------------------------
I recall spending most of the 1970s generally hating the
music of the decade, but looking back on it today from a 25+
year perspective, I find I have a lot more fondness for that
music than I thought. Part of it is just nostalgia, but I
think the time elapsed has also forced me to look and listen
to the music a little more objectively.
After spending more than a decade working on my long-in-
progress rock database project, I was stunned a few years
ago to find that although I thought of myself as primarily a
1960s music fan, I had only about 200 songs I checked off as
"favorites" for that decade, vs. nearly 300 for the 1970s.
After my initial shock wore off, I reexamined a lot of that
music, and found I liked quite a bit of what I found.
Finally, about two years ago, I started working on getting
the rec.music.rock-pop-r+b.1970s Usenet group up and
running, which I was able to do with the help of Marc
Dashevsky, Norm Katuna, Rick Shubert, and the other guys on
the old A-R-O group.
Your brief list of the post-Nixon seventies leaves a lot
out. Just to name a few:
Abba, The Beach Boys, The Carpenters, The Eagles, ELO,
George Harrison, Carole King, John Lennon, Paul McCartney,
Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder... those
were just some of the bright spots in the 1970s. Each of
these artists had dozens of songs that I suspect would
appeal to many of the people on this list. Even some of the
disco hits had their moments.
My point is: the glass may be 75% empty, but it's also 25%
full. :-)
--MFW
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---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /6/98 - 02 :35:52 AM ]---
Subject: what's so special about the 60's
Sent: 3/5/98 12:52 AM
Received: 3/5/98 9:12 AM
From: Jack Madani, Jack_MadXXX@XXXXXX2.nj.us
Keeping in mind that what we are here to celebrate is that
pre-Haight Ashbury, pre-Jimi Hendrix, pre-Woodstock portion
of the sixties, I wonder if this may not be what happened to
pop music in moving from the sixties to the seventies to the
eighties and so on (and also why we love David Gates the
Brill Building man and not David Gates the Bread man):
Could it be that studio techniques are what changed? I have
seen reviews of the recent Pet Sounds box set referring to
PS as the last hurrah of working with a studio full of
musicians. Once recording decks went from 4 tracks to 8
tracks to 16, it no longer was necessary to have to get
everyone together at once. From that point on, everything
became multitrack, isolated, mono-point recordings of
individual instruments and voices that could be fiddled with
and fiddled with until all the life went out of the
recordings, and while it wasn't necessarily IM-possible to
make a pop masterpiece from the seventies onwards, it
certainly became a wholly different process. No longer
would you have that "fifth voice" the Mamas and the Papas
referred to when they were all singing together and the
blend was perfect. No longer would you have those moments
of inspiration like the studio musician who suddenly says to
Brian, "what if we play staccato during the break" of God
Only Knows.
In a related way (although this artist lies well outside our
purview), it's why I love Todd Rundgren's "Nearly Human"
album. A studio full of musicians, making that murky wall
of sound the old-fashioned way: playing at the same time.
Hey Chuck, would it be okay if we brought a horse in the
studio?
jack
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /6/98 - 02 :35:52 AM ]---
Subject: Post-Nixon Music
Sent: 3/5/98 5:45 AM
Received: 3/5/98 9:12 AM
From: David Marsteller, davebXXX@XXXXXXlin.org
On Thu, 05 Mar 1998, Paul MacArthur wrote:
> The post-Nixon seventies? Saturday Night Fever. The Sex
> Pistols. Boston.
On one hand, I tend to agree. There was a distinct period
where most of what was popular was really awful. I actually
started listening to classical music to avoid Frampton
Comes Alive... But there was a lot of good music in the mid-
to-late 70s. Stevie Wonder was still in creative mode
through the 70s. John Cale was doing some of his best work
for Island. Roxy Music and Eno were both active. The
Flamin' Groovies slaved away to little US impact. Then the
whole New York scene came alive- Blondie, yes, but also
Talking Heads, Television, and the British contingent of
Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson and others. Unfortunately, if
you were listening to the radio and not seeking out
publications like Trouser Press, you were in the dark.
Dave
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /6/98 - 02 :35:52 AM ]---
Subject: The 80s
Sent: 3/5/98 4:29 AM
Received: 3/5/98 9:12 AM
From: D mirich, DmirXXX@XXXXXXm
In a message dated 98-03-04 13:25:26 EST, you write:
<< Come on. The 80s gave us MTV... >>
Devo, Clash, Gang of 4, Haircut 100, Psychedelic Furs,
Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, New Order, B52s, Human League,
Gruppo Sportivo, Soft Cell, X, Siouxe and the Banshees
...............
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /6/98 - 02 :35:52 AM ]---
Subject: Re: Music Time Lines
Sent: 3/5/98 4:02 AM
Received: 3/5/98 9:12 AM
From: Paulurbahn, PaulurbXXX@XXXXXXm
I have always considered the time line as such: The 40's
ended and 50's started with Rock Around The Clock. The 60's
started with the beatles in 1964 The 70's started in about
1974 as that was the end of Top 40 radio. The music that
followed has been so different that I don't think it fits
into any catagory as far as 80's and 90's. Disco didn't last
long enough to call the Disco years a decade. The 30's ended
when Frank Sinatra became a solo performer and stepped out
from behind the big band, but I'm not sure of the date off
the top of my head. because in the 30's Big Bands were king,
in the 40's people talked of singers and the bands served as
accompaniment. Just one view of the music business, I'd like
to hear others.
Paul Urbahns
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /6/98 - 02 :35:52 AM ]---
Subject: Colin Blunstone on Steve Hackett cd
Sent: 3/5/98 2:17 PM
Received: 3/6/98 2:22 AM
From: Marie-J. Leclerc, XXX@XXXXXXron.ca
Interesting news for Colin Blunstone fans. Steve Hackett
latest album,"Watchers of the skies", which is composed of
new versions of Genesis songs, period 70's, has a song
called "For absent friends", sung by Colin. I haven't heard
it yet but will finally have the cd this Saturday. For those
who remember Steve, he was the gifted guitarist in the Peter
Gabriel days, when Phil Collins played drums, occasionally
leaving the kit to shyly sing "More fool me". Here are the
other songs of "Watcher of the skies": Watcher of the
skies, Your own special way, Dance on a volcano, Fountain
of Salmacis, Valley of the kings, Waiting room only, Deja
Vu, I know what I like, Firth of fifth, Los Endo, For
absent friends.
Thanks for listening and take care, Marie
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /6/98 - 02 :35:52 AM ]---
Subject: He's A Rebel
Sent: 3/5/98 5:58 AM
Received: 3/5/98 9:12 AM
From: Doc Rock, docroXXX@XXXXXXom
>First track is He's A Rebel, which if I understand the
>history of it, is actually the "original" recording of the
>song, which Spector managed to hear before it was released
>and then he recorded and released the famous Crystals
>version, thus forcing Vikki's version to stall at #115.
>Vikki's version is inferior to Spector's, being built atop
>an extremely martial rhythm; it's like what Sgt. Barry
>Sadler's version might've sounded like. However, it's
>interesting to note that Vikki's version also features the
>surprise key change just before the first chorus, just as
>the Spector version did.
>
For the record, based on interviews with Gene Pitney (the
writer of "He's A Rebel"), Fanita (of the Blossoms), and
Snuff Garrett (Vikki's producer), Spector's version of
"Rebel" was recorded about an hour before Vikki's. The song
was written for the Crystals' as a follow up to "Uptown."
But Aaron Schroeder, the publisher, offered it first to the
Shirelles, who turned it down as too rough. Then he offered
it "exclusively" to Spector and Snuffy, simultaneously.
Spector did not steal the song, nor did her record it in
secret or in a particular rush. There were no hard feelings
with Liberty. There were hard feelings with Aaron Schroeder.
Vikki's version was in fact a big hit. It was #1 in Dallas
and in Australia. Finally, for those who do not like
Vikki's version (I love it, tho' I prefer the "Crystals"
version, as does Snuffy) I wonder how The Blossoms and
Spector would have done "Downtown. . . ."
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /6/98 - 02 :35:52 AM ]---
Subject: Vikki in England?
Sent: 3/5/98 6:09 AM
Received: 3/6/98 2:22 AM
From: Jack Madani, Jack_MadXXX@XXXXXX2.nj.us
>Vikki Carr...on the EMI Legendary Masters CD. I have
>been trying to find out what she recorded in England (where
>I am) in the 60s. Jack - are there any English recorded
>tracks on the CD. I know that she did do at least two tracks
>(a single?) with Charles Blackwell as Musical Director.
The *only* mention of the UK in the liner notes is this
brief comment relating to the song It Must Be Him: "Vikki
finally broke the record out through her efforts during an
extended round of promotional activities in England."
Some of the tracks on the disc have ASCAP master numbers,
and some have BMI master numbers, but I'm pretty sure that
doesn't mean anything (e.g., He's A Rebel has a BMI number,
and that was definitely recorded in the States).
Charles Blackwell is not listed anywhere on this disc.
Snuff Garrett gets one production credit (He's A Rebel),
Nick De Caro gets several production and arranging credits,
Bob Crewe even has one prod credit. But no Charles
Blackwell. Sorry.
Jack Madani
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /6/98 - 02 :35:52 AM ]---
Subject: Re: Spectropop V#0049
Sent: 3/5/98 5:30 PM
Received: 3/6/98 2:22 AM
From: George Handlon, gXXX@XXXXXXink.net
Hello, Spectropop!
This is my first post on the Spectropop Mailing List. I've
been reading it since the beginning... and it's just great!
My personal thanks to Jamie LePage for the invitation to the
group.
Perhaps a little bit of my background, as related to the 60s
in California, "Sunshine" Rock, Spector, "Nilsson, Newman
and Parks". I was here in L.A. throughout the 60s and
active in the clubs - and remember the scene very well.
I enjoyed reading a previous session on "Sunshine Rock" here
in California in the late 60s. It was a great time. I was
in Miami 1964-1966.. playing in the hotels and clubs in the
area. Our band was originally the "Boss Beats" - some of
you may recall the "Boss Radio" era at that time... and the
Beatles were very big in Miami and the Caribbean Area
("Help!", etc.) - so we did well with that. Some members
moved and we became "The Poor Boys"... dressed in Carnaby
Street "leather" suits... or blue velour leather-laced pull-
over jackets. We got a deal with a subsidiary of the Robert
Stigwood Organization out here, and did the Cross-country
Band Trek-with-UHaul Trailers in 1966. Amazing old cars,
and an amazing journey. Dylan's cross country trek with his
pals from the Village a few years before... could not have
been more event-packed! haha. Just in time for the
"Sunshine" era in California.
I knew the Sunshine Company...(and many others) especially
the members who had started out in the Grains of Sand...
Doug Mark & the Drummer, Merle - I think...(long time).
Doug had joined up with us, as The Poor Boys, when our organ
player from the Miami days was hauled off for dodging the
draft. But, Doug soon got an offer to join former Grains of
Sand members in "The Sunshine Company"... and they did very
well - I have their albums, of course. Later, Doug went on
to form "Redeye"... quite an accurate personalization of
himself. haha. I've lost track of them over the years. But,
there was a lot of great vocal harmony with those bands...
and a lot of great LA songwriters represented in their
material. We went on to become "The Popcycle" - and
played in Orange County, L.A. and the Manhattan Beach area
of L.A. - often holding steady gigs for months at a time in
clubs. We were the "studio band" for a show that (the
Great) Ray Peterson and the (also great) Dorsey Burnette put
together... on Channel 13, I think. "The New Sound". We
backed Ray and Dorsey on about 6 or 7 shows. Brian Hyland,
Jackie DeShannon - I remember them being guests... and
probably Freddy Cannon - we backed him in the clubs too.
But, we never got around to getting into a Studio and
cutting anything - personnel changes, good solid club gigs,
& backing a lot of great people - we were happy. So you
won't find our "recorded legacy" out there. However, the
Popcycle played a wide style of music.
We used to back Wolfman Jack's original "Oldies Review"
stars in club dates. Of course, the oldies weren't that
old, then! Bo Diddley, Coasters, Drifters, Shirelles
(various incarnations of some of these groups), Secrets,
Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon: "...they call me 'Boom Boom"
because I'm such an explosive performer!" (actual backstage
revelation one night...) Freddy went on to leave his
beautiful Gibson Acoustic - the same model as the one Elvis
used in "Loving You".... at the club that night! We saved
it, & got it back to him.) There was Paul & Paula, Harmonica
Fats (still playing in L.A.!) Ray Peterson, Righteous
Brothers, Jose Feliciano, Donny Brooks (a great singer, by
the way...Donny was married to one of the original
Mouseketeers - I just can't remember her name now, though!)
Jose Feliciano used to come in an jam with us often - he
lived nearby. Ike and Tina Review with the Ikettes. Many
others. So much for all that.
At that time, the Everly Brothers had a television show of
their own... and it was great! But, Johnny Cash, Glen
Campbell, The Smothers Brothers, Donnie and Marie... had
some great moments on the tube with their shows. In 1968,
The Everly Brothers released an eclectic album that wedded
their country past with their 60s personae. It was called
"Roots". Harry Nilsson released "Aerial Ballet" that year,
and Van Dyke Parks blew a lot of local musical minds with
"Song Cycle".
"Roots" is a great album. I always considered it to be "The
Everly Brothers Sergeant Pepper". The remake of "I Wonder If
I Care As Much" (a beautiful song from the flip side of
their first hit, "Bye Bye Love") is 60s Pop Perfection.
Other great songs, "Living Too Close To The Ground",
"Ventura Boulevard", "Less Of Me"... Produced by Lenny
Waronker. Their harmony is as good as it gets.. and that
follows in a tradition of Ira and Charlie Louvin... and the
Blue Sky Boys. Hope you all get a chance to have this
album.
All the best... really enjoy the dialogue.
George Wesley Handlon
--
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /6/98 - 02 :35:52 AM ]---
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