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Spectropop - Digest Number 284


                  
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      Hearing the world's greatest artists is an everyday pleasure
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There are 19 messages in this issue of Spectropop.

Topics in this Digest Number 284:

      1. ELLIE, ARETHA & ROBIN WARD
           From: Mick Patrick 
      2. The Bon Bons
           From: "Peter Lerner" 
      3. Intentionally Deleted
             By: "Spectropop Administration" 
      4. Sam
           From: Eric Van Rysdam 
      5. Re: Tim Rose
           From: "Peter Lerner" 
      6. Mikie on Blondie
           From: Mike Rashkow 
      7. Robin Ward
           From: Doc Rock 
      8. I Wonder
           From: Monophonius 
      9. RE: sam
           From: "Vincent Degiorgio" 
     10. Re: Chain of Fools session
           From: Mike Rashkow 
     11. RE: new Swing Out Sister
           From: "Vincent Degiorgio" 
     12. Re: new Swing Out Sister
           From: Scott 
     13. RE: new Swing Out Sister
           From: "Vincent Degiorgio" 
     14. Rydell's backing singers
           From: "Jack Madani" 
     15. Re: new Swing Out Sister
           From: "Vincent Degiorgio" 
     16. Troy Shondell
           From: "Frank Wright" 
     17. doo freakin' lang
           From: "Jack Madani" 
     18. Intentionally Deleted
             By: "Spectropop Administration" 
     19. Re: The Bon Bons
           From: Billy G. Spradlin 


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Message: 1
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 10:29:59 +0000 (GMT)
   From: Mick Patrick 
Subject: ELLIE, ARETHA & ROBIN WARD

Greetings,

In view of the recent communication from Mike Rashkow
(keep 'em comin', Rashkovski!) regarding the involvement
of ELLIE GREENWICH in the recording of "CHAIN OF FOOLS"
by ARETHA FRANKLIN, I'd like to share with
Spectropoppers a few lines from Atlantic Records' prexy
Jerry Wexler's autobiography Rhythm & The Blues:

" ... Songwriter Ellie Greenwich dropped by my office
while I was listening to an acetate of Aretha busting up
Don Covay's combustible "Chain Of Fools" ... For me the
record couldn't be improved.  But Ellie knew better, she
loved the song but insisted she heard another background
part.  "Sing it for me", I urged.  She did and it was
perfect, so right then and there I whisked her into the
studio and had her overdub the part on the final master,
thickening the already extra-thick harmony ... "

I always thought I could spot Ellie on a record but I've
never been able to hear her lovely voice on "Chain Of
Fools", just Aretha and the wonderful Sweet Inspirations,
surely THE most sensational session group of all time. 
But there are several different mixes of this great
track extant and I'm not sure if I've clapped ears each
and every one.

And talking of session-singers, thanks so much to
Charles G. Hill for the heads up regarding the
ROBIN/Jackie WARD interview featured on the Partridge
Family website C'mon Get Happy.  Thanks to that
interview I now know more about the "In His Car" girl
than I ever thought possible.  I'd urge everyone to
click here and read it all for themselves
http://www.cmongethappy.com/interviews/jw/index.html


One subject the interview did not cover was whether or
not Robin/Jackie recorded using the name Josephine
Sunday ... must try and contact the lady herself.

MICK PATRICK

Robin Ward Wonderful Summer

--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------


Message: 2
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 12:35:48 -0000
   From: "Peter Lerner" 
Subject: The Bon Bons

Who can tell me anything about the Bon Bons? Their Coral
45 of Jackie DeShannon's sublime "Each time" (Coral 62435,
produced by Henry Jerome) is a classic girl group sound.
Did they do anything else, and were they really some or
any of the Shangri-las, as the vocal similarity is close
to say the least. And does anyone have Jackie DeShannon's
own Metric demo of this song on tape? Hearing it would
make my day /month / year / decade!

Peter


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Message: 3
   Date: Sun, 04 Nov 2001 00:22:29 +0900
Subject: Intentionally Deleted


--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------


Message: 4
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 05:14:14 EST
   From: Eric Van Rysdam 
Subject: Sam

> Who else is going to stock every single Claudine
>Longet album? Where else will I find obscure Japanese
>New Colony Six twofers? I used to laugh at the
>outrageousness of their stock -- last time I was there
>they had about 20 Man albums; I don't know anyone who
>ever listened to that band, but I guess if you were a
>die-hard Man fan this would be the place for you.

I was wondering what the reason was for their decline
in business and I think David's post answered my
question and then some.

Those of us living in Buffalo do enjoy our visits to
Toronto and Sam The Record Man will be missed.

Eric Van Rysdam


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Message: 5
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 12:30:53 -0000
   From: "Peter Lerner" 
Subject: Re: Tim Rose

"Will George" wrote:

> Does anybody know much about Tim Rose, a 60s folk singer?


Tim Rose. As well as doing Hey Joe, he had a great and
much-covered song Morning Dew, and another called Come
Away Melinda which, when I was young and impressionable,
always used to reduce me to tears. I've got it on tape
somwhere - must dig it out and see if it still has the
old magic after thirty-something years!

Peter


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Message: 6
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 09:27:52 EST
   From: Mike Rashkow 
Subject: Mikie on Blondie

phoenixca writes:

> the 'Stop, Look and Listen' but wishing I had.  And Yes
> Micki and Hilda Harris (sisters I guess) , along with
> Ellie G. did back up vocals on the first and fourth (Eat
> to the Beat) Blondie LPs.

Mikie had two sisters, Chris and Allison.
Micki is from another group.

MCR


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Message: 7
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 09:07:29 -0500
   From: Doc Rock 
Subject: Robin Ward

>But perhaps I'm in a minority and "In His Car" really was
>the worst girl-group record ever.
 
Not by a long shot. I have the CD "The Story of Robin
Ward All the Hits and More," and she rules!

Doc

Robin Ward Wonderful Summer

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Message: 8
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 16:53:18 -0000
   From: Monophonius 
Subject: I Wonder

"I Wonder" on the Crystals CD states that it was
recorded November 1963 in NYC at Mirasound with Brooks
Arthur as Engineer and Arnold Goland as Arranger. 
Realizing that is was done right in the middle of the
Nitzsche-Levine-Gold Star-Wrecking Crew sequence of
productions, are these credits correct on the CD?  It
sounds like Los Angeles to me.

Also, if these credits are correct and it was done in
NYC, then it shows that the Wall of Sound was entirely
Phil's creation and he could do it with any arranger,
any studio, any engineer.

Monophonius


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Message: 9
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 11:01:14 -0500
   From: "Vincent Degiorgio" 
Subject: RE: sam

While the Sam's passing that's upon us is sad, what's
even worse is that it may be the last true catalogue
store in Canada. Sam's used to be the big trip for me as
a kid, hanging out with my dad and adding to his still
growing collection. 

I worked for the chain when I was a teenager as did my
sister, and the arrogance of their operation is what made
it succumb. When other chains such as HMV came in and
glossed up their stores, Sam's stood idly by, figuring
they were the mecca no matter what and it cost them.
Their renovations came too little too late, the e-tailing
for the future was haphazard, and shut down and they
never recovered.

My career started at this place and it is devastating.
One friend in the business once said years ago that "Sams
is the only place where you can find everything". And he
was right. And now, Canada is left with nary a record
store where you actually can find something rare. HMV in
its comparison to Sam's will now be a store selling 100
titles you can get anywhere at bargain prices and the
rest of the store will be mortgaged on you for years.

For spectropoppers in that area, I guess Kop's is
probably a specialized alternative...forget
Amazon....nothing quite beats going into a store and
looking in a bin and relishing the moment where you say
"I found it !!!".

Vincent


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Message: 10
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 10:50:27 EST
   From: Mike Rashkow 
Subject: Re: Chain of Fools session

In a message dated 11/3/2001 Mick Patrick writes:

> In view of the recent communication from Mike Rashkow
> (keep 'em comin', Rashkovski!) regarding the involvement
> of ELLIE GREENWICH in the recording of "CHAIN OF FOOLS"
> by ARETHA FRANKLIN, I'd like to share with
> Spectropoppers a few lines from Atlantic Records' prexy
> Jerry Wexler's autobiography Rhythm & The Blues:
> 
> " ... Songwriter Ellie Greenwich dropped by my office
> while I was listening to an acetate of Aretha busting up
> Don Covay's combustible "Chain Of Fools" ... For me the
> record couldn't be improved. But Ellie knew better, she
> loved the song but insisted she heard another background
> part. "Sing it for me", I urged. She did and it was
> perfect, so right then and there I whisked her into the
> studio and had her overdub the part on the final master,
> thickening the already extra-thick harmony ... "

Maybe she was in his office and they discussed her doing
the parts, but not my memory. My memory is pretty clear
that he approached her via a phone call and then she may
have gone over to hear the thing. I don't think there
were any background parts on it when she got the dub to
work with. I'd bet on it. 

As far as her putting her voice on an already completed
master--that's a fallacy---either Wexler is losing it or
I am. Never happened.

I know I was in the studio when it was done---my first
time at Atlantic and my first meeting with Tom Dowd. I
remember going out to look at how he had his drum set up
miked and I damn well remember The Sweet Inspirations
being taught the parts by Ellie and her coaching them on
how she wanted the phrasing done. It is possible that
she went out into the studio and sang with them on the
bridge, but I don't think so. I also think I remember
Jeff Barry coming by the studio after the session to drop
off a Neil Diamond remix or something for Ellie to listen
to later.

But to paraphrase Dennis Miller, of course that's just
my memory, I could be wrong.

I'm going to copy Ellie on this in case she wants to jump
in, but not likely she will.

> I always thought I could spot Ellie on a record but I've
> never been able to hear her lovely voice on "Chain Of
> Fools", just Aretha and the wonderful Sweet Inspirations,
> surely THE most sensational session group of all time. 
> But there are several different mixes of this great
> track extant and I'm not sure if I've clapped ears each
> and every one.

 and here's one you guys will jump all over like hungry
wolves at a barbeque.... I was in Mikie Harris's and
Jeannie Thomas's apartment when Ellie came from hers
(upstairs a few floors) with the first copy she had just
received from Phil Spector of the final mix on RDMH. As
God is my witness, she played it, took it off the
turntable and threw it across the room---absolutely
distraught. Possibly in tears She plain hated it. It was
way off her concept of the tune and she despised Tina's
vocal. 

If she denies this she will burn in hell for lying.

My God, dishing the dirt is so much fun.


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Message: 11
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 11:03:51 -0500
   From: "Vincent Degiorgio" 
Subject: RE: new Swing Out Sister

My feeling is that Sade is more musically flexibile...
Shapes and Patterns was their best in years...one can
only hope they can capitalize on my vision for them in
the last year and sign them..

I still think nothing touches them.

Vince

Scott wrote:

> Great band and unbelievable they're so overlooked -
> Unique sound and they've gone through some tough
> personal times, but continue to push on.
> 
> I've always wondered why an act like Sade (whom I like
> a great deal), attracts waves of attention, while an
> equally talented act like these guys is ignores ...


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Message: 12
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 21:05:02 EST
   From: Scott 
Subject: Re: new Swing Out Sister

Not sure Sade is more flexible.  I'm a fan, but I can
understand people who say her catalog has a soundalike
quality ...

Scott 


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Message: 13
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 21:18:06 -0500
   From: "Vincent Degiorgio" 
Subject: RE: new Swing Out Sister

And I've just played the new CD and it is terrific...
especially for the Spectropoppers...

V


--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------


Message: 14
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 21:17:03 -0500
   From: "Jack Madani" 
Subject: Rydell's backing singers

spectropop writes:

>P.S. Odd thought - does anyone know who were - or
>anything about - the three female back-up singers who
>were on so many Bobby Rydell records on Cameo in the 60's
>(like "Swingin' School" and "Volare")? Was it always the
>same group?

I have a nagging but vague memory that I asked this
question on Spectropop a long time ago, and that somebody
had an answer--something along the line of, it was these
three middle-aged matrons who used to do needlepoint
between takes. Something real surprising like that.

A search of the Spectropop Archives came up with the answer:

[ http://www.spectropop.com_archive/digest/m425.html
]


jack

who digs rydell's "volare", as well as "forget him", and
wishes he could find a clean recording of "that's
chemistry."  (you're so solid and you're such a gas)


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Message: 15
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 21:40:30 -0500
   From: "Vincent Degiorgio" 
Subject: Re: new Swing Out Sister

 Scott wrote:

> Not sure Sade is more flexible.  I'm a fan, but I can
> understand people who say her catalog has a soundalike
> quality ...

Perhaps flexible wasn't the right adjective, but let's
say that the label she records for kept her forever
cool...something Universal didn't do with SOS....


Vincent


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Message: 16
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 21:31:40 -0600
   From: "Frank Wright" 
Subject: Troy Shondell

I just discovered and joined this group.  This is my
first posting.  If this subject has been previously
discussed, forgive me.  It is common knowledge that
Spector produced one side of Troy Shondell's "Na-Ne-No",
his third Liberty record.  In case anyone was wondering
if there were any other Spector/Shondell recordings, the
answer is YES.  Shondell did not have an album on
Liberty, but he had an LP called "The Many Sides of Troy
Shondell" on Everest (#1206), which contained all of his
Liberty recordings including "Na-Ne-No" and his big hit
"This Time".  All of the Liberty songs were in
rechanneled stereo.  The stereo cuts were Everest
records.  One of the songs on this album  called "THE
GLIDER", sounds very similar to Na-Ne-No.  I always
wondered if it might be a Spector production.  

About a year ago, I made contact with Troy Shondell, and
I asked him if Spector produced THE GLIDER.  He
confirmed that Spector did indeed produce that song.  I
gathered from our conversation that he was not pleased
with the results of his association with Mr. Spector,
and may have blamed him for ruining his career.  

A few years later, when Liberty reissued "The Many Sides
of Troy Shondell" on its Sunset budget label (SUM/SUS
1174), Na-Ne-NO and The Glider were omitted from the
album.  

Troy Shondell has remained in the music business to this
day, and has continued releasing an amazing number of
records.  He owns the rights to most of his catalog, and
has reissued many of his records from the 50's and 60's.
But to my knowledge, the two Spector sides are only
available on the Everest LP.  

If any of you would like to hear "The Glider", I will be
happy to email an MP3 to you, or post it in the Files
section.

Frank Wright


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Message: 17
   Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 22:22:59 -0500
   From: "Jack Madani" 
Subject: doo freakin' lang

>This one could run and run. As I'm sure you're aware,
>Barbara Chandler's back-up dolls lifted those "ratta tangs"
>directly from the superior original version by Andrea
>Carroll

Thanks, Mick, for reminding me of that fact.  The song
kept nagging at me, telling me that I also knew it from
somewhere else, but I chalked that feeling up to it being
a great, hook-laden record, the kind that makes you feel
like you could sing along with it even the first time you
ever heard it.  Only this time, it turns out I *had*
heard it before.  Oops.

[Andrea Carroll,]
> who had the extreme good fortune to have not only
>the Chiffons but also Ellie Greenwich in her backing-group.

Boy, does THAT explain a lot.  I often find myself, when
listening and singing along to Andrea Carroll's "The
Doolang," wanting to segue out of it and into the
Chiffons' "One Fine Day," right during those big open
triad vocal harmony aaaaahhhhh's during the instrumental
break.  Man, what a balm for my troubled soul.

>DOO FREAKIN' LANG!

That about sums it up for me.

jack "hey, daddy cool" madani


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Message: 18
   Date: 4 Nov 2001 05:05:37 -0000
Subject: Intentionally Deleted


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Message: 19
   Date: Sun, 04 Nov 2001 05:37:15 -0000
   From: Billy G. Spradlin 
Subject: Re: The Bon Bons

--- In spectropop, "Peter Lerner" wrote:

> Who can tell me anything about the Bon Bons? Their Coral
> 45 of Jackie DeShannon's sublime "Each time" (Coral 62435,
> produced by Henry Jerome) is a classic girl group sound.

I didnt know there was a girl group version of this song!
The only versions I'm familar with are the Searchers
1966 version (recorded with tons of compression and
reverb on everything!) and Marti Jones laid back cover
on her "Used Guitars" CD.

Billy


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