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Spectropop - Digest Number 381





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There are 10 messages in this issue of Spectropop.

Topics in this Spectropop - Digest Number 381:

      1. British Cover versions of the 50s and 60s
           From: "Ian Slater" 
      2. Re: The Du-Ettes
           From: Simon White 
      3. RE: The Du-Ettes
           From: "Andrew Simons" 
      4. Re: Scotts On Swingers
           From: James Botticelli 
      5. Ellie Greenwich- Brill Building
           From: "John Lester" 
      6. Re: Sun Ra and the Blues Project
           From: Stewart Mason 
      7. Du-Ettes
           From: Howard 
      8. Fuzzy Bunnies and the first synth on a pop record
           From: Frank Youngwerth 
      9. Pipkin/Coefield
           From: "Kingsley Abbott" 
     10. ORCHIDS STUFF
           From: Mick Patrick 


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Message: 1
   Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 10:16:45 -0000
   From: "Ian Slater" 
Subject: British Cover versions of the 50s and 60s

Michael Edwards wrote:

> I saw some recent comments about the inferiority of
> British cover versions of American records in the late
> 50s/early 60s. Probably true, but there were some
> exceptions.

As someone who has twice now criticized British cover
versions, I have to agree that there were good ones. Three
that come to mind are "Tell Him" by Billie Davis, "Bobby's
Girl" by Susan Maughan and "Only Sixteen" by Craig Douglas.
The reason is that they are distinctly different from the
originals - the first two treated as examples of the
bright and breezy UK girly sound of the early 60s, while
the latter was well suited to the white beat-ballad  style.
But too many were  anaemic and totally unoriginal attempts
at a carbon copy - the worst that comes to mind is the
attempt by some gang called "the Four Most" to copy the 4
Tops classic "Baby I Need Your Loving". I also remember
reading a review of a record where the UK team were so
lacking in creative imagination that they also covered the
FLIP of the original on the flip of their cover! I think
that was by a girl singer, but I can't remember who or
what it was.
Ian Slater


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Message: 2
   Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 09:21:37 +0000
   From: Simon White 
Subject: Re: The Du-Ettes

The sleeve notes to the Goldmine cd "One-derful, Mar-v-lus
Northern Soul " state the Du-ettes were a ...du-o ...  and
as Jeff said,  Barbara Livesey and her cousin Mary Francis
Hayes. Look out for  " Every Beat Of My Heart " too  [ not
the Gladys song ] on  Mar-V -Lus. Its a great rolling mess
of a track in the best tradition of Alvin Cash's [ my
favourite- those girls at the start of " Twine Time " 
take some beating  ] releases on the labels which were
Chicaco based.

Barbara Livesey later recorded as Barbara and Gwen and
Barbara and the Uniques....it says here. I have a  Uniques
45 somewhere but I cant remember the label. I'll dig it
out. Its a soul release.


--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------


Message: 3
   Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 10:21:29 -0000
   From: "Andrew Simons" 
Subject: RE: The Du-Ettes

> -----Original Message from: Howard
> 
> Anyone out there familiar with a song by the Du-Ettes
> called "Please Forgive Me"? I had heard it years ago on
> WCBC-FM in NYC... The only thing I know about the
> group was that they morphed into "Barbara and the Uniques"
> and may have been from Philadelphia. Any info about the
> group, or even what year the song is from would be
> appreciated. 
> 
> Howard

"Please Forgive Me" Lost-Nite 1003 - dist by Atlantic.
Mine is a promo w/printed plug side Guess Cameo was out
of business by then?

Andrew Simons
British Library National Sound Archive


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Message: 4
   Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 15:08:08 EST
   From: James Botticelli 
Subject: Re: Scotts On Swingers

In a message dated 2/9/02 Spectropop writes:

> Later Scott Regen (Detroit radio DJ) held a competition
> on Detroit radio "Sing a Song with the
> 
> Later in our conversation, he played me "Scotts On
> Swingers" and I started singing it....he says to me.YOU
> KNOW THIS!!!  I says "Scott, everyone north of Watford
> knows this song like the back of their hand"  he just
> looks at me with his mouth was open so wide, if a giraffe
> had walked by, it would have fallen in!

The UK listers here then probably know of Edwin Starr's
legendary "Scotts on Swingers" promo sung to the tune of
his equally legendary "S.O.S" hit, perhaps STILL the best
non Motown Motown track in existence, despite the hundreds
of thousands of Northern Soul rekkids unearthed over the
last quarter century....JB


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Message: 5
   Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 22:12:46 -0000
   From: "John Lester" 
Subject: Ellie Greenwich- Brill Building

Anyone know anything about this new release..........

Is it a good buy?


--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------


Message: 6
   Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 02:52:22 -0700
   From: Stewart Mason 
Subject: Re: Sun Ra and the Blues Project

Dave Gardner wrote:

>There's also a pretty cool 'Batman and Robin' lp on
>Tifton, (recently reissued), credited to the Sensational
>Guitars of Dan & Dale, which is actually Sun Ra & the
>Blues Project!

At the risk of restarting the recently-completed Al Kooper 
thread, I'd sure love to hear more about *this*!

RIP Andy Kulberg,

Stewart


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Message: 7
   Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 00:01:44 -0000
   From: Howard 
Subject: Du-Ettes

Thanks for the Du-Ettes info!!!


--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------


Message: 8
   Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 01:46:54 EST
   From: Frank Youngwerth 
Subject: Fuzzy Bunnies and the first synth on a pop record

> Anyway, here is the key thing about No Good To Cry. 
> I am willing to state categorically  (whatever that
> means), that this record was the first use ever of a
> synthesizer on a pop record.

I apologize if this came up in the last couple weeks (I'm
a little behind reading my digests), but the credits of
the Monkees' fine 1967 LP Pisces, Aquarius... credits
Micky Dolenz and Paul Beaver as playing Moog synthesizer
(I think the track is King-Goffin's groupie-themed "Star
Collector"). Walter Carlos' Bach LP came out in '68, and
the Bunnies presumably recorded after that.

No idea whether the Monkees were the first, but I bet one
of their Rhino boxes' liner notes would give a clue.

Frank Youngwerth


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Message: 9
   Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 14:09:14 -0000
   From: "Kingsley Abbott" 
Subject: Pipkin/Coefield

Pipkin & Coefield were always two names I look for in
the small print.  Certainly the Happy Tones record
(Colpix 693 - 1963...seemingly a one-off name just for
that record) is a great double sider after their stint
as Spector's Alley Cats, but sometime before all that
the pair were in the (LA, not NY) Valiants with Bill
Storm with releases on Keen, Ensign and Shar Dee in the
'57 - '59 period.  Chester Pipkin came from The Squires
before that. Brice Coefield took over lead when Storm
departed, and '60 - '62 saw them being called The
Untouchables on Madison & Liberty, working with Alpert &
Adler who had previously been A&R at Keen.  Also with
them throughtout all this was Sheridan 'Rip' Spencer.  I
also have a feeling that I have something with their
name on from the Valiant label, but can't recall at
present...could be wrong on that.  They were also the
Electras at one point around the Happy Tones time, and
almost certainly many more.  Certainly their material
reflected good poppy vocal group sounds of the period,
and a collection of some sort would be most welcome. I'd
love to know more and be able to collect more, so does
anyone else have anything to add??

Kingsley Abbott


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Message: 10
   Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 17:55:18 +0000 (GMT)
   From: Mick Patrick 
Subject: ORCHIDS STUFF

Greetings,

Previously on Spectropop:
>> .....on the liner notes to "The Girls' Scene" CD, Pam
>> Hepburn of the Orchids refers to some "wonderful
>> tracks hiding somewhere" including a session with Bert
>> Berns.....

Original reply: 
> The Bert Berns session resulted in a track entitled "Just
> Like Me".....

Girl Group Discographers should be aware that the
composition BERT BERNS produced by THE ORCHIDS was
actually titled "Just Like MINE". (Pedantic?? Me??). The
track remains unheard and unreleased but there are other
versions of the song.

In 1961 Berns produced a rendition by THE RENAULTS, a
Drifters-like outfit, which was issued on Wand 114. To my
knowledge this is not available on CD.

On November 13th 1963 Berns produced another version by
BETTY HARRIS, of "Cry To Me" fame. This was not issued at
the time but can now be found on the CD BETTY HARRIS -
SOUL PERFECTION PLUS (UK Westside WESA 807, 1998). "Just
Like Mine" was written by Bert Russell (aka Berns), Garry
Sherman and Ed Silvers.

I'd like to think that the Orchids made a better job of
this Bo Diddley-rhythmed shaker than the Renaults and
Betty Harris did. Maybe one day we'll find out.

MICK PATRICK


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