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Spectropop - Digest Number 1848



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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. foreign versions
           From: Jim 
      2. Re: Lawrence Welk; Muscle Shoals Studios gone?; Don Grady
           From: Country Paul 
      3. Re: Farmer's Daughter 45?
           From: Steve Harvey 
      4. Denny Reed
           From: Country Paul 
      5. Yellow Balloon website
           From: Stephanie 
      6. Jimmy Webb, Cass Elliot and "Saturday Suit"
           From: John H 
      7. Re: Time Life "The Rock'n'Rroll Era"
           From: Ray 
      8. Bobby Hart
           From: Austin Roberts 
      9. Re: Jimmy Webb / "Earthbound" / 5th Dimension
           From: Bob Celli 
     10. Re: identical titles
           From: Tom Taber 
     11. Re: identical titles
           From: Joe Nelson 
     12. Shirelles at NYC Town Hall March 4
           From: Paul 
     13. Re: McCracken up
           From: Phil X Milstein 
     14. RIP Pip Edward Patten
           From: Eddy Smit 
     15. Re: Muscle Shoals studio closes
           From: Einar Einarsson Kvaran 
     16. Re: Hit pressing matters
           From: Paul Urbahns 
     17. Re: Lawrence Welk
           From: Steve McClure 
     18. Re: Athena label from Nashville?
           From: Scott 
     19. Re: Time, oh time
           From: Bill Mulvy 
     20. Artie Wayne & the 5th Dimension
           From: Anthony Parsons 
     21. Lance Fortune
           From: Chris Rowling 
     22. Lance Fortune; "Low Grades" demo.
           From: Julio Niño 
     23. Re: Basil Swift
           From: Eddy 
     24. Re: 5th Dimension "Earthbound" personnel
           From: Anthony Parsons 
     25. Re: Bobby Hart
           From: Mikey 


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Message: 1 Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 23:27:16 -0000 From: Jim Subject: foreign versions Hello. I am a serious oldies collector looking for foreign versions of American hits. I am especially interested in Sandy Posey's recordings in Italian. Any sources and information is appreciated. Please e-mail me offlist if you have any. Thanks so much, Jim in KC -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2 Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 21:57:54 -0500 From: Country Paul Subject: Re: Lawrence Welk; Muscle Shoals Studios gone?; Don Grady Mike Bennidict wrote: > [The Chantays] were on Lawrence Welk? I've only been alive 32 > years but I know Welk was a Big Band Leader and though I think > he had some country acts, having a surf rock group on the show > suprises me. Welk actually had a small hit, at least in Providence, with a song called "Breakwater," featuring ocean sound effects and a section of each verse in 5/4 time. Very listenable, almost surf-music-like as I remember, but still middle-road enough to satisfy his base. Anthony Parsons wrote: > When I was in college, I was lucky enough to become the > "unofficial" fifth member of the Muscle Shoals Horns....I > played many sessions with the Horns, as well as some without > them, in all the Muscle Shoals studios and I traveled with > them more than once to Nashville to record ... Welcome to Spectropop, Antone. I'm sure you'll have some great stories to tell. Did I just hear that the Muscle Shoals studios are closing due to lack of business? Ouch. Sad if true. By the way, we played the Jack Tempchin version of "Peaceful Easy Feeling" on the radio a few times; very nice. Steve Jarrell wrote: > A caller called my radio show today and said that she had > been looking for 30+ years for a song with a repeated lyric > phrase, "The children of St. Monica". She said she thought > it came out between 1966-68. Any idea? Steve, if it hasn't been answered already, it's by Don Grady on Canterbury. He put out some pretty decent stuff on that label, my favorite being "Impressions With Syvonne." Still don't know what that lyric is about, but the sound is great! Only 6 digests behind now.... Country Paul -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3 Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 16:10:48 -0800 (PST) From: Steve Harvey Subject: Re: Farmer's Daughter 45? Country Paul asked: > Was "Farmer's Daughter" a single? Yep, it was a US single, but by Fleetwood Mac. At least Lindsey knew a good Brian tune when he heard it. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4 Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 23:35:57 -0500 From: Country Paul Subject: Denny Reed You never can tell who will read what you've written and reply to it. When the Spectropop folks asked me to review "Teenage Crush, Vol. 4" (found at http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/index2004.htm#TeenageCrush ), I commented that many of the songs on the CD were the soundtrack of my life, and that some were very sweet. About one, I commented: "Even rarer and 'sweeter' [than Andy Rose's 'Just Young'], one listen to Denny Reed's 'A Teenager Feels It Too' (a Sill-Hazlewood product on Trey which started on MCI, the original label of Sanford Clark's 'The Fool') will send you to the dentist with an instant cavity!" But I also noted that the song was in a group of "quality records that have also been under-exposed on reissues and on the radio." So imagine my surprise to hear from Denny Reed himself, who was kind enough to write me a couple of notes, and give his permission to share them with you: "I wanted to thank you for your review of an album that I am a part of titled 'Teenage Crush Volume 4' on Ace Records. Yes, I am the 'sugar singer' (Denny Reed) that you spoke about giving an instant cavity on the song "A Teenager Feels It Too." Well, you were correct. "Having said that, I wondered if you ever analyzed why or where the sugar came from or how it evolved. Just look at the roots of where our music came from. At 16 years old I was a huge fan of Johnny Mathis and, believe it or not, Bing Crosby. My friends at the time thought I was nuts. However, I wanted to build a big range. So I practiced hours and hours every day with Johnny Mathis and Bing Crosby. I eventually was able to sing higher than Mathis and lower than Crosby, and developed a 4-octave range. Now, when I recorded " A Teenager Feels It Too" I had only sung with a band twice before in my life. I had not developed my range but I was learning to sing from Mathis and Crosby, both "crooners." I was a teenage crooner. Hence the sugar, plus I was 16 or 17 years old and was pretty innocent, totally unsophisticated and downright sheltered from the ways of the world.... "By the way, I am living in Illinois currently, about 25 minutes out of St. Louis, MO, and about 4 or 5 hours drive to Nashville, Tennessee. Would you have any suggestions on how I could get in the voiceover game in this area? I have written and sung on radio commercials, but it was never enough to keep me afloat on an ongoing regular basis. I sang demos for publishers on the west coast, in which my job was to get the feel and sound of whoever they were pitching the song to. In that regard, I have sung demos for Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Elvis, Roy Orbison, Marty Robbins, Gordon Lightfoot, BJ Thomas and others....I have signed or had offers to sign with most of the old school major labels. I have recorded for United Artists; incidentally, the only thing I ever recorded for them is now sort of a collectable called 'I'm Comin' Home' taken from an Elvis album, 'Elvis Is back.' Charlie Rich wrote the song and I wrote the narration. I recorded at the old Bell sound studios. Teddy Randazzo and his singing group did live vocal background and Al Ciola played guitar. I nailed it on the second take with no overdubs. "I was signed to United Artists by Eddie Matthews and Aaron Schroeder [who] managed myself and Gene Pitney. That whole story of meeting Aaron Schroeder is a very interesting story....I was [also] with Tower(Capitol) Records [and] Trey Records (Lester Sill And Lee Hazelwood's Label and unfortunately distributed by Atlantic Records). I feel sure that had...'A Teenager Feels It Too' been on RCA, or let's say a 'white' label for lack of a better word, like Chancellor or other strong independents of the day, the record would have been a top 10 record. When I went on tour I had a lot of black promotion men who were handling product from Atco and Atlantic, and this bubblegum type of material that I had was not in the their contact basis which was R & B. So lack of good distribution and promotion really hurt the potential sales. I came into Detroit and met with this black promo man an he said, 'You got a cool record man, but it ain't really happenin' with my Stations....' "I recorded ['Teenager'] in Phoenix, AZ at Ramsey's Audio Recorders. Duane Eddy was also with Sill and Hazelwood. It was a tiny little studio, and the echo chamber was a 1000-gallon propane tank. They put a microphone inside and wired it into the control booth. "Now here is something I bet you didn't know!!! On EVERY Duane Eddy hit, there were sparrows singing on the track. That's right, the birds would gather on top of the tank and sing away. When the engineer (Jack Miller) would turn down the volume levels on the instuments but left the echo chamber open, you could hear the 'Boids' tweeting away. Of course with the music up it was totally buried. If you want to verify this call Jack Miller Productions in Phoenix AZ and confirm. Phil Spector used to work around with Sill and Hazelwood. Jazz drummer Pete Magadini was partially responsible for getting me my first record contract. [He's] also from Phoenix." Thanks to Denny for taking the time to talk a bit about his life and experiences. I've invited him to join Spectropop, but if anyone has questions to pass along to him in the meanwhile, I'd be glad to do so. Country Paul -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 05:27:18 -0000 From: Stephanie Subject: Yellow Balloon website Can you believe it, I found a website dedicated to the Yellow Balloon! http://theyellowballoon.tripod.com/ Stephanie -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 05:29:16 -0000 From: John H Subject: Jimmy Webb, Cass Elliot and "Saturday Suit" I've always loved Webb's "Saturday Suit" on Cass Elliot's 1972 "The Road Is No Place For A Lady" album. I believe he wrote it specifically for her, as she was the first to record it. (Jimmy's version appeared a year or two later on "The Naked Ape" soundtrack, and Art Garfunkel's was done in 1978, I think.) This version has never been on CD, sadly, but it is in my opinion the best. I haven't heard the entirety of Webb's own version (saving up for his boxed set, for this one song alone) but the short clip at rhinohandmade.com sounds amazing. Does anyone know if it was covered by any other parties, or have any other information on the song in general? -John H. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 09:25:15 -0000 From: Ray Subject: Re: Time Life "The Rock'n'Rroll Era" Doug asked: > Can anyone tell me, or know where I can find, a complete list > of what CDs were issued in the Time Life "The Rock'n'Roll > Era" series? See http://tinyurl.com/4s3ks ray -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 04:45:04 -0500 From: Austin Roberts Subject: Bobby Hart I talked at length with Bobby Hart today, mostly to catch up but also to tell him how popular he is on Spectropop and try to get him to join. He was flattered about the group's interest, but told me he didn't have Internet and probably won't be getting it anytime soon -- I think he hates it. Sorry, but I tried, as I said I would. I will call Danny Janssen soon, and I believe I can get him to come onboard. I'll let everyone know. Take care, Austin Roberts -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:14:26 -0000 From: Bob Celli Subject: Re: Jimmy Webb / "Earthbound" / 5th Dimension Einar Einarsson Kvaran asked: > I'm wondering if this "reunion" included Hal Blaine and the Wrecking > Crew, who were such a big part of the original 5th Dimension, and a > lot of other Jimmy Webb stuff for that matter? I have a copy of the LP, which I only played once when I bought it years ago so I can't review it for you! But I can tell you that Hal Blaine is not listed in the credits. Drums were done by Harvey Mason and Jeff Porcaro. Some other players included Larry Coryell on acoustic guitar solos. Guitars: Fred Tackett, Jesse Ed Davis, Dennis Budimir and Dan Ferguson. Bass: Paul Stallworth. ARP synth: Bill Como. Percussion: Harvey Mason. Brass: Michael Lawrence. With the Sid Sharp Strings, and French horns by David Duke and Vince DeRosa. Recording studios were Sunset Sound and Village Recorders. Bob -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 06:15:30 -0800 (PST) From: Tom Taber Subject: Re: identical titles Phil X. Milstein wrote: > It can't be all that common for two songs of a substantially similar > (if not identical) title, even if such an innocuous one as this, to > both hit big within a short period of time. "Rock and Roll Fantasy" -- Kinks and Bad Company, circa '78-'79. Tom Taber -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 09:42:38 -0500 From: Joe Nelson Subject: Re: identical titles Phil X. Milstein wrote: > It can't be all that common for two songs of a substantially similar > (if not identical) title, even if such an innocuous one as this, to > both hit big within a short period of time. In 1988, Bobby Brown's solo debut "Don't Be Cruel" was a hit at the same time as Cheap Trick's cover of the Elvis song of the same name. Joe Nelson -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:50:29 -0000 From: Paul Subject: Shirelles at NYC Town Hall March 4 The Shirelles, with original member Beverly Lee, are appearing at Town Hall in NYC on Friday, March 4th. If you've never seen Beverly's show, this is a great opportunity. Bev really pulls out all the stops at shows like this: big band, overture, costume changes (Bob Mackie gowns), and elaborate staging. Her group has been together for over 15 years and they sound great. They do all the hits, plus a medley of B-sides and low-charting songs, and other stuff. They have a reputation as one of the best live acts on the oldies circuit. Beverly was always the "dancingest" Shirelle, and she still has the same moves as she did 30-40 years ago. She goes wild during the finale and tears the house down. She totally captures the spirit of the original group. http://tinyurl.com/63xuc -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 11:10:30 -0800 From: Phil X Milstein Subject: Re: McCracken up Artie Wayne wrote: > Claire...How ya' doin'? First I want to thank you for producing such > an enjoyable record. Although Hugh McCracken and I wrote "It's Only > the Dog" for the Kingsmen ... Should I assume this was the same Hugh McCracken as the session guitarist of that name? I don't recall seeing his name on other writing credits -- was this his one-and-only? --Phil M. (and no, that is NOT short for "Phil McCracken"!) http://www.aspma.com/probe -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 18:55:42 +0100 From: Eddy Smit Subject: RIP Pip Edward Patten Member of Gladys Knight & The Pips Dies by the Associated Press ATLANTA - Edward Patten, a member of the Grammy-winning Gladys Knight & The Pips, died early Friday at a suburban Detroit hospital, said his cousin, another member of the group. He was 65. Patten, an Atlanta native who lived in Detroit, died at a hospital in Michigan from a stroke he suffered a few days before, said William Guest. Gladys Knight & the Pips - comprised of Knight; her brother, Merald "Bubba" Knight; and their cousins Guest and Patten - recorded for Motown from 1966-1973 and for Buddah Records from 1973-77. They later recorded for CBS until breaking up in 1989. The group, whose hits included "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight Train to Georgia," won four Grammys and was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Patten, known for his high tenor voice, joined the group in 1959, Guest said. Patten's father was a bandleader and he, along with the rest of the family, grew up around music. Patten was one of the founders of Crew Records, based in Detroit and Atlanta, and sang backup for the label's recording artists, Crew spokeswoman Denise Fussell said. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 11:57:16 -0800 (PST) From: Einar Einarsson Kvaran Subject: Re: Muscle Shoals studio closes previously: > Historic Muscle Shoals Recording Studio Closes This story was also posted on the Fabulous Ruins of Detroit site, where the folks there are thrilled to have this historic console working in Detroit. It's the "One person's loss is another's gain" syndrome. Einar -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 16:41:35 EST From: Paul Urbahns Subject: Re: Hit pressing matters Billy G. Spradlin asked: > All the stereo Hit 45s I have in my collection were pressed > on vinyl, instead of cheap shellac (hard plastic). Who did > Hit Records' pressing? I don't know who pressed the earliest ones, but about 1964 they opened their own pressing plant called Record Service Company, so basically they pressed their own. It was a full line company from studio to distribution, all built on sound-a-likes. Paul Urbahns -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 08:45:49 +0900 From: Steve McClure Subject: Re: Lawrence Welk Dear fellow Spectropoppers: I never thought I would be posting to the group about Lawrence Welk, but hey, life is full of surprises! For the definitive word on Larry's North Dakota birthplace, check out this wunnerful website: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/NDSTRwelk.html I passed through North Dakota (it's easy to find; it's just north of South Dakota) many years ago, and imagine my regret on learning these many years later that I had been near the birthplace of the Great Man without realizing it. Yours, etc., Steve PS: This may seem an odd segue, but if anyone has a line on tickets to any of the Cream reunion gigs in London in May, please contact me off-list. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18 Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:16:14 EST From: Scott Subject: Re: Athena label from Nashville? previously: > Can anybody else think of any other records on Athena > that are worth mentioning? You mentioned The Femine Complex - here's a brief overview: http://www.geocities.com/badcatrecords/FEMININEcomplex.htm fairly obscure - The Jaedes http://www.geocities.com/badcatrecords/JAEDES.htm Scott -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 09:48:35 -0600 From: Bill Mulvy Subject: Re: Time, oh time I remember when groups with long songs, on 8 track cartridges, had their songs faded down at the end of the track, then the track clicked and then they faded back up. Who was the genius who thought of this? It would have been a lot better if they just let it go to the end and put up with the momentary click. Bill Mulvy -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 11:33:03 -0600 From: Anthony Parsons Subject: Artie Wayne & the 5th Dimension Hi Artie: Although I was well aware of your prowess in songwriting, I'd forgotten that you were the co-author of Flashback. It's one of my favorite 5th Dimension tunes! The Earthbound LP has not been released on CD to my knowledge. And unfortunately, I don't have the capacity to upload it to musica but if there is anyone in the Chicago area who can do so, I'll be glad to supply my LP in order to make it happen. Any interested party can write me off-list. I live on the far north side of Chicago and can travel anywhere public transportation goes. Sincerely, Antone -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 12:19:12 -0000 From: Chris Rowling Subject: Lance Fortune More on Lance Fortune: it seems he gave up his solo career and joined a group called The StaggerLees in 1967. More info: http://www.covington.supanet.com/the_staggerlees.htm Chris Rowling -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 20:45:27 -0000 From: Julio Niño Subject: Lance Fortune; "Low Grades" demo. Hola Everybody. I have just gotten up from a four-hour siesta. I feel dazed and confused (I mean more than usual). Peter Lerner wrote about Lance Fortune: > at the time Lance Fortune was something of a mystery man. He > followed up "Be mine" with three equally charming non hits, all > on the Pye label, then disappeared... Hola Peter. Apart of "Be Mine", I´m only familiar with one other Lance Fortune track, "This Love I have For You", produced like the previous by Joe Meek and which I think I prefer to "Be Mine". It has also a great pizzicato sound. The lyrics are totally naïf (some people would say silly) but I find Lance's performance very seductive, but perhaps the fact of having previously seen a picture of Lance could contribute to the perception of the song. He was a very sexy short guy (short guys are one of my weaknesses, tall ones are another one). Some of Joe Meek´s proteges might have had limited voices but they usually were particularly attractive. Many of them looked cute but at the same time rough and tough, the type of guys you imagine that could be recruited around Madras Place. Changing the subject. Thanks again to Jeff Lemlich for another wonderful demo. As it has already been pointed out the singers of "Low Grades" remind one a lot of The Orlons. By the way where was the Bradley Recording Studio located?. Chao. Julio Niño. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 12:35:53 +0100 From: Eddy Subject: Re: Basil Swift I wrote: > ... In the US there was the 45 version of Brian Wilson doing his bit > as Basil Swift and the Seagrams, c/w Shambles, produced by Nik Venet > and Danny Hutton on Mercury 72386 (1965). Phil X wrote: > I was always under the impression that "Basil Swift" was aka Danny > Hutton. No? I'm in no position to argue about this and have to admit that the info on this 45 is not as clearcut as my post may have suggested. In the several Beach Boys discographies I have, details on Basil Swift range from "may feature Brian" (Time Barrier magazine # 24) to attributing the lead vocals to Brian without any reservations (Brad Elliott's Surf's Up book). I tend to go for the latter, but I suppose your guess is as good as mine. Eddy -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24 Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 11:41:27 -0600 From: Anthony Parsons Subject: Re: 5th Dimension "Earthbound" personnel Einar Einarsson: > I'm wondering if this "reunion" included Hal Blaine and the Wrecking > Crew, who were such a big part of the original 5th Dimention, and a > lot of other Jimmy Webb stuff for that matter? The only names I recognize from previous 5th Dimension LPs are Fred Tackett and Dennis Budimir on guitars. Here's the complete musician line-up: Produced & Arranged by Jimmy Webb Drums & Percussion - Harvey Mason Drums on Moonlight Mile only - Jeffrey Porcaro Guitars - Fred Tackett, Jesse Ed Davis, Dennis Budimir, Dan Ferguson Bass - Paul Stallworth Arp Synthesizer - Bill Como Keyboards, Vocal Arrangements & special vocal backgrounds - John Myles Keyboards on Magic In My Life only - David Paich French Horns - David Duke & Vince DeRosa Strings - Sid Sharp Acoustic Guitar solos - Larry Coryell In looking again at the LP, I discovered that the very bottom of the back has a quote I like very much: "The echo of the past is only the sound of an orchestra tuning for tomorrow's performance." Hope this has been helpful! Sincerely, Antone -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 25 Date: Thu, 5 May 2005 20:02:08 -0400 From: Mikey Subject: Re: Bobby Hart Austin Roberts: > I talked at length with Bobby Hart today, mostly to catch up but > also to tell him how popular he is on Spectropop and try to get > him to join. He was flattered about the group's interest, but told > me he didn't have Internet and probably won't be getting it anytime > soon -- I think he hates it. Sorry, but I tried, as I said I would. Thanks for trying to get my favorite songwriter aboard here in Spectropop. Much appreciated by this Brooklyn guy!! Bobby won't remember, but I met him twice in 1976 when he was with D,J,B&H. Went backstage, got to talk to all the guys, it was great. Everyone was really nice to me and my friend Paul, and I've never forgotten his kindness to a dopey 15 year old kid. Mikey -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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