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Incomparable stars of stage, screen, radio and records
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There are 19 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 415:
1. from Mark Wirtz to group
From: Michael Sinclair
2. hello spectro ....sir's
From: Joey Stec
3. Interviewing Lou Christie
From: "Jeff Lemlich"
4. Nick DeCaro
From: Bill Reed
5. Del Shannon; DynoVoice
From: "Paul Payton"
6. Hit Parader magazine
From: Dan Hughes
7. Re: Sunset Strip history
From: Deena Canale
8. Re: Sunset Strip history
From: "Ken Levine"
9. Re: Map City
From: "Frank"
10. Re: Map City
From: Will George
11. Re: Girl I Got News For You
From: "Jeff Lemlich"
12. Re: Bobby Puccetti/Birdwatchers
From: "Jeffrey Glenn"
13. Intentionally deleted
By: "Spectropop Administration"
14. Remember Me - Rita Pavone
From: Mike Anderson
15. Re: John Pantry
From: "Jeffrey Glenn"
16. Re: Where is he now?
From: "Martin Roberts"
17. Re: Baby Jane Holzer
From: Simon White
18. Re: Remember Me - Rita Pavone
From: "Ken Levine"
19. Re: John Pantry
From: "Norman"
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 01:32:53 EST
From: Joey Stec
Subject: hello spectro ....sir's
re: doug lothar
doug i agree i liked machines abd rose color glasses...i
tend to agree they were a bit week ...however live they
were quite a bit better,,,thanks for your two cents...
joey
Message: 3
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 00:08:50 -0500
From: "Jeff Lemlich"
Subject: Interviewing Lou Christie
From: "Kingsley Abbott":
> I met Lou at Ready Steady Go when he
> did it just after "Lightnin' Strikes" struck our charts.
> He was a very nice chap, and very happy to chat to someone
> who knew of him before LS - I had bought and loved "Two
> Faces Have I" on UK Columbia.
I interviewed Lou in 1990 for a news series I was
producing at the late and great WCIX-TV.
At first he wasn't too forthcoming, figuring it was just
another interview, probably expecting the same insipid
questions he usually hears. I guess he was surprised when
I pulled out my "If My Car Could Only Talk" picture sleeve
and asked him about some of his great obscure singles.
Fortunately he warmed up and we had a good chat. He even
wound up autographing my picture sleeve.
Jeff Lemlich
Message: 4
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 19:06:00 -0800 (PST)
From: Bill Reed
Subject: Nick DeCaro
Paul wrote:
> Another from the "left off the album" department: Irma
> Thomas singing the beautiful "Anyone Who Knows What
> Love Is (Would Understand)," Imperial 66041 5/64
> (peaked at #52 in Billboard). The flip was "Time Is On
> My Side," the title of the 1992 EMI/Capitol CD on which
> the song finally appeared after being omitted from the
> "Best of" album. FYI, co-writer was Randy Newman!
.......................................................
I am expanding my Japanese magazine article about
arranger/producer/singer/ songwriter/singer Nick DeCaro
>from last years into a much large piece for U.S.
consumption. In Japan, along with the article, I had a
discography pushing upwards of 300 albums on which he
appeared in one capacity or other.
I have interviewed Randy Newman and Tommy LiPuma, who were
both at Liberty Records when Nick began there in 1965.
They can't even begin to recall all the singles they were
connected with, many of them with DeCaro. Nor can Jackie
DeShannon, off the top of her head, recall how many songs
she wrote with Nick.
There is, for example, a wonderful arr. of Newman's While
the City Sleeps by Irma Thomas that I downloaded
>from...oh, never mind...from someplace. I have always
assumed this was Nick---I never saw the actual 45
rpm---but Newman can't recall who arranged it.
I keep finding new additions to the discography and I am
guessing that Irma Thomas' Anyone Who Knows What Love Is
might be one of them.
Would anyone who has this single be kind enough to take a
look at it and tell me if Nick is on it as arr/prod. I am
beginning to develop a sixth sense about these things and
my guess would be "Yes."
Any other info on DeCaro, esp when it comes to Liberty
Singles, would be greatly appreciated.
Bill Reed
Message: 5
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 13:59:29 -0500
From: "Paul Payton"
Subject: Del Shannon; DynoVoice
Brad Elliott directs us to http://cchr.org/art/eng/page20.htm
regarding Del Shannon's death. Despite the inflammatory
headlines, assuming the facts are correct, blaming the
doctor who prescribed Prozac makes sad sense to me.
Blaming the drug itself does not; there should have been
medical supervision. RIP Del - and Michael Coleman's
father.
Leonardo wrote:
> Sad day today....my Dynovoice record that I've spent 4
> years trying to locate was BROKEN by the idiot mail
> carrier who shoved the 8inch box into the 5 inch
> mailbox....yep it survived 32 years in M+ condition
> only to be destroyed by a mail carrier!!!! I am truly
> HEARTBROKEN... L
I empathize, Leo. I've become aggressive writing "DO NOT
BEND" in magic marker all over the envelopes. What was the
record?
Country Paul
Message: 6
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 04:17:18 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Hit Parader magazine
Javed mentions HIT PARADER magazine and its promotion of
various groups in the 60's. Before the Beatles, the
articles in the magazine were about popular singers--lots
of Neil Sedaka, Connie Francis, et al. But when the music
world exploded with rock groups, HIT PARADER began heavily
promoting obscure acts. Some of these groups became
stars--they ran articles on the Doors before Light My
Fire--but many did not. They covered several other groups
on Elektra, like Clear Light, and they were big on Moby
Grape. I always wondered if they were being paid to run
these articles, because many of the groups they wrote about
never had a hit. But I did love that magazine....
---Dan
Message: 7
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 16:33:54 -0400
From: Deena Canale
Subject: Re: Sunset Strip history
I watched the A&E doc as well and loved it, though I agree
it was too short. Chris Hillman gave some good interview
snippets, and Nino Tempo and April Stevens can be spotted
entering the Whisky-a-Go-Go in one of the vintage footage
segments! (Not to mention the sight of Jayne Mansfield
nearly spilling out of her spaghetti-strap dress while
frantically twisting...) The E! channel did a similar doc
a year or two ago that was just as good and two hours
long--maybe they'll get around to re-running it someday.
Sorry, but I don't know of any books currently published
about the place...but there's always Pamela Des Barres'
first book, and perhaps "The L.A. Musical History Tour" by
Art Fein, which isn't really a narrative so much as a
guidebook. It came in really handy on my southern
California honeymoon last year, part of which was spent at
the "Riot House." The Strip is more or less completely
yuppified now, but you can still find ghosts of its former
rock & roll glory if you look hard enough. For instance,
I had a milkshake at Duke's Coffee Shop (next door to the
Whisky), and later learned that was the building which
housed the London Fog, where the Doors had their first
pre-Whisky residency.
>I remember reading last year that Domenic Priore was
>working on a narrative history of the Sunset Riots, much
>like the SMILE bible. In light of later events, the
>importance of that event has, I think, been overlooked.
Despite the book's title, from my understanding it will
comprehensively cover the Strip's music scene, not just
the riots. I read recently that it is supposed to be
published by Chronicle Books--I check their site
frequently but thus far the title is not listed
there...too bad, 'cause I'm chomping at the bit to read it!
Signed D.C.
Message: 8
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 22:45:00 -0800
From: "Ken Levine"
Subject: Re: Sunset Strip history
There's a great book called "Waiting for the Sun" by
Barney Hoskyns that really gets into the Sunset Strip,
circa the 60's.
----- Original Message from Freeman Carmack
> Is there anyone out there who knows offhand any
> well-written histories, preferably narrative, of Sunset
> Strip, and it's colorful past/present?
>
Message: 9
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 07:33:57 +0100
From: "Frank"
Subject: Re: Map City
Leonardo,
Don't know if you've still got the parts but in case you'd
like to try I can probably mend the record and make you a
CD copy. If interested, get in touch.
Frank
----------
Leonardo wrote:
> my Dynovoice record that I've spent 4
> years trying to locate was BROKEN by the idiot mail carrier
> who shoved the 8inch box into the 5 inch mailbox....yep
> it survived 32 years in M+ condition only to be destroyed
> by a mail carrier!!!!
Message: 10
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 14:02:53 EST
From: Will George
Subject: Re: Map City
>Sad day today....my Dynovoice record that I've spent 4
> years trying to locate was BROKEN by the idiot mail
> carrier who shoved the 8inch box into the 5 inch
> mailbox....yep it survived 32 years in M+ condition
> only to be destroyed by a mail carrier!!!! I am truly
> HEARTBROKEN.
That really sucks! I hope you can at least get reimbursed
>from the post office. Sorry to hear that. I hope you find
another one soon!
Bill
Message: 11
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 00:15:26 -0500
From: "Jeff Lemlich"
Subject: Re: Girl I Got News For You
Javed wrote:
> I have a version of a song called "Girl I've Got News For
> You" by a group called Cherokee ( 1969 ?). It is on a
> Rhino vinyl Nuggets comp. The liner notes indicate that
> it is a Steve Barri production. There are no song writing
> credits on the comp and so I'm not sure if this is the
> same song. Cherokee by the way were actually a latter day
> version of the Robbs, the Midwestern group who gained
> some fame as regulars on "Where The Action Is" and scored
> a regional hit with "Race With The Wind" in 1966.
Things ARE interconnected. The Robbs and Steve Alaimo
were both regulars on "Where The Action Is"; Steve Alaimo
produced the Birdwatchers' original version of "Girl I Got
News For You", plus Benny Latimore's bluesy remake. The
Birdwatchers performed the song on "Where The Action Is".
It's no coincidence that the former members of the Robbs
went on to later record this song.
I put both the Birdwatchers and Benny Latimore's
recordings of "Girl I Got News For You" onto musica.
Jeff Lemlich
Message: 12
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 06:15:59 -0800
From: "Jeffrey Glenn"
Subject: Re: Bobby Puccetti/Birdwatchers
> Bobby Puccetti was the organ player and leader of the
> Birdwatchers from South Florida...
Jeff, thanks for the info on Puccetti and The Birdwatchers.
I've only got The Birdwatchers third Mala 45 - "I'm Gonna
Do It To You"/"I Have No Worried Mind" (Mala 548, 1966) -
and it's definitely a keeper. Both sides are terrific
folk rock with the A-side also having a bit of a garage
edge to it also. And the B-side is pretty amazing in that
the verse melody only contains three notes, but because of
the chord pattern behind it, it's incredibly catchy.
Great 45!
A Birdwatchers comp would seem to be perfect for a
Sundazed release.
Jeff
Message: 13
Intentionally Deleted
Message: 14
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 16:11:57 EST
From: Mike Anderson
Subject: Remember Me - Rita Pavone
I just bought the Collectors Choice CD "I Wish I Were a
Princess [they don't do grammar like that anymore!]: The
Great Lost Female Teen Idols," and it includes Remember Me
by Rita Pavone. I can't remember the last time I heard
this on the radio; maybe it was in 1964. Could someone
tell me a bit about the artist and the recording? I did a
little checking on the Internet, and I see that Ms. Pavone
has had hits in several countries and languages. Any
information about Rita Pavone's career or this particular
recording would be appreciated. Has anyone else recorded
this tune? Thanks.
Mike Anderson
Message: 15
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 06:42:48 -0800
From: "Jeffrey Glenn"
Subject: Re: John Pantry
> A few years ago a limited edition album came out in
> England called "The Upside Down World of John Pantry".
> It contains songs JP wrote for several bands...
I've heard this LP through David Bash, and it's pretty
terrific stuff. And anyone game enough to try to cover
The Garden Club's "Little Girl Lost-And-Found" is cool in
my book, even though - to be brutally honest - it pales
next to the 1968 A&M original (which is one of the most
amazing 60's soft pop 45's - period).
I doubt if much of his work has ever been released here in
the U.S., but I do have a 1973 45 coproduced by him:
Come Follow, Follow Me (Fred Karlin-Marsha Karlin)/Someone
(Doug Flett-Guy Fletcher) - The Springfield Revival
featuring Ray Martin, Verve/GTO MV 10717: 1973, Produced
and Arranged by John Pantry & Keith Potger
I really know nothing about this single other than what's
on the label credits, but it's very good. "Come Follow..."
is very fruity early 70's UK soft pop (you could
easily hear Jack Wild doing this, but the vocal here -
with a heavy English accent like Wild - is better).
"Someone" is more in the vein of early 70's Britpop a
la Edison Lighthouse/White Plains.
Jeff
Message: 16
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 08:58:16 -0000
From: "Martin Roberts"
Subject: Re: Where is he now?
Following Guy Lawrence & Paul Woods, where is Mick Patrick
these days?
Only a guess but I could see Mick lying on the South
Island called Canvey, topping up his tan. His walkman by
his side, ear phones attached deciding which one of his
huge collection of Barry Manilow tapes to play next. Right
that's the music sorted, now what book? I take it for
granted he is allowed The Complete Works of Shakespeare &
The Bible, how about the four volume set "Everything You
Ever Wanted To Do With Windows 98" Author Stoptakingt
Hemick? Luxury? Easy. A really well fitting toupee.
Martin
(A Don't Belive a Word Production)
Message: 17
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 08:29:48 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: Baby Jane Holzer
Thanks Ian and Martin for the replies - I have a feeling
theres more to this story than meets the eye......
Message: 18
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 21:00:03 -0800
From: "Ken Levine"
Subject: Re: Remember Me - Rita Pavone
All I know about Rita Pavone is that she was a guest on
Ed Sullivan every other week. Always introduced as
"Italian bombshell Rita Pavone".
Ken
Original Message from Mike Anderson
> ...Remember Me...Could someone tell me a bit about the
> artist and the recording? I did a little checking on
> the Internet, and I see that Ms. Pavone has had hits
> in several countries and languages. Any information
> about Rita Pavone's career or this particular
> recording would be appreciated. Has anyone else
> recorded this tune?
Message: 19
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 16:52:23 +1030
From: "Norman"
Subject: Re: John Pantry
Jeffrey Glenn's info on John Pantry led me to put forward
some of my info on The Springfield Revival.
The Springfield Revival was apparently a blatant "jump on
the band wagon" concept following the success of the New
Seekers. A knowledge of the Springfields and the Seekers
is desirable to be able to understand the resurrection of
the names in the 70's. Keith Potger (The Seekers) had a
hand in both the New Seekers and Springfield Revival.
Springfield Revival's biggest hit in Australia (and maybe
only one hit) was " Momma Was Right All Along". I can't
source the single at the moment so I am unable to give
label information. It went to #18 in my hometown in March
of 1973.
The group comprised Mick Flinn (or Flynn) (ex-Mixtures),
Donna Jones (girlfriend of, and later produced by Mick
Flynn as "Pussyfoot") and Ray Martin.
Their self titled LP was released on Polydor in Australia
(2383 150) 1972.
Mick Flynn joined the Mixtures in 1967 and in 1970 the
group covered Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime" The song
went to #1 in Australia ( although the original received
airplay on public broadcast stations a ban by commercial
radio stations on some British records at the time gave
the Mixtures an edge over the original). The Mixtures
follow-up record was self penned "similar sounding"
production called "The Pushbike Song". Not only did it
reach #1 in Australia but the Brits took to it as well!
Apparently, it reached #2 in UK and #44 on Billboard in
the USA (Noel McGrath). Flynn later produced Donna Jones
as Pussycat who had #1 in Australia with "The Way You Do
It" in 1977.
The album is a throw together of every genre a
pseudos-folk pop group would sing. From Cotton Fields to
Jesse Fuller, throw in Judy Collins and Barry Gibb and
even Hans Poulson's "Boom Sha La" Two tracks written by
Jones and Flinn and, getting to the point of this exercise
"You'll Always Be On My Mind" written by John Pantry and
Keith Potger.
The album was produced by John Pantry and Keith Potger for
Gem Toby Productions Ltd.
Gem Toby Organisation Ltd later issued a heap of pop
orientated records on their GTO label.
Norman
End
