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Volume #0075 04/28/98
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Bringing the finest recorded entertainment into your home
Subject: land of opportunity yeah yeah yeah
Sent: 28/4/98 2:01 am
Received: 28/4/98 7:43 am
From: Jack Madani, Jack_MadXXX@XXXXXX2.nj.us
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
>when I told him I
>adored "Only In America" he casually tossed off a comment like
>"Oh yeah, we wrote that with Barry and Cynthia..." BARRY and
>CYNTHIA??? As if it goes without saying that I am supposed to
>know who Barry and Cynthia are!!
I was talking to Steve and Eydie just the other day about the
same thing.
On a related, more serious note: what is it about Barry and
Cynthia that causes them to write so many Spanish-tinged
numbers?
jack "dino desi & billy" 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.
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---[ archived by Spectropop - 29/4/98 - 01 :18:47 am ]---
Subject: kudos and a tip o'the hat to Doc
Sent: 25/4/98 1:36 pm
Received: 29/4/98 12:14 am
From: ELRON BEE, ELRONXXX@XXXXXXm
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
I'm about 2/3 of the way through Doc's Liberty records book and
I must say- Man, what an incredible read!! Absolutely invaluable
to any fan of 60s pop music. doc, you have done us all a great
service with this obvious labor of love.
Thank you So much. Ron
---[ archived by Spectropop - 29/4/98 - 01 :18:46 am ]---
Subject: Graham Gouldman
Sent: 29/4/98 12:48 am
Received: 29/4/98 3:13 am
From: Kieron Tyler, kierXXX@XXXXXXorg.uk
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
I think he must've (early on at least) had a good publisher,
because the story told about 'For Your Love' is that the
Yardbirds were played a publisher's acetate of the song
backstage at London's Hammersmith Odeon when they were the
support band on the Beatles Xmas 64 show.
I saw the Leonard Bernstein 'Inside Pop' show at NYC's Museum
of Broadcasting.There's a backstage scene with the Hollies
and Herman's Hermits, and Gouldman is sitting with them. And I
wonder if the fact that they all come from Manchester helped...
He wrote some good stuff for Dave Berry and Australian pop star
Normie Rowe (Going Home). 'How to find a lover' is my fave
Mockingbirds 45.
All the best, Kieron Tyler
---[ archived by Spectropop - 29/4/98 - 03 :13:21 am ]---
Subject: Gary Zekley Fun & Games
Sent: 28/4/98 1:36 pm
Received: 29/4/98 12:14 am
From: Javed Jafri, javedjaXXX@XXXXXX.ca
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
Scott Bauman wrote:
> I know that Gary Zekley is supposed to be one of those "behind
> the scenes" sixties popmeisters, like Gary Usher and Curt
> Becher. But, can anyone tell me what he's done besides produce
> the Yellow Balloon and The Clique. Also, what CDs best showcase
> his talents?
Scott,
I'm sure you are going to get several responses to your
questions because Gary Z. has been a topic of discussion on
this list several times. I'll leave most of the details to the
Zekley experts on the list but would recommend the Melody Goes
On Vol.1, a Japanese collection. This collection is not
exclusively Zekley but it does feature a number of tracks with
his involvement. Also the album Elephant Candy by The Fun &
Games was produced by Zekley with many of the songs co-written
by him. Some may find this record a little too saccharine but
it does have it's moments. The song "The Grooviest Girl In The
World" actually reached # 78 in 1968.
Javed
---[ archived by Spectropop - 29/4/98 - 01 :18:46 am ]---
Subject: Re: Gary Zekley
Sent: 29/4/98 2:16 am
Received: 29/4/98 12:14 am
From: Jamie LePage, le_page_XXX@XXXXXXies.com
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
Scott Bauman asks:
does anyone know when and how (Gary Zekley) died?
Gary Zekley died on June 19, 1996, according to the liners in
the Yellow Balloon reissue. I believe he died of cancer if
memory serves. Domenic Priore wrote the fascinating liner notes
for this release, btw. I would like to think that during the
days before Gary died he was encouraged by the renewed interest
in his work, from Priore as well as others.
--
le_page_XXX@XXXXXXies.com
RodeoDrive/5030
---[ archived by Spectropop - 29/4/98 - 01 :18:47 am ]---
Subject: Lou Christie and Cynthia Weil
Sent: 28/4/98 1:02 pm
Received: 29/4/98 12:14 am
From: Doc Rock, docroXXX@XXXXXXom
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
>I'm a big fan of Lou Christie and was wondering if anyone had
>heard any of the songs he wrote for other people in the 60s. I
>think there are at least a couple of Girl Group 45s
Christie's background singers, the Tammys, recorded his
compositions, including "Egyptian Shumba" on UA, the ULTIMATE
GG record!
>while it's fresh on my mind, does anyone know the correct
>pronunciation for "weil"? it's been a headscratcher for me for
>many years...
>thanx,
>
Cynthia's name rhymes with "While."
---[ archived by Spectropop - 29/4/98 - 01 :18:47 am ]---
Subject: Re: The Mockingbirds
Sent: 29/4/98 3:57 am
Received: 29/4/98 12:13 am
From: Alec Palao, paXXX@XXXXXX.com
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
>The Mockingbirds released 5 singles during 1965-66, on various
>labels. I have a couple of their songs on compilations: "You
>Stole My Love" is a really good beat raver, and it appears on
>the wonderful CD comp "The Immediate Alternative", on Sequel
>Records. "One By One" is another beat number, but with more of
>a folky flavor. It appears on "English Freakbeat: Volume 3", on
>Archive International Records (actually Bomp, but I'm not
>supposed to tell!).
>Both Graham Gouldman and Kevin Godley, later of 10cc, appeared
>in The Mockingbirds. It's difficult to tell who's singing lead
>on these tracks, but I suspect it's Gouldman.
Both the records Dave cites are great, but for my money the
best Mockingbirds single is the one that Gouldman *didn't*
write, "How To Find A Lover", which was penned by Peter Cowap
(another Manchester-based songwriter associated with Herman's
Hermits). Fabulous song with totally cool, top-heavy production
a la Joe Meek. Also, don't forget their fantastic debut record,
"That's How It's Gonna Stay", probably the most Beatle-ish of
the five Mockingbirds releases. Definitely an above-average
beat group, as you'd expect with someone the calibre of
Gouldman in the ranks. His solo LP from 1968 ("The Graham
Gouldman Thing", with production credited to Peter Noone!) is
also highly enjoyable, with several versions of his tunes made
famous by others.
A little known fact is that Gouldman also spent time pitching
his wares in the US circa 1967, producing a Toni Basil single
on A&M and getting, amongst others, the Standells to cover "
Schoolgirl" (guitarist Tony Valentino told me Graham actually
attended the session). He can also be seen hanging out with the
Hollies backstage in Leonard Bernstein's "Inside Pop" TV
documentary from that same year.
ALEC
---[ archived by Spectropop - 29/4/98 - 01 :18:47 am ]---
Subject: Touch'N Go With The Critters
Sent: 28/4/98 12:57 pm
Received: 29/4/98 12:13 am
From: Javed Jafri, javedjaXXX@XXXXXX.ca
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
Kieron Tyler wrote:
> The Kapp period stuff is more Lovin Spoonful-ish, although
> thats probably a little bit too sweeping. The Project 3 stuff
> as far as I know hasn't been reissued (although theres probably
> the usual obscure Japanese CD out there).
I'm listening to the Critters Touch 'N Go album as I type this
and it really is a wonderful recording that should appeal to
anyone who enjoys the likes of Sagittarius, Millennium, The
Left Banke, The Lovin' Spoonful, Beau Brummels and of course
the Beach Boys. The album has a version of "Awake In A Dream"
the song by the Giant Jellybean Copout which was a topic of
discussion on the list a while back. The song was written by
Jim Ryan of the Critters and their version is quite similar to
the one by GJC but worth a listen in it's own right.
Like some of the best records of the 60's it's an eclectic
album and not all of it is typical soft-rock. Some of it verges
on garage-rock with light touches of psychedelia. Not sure if
this record is available on CD. I'm listening to a cassette
copy of the vinyl pressing.
Javed
---[ archived by Spectropop - 29/4/98 - 01 :18:47 am ]---
Subject: It's the Beatles! (no BB content)
Sent: 29/4/98 1:15 am
Received: 29/4/98 1:16 am
From: Jamie LePage, le_page_XXX@XXXXXXies.com
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
Moving right along...
I was reminded of and so listened to the British version of the
mono Revolver today, and I tried to take note of a few
differences between the mono and stereo. The cowbell in Taxman
enters earlier on the mono. I'm Only Sleeping has an extra
backward guitar riff during the "Taking my time lying..."
section. The ending to Love You To is a tad longer. Yellow
Submarine has John's long lost "a life of ease." She Said She
Said sounds a bit sped up. Most radical is Tomorrow Never Knows
with a longer intro, plus louder (and differently placed) tape
loop effects throughout. What a pleasure to relisten to this
album! Can anyone cite any other differences? Besides song
selection, are there any perceivable differences in the mono US
and UK pressings worth mentioning?
Doc, you have a book published called the _Beatle Myth_. Is
that a song-by-song analysis? Do tell a bit about it. Is it
available? I recall seeing a book in the HMV on Oxford Street
with a similar title that took a very pragmatic approach to
each song they recorded. If it isn't Doc's book, does this book
description sound familiar to anyone?
Also, I saw mentioned elsewhere that the original US Sgt.
Pepper didn't have the 15K tone or the concentric groove
chatter. I could have sworn both UK and US versions had it. I
know these were subsequently lost but reinstated in the '80's.
Can anyone verify? I'm almost to the point of digging out the
old Capitol LPs from storage.
Finally, I have to bring up the alternate mix of Thank You Girl.
The one with the harmmonica riff in several edited places. I
think that version was on the B of From Me To You on Vee Jay in
US. Was it also on the Parlophone single release? Years ago
there was a bit of a fuss made about the alternate Love Me Do,
but to me the alternate Thank You Girl edit is a more
interesting rarity. Not only is the editing different, but it
seems to me that the overall sound is very compressed, or
pumped. This edit has a lot more power than the one featured on
all the regular releases (although I've never heard the original
Parlophone single).
...nearly two hundred issues away from 271...
--
le_page_XXX@XXXXXXies.com
RodeoDrive/5030
---[ archived by Spectropop - 29/4/98 - 01 :18:46 am ]---
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