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Spectropop - Digest Number 847



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                        Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
                   http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
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There are 16 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. The Montanas
           From: Rob Stride 
      2. Re: Gordian Knot
           From: Scott 
      3. Re: Fake Merseybeat
           From: Steve 
      4. Re: Brill Building Comic Srip
           From: David Feldman 
      5. Re: American Breed: 45 vs CD
           From: Nick Archer 
      6. Today's your birthday!
           From: Country Paul 
      7. Lesley Gore
           From: Stuffed Animal 
      8. Sounds on the web
           From: Steve 
      9. Re: Moulty and Hooke
           From: James Botticelli 
     10. Re: Moulty and Hooke
           From: Dan Hughes 
     11. Rose Garden, Montanas
           From: Bob Rashkow 
     12. Re: American Dreams
           From: David Coyle 
     13. Re: The Cryan Shames
           From: David Coyle 
     14. Re: American Breed: 45 vs CD
           From: Guy Lawrence 
     15. Cranking up the speed
           From: Charles G. Hill 
     16. Re: The Beatles Anthology
           From: David Coyle 


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Message: 1 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 00:23:52 -0000 From: Rob Stride Subject: The Montanas Ive recently got hold of some stuff by the "Montanas". A five piece from Dudley UK.They released 9 singles in the USA, and 9 in the UK. but they werent always the same releases in each Country, They covered The Four Seasons "I'm Gonna Change" and did and excellent job. thier Music was outright POP and had some nice Keyboard parts (Harpsichord I think) and fantastic Harmonies.The song That gained a lot of interest in the States was "You've Got To Be Loved" not unlike Kieth's 98.6. But unfortunately they never made the charts in either country.But they did make a few classics including " A Step in the Right Direction". "Run to Me" & "Ciao Baby". If you havent heard them and love good crisp quality POP i suggest you check them out. If you do know anything about them i'd love to hear from you as i would like to know what happend to the members of the band after they split in 69'. And if any of them remained in the Music Business as they were very talented. The Names of the Band are John Jones - Lead Vocal Will Hayward - Lead Guitar Terry Rowley - Guitar & Keyboard Jake Elcock - Bass Graham Crew - Drums (65-67) Graham Hollis - Drums (67-69) I would be grateful for any information. Thanks Rob Stride -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2 Date: Sun, 06 Apr 2003 22:18:13 EDT From: Scott Subject: Re: Gordian Knot Patrick Rands writes: > I would take any reviews from Bad Cat Records with a grain of salt. Hopefully you take all reviews with a grain of salt. What's the old saying? Opinions (and reviews) are like a**holes - everyone has one... > They have a knack of pumping lp prices up while knocking the lps > down. Sure the Gordian Knot lp isn't the best record in the world, > but it's got its moments. I doubt it's worth $25 though. >> I was curious and looked for this LP on the GEMM website. Found two copies - one for $40.00 and one for $35.00. Relatively speaking, the $25.00 price would seem to be a steal. > They also knocked the Canterbury Music Festival lp and sold it for > $350 - and that lp is super fine. I didn't think the review was that critical since it says some nice things about the LP. The price is high, but as far as I can tell, this is an exceptionally rare album and this copy is in great shape. I couldn't locate a second copy anywhere on the web ... So why do I care one way or the other? Well, 'cause I wrote the two reviews. Scott -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 12:25:02 -0000 From: Steve Subject: Re: Fake Merseybeat There were plenty of European fakes... The Rattles, for example, were huge in germany. Not to be confused with The Ruttles...the spoof band in the late 1970s. There were several others in Scandinavia but the German connection is best. Many of the original Star Club recordings are available and some feature these groups. It is always good fun hearing the Searchers, The Beatles etc attempt German! Some wonderful german cover versions have just been released including The Supremes, Dusty, Pitney, Searchers, Swinging Blue Jeans and others ... You may know that Connie francis sang in German, but how about Lesley Gore!! Also if anyone likes the Spector Sound, check out the french band Les Surfs - re issues now out. Some of their versions (in French) of the wall of Sound are great. Steve -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 10:37:14 -0500 From: David Feldman Subject: Re: Brill Building Comic Srip > Can't open the comic strip!!! Help Try http://www.richardgagnon.com/1619_Broadway.pdf and be patient -- it can be very slow to load but well worth the wait. Dave Feldman -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5 Date: Sun, 06 Apr 2003 19:09:34 -0500 From: Nick Archer Subject: Re: American Breed: 45 vs CD > So hold on to those 45s, and has anyone got a pristine version of > the American Breed's Acta 45 they can loan me? I think that this was more common than not. Sometimes labels speed up records to make them sound better before release. Maybe the original was the slow one. I remember getting the Gunhill Road LP, and "Back When My Hair Was Short" wasn't even on the same planet. And wasn't Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street" sped up on its U.S. release? I recall a lot of disappointed people when they bought the greatest hits CD. Nick Archer Want to hear 70's songs from Gene Pitney, Jackie DeShannon, Paul Anka, Carole Bayer Sager, Larry Henley, Leslie Duncan, Mark Lindsay, and more great pop? Check out Nashville's classic SM95 on the web at http://www.live365.com/stations/nikarcher -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 14:30:20 -0400 From: Country Paul Subject: Today's your birthday! Apropos of nothing, a friend sends me lists of this stuff periodically, and today's (April 7th) birthdays include an interesting cross-section: 1908 - Percy Faith 1915 - Billie Holliday (real name: Eleanora Fagan!) 1920 - Ravi Shankar 1938 - Gov. Jerry Brown of California (credited by his source as "Linda Ronstadt's boyfriend") 1943 - Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull) 1943 - Spencer Dryden (Jefferson Airplane) 1946 - Bill Kreutzman (Grateful Dead) 1952 - Bruce Gary (Knack) And an event worth noting (if you accept the basic premise that prior freeform shows don't count): 1967 - Progressive Rock radio begins at KMPX-FM, San Francisco Country Paul -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 14:14:25 +0000 From: Stuffed Animal Subject: Lesley Gore Lesley Gore recently hosted a segment of the gay and lesbian newsmagazine "In The Life," which airs once a month on selected PBS stations. She introduced a feature on lesbian novelist Ann Bannon . . . with her hit "You Don't Own Me" playing in the background! Petula Clark has also appeared on this program (an episode celebrating the 25th anniversary of Stonewall, if I remember correctly). Stuff -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 12:15:32 -0000 From: Steve Subject: Sounds on the web Just joined. can anyone help suggest sites where one can hear tracks. Got the Kathy Young track. I found some great sounds on site below - dowop and what we call "popcorn" pop in europe. i am sure this may be of interest. But how can one even buy these CDs? A google search proves fruitless! http://www.maronis-world.de/Seiten/mp3-demos.htm Steve -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9 Date: Sun, 06 Apr 2003 19:37:05 -0400 From: James Botticelli Subject: Re: Moulty and Hooke Dan Hughes wrote: > Has anyone ever seen Moulty and J.C. Hooke together?? Never! But anecdotally, Moulty ran a small record label in the early 80's that was re-issuing New England garage rock groups from the 60's. I think it folded. I once saw The Barbarians open for Vanilla Fudge at Irwin Gardens at Lake Winnepausaukee, New Hampshire. They opened with a cover of the Stones' "She Said Yeah". They were louder than God before Blue Cheer. This was '68 when Fudge packed in crowds and the Barbarians were at the end of their career. Moulty wasn't handicapped by that hook. JB/"I found that I loved music, so I learned to play the drums" -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 14:14:22 -0500 From: Dan Hughes Subject: Re: Moulty and Hooke James Botticelli: > I once saw The Barbarians open for Vanilla Fudge at Irwin > Gardens at Lake Winnepausaukee, New Hampshire. They opened > with a cover of the Stones' "She Said Yeah". James, I bought the Barbarians album when it came out, and I was sorely disappointed in all respects. Lots of garage band covers done quite poorly. I actually took it back to the store for a refund! (You could do that in those days). Shoulda' kept it--it's probably worth a fortune now! ---Dan -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 15:39:13 EDT From: Bob Rashkow Subject: Rose Garden, Montanas Didn't "Here Today" actually show up on the 'Next Plane To London' LP? Would love to get the 45 that never got on there, all the same. Jeff G, this is same title different song from the Brian Wilson composition, right? BTW the LP has some good things, it's basically more folksy than NPTL which was just a wonderful pop record. "I'm Only 2nd" is a great tune, and they give Giant Sunflower a run for their money on "February Sunshine" while "Flower Town", e.g., is pure folk. The Montanas charted in the US with the marvelous "You've Got To Be Loved".....but not nearly as high as it should have. Whoever hasn't heard it, go for it, it's a supreme example of the sunniest of sunshine-pop from here or across the Atlantic. Irresistible harmonies! :--))) Bobster -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 13:32:17 -0700 (PDT) From: David Coyle Subject: Re: American Dreams I tried to get into last night's episode of the show, but found myself going back and forth to "Rain Man". Whoever did the Brenda Holloway scene, singing "Every Little Bit Hurts," was pretty good, but I was thrown by the girl in the folk club singing "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" just like Mama Cass Elliott (in 1964?). Who was she supposed to be that Mama Cass MUST HAVE been inspired to use her arrangement?? What gets me is all the conversation that goes on in the bleachers during the "taping" of the "show". Even with the performers miming their performances, I doubt kids could have gotten away with talking during the show. Seems Dick Clark ran a pretty tight ship. All in all, I doubt Clark realizes that there are people out there who watch this show, going: "Wait a minute, this song wasn't recorded until 1965, why is it playing on a show that's obviously set before Beatlemania??" I have been watching a lot of "Whose Line Is It Anyway", and heard that Wayne Brady was going to be portraying Jackie Wilson on an upcoming episode of "Dreams". That guy can sing, and I'd bet he not only would have the voice down, but the moves. How could a person play Jackie Wilson and just stand there? Brady is great at the more musical moments in "Whose Line.." -- brilliant improv comedian and musical mimic... David -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 14:09:00 -0700 (PDT) From: David Coyle Subject: Re: The Cryan Shames "It's called 'Out Of This Place We've Gotten To Get'..." The Cryan Shames are definitely an underrated '60s band. All of the Sundazed reissues are worth picking up, although "A Scratch In The Sky" is the best of their three albums. Their debut LP is a notch above a lot of other "'60s garage" albums (many of which were one-offs as opposed to debuts). Definitely good at the Beatles/Byrds sound. Of the original tracks, "I Wanna Meet You" is definitely an infectious teen-popper, while "Ben Franklin's Almanac" blends vocal group harmonies with Kinks-like guitar rhythms. "Sugar And Spice" is a classic, of course, but a case, I think, of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I still prefer the Searchers original (written by Tony Hatch, wasn't it?). The standout track on the second album is easily "It Could Be We're In Love", which is up there with "I Will Always Think About You" by the New Colony Six as a Chicago-bred ballad of the first order. David -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 22:57:08 +0100 From: Guy Lawrence Subject: Re: American Breed: 45 vs CD Wasn't it Joe Meek who said there'd never been a track recorded that couldn't do with a bit of speeding up? Guy. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 17:24:53 -0500 From: Charles G. Hill Subject: Cranking up the speed Michael Edwards observed: > Many many years ago I threw away my well played copy of the > American Breed's 45, "Bend Me Shape Me" and purchased the album, > named after this hit tune. I never became comfortable with the > version of "BMSM" on this album, as it seemed to lack the urgency > I was used to with the 45. What is claimed to be the mono 45 version shows up, oddly, on another Varese disc - "Dick Bartley Presents Collector's Essentials: On the Radio, Volume Three". Says Bartley in the notes: "[W]here the mono single had punch and power (and was considerably "speeded up" for radio airplay), the stereo LP version seemed slow, limp and lifeless." Interestingly, this version runs 2:16; I can't swear to it, but I think it fades later than the 45. It's certainly faster than the two-track mix that's been widely circulated. Didn't Andy Kim complain that Jeff Barry (or someone) speeded up his Steed material? -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16 Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2003 13:06:03 -0700 (PDT) From: David Coyle Subject: Re: The Beatles Anthology Not only was the "Anthology" video set an expanded version of what was shown on ABC, but there was quite a bit of fancy editing done in the process of expansion. A lot of commentary had revised running order, although everything that was on the TV version appears in the VHS version. Besides the 5th DVD of bonus footage, there was a bit of tweaking done for the soundtrack of the "Anthology". The big difference for me is noticeable during the segment that shows the Beatles performing "Some Other Guy" live in the Cavern Club. When the "Anthology" was first aired and then released on video, there was a definite glitch in the sound at one point, which is not evident in the DVD version. It really adds to the clip, which is the definitive Cavern film of the early Beatles. There's no additional archival footage on the fifth disc, but the footage of the surviving Beatles jamming on old rock standards, and an unreleased McCartney song, is priceless. In addition, you get George Martin and the Beatles in Abbey Road, listening to old tapes, particularly one of the legendary first take of "Tomorrow Never Knows". Fascinating. All in all, it's a better set than it was because of the fifth disc. More Beatles is a good thing. David -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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