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Crisp, clear, sparkling -- Perfect even at high volume
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There are 13 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 292:
1. Brooks Arthur
From: "Bill Reed"
2. definitions
From: John Rausch
3. M&M & the Peanuts
From: "David Feldman"
4. Re: Fifth Estate
From: "Paul Payton"
5. soul to surf
From: John Rausch
6. re: Girl Group Gems "Soul to Surf"
From: "Jack Madani"
7. Kenny Karen/Gayle Haness
From: "Don Charles"
8. Donna Loren
From: Jimmy Crescitelli
9. Phil Spector Outtakes
From: Peter van Dam
10. Re: Phil Spector Outtakes
From: "Jean Emmanuel Dubois"
11. For Ellie Greenwich Collectors Only
From: "Don Charles"
12. Re: Fifth Estate
From: Tony Waitekus
13. Jeff, forgive me, set list comparison request, and Darlene alert
From: "Spector Collector"
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 03:16:39 -0000
From: "Bill Reed"
Subject: Brooks Arthur
Not since my Little Peggy March sings in German CD "find"
of last week have I come across one so interesting as
today's Goodwill treasure: "Songs Are Like Prayers" by
Brooks Arthur (1998). It's an album of Jewish and/or
Jewish-community related songs such as "Sunrise Sunset",
"Sheyn Vi Di L'Vone" (duet with Lainie Kazan),
"Anniversay Song" and nine others.
What does all this have to do with Spectropop you might
wonder? Well, according to what little info I can find
on Arthur both on the web and in my own library: (from
the Spector bio "He's a Rebel) "After constant arguments,
by early 1964 Bill MacMeekin, the engineer who had
worked most of Phil's sessions since 'Pretty Little
Angel Eyes,' had had enough. He gave the assignment to a
bright, antsy twenty-year-old named Brooks Arthur, who
was nicely suited to the difficult job." After that, he
was on every remaining Spector NY session.
I gather that Arthur produced or engineered a lot of
material, including the first three Janis Ian albums,
Dixie Cups, Astrud Gilberto, Van Morrison, Bette Midler,
Tim Hardin, the post-Cameo Dusty Springfield, etc. and
that he also, himself, recorded for such labels as
Collegiate, Carlton and Capitol. He describes himself as
being , as a singer, "caught in the cracks between
crooning and rock 'n' roll."
Arthur's extensive liner notes read like a veritable
who's who of the Brill Bldg. and Spectropop. He thanks
and/or references everyone from Howard Greenfield ("G_ d
took you too soon. . .We know you and Torrie are
together in heaven again.") Mann & Weil, Goffin & King,
Neil Diamond, Bert Berns, Dionne Warwick, Toni Wine,
Cissy Houston, Artie Butler, Leiber and Stoller, Patti
Austin, Phil Ramone, Carole Bayer Sager, and "my girl
groups" The Angels, Chiffons, Cookies, Crystals, Dixie
Cups, Fashions, Jelly Beans, Ronettes, Neil Sedaka, Al
Kasha, Aldon Music, Shagri-Las, Shirelles, et al. He
also makes passing reference to his extensive career as
a Brill Bldg demo singer. A songwriter as well, I think.
Sounds like an interesting enough chap.
As for the CD itself, I basically bought if for its
curio value, but have played it once already and find if
quite affecting. Accompanied on piano by arranging ace
Mort Garson, Arthur possesses a youthful sounding boy
baritone, remindful of those crooners he points to as
holding a place "very dear to my heart": Eddie Fisher,
Jerry Vale, Steve Lawrence, Al Martino, Bobby Darin and
Dick Roman.
Interestingly (and tellingly?) just about the only name
missing from the entire megilla (sic) is that of Phil
Spector.
Bill Reed
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 22:07:44 -0500
From: John Rausch
Subject: definitions
This has been on my mind off and on and finally remember
to ask. Can someone give a definition of the term
"Northern Soul" Another term that pops up as a definition
is called "popcorn" I see records/songs described with
these 2 terms either on ebay or in Discoveries and
Goldmine record magazines.
Thanks
John Rausch
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 13:55:49 -0500
From: "David Feldman"
Subject: M&M & the Peanuts
Does anyone know anything about this group, who performed
the single, "Do the Philly." I love the song, which
exudes much more emotion than a song about a dance had
any right to do.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 15:10:32 -0500
From: "Paul Payton"
Subject: Re: Fifth Estate
Jeff Lemlich asks, "Who is the female voice on "How Can
I Ever Find A Way" by the Fifth Estate?"
I don't know, but go to www.bostonskylinerecords.com and
ask owner Wayne Wadhams, who's group it was. His e-mail
address is there, and I think he'd be tickled that
people still care about the group.
Paul
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 5
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 13:54:57 -0500
From: John Rausch
Subject: soul to surf
Jamie wrote:
> Has anyone got this CD yet? If so, how about a little
> review?
Looks like most of those tracks (9) were already issued
on a Mick Patrick comp for ACE called Playin Hard To Get
(west coast girls) Some great tracks.
John Rausch
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 6
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 12:04:12 -0500
From: "Jack Madani"
Subject: re: Girl Group Gems "Soul to Surf"
>Many of us have seen Girl Group Gems "Soul to Surf"
>advertised on Donna Loren's website.
>
>It's released by "Red-Bird Entertainment" and features
>the Red Bird record company logo. It's not in the local
>Tower or Virgin.
>
>Red Bird??? I'm pretty sure none of the tracks on the CD
>are/were Red Bird masters. What gives?
Indeed. Seems more like all the tracks are from the
Del-Fi stable of artists. In fact, there's so much
overlap with the Del-Fi girlgroups anthology of a year
or so ago that I decided against purchasing the
"Red-Bird" disc.
Jack
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 7
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 17:10:24 +0000
From: "Don Charles"
Subject: Kenny Karen/Gayle Haness
>--- In Spectropop, "Spector Collector" wrote:
> > ...Kenny Karen's "Susie Forgive Me"
A reminder for any Archies fans out there: Kenny Karen
was Don Kirshner's original choice to be lead singer of
this studio group, according to songwriter Mark Barkan.
>...classic "Johnny Ander" by Gayle Haness.
I would KILL for information about any of the Gayle
Haness singles written and produced by Jeff Barry - not
to mention what I'd do in order to hear them!
Don Charles
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Message: 8
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 22:34:57 EST
From: Jimmy Crescitelli
Subject: Donna Loren
Is she the artiste who recorded the fabulous "Muscle
Bustle?" What a GREAT cut.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 9
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 15:47:39 -0000
From: Peter van Dam
Subject: Phil Spector Outtakes
Hi Folks,
The 5 CD set of Phil Spector Outtakes is worth for futher
study in detail, who played what on those existing tracks,
the way Phil Spector recorded his tracks. etc. It is an
extremely interesting piece of musical history.
Yours faithfully,
Peter van Dam - Netherlands
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 10
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 12:10:38 +0200 (MET)
From: "Jean Emmanuel Dubois"
Subject: Re: Phil Spector Outtakes
-Dear friends-and fans of Mr Spector
Where can I get these Phil Spector outakes in France or
Europa? + do you have the contact of the Japanese label
that did release "Phil Spector off the Wall"+ a Jack
Nitzsche anthology-i'm looking for these too.
Thanx in advance
Dubois Jean-Emmanuel
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 11
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 17:04:31 +0000
From: "Don Charles"
Subject: For Ellie Greenwich Collectors Only
The Raindrops album and Ellie Greenwich's two solo albums
have all been reissued on CD. Isn't it time the Broadway
cast album of LEADER OF THE PACK got the digital sound
treatment? And what about the never-issued Bottom Line
version?
Along those same lines . . . with a sufficient licensing
budget, and a record label that really believes in the
project, I could compile an Ellie Greenwich singles
compilation which would be far more satisfying than
anything that's currently available. Any of you
entrepreneurial types out there willing to take me up on
this offer?
Don Charles
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 12
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 08:49:55 -0600
From: Tony Waitekus
Subject: Re: Fifth Estate
Jeff Lemlich asks:
> "Who is the female voice on "How Can I Ever Find A Way"
> by the Fifth Estate?"
I asked Bill Jerome about this. He was one of the
producers for the Fifth Estate. He says there was never
any female in this group.
Tony Waitekus
WHTS/All Hit 98-9
Hit Radio, Inc.
3535 E. Kimberly Rd.
Davenport, IA 52807
Phone: 563-344-9487
Fax: 563-344-7037
http://www.allhit989.com
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 13
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 07:17:11 +0000
From: "Spector Collector"
Subject: Jeff, forgive me, set list comparison request, and Darlene alert
In our last episode, Jeff Limlich took me to task for
misstating a couple of months ago that Kenny Karen's
"Susie Forgive Me" wasn't a death record, only a
near-death one. Jeff's the second one to do so (I realize
that he's catching up with backlogged digests), and I
want to reiterate that, as promised in my last apologetic
post, I will never again rely on my increasingly faulty
memory when posting!
I know that no one's yet come forward to state whether
there were any differences between the broadcast version
of the recent A&E Brill Building series and the home
video version (and I'd like to know the ansewr to that
too), but I have the same question regarding the slightly
older PBS "Hey La, Hey La, the Girl Groups Are Back"
special. I've finally obtained the home video version of
this one (unbelievably, it was never shown here in
Seattle), and I know that one difference between it and
the one that aired is that on the broadcast version,
Ronnie Spector sings "Baby I Love You," "(The Best Part
of) Breakin' Up," and "Walking in the Rain," which are
excised, for licensing reasons, from the home video
version in favor of "Say Goodbye to Hollywood." So what I
want to know is whether there are any other discrepancies
between the two versions. Following is the complete
running order from the commercially available video;
would someone please compare this with the set list from
the televised show and let me know what, if any, other
differences there are? Many thanks in advance.
SHIRELLES:
Mama Said
Baby It's You
Tonight's the Night
Foolish Little Girl
ANGELS:
My Boyfriend's Back
Cry Baby Cry
MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS
Heatwave
Nowhere to Run
DARLENE LOVE:
He's a Rebel
He's Sure the Boy I Love
Don't Make Me Over
CHIFFONS:
Sweet Talkin' Guy
One Fine Day
ANGELS:
Til
LALA BROOKS:
Then He Kissed Me
There's No Other (Like My Baby)
Uptown
Da Doo Ron Ron
SHIRELLES:
Soldier Boy
I Met Him on a Sunday
Dedicated to the One I Love
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
RONNIE SPECTOR:
Say Goodbye to Hollywood
MARTHA REEVES AND THE VANDELLAS:
Come and Get These Memories
Jimmy Mack
Dancing in the Street
Finally, speaking of Darlene Love, heads up:
appropriately enough, she occupies the "grand finale"
spot on the newest installment in the "A Very Special
Christmas" series of CDs benefiting the Special Olympics
(this is volume five). Brilliantly ressurecting the
arrangement and phrasing from the Spector Christmas album,
she sounds as powerful as ever. Whenever someone finds
out the date that she'll do her annual performance of
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" on Letterman, please
let the group know.
In my next post, I'll list the cover versions of that
classic song with which I'm familiar and invite y'all to
add ones I've missed, so start researching now!
David A. Young
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
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