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Spectropop - Digest Number 2100



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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 9 messages in this issue.


Topics in this digest:

      1. The Dixie Cups
           From: Mick Patrick 
      2. Motown Legends Kim Weston and Brenda Holloway
           From: David Bell 
      3. Re: The Bootiques
           From: Phil Hall 
      4. Re: The Dixie Cups
           From: Will Stos 
      5. Re: Motown Legends Kim Weston and Brenda Holloway
           From: Richard Havers 
      6. The Wall of Sound
           From: elokuiama 
      7. Re: The Bootiques
           From: Phil X Milstein 
      8. Toni Banks (Bessie)
           From: Phil X Milstein 
      9. Re: Songwriter Baker Knight Dies at 72
           From: Bob Rashkow 


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Message: 1         
   Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 18:56:09 +0100
   From: Mick Patrick 
Subject: The Dixie Cups

Laura Pinto:
> Those of you who saw my earlier threads on The Dixie Cups will 
> recall that two of the trio's original members, sisters Rosa 
> and Barbara Hawkins, have been residing at a Tampa hotel since 
> being left homeless by Katrina's unwelcomed visit to New Orleans.  
> This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of seeing the gals in 
> concert, and of meeting with them after the show. The Dixies put 
> on a wonderful performance, and you couldn't ask for sweeter and 
> more personable ladies. If you'd like to see photos from the 
> concert, click on the link...: http://snipurl.com/oldiespix

Ahhh, the Dixie Cups, the gals who brought a little bit of the 
Big Easy to Broadway in 1964, and knocked the Beatles off the 
Number One. God bless 'em. Thanks for the pix, Laura. Find some 
more here: http://www.thedixiecups.net/gallery.htm

While the group's Red Bird material is readily available on CD, 
it's a drag that their subsequent ABC recordings are not. Those 
who like "Iko Iko" are sure to dig "Two-Way-Poc-A-Way", released 
on ABC Paramount 10692 in 1965. The song was written by Fedison/
Hawkins/Hawkins/Johnson, arranged by Joe Jones, and is a Sharon 
Production. I've posted the track to musica. Click here to hear 
it: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica

Hey la,

Mick Patrick




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Message: 2         
   Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 15:22:07 EDT
   From: David Bell 
Subject: Motown Legends Kim Weston and Brenda Holloway

MOTOWN WEEKENDER AT HEMSBY'S PONTINS CAMP.
 
The second Motown Weekender was held at Hemsby last weekend and 
here are just a few of my thoughts about it. Motown deserves an 
entry on Planet Spectropop, as there's been nothing about this 
magical 60s label for a  while here.

Meeting up with lots of old friends, having a drink or three with 
them and just generally chinwagging was great but then Kim Weston, 
Brenda Holloway and Frances Nero were the magical ingredients that 
made this weekend so special. 

I was shocked when the first act on stage was Kim Weston. Every 
time I've ever seen her with Brenda she has always closed the 
show and I was thinking who is gonna be able to follow this lady?

Kim shook the place to its very foundations from the first song, 
which was a non-Motown side, I Got What You Need, her first 
single on MGM after leaving the Motor City. Fabulous and she said 
that it was the first time  she had ever sung it on stage. Since 
the song was recorded in 1966/7, she's waited nearly 40 years to 
debut it. All of the Motown tracks you would expect to hear from 
Kim were there - Helpless, Take Me In You Arms, It Take Two (with  
Ritchie Pitts), You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me), Looking For 
The Right Guy and I'm Still Loving You. I'm sure that I've missed 
a few songs from her 40 minute act but I've forgotten them in the 
excitement and tiredness that hit me. 

Kim looked stunning in a black sequinned gown and a lovely Rudy 
Calvo wig (I am reliably informed). The place erupted when she 
had finished her set.  She told us later that this show was the 
first she had done, which included her full set of songs, since 
her terrible automobile accident in LA a couple of years ago. She 
is in constant pain but it looked to me that she had forgotten  
that in the joy that she obviously gets from performing live.

After the powerhouse that was Kim, it was the beautiful, petite 
Frances Nero's turn. She sang her British Top 10 hit Footsteps 
Following Me, Stevie's You Are The Sunshine Of My Life and 
finished with Keep On Loving Me. Frances is a completely 
different kind of singer from Kim but won the audience over and  
they gave her a rousing reception. She looked uncomfortable and 
shy at the beginning of her act but gained in confidence when 
she realised the appreciation of the assembled multitude.

Then it was a red haired Brenda's turn and what a performance 
this very beautiful, stunning, shapely lady gave. Again it was 
every Motown song that you would expect to hear from the churchy 
testifying of Every Little Bit Hurts to You've Made Me So Very 
Happy to half of Crying Time, which sent the audience into fits 
of happiness. Crying Time is THE song that is most appreciated 
by the Northern crowd. The list was endless. She sang When I'm 
Gone, a Mary Wells tribute, which consisted of You Beat Me To 
The Punch and Two Lovers. She sings them with a great sincerity, 
which stems from her obvious love of Mary Wells and her music. 
Think It Over (Before You Break My Heart), Just Look What 
You've Done and My World Is Crumbling were also favourably 
received by the soul devotees. Once again, her reception was 
overwhelming and the rafters were raised. 

I was without a voice at the end of the show, much to wife's 
amusement,  but if you're gonna see a show like this, then I 
really enter into the spirit of the event. 

And finally, it was great sharing time with Kim and Brenda and 
you kept us amused with your stories in Barry's room until the 
early hours. They are two very gracious, funny ladies who had a 
wealth of stories to entertain us after hours.

I showed Kim two photos that made her cry. One was of a young 
Kim at the start of her Motown years that she had never seen 
before. I had bought the original colour negative for an 
exorbitant sum on Ebay a couple of years ago and have been 
longing to give her a copy. for the first time in my life and, 
most certainly the last, I gave my autograph to Kim, as she 
asked me to sign it for her.

The other was a set of 4 black and white pictures taken at the 
It Takes Two recording session with Marvin Gaye ("a naughty, 
naughty man" according to Kim, who had a broad grin on her face 
as she told us that). She was very emotional  about the pictures 
and said that so many people over the years had come to believe 
that she and Marvin recorded their songs separately and now she 
had proof at last that they were together in the studio. She 
also loved the fact that the Andantes were in one of the pictures 
too.

I'd like to finish by recommending two British Motown cds to all 
of you, which contain the best of Kim and Brenda's work. Brenda's 
was released a few months ago, whilst Kim's was released only 
last week. Both contain a smattering of their well known songs 
but, more importantly, there is a wealth of previously unreleased 
material too. They are:

Kim Weston-The Motown Anthology. Universal 983 160-5

Brenda Holloway - The Motown Anthology - Universal 980  765-8

Enough already. 

David




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Message: 3         
   Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 19:09:29 -0000
   From: Phil Hall 
Subject: Re: The Bootiques

Mick Patrick wrote:
> The composer of "Did You Get Your Fun", Bootiques leader Christine
> Costello, is the daughter of Lou, the comedy star.

According to the Internet Movie Database, Lou Costello had only 2 
daughters; Patricia & Carole.  Could be that Christine is/was a stage 
or middle name.

Phil H.




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Message: 4         
   Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 19:32:45 -0000
   From: Will Stos 
Subject: Re: The Dixie Cups

Mick Patrick wrote:
> While the (Dixie Cups') Red Bird material is readily available 
> on CD, it's a drag that their subsequent ABC recordings are not. 

The Belgian bootleg label Marginal issued a set called the 
"Complete Dixie Cups" back in the 1990s that has tracks from 
their time at ABC. I actually quite enjoy their reading of "Danny 
Boy." What a difference from Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles' 
version. Much more bluesy, which is quite fun for such a 
traditional Irish song.

Is Marginal out of business now? I know they may have issued some 
"grey" releases and the sound quality wasn't the best, but they 
certainly put out some comprehensive collections.

Will : )




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Message: 5         
   Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 20:40:54 +0100
   From: Richard Havers 
Subject: Re: Motown Legends Kim Weston and Brenda Holloway

David Bell wrote:
> The second Motown Weekender was held at Hemsby last weekend...

David, what a great review and I loved your stories at the end 
about the photographs. That's part of what makes music so magical.

Richard




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Message: 6         
   Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 18:06:12 -0000
   From: elokuiama 
Subject: The Wall of Sound

I know this might seem strange to you but i'm new to Phil Spector and 
wondered if anyone would explain the "Wall of Sound" style /technique 
to me please.

Thanks,
Tim






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Message: 7         
   Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 18:02:08 -0400
   From: Phil X Milstein 
Subject: Re: The Bootiques

Mick Patrick wrote:
> The composer of "Did You Get Your Fun", Bootiques leader Christine
> Costello, is the daughter of Lou, the comedy star.
 
Phil Hall wrote:
> According to the Internet Movie Database, Lou Costello had only 2
> daughters; Patricia & Carole.  Could be that Christine is/was a 
> stage or middle name.

Chris Costello was not only Lou's daughter, but also his biographer. 
It's been a while since I read her "Lou's On First," but I remember 
enjoying it quite a bit when I did. I'd never heard of her 
involvement in pop music, though, and I'm curious how Mick came to 
learn of her membership in The Bootiques. "Did You Get Your Fun" is 
a cool record!

Dig,
--Phil M.




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Message: 8         
   Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 19:56:00 -0400
   From: Phil X Milstein 
Subject: Toni Banks (Bessie)

Hi cats, I'm wondering if anyone has either (or, ideally, both) 
side of Bessie Banks's first record, "You're Still In My Heart" 
b/w "Johnny The Dreamer," on which she was billed as Toni Banks. 
For the record, it was on Glory (#263), from 1957, and she was 
backed by The Four Fellows, a group which included her husband, 
Larry Banks. If so, please contact me offlist. There's a present 
in it for you!

Dig,
--Phil M.




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Message: 9         
   Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 20:17:32 -0400
   From: Bob Rashkow 
Subject: Re: Songwriter Baker Knight Dies at 72

I saw Baker Knight's obit in the Chicago Tribune the other day.  
Very sad loss.  Wonderful songwriter as well as prolific.  
Hadn't heard about Don Adams, though.  Two relics of the 6Ts 
pop culture have left us.  (Scanning through a week's worth of 
E-mails, regards to everybody on S'pop, the latest Nashville 
gathering sounded really fun......)  

Bobster 




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