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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. Re: Mike McD. & Neil D.
From: Peter McDonnell
2. Strange Places, Old Faces
From: Rashkovsky
3. Re: McDonald Motown
From: Stratton Bearhart
4. Jean Terrell, Brenda Holloway, Emotions - JUNE 8 show cancelled
From: Girl Groups Fan Club
5. Steve and Stevie
From: Steven Prazak
6. Re: original Vogues
From: Terrie Neilson
7. On the Flip Side
From: Christopher Davidson
8. Miscellaneous; ripped-off phrases; PBS
From: Country Paul
9. Brian Wilson update
From: Country Paul
10. Alright, who's been talking?
From: Martin Roberts
11. Re. Brian Wilson update
From: Andrew Hickey
12. The Chanter Sisters
From: Ian Chapman
13. Re: Steve and Stevie
From: Mark Frumento
14. Radio and TV Commercials
From: Alan Gordon
15. Re: Stevie & Steve
From: Steve Harvey
16. Re: The Chanter Sisters
From: Eddy
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 18:37:51 -0700
From: Peter McDonnell
Subject: Re: Mike McD. & Neil D.
Neb Rodgers:
> WASHINGTON - Michael McDonald has recorded an album he's been
> rehearsing for decades: a collection of Motown remakes. The above
> story struck me as being kind of an odd concept at first, but maybe
> he'd be really good at covering these songs.
I could see that being a decent album, depending on what he chooses to
cover. He's got a good blue-eyed soul type voice. And if Michael Bolton
can cover (don't know if 'cover' is the right word) Sittin' On the Dock
of the Bay and When a Man Loves a Woman, McDonald certainly has the
right to do some classic Motown material. I'd like to hear him do "Just
Ask the Lonely", ""I Wish It Would Rain", "Baby Baby Don't Cry", "Can I
Get A Witness" for starters...
Anybody got this record yet?
John Fox:
> I always wondered why Cougar didn't mention Neil in the last verse
> where he pays tribute to Bobby Fuller, Mitch Ryder, Martha Reeves,
> James Brown, etc.
Maybe mentioning Neil Diamond would have throw his 'list' off:
considering some of the excesses that came later in Diamond's
repertoire, he doesn't exactly fit into the same hot R&B & 60's rock
genre as the people who he gives "props" to in his song. Diamond's
better known for schlock (sorry, MHO) like "I Am, I Said" than "Thank
The Lord For the NIght Time". And he's certainly had much greater
commercial success than most of the other folks mentioned, so why bother?
friscopedro
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 23:01:48 EDT
From: Rashkovsky
Subject: Strange Places, Old Faces
Hagerstown, MD--about an hour west of Washington, DC is the kind of small
city where people like to raise their kids. It's the kind of small city
where the all-night drugstore closes at 10PM and where the next morning,
many citizens will be waiting by their mailbox to see if the ValPak
coupons have arrived.
Stopped for the night here along the Interstate traveling north on a bit of
business.
So, out for dinner I pick up the local "Visitor's Guide" to entertain myself
while I wait for some red meat to be burnt. There, among everything else that
is history or happening in this area, they have a section listing the musical
talent that will be appearing at the cultural series ( pop division) in the
local restored theater throughout the summer season.
Hold on, I'm getting there. Just to put some perspective on the thing, here
are some recognized names ending with that which I found interesting enough
to share with you members of the old time music mayven society:
Five Blind Boys of Alabama, John Mayall, The Regents (Ba Ba Ba Bab BabaraAnn
before the Beach Boys)--alliteration is a disease I fight to overcome--The
Contours, 'Lightin" Lou Christie AND Joey Dee and The Starlighters.
What urged me to write this missive was that The Starlighters--right and left
of Joey--are, according to the little bio, one David Brigati, formerly of The
Rascals and brother of Eddie I believe. In the other corner Bobby Valli,
brother of Frankie Valli.
Quoting the bio, "In addition to Joey's hits, David sings The Rascals songs
eerily like the group that is now in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bobby
sings a medley of his brother's songs with a panache that is reminiscent of the
legendary Four Seasons" Hey, that's their quote--I'm just laying it out for
you.
You gotta' love it boys and girls. Not only are these veterans still
standing in the spotlight trampling out the vintage where the grapes of rock
are stored; but they have a write-up that uses "eerily" and "panache" in
successive sentences.
What hath God wrought?
By the way, I believe in French "panache" is the same word as horns--like on
deer.
This amazing anecdote may not have deserved such a long story but then again
I don't write that often and I was moved by the whole thing in the depths of
my soul. Allow for it.
Rashkovsky
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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 01:38:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: Stratton Bearhart
Subject: Re: McDonald Motown
Michael performed "Signed Sealed Delivered" and "Heard
It Thru The Grapevine" live with Jules Holland's Band
on british television. Excellent takes on these great
songs.
Stratton
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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 01:27:04 +0000
From: Girl Groups Fan Club
Subject: Jean Terrell, Brenda Holloway, Emotions - JUNE 8 show cancelled
Please make sure everyone knows that the show with Jean Terrell, Brenda
Holloway and the Emotions JUNE 8 in San Diego has been CANCELLED. I had
sent out announcements to all the people who are members of my club, The
Girl Groups Fan Club: http://surf.to/girlgroups to encourage them to go
to the show, and many had reserved hotels and bought airline tickets. I
hope Jean Terrell, Brenda Holloway and the Emotions will do another show
in the future in tribute to their fans. We have been waiting so long to
see Jean Terrell do a show. I was so disappointed when the show was
cancelled in April and now that it has been cancelled a second time I am
really sorry, as I am sure all the fans are. Hope you call the airlines
and ask for a supervisor to explain the circumstances to see if it is
possible to recoup your costs.
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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 09:43:27 -0400
From: Steven Prazak
Subject: Steve and Stevie
Wonder if any fellow S'poppers have been lucky enough to hear the lone Steve &
Stevie album from, I'm guessing, '68? It's a drop-dead gorgeous platter of Bee
Gees-esque hooks & tunes (minus the Gibbs' nasalteen and jackhammer vibratos),
and Everyone's Gone to the Moon-type orchestrations that I've seen absolutely
zero mentions of anywhere. Surely I don't have the only copy. It's a UK release
on the small Toast label.
The "Steves" are Steve Kipner and Steve Groves, later to become Tin Tin with a
couple of wonderful elpees on Atco, a handful of 45 sides (including the semi-
hit Toast and Marmalade for Tea) and involvement in the "is it or isn't it the
Beatles" tune Have You Heard the Word (with Maurice Gibb). Anyway, I'd hate for
this little wonder to remain undiscovered for the rest of time. Hands? Anyone?
Steven Prazak
Atlanta GA
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Message: 6
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 08:21:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: Terrie Neilson
Subject: Re: original Vogues
Richard Havers:
> I have two versions of 'Five O'Clock World' by the Vogues on CD.
> One with strings (on a compilation) and one without (on their
> Greatest Hits). They are clearly two different versions, not
> overdubbed strings. The 'with strings' sounds later. Am I correct
> in assuming it was a 70s German re-record or similar?
Mikey:
> >>>>>>>>>>Richard, as I am intimately familiar with The Vs, I can
> tell you that if your "With Strings" version of 5:00 World doesn't
> sound at all like the original, it is one of the MANY re-records
> done by the many singers calling themselves The Vs.
>
> The confusion comes in because in 1978, the Vs manager finagled
> ownership of The Vogues name away from Chuck Blasko and the
> original group. Then, the manager hired various musicians to "be"
> The Vogues, and also arranged for these "Fake Vogues" to re-record
> the big hits the group had over and over again. Different recordings
> have different lead singers on them. They are all horrible, none of
> the remakes have the original Vs magic, especially so for "Youre The
> One". The Cd on Sun Records features all remakes, as do the various
> artists Cds on Dominion and Gusto. Buy the original recordings, they
> are the only ones worth listening to!!
Hey there,
Believe it or not, I actually speak. :)
I'm glad someone else knows of the V*gues other than me. There is a
yahoogroup called meetthevsfanclub that is in honor of the original
group. Just to let you know, though, that they have been pounded on
by the trademark holder of the Vs name with "cease and desist use":
the original group, as provided in the legal documents, are allowed to
play as the Originals--but only in a 14-county area in western
Pennsylvania--whereas the group calling themselves that name can
perform anywhere else they so choose. There have been appeals to get it
back, but considering that earnings from 14 counties aren't hardly
enough to afford proper counsel to appeal against unlimited resources,
so far all that can be done is finding ways of promoting without
stepping on the trademark.
Just keeping you appraised. Meanwhile, I'll pass along your kudos to
their group. I'm sure they will be happy to hear this.
Terrie
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Message: 7
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 13:49:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Christopher Davidson
Subject: On the Flip Side
I got my copy of this on VHS off Ebay. It turns up
from time to time. Chow.
=====
Chris Davidson
The Sixth Dave Clark Five
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Message: 8
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 17:14:19 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Miscellaneous; ripped-off phrases; PBS
Great "Nut Rocker" site and stories - I got lost for quite
a while in Al Hazan's pages. Thanks, all! (The follow-ups
have been fascinating, too.)
S'pop Team wrote:
> June Carter-Cash of the celebrated Carter family, rock
bassist Noel Redding and Dewey Terry of Don & Dewey fame.
Sad news, all. RIP. I'm afraid we'll be seeing more of these
as we "age upward."
The Van Morrison Bang Records "contract breaker" album is a
hoot, but it's true, he just couldn't help but be "an artist
anyway" at times. Numerous reports say Mr. M. can be "difficult,"
so perhaps the venom at Bang flowed both ways. I wish he didn't
dismiss his "real" work for Bang; it isn't as "arty" as his
later stuff, some of which I find quite grating, actually, but
there are certainly tracks that stand on their own for the ages.
In records "ripping off/borrowing" from each other:
Anyone else notice that the instrumental breaks in Barbara
George's "I Know" and the Shirelles' "Everybody Loves A Lover"
are identical?
And (obscure to be sure, but) Marsha Brody's "Soda Pop"
virtually cops the Capitols' "Cool Jerk" riff note for note.
(And then there's Todd Rundgren's "Cool Jerk" - same song,
but in 7/4 rather than 4/4 time!)
Alan Gordon wrote:
> Sometimes a little PBS can be a bad thing.
Steve Harvey:
> I thought you had to have more than 7 notes or words
> (syllables?) that were the same before you could be sued
> for stealing somebody's song.
I believe the number is more than 4. On the "Largo" project a
couple of years back, Little Isidore & The Inquisitors' superb
"Before The Mountain" fades with the "Hey-yey-yey-yey" of the
Isley Brothers' "Shout," and gives it composition and publishing
credit! (Four notes!)
JB commented:
> Barney Frank said when push came to shove, those being
> punished for infractions should spend their time in solitary
> watching PBS!
My 2 cents: Gee, they might actually learn something! I think
there's too little PBS already - they've become just another
network grubbing for the same bucks, only differently
("underwriting" vs. commercials). If they look "liberal," it's
because the center has been pulled so far to the right these
days. On the other hand, they do offer music documentaries and
history of a type that would appeal to contributors to this group,
something major nets don't do unless filtered through the (to me)
distorted lens of "American Dreams," etc.
(Sorry - I went on for 5 cents worth. Now back to our regularly
scheduled discussion, with which I'm now only a week behind.
More soon.)
Country Paul
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Message: 9
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 18:04:12 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Brian Wilson update
Brian Wilson is doing 3 solo shows in the northeast (US) -
Boston (don't remember the date), New York's Beacon Theatre
(Monday 6/16/03) and Newark, NJ (NJ Performing Arts Center,
a wonderful hall, Tuesday, 06 /17/03). Although NJPAC is closer
to home, I'll be otherwise occupied on the 17th; I got two tix
for NYC at extortion-level prices (it's a Cross Country
presentation via Ticketmaster - nuff said). I'll have reports
from the field at the Spectropop party in NYC Friday 6/20/03.
Country Paul
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Message: 10
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 23:22:12 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Alright, who's been talking?
Billy asked to hear Dean Cannon's "You've Been Talking",
happy to oblige. This, the B-side of "When Love Goes Wrong
(Nothing Goes Right)" is also written by Chandler-DeVorzon
and arranged by Perry Botkin Jr. and had to be removed from
my jukebox to play to musica.
I know I've raved before about the generally wonderful releases
on the Valiant label and this release (along with the two Cannon
Sisters 45s) is just one reason why this magenta label holds a
place in my heart; super track! Thanks for those who supplied
the info on Dean Cannon's career after this 'solo' 45.
Regarding her earlier Cannon Sisters tracks, one of the sides
is "What About You," again an excellent song - this time written
and arranged by Bodie Chandler - and this was recorded by no
less than Bonnie - http://www.spectropop.com/HOTB/index.htm
- and Ramona King, arranged by Jack Nitzsche - watch for the
next "Battle of the Nitzsches"!
Martin
PS I just made a mp3 for a friend, of Danny and the Memories'
"Can't Help Lovin' That Girl Of Mine", another gem from Valiant
and surely the most beautiful song (another one!) ever put on
wax. If asked I'll play this beaut by the earlier incarnation
of The Rockets and Crazy Horse to musica.
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Message: 11
Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 00:47:39 +0100
From: Andrew Hickey
Subject: Re. Brian Wilson update
Country Paul wrote:
> Brian Wilson is doing 3 solo shows in the northeast (US) -
> Boston (don't remember the date), New York's Beacon Theatre
> (Monday 6/16/03) and Newark, NJ (NJ Performing Arts Center,
> a wonderful hall, Tuesday, 06 /17/03).....I got two tix
> for NYC at extortion-level prices (it's a Cross Country
> presentation via Ticketmaster - nuff said).
Lucky for you. The NJ gig just got cancelled due to lack of
ticket sales...
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Message: 12
Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 01:35:57 +0100
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: The Chanter Sisters
> Does anyone know more about the group that included
> Doreen and Irene Chanter (not the US vocal group of the
> same name)?
Nice to see the UK's Chanter Sisters mentioned here. I
first switched on to them via their Ellen
Foley-meets-Spector version of "Halfway To Paradise" in '76,
(produced by Roger Cook and now playing at musica). On the
strength of that, I bought their "First Flight" album,
which didn't contain any more Erect-a-Spectors, but did
boast the most eccentric version of "Band of Gold" you ever
heard, and a further spin-off 45, "Sideshow", which just
crept into the UK Top 50 - enough to earn them an appearance
on "Top of the Pops".
I later found out they'd had a respectable pedigree as
session singers, and had made four singles for CBS in the
60s, billed as the Chanters. So far, I've tracked two of
these down, but I do have the others on tape (thanks,
Michael Clunkie!) - they're all well-produced sides, with
solid, soulful vocal performances from the sisters.
In between the CBS period and their "Halfway to Paradise"
re-emergence, they did a stint as Birds of a Feather in
1969 - some UK Spectropoppers may dimly recall their update
of "Blacksmith Blues" on the Page One label, which got a lot
of radio play at the time.
Last I heard from them was a disco-styled album in the late
70s........
Ian
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Message: 13
Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 00:54:43 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Steve and Stevie
Steven Prazak wrote:
> Wonder if any fellow S'poppers have been lucky enough to
> hear the lone Steve & Stevie album.
Steven (too many Steves in this message, hopefully Harvey
doesn't chime in!) - I have the Steve and Stevie LP on CDR
thanks to S'Poppers Luis Suarez and Freeman Carmak. It's a
really wonderful pop record. I also really like the Tin Tin
albums and remember "Toast and Marmalade for Tea" from the
radio back in the 70s. I have to say that overall the S&S
album is better but in general if you like early period Bee
Gees/pop-sike/harmony pop/etc then all three LPs are worth
tracking down. I understand that the S&S LP is rather uncommon.
Glad you mentioned this LP because it deserves more recognition.
Mark Frumento
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Message: 14
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 15:06:13 -0700
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: Radio and TV Commercials
Hey guys and galz:
Personally, I LOVE the radio jingles that everyone has been
chatting about in here, these last few weeks.
All I have are 3. The most recent being "Swinging Soft Drink
Spots of the '60s Volume 1." IMHO this release is really
mostly junk. No real info - useless liner notes with no credit
or separate track listings (in fact, there is no sequencing
whatsoever - only one track per side), bad sound, and basically
uninteresting, unless, of course you live in the compiler/dj's
hometown.
Most of the above Coke spots are of significantly better sound
quality on another CD (bootleg?) that came out a few years back
called: "Things Go Better With Coke. Sixties Coca-Cola
Commercials 1965-'69." The back of my CD lists 63 cuts. Mine
only has 60, missing 2 by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, and one
by Marvin alone. And if I'm not mistaken, some of the jingles
are Pepsi, rather than Coke. I've seen this CD in Tower and
Amoeba, so I assume it's available all around, and certainly on
the web. The sound is pretty good, and some of the spots are
really amazingly catchy toons: Lesley Gore and the Left Banke
to name just 2.
The third is the "TeeVee Toons: The Commercials" with 50 TV
jingles in decent audio quality.
The licensing on all of this material is at best tenuous. Shame,
since it would be great if someone would compile all of the
jingles that are available into a set of CDs (with some semblance
of order - chronological, by performers, companies...?).
What do you guys think?
peace,
albabe
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Message: 15
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 18:42:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Stevie & Steve
Mark Frumento:
> Re Stevie & Steve: Steven (too many Steves in this message,
> hopefully Harvey doesn't chime in!)
BONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Message: 16
Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 08:59:25 +0200
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: The Chanter Sisters
Ian Chapman on the Chanter Sisters:
> In between the CBS period and their "Halfway to Paradise"
> re-emergence, they did a stint as Birds of a Feather in
> 1969 - some UK Spectropoppers may dimly recall their update
> of "Blacksmith Blues" on the Page One label...
Anybody know who the musicians are on the Birds of a Feather records?
Eddy
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End
