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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 19 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Mann & Weil musical
From: Tony Leong
2. Darlene Love's new habit
From: James Cassidy
3. Ron Dante and Donna Marie in musica
From: Laura Pinto
4. Paul Evans / Mann & Weil off-Broadway / Glizards
From: Artie Wayne
5. Gerry & the Pacemakers "Girl On A Swing"
From: S'pop Projects
6. Cha Cha Charming
From: S'pop Projects
7. Re: Goffin/King research
From: Bill Reed
8. Re: Arbors day
From: Phil X. Milstein
9. Re: Eleven of the best / Carl Hall
From: James Botticelli
10. Re: Eleven of the best / Stevie Wonder
From: Frank Murphy
11. Re: Eleven of The Best / Carl Hall / Jeanette
From: Julio Niño
12. Re: Eleven of the best / Carl Hall
From: "Mick Patrick"
13. Connie Francis, Neil Sedaka
From: Michael Edwards
14. Birthdays; Blue Beats; Codeine; Legends; FGG; Rockin' Connie; Norvus; Antonio Prieto!
From: Country Paul
15. Re: The Now Sound
From: A. Zweig
16. Austin Roberts on Bandstand
From: Mark Hill
17. "Shadows & Reflections"
From: John Berg
18. WORC; Kitchen Cinq; Cool Shakes redux; Pet Sounds; Moon Out Tonight
From: Country Paul
19. Re: bogus Vogues
From: David Coyle
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 14:36:02 -0000
From: Tony Leong
Subject: Re: Mann & Weil musical
Don Hertel:
> Barry and Cynthia will be performing in a new musical based on
> their catalogue of hit songs, entitled THEY WROTE THAT? The show
> will have a limited engagement, beginning January 15, 2004 in New
> York City at the McGinn/Cazale Theater, Broadway and 76th Street,
> directly above the Promenade Theater. Show times are Tuesday-Friday
> at 8PM, Saturday at 2 and 8PM and Sunday at 3PM. The show is being
> directed by Tony Award-winning director Richard Maltby, Jr. and
> produced by James B. Freydberg and CTM Productions. Tickets are
> available at Telecharge.com or by calling 212 239-6200.
Go see that show---it's GREAT!!!!! And Barry and Cynthia are real
nice people too!!!!
Tony Leong
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 10:02:35 -0500
From: James Cassidy
Subject: Darlene Love's new habit
Our beloved Darlene Love is currently on tour with the 20th anniversary
production of "Nunsense," accompanied by a real mixed bag of experienced
showbiz chicks. For more info and a picture showing Darlene in her
costume, visit:
http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/events/theater/documents/03568911.asp
Jim Cassidy
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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 17:30:30 -0000
From: Laura Pinto
Subject: Ron Dante and Donna Marie in musica
Hi, fellow S'poppers,
In honor of two of the list members, Ron Dante and Donna Marie,
who as many of you know dueted on two Archies singles ("Who's
Your Baby" and "Together We Two"), I've played one of them to
musica for your listening pleasure. "Together We Two" is another
sweet treat from the "Sugar, Sugar" power team of Jeff Barry and
Andy Kim. It appears on the final Archies LP, "This is Love",
which has not been released on CD as of this writing. Enjoy!
Laura :)
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 09:40:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Paul Evans / Mann & Weil off-Broadway / Glizards
Paul........How ya' doin'? I just checked out your website......I
really enjoyed it !!! Every time a question would pop into my head
that I wanted to ask you......it would be answered on the next
page. You and your wife, Susan did an excellent job of putting your
website together.
Toni Wine was telling me about the Mann/Weil off-broadway show.....
I'm living in Desert Hot Springs [which is really off-broadway!] and
won't be be able to go. Please give Barry and Cynthia my regards.
I'm glad you like my "Glizards"......I'd like to say they're flying
off the shelves, but since they are acrylics on rocks of unfinished
quartz.....they're too heavy to fly!!
Looking forward to more of your stories,
regards, Artie Wayne
http://www.artiewayne.com/
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Message: 5
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 14:35:03 -0000
From: S'pop Projects
Subject: Gerry & the Pacemakers "Girl On A Swing"
Dear Members,
To prevent further repetition, the following brief compendium will
hopefully render the Gerry & the Pacemakers/"Girl On A Swing" thread
closed. No more please.
Thank you,
The S'pop Team
-----------------------------------------
Jim Shannon:
> ...the Pacemakers last single (released in spring of '69, on
> Laurie Records), "Girl on a Swing".
Mike McKay:
I thought at first this might have been just a typo, but "Girl on a
Swing" actually first reached the U.S. Top 40 in October of 1966, so
it appears that both your year and the season are off, Jim.
Jim:
> A decent song, it never charted above 30.
Mike:
#28 on the Billboard charts. And yes, it is a good song!
Javed Jafri:
Jim, Your chronology is a bit off. "Girl an a Swing" was released
in 1966. It was the Pacemakers' last charting single in the U.S.
Steve Harvey:
The Singles Plus on EMI contains "Girl on a Swing". It came out in
1987 so it might be out of print now.
Bob Radil:
Actually, here in the USA, it was already out by the fall of 1966.
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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 16:46:04 -0000
From: S'pop Projects
Subject: Cha Cha Charming
Dear Members,
A modest one, that doll Sheila B. Her fab webmag Cha Cha Charming
- A Journalistic Tribute To Girl-Powered Pop ... Past, Present
And Future, And From All Over The World - has just been updated
with three new feature articles. She's not about to shout about
it, so we will:
Ann-Margret: Sweden's Kitten With A Whip
http://www.chachacharming.com/article.php?id=18
It's My Party: The Birth Of A Pop Classic, featuring Lesley
Gore, Helen Shapiro, the Blossoms and Barbara English
http://www.chachacharming.com/article.php?id=16
Jeanette: Spain's Best-Kept Secret
http://www.chachacharming.com/article.php?id=17
Tell Sheila we sent you.
Enjoy!
The S'pop Team
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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 15:56:03 -0000
From: Bill Reed
Subject: Re: Goffin/King research
Don wrote:
> I've seen titles of songs that look like Goffin/King songs,
> that are from that era, but I'm not sure if they are or aren't.
YES, they are all Goffin-King. And I have added a few more
recordings IN BOLD in addition to the ones you list.
Yours Until Tomorrow - The Dream(New Dream), The Flying Colors,
PAULA WAYNE.
Don't Forget About Me - Bobby Thomas, Patsy Gallant, BARBARA LEWIS,
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD.
Honey And Wine - Sounds Unlimited, The Y?4, THE ALL-NIGHT WALKERS.
He's In Town - The Townsmen, THE TOKENS, THE ROCKIN' BERRIES.
Walking Proud - Size Seven Group, STEVE LAWRENCE.
Stage Door - The Ahmed Dahmen Band, TONY JACKSON, THE GRADS.
Road To Nowhere - Digger Revell, CAROLE KING.
It's Gonna Be Alright - Lunduns, Jaguars, Tommy Dae, MAXINE BROWN.
Don't Ever Change - Jack London & The Sparrows, THE CRICKETS.
So Much Love - New Seekers, The Choir, STEVE ALAIMO, BEN E. KING.
I Want To Stay Here - Derrick & Paulette, STEVE LAWRENCE, EYDIE
GORME.
Keep Your Hands off My Baby - Viscounts, Gettysburg Address, Inn
Crowd, LITTLE EVA.
Pleasant Valley Sunday - Tambourine, THE MONKEES.
Just What I Was Looking For Today - The Yellow Payges, THE EVERLY
BROTHERS.
Bill
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 21:33:56 -0500
From: Phil X. Milstein
Subject: Re: Arbors day
Austin Roberts wrote:
> I was lucky enough to produce The Arbors in the early '70s.
> They were not only talented, but great guys and very easy
> to work with.
Who were the individual members?
--Phil M.
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Message: 9
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 15:44:38 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Eleven of the best / Carl Hall
Al Kooper wrote:
> 1) Carl Hall - You Don't Know Nuthin' About Love (Loma 2086).
> The original version of this oft-cut soul stopper. Jerry Ragovoy
> wrote & produced.
Haven't heard this one, but Loma is slightly sweet which I love,
preferring string driven things drenched in backing vocals to
southern growlers. I love Ben Aiken and Linda Jones, both on this
label, Linda for the unforgettable "Hypnotized." Among others..
James Botticelli
"The Soul Scholar Worth Every Dollar (they're paying me~)"
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Message: 10
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 17:50:46 +0000
From: Frank Murphy
Subject: Re: Eleven of the best / Stevie Wonder
Al Kooper:
> ...Stevie Wonder - I Don't Know Why (Tamla-54180) Sometime flip
> of My Cherie Amour, this is a great song and one of the top ten
> vocal performances I ever heard. Unreasonably obscure. I covered
> this on my solo album You Never Know Who Your Friends Are.
Al, This actually charted in the UK in 1969 then the DJ's flipped
it for a bigger hit with "My Cherie Amour". "I Don't Know Why"
still got a lot of juke box plays.
Frankm
reflections on northern soul Saturdays at 14:30 or listen now
http://www.radiomagnetic.com/archive/rnb.php
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Message: 11
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 21:46:21 -0000
From: Julio Niño
Subject: Re: Eleven of The Best / Carl Hall / Jeanette
Al Kooper cites among his favourite songs :
> 1) Carl Hall - You Don't Know Nuthin' About Love (Loma 2086)
Al, you are not alone, I also love that song . Carl Hall's voice
is supernatural and the track is electrifying.
You say that you love soul Beatles covers, you sure will enjoy the
surprising, soulful, and rather tormented version of "I Wanna Hold
Your Hand" recorded in Jamaica by Slim Smith in 1967/68. I find very
strange that versions of the same song can produce such different
feelings.
S'pop Team:
> Jeanette: Spain's Best-Kept Secret
> http://www.chachacharming.com/article.php?id=
I've just read that the new edition of Cha Cha Charming includes
an article of the Spanish queen of whispers, the very sexy Jeanette.
I'm in a hurry to read it.
Chao.
Julio Niño.
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Message: 12
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 21:55:05 -0000
From: "Mick Patrick"
Subject: Re: Eleven of the best / Carl Hall
Al Kooper wrote:
> Carl Hall - You Don't Know Nuthin' About Love (Loma 2086).
> The original version of this oft-cut soul stopper. Jerry Ragovoy
> wrote & produced.
Magnificent record from one of *the* great singers, and *the* great
producers. Our *That* Alan Gordon was waxing lyrical, and recounting
some way cool stories about Carl Hall on these very pages not so
long ago. When it comes to deep symphonic soul, Ragovoy and Hall are
tough team to beat. I remember the first time I heard his "The Dam
Busted", I was convinced I was listening to a woman and spent months
looking for a non-existent record by "Carol Hall". Duh - I knew
nothing!
Like Bacharach, Jerry Ragovoy is still around making music. Alas, I
was unable to secure a ticket for Howard Tate's recent secret gig in
Soho. Ragovoy was in attendance, I hear. That makes missing the event
even more annoying. There again, I'm easily annoyed.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 13
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 23:34:04 -0000
From: Michael Edwards
Subject: Connie Francis, Neil Sedaka
David Bell writes (re: Connie's silly hits):
> Well, let me quote some of the ones that Connie herself
> describes as her silly, immature sounding hits that she
> would like to forget about. They are basically any of the
> million sellers that she had! She has told me herself that
> she can't stand them. There's "Stupid Cupid", "Lipstick...",
> "Robot Man", "Many Tears Ago" and, most of all, "Frankie".
Then PB writes:
> I'm not David but I'd throw in "Stupid Cupid" and "Lipstick
> On Your Collar" - both really grim.
I was surprised to see these responses on Spectropop given the
group's love and admiration for the Brill Building sound. Connie was
one of the artists that got the sound going in its early days and
recorded songs by Brill alumni such as Neil Sedaka (whose photo I see
is now on our home page), Howard Greenfield, Jack Keller, Jeff Barry
and Ellie Greenwich.
To present some balance, let me quote from the notes to a couple of
fine Connie Francis CD compilations re: "Lipstick On Your Collar"
1) Don Charles – "Connie Francis Souvenirs" (4 discs): "When I
heard "LOYC", Connie told interviewer Jerry Osborne in 1991, "within
eight bars, I knew it was a Top Ten song without a doubt." And so it
was – her first Top Ten rock `n' roll record as well as one of the
most memorable and enduring hits of the 1950s. With a flailing beat,
chatterbox guitar licks and a bratty chorus bringing up the rear, she
reads the riot act to her philandering soon-to-be-ex-beau. Her no-
nonsense stance on this tune must have struck a chord with millions
of teenage girls all over the world. Ray Ellis recalls the stellar
line-up on the session: "I think Panama Francis was the drummer (and)
Milt Hinton was on bass. George Barnes played the guitar solo. Dick
Hyman played piano…these were our studio guys…they could play
anything."
2) Adam Komorowski – "The Ultimate EP Collection" (2 discs): However
the next massive hit world wide was the out and out rocker, "LOYC". A
Top Three record in the UK it reached # 5 in Connie's homeland.
Connie wanted a strong flipside to the record and turned to the tried
and trusted team of Sedaka and Greenfield who came up with "Frankie".
The session arranger, Ray Ellis, was not impressed with the song, but
Connie insisted on going ahead with it and proved to have a good
appreciation of her record buying audience when the flipside made # 9
in its own right. Playing the fabulous licks on "LOYC" was guitarist
George Barnes aided and abetted by Dick Hyman on piano, Milt Hinton
on bass and Panama Francis on drums.
I would recommend both of these CD sets to Spectropop members. The
packaging on both is sumptuous but that was not too difficult to
bring about as Connie was such a fabulous looking girl. It was
probably a question of "which picture or album cover do we leave out?"
More on Connie, including some thoughts on her Bacharach-David LP,
later.
Mike
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Message: 14
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 19:23:55 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Birthdays; Blue Beats; Codeine; Legends; FGG; Rockin' Connie; Norvus; Antonio Prieto!
"Da-da-da-da-da-da, today's your birthday" (February 10): Ral
Donner (1943), Donovan Leitch (1947) and Mike Rutherford (1950).
It's also the evening of the Gene Hughes Memorial concert; sorry
I can't be there. My condolences - and have a great time in his
honor!
Jim Shannon, re: the Bluebeats/The #1:
> A Connecticut garage band called the Bluebeats had a minor
> regional hit called "Extra Girl" in '66 on Columbia Records.
> A year or so later, they changed their name to The #1 and
> released a song called "The Collector" which charted into
> the top 40 again only regionally. Does anyone know if "The
> Collector" was actually the soundtrack to the motion picture?
Good mentions, Jim; someone with the "tech knowledgy" might
want to post "Extra Girl" to musica. I hadn't known about
their subsequent name change, and haven't heard The #1 yet
- seems I've exceeded my alloted listening time for now! :-)
Thanks for posting the Kitchen Cinq's "Codiene" to musica.
Very pretty - but not the song for "pretty," in my opinion,
as it misses the agony of addiction it's about. It's
certainly quite a contrast to Matthew Moore Plus Four's
dynamic and gritty version on the White Whale compilation
I reviewed.
Mike Edwards, re: Legends of Doo-Wop:
> Their website is:
> http://www.thelegendsofdoowop.com/legendsinfonew.html
> Paul, you're right; they are best doo-wop group singing these
> days. We'll have to try and get them a copy of "Betty Blue
> Moon" to see if they would include it in their repertoire.
Mike, now I know why I like you so much! :-) For those who
don't know, my doo-wop group did that song, one of my originals,
on Presence Records - sounds like 1961, recorded in 1994.
Information: www.presenceproductions.com.
Mike again, re: FGG:
> Looking at the combined listing, here are 5 titles that no home
> should be without:...
> Freddy Cannon - "What's Gonna Happen When The Summer's Done". It
> had to be impossible to find a song to follow "Palisades Park"
> but F-G-G brought it off. Not as good but definitely in there.
> Jive 5 - "What Time Is It". A very very classy doo-wop item, also
> from '62.
Ah, the "forgotten" Freddy Cannon hit and the Jive Five's true
masterpiece! Thanks for bringing up both.
David Bell, re: Connie Francis' "silly hits":
> There's "Stupid Cupid", "Lipstick...", "Robot Man", "Many Tears
> Ago" and, most of all, "Frankie".
Lame lyrics and all, "Lipstick" really rocks out - nothing she has
to be ashamed on here. Also, I have her pre-breakthrough record,
"Eighteen," which I've mentioned before (and played at the S'pop
New York party last year). Despite the lame "male chorus" they
stuck her with (too clueless to call a vocal group), she slinks,
signs and rocks her way through a remarkable one-chord wonder that
really should have been a hit. It's my fave of all her 45's. (I
confess her middle-road ballads leave me cold, but to each their
own.)
Phil Milstein:
> [T]his seems like a good time to pre-announce the upcoming release
> of my Nervous Norvus compilation, "Stoneage Woo", on Norton. Not
> sure of a release date yet, but it'll hopefully be out within the
> first half of this year. Fans of his will "Dig" it the most....
Darn, Phil, you are one busy guy! And on Norton - how perfect!
Julio Nino:
> The archetypal version of "La Novia", (and I think the original
> one), with lyrics in Spanish, was recorded by his brother Antonio
> Prieto.
Julio, you're my hero!!! When I was in Puerto Rico in 1960, Antonio
Prieto had a big hit 45 called "Rumores," a sort of semi-doo-wop
track that still gets me with its call-and-response chorus. I have
never been able to find out anything about him until I read your
post! Was "Rumores" a big hit elsewhere? (It was all over Puerto
Rican radio, Spanish and English stations.) What was his real musical
style - rock, pop, doo-wop, etc.? And beyond whatever you have time
to write, is there an English-language website you can point out to
find out more?
Great group names where the lead name ties in to the group:
Stark Naked and the Car Thieves
Tommy Roe and the Roemans (not as cute, but far more real!)
Mee & Ewe (thanks, Peter Lerner, for that one)
...and away from the and-the's:
The Leen Teens (the beautiful "Dream Around You," Dot, c. 1960; if
one gained weight, were they fired?)
Country Paul
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Message: 15
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 20:37:33 -0500
From: A. Zweig
Subject: Re: The Now Sound
It's hard to talk about what "qualifies" for the label Now Sound
since it's essentially a record company marketing term which has
been more or less co-opted by record accumulators in the last ten
years or so. You can actually find some records from that period
besides The Brass Ring which use the term "now sound" in the liner
notes - along with phrases like "The Sound of Today!" etc - but
I'm pretty sure most of this music would have been classified as
"instrumental rock" or even just big band or easy listening.
Personally I use the term only to describe instrumental music,
though I suppose you could stretch a point and say that if Don
Costa doing a whole record of Simon and Garfunkel tunes - which he
did - is Now Sound then why doesn't the term apply equally to
Robert Goulet covering "Bridge over troubled waters"? But I just
think of that as crooning or pop singing or even "Now crooning". I
describe Now Sound generally as sixties rock and pop hits covered
by big band musicians though there are some borderline cases where
it's hard to decide if it's just instrumental rock or is it Now
Sound. The Ventures would be instrumental rock but then why doesn't
that also include The T-Bones? And where does Sandy Nelson fit in?
On the other hand, Percy Faith doing "Georgy Girl", that's a clear
case.
AZ
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Message: 16
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 21:49:21 -0500
From: Mark Hill
Subject: Austin Roberts on Bandstand
>From DJ JJs Rock Almanac:
Feb 10, 1973:
Performing on "American Bandstand:"
Austin Roberts, performing "Something's Wrong With Me."
:o)
"Dr. Mark" Hill
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Message: 17
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 22:47:36 EST
From: John Berg
Subject: "Shadows & Reflections"
A week or so ago someone posted here a comment about the version
of Shadows & Reflections by the Avengers from New Zealand, so I
went online and purchased a copy of the CD "The Avengers"
featuring tracks on EMI Music NZ. The website did not list the 26
tracks but I reckoned that S&R must be among the tracks.
Well, today's mail brought my parcel from NZ, and while there is
some neat music (very much in the '60s pop mode, with just the
occasional whiff of something a bit more "underground") there is
no Shadows & Reflections. So apparently I got the wrong Avengers(?)
Where do I turn now? Was it the Aussie "Avengers" who did S&R?
John Berg
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Message: 18
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 01:10:34 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: WORC; Kitchen Cinq; Cool Shakes redux; Pet Sounds; Moon Out Tonight
Dave O'Gara:
> Just joined this site and I can't believe all the good stuff I'm
> reading, especially from some of you music biz insiders....I grew
> up in Worcester, MA listening to WORC-AM.... I first went on-air
> there in 1969, and lasted 25 years, and was blessed to be able to
> take advantage of one of the biggest and best record libraries in
> radio....(An aside to the gentleman who posted earlier about the
> Five Man Electrical Band: We had pretty good response in the 70's
> for not only Absolutely Right, but also Werewolf)....It saddens me
> to say this, but that fabulous record library I mentioned was
> literally thrown out by a new owner of the station in the 80's.
Dave, welcome from one of the gentlemen who posted about 5-Man. I used
to get WORC when I lived in Providence, RI, and the wind was blowing
just right. You guys were famous for playing "everything," and the
station indeed had a fabulous reputation for breaking hits. I remember
visiting during WORC's heyday and seeing a DJ in sneakers (unusual then)
who'd answer the phone, take a request, sprint back into the libary,
pick out the record, come back, cue it, and be on with it in the 2-to-
2 1/2 minutes required. Re: the library, our 45 rpm library at WBRU was
similarly ruined by a music director who enforced his theory of only
playing the hugest hits by only providing same. Sadly, I missed
harvesting the purge; talk about the ones that got away!
Al Kooper, re: The Kitchen Cinq:
> I actually wrote a song on that album that I believe was their only
> single. It was called The Street Song.
I have it; not their only single, but a damn fine record, too, and a song
you also did on Aurora as "New York's My Home Razz-Ma-Tazz." Pray tell,
sir, what relevance does that title have to the song?
Art Longmire;
> Here's a link to a comprehensive article on the Kitchen Cinq:
> http://members.aol.com/Shake6677/DFkcinq.com
The site couldn't be found, according to AOL.hometown. Is there an
alternate URL?
Me earlier:
> I'm looking for an original jingle from a New York based product
> called "Cool Shakes." The lyrics were...
Doug:
> That sure sounds like the Yardbirds "Great Shakes" commercial to me.
Steve Harvey:
> Do you mean "Great" Shakes? The same ones that used to sell
> Columbia/Epic EPs to promote their product?
In New York in the late 50's or early 60's? I don't think so, but thanks
for trying, everyone! It really was "Cool Shake," honest. I know the
commercial ran on the old WMGM.
Richard Havers and Mark Wirtz: If the Beach Boys weren't the first
progressive rock band, they certainly were leaders as they expanded their
harmonic and melodic range and took the surf/cars/love songs thing to a
whole other level. Here, almost 40 years later, "Pet Sounds" is still an
album to be reckoned with and a standard of pop and progressive music
against which others are judged and found wanting. Just my opinion.
Austin Roberts wrote re: big endings:
> How about the Capris ending to There's A Moon Out Tonight?
Do folks here know that, although a huge hit in 1961, it was originally
released in 1958 on a little label called Planet (not the one from
Providence, RI) and went nowhere. One of the employees of doo-wop legend
Times Square Records (it may have been Louie Silvani) discovered it, bought
the master for all of $50.00 and leased it to Old Town, where it took off.
The group had already broken up and had to reunite to support it!
Country Paul
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Message: 19
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 06:58:36 -0800 (PST)
From: David Coyle
Subject: Re: bogus Vogues
Somewhat blurring lines here, but I saw a version of
the Vogues here in Chillicothe, Ohio, a couple years
ago. Seeing their picture in the paper, I saw only one
or two guys that looked remotely like original Vogues.
As a challenge, I took my copy of the Vogues
compilation "The Co/Ce Sessions" (Varese Vintage) to
the show and went up to their autograph table and said
"If any of you are original Vogues, you can autograph
my CD" (cheeky, eh?). One of the singers told me that
the last original member in their lineup had been
Chuck Blasky but that he had "retired last year".
Did Blasky retire and decide again to come out of
retirement? Or did he just quit the group and start
his own lineup that he thought would be better? Or
were these guys just lying to give themselves some
"street cred"?
To their credit, these "Vogues" did the old songs
pretty much like the originals. Their performances of
"Turn Around Look At Me" and "My Special Angel" were
nearly as breathtaking as the "legit hits". And yes,
they did do a lot of "bar band" oldies, but what
oldies group doesn't do covers against their character?
I've heard the Association do "Hold On I'm Coming" and
I've heard Billy J. Kramer sing "Old Time Rock And Roll".
Just because they don't stick to "Cherish", "Bad To Me"
or "Five O'Clock World" doesn't make them any worse.
Promoting themselves as something they're not, when they
have no connection to the original group, is another thing.
David
P.S. I heard that in one instance where the "fake"
Zombies were on tour, one fan said that the lead
singer didn't look anything like they remembered from
the album cover or the magazines, and was told that
the original lead singer had died in a car crash. So
who's that bloke touring with Rod Argent now?
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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