Spectropop - Digest Number 1923

• From: Spectropop Group
• Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005

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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 18 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Re: The fall of The Rascals
           From: Steve Harvey 
      2. Re: In defense of Paul Anka
           From: Steve McClure 
      3. My Town, My Guy And Me - Musical Based on the hits of Lesley Gore
           From: John Frederick Brown 
      4. Re: The Whyte Boots
           From: John Black 
      5. (Dick &) Dee Dee
           From: Phil X Milstein 
      6. Re: no "Collage"
           From: Clark Besch 
      7. Re: This Week's Finds / Pitneyesque Origins
           From: Margaret G. Still 
      8. American Dreams
           From: Clark Besch 
      9. Wanted:2005 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
           From: Tom 
     10. Johnny Caruso
           From: JK 
     11. Climbing goats and yeye bullfighter girls.
           From: Julio Niño 
     12. John St. Paul, "The Flying Saucers Have Landed"
           From: Dave Monroe 
     13. Paul Anka
           From: Michael Edwards 
     14. Terry Melcher
           From: Michael Edwards 
     15. Re: This Week's Finds
           From: James Botticelli 
     16. Re: Hurricane Smith
           From: Mark Wirtz 
     17. More Russ Titelman
           From: Michael Edwards 
     18. Re: Rhino Girl Group Box Set ???
           From: Mark Maldwyn 


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Message: 1
   Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 15:58:37 -0700 (PDT)
   From: Steve Harvey 
Subject: Re: The fall of The Rascals

Clark:
> Unlike groups who get let down easy after peaking, these guys 
> never were in the game after "People Got To Be Free". That song 
> was their fifth Top 10 out of six releases, and it spent a whopping
> five weeks at #1 in '68. Follow ups "A Ray Of Hope" and "Heaven"
> may have had their messages, but they lacked everything musically
> that all those previous Top 10 hits had.

"A Ray Of Hope" had politicial connection to Ted Kennedy 
(I don't think it was Bobby even though it was his era) 
so that may have killed some airplay at Top 40 stations. 
Had to remain impartial.

Love "Heaven" which I never knew about until the mid 80s 
when I caught the video on the late, great Nightflight show. 

Steve Harvey





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Message: 2         
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 08:14:08 +0900
   From: Steve McClure 
Subject: Re: In defense of Paul Anka

Apropos of Rob Pingel's very articulate defense of Paul Anka's artistry, check out the following rant by Anka against his backing 
band, which illustrates the pitfalls of taking perfectionism just 
that little bit too far: http://www.noisetank.com/integrity/

Steve McClure





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Message: 3         
   Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 23:43:32 -0000
   From: John Frederick Brown 
Subject: My Town, My Guy And Me - Musical Based on the hits of Lesley Gore

Hi Guys,
In 1986 I wrote a musical called My Town, My Guy And Me, a musical 
romp based on the hits of 60s pop icon Lesley Gore. The revised 
2005 script contains 28 songs made famous by Miss Gore and the 
story line is a fictionalized version of what might have happened 
at Lesley Gore's sweet 16 party when Judy showed up wearing Johnny's 
ring. "It's My Party" and "Judy's Turn To Cry" are the commercial 
hook while "You Don't Own Me" and "I Won't Love You Anymore, Sorry" 
are the guts. 

The show has had six amateur Canadian productions and Miss Gore 
herself fly to Nova Scotia from New York to catch the May 29, 2004 
performance. She described it as "Wonderous - It Came together 
beautifully".

The reason I am writing is that I have finally created a Yahoo 
discussion group site "mytownmusical" dedicated to the show. There 
are lots of files, the complete libretto, some mp3 teasers and a 
couple of webmovies (one with Gore on stage singing the finale with 
the cast and another old one of the original newsbroadcast of the 
premiere production.)

If this sounds like something you might be interest in - visit the 
site and discover the party. No crying allowed.

Thanks
J. Frederick Brown
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/mytownmusical





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Message: 4         
   Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 20:32:54 EDT
   From: John Black 
Subject: Re: The Whyte Boots

Mick:
> The Rev-Ola label here in the UK will be releasing Lori Burton's 
> "Breakout" album on CD sometime soon.

Do you know if there will be any bonus tracks on the UK CD release 
of Lori Burton's BREAKOUT?

John Black





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Message: 5         
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 00:01:21 -0400
   From: Phil X Milstein 
Subject: (Dick &) Dee Dee

Good news for Dick & Dee Dee fans. Last night, while trying to Google 
up some research info, I stumbled upon http://www.dickanddeedee.com
which bills itself as the "official Dick & Dee Dee site." It turns out 
to be the website of the rarely-sighted Mary "Dee Dee" Sperling Phelps, 
and is dedicated primarily to her forthcoming memoir! There's not much 
there at this time -- a brief bio, a few picture sleeve scans (as well 
as a scan of the selector card (or whatever it's called) for their 
Scopitone), a recent photo of her, an excerpt from the book, and a 
solicitation for candid photos of the duo, for possible use in the book. 
Also, she is kickin' butt and takin' names, by which I mean you can 
submit your EMA for notification when the book is ready for purchase. 
But it's definitely worth a visit, and I'm gonna start scaling back my 
lunches so I can save up to buy the thing when it's out.

Dig,
--Phil M.





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Message: 6         
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 05:03:20 -0000
   From: Clark Besch 
Subject: Re: no "Collage"

In Bill Mulvy wrote:
> Does anyone know why the Raiders' album "Collage" has never 
> been released on CD?

Bill, I asked Bob Irwin at Sundazed about future Raiders CD plans 
about 6 months ago.  He gave no reason saying: "Unfortunately, no 
- we do not currently have plans to issue any other Raiders material."  
I know they became less rockin 60s styled by then, so maybe Bob 
didn't think they'd sell as well as the great 60's stuff? I don't 
know.  Maybe a UK company can fill those 70s LP gaps?  

Clark





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Message: 7         
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 05:28:05 -0000
   From: Margaret G. Still 
Subject: Re: This Week's Finds / Pitneyesque Origins

James Botticelli wrote: 
> Your Rekkid Detective is on the case again, and dadblast

I wonder if you or anyone can give me some info on a recent 
'find' of mine that fits into this group's music:

Danny Harrison with The Count Victors on
Coral 62498 ( promo ) ( Henry Jerome prod. )
You Took the Best Years of My Life ( Danny Harrison ) b/w Water Boy

Who is Danny Harrison?

GREAT Pitneyesque vowel-surfing vocals!

And this record made me wonder about the origin of Pitney's vocal 
stylings. He had a pretty straight doowop falsetto on what I know of 
his early stuff on a Hartford Groups comp. He seems to have styled 
the vocals we all know him for after Dee Clark and others who came 
out of both a Johnny Mathis and a trans-gospel Dew Drop tradition.

Best,
Margaret G. Still





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Message: 8         
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 06:47:23 -0000
   From: Clark Besch 
Subject: American Dreams

Hi, for those of you who have followed the cancellation news of 
NBC's 60s themed show, "American Dreams", it seems there is a slim 
possibility now that it might not be cancelled this coming year 
after all. Don't get your hopes up tho. Tom Verica (Jack Pryor on 
the series) says the odds are slim, but there was a recent good 
sign about the series. It appears that there was a "quickly produced 
alternative ending for the whole series" that NBC chose not to run, 
opting instead for the season finale episode (March 30). "As the 
cast began production on the season finale in late February, NBC 
asked the producers to shoot an alternative ending that would tie 
up the story lines. If you remember the season finale, it ended 
with Meg driving off with her boyfriend on a motorcycle headed for 
California. The 12-minute alternative ending takes place three years 
later. On the day of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon, Meg returns 
home and faces her family. Verica said that segment "felt thrown together, not really thought out. I'm glad it didn't air".

The cast was not told until a week before broadcast which show 
would be shown. "We all left without knowing which one would run.  
It was very strange not to know.  Everything was so abrupt."

NBC will announce its fall schedule to advertisers in May.  A high 
ranking NBC big shot says the show "has a shot, but it's a long shot".
Let's all hope it continues, altho, the alternative ending no doubt 
would have used Lincoln, Ne's own Zager & Evans, I'm sure, in it's 
backing track, y'know????  

Clark





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Message: 9         
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 12:32:10 -0000
   From: Tom 
Subject: Wanted:2005 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Is anybody recording the live broadcasts on WWOZ? I am especially
interested in Little Freddie King's set last Sunday and Piano Night.
Please e-mail me off list.

Best regards,
Tom in Texas.





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Message: 10        
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 13:23:28 -0400
   From: JK 
Subject: Johnny Caruso

Help is needed. I'm staying in Las Vegas with my friend,
Jeff Celentano, who has a great band called Tripsitter. 
In 1961 his Father then 16 recorded one single for Capitol 
under the name JOHNNY CARUSO - CAPITOL 4377, Title:- SUGIE 
b/w TELEPHONE TALK arranged by DON RALKE. Anyone out there 
have this please email jpetsounds@yahoo.com or me at the 
aol address. Needles have been found in haystacks!

JK





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Message: 11        
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 20:07:39 -0000
   From: Julio Niño 
Subject: Climbing goats and yeye bullfighter girls.

Hola Everybody.
This morning when I was going to work I saw again the climbing 
goat. That made me feel good the whole day through. I naturally 
tend to feel happy,  I suppose I'm rather silly. Anyway, the 
climbing goat is a crazy tradition that oddly can still be seen 
from time to time in downtown Madrid. A group of gypsies with a 
goat put a stool on top of a ladder and they play a hypnotic 
riff with a toy keyboard and a trumpet. When the goat hears the 
music, it climbs up the ladder and goes up to the top of the stool. 
It stays there, looking disparagingly at the people that pass by, while the gypsies play and ask for money. Today I found the scene 
particularly amusing because it took place just in the entrance of 
a Louis Vuitton store. This contrast represents very well the 
ambient of Madrid full of ridiculous and crazy incongruities.

That scene brought to my mind a yeyé song that amuses me a lot, 
the very rare " Te Quiero Enamorar" (I want you to fall in love 
with me), by Clarita Montes, (BERTA, 1967). If you consider that 
the song is a rather exciting ye ye tune  and that Berta was a 
bull-fighter young girl (which is extremely rare, bullfighting is 
a man's man's man's world), who was called la torero yeyé ( the 
ye ye bullfighter girl), you sure will understand why I associated 
it with the goat in front of Vuitton. 

I'll try to play it to music in some days.

Chao.

Julio Niño.





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Message: 12        
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 13:46:18 -0700 (PDT)
   From: Dave Monroe 
Subject: John St. Paul, "The Flying Saucers Have Landed"

Is anyone here familiar with John St. Paul's "The Flying Saucers 
Have Landed"? Bubblegum psychedelia ca. 1962. It's currently on 
a couple/three psych and/or glam comps, but there's little info 
about either artist or record on the ones I've seen.  

Thanks!

Dave Monroe





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Message: 13        
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 21:37:12 -0000
   From: Michael Edwards 
Subject: Paul Anka

The recent interest in Paul Anka reminds me that the Taragon CD, 
"Paul Anka – The Essential RCA Rock And Roll Recordings (1962-1968)" 
is still available.

I love his 1962 trilogy: "Love Me Warm And Tender", "A Steel Guitar 
And A Glass Of Wine" and "Eso Beso". They're all here in great sound 
quality. There are also later recordings written by Paul Vance, Howard 
Greenfield, Burt Bacharach, Artie Butler, Mark Barkan and, of course, 
Paul Anka. 

All credit to Paul for writing the words and lyrics to "Love Me Warm 
And Tender" and  "A Steel Guitar And A Glass Of Wine"; 43 years on, 
these are still great recordings.

A great CD for Spectropoppers and available used for around $10. 

Mike Edwards





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Message: 14        
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 22:05:50 -0000
   From: Michael Edwards 
Subject: Terry Melcher

There's a wonderful piece of work from, I believe, Martin Roberts 
on the late Terry Melcher at:
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/producers.htm
It's also accessible through Spectropop's home page.

One of the greatest over-the-top recordings ever is "Gone" by the 
Rip Chords (Columbia 42812, from 1963). I was fascinated to read 
that: "... McParland identifies Jack's wife Gracia, another regular 
on Terry's sessions, as providing one of the classic, semi-spoken 
passages on disc. Over the sound of a car engine revving, she intones 
a sultry intro to "Gone", We've been going steady, and you've been 
making me cry, now it's your turn baby, so I'm saying bye-bye."

Going head-to-head, Gracia beats out Jill Gibson's spoken into 
to the Matadors' version of Jan & Dean's "I Gotta Drive".

Also in this piece we find that Terry cooled down a little in '63 
to co-write and produce his Mom, Doris Day on "Move Over Darling". 
Another great recording but totally different from "Gone". 

R.I.P. Terry and thanks Martin for some great work on a very timely 
basis.

Mike Edwards





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Message: 15        
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:51:24 -0400
   From: James Botticelli 
Subject: Re: This Week's Finds

James Botticelli wrote:
> 3. The Shades Of Blue: With This Ring / Lonely Summer (Impact).
> The followup to "Oh How Happy", complete with miked-up
> xylophone a la that rekkid. B-side penned by      Edwin Starr.

Phil Milstein:
> "With This Ring" is likely the same song as the Platters' song
> of that name (did I say that right?).

You got yer merds wixed but we knew what you meant. Unfortunately 
that was not the case. I still don't travel with a portable turntable 
and bought the rekkid blind hoping it was. Fortunately the rekkid 
pleased my 'followup' sensibility so I was happy. But I spun "With 
This Ring" first when I got home hoping for a blue-eyed version....

>  I believe Starr also wrote
>  "Oh How Happy" -- did he record his own version of it, as well?

He DID write that one.

> 4. The Sugar Shoppe: Privilege / Poor Papa (Capitol). From
> the movie "Privilege", penned by John Paul Jones, of Manfred
> Mann maybe? Nice.

Phil M:
> I'm confused on this one. The soundtrack version of "Privilege"
> was sung by Paul Jones, who also starred in it. And, he and Mike
> Leander (the producer) co-wrote it. Paul Jones was indeed
> formerly of Manfred Mann, but not to be confused with John Paul
> Jones, soon to be of Led Zeppelin. The soundtrack album was
> on UNI.

Sugar Shoppe was a Mamas & Papas like soft group I believe from 
Canada who did a credible version arranged by Al DeLory on Capitol.

> 5. Sounds Of Sunshine: Make It Happen / Nature Boy (Ranwood).
> Another fabulous soft pop male vocal. Nice melody, with the
> "B" side being the Eden Ahbez nugget. Who WERE these guys,
> anyway?

Phil M:
>  I believe they were the Wilder Brothers, led by Warner Wilder.

On Columbia? I got a couple of their singles as well that I hadn't 
posted on yet.

Phil M:
>  (Actually I can't swear he was the leader, but he's the only one
>  whose name I recall at the moment!) They had a long recording
>  career, most prominently with X and then Verve in the '50s. They
>  also had a studio in the L.A. area (in fact one of the earliest
>  indie studios there, if I'm not mistaken), where they produced
>  the early Dick & Deedee sessions. Most of the Sounds Of Sunshine
>  records were on Ranwood,

How many were done? I have two to date.

JB





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Message: 16        
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:27:21 -0700 (PDT)
   From: Mark Wirtz 
Subject: Re: Hurricane Smith

JB:
> 8. Hurricane Smith: Oh Babe, What Would You Say /
> Getting To Know You 

Ken Silverwood:
> [in fact] Norman Smith who IIRC was an engineer at EMI
> records, working on many of the early Beatles records and, 
> I think, Pink Floyd.

Norman  engineered all the Beatles recordings until "Revolver", 
at which time Geoff Emerick took Norman's place at the board.

As it were, Norman was Pink Floyd's (as well as The Pretty Things) 
early producer (though not engineer) until "Dark Side Of The Moon"
when Alan Parsons took over.

Best,

Mark W





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Message: 17        
   Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 01:47:41 -0000
   From: Michael Edwards 
Subject: More Russ Titelman

Here's an addition to the list of Russ Titelman songs I posted 
earlier in the week:

Suzy Wallis - Little Things Like That (RCA, 1965)(co-written with 
Larry Kolber)[Also recorded by Barbara Mills on Hickory]

Also, a fellow member mentioned that Darlene McCrea's "My Heart's Not 
In It" (wr: Titelman-Goffin) is currently on sale on GEMM for $100. 
Well, if that isn't a good reason for playing it to musica, I don't 
know what is.

Enjoy, 

Mike Edwards





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Message: 18        
   Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 07:56:35 -0000
   From: Mark Maldwyn 
Subject: Re: Rhino Girl Group Box Set ???

Maurice Seaton wrote:
> I have seen a few postings claiming that Rhino Records are going 
> to release a 4-CD Girl Group box set along the lines of the Doo
> Wop box sets. Anyone got any inside info the might like to share?

Hi,
I've heard that there is a Rhino box set out shortly with notes 
written by Sheila Burgel.  It's likely that Sylvan's "We Don't 
Belong" will be included on it.

Mark





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