________________________________________________________________________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ S P E C T R O P O P ______________ ______________ ______________ ________________________________________________________________________ a new stereophonic sound spectacular ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 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 --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- 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 --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- 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 --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- 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 --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- 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 --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- 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 --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- 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 --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- End