
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: CHRIS KING, cxxxxxnet.co.uk
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
Greetings all. I need your help. I absolutely adore The
Cookies skyscrapingly majestic 'I Never Dreamed' &
although I have it on CD, I desperately want a copy on 7"
vinyl 45, so I can play it out when I DJ. Do any of you
have a copy I could buy? If not, can you please point me
in the direction of somewhere I may be able to pick up the
track on vinyl? Many, many thanks in advance, yours
hopefully, Chris.
PS: I am also desperate to acquire the following 45's:-
The Shirelles - Groovy Guy
The Sherry's - That Boy Of Mine
The Lollipops - Step Aside Baby
Carolyn Carter - I'm Thru
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Subject: Susan Rafey in the Liquid Room
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: iandrew, iaxxxxx.net
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
David Ponak wrote:-
> 3.Susan Rafey-The Big Hurt
> Hurt So Bad (Verve)
Hi David,
Nice to see Susan Rafey's "Hurt So Bad" getting some
exposure. A great uptempo version of the Little Anthony
song, with a strong vocal. Recommend to anyone who likes
white girl northern soul.....in the same class as Nancy
Ames' "I Don't Want To Talk About It". (Should go down
well at "Da Doo Ron Ron", Chris)
Ian Chapman
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Re: Shonen Knife
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: Stewart Mason, flaxxxxx.com
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
At 09:51 PM 11/3/99 +0900, Spectropop List wrote:
>Thanks to David Young, I just found a Shonen Knife
>Christmas single called Space Christmas on red vinyl
>with a pic sleeve. This is a hoot; I fell in love with
>it instantly.
>
>Has anyone else heard this and if so, do any of their
>other recordings come across so cute?
Occasionally, they're quite cute -- on individual songs
like "Riding on the Rocket," especially its
English-language remake -- but for the most part, Shonen
Knife are a fairly standard bubblegum-punk trio, poppy but
still quite noisy at times.
There's a definite element of deliberate camp in
everything they do; they're quite aware that it's just
adorable for grown women (their first record came out in
1983!) to be singing about jelly beans and choco bars, and
they play up their human-Sanrio-character quality, but
there's also a vaguely unsettling quality to some of their
songs ("Twist Barbie," etc.) that's also quite deliberate.
Their English debut, LET'S KNIFE (Virgin, 1992), is a good
introduction, featuring remakes of a lot of their classic
early songs.
Stewart
****************************FLAMINGO RECORDS****************************
Stewart Allensworth Mason
Box 40172 "No, you may not use that in your
Albuquerque NM 87196 .sig quote."
www.rt66.com/~flamingo
**********************HAPPY MUSIC FOR NICE PEOPLE***********************
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: RE: Shonen Knife, "Space Christmas".
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: George Ojisan xxxxxhlink.net>
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
I read the mailing list as often as I can. I don't have
much time to "jump in" and follow thru on threads but,
it's really great here. I wanted to comment on John
Rausch' discovery of the Shonen Knife Christmas Single:
john rausch xxxxx.net> wrote:
> ....I just found a Shonen Knife Christmas single called
> Space Christmas on red vinyl with a pic sleeve. This is a
> hoot; I fell in love with it instantly.
It does have that charm, John....
> The 45 label is a send up of the Capitol swirl label and
> the pic sleeve is a tribute to the Phil Spector xmas ep
> sleeve. It even says "A Shonen Knife Christmas Record For
> You" The b side has a Christmas message from all the
> girls in the band resembling the Phil Spector spoken
> track at the end of his xmas lp. It even has some samples
> from that lp at the beginning and again at the end.
Very true. Isn't it amazing that all of those elements of
classic U.S. Pop were recognized, if you will...in a
recording from (3) girls in Japan...in this one single
release! It charted well on the College Charts here in
the U.S. and it was "Rodney's Pick to Click" at
Christmastime on KROQ in L.A.. that year. (1991) And, it
also charted at #1 in the U.K..
I can't imagine Christmas now, without: "I'm waiting
for Santa Claus. he's riding on a Bison Sleigh. I'm
waiting for Christmas gift I wanna get a Space Ship!"
If you listen to the "Shonen Knife Christmas Message '91"
a little closer... you'll notice there's ALSO a definite
tie-in with the Beatles' very first Christmas Message to
their Fan Club. It's a revelation to hear Shonen Knife do
the bit in their best Japanese-english Holiday Spirit
("Hello-o-o... this is Naoko speaking to you in English!")
and then listen to the Beatles early creation. The "parts"
are even assigned with the girls in the Knife, much as
they were with the Beatles. And it all works terrifically,
because Shonen Knife are totally natural in the role - it
becomes an all-new creation with them. Their fans in that
era would throw Jelly Beans (Jerry Beans...) on stage
during their live shows even as fans of the Beatles had
done in their early appearances. So, I thought you would
enjoy knowing that facet of "Space Christmas" from Shonen
Knife.
For years, my favorite Pop Christmas Record was Ray
Stevens', "Santa Claus Is Watchin' You" I think it was
the Tuba Player that made it click but after I heard
"Space Christmas" by Shonen Knife and saw all the
elements of the "best of rock n roll christmas" packaged
into this one production - it became my "must-play"
Christmas record.
> I don`t know if these girls are trying to be campy
> or if it just comes across that way to American ears but
> this is really a great treat. Has anyone else heard this
> and if so, do any of their other recordings come across
> so cute?
Many of their recordings are very cute. If "campy" can be
applied to three former office workers from Osaka, Japan
who decided to "do something more fun than business" with
their lives, started a rock band and taught themselves to
play - that's fine. The thing is - they write good melody,
celebrate the little things and challenges in life that
make it all fun, and deliver it live on stage with a power
punch. If that sounds like a glowing testimonial, then I
accept the charge. *smile*
I feel Shonen Knife are one of the great girl groups, for
so many reasons. Many of their CDs, certainly from their
years on Virgin, including "Let's Knife", "Rock Animals"
and "Birds and the B Sides" are available. One of the
best recorded Shonen Knife mixes is their cover version
of the Carpenters' "Top of the World" - quite amazing
sonically and in its appeal. That version has legs of
its own: It was used in the recent Disney (remake) Film,
"Parent Trap" and previously in the tag for the film "The
Last Supper." Microsoft used this recording for a
television commercial, launching their Internet Explorer...
back in 1995. (My compliments to the Chef on this track!)
Hope this background is helpful, and accurate with the
many knowledgeable people here on the mailing list who
also know of the band.
I enjoy the Spectropop list. It's always a good read!!
dewa mata,
George "Ojisan" Handlon
Coordinator, Knife Collectors ~ N. America
The Shonen Knife NeXuS
http://home.earthlink.net/~gwiz/ShonenLA.html
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Shonen Knife Xmas 45
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: Glenn Sadin & Mariko Kusumoto, glenn_mxxxxxhlink.net
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
John sez re: Shonen Knife Xmas 45:
>The 45 label is a send up of the Capitol swirl label and
>the pic sleeve is a tribute to the Phil Spector xmas ep
>sleeve. It even says "A Shonen Knife Christmas Record
>For You" The b side has a Christmas message from all the
>girls in the band resembling the Phil Spector spoken
>track at the end of his xmas lp.
Actually, the spoken word flip is a direct cop of the
Beatles' Xmas singles that were sent to their fan club.
But you're right, it IS a fab Xmas single!
Glenn
Glenn Sadin
Read about Japanese pop from the '50s & '60s!
NIHON NO POPS: http://home.earthlink.net/~glenn_mariko/nihon.htm
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Re: Japanese Girl Pop
Received: 11/05/99 6:58 am
From: Jamie LePage, spectxxxxxities.com
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
john rausch xxxxx.net> wrote:
> I just found a Shonen Knife Christmas single called Space
> Christmas...The b side has a Christmas message from all
> the girls in the band resembling the Phil Spector spoken
> track at the end of his xmas lp.
Hi John. Wow! I am so happy you liked this. It's really neat
that you (train) spotted all the Spector references. You
missed one, though. In the runoff groove is etched "Phil
and Annette", the first of many SK vinyl records to have a
hidden message in the runoff groove.
The parody of Spector's spoken track actually begins when
the "Silent Night" piano loop starts. Before that, the
script is nearly a word-for-word parody of another spoken
word Xmas recording - the Beatles' 1963 Xmas fan club
record!
> this is really a great treat. Has anyone else heard this
> and if so, do any of their other recordings come across
> so cute
As far as their other records, "Let's Knife" is probably
most representative of their punk/pop sound, but for
Spectropoppers, I would recommend the album "Birds &
B-sides". The album is wildly uneven but its high points
merit the recommendation. Take a look at these quotes from
AMG regarding the album:
> "Birds & The B-Sides (1996) - 18 odds and ends from the
> Shonen Knife '90s catalog [including] contributions to
> tribute albums to the Carpenters, Beach Boys, and Nilsson.
> ...fanatics will appreciate the thoughtfully assembled,
> thoroughly annotated collection of these rarities...The
> covers (especially of "Heatwave" and the Beach Boys'
> "Don't Hurt My Little Sister") generally outpace the
> original material, which doesn't vary as much as it could
> or should. -- Richie Unterberger, All-Music Guide".
Indeed, the covers are the highlights, including a cover
of the Nilsson penned Ronettes side "Paradise". And, the
arrangement on "Don't Hurt..." resembles "Things Are
Changing" more than it does the BBs. The "Vivaldi Vibe"
remake of their original "Little Tree" is a
nod-and-a-wink to Bob Crewe's "Dawn (Go Away)". But as to
their later records, caveat emptor. More from AMG:
> "Happy Hour (1998) - A little Shonen Knife goes a
> long way, and what seemed so exuberant and
> irresistible on earlier efforts like Let's Knife
> now feels cloying and stale; the Shonen Knife
> aesthetic has become pure formula, and the joke
> just isn't that funny anymore. -- Jason Ankeny,
> All-Music Guide"
Thank you for your post on this single!
All the best,
Jamie
n.p. The John Barrett Tapes - The Beatles
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