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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 14 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Days of Pearly Spencer
From: Frank Murphy
2. Al Kooper; A workable idea?; mash-ups; Judy Mayhan; Homburg; Funhouse; more
From: Country Paul
3. Re: Monkees
From: Dan Hughes
4. RE: Oddly Grooved Records
From: Frank Murphy
5. Re: Uni-chord songs
From: Susan
6. Re: Feldman, Goldstein & Gottehrer
From: Eddy"
7. Re: The Beat Goes On/Uni-chord songs
From: Rob Stride
8. P.J. Proby - Didn't Give a Damn
From: Mark Frumento
9. Re: Songwriting credits
From: Al Kooper
10. Re: Beatles on SNL/One-chord songs
From: John Fox
11. Re: A rummage through the vaults of Cameo/Parkway Records
From: Dan Hughes
12. Re: musical epochs/Golden Age theory
From: Paul Bryant
13. Re: Dylan - boos at Newport
From: Al Kooper
14. Re: Question about "Without Her"
From: James Botticelli
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 10:57:33 +0000
From: Frank Murphy
Subject: Days of Pearly Spencer
Hate to be a fly in your ointment - but that song was a hit
in New Zealand - in 1967.
It was done by a local band called the Avengers - got to
Number 4 in our national charts at the end of that year.
Mr.. Almond was the SECOND to have a hit with that song: the
opinions of (xenophobic ;) Poms aside... lol
Mike Stachurski,
Librarian-in-training
DUNEDIN, NZ
Thank go we have a librarian on line to keep us all right. I humbly
apologise for forgetting to place "UK" before "charts" thus leading people
to believe the song "Days of Pearly Spencer" had never been a hit in any of
the major record markets of the world.
Would I be right in assuming that the measly sales figures David McWilliams
achieved in the UK if transferred to New Zealand would have made his version
the biggest seller of the decade in Australasia?
Mike even in jest "xenophobia" is not appropriate ,"narrow-minded", lacking
in world vision, maybe.
G'day
FrankM
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 22:51:54 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Al Kooper; A workable idea?; mash-ups; Judy Mayhan; Homburg; Funhouse; more
Al Kooper:
> one of the greatest tracks of all time I Keep Forgettin; by Chuck
> Jackson, a Leiber-Stoller composition/production, arranged by Burt
> Bacharach!
Al, my tied-for-fave (with "Any Day Now") Chuck Jackson record - thank you
for mentioning it. Jackson's intensity is overwhelming in this one. ("I
Wake Up Crying" is close to the top, too.) And thank you too for your
personal postscript to Emitt Rhodes' sad tale. At least you have a happier
ending - so far. (Happier, yes; ending, not yet.)
This brings up a question: If, as Al says, "If ya dont expect anything,
you're never disappointed," what would it take to start up a record company
and get the work of some of our established but overlooked artists out
there? (Or new people who would appeal to a similar audience?) I'm not
suggesting competing with the majors for rack space at K-Mart, but does
anyone here know if there are any distribution and promotion avenues still
available for folks "past 30" who aren't expecting their next million-seller
but don't mind selling a coupla thousand records as opposed to having
nothing out there? I know there are a few Triple-A radio stations (Adult
Album Alternative) but too many of those, even the better ones, have the
handprints of consultants all over them. On the other hand, if one could get
to the decision-makers at those stations - whether consultant, music
director, or whoever - and get some exposure, as well as have some way to
get product into the kind of stores music-aware adults would patronize....
Well, you see the dream. Is it a possible one? Or has our market become
"just press 1000 CD's and stick 'em on your website and CD Baby"? Opinions
are of course welcome, but rather than just rosy dreamers - which most of us
probably are - I'd like to hear the opinions of people who might have
factual answers. Have any of you tried something like this? With what
results?
Deena J Canale, re: Brian Wilson "mash-up": I had a little trouble with the
"marriage of 'I Just Wasn't Made For The Backseat of My Car,"
http://www.gohomeproductions.co.uk/allendean.html although I love the title.
On the same page is a mash of Abba and (since they wrote it this way, I will
too) E*** & The B******) which does work to my ears, as does "Paperback
Believer" http://www.gohomeproductions.co.uk/tracks.html . Where do you find
these things?!? Fun, fun, fun.
Dr. Mark recommends Charles Hill's http://www.dustbury.com/music/: "Great
articles that all record collectors here not familiar with yet should check
out." Also artists who are unfamiliar, Judy Mayhan being one very
significant one. I second Mark's recommendadion.
Also, kudos to list member Peter Kearns, who has created a very respectable
version of Procol Harum's "Homburg" with his brother Terry channeling Gary
Brooker's voice to quite an extent. It's one of the best Procol Harum songs
ever, IMO.
Bob Radil:
> That just reminded me of another example. Back in 1978 someone
> noticed that if you take the LP of "Imaginary Lover" by The
> Atlanta Rhythm Section and play it at 45rpm, the lead singer
> sounds a bit like Stevie Nicks! Someone told me that one station
> actually played it on the air that way!
Seriously, my college radio friend, Dave Ogden (who I mentioned in an
earlier post), told me that an instrumental 45 by The Roosters (really Herb
Alpert) on Felsted, "Funhouse" (possibly 1960 or 61) was a hit in Pittsburgh
played at 33. He even showed me his copy which had printed on the label at
about a 45-degree angle "A hit when played at 33rpm."
Short & sweet...
Phil Milstein:
> You cats think Tuesday Weld was a bad singer? I've got news for you,
> she was a regular Dionne Warwick compared to Patty Duke.
Phil, I'll grant that "I'll Plant My Own Tree" is excruciating, but (1)
Patty/Anna is belting with a voice designed for far quieter music and (2)
she's always at least within a quarter tone of the note - at least a quarter
closer than Tuesday at any given minute! Thanks for posting this track - I
think! :-)
Phil again:
> I don't mean to start another thread here, but I am curious to know
> if I'm the only dingaling who saves record co. stickers from the
> covers of sealed CDs and LPs.
No you're not - assuming it's something other than the price tag!
Alan Zweig suggested http://jaguaro.org/feature/archives/000286.html#000286
Some of us may relate to this? Darn right! Required reading for collectors,
if a bit overheated. I once worked at a radio station that tried filing
Jefferson Airplane under "A"." Big mistake.
"Superoldies" asked about Gary Stites, who had "Lonely For You" on Carlton
(1959). I only found one biographical note here:
http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/gary_stites.htm . There's a
citation for a website for one Sammy Hall, a minister; the Google sample
reads: "This marks the first time Gary Stites takes a producer's credit on a
Birdwatchers
single. ... Gary Stites recycled 'She Tears Me Up' for the flip of this as
well." However, the website is under re-construction, and the document with
this reference is gone. (The Birdwatchers are also referenced in Fuzz Acid &
Flowers.)
Last but never least, John Clemente: thank you for your thoughtful comments
on the fading of girl groups (bad material, indeed!), the continuation of
doo-wop in New York, and the coming of the Beatles. Wish I'd seen it before
I posted my ramble on the topic.
Oh, Denise Doobedoo (that *was* her last name, wasn't it?),
Country Paul
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 02:05:01 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: Monkees
Jim asks:
> Anyone recall almost forgotten Monkees song called "I Wanna be
> Free"? Not sure if was a "B" side or an LP track.
I do remember an interview with the writer (don't remember who it was),
saying that they took the title line from Roger Miller's "One Dyin' and
a Buryin'":
One dyin' and a buryin',
One dyin' and a buryin'.
Some cryin', six carryin' me,
I wanna be free."
---Dan
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 11:05:37 +0000
From: Frank Murphy
Subject: RE: Oddly Grooved Records
Joe Nelson wrote:
> An even more interesting concept would be a 12"
> single with different mixes of the same song on seperate grooves. The
> casual listener would have no way of controlling which mix got played.
> The MAD disc is a variation on this idea.
This is off the top of my head but i am sure Robin Scott AKA "M" of Pop
Muzik fame released such a 12" with two grooves on one side.
Frankm
reflections on northern soul Saturdays at 14:30 or listen now
www.radiomagnetic.com/archive/rnb.php
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 09:02:21 EST
From: Susan
Subject: Re: Uni-chord songs
> "The Trip" by Donovan? "Smokestack Lightnin'" by Howlin' Wolf?
"Coconut" by Harry Nilsson - one great big C chord!
Susan
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 14:46:40 +0100
From: Eddy"
Subject: Re: Feldman, Goldstein & Gottehrer
Glenn wrote:
> One of my favorite songwriting stories is about this
> song. "Goldmine" magazine interviewed the three...
Glenn,
I have that issue of Goldmine right here and I quote:
"Feldman wrote the song after visiting a sweet shop across
the street from Lincoln High School. "We used to cut classes
and hang out, have egg creams and pretzels, you know,"
Feldman says. "Now it's five years later and I hear they
were tearing it down and building apartment houses. So I came
back for a final egg cream and to say goodbye to those people.
"There's a girl screaming at somebody, 'My boyfriend's back
and you're gonna be in trouble. You've been saying things
about me in school that aren't true, and when he gets back,
he's going to kick the $hit out of you.' I grabbed a napkin
and started writing what she was saying. Thyat night I went
back to Manhattan, got together with Jerry and Richie and said,
'I heard a great song today.' We wrote the song that night. We
didn't finish it until about three months later, because we
couldn't get one line down : 'If I were you I'd take a permanent
vacation.' That line took us three months."
The story does continue however on how FGG wanted the song to
be recorded by the Angels and April Blackwood wanted it for the
Shirelles, which may account for a possible delay. In any case
there is no clear date or even year mentioned in that passage.
As for the Tommy James quote, I went through the entire
interviews and I do not see this mentiojed anywhere. So...
maybe it was in another issue or magazine altogether ?
Eddy
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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2023 14:00:18 -0000
From: Rob Stride
Subject: Re: The Beat Goes On/Uni-chord songs
Steve Harvey wrote:
> ..."The Beat Goes On", it was just a chord pattern (and
> nothing that spectacular
Jon Adelson:
> Actually I believe it was just one chord throughout the
> whole song. Can anyone think of any other uni-chord songs?
> I can't believe that there are too many.
Phil C:
> "The Beat Goes On" is sung over a bass figure that doesn't
> modulate, similarly "Mickey's Monkey".
> Marvin Gaye's "Baby Don't You Do It" is sung over one bass note.
> Pete Townshend said that's what interested him about the song.
> And, of course, the fab "Bo Diddley" is also sung over one chord.
"Land of a Thousand Dances" is all over one chord, as is
"Papa Was A Rolling Stone".
You've got to be good to write a song with one chord and
make it work as well as those two. IMHO
Rob Stride
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Message: 8
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 14:39:59 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: P.J. Proby - Didn't Give a Damn
I asked about this song last week and Martin Roberts pointed me to
the Proby fan club to get more information. Thanks Martin.
Thought I'd play the track to musica in case 1) anyone would like
hear it and 2) anyone can help determine if it was ever released.
The backing was provided by the British beat/harmony sextet The
Quiet Five. That's all I know about it so far. We'll, that and the
story Kris Ife (lead singer and guitarist for the Q5) told me...
apparently Proby had a touch of whiskey before this performance and
infected the vocal booth with spit. Kris was up next to record one
of his tracks and opted to use another microphone. Enough said. You
get the picture.
Mark F.
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 09:43:19 EST
From: Al Kooper
Subject: Re: Songwriting credits
Alan Zweig:
> (Wouldn't it be funny if Al Kooper informed me now that he
> also played on Buddy Greco's version?) Anyway I don't want
> to make it seem like I'm undervaluing the many unique and
> brilliant contributions of musicians. But I just don't
> think songwriting credit is the way to acknowledge that.
Buddy Greco never did and never will have any idea who I am.
But thanks AZ for seeing the way it is in songwriting ?
AK
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Message: 10
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 09:40:16 EST
From: John Fox
Subject: Re: Beatles on SNL/One-chord songs
Phil Milstein writes:
> Michaels's cash offer was for something like $25,000, maybe even less.
Phil, to clear up your foggy memory, the offer was for $3,000. And in one of
the great lines of all time, Lorne then offers this: "You can split it up
any way you'd like. If you want to give Ringo a little less, it's up to you."
And regarding one-chord songs, how about any single by the Temptations,
starting in mid-1968?
John Fox
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Message: 11
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 19:45:47 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: A rummage through the vaults of Cameo/Parkway Records
Other favorites from the catalog--
I (Who Have Nothing) and Mister You're A Better Man Than I (two different
singles? Can't remember)--Terry Knight & the Pack--Lucky 11.
East Side Story--Bob Seger & the Last Herd.
By the way, I always wondered if Seger's group name was a joke or just a
stupid mistake? I mean, I wonder how many stations passed on their
records because when the DJ announced the group the audience would hear
"Bob Seger and the Last Turd."
---Dan
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Message: 12
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 06:53:36 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul Bryant
Subject: Re: musical epochs/Golden Age theory
Bill George wrote:
> I think this must be relative to when you grew up.
> I first started listening to music and buying
> singles in the early 70s, and it is one of my
> favorite periods. Of course, now I think most of the
> current hits are horrible, and how can anyone think
> otherwise.
Not always the case that you love the music you grew
up with best, as I also love the incredible decade of
American folk and blues from 1925 to 1935, and there
are of course a zillion early jazz fans out there. But
I recall the answer to the question: When was the
Golden Age of Science Fiction? Answer : 14.
I bet Spectropop has discussed this before, but me &
my pals have often wagged our heads over whether there
really has been a terrible decline in pop music from
(say) the 80s onwards, or whether it's merely that we
got older. As I tend to reject all other Golden Age
theories ("In my young day you could leave your door
unlocked and everyone knew their neighbours" - that
kind of thing) I had been wavering towards rejecting
my Golden Age of Pop beliefs too, & then came Ian
Macdonald's Revolution in the Head which includes a
fearsome attack on the pop music of the 90s and charts
the decline since the 60s in no uncertain terms
(citing melody, rhythmic inventiveness, eclecticism,
experimentalism, etc etc). So since I have him on my
side I'll say yes, I do believe the 60s were the peak
of recorded pop music (let's say circa 1955 to circa
1975 to be reasonably inclusive) and since then, the
triumph of style over substance (and that's being
kind).
pb
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Message: 13
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 10:03:55 EST
From: Al Kooper
Subject: Re: Dylan - boos at Newport
Paul Bryant wrote:
> Hey, Al - it just occurred to me to ask - did YOU
> boo Dylan at Newport??
Dylan at Newport simple stuff
I was onstage. Every act over the weekend played 40 mins - 01 hour. Most
people came to see King Dylan and "tolerated" the other acts; it least it seemed
that way to me. Chambers Bros. played electric, no booing. Butterfield played
electric - no booing.
We played a 3 song, fifteen minute set as the headliners of the festival. We
didnt play particularly well either and the sound balance was indeed dreadful.
Now THERE'S some stuff to boo about. I heard more yells of MORE! than I heard
boos. Bob cam back and played on acoustic guitar "Its All Over Now, Baby Blue"
Now that was what I thought was the most dramatic number. He basically said
goodbye to Newport acoustically. All the other b.s. about booing Bob going
electric was promulgated by the press. When we next played Forest Hills. Like A
Rolling Stone was number one. They all sang along when we played it and then
booed when it was over. Then we played the Hollywood Bowl and there was nary one
boo in that whole show. I began to understand how much hipper the westcoast
was than the east at that time. Ergo, the westcoasters got a better show
Al Kooper
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Message: 14
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 10:04:19 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Question about "Without Her"
Robert R. Radil wrote:
> Was "Just One Smile" also a single? Was it the follow up or did it
> precede "I Can't Quit Her"? Was "I Love You More Than You'll Ever
> Know" released as a single?
Wasn't "Without Her" on that LP? That's a great one as well. Personal fave
at this address.
James Botticelli
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