============================
SPECTROPOP
============================
Vol #0053 03/16/98
============================
Disc Jockey Record
Subject: Full Measure Revisited
Sent: 3/15/98 2:46 AM
Received: 3/15/98 9:11 PM
From: Brent Kubasta, bkubaXXX@XXXXXXccc.edu
le_page_web wrote:
> Bash wrote:
>
>>if indeed there is inherent quality in music, ...it
>>has existed in the same measure in every decade.
>
> Couldn't agree more.
couldn't *disagree* more.
no problem with the acknowledgment of "inherent quality in
music" in every decade. but to assert that "it has existed
in the same measure in every decade" seems a bit over the
top.
such a perspective logically implies that when comparing
decades there will therefore be no peaks, valleys, golden
eras, or renaissance periods. after all, the level of
quality exists "in the same measure" in each decade, right?
i don't bring this up because i favor one decade over
another. indeed, anyone is free to prefer what they prefer.
i mention it because i don't think such a, shall we say,
qualitative equilibrium is possible in any artform. how
could it be?
> The important difference being that in
> the 60's, cool records had a fair shot at the Top 40. A lot
> of trendsetting records were huge hits. Today, a lot of
> really great records are known only to a small group of
> people who collect obscurities.
i agree, though for me it seems particularly true when
assessing the 70s. as i mentioned in a prior post, i could
easily list a hundred killer 45s released during that
distrusted decade. many of them weren't heard on the radio,
but at least they were heard hundreds of times on my stereo.
> In the peak 60's era, the
> ratio of *hits* with inherent quality was far higher than
> during either the preceding or following eras.
but certainly this view suggests the logical, alternative
possibility that there were more "*hits* with inherent
quality" at the time merely and simply because there were
more records "with inherent quality" to choose from.
and now i *will* play favorites. i believe the 1960s has
been rock and roll's greatest decade because of: 1) the
overwhelming quantity of quality records (note: the word
"quality" here seems generic in its understatement!); 2) the
astonishing range of styles, with each genre comfortably co-
existing under the wonderful name "rock and roll".
off the top of my head, here are the names of some
representative (if not favorite!) albums:
a date with the everly brothers; odyssey and oracle; buffalo
springfield again; dusty in memphis; younger than yesterday;
the beach boys today!; the doors; nashville skyline; if you
can believe your eyes and ears; white light/white heat; hums
of the lovin' spoonful; eli and the thirteenth confession;
bee gees 1st; presenting the fabulous ronettes; aftermath;
nazz nazz; tim hardin 1; with the beatles; the gilded palace
of sin; i fought the law; up, up and away; there are but
four small faces; pickin' up the pieces; moby grape; a
christmas gift for you; face to face; james brown live at
the apollo; along comes the association; axis: bold as love;
going to a go-go; led zeppelin 2; bookends; where were you
when i needed you; music from big pink; pisces, aquarius,
capricorn and jones, ltd.; forever changes; the who sell
out. . .
ok, ok, i'll stop now. but bear in mind that there are many
more titles i could list. i've limited myself to one album
per artist. and remember that this was a decade where for
many years the 45rpm single was considered the only game in
town.
if you favor another decade, fine. no need to even disagree.
but i would find it hard to believe that anyone could listen
to the songs, artists, and records of the one under
discussion and not feel that (as page stated recently)
something very, very special--and probably unrepeatable--
happened during those magical, whirlwind years.
in a late 70s interview, brian wilson stated that rock and
roll had seen its renaissance period, that it occured during
the 1960s. maybe "renaissance" was the wrong word to use
(since it implies "rebirth"), but i agree with him. this was
rock and roll's most brilliant and creative decade.
if the 21st century has something better to offer, i can't
wait to listen.
now ... someone, please start reissuing the records in mono,
the way most of 'em were meant to be heard!
brent
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /15/98 - 09 :41:37 PM ]---
Subject: Dean Torrence and Sinatra Jr
Sent: 3/11/98 2:58 AM
Received: 3/11/98 8:20 AM
From: Marie-J. Leclerc, XXX@XXXXXXron.ca
For those who might be interested, here is the article about
Dean Torrence's involvement in the Frank Sinatra's Jr
kidnapping. It is worth reading.
<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-03/08/069l-">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-03/08/069l-</A>
030898-idx.html
Enjoy! Marie
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /15/98 - 02 :00:20 AM ]---
Subject: Re: Spectropop V#0052
Sent: 3/10/98 2:25 AM
Received: 3/10/98 7:37 AM
From: David Feldman, feldXXX@XXXXXXerables.com
> Back to me and the Cookies CD. Listen to "The Old Crowd"
> which became a Lesley Gore LP cut. That song was obviously
> written for the Orlons -- just dig that drum!
>
I have GOT to get this CD to re-listen to Foolish Little
Girl and hear this for the first time. The "Old Crowd" is
my favorite Lesley Gore song. It's one of the best songs
about both friendship and nostalgia that I've ever heard.
And thanks for the excerpt from your book, Doc. Great stuff!
Dave Feldman
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /15/98 - 02 :00:20 AM ]---
Subject: Liberty King
Sent: 3/15/98 1:51 AM
Received: 3/10/98 1:58 AM
From: le_page_XXX@XXXXXXies.com
Doc Rock, docroXXX@XXXXXXom wrote:
>>I have a question about another pair of competing versions:
>>the Cookies and the Shirelles both recorded the song
>>"Foolish Little Girl." Which is considered to be "the"
>>version?
>
>When you ask what is the definitive version, do you mean
>best, or original? Any song the Cookies did is the original
>version!
Yes! Good to point this out. I always believed these Carole
King sides were Brill demos that happened to turn out
unbeatable; released through the backing of Aldon to their
great fortune, no doubt.
>the Cookies were...demo singers...others participated
>on the recordings...Listen carefully to the Cookies
>CD, and you'll hear Carole in there.
YES! Thanks for saying that and I believe Earl-Jean's
"style" was to a great extent simply doubling Carole's guide
vocal. Anyone else?
>Following an excerpt from my book, "Liberty Records,"
OK, hold on a minute...
Do tell more. I am very keen to know more about this book.
Is it available? Details, Doctor R, details!
>...The style of Carole King's demos for Bobby Vee and
>other Liberty artists endured beyond Liberty and King's demo
>work. Lou Adler: "When I went in to cut Tapestry with her,
>that was the sound I went after. A simple sound to try to
>recreate what she had been doing with the piano way up
>front.
That is incredible because Tapestry sounds nothing like
Carole's Dimension-era sides. I understand Adler's
explanation but in retrospect Tapestry was the fatal blow to
the Girl Group genre, much of which Carole King created. I
dunno, I find it hard to agree that GG evolved into
Tapestry. Something wrong there, I think for some reason. X-
Offender comes to mind as an example of why...
I think the Ode deal was the end of Carole King as genius
Tin Pan Alley songwriter. I appreciate that she moved on and
wrote more than a few immortal songs in the post Brill
Building days, but I just love the songs she banged out in
that small office on Broadway.
>(Lou Adler:) "Jackie DeShannon was also close to it. The
>music business in Los Angeles and Hollywood at that time
>was very close knit. It was all around Vine Street and up
>to La Brea. Sharon Sheeley, Sonny Curtis, Roger Miller,
>the Everly Brothers and more were all in one group, and it
>wasn't very big. So there was a lot of good exchange of
>ideas and a lot of great fun. The camaraderie was such
>that everyone wanted everyone else to make it."
That's right. There was a buzz around that area. Of course,
the Local #47 is there, and that's where Gold Star and
Western were. A few blocks away was KFWB, a top ranking AM
Top 40 station. All the music publishers were there too.
Hollywood High, IHOP, Liberty and, lest it be forgotten,
Martoni's Italian on Cahuenga; great baked mozzarella.
>
>If Carole King's demos were so great, then why not release
>them like Jackie DeShannon's hit demo of "Needles and
>Pins"? In fact, Carole King's 1962 Dimension hit "It Might
>As Well Rain Until December" was a Bobby Vee demo.
Sure sounds like a Bobby Vee song! I adore this CK single.
>(Screen Gems music) had a label called Dimension. A lot of
>our demos came out on Dimension. If no one would do a song
>we felt strongly about, we'd put the demo out.
See, this is what is so genius about Dimension, Red Bird
etc.. They could actually release their original demos
and have hits!!! Many of these these "demos" are
wonderful records that have become standards over the
years.
The book, Doc, the book!
--
le_page_XXX@XXXXXXies.com
RodeoDrive/5030
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /15/98 - 02 :00:20 AM ]---
Subject: some folks say, he's out there still
Sent: 3/9/98 9:17 PM
Received: 3/10/98 7:37 AM
From: Jack Madani, Jack_MadXXX@XXXXXX2.nj.us
>Some say the sixties began when....
Others say that he can never be killed, that he's a kind of
god, and that the Indians measure their greatness by the
greatness of their enemies....
Oh wait, sorry, that's not the sixties, that's Jeremiah
Johnson. Never mind.
jack "made his way into the mountains" madani
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Madani - Princeton Day School, The Great Road,
Princeton, NJ 08540 Jack_MadXXX@XXXXXX2.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 - 03 /15/98 - 02 :00:20 AM ]---
Subject: 2 Great Dionne Warwick Cuts
Sent: 3/16/98 4:47 AM
Received: 3/16/98 7:17 AM
From: Richard Globman, rglobXXX@XXXXXXm.net
Local oldies radio station did about an hour worth of DW
stuff this morning and after playing the usual stuff, they
ended with two absolutely killer cuts I've never heard
before..."You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and "Do You
Believe In Love At First Sight." The first was a soulful
rendition of the old Righteous Bros. number and the second
is a fabulous up-tempo rocker...anyone know anything about
either of these two and if they are on any of her albums?
DICKYG
---[ archived by Spectropop - 03 /16/98 - 07 :20:20 AM ]---
End
