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Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
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There are 13 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Amy Records - Midnight Mary
From: Dan Hughes
2. Re: BING BONG!
From: Mark Frumento
3. Re: Brtish Backing Singers
From: Mark Frumento
4. Re: Millennium CD set on Sundazed
From: laughingmood
5. re MIDNIGHT MARY & EVIE SANDS
From: mick patrick
6. Re: Millennium CD set on Sundazed
From: Mark Frumento
7. Best of Red-Bird/Blue Cat CD
From: Don Charles
8. Re: Richest Man Alive
From: Phil Chapman
9. Re: Amy Records - Midnight Mary
From: Mike Arcidiacono
10. Bernadette / Liner Notes
From: Rex Strother
11. Re: Amy Records - Midnight Mary
From: Phil Chapman
12. re: WHEN THE BOY'S HAPPY
From: mick patrick
13. Re: Midnight Mary
From: james botticelli
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 05:20:52 -0500
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Amy Records - Midnight Mary
Joey Powers had a hit with Midnight Mary on Amy in late 1963/
early 1964. My local radio station (Wife, Indianapolis) played
a different version of the song (which I preferred) for a couple
of weeks before they switched to the Joey Powers version. Does
anyone remember who did the other version? Where Joey used the
rhythm "Meet Me / At Midnight Mary", the other version used
"Meet Me At Midnight / Mary", relocating the pause
(maybe it was the other way around).
---Dan
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 11:19:16 -0400
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: BING BONG!
Mick Patrick:
> And Mark Wirtz might care to know that "I Can Hear Music" was
> not the only "Spector" song he recorded.
I know I'm showing my lack of in-depth knowledge of who produced
what but didn't Spector ever produce "When The Boy's Happy"?
I'm enjoying his near Spectorish version (save for the groovy
guitar break) by Sheila & Jenny (and its wonderful Wirtz penned
'b' side too).
Mark
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 11:38:18 -0400
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Brtish Backing Singers
Mick Patrick:
> Anyway, I have a bit of a penchant for backing singers, so
> tell us who the stellar crew were on that session. Oh, do!
>
> ***Liza Duncan, Doris Troy, Kiki Dee, Barry St. John,
> Judith Powell, Peanut, Margo, Maggie and Gloria, John Carter,
> Ken Lewis, Peter Lee Stirling,
Weren't there any good singers in England? LOL.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 16:01:09 -0000
From: laughingmood
Subject: Re: Millennium CD set on Sundazed
DJ Steve wrote:
> Anyone know if this is worth getting. Also looking for any
> Sundazed label recommendations on CD. Thanks
YES!!!!! You have to get it! It's absolutely phenomonal. Other
stuff on Sundazed you may like: Any of the Harper's Bizzare albums,
The Yellow Balloon album, The Genesis album by Wendy and Bonnie,
Distant Shores by Chad and Jeremy, Present Tense by Saggitarius.
There are many others. Sundazed is one of the great reissue companies.
In other Sundazed news: In June they are releasing Curt Boettcher's
1972/73 solo album "There's An Innocent Face" along with Chad and
Jeremy's "Of Cabbages and Kings" (produced by Gary Usher). They are
also releasing a CD of mostly unreleased songs by sometimes-Curt
Boettcher colaborater Dottie Holmberg and a CD by the Love Generation.
Hope this helps.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 13:22:49 +0100 (BST)
From: mick patrick
Subject: re MIDNIGHT MARY & EVIE SANDS
> Dan Hughes wrote:
> Joey Powers had a hit with "Midnight Mary" in late 1963 ...
> My local radio station played a different version (which I
> preferred) ... Does anyone remember who did the other version?
Hi,
That, Dan, would be JERRY COLE on Capitol 5056, I reckon.
By the way, has anyone ever wondered who the female is singing
along with Joey Powers on his version? It's none other than
Spectropop darling JEANNE THOMAS of the Rag Dolls.
More on Jeanne...I notice in the excellent booklet which
accompanies the recent Japanese CD release of EVIE SANDS'
A&M LP that the "Take Me For A Little While" girl is joined on
backing vocals by Jeanne Thomas, TONI WINE and VICKI MIKEY.
Of course, we all know the first two, but I can't help wondering
who the third girl is. Mikey Harris, perhaps?
I bet Rashkovski knows?
MICK PATRICK
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 12:03:23 -0400
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Millennium CD set on Sundazed
DJ Steve:
> Anyone know if this is worth getting. Also looking for any
> Sundazed label recommendations on CD. Thanks
I may be odd man out on this but I was not thrilled with the set.
If you like backing tracks you may really enjoy it. What
disappointed me is that they added nothing to the Ballroom period
and in fact left off a great Sandy Salisbury track that is on the
Rev-Ola CD. I also can't understand why they didn't include more
Millenium material.... unless they are going to do a volume 2?
I would have thought that 2 sets were in order:
Volume 1: Pre-Millenium (excluding Sagittarius)and
Volume 2: Millenium.
The packaging, of course, is very nice. Given the past work of
Rev-Ola and Pop Tones and the Japanese releases I just wish that
Sundazed had thought this collection out better. Maybe they did
and just haven't told us their plans.
PS. I'm a huge Sundazed fan... buy almost anything they put out
and you are sure to be thrilled. I love the Cryan Shames CDs,
The Cyrkle... going back a few years Bruce and Terry is their
masterpiece. Also Yellow Balloon, Sagittarius... the list goes on.
Oh Paul Revere and the Raiders, Jan and Dean.........
Mark Frumento
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 16:21:16 +0000
From: Don Charles
Subject: Best of Red-Bird/Blue Cat CD
James Botticelli:
> I want this so bad I can taste it - the feathers are a little
> dusty though. I'd be happy to trade off-list..anyone?
No need to trade! This Taragon CD is still in print and available
for purchase online at CDNOW, AMAZON.COM and other music outlets.
http://www.cdnow.com
http://www.amazon.com
Don Charles
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 17:08:41 -0000
From: Phil Chapman
Subject: Re: Richest Man Alive
Jeff Lemlich wrote:
> The production on Mel's isn't nearly as dynamic, but his vocal,
> to me, is among the most soulful he's ever cut.
True, it hasn't got the Wirtz drive, but it's quite hefty in an
MOR fashion. Is his "Tar And Cement" the same as Verdelle Smith?
Now there's someone that rarely gets a mention.
Ray Singer teamed up with Simon Napier Bell for a while - I
worked with the pair editing some tapes of a Moroccan orchestra
(well, that's what they said it was). One of the pieces still
sounds fun today, rather like a street Krishna troup, plus strings.
All it needs is one of the chill DJs out there to add
a break-beat and it would be very current. Don't know if it was
ever released.
Talking of Simon Napier Bell, does anybody know anything about
Flamma Sherman, technically a girl-group, but not in the usual
mould. They had a near hit in 1968 on his label, SNB, with the
self-penned "No Need To Explain", based on Bach's "Air On A G
String" (sim. "Whiter Shade Of Pale"). Have a listen -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica
Phil
[Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ]
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 13:31:02 -0400
From: Mike Arcidiacono
Subject: Re: Amy Records - Midnight Mary
Dan Hughes:
> anyone remember who did the other version? Where Joey used the
> rhythm "Meet Me / At Midnight Mary", the other version used
> "Meet Me At Midnight / Mary", relocating the pause
Danny, there are two version of the Joey Powers record. You may
be thinking of the second version with the female backing vocals,
and I believe he does do that "pause" you mentioned.
Mikey
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 11:45:39 -0600
From: Rex Strother
Subject: Bernadette / Liner Notes
Two of my favorite subjects; I must chime in.
Bernadette Peters, from the moment she sashayed onto the screen in
"The Jerk" has always been a favorite. From there, to her wonderful
heartbreaking range in "Sunday in the Park" (I cry, I admit it, I cry)
and "Into the Woods" (and so much Sondheim since, he added
alliteratively) - I love this woman's work.
And, as so many veiled references to the Vargas-ian album covers
indicate - she is clearly recognized by Spec-Poppers as "hot" -
the last bombshell figure (before beauty went heroin chic).
As to liner notes, I thrill when someone goes to the trouble of
freshly researching an artist and pout when I get a track list
only (sometimes without even composer's names for each song!).
Of course, when the book is too thick to be held in the cover clips
(and I ended up mangling it), I also pout a bit. But overall, this
is why I came to love boxed sets when I first started collecting CDs.
The CDs offered bonus/rare/alternate/live tracks - and often sported
big thick handsomely-designed books full of text/photos/thorough
discographies.
When I read that a recording session took 9 weeks, I listen to the
song and am amazed at the quality. Conversely, if I hear a recording
I love was dashed off as a lark at the end of a session, to fulfill
the last 15 minutes of studio time, I can be likewise amazed at the
quality. I love readin' dat stuff!
One of my peeves, however, in researching songs, is that the songs are
often listed in discographies by artist, but any information from the
composer is left off. So you can't find out if LOVE SONG recorded by
so-and-so is Lesley Duncan's composition. Unless someone has the 45,
78, CD or whatsit in their very hands, it can be deucedly difficult to
track down all the cover versions of LOVE SONG.
Rex Strother
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 17:54:24 -0000
From: Phil Chapman
Subject: Re: Amy Records - Midnight Mary
Dan Hughes wrote:
> Joey Powers had a hit with Midnight Mary on Amy in late 1963/
> early 1964. My local radio station (Wife, Indianapolis) played
> a different version of the song (which I preferred) for a couple
> of weeks before they switched to the Joey Powers version. Does
> anyone remember who did the other version? Where Joey used the
> rhythm "Meet Me / At Midnight Mary", the other version used
> "Meet Me At Midnight / Mary", relocating the pause
Dan, I've just listened to the Amy version - the intro and first
two choruses have the pause after "Meet Me...", but the remaining
choruses have the pause just before "..Mary", so perhaps you've
been hearing different sections of the same recording?
Reminds me of the difference between the choruses in "You've Lost
That Lovin' Feelin'", which becomes apparent if you sing along.
The first chorus has a long "...lost..", the second chorus has equal
syncopation to "You've lost that..." - I wonder whose idea that was!
Makes a change from today's pop choruses which tend to be 'flown-in'
identically.
Phil
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Message: 12
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 19:53:17 +0100 (BST)
From: mick patrick
Subject: re: WHEN THE BOY'S HAPPY
Hi,
I wrote:
> And Mark Wirtz might care to know that "I Can Hear Music" was
> not the only "Spector" song he recorded.
Mark replied:
> I know I'm showing my lack of in-depth knowledge of who produced
> what but didn't Spector ever produce "When The Boy's Happy"?
Well, NO, actually. "When The Boy's Happy (The Girl's Happy Too"
by the Four Pennies (Chiffons) was produced by Bright Tunes (The
Tokens). Or maybe I'm missing the irony in the question?
MICK PATRICK
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Message: 13
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 22:23:48 -0400
From: james botticelli
Subject: Re: Midnight Mary
Dan Hughes wrote:
> Where Joey used the
> rhythm "Meet Me / At Midnight Mary", the other version used
> "Meet Me At Midnight / Mary", relocating the pause
> (maybe it was the other way around).
Dan, I remember the song because we'd sing along with it in my 'hood.
The first two verses went Meet Me/At Midnight Mary...The bridge came
in, and the last verse was Meet Me At Midnight/Mary. I think you may
be mixing memories here!
--
Jimmy Botticelli
Taking The E-Z...Way Out!
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