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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Alley & the Soul Sneekers
From: Mick Patrick
2. Re: Kit Kats
From: Steve Harvey
3. Re: Elvis covers
From: Steve Harvey
4. Perfect Buck
From: Steve Harvey
5. Re: The Association - Collectors Choice Reissues
From: David Goodwin
6. Nino and April Rev-Ola CD
From: Steve Stanley
7. Re: Elvis covers
From: Mojo
8. Re: Four Tops and Spector
From: Ray
9. Re:Originals vs Covers
From: Bill George
10. Re: Classical pop - Della (not Dinah)
From: Bill George
11. Re: Kit Kats in Philly
From: Nick Archer
12. Joe, Phil, and Folk Rock
From: Bill Craig
13. Whatever Happened to Happy
From: Bill George
14. Re: Four Tops and Spector
From: Martin Jensen
15. Re: Red Bird Sound series
From: Mick Patrick
16. Re: Tuning down a "half step"
From: John Berg
17. Re: Whatever Happened to Happy
From: Patrick Beckers
18. Bonner & Gordon songs / Alley & the Soul Sneekers
From: Mick Patrick
19. Radio Radio
From: James Botticelli
20. Re: Four Tops and Spector
From: Tom Taber
21. Re: Alley & the Soul Sneekers / Carl Hall
From: That Alan Gordon
22. Re: Originals vs Covers
From: James Botticelli
23. When You Move It In The Room
From: Steve Harvey
24. Re: Kit Kats in Philly
From: Steve Harvey
25. Tuning down a "half step"
From: Steve Harvey
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 00:08:47 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Alley & the Soul Sneekers
Martin Roberts:
> Next week's choice is between two album tracks: Alley and the
> Soul Sneekers (AKA That Alan Gordon) with "Understand Your Man"
> on Capitol from 1979, or Sumner with "Run Cindy Run" on Asylum
> from 1980.
Blimey. Disco! My, how a quest for all things Nitzsche-related
can broaden one's musical menu. For those who are unaware, the
Alley & the Soul Sneekers LP is a source of ten songs written
by That Alan Gordon, most of them featuring lead vocals by the
one and only Carl Hall. For fans of such things, the track "How
Can I Leave Her" is a girl group-style number with the flavour
of Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)".
Maybe Alan can share with us all some memories of working with
one of the most remarkable singers that ever lived.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 16:25:58 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Kit Kats
John and Karl were with Kit when they reformed the Kats in the late 80s.
It didn't last too long before Kit and the others had a falling out.
However, I got to see them twice; at Jerry Blavat's club and Immaculata
College. Great medley of Four Seasons tunes done at that show. Taped
both! I think Ronnie is a butcher and wasn't interested in a musica
career anymore. Heard that Karl use to play down in Disney World for
many years.
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 16:28:32 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Elvis covers
Phil M:
> Does anyone know if any compilation albums of covers of Elvis songs
> exists?
There's the double CD Last Temptation of Elvis with Bruce, Nanci Giffith,
Vivian Stanshall, Cramps, McCartney and others. Pretty good stuff.
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 16:33:15 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Perfect Buck
Steveo:
> steve...do you have perfect pitch?...or how are you noticing this
> tuning down a 1/2 step?
No, I don't know have perfect pitch. It was a pretty standard thing
to do (never knew the Beatles had done it). Bill Kirchen mentioned
this to me the first time I heard it. Have heard it or read it
several times since. However, if you tune your guitar to an
electronic tuner you will have to retune it to the record if you're
trying to figure out something on Buck's discs. I learned "Buck's
Polka" last year.
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 19:25:38 -0600
From: David Goodwin
Subject: Re: The Association - Collectors Choice Reissues
Re the Association Collectors Choice CDs...there've been rumors of a
Warners UK set of reissues for quite some time now. Honestly, I'm not
too fond of CC's reissuing strategy; basically, they put out a bare-
bones version of some title (throwing their logo all over it...and in
THIS case they're bandying about a "FIRST TIME ON CD" line, despite
the Japanese discs that preceded 'em), which then inevitably gets
reissued with extra tracks somewhere a month or so later. See "No
Other" for an example of this, and Warners UK has been sitting on
expanded reissues of the two Beau Brummels titles for a few months now,
allegedly.
Bottom line: the CC discs are inexpensive, but you get what you pay for.
Hopefully, more comprehensive reissues (including mono single mixes, as
in the Japanese discs) are forthcoming.
-D
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 18:09:52 -0800
From: Steve Stanley
Subject: Nino and April Rev-Ola CD
Country Paul wrote:
> Never heard it before, Part 1: "Wings of Love," by Nino Tempo & April
> Stevens, White Whale WW-248, 1962. WFMU's Monica Lynch played it today,
> and it pinned my ears back! Sort of "Wimoweh" meets Phil Spector
> recording the Mamas and Papas. Came home to discover I had it on a 45 -
> but it didn't sound as full or rich as the version I heard on the air,
> apparently from a Rev-ola CD. So, questions: (1) Is it indeed Rev-ola?
> (2) Is the CD version a remix? (3) I already have the Varese CD; is
> there much more on the Rev-ola that's missing from the Varese? Help,
> please!
"Wings of Love" b/w "My Old Flame" (WHITE WHALE 246) was released by White
Whale in 1968. Did WFMU reference a version from 1962? If they played the
Rev-Ola reissue of 'All Strung Out,' then they played this later version (I
don't think a 1962 Nino and April recording of "Wings Of Love" exists...)
I worked on the Rev-Ola 'All Strung Out' CD and can confirm that the master
used was not a clone of the 1996 Varese CD. It was remastered by Joe Foster
and Nick Robbins. Unlike the Varese version, the Rev-Ola CD also features
the great Nino Tempo solo track "Boys Town" as well as an interview with
Nino himself.
Steve
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 02:11:07 -0000
From: Mojo
Subject: Re: Elvis covers
Phil M:
> Does anyone know if any compilation albums of covers of Elvis songs
> exists?
Hello Phil, Elvis Has Left The Building: A Tribute To A King is the
cover album of Elvis tracks which I have in my collection. Artists
Include Billy Joel, Johnny Cash, Meatloaf, Pet Shop Boys, amongst
others. Came out Aug 2002 on the Sony label. So it should still be
available. Happy hunting.
Mojo
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Message: 8
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 02:26:34 -0000
From: Ray
Subject: Re: Four Tops and Spector
Martin Jensen:
> When listening to some Four Tops albums today, I began to fantasise
> about how great a collaboration between the group and Spector could
> have been....
I read somewhere that Phil really liked the Four Tops' sound. When he
first signed the Rightous Bros and got toghether with Barry Mann and
Cynthia Weil to write a song for them, he wanted it to sound similar
to the Four Tops' "Baby I need your Lovin". What they achieved is, of
course, music history..."You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling'" ....named
one of the best songs of the Century by BMI!!
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 21:48:43 EST
From: Bill George
Subject: Re:Originals vs Covers
Someone said:
> Likewise (the Beatles') "Money" which surely beats the original.
My favorite is the Flaming Lizards 80s version.
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Message: 10
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 22:02:22 EST
From: Bill George
Subject: Re: Classical pop - Della (not Dinah)
That Alan Gordon:
> Bill George wanted to know who was the artist who had a big hit with
> Puccini's "Musetta`s waltz". It was "Don't You Know" by the wonderful
> Della Reese.
Thank you! Next time I encounter that question I'll be able to correct
the game! I was sure it wasn't Dinah. Is this song available anymore?
- Bill
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Message: 11
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 21:17:26 -0600
From: Nick Archer
Subject: Re: Kit Kats in Philly
I lived for several years in Willingboro New Jersey, right outside
Philadelphia in the sixties. It was the heyday of WIBG, WFIL had just
started as a rock-n-roller. I kept a transistor radio on 24/7, had a one
diode radio that I built with a crystal earphone to listen in my bed,
and I had a clip that kept my transistor radio centered between the
handlebars of my bike. I don't remember which station it was, but one
day I was riding around the neighborhood and "Let's Get Lost On a
Country Road" came on. I was mesmerized, and stopped my bike to listen
until I heard who had done this wonderful record. I never bought the 45,
but in my college years picked up a Jamie-Guyden greatest hits LP with
the song. It wasn't until 1981 or so that I found the album at a punk
music store in Denver Colorado. It's one of my favorite songs of all time,
and really brings back the feeling of Philadelphia radio in the 60's. If
the stations there are ignoring their heritage, and not playing all the
great music made right there, it's a shame.
Nick Archer
(who still has his Charge! Wibbage button)
Check out Nashville's classic radio station SM95 on the web at:
http://www.live365.com/stations/nikarcher
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Message: 12
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 05:13:05 -0000
From: Bill Craig
Subject: Joe, Phil, and Folk Rock
With regard to the comparison of Phil Spector to Joe Meek, I think
you can use a cinematic analogy. Spector as Cecil B. DeMille to Meek's
Ed Wood. Even though both made great groundbreaking hit records
(Telstar will always be my favorite instrumental of all time) a part of
the charm is the low budget inventiveness. (Toilets flushing backwards
etc.) I think the main similarity was their independent maverick status.
Folk Rock: I once had some songs that I had submitted to a publisher
returned with a rejection letter that not only passed on the material
but objected to the fact that I had referred to the songs as "Folk Rock"
in my cover letter.His point was that only songs that incorporated a
message about some social issue could be labeled Folk Rock. I disagreed
then and I still do. And if "Needles And Pins" is where it all started,
it makes the case that there is no such criteria.
Bill Craig
Thanks to David Coyle for the word on "Pretty Flamingo". I've never
heard Gene Pitney's version.
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Message: 13
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 05:45:18 -0000
From: Bill George
Subject: Whatever Happened to Happy
Now playing in musica: Jackie DeShannon's version of Whatever Happened
To Happy. Now if someone can play the Mojo Men...
Comparison comments anyone?
Bill
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Message: 14
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 10:19:46 -0000
From: Martin Jensen
Subject: Re: Four Tops and Spector
Ray wrote:
> I read somewhere that Phil really liked the Four Tops' sound. When
> he first signed the Rightous Bros and got toghether with Barry Mann
> and Cynthia Weil to write a song for them, he wanted it to sound
> similar to the Four Tops' "Baby I need your Lovin". What they
> achieved is, of course, music history..."You've Lost That Lovin'
> Feeling'" ....named one of the best songs of the Century by BMI!!
That's interesting and it makes sense. Ok, so 'Baby I Need yot
Loving' is no Wall of Sound, but it does contain that fragile quality
that Spector could also put into a song... On a similar note, in the
book 'The Heart of Rock & Soul' Dave Marsh writes that: Phil Spector
called 'Bernadette' "a black man singing Bob Dylan". :-) I wonder
where Marsh heard or read that?
With regards
Martin, Denmark
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Message: 15
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 11:15:09 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Red Bird Sound series
Ken Silverwood:
> ...'Red Bird Sound, Vol 4: Dressed In Black' CD...
Jimmy Botticelli:
> Can anyone furnish info on that series? Nevah hurd of it!
Wassup, live in a cave? :-) No, seriously, you can view the covers
and tracklists for all four volumes in the S'pop photo section. Vol
3 is deleted. Dunno 'bout the others, which all, btw, contain tracks
otherwise unavailable on CD (the Jelly Beans doing "He's Gone",
anyone?). Click on each image for more readable larger versions:
http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/lst
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 16
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 11:21:22 EST
From: John Berg
Subject: Re: Tuning down a "half step"
Yes, there are people out there with "perfect pitch" who can hear
"quarter notes" and "half notes". My mother is an example -- she
knows instinctively "perfect C" and can hear everything based around
that. Fortunately, for the rest of us there are now digital
instruments that can tell us these things. That's how guitarists
are able to tune their instruments on a noisy bandstand and remain
in tune with the keyboards, for instance.
I was involved in the "rediscovery" of blues/R&B singer-guitarist
Robert Ward in 1989. He soon signed with Black Top Records and
traveled down to their base in New Orleans to cut his first album
(having recorded many 45s in the '60s with his band The Ohio
Untouchables, later compiled on CD by Relic Records). For this
"comeback" CD, Black Top wanted to re-record several of his great
songs from the early '60s. The band recorded the "tracks", of course
featuring Robert's unique guitar stylings using a Magnatone 280 "true
vibrato" amp. Alas, given the fact that he was now many years older
and had not been active for some while, Robert was not able to hit
the high notes on many of the songs. Easy solution: Black Top
simply slowed down the tape of tracks -- in this case by a full note,
so that Robert could hit the highs -- then they "corrected" the pitch
back to normal. Nobody was the wiser.
John Berg
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Message: 17
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 16:12:38 -0000
From: Patrick Beckers
Subject: Re: Whatever Happened to Happy
Bill George wrote:
> Now playing in musica: Jackie DeShannon's version of Whatever
> Happened To Happy. Now if someone can play the Mojo Men...
> Comparison comments anyone?
I can add the Mojo Men version when there is room.
Patrick Beckers
Bonner/Gordon webpage:
http://www.geocities.com/patriczik/bonner-gordon.htm
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Message: 18
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 16:57:19 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Bonner & Gordon songs / Alley & the Soul Sneekers
Bill George wrote:
> Now playing in musica: Jackie DeShannon's version of (Bonner &
> Gordon's) Whatever Happened To Happy. Now if someone can play the
> Mojo Men... Comparison comments anyone?
Patrick Beckers:
> I can add the Mojo Men version when there is room. Bonner/Gordon
> webpage: http://www.geocities.com/patriczik/bonner-gordon.htm
Hi Patrick, I checked out the list of Bonner & Gordon songs at your
website. Here are some more, all contained on the eponymous LP of
Alley & the Soul Sneekers, released on Capitol SW-11913 in 1979.
Some of the songs bear earlier publishing dates, so additional
previous versions might exist:
Love Breakdown
I'm Coming Down With A Thrill
Understand Your Man
Caught In Another Way With Love
Soul Sneekers
How Can You Leave Her
Cheater's Honeymoon
Running Away Like A Child
Libertina
Let The Music Begin
"I'm Coming Down With A Thrill" was written by (That) Alan Gordon
and Carole Bayer Sager. All the others are solo Alan Gordon
compositions.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 19
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 11:50:34 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Radio Radio
Nick Archer wrote:
> If the stations there are ignoring their heritage, and not playing
> all the great music made right there, it's a shame.
THAT pretty much sums up all of my personal feelings about music and
America today...Thanks.
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Message: 20
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 09:23:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Tom Taber
Subject: Re: Four Tops and Spector
Martin Jensen wrote:
> Dave Marsh writes that Phil Spector called 'Bernadette' "a black
> man singing Bob Dylan". :-) I wonder where Marsh heard or read that?
I have a tape of Phil S. on a radio show commenting on "Reach Out" (not
"Bernadette") being "Four Tops doing Dylan," and he sings along for a
bit with the lead vocal to demonstrate his premise. Tom Taber
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Message: 21
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 10:24:29 -0700 (MST)
From: That Alan Gordon
Subject: Re: Alley & the Soul Sneekers / Carl Hall
Mick Patrick wanted me to share some of my memories of working with
Carl Hall. Let me begin by saying there are singers, and there are
singers, and then there's Carl Hall. Truly, this man could hit such
high notes that Lassie and Rin Tin Tin could hear him in canine heaven!
I first met Carl in the mid '70s through another legendary singer, the
late Tasha Thomas. They were both singing on my demos, and no cover
record could equal the performances I got from Tasha and Carl. When I
played one of those demos for the great Jack Nitzsche, "Love Breakdown",
he brought the head of Capital Records to my home, and that is how
Alley and the Soul Sneekers came about.
"How can you leave her behind" is one of the best things on the lp. It
is my tribute to Phil Spector, a man who really influenced me like so
many of us. I hope somebody plays it on musica. Ronnie Spector also
recorded it in the '80s.
My other Spector link is a song Darlene Love did I co wrote with Paul
Shaffer, "Love Must Be Love".
Carl invited me to his apartment for dinner, an honor for me. He took
me in his music room where he had on his wall about 75 beautiful
professional photos, all black artists except one, a picture of ME! I
said, "Carl, tell me the truth, you just put that on the wall 'cause I
was comin over". I'm sure it came right off when I left. I love Carl,
and his wife Nettie.
On another note, today my Son Christian, an S'Pop member, and his wife
Giovanna presented Annette and I with our first grandchild, a boy,
Joshua. WE are really blessed.
Best, That alan
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Message: 22
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 11:55:56 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Originals vs Covers
> Likewise (the Beatles') "Money" which surely beats the original.
Bill George:
> My favorite is the Flaming Lizards 80s version.
Not mine's...I always thought the Kingsmen's 'live' version took the slice.
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Message: 23
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 09:49:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: When You Move It In The Room
On Cliff Richard's new CD, Wanted, he does covers he's always wanted
to do including "When You Walk In The Room", thus proving Cliff is
truly the father of folk rawk.
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Message: 24
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 09:56:24 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Kit Kats in Philly
Nick, Thanks for sharing. The lp you got was the first Jamie lp by the
Kit Kats, I think it was called It's About Time. The second lp on Jamie
was a live on from the T-bar on MacDade Ave. Their third lp was the New
Hope lp which was also the name of the band at that point. The only
"greatest hits" lp was a ripoff on Virtue (guitar boogie) which were
demos they did for that label before signing with Jamie. It was
basically 50s covers like "Stranded In the Jungle" and such. Hardly their
"hits".
It's sad how radio distorts the truth. Just like "classic rock" stations
exploit their past by ignoring many of the acts that use to be played in
the early days of FM (Burrito Bros., the Move, Bonzo Doodah Dog Band,
etc.) What bothers me is that young kids on college radio playing oldies"
All they seem to do is mimic what they heard the commercial oldies
stations do. No concept of playing B-sides or album cuts. The Doors have
been reduced to a four song act. Forget about ever hearing Love on the
radio. The Beach Boys don't exist once they left Capitol. Hell, even
"Breakaway" is non-existant.
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Message: 25
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 09:44:18 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Tuning down a "half step"
I can remember taking musical dictation in music class in high school.
The teacher would tell us the starting note and play a melody which we
had to write down all the notes for without any instrument. I was bored
because I was lousy at it, but my buddy was bored because he had perfect
pitch and could tell the notes upon hearing them. It was too easy for
him!
I remember my music teacher saying that perfect pitch was a kind of
curse. A car would make a corner too fast and the tires would squeal.
Because it was slightly offkey it would drive anybody with perfect pitch
up the wall. Kind of like chalk squeaking on the blackboard.
Most people have what is known as relative pitch. Listen to "In My Life"
by the Beatles. The harpsichord is actually just a piano that George
Martin sped up. Playing with the tape speed is another old trick.
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