__________________________________________________________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ S P E C T R O P O P __________ __________ __________ __________________________________________________________ Volume #0361 December 25, 1999 __________________________________________________________ Holiday Greetings to Spectropoppers Throughout the WorldSubject: Zappa Music Training Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: Don Richardson, drixxxxxs.com To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com Carol Kaye wrote: >He was the only one (outside of Frank Zappa, who I >consider a more-trained musician/composer/ arranger and >who used 2-3 of his band along with our guitar group of >studio musicians) who did his own arranging, brought in >note-written parts (not just chord change sheets). By all accounts I have read and learned of, and by his own admission, Zappa never learned how to write music in conventional format. In fact, he reportedly created his own graphical system in writing his own music, to which only a handful of people knew how to interpret. Van Dyke Parks was a member of the Mothers of Invention for a few months and some of his work was converting Zappa's personal music notation into conventional standard music copy. Although neither have ever been close to conventional. --Don --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: "Telstar" & update my Cher recommendations Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: Billy G. Spradlin, bgsprxxxxxhlink.net To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com At 01:41 AM 12/22/99 +0900, DJ JimmyB wrote: > >Iknow a lot of British musicians of the time were >disappointed that they couldn't get as much instant impact >as they wanted from the UK stuff. Joe Meek was particularly >frustrated with this, and when he went into cut 'Telstar' >he cut it so deep it nearly came out the other side! >That's why The Decca 'Telstar' is the loudest British 60s >45 you will find....... I have several copies of "Telstar" in good shape on London Records USA and its super compressed to jump out of radio speakers. Its all midrange and shrill treble. I seriously doubt the Dave Clark 5 would have had a career if it wasn't for Joe Meek's production experiments, since they used every trick in his book! Telstar's still a amazing record (I believe it was the first UK record to hit #1 in the USA before The Beatles) and a favorite of mine since childhood when I first heard it on a oldies show. I was listening to it on Rhino's "British Invasion" CD series and was wondering what those weird space noises were at the end of the record. So I recorded the entire song on my PC, used Cool Edit (a wav file editing program) to "flip" it backwards and it sounds like someone banging on those long garage door springs with lots of reverb, echo and tape manipulation. I've also heard that theres running water from a sink, and a toilet being flushed(!) in "Telstar" recorded backwards as one of the space noises, but I never heard that when I played it both backwards and forwards and even slowed down. Amazing stuff when you know he recorded this song in a tiny apartment! Also, I want to update my Cher recommendations. It looks like EMI has deleted the 2-fer of "All I Want to Do/The Sunny Side of Cher" but EMI has a collection available called "Bang Bang-The Early Years" which has many of the best songs (though some of my favorites were omitted, but it does include "Dream Baby") from those two albums along with some later recordings for Imperial. Amazon.com was selling it for 9.94. Billy G. Spradlin 29 Rim Road Kilgore, Texas 75662 E-mail: bgsprxxxxxhlink.net Homepage: http://home.earthlink.net/~bgspradlin/ --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: A Great New 99 Christmas Album Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: chuck, chxxxxxo.com To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com Every now and then the people in the music business align just right to produce a wonderful Christmas album. Its been awhile for me but finally in 1999 along comes "El Christmas: The World In Winter" El records is associated with the wonderful and mysterious Mike Alway who goes under various names when making his music, (ex: "Fan- tastic Everlasting Gobstopper") This album also includes contributions from Louis Phiilippe whose teamed up with Mike Alway on other great collections on the Siesta label and Momus. These are three major leaders in the modern soft indie pop scene. The album consists of 16 songs, 14 new compositions and marverlous remake of "Goodnight" It has, what I consider are some modern day Christmas classics. The style ranges from Beach Boy influenced, to girl group sound, to sunshine pop (theres a remake of the Cowsills' Rain the Park and Other Things". Its a surprise to hear a 64 styled girl group song on here. Don't get me wrong though its not produced like Phil Spector or written by the great Brill Building writers. One of the songs starts off with seagull sounds and I was hoping for a Shadow Morton Shangrilas adventure but got a more Bananarama sound There's a guitar sound on one of the songs straight from 65. One of the Louis Phillipe songs, "The Thirteenth Day Of Christmas" is up to his high standards and is extremely well written in a mid 60s style with his stamp all over it. The album is generally solid but there are some week and obnoxious cuts. Generally it has a little more of a 60s stamp than Mike Alway and Louis Philippe usually have. However some of the songs really are classics. One song that desrves special mention is "Psychedlic Christmas" a late 60's style romp that is sure to get airplay on college radio. In a similiar vein comes a newly written Christmas cd single, "Lonely Christmas" by Jonnny Diamond, (Easy Tune 1995) produced by Arling & Cameron. This is a beautiful and sad Christmas song sung softly and beautifully by Jonny Diamond, who I don't know anything about. Also worth mentioning, though only a few songs would appeal to members of these lists, is a V/A compilation put together by L A DJ Rodney Bingenheimer on Dionysus Records called "Santa's Got A GTO" For me the best song is the Ramona's title cut. A little modern punk on top of a great 60's melody. Generally the album is power pop but the Wondermints turn in a great version of "Ski Party" (which I enjoyed watching on AMC last Sat night). I Wish You All a Jolly Jolly Christmas Filled With Music. Easy listening in the Big Easy Chuck np The Retro Coctail Hour's Christmas Show in real audio Also I understand there was a Van Dyke Parks concert in London and Tobias and others were there. Any reviews are welcome, thanks. --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Big Band roots of rock Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: Michael Helfinger, mhexxxxxrlog.com To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com Thanks, Doc Rock, for getting the wheels in my head turning again with your thoughts about the Big Band sound as a contributor to the evolution of rock 'n'roll. I have in my possession a CD compilation on Columbia called "Juke Joint Jump - A Boogie Woogie Celebration." It contains a recording of "Honky Tonk Train Blues" by Red Saunders and His Orchestra cut in 1953. This instrumental piece was apparently penned in the 1930s - an earlier version by another band is contained on the CD, but this latter rendition is especially interesting because it can be described as equal parts Big Band, R&B and rock'n'roll. I'm sure that lots of similar examples from the early 1950s could be dug up. I can think of at least a couple of widely recognized Founding Fathers of rock who has some association with the Big Band style. The instrumental backing of Joe Turner's recordings had a definite Big Band feel. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys were essentially a western-flavored Big Band in the late '30s and early '40s before their style evolved into what is today recognized as Western Swing after the war and went on to do a few rockabilly-type recordings in the early '50s. Doo-wop and the Girl Group Sound might be considered to be the product of a blending of black and white vocal harmony traditions whose roots extend back to the Big Band era (Boswell Sisters, Mills Brothers, etc.). And, a number of '50s rock hits featured a Big Band-style instrumental backing. "Goody Goody" (a song originating in the Big Band era) by Frankie Lymon comes to mind...some of Bobby Darin's later hits...the Crew Cuts (yes, they did rip-off covers of early black doo-wop recordings, but these covers were an important part of the process of popularizing rock'n'roll). Just some disconnected thoughts, but maybe someone out there could lend some more form and substance to them... Happy holidays to all Spectropoppers. Michael Helfinger --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Re: GEMA Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: WASE RADIO,xxxxxt.org To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com To Jake Tassell: GEMA is a German music licensing agency like BMI or ASCAP would be here in America. I have heard both mixes of "I'll Never Need.....". The mono mix is indeed very loud. The stereo mix sounds loud but more cavernous-more open. Happy Christmas to all Spectropoppers and have a :):):):):):) smiley new millenium. Michael G. Marvin WASE radio --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Re: Phil Spector Christmas CD in stereo Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: WASE RADIO,xxxxxt.org To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com To James: As an addendum to my last post on the Phil Spector Christmas CD in stereo, it is on a label called "Duchesse" and carries a 1988 copyright. Good luck in finding a copy. Michael G. Marvin WASE radio --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: odds 'n' ends Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: Jamie LePage, le_pagxxxxxities.com To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com Hi all, Just a few odds 'n' ends... On December 14, BMI announced the Top 100 Songs of the Century, listing the most played songs on American radio and television. At number #1 was "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (Phil Spector/Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil). The song, originally recorded by Phil Spector for the Righteous Brothers, holds a record for eight million performances. Other songs making the top of the list included "Never My Love", "Yesterday"; and "Stand By Me" with over seven million plays, and credited with six million spins were "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You", "Sitting On the Dock Of the Bay", "Mrs. Robinson"; "Baby I Need Your Loving", "Rhythm Of The Rain"; and "Georgia On My Mind". Is anyone surprised the top ten songs of the 20th century are all from the "spectropop" era? -- GEMA is the German copyright society (similar to MCPS and PRS in Britain). Actually, "GEsellschaft fur Musikalische Auffuhrungs- und mechanische Vervielfaltigungsrechte (Society for Musical Performing Rights and Mechanical Reproduction Rights)"!!! I have noticed GEMA printed on the labels of many European discs, particularly German pressings. -- Heavy Blinker Jason got a few answers about King/Goffin compilations, but I just wanted to throw in the fantastic Carole King Masterpiece Volumes 1, 02 , 03 on A-Side. These are mostly mastered from vinyl, but they are wonderful collections. For track listings, go to http://www2.gol.com/users/davidr/aside/ The A-Side discog is definitely worth checking out. Happy Holidays to all Spectropoppers! Jamie --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: from Mitch Holder re: contracts Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: Carol Kaye, caroxxxxxhlink.net To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com >From Mitch Holder about our Musicians contracts: PS. Remember when contractors, for various reasons, would maybe put someones name down for a date playing some other instrument. I don't remember the specific incidents, but remember sometimes it would solve a problem about too many doubles for a player, stuff like that. The contractor would put one of the doubles down as a percussion instrument or something, just to make it look more legit. I recall that sometimes. MH --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: From Russ Wapensky Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: Carol Kaye, caroxxxxxhlink.net To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com From Russ Wapensky, the noted Musicians Union contracts researcher whose book will be out in 2000 (Greenwood Press) about all of our credits: >(don't have access to my files at the moment). The person >writing you is probably using the Pet Sounds Box for >reference that I helped David Leaf with a few years back. >Otherwise though, it was Hal on nearly everything else. Russ even called me on the telephone about this yesterday from his vacation place and said he'd re-check everything and mentioned the boxed set but even he is not that final on these contracts....the Beach Boys contracts have some flaws and misinformation in them which he's still doing research on. He did reiterate the fact that yes, he told me it was always Hal except for a few early ones that Earl did on the Beach Boys 60s record dates. We'll have the final sayso on this soon, Russ doesn't speak with others about this. If you want to check on the Terra launch that my daughter Gwyn is a part of it's at: http://terra.nasa.gov/EVENTS/terralaunchstatus.html special thanks to a fan of mine. Many people are interested in this very important but low-profile environmental mission some of whom studied out of the "Gwyn bass books" I put out years ago, like the wonderful Alf Clausen, composer of the Simpsons TV show whom I had the pleasure of teaching bass to about 1969-70, he knows Gwyn, is proud of her too.....the "bass" connection. Others who bought my books include Christian McBride, John Paul Jones, Mo Foster, Nathan East, other big USA basses and even Sting studied out of them too....they all know who "Gwyn" is, a small world as they say. Carol Kaye http://www.carolkaye.com/ --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Re: Against the law to post contracts Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: Brad Elliott, suxxxxxonline.net To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com Carol Kaye wrote: > FYI Brad Elliott, it's against the law to post any of our > Musicians' Union contracts, or at least our Union > threatened a lawsuit against someone who recently tried to > do that, SSN's or not ...so you shouldn't be putting any > contract on the url. I appreciate your sensitivity, but I really doubt it's illegal to post something like that unless it were an invasion of privacy in some way (which it certainly would be if the SSNs were left visible). As a long-time journalist, I'm quite familiar with the laws about confidentiality and privacy, and this doesn't violate any of them. It in no way defames anybody, it's not an untruth, the facts aren't private (you and other musicians have discussed session credits at length, and the pay scales at the time were common knowledge in the music industry), nobody's put in jeopardy or publicly embarrassed, and nobody's portrayed in a false light. I've seen executed legal contracts published in scores of books over the years; I've even seen musicians contracts published in various places. If you'd like to have somebody from the legal office of the Musicians Union call me, I'd be more than happy to talk with them. My number is [edited. contact admin with any queries]. > And I have a message out to Russ Wapensky who usually > replies to me quickly on what he told me about this. I look forward to hearing what he has to say. > "Drums" can mean percussion and "Guitar" can mean elec. > bass on the contracts -- so now you know that contracts > are not to be literally taken unless you are in the music > business and know the difference of what is meant by the > different ways of handling the IDing of instruments. If you look at the contract, you'll see that there's no identification of instruments there. However, I know what drums sound like and there very definitely are drums heard on the original session tape (not an overdub). On the finished recording, you can hear them come in with an especially prominent snare beginning at about 53 seconds into the track. I really doubt that anybody else who was at that session (Carol, Billy Strange, Tommy Tedesco, Jerry Cole, Lyle Ritz and five horn players) sat in on drums. There's just no question it was Ritchie Frost. Brad --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Re: Only Hal Blaine on drums Received: 12/25/99 1:03 am From: Brad Elliott, suxxxxxonline.net To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com Dave Mirich wrote: > Brad. Your response to Carol felt overly harsh to me, in > contrast to the style and manner normally shown by > discussants on this list. Dave, if I was overly harsh (practically apologizing for contradicting her), please look at her earlier response to me: >> Richie did NOT play drums on any Brian Wilson date at all >> - only Hal Blaine on drums. There was nothing such as "I think you're mistaken." Instead, just a flat out statement that said I was wrong. You thought "it was unnecessary for [me] to flatly state that she was wrong on this small point." But you apparently have a double standard. The problem is that it's clearly documented that, contrary to what Carol says, Hal was not the only drummer on Brian Wilson dates. Yes, he was the predominant drummer (definitely Brian's favorite) on tracks for the Beach Boys, but in the 1965-67 era, Earl Palmer, Jim Gordon, Ritchie Frost and Nick Martinis all drummed on Brian Wilson dates. If I need to, I can produce a list for you of the specific dates and tracks, or even put up the AFM contracts for you to peruse. > I would rather you had couched your > comments in the context that, "It must be next to > impossible to keep track of those thousands of dates and > hundred of thousands of details -- but here is the > information I have unearthed on this point." When I first posted the information, I wasn't contradicting her. Go back and read my first post about Ritchie Frost; you'll see that, at that time, all I was doing WAS reporting the information that I had on that point. Carol chose to say flat-out that my information was wrong. She could easily have said that she didn't remember Frost playing a Brian session and asked what documentation I had, but she didn't. Her absolute response (with the word NOT capitalized!) left me little choice but to offer a rebuttal. Let's not turn this into an ugly situation. I have only the greatest respect for Carol and fond memories of spending the better part of a day with her just last year when I was out in L.A. I agree with you that it must be nearly impossible to keep track of thousands of dates and who did what. I recognize that, which is why it's absolutely necessary that the supporting research be done to determine the facts. That's what really matters, isn't it? The truth about who did what and when, so that those who deserve credit get it. Brad --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- End
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