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Spectropop - Digest Number 411
- From: Spectropop Group
- Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002
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Adventures in Sound
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There are 25 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 411:
1. Theremin
From: Joe Foster
2. MARK ERIC LIVE IN LOS ANGELES!!
From: "sstanley"
3. Rod McQueen
From: "Norman"
4. Re: The Fantastic Story of Mark Wirtz
From: Patrick Rands
5. Mark Wirtz
From: Paul Richards
6. the lou-ness of lou, the specs-ness of specs
From: "Jack Madani"
7. Where The Boys Are/American Hot Wax
From: Richard Globman
8. online clearance sale
From: "Jack Madani"
9. I Found a Girl
From: Marc Miller
10. Kiki Dee
From: "Norman"
11. Re: Spector 1969 interview in Rolling Stone
From: Ted T.
12. Re: Spector vs Medley
From: "Martin Roberts"
13. starsailor?
From: Bryan
14. Re: Re: Tony Romeo ("Oh Boy")
From: Paul Richards
15. Tony Romeo; Chip Taylor; help on Rainy Day please
From: "Paul Payton"
16. Coming very soon ..... Bobby Vee interview show!
From: Ronnie Allen
17. Re: Rod McQueen / Peter Lee
From: Richard Havers
18. Re: Kiki Dee
From: "Phil Chapman"
19. Kiki Dee @ Motown
From: "Ian Chapman"
20. Re: Theremin
From: Billy G. Spradlin
21. Re: Electric sitars
From: "Luis Suarez"
22. Lord Sitar & Tony Romeo
From: "Jeffrey Glenn"
23. Sitar & sitar-inspired guitar in pop
From: "Joseph Scott"
24. Re: electric sitar
From: Andrew Hickey
25. Lord George?
From: "Sean Anglum"
________________________________________________________________________
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 09:28:10 +0000
From: Joe Foster
Subject: Theremin
Guys...
With all the discussion of theremins, we should really
have some practical experience....so here, courtesy of
the BBC, is your VERY OWN THEREMIN!! (PC and Mac)....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/playground/theremin1.shtml
best...Joe
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 02:19:46 -0800
From: "sstanley"
Subject: MARK ERIC LIVE IN LOS ANGELES!!
Hi Spectropoppers,
Mark Eric LIVE??? This just in from Domenic Priore:
Friends,
Here's a little bio for the gig I've put together
featuring Mark Eric. This is the first booking I've done
in several years, so hope you can dig it. Highland
Grounds is on Highland Avenue, about 4 doors North of
Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Thursday, March 21st.
Music starts at 8:30 p.m... also on this acoustic bill
are Carolyn Edwards, Barry Holdship and Stew. Here's the
dope on Mark....
Mark Eric worked as an actor in Hollywood for several
years in commercials. He made several appearances on The
Partridge Family and other shows. What brings him to
Highland Grounds this March 21st is his brief, but sweet
recording career, a lone album from 1969 called
MIDSUMMERS DAY DREAM. Perhaps the only complete LP
influenced by the Beach Boys' FRIENDS, Mark Eric
unconsciously explored a genre of music we can now
recognize as Psychedelic-Surf Pastiche. Vibraphones,
"bah bahhh" harmonies and wistful songs of melancholia
grace his sole vinyl effort. The cover features a
modrian photo design of a sunset, a flower, and the
blonde, teenage stock/casual surfer Marc... reminding the
listener of both FRIENDS and ALL SUMMER LONG at first
glance. Highlights from this out of print nugget include
"California Home," about a homesick airplane flight away
>from L.A., the forward-thinking "Move with the Dawn" and
the resplendent wonderment of "Where Did the Girls of the
Summer Go," a heart-felt cry about a feeling lost from
L.A. in the post-Surf era. Operating in a Beach
Boys-influenced mode in the arid Pop vibe of 1969 may
have been tough to deal with then, but time has shown the
wiser. This will be Mark Eric's first appearance playing
music from MIDSUMMERS DAY DREAM in something like 30
years.
In tribute to another L.A. songwriter, Mark will perform
the flip side of a single by The Giant Jellybean Copout
"Look at the Girls" (Poppy Records), another Psychedelic
Surf Pastiche song from the late '60s. Mark heard this
while doing a radio interview at KGIL back in the day...
the "b" of their non-hit "Awake in a Dream".
-Domenic Priore
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 13:31:50 +1030
From: "Norman"
Subject: Rod McQueen
Hi everyone,
I have only been a member for a short while but am
astonished at the capacity and energy that the
participants put into Spectropop. A coming together of
like-minded people who don't mind asking questions and
giving answers, even if the queries sound trite.
Now that I have done with the crawling it is over to my
query...
Both Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids and J.C.
Livingstone had a hit with Did You Boogie With Your Baby?.
J.C.Livingstone "Did You Boogie With Your Baby" Wizard
ZS-158 Written and Produced by Rod McQueen
Flash Cadillac et al., "Did You Boogie (With Your Baby)
Private Stock PVT 11125.
Who is Rod McQueen, and is J.C.Livingstone the same
person? I know that Rod McQueen had some writing credits
with Daniel Boone (aka Peter Lee Stirling/Peter Green)
but I have never been able to access any info on him.
Any ideas?
Norman
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 09:17:36 -0500
From: Patrick Rands
Subject: Re: The Fantastic Story of Mark Wirtz
> Curious who else out there knows Mr Wirtz's work?
Mark Wirtz' work is featured on the incredible Dream
Babes 3 compilation - amazing stuff. I also have three
singles by Russ Loader that were produced by Mark Wirtz,
and while not being completely crucial add to the man's
story (amazing production throughout). Oddly enough I
have yet to hear what he's most famous for,
Patrick
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 13:34:57 EST
From: Paul Richards
Subject: Mark Wirtz
Hi Mark, I'm a big Wirtz fan too, I recently mentioned
him but got no feedback on the subject, here's a list of
some of my favourites:
Boeing Duveen & the Beautiful Soup- Jabberwock
Keith West -Sam
Samantha Jones- Today [without you]
Mark Wirtz-He's our dear old weatherman
Kris Ife- Imagination
Fantastic Fair [can't remember offhand groupname]
Cellophane Mary Jane
Rainbow
There are loads of others, I think he's up there with
Wilson, Beatles, Chris Dedrick [my hero], Jimmy Wisner,
Bones Howe, Curt Boettcher etc. Like you, I'd like to
know how well known he is in the US,
Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 09:39:42 -0500
From: "Jack Madani"
Subject: the lou-ness of lou, the specs-ness of specs
"Martin Roberts" wrote:
>I so enjoyed Jack Madani's 'review' of Lou
>Christie's "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" (b-vox Ellie
>Greenwich, Linda Scott and Lou himself-although I'm sure
>he knew this already).
No I didn't, Martin--thanks for the information. The
booklet in the Rhino hits disc doesn't give a mention to
"I'm Gonna Make You Mine" beyond the tracklist. Based on
what my ears tell me, though, I would guess that Lou
added his own voice to those of his girl backup singers
on a *lot* of his records.
>
>Needless to say I don't agree with his choice of Lou's
>top pop hit! When "If My Car Could Only Talk" finishes on
>my record player I usually think this has to be the best
>record ever made!
It's certainly an arguable position to take, and in fact
I wouldn't want to argue *against* you. What I was
getting at was that, while Jack Nitzsche's production is
magnificent, it kind of squashes out the quality of
"lou-ness" that I associate with a Lou Christie platter.
It's like what happened with Nitzsche's productions for
Gary Lewis--IIRC, Girls In Love, and that magnificent one
that was at one time played in musica, "Happiness Is".
They're brilliant, as is just about anything ol' Specs
chose to arrange/produce--but I certainly wouldn't point
to those tracks as "typical" examples of those singers'
work.
Anyway, speaking of synchronicity--I mentioned in passing
that the overall sound of "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" had a
flavor of proto-Partridge Family.....and there's the
songwriting credit: Tony Romeo. And then in the same
digest there's the parallel thread on....Tony Romeo.
jack
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 12:51:19 -0800
From: Richard Globman
Subject: Where The Boys Are/American Hot Wax
Don SED:
> I recall an interview Connie did with Jerry Osborne that
> appeared in Discoveries Magazine some years back. She
> said she never recorded the other "Where The Boys Are."
> However, she cut at least three different versions of the
> hit version. There was the one she did for the movie,
> the first version she cut with Ray Ellis, and the one
> that got released, which, according to what Joe Sherman
> told me, was revamped quite a bit.
Would be interested in hearing any of the alternate
versions.
Hey...remember the movie "American Hot Wax", the story
of Alan Freed? In one scene "Connie Francis" comes into
Freed's office and sings a few bars of "Where The Boys
Are". Freed grimaces, and is not impressed even when
"Connie's" manager tells him they are putting her in the
movies.
After she leaves, someone puts on "You're A Thousand
Miles Away". Freed beams and says something like "now
that's what I play".
That's what I play too.....
DICKYG
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 17:15:46 -0500
From: "Jack Madani"
Subject: online clearance sale
There's currently a clearance sale at Collectables
Records:
(http://www.oldies.com/product/clearance.cfm).
I was able to pick up a number of discs for US$7.50 each.
Items on the clearance desk that might be of interest to
the Spectropop crowd include The Addrisi Brothers, Tony
Orlando (from his Brill Building days), the Capris,
Donovan, Clint Holmes, Mark Lindsay, Andy Williams, the
Peanut Butter Conspiracy, and a bunch of other stuff as
well. Seemed like a good deal to me; hope this is a help.
jack
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 15:42:23 -0500
From: Marc Miller
Subject: I Found a Girl
On Mon Mar 11, 2002, Justin McDevitt wrote:
> I Found A Girl is one of my favorite Jan and Dean songs.
> I have a 45 of this record which is in fairly good
> shape.
>
> I have a couple of vinyl Jan and Dean Best-Ofs, though
> this track is not included. Is it featured on a CD Best
> Of compilation?
Justin -
I Found a Girl is on the EMI (53730) set "From Surf City
to Drag City."
Marc
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 20:04:21 +1030
From: "Norman"
Subject: Kiki Dee
Didn't she have a record released on Tamla in around
1970, and was this the Album where the cover design was
such that the record buyer could not really tell if she
was black or white? A deliberate ploy apparently.
Norman
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 20:39:56 -0800
From: Ted T.
Subject: Re: Spector 1969 interview in Rolling Stone
Robert Conway and Javed Jafri recently mentioned the
famous Phil Spector 1969 Rolling Stone interview.
Regarding Spector's comments on the Beach Boys, this is
the exact quote:
"The Beach Boys have always sung ideas -- they've never
been interpreters. The Beatles interpret; Yesterday
meant something. Whereas Good Vibrations was a nice idea
on which everybody sort of grooved."
On the Righteous Brothers:
"...The two of them weren't exceptional talents, but they
did have a musical contribution to make. I loved them, I
thought they were a tremendous expression for myself. I
think they resented being an expression."
The interview is long and rambling (about 40 pages in
pocket book format) and very little of the discussion
focuses on Spector's own output. It is mainly his opinion
on music business issues in 1969. He criticizes many
people, but also praises several artists. Much of it
sounds like a love letter to the Beatles. So it is
probably not a coincidence that Spector produced the
Instant Karma session less than a year later.
A bit of irony: Spector in 1969 had no kind words for
Allen Klein, who at the time was closing in on the Beatles:
"And I don't think Allen Klein ever knew what was going
on, and he's not a very good cat."
Many of the RS interviews, including those of Chuck Berry,
Little Richard, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, were reprinted
in a paperpack volume in the early 1970s. Don't know if
they were reprinted again after that.
Ted T.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 21:36:09 -0000
From: "Martin Roberts"
Subject: Re: Spector vs Medley
I'm enjoying this. Some compelling arguments for and
against and I agree with most all of them!
Happily sitting on the fence, two arguments I can not
accept Phil Spector's opinions and Bill Medley's
producing inadequacies. I share Don Charles admiration
for Bill's talents. Leaving aside his productions for The
Righteous Brothers (as if anyone would want to!).
Take another listen to The Royalettes "(He Is) My
Man"/"Take My Love (And Hide It From My Heart)", The
Blossoms "Stand By", Jerry Ganey "You Don't Love Me"/"Hi
Heel Sneakers", "Who Am I"/"Just A Fool", Gaylord &
Holiday "Since You've Gone", "What's My Name"/"Sweets For
my Sweet". Spector clone? Nah. (Maybe he sometimes tried
too hard NOT to-some of the Blossoms tracks sound a bit
to strident to these ears). But listen to Darlene's
singing on "Stand By". Couldn't coax a vocal-do me a
favour.
Martin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 14:39:07 -0800
From: Bryan
Subject: starsailor?
Does anyone have any more info about Phil Spector
working with Starsailor??
(Mojo, March issue, pg. 15)
Bryan
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 14:27:24 EST
From: Paul Richards
Subject: Re: Re: Tony Romeo ("Oh Boy")
The song was a big hit in the UK for The Brotherhood of
Man as well [their version isn't as country as the Diana
Trask,very good too,great song]I also like 'Summer Days'
by The Partridge Family [I think it was Romeo, I'd have
to check-might be Wes Farrell]
Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 14:04:56 -0500
From: "Paul Payton"
Subject: Tony Romeo; Chip Taylor; help on Rainy Day please
Re: Tony Romeo, he was in a three-person group called
Trout, on MGM, pre-1970. The album was produced, written,
arranged and conducted by Tony Romeo (one track was
arranged by Jimmy Wisner), and supplemented by Frank
Romeo (his brother?) and one Cassandra Morgan, quite the
fine-looking lady. They're all dressed "neo-Western" on
the cover. I haven't listened to it in years, but I
remember one snippet of a country-ish song, "Cuddlin'
Warm" - all 1:50 of it - as being the best track.
May I pitch for some favorite Chip Taylor records? "Here
I Am," Warner Bros., probably 1961-62 or so - a big Roy
Orbison-like build on a beautiful ballad. "Fly By Night"
was on Amy (or Bell or Mala - one of those three labels
that eventually fell in on themselves to become Arista).
It's a very pretty and quiet song with girl-group backing.
On the uptempo side, "You Should Be From Monterey" is a
Beach Boys flavored track on Rainy Day, sounding like the
just-pre-Pet Sounds era; it's a real treat.
Rainy Day was Taylor's label (with, I think, Al Gorgoni)
that had James Taylor's first releases with the Flying
Machine. There were also some neat 45's by not-well-known
artists. In the back of my mind, there was one I can't
remember anything about except that it was great, I've
only seen one copy back in my radio days, and I'd
probably recognize it if I saw it again. Which brings up
this question: Does anyone have a Rainy Day 45rpm
discography they could please post or point me to?
Neb Rogers wrote:
> ... PBS special about the women of rockabilly
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/welcometotheclub
Looks good! The website has bios, pics, and a broadcast
schedule - but in most places it's on at obscure hours!
At least it's on, which is what my VCR will be.
A quick closing thank you to everyone for all things
wonderful, on and off (but as a result of) the group. More
when I'm back from a biz trip.
Country Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 19:58:03 EST
From: Ronnie Allen
Subject: Coming very soon ..... Bobby Vee interview show!
To all Bobby Vee fans .....
My three hour interview special with Bobby Vee will take
place on Wednesday evening, March 13, 2002.
If you are reading this message on TUESDAY then the show
is tomorrow night.
If you are reading this message on WEDNESDAY then the
show is TONIGHT!!!
Here's the details:
Show: Bobby Vee three-hour interview show on M-PAK Radio
with Ronnie Allen
Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2002
Time: 9 PM to Midnight E.S.T.
Originating station: M-PAK Radio (Internet Only)
Internet access:
http://www.warpradio.com/asx/MPAK-IN.asx.
It is suggested that you try out the process prior to
the broadcast.
If you've already sent in a question then I may use it
and mention you on the show. If you haven't done so and
would like to do so please e-mail me with a single
question for Bobby Vee at and
also let me know that I can mention your name if I use
your question.
Hope you can join us!
VEE there or VEE square!!!
Ronnie Allen
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 22:32:09 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re: Rod McQueen / Peter Lee
> Who is Rod McQueen, and is J.C.Livingstone the same
> person? I know that Rod McQueen had some writing credits
> with Daniel Boone (aka Peter Lee Stirling/Peter Green)
> but I have never been able to access any info on him.
>
Others will do a better job than I on Rod, but what about
a little plug for Peter Lee! He was in a band called the
Bruisers, who had one minor hit.
The Bruisers
Founded in '58 initially as the Beachcombers, the all
Birmingham born outfit comprised Lee Stirling (real name
Peter Charles Greene b.31.7.42) guitar/vocals; Peter
Julian McGinty (b.16.8.41) bass; Donald McGinty
(b.23.4.46) drums and Bobby Coral (b.1.9.40) vocals.
Stirling studied piano as a boy and taught himself guitar,
later becoming a draughtsman and gem seller prior to
founding The Beachcombers, while Peter McGinty had 12
different jobs in the building trade in four years. Coral
joined the outfit after Stirling had seen him take second
place in a local talent contest, while Donald McGinty was
the last to join, when they turned professional in '62;
having changed their name to The Bruisers in '60.
They had changed their name to back Tommy Bruce on his
first two hits 'Ain't Misbehavin' and 'Broken Doll'. As
they were accomplished musicians, songwriters Mitch
Murray and Peter Callender invariably used then as a
backing unit on demo records, for songs like 'How Do You
Do It' and 'I Like It'. There first single came out on
Columbia in March '63, but 'My Heart Commands Me' failed
to chart; it was credited to Lee Stirling and The
Bruisers. They were soon switched to the Parlophone label
and a song that they demo'd (intended for Del Shannon)
Johnny Worth's 'Blue Girl' was released in the summer of
'63. It entered the chart, where it stayed for seven
weeks, peaking at No.31 and this time it was credited as
just The Bruisers. For the follow-up the group reverted
to Lee Stirling and The Bruisers and released 'I Could if
I Wanted To' it failed to capitalise on their first
single. Their third Parlophone single, 'Your Turn To Cry',
was once again credited to just The Bruisers; this
schizophrenia probably hindered their efforts to become
more successful.
Stirling's own prowess as a songwriter increased and The
Merseybeats took his song 'I Think Of You' written on the
back of a cigarette packet on a bus, into the top ten; it
was voted a hit by The Beatles on TV's 'Juke Box Jury'.
Another of his songs, 'I Belong' sung by Kathy Kirby came
second in the '65 Eurovision Song Contest, it was her
last hit single.
To add to the confusion by mid '64 they released 'Sad,
Lonely and Blue' as Peter Lee Stirling and The Bruisers.
Subsequent Parlophone releases singles like 'Everything
Will Be Alright' and 'Sweet and Tender Hold of Your Love'
failed to motivate the public in sufficient numbers. By
1967 the group had broken up and Stirling became a
coowner, with Bernard Mattimore, of a recording studio in
London's Whitechapel Road. Stirling was also releasing
solo singles on Decca, which included such classics as
'Goodbye Thimblemill Lane' in '67
In '70 Stirling was part of a studio band, Hungry Wolf,
which included Clem Cattini, Herbie Flowers and Alan
Hawkshaw. Stirling reemerged during the early 70's in the
guise of Daniel Boone to have sizeable hits on the Penny
Farthing label with 'Daddy Don't You Walk Too Fast' and
'Beautiful Sunday'. In '76 the latter song became a
million seller in Japan, temporarily forcing Boone back
on stage to promote it in the Far East. After that, Peter
Lee Stirling thankfully put to rest the name that Larry
Page had dreamt up for him and concentrated on song and
jingle writing. He created the jingle package for
London's first commercial radio station, Capital Radio.
Best Wishes
Richard
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 02:21:42 -0000
From: "Phil Chapman"
Subject: Re: Kiki Dee
Norman:
>and was this the album where the cover design
>was such that the record buyer could not really
>tell if she was black or white?
>A deliberate ploy apparently.
...always thought that cover was odd. Judge for yourself,
it's in the photos area.
http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/lst
Phil
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 23:43:30 -0000
From: "Ian Chapman"
Subject: Kiki Dee @ Motown
> Thanks for your correction, did Kiki Dee have any
> output on Motown.?
Ken:-
Yes, the "Great Expectations" album and a couple of 45s:
"The Day Will Come Between Sunday & Monday"/"My Whole
World Ended" (Tamla 54193) and "Love Makes The World Go
Round"/"Jimmy" (Rare Earth 5025), in 1970.
Ian
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 23:51:24 -0000
From: Billy G. Spradlin
Subject: Re: Theremin
In Spectropop, Joe Foster wrote:
> With all the discussion of theremins, we should really
> have some practical experience....so here, courtesy of
> the BBC, is your VERY OWN THEREMIN!! (PC and Mac)....
>
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/playground/theremin1.shtml
PAIA Electronics sells a bulid-it-yourself Theremin kit,
very cool if you're handy with a soldering iron and
electonics.
(I'm not - I make a mess and burn myself with the thing,
even fixing things as basic as headphones!)
http://www.paia.com/theremax.htm
Billy
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 23:36:23 -0800
From: "Luis Suarez"
Subject: Re: Electric sitars
One of my favorite uses of the Electric Sitar is Redbone -
Come And Get Your Love. Is that song a dead ringer for
Brenton Wood or what?
Luis
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 07:54:20 -0800
From: "Jeffrey Glenn"
Subject: Lord Sitar & Tony Romeo
> Does anyone remember Lord Sitar and an album released on
> Capitol in the fall of '67, featuring almost lounge-like
> renditions of such songs as "Black Is Black", "Daydream
> Believer" and "I Can See For Miles"? A single (Capitol
> 5972) released in Aug, '67 had as its B-side the Rolling
> Stones "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby..", which was not
> on the LP.
Den, thanks for [playing] this for us; it's great!
> Tony did a pretty remarkable solo single on Columbia, "My
> Old Gin Buddy And Me". So what if he couldn't sing a lick?
> The production on this thing (by Van McCoy) is amazing...
> and his Bill Murray type voice just adds to the
> brilliance. There's even a "circus"/calliope type break
> that would make Gary Usher proud.
Here's the complete info on Tony Romeo's solo single ("My
Ol' Gin Buddy And Me" is the B-side):
Mr. Hunkachunk (T. Romeo)/My Ol' Gin Buddy And Me (T.
Romeo) - Tony Romeo, Columbia 4-43939: 1966, Produced by
Kapralik/McCoy, A Daedalus Production, Arranged by Van
McCoy
The A-side is a good uptempo track with a double-tracked
lead to cover his vocal deficiencies. Not that he's bad
- as evidenced on the B-side - but just not particular
strong. It's also probably an example of Romeo writing a
song for his own voice, as it doesn't require much range.
Still a good song.
I can't add much to the B-side from what Jeff mentioned
other than to second the praise of the calliope interlude.
Really good stuff!
Other Tony Romeo related 45's:
Hello And Goodbye (T. Romeo) - Jerry Vale, Columbia
4S-45118: 1969, Produced by Wally Gold, Arranged and
Conducted by Joe Gardner) - Jerry Vale doing Tony Romeo!
Yes, it's true, and it's not a bad song either (though
Vale's voice doesn't quite fit snuggly into this kind of
song). You could definitely hear David Cassidy singing
it (if the lyrics were rewritten - it's from an older
man's point-of-view), as it's not dissimilar to Romeo's
Partridge Family material.
Livin' In A World Of Make Believe (Wes Farrell-Tony
Romeo)/I Played My Part Well (Tony Romeo) - Good & Plenty,
Senate S-2105: 1967, Produced by Wes Farrell in
collaboration with Tony Romeo, Arranged by Joe Renzetti)
- Really good soft pop similar to Romeo's Cowsills output
(especially the A-side - very catchy). I think Farrell
and Romeo wrote all or most of the GOOD & PLENTY LP on
Senate from which come these tracks, but I gave my copy
to David Bash, so he'll have to confirm that. David?
Indian Lake (Tony Romeo)/Wishwater (Tony Romeo-Wes
Farrell) - Dr. Wishbone's Revival, Senate S-2112: 1969,
P,A: Wes Farrell & Tony Romeo) - An interesting largely
instrumental version of the Cowsills' song. Actually this
sounds like it's simply the track and backing vocals
without the lead vocals on it, so you can use it in your
next karaoke gig. The B-side appears to be just a
recording of several music boxes with a short spoken bit,
then the sound of one being wound up before it plays.
More are added along the way, along with someone playing
a clarinet over it. Pretty strange!
Ski-Daddle (T. Romeo)/Everybody's Got A Home But Me (T.
Romeo) - 06 7/8, Dot 45-16877: 1966, Produced by Tony
Romeo, A Peer-Southern Production - This is probably just
a studio production (does anyone know if a group called 6
7/8 existed?), but a very cool one. The sound of the
record is very atmospheric - lots of reverb and poorly
recorded/mastered with WAY too much compression, but that
just adds to it. The A-side is more of a groove than a
song (with roller rink organ and completely
uncomprehensible lyrics except for the title). The
B-side is a great slow tune with the same production
values.
You Are Always On My Mind (Romeo) - The New Christy
Minstrels, Gregar SP-45-268: 1971, Produced by A TOM
Production, Arranged by Tony Camillo - A nice cover of
the Partridge Family track from UP TO DATE.
Wha'Cha Gonna Do For Me Now (Wes Farrell-Tony Romeo)/The
Love Of A Woman (Wes Farrell-Tony Romeo) - The Bubble Gum
Machine, Senate S-2110: 1968, Produced by Wes Farrell,
Arranged by Joe Renzetti - Someone already mentioned The
Bubble Gum Machine; this is the 45. Good bubblegum stuff
with the A-side having a groove not unlike Bobby
Sherman's "Little Woman."
I can play any of these over at musica if anyone wants me
to.
Jeff
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Message: 23
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 10:35:55 -0700
From: "Joseph Scott"
Subject: Sitar & sitar-inspired guitar in pop
The Kinks were one of the first pop bands to feature
guitar played in imitation of sitar style, on "See My
Friends," released in July '65. (Folk acoustic guitarists
such as Sandy Bull and Davey Graham had already been
playing guitar in imitation of sitar style for a couple
of years.) The Beatles really liked "See My Friends."
Harrison bought his first sitar (a "crummy" one, he later
decided) in a London shop about Sept. '65, and that was
the one he played on "Norwegian Wood."
"Lord Sitar" was U.K. session man Big Jim Sullivan.
My all-time favorite sitar-pop track is probably "Hole In
My Shoe" by Traffic. "Sunny South Kensington" by Donovan
and "It's Love" by the Misty Wizards are great too.
Joseph Scott
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Message: 24
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 04:04:52 -0800 (PST)
From: Andrew Hickey
Subject: Re: electric sitar
> By the way the Kinks are supposed to be the first
> band to use a sitar in a pop-rock setting on See My
> Friends from early 1965.
Actually See My Friends doesn't have a sitar on it. I
can't remember *exactly* how they got the sound, but I
*think* it was a slack-tuned electric guitar with rusty
strings (IIRC) and put through a lot of compression...
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Message: 25
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 14:00:24 -0700
From: "Sean Anglum"
Subject: Lord George?
First, let me concur that the sitar on Traffic's "Paper
Sun" was acoustic. The BBC film (music video?) for the
song has shots of both Dave Mason and Chris Wood sitting
cross legged, and palying the sitar. Tonality-wise it's
more like an acoustic sitar, ala George on "Norwegian
Wood".
> The hot topic of the day was whether Lord Sitar was
> none other than George Harrison, who at the time was
> dabbling with the sitar (reference "Within You,
> Without You"), and Capitol itself seemed to play up
> the "who is Lord Sitar" angle to generate some
> speculation. The whole thing just ran its course,
> with no indication as to the identity of Lord S. (I
> never came across any Harrison comments on the
> matter).
Recently in a George remembrance piece in one of the
nationaly distributed "guitar" magazines there was a
pictorial on some of the instruments in George's Friar
Park collection. There is a photo of one of the first
electric sitars made that Coral sent to George. George
states that he barely had time to try it out when Spencer
Davis asked to borrow it for a short time. The instrument
was returned to George TWO YEARS later. George says he
never did record with an electric sitar for the Fabs or
otherwise, so If the Lord Sitar cuts are with electric
sitar, my vote is no, it wasn't George. And even if the
LS cuts are with acooustic sitar, I still don't think it
was George. But I could be all wrong....look at
Thrillington!!
Cheers,
Sean
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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