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There are 7 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 82:
1. FOUR SEASONS
From: jet3loub
2. Happy New Year
From: Joey Stec
3. Darlene on "CBS Sunday Morning"
From: "Spector Collector"
4. Molly Bee
From: "mikey1"
5. Chad and Jeremy - Redux
From: Jamie LePage
6. Greetings and thoughts
From: "Kingsley"
7. Beach Boys vs. Deck/Surf's Up
From: "James F. Cassidy"
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 09:47:29 -0500
From: jet3loub
Subject: FOUR SEASONS
John Clemente wrote
>
> I am sad to report that Nick Massi (Macioci), one of the
> original Four Seasons, passed away from cancer on
> December 24th in West Orange, NJ. He was 73.
John, Thanks for informing us all about Nick's passing
away.
His contributions to the group may go un-recognized by
the media but will be felt by everyone whenever the
unmistakable vocal stylings of the Four Seasons is heard
either by those of us who consider them a part of our
"personal soundtrack" or those hearing them for the first
time.
Lou Bova
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:36:03 EST
From: Joey Stec
Subject: Happy New Year
Happiest New Year to the Spectro Gang...Thank you for
all the wonderful information and history...
Joe Foster and the POPTONES BUNCH and Sonic Past Music
have given the world a chance to hear music that might
have escaped the ears and hearts of us all...Wishing you
all the best of the best in the year of Stanley Kubrick...
Lots of Love to The World from above.
Joey Stec...Sonic Past Music .. the Millennium ...
Sagittarius.....Joey Stec...
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 17:42:41 -0000
From: "Spector Collector"
Subject: Darlene on "CBS Sunday Morning"
Darlene Love appeared in a segment of CBS's "Sunday
Morning" news show on December 24. When I learned this,
I called their number for ordering videotapes of aired
shows and was told that they were unable, for legal
reasons, to sell that segment of that show. (In fact,
they said that they could only sell one of the four
segments that appeared that day!)
So, cutting to the chase, did any of y'all catch this
appearance on tape, and, if so, would you please make me
a copy of it? As trade bait, I caught her recent
appearances on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and
on TNT's "A Very Special Christmas in Washington, D.C."
(the latter also contains an audience shot of Phil
Spector, with a young woman that I presume to be his
daughter Nicole).
Happy belated Phil's birthday to everyone,
David A. Young
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 09:46:51 -0500
From: "mikey1"
Subject: Molly Bee
I'm hoping someone can help me out here. I am a big
collector of Scopitones, the '60s music videos. Anyway,
I came across one of Molly Bee singing a song called "
Johnny Liar".
I have been going crazy trying to get a copy of this
record. I know it was released on Liberty Records in
1963, but no dealers seem to have this. Does anyone here
have a copy that can make an MP3 file? I'm desperate!
thanks so much,
Mikey
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 01 Jan 01 12:51:08 +0900
From: Jamie LePage
Subject: Chad and Jeremy - Redux
I went after-Christmas shopping and came home with The
Very Best of Chad & Jeremy (Varase Sarabande), the comp
we discussed here recently.
The CD opens with A Summer Song, a wonderful soft pop
record and the biggest hit for C&J, produced by Shel
Talmy. In Dawn Eden's liner notes (more on those later),
the recording is said to have never been considered for
single release until US radio discovered it. Stuart: "I
was flabbergasted when the Great American Public took to
it." I do love the mix, the reverb is used effectively
with the sparse string arrangement over the soft but
decidedly rock rhythm bed, and of course C&J's vocals
are charming in that oh-so-British way. But this was no
act of masterminding genius. It was a fluke.
Eden's liner notes give a very nice overview of the high
points in their career, but nearly everything we
discussed here recently seems to have been overlooked.
We learn how John Barry signed them and produced
Yesterday's Gone, but we don't learn anything about the
Ember/Barry/Talmy part of the story. She doesn't mention
Shel Talmy once, and Gary Usher merely gets name-checked
in passing. She quotes Stuart as saying Distant Shores'
producer Larry Marks was his favorite, but we never
learn why. The biggest disappontment was not learning
anything about the set of circumstances which led the
duo to relocate to US, and although Eden mentions a few
of their notable appearances on various US TV programs,
we don't learn how they were hired to be on so many TV
programs in such a short period of time while other
British acts rarely were. Chart info and producer
credits are given, thankfully, but it would have been
nice to know where the records were recorded and perhaps
mention at least some of the important studio musicians
that played (I'd love to know these details on Teenage
Failure. The track is great. So is the drumming! Could
this be Hal?).
For a "very best of" comp there is a lot of filler. It
appears Talmy did very few of their singles. His
production of September in the Rain is forgettable,
while Jimmy Haskell's production of If I Loved You is
wonderful. Before and After is very good but I still
prefer Fleetwoods, I Don't Want to Lose You Baby is
a charming if average faux Spector attempt, Distant
Shores is my fave, and Teenage Failure is terrific.
I also got a great Les Baxter 2fer "Tamboo/Skins", Julie
London 2fer from 1960, 02 completely mind boggling
Esquivel 2fers, and the find of the day - Third in the
Brill Tone songwriter series, "Mr. Make Believe" by Jeff
Barry. There are 59 tracks on this 2 CD set and an
incredible, in-depth interview with Jeff. Any one else
got this yet? Opinions?
All the best for the remainder of the holiday season to
all. Momentarily off topic but of interest I know to at
least a few Spectropoppers :-) There was a minor
accident at the Enchanted Tiki Room on Christmas morning,
no one was hurt but there is a fascinating report on
the accident and this neglected Disneyland attraction at:
http://www.mouseplanet.com/david/tiki.htm
Happy new year, century, millennium!
Jamie
PS to Carol,
You wrote:
>I don't think you can compare this with Phil Spector's
>operation at all. Even I have a huge record company
>compared to surf-s up
Sorry for any confusion. No way can you compare Surf's
Up to Phil Spector's operation! Surf's Up is just a
licensee. Hope that helps clarify. Thanks.
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:22:31 -0000
From: "Kingsley"
Subject: Greetings and thoughts
Seasonal greetings to all fellow poppers.
I have a few thoughts about the current discussions:
Firstly the UK Capitol Years Beach Boys Box set was
indeed legal. It was compiled, very intelligently and
thematically, by Mike Grant and Roy Gudge of the 'Beach
Boys Stomp' UK fan organisation who were I believe the
guys that brought Peter R into the picture. The 12" box
had the covers designed so that they made up into a
car-on-beach picture when placed together. The BW
productions additional album was not part of this big
pic. It was issued as vinyl and cassette sets, and was
sold mainly through mail order, although a few sets did
find their way into London stores where they were
sometimes split up and sold individually. It sold for
around 30 pounds.
Regarding the debate on Deck/Surf's Up, I am raising my
eyebrows for two reasons. I am surprised that the Beach
Boys would take legal action against Brad E's efforts
with his long track record of BB involvement - books,
sleeve notes etc. I'm sure that he would have thought
that what he was doing was legal, although I do take
Carol's point as to the rights of the artists, without
whose efforts and talents none of us would be writing to
this list. However It is a surprising old lot of nonsense
when set against all the recent (and past) issues of
slightly different versions of this early material. I
actually ordered one such by mail order, thinking it to
be the Brad one (which I assumed would be the last word)
and then found it to be another one! Thsee things ought
to be able to be settled over a drink, without making
the lawyers rich, but I feel like King Canute saying
this.
Spectropoppers should try logging on to
http://www.new-surf.com
to check out the new albums from Jeff Foskett and Jeff
Larson. Both excellent albums, as were both gentlemen's
previous issues. Everyone would love them. Go get!
Lastly I was very sad to read about Nick Massi, whose
post Seasons activities were discusses here not too long
ago. Having had the good fortune to have interviewd Bob
Gaudio recently for a piece in UK's Record Collector I
know the high regard that he was held in. A very
talented man and a great vocal arranger whose ideas
influenced many a vocal group. He will be missed a great
deal.
Kingsley Abbott
PS I am anxious to talk to musicians who have been
influenced by Pet Sounds, or have contact with others
who have. This is for a new project, and I would love
for people to contact me directly about it as soon as
possible. Thanks.
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 09:59:47 -0500
From: "James F. Cassidy"
Subject: Beach Boys vs. Deck/Surf's Up
I find it very hard to believe that Brad Elliott, whose
livelihood as a Beach Boys chronicler/Capitol consultant
depends on maintaining good relationships with the band
and its management, would risk his bread-and-butter by
knowingly engaging in an illegal activity. If there's a
question of ownership or unpaid royalties, it's between
the Beach Boys and Deck Records. I assume Brad/Surf's Up
has been dragged into it only because Brad's the latest
licensee of the tracks and any new monies to be earned
from the reissue will flow through Surf's Up.
Jim Cassidy
P.S. I have no relationship or prior history (good or
bad) with any of the parties involved in the suit.
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