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There are 8 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 110:
1. The Motown Album Cover Story...
From: Paul MacArthur
2. Re: Curt Boettcher, The Ballroom, The Millennium, Sagittarius and Gary Usher
From: Billy
3. Screwed?
From: Stewart Mason
4. Leader of the Plaque
From: DJJimmyBee
5. Current Spectropop Music
From: "Kingsley Abbott"
6. The Attack
From: "Jamie LePage"
7. Re: 1650 Broadway
From: "mikey1"
8. Re: Digest Number 109
From: Rex Patton
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 10:36:17 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul MacArthur
Subject: The Motown Album Cover Story...
Jamie LePage asked:
> I'd like to know in what context this exec made the
> comment. Why are we being so secretive? Who was it and
> why was he talking about Motown selling black music to
> whites?
Well, gang here's the story (and I'd really like Carol
Kaye and anyone else who was around in the '60s to
weigh in on this).
Radio and Records published an article in their
February 9, 2001 edition called "Giant Steps: A frank
discussion of race and culture." (This was their
smooth jazz special edition - the one time they give
lip service to jazz).
In fact it's just a roundtable discussion with
Lawrence Tanter (PD KJAZ-AM), Joe Sample, Carl Griffin
(Prez. N-Coded Music) and Chris Jonz (Director of Jazz
and UAC Promotion @ Warner Bros.). Actually, they
really just pontificate about race issues and a lot of
it is less than insightful.
Let me give you the context of Jonz's statement by the
showing Griffin's first:
Griffin: There are not enough black executives in
positions of power who have managerial and A&R skills,
as well as the sensitivity to further all forms of
music. A few years ago, when rap was the medium and a
number of black artists were topping the chart,
suddenly all those black executives went away. Now
we've got a generation of Eminems and 'N'Syncs, while
Boyz II Men are no longer important. Black artists
have been replaced by what white executives think is
more commercial in America: white artists. That's a
major form of racism, dividing the music between white
and black instead of letting it breath as a natural
form.
And not only are there not enough African-American
executives in jazz today, the ones that preceded us -
like Dr. George Butler of United Artists, Blue Note
and Sony -- haven't gotten the recognition they
deserve. Their contributions need to be acknowledged.
Jonz: In the early days of Motown you never saw the
artist on the album cover; you saw a white couple on a
beach or blonde, blue-eyed go-go dancers. We have to
respect that in the time this took place -- 25 or 30
years ago -- what Berry Gordy did made sense from a
marketing standpoint, but Motown's motto was "the
sound of young America," not "the sound of young black
America." It was created and performed by black
artists, but it was universal young people's music.
Okay, so after reading that, I sent this email to
Jonz:
Saw your comments in R&R and enjoyed the article.
However, I have to question you on something. You
noted that "In the early days of Motown you never saw
the artist on an album cover: you saw a white couple
on a beach or blonde, blue eyed go-go dancers."
How early do you mean? In 1963, the Supremes were on
pictured on Meet The Supremes (the stool cover).
Supremes '64, Where Did Our Love Go LP - features
Diana, Mary and Flo on the cover.
1962, Mary Wells is pictured on the single The One Who
Really Loves You (on the back is a picture of Marvin
Gaye).
Meet the Temptations from '64, they're on the cover.
Etc.
So are you talking late '50s? Because I can't find
any covers with the Blonde Blue Eyed go-go dancer on
them.
Mr. Jonz's responded with this:
There were several early Temptations, Four Tops,
Smokey & the Miracles, Contours ... to name a few of
the releases.. Exact years? I don't have them
immediately available but Billboard reference books
circa 1960 - 1963 should reveal your answers.
Incidentally, "never" in the article was used
figuratively literally. I used the example to make a
point which I feel you missed.
I sent a polite self-effacing a note back to Mr. Jonz,
essentially saying that he should be more careful with
his choice of words. The word never is not figurative and
his statements misrepresent what was happening.
I never got a response.
I also sent him a copy of the Spectropop where many of
you corrected his mistake.
No response.
So that's what's happening.
Talk to me.
- Paul
=====
----------
Album of the Week: Jeff Beck YOU HAD IT COMING
Song of the Week: Jeff Beck "Nadia"
Book of the Week: George Orwell 1984
Movie of the Week: The Nasty Girl
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 2
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 22:49:43 -0000
From: Billy
Subject: Re: Curt Boettcher, The Ballroom, The Millennium, Sagittarius and Gary Usher
> Of course the dilemma is which of these is supposed to be
> the true track listing? Maybe it's a situation with Brian
> Wilson's proposed track listings for a similar unreleased
> album, SMiLE.
>
> We can only speculate. But 'tis great music!
Yes it is, my guess is that it was a "work in progress"
when these tapes/acetates were made and that Curt (or
Warner Bros/Columbia) was still figuring out the track
listing.
Are there any dates on these tape boxes or acetates? Dawn
Eden's liner notes say "We do know that the album was
nearly finished by November 7, 1966, when a work reel was
made, that it was completed by December 1, 1966 when a
mono master was made: and that at the time of its
completion the group had yet to attain a record deal".
Its interesting to me that Curt had the whole album
finished before the band signed a deal with a record
company, quite an elaborate demo. I dont know why Warners
or Columbia didnt release it the way it is (and was mixed
in stereo). Perhaps it was a a little bit ahead of its
time in late '66-early '67.
I'm also wondering what "Spinning Spinning" is. An
instrumental version? Would love to hear it. Rev-Ola's
Ballroom CD has a different order of the original
"Columbia" LP. "Lead Me To Love", "5 AM" and "Spinning
Spinning" are missing.
1. Spinning, Spinning, Spinning
2. You Turn Me Around
3. Would You Like To Go
4. Forever
5. Loves Fatal Way
6. Its A Sad World
7. Crazy Dreams
8. Magic Time
9. Musty Dusty
10. I'll Grow Stronger
11. Baby Please Dont Go
(Tracks 12-22 are Curt's demos and singles by Summers
Children, Sandy Sailsbury and Sandy moonlighting as
"Puppet")
The good news is that David Bash just told the Audities
(Power Pop) mailing list that Sundazed will be issuing a
3 CD(!) box set of Curt's productions this year. I hope
they find some more goodies from the vault and get some
of Curt's productions like Lee Mallory's "That's The Way
It's Gonna Be" on (a legal) CD.
Billy
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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 02:45:08 -0700
From: Stewart Mason
Subject: Screwed?
Is anyone else having trouble finding "(Let's Dance) The
Screw"? It's a shame, the song is far weirder than I'd
ever imagined, and remarkably wonderful.
Stewart
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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 16:49:37 EST
From: DJJimmyBee
Subject: Leader of the Plaque
In a message dated 2/23/1 3:59:34 AM, you wrote:
> I'm so glad someone posted a review of this play
> because they just announced the show dates here in
> Boston. It looked interesting but I wasn't sure about
> shelling out 50 bucks for it. If anybody else has seen
> this play please review it here!!
Jennifer, would you let a fellow Boston boy in on the
details? Muchos grat..c-ya's!
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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 10:55:26 -0000
From: "Kingsley Abbott"
Subject: Current Spectropop Music
Hi Everyone
A new thought here:
Over here in England it's sometimes tricky to stay up to
date with modern groups/soloists who are putting out the
sort of music that Spectropoppers really like, so could
we maybe add in news of good stuff as it arrives. I'll
kick off with some I do know of - girlie stuff from It's
My Party ( www.itsmypartyonline.com ) which I really like,
sunshine from Ladybug Transistor (www.spacelab.net/~ladybug),
Brian Wilson influences on Scott Brookman's work
(www.tweekitten.com), the great California Sounds albums
>from Jeff Foskett and Jeff Larson (www.new-surf.com) and
the Chewy Marble "Bowl of Surreal" album
(www.chewymarble.com).
Add these to album from The Wondermints, Linus of
Hollywood, the output from Poptones (Curt et al, Cosmic
Rough Riders, etc), and the great new Free Design album
on Marina there seems to be a lot happening out there in
our brave new millennium. So what else can be recommended??
Kingsley Abbott
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2001 05:51:48 -0000
From: "Jamie LePage"
Subject: ATTACK
Hola amigos,
I remember hearing the song Please Phil Spector once many
years ago on Rodney's KROQ annual Xmas tribute to Phil
Spector. For years I wondered about it. Recently I was
fortunate enough to receive a copy from a very dear
friend which I am certain every Phil Spector fan will
want to hear. I don't know a thing about the record except
that it's hilarious. Can anyone give the background on
this novelty disc? Year? Label? People behind it?
Adios,
Jamie
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Message: 7
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 16:16:02 -0500
From: "mikey1"
Subject: Re: 1650 Broadway
I guess I take things for granted as I live here in
Manhattan, and I pass the Brill Building and 1650 Broadway
all the time. I used to work a few doors down at 1633.
Its nice to take in the history of the place but it's a
real bummer to walk into 1650 and look for "Aldon Music"
on the directory, and have the Spanish guy at the door
say...."Who?...No, they no here...."
Mikey
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Message: 8
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 13:30:49 -0500
From: Rex Patton
Subject: Re: Digest Number 109
To all the naysayer/nitpickers with attitudes who
replied to my (in my mind) innocent post regarding the
Brill Building: All I was trying to do was clarify what
building most, if not all of the writers that this board
reveres and talks about were working out of. While I
understand (and mentioned) that the Brill Building
became a generic term for different buildings in the
immediate area, in regards to the specific building where
the rock and roll/ 60's pop writers worked, in case
someone actually goes there looking for where the
majority of them worked, I'll stick with Doc Pomus. After
all - he was there.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
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