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There are 8 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 124:
1. Shangri-Las Group
From: John Clemente
2. The Shangri-Las
From: Tom Simon
3. Re: I Stand Accused
From: "David Gordon"
4. Tainted Love
From: "David Gordon"
5. Re: "Dream Girls" Track Listing
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
6. Re: "Dream Girls" Track Listing
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
7. Re: "Dream Girls" Track Listing
From: LePageWeb
8. Weiss (Laurence/Larry, Donna and George David)
From: Lindsay Martin
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 16:04:24 -0500
From: John Clemente
Subject: Shangri-Las Group
Hello All,
The Shangri-Las group that tours the US is NOT, repeat
NOT original in any way. The dark haired twins, Marge
and Mary Ann Ganser, are dead. Mary Weiss, who was the
lead singer, is not interested anymore, and has made that
plain to many people. The only thing she agreed to was
to an interview concerning the Brill Building for a
documentary to be aired in August for A&E. Her sister
Betty is also not interested. Many people have been
fooled by this touring group, who does have some legal
claim to the name. Many people have bought tickets to
shows, thinking they will see originals. I have heard
that they allude to that fact onstage without actually
coming right out with it. It is highly unlikely, but
unless the person in the group SAYS her name is Mary
Weiss (Stokes) or Betty Weiss (Nelson), there are no
originals in that group.
John Clemente
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 10:22:00 -0600
From: Tom Simon
Subject: The Shangri-Las
David Marshall wrote:
>There is a version of the group doing the circuit now.
>Of course I can not remember the specific name of the one
>original member touring. I saw them in a revue show this
>past summer. Her daughter is singing many of the leads.
>
I talked to none other than Shadow Morton about this
recently, who gave me an update on the recent whereabouts
of the group. The Shangri-Las were from Andrew Jackson
High School in Queens. Of course, both of the Ganser
sisters have passed away. Betty Weiss is the only
original Shang who performs regularly with the group that
now makes appearances as the Shangri-Las. Also in that
group is Betty's daughter, who does a very good job as
lead singer, and one other girl. Original lead singer for
the Shangri-Las Mary Weiss, who is Betty's sister,
occasionally performs with this new group.
You may recall that the original Shangri-Las had four
members but often appeared at concerts and in publicity
photos as a trio, reportedly due to "bad habits!"
Tom Simon
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 02:20:15 -0000
From: "David Gordon"
Subject: Re: I Stand Accused
--- In Spectropop "Phil Chapman" wrote:
> The Glories' "I Stand Accused" is yet another song of
> that name, a rather lively precursor to their near-hit
> "Give Me My Freedom" by the same writer (W.Levine).
Thanks for the clarification, Phil. My memory must be
going :-)
David Gordon
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 02:21:46 -0000
From: "David Gordon"
Subject: Tainted Love
--- In spectropop, joe gillis asked:
>
> btw, who 1st did "Tainted Love"?
Gloria Jones on Champion. Written/produced by Ed Cobb
David Gordon
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2001 22:01:48 -0500
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
Subject: Re: "Dream Girls" Track Listing
"John Frank" wrote:
> There's a lot to be avoided here. But it's
> well worth buying. Miss Cathy Brasher wrote the
> songs she recorded and they're well worth hearing.
And, Kathy's "I Remember Jimmy" is outstanding early 60s
pop, in my opinion. One of my faves!!!
Mikey
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 6
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 01:12:29 -0500
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
Subject: Re: "Dream Girls" Track Listing
"John Frank" wrote:
> "Dream Girls" seems to be a US release of a Japanese
> comp series.
John.....any idea where one could order this in the
US?
Mikey
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 7
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 12:22:13 +0900
From: LePageWeb
Subject: Re: "Dream Girls" Track Listing
John Frank wrote:
> "Dream Girls" seems to be a US release of a Japanese
> comp series...What original series? Maybe "Gonna Get
> Some Records"? I don't think it's "Beyond The Wall
> Of Sound," since that set, for the most part, had
> already been released in the US or UK, and is
> heavier on the Spectorian girl group sound....
The track list you quoted is Volumes 1, 02 & 3 of the
Dream Boy series released in Japan by the now
defunct M&M label. The series is documented at the
very bottom of the following Girl Groups page:
http://www.spectropop.com/go2/girlgroups.html
I had never heard of the "Dream Girls" reissue but
it is similar to the "Touch the Wall of Sound" 2
disc reissue, in that it duplicates on 2 CDs the
three volume set of the same name originally
released on M&M in Japan.
> It's a double-CD set, released on the suspiciously
> "independent" CC label. It sports a disgustingly sexist
> cover.
Hmmm. I haven't seen the Dream Girls cover but the
Dream Boy covers each sport a really cute
illustration a "Dream Girl" against a pastel striped
background. You can see them on the above-referenced
web page. The illustration for Volume 3 can be seen in
detail on the same page.
> Miss Cathy Brasher wrote the songs she
> recorded and they're well worth hearing.
Yes. Not on this set is another Cathy Brasher song
called "He Told Me He Loved Me" which is a direct
rip off of "Then He Kissed Me," right down to the
guitar lick. If anyone hasn't heard it it is an absolute
must hear! Of the four or so tracks I've heard by
Cathy Brasher, all are outstanding. Ray Pohlman
arranged many of her records apparently.
> I read somewhere she was one of the Murmaids.
She certainly recorded at least one single for
Chatahoochee, the label that also released the
Murmaids. But the Murmaids were a Kim Fowley creation
while Cathy seems to have been involved in the creative
process as the writer of her own material. On the same
page listed above I checked out the Murmaids links which
say in part:
Once 'Popsicles and Icicles' was recorded, the girls left
for college. The record became a big hit (#10).
Chatahoochee issued an unsuccessful single or two hoping
to squeeze out another hit before the group broke up. The
singles were unsuccessful and the Original Murmaids
returned to college. Cathy Brasher and Yvonne Young among
several other session singers were called in to keep
recording as the Murmaids of 1966. Their final release,
"Go Away" (b/w "Paper Sun"), was released on Liberty
Records in 1968.
> Ellie's "Cha Cha Charming" is a thrill and a must-have
Yes, and I also recommend Sheila's Cha Cha Charming
magazine, which is also linked at the above-referenced
page.
All the best,
Jamie
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 8
Date: 10 Mar 2001 20:27:09 -0800
From: Lindsay Martin
Subject: Weiss (Laurence/Larry, Donna and George David)
Phil Chapman wrote:
> Ruby & The Romantics "Your Baby Doesn't Love You
> Anymore". The only credit on my 45 is writer: "Weiss"
I once became mildly obsessed with this songwriting
credit, especially when it appeared in the form
"Weiss-English", but I never did tie up the loose
threads of what I found out, and eventually gave up.
When I got on the Internet and started toing & froing
between BMI & ASCAP I found numerous songwriters called
Weiss, and it's possible I'm totally confused, but
the gist of it seems to be:
There's Laurence Weiss (AKA Larry) who, with Scott
English, wrote "Hi-Ho Silver Lining" (Jeff Beck),
"Help Me Girl" (Animals), "Bend Me Shape Me" (American
Breed/Amen Corner), "Ciao Baby" (Lynne Randell in
Australia/ Montanas and others in US) etc. Quite a nice
little repertoire!
Laurence/Larry Weiss also wrote "Rhinestone Cowboy"; I
have a 45 of his own version.
Scott English also co-wrote Barry Manilow's "Mandy",
though not with Weiss. It started life as "Brandy",
recorded by English himself, a hit in the UK.
There's also Donna Weiss who has collaborated with
Jackie de Shannon, with whom she famously wrote "Bette
Davis Eyes".
Both Donna and Laurence/Larry have songs listed at both
ASCAP & BMI, with various collaborations.
Questions I never answered:
1. Is Donna Weiss the songwriter the same Donna Weiss who
sang on Joe Cocker's "Mad Dogs & Englishmen"?
2. Are Laurence/Larry and Donna related? (I was
originally led down a false alleyway here by the liner
notes of an Aussie Animals LP which credited "Help Me
Girl" to Donna instead of Larry, so the connection may
well be all in my own mind.)
3. Are either related to George David Weiss, who co-wrote
the Louis Armstrong hit "What a Wonderful World"? (No
reason why they should be; I guess I could ask the same
idle question about the numerous other songwriters called
Weiss!)
Cheers, Lindsay
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
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