________________________________________________________________________
______________ ______________
______________ ______________
______________ S P E C T R O P O P ______________
______________ ______________
________________________________________________________________________
Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are 12 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Commercial radio - robbing our collective memory?
From: Mary S.
2. Re: The Mystery of Jackie Wilson's Peaches
From: Davie Gordon
3. Re: Commercial radio - robbing our collective memory?
From: Stephanie Campbell
4. Cousin' Brucie
From: Neil Hever
5. Re: The Mystery of Jackie Wilson's Peaches
From: james botticelli
6. Alexys
From: Michael
7. Backcomb'n'Beat: Dream Babes 3
From: Team Spectropop
8. Star Trek sounds...
From: Alan Gordon
9. Re: Commercial radio - robbing our collective memory?
From: John Solocinski
10. Re: Jack Nitzsche At Spectropop
From: Peter Lerner
11. Re: The Mystery of Jackie Wilson's Peaches
From: Tony Leong
12. Re: Cousin' Brucie
From: Billy Spradlin
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 14:39:31 -0000
From: Mary S.
Subject: Re: Commercial radio - robbing our collective memory?
Neil, you are so right!! I've been lamenting this situation
for a long time. Fortunately, as a long-time record collector,
I can hear a tremendous variety of songs anytime. I hate the
narrow focus of the "oldies" stations. Here in the U.S.,
hearing an oldies station generally means listening to one or
two songs by any particular artist, but nothing else. If we
hear the Temptations, for example, they will almost always be
singing "My Girl". If we hear the Four Tops, they are usually
singing "Can't Help Myself", though once in a while we may get
to hear their great hit, "Baby, I Need Your Loving". Think of
how many songs those two groups recorded over the years!! To
reduce them to these few songs is a crime. If you hear my
favorites, Nino Tempo and April Stevens, it will almost invariably
be "Deep Purple", not even "All Strung Out". Heaven forbid that
the stations should play "I Love How You Love Me" (with what
someone else on this group referred to as "rock and roll bagpipes")
or one of the A&M releases such as "I Can't Get Over You, Baby".
Most people probably think that Tempo & Stevens only recorded a
couple of songs.
Music on the radio has been pretty much ruined for me. I can't
stand the new breed (actually, it's been going on for years now,
but to me it's still a new sound) of "whisper singers". This trend
started with Janet Jackson, who has a very weak voice. She made
buckets of cash, so thousands of wanna-bes followed her lead. Most
of the pop-rock singers "sing" in this style now, and I find it
sickening. For one things, most of them sound virtually identical.
Where are the harmony vocals of the greats such as the Everly
Brothers (probably the best harmony singers ever)? Where are the
soul and r&b greats who could really belt out a song? Now we have
the whisperers, the hard, heavy metal rockers (can't stand this),
and the rappers. Where is everyone else? One of the few exceptions
to all of this is the great young singer, Charlotte Church, who
does a lot of classical-type singing. We need more than this,
though.
Mary S.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 17:23:46 -0000
From: Davie Gordon
Subject: Re: The Mystery of Jackie Wilson's Peaches
Phil Milstein wrote:
> Can any of y'all offer any insight into the meaning of
> Jackie Wilson's plaintive cry of "Peaches" in his great song
> "Whisper's Getting Louder"? As far as I can tell it's
> unrelated to anything else in the entire lyric, and yet it's
> a part of the chorus, and so is no tossaway. Did he have a
> thing for Etta James?
"Peaches" was Barbara Acklin, the co-writer of the song.
The nickname was used by her father and Jackie picked up on it.
Barbara was probably there at the session.
Info. from Tony Douglas' biography of JW "Lonely Teardrops"
which I'm re-reading at the moment.
Davie Gordon
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 10:54:29 -0700
From: Stephanie Campbell
Subject: Re: Commercial radio - robbing our collective memory?
I have no problem with hearing Gary Puckett if its
"Don't Give In To Him" or "This Girl Is A Woman Now"...
I'm tired of hearing "Over You", "Young Girl" and
"Lady Willpower" ...by the way he is good in concert.
Steph
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 15:05:44 -0000
From: Neil Hever
Subject: Cousin' Brucie
Popsters, Speaking of top 40 radio with character and our
current sad state of affairs in "Oldies" radio (lack of
character, tight playlists and loooong commercial breaks),
I'm reminded of good ol' Cousin Brucie. He did something
I will never forget. He used to pot up his mic and interject
funny little comments and sounds during the commercials!
That would get you fired today in a heartbeat. But it made
you listen to the stupid commercials! If for nothing else,
you have to give credit to Brucie for making it fun. Then
of course there was the music mix which was fantastic but
you know about that.
Neil
P.S. I got to meet him in New Jersey during the golden age
and he was a real gentleman. His autographed portrait hangs
in my office.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 14:39:35 -0400
From: james botticelli
Subject: Re: The Mystery of Jackie Wilson's Peaches
Phil Milstein wrote:
> Can any of y'all offer any insight into the meaning of
> Jackie Wilson's plaintive cry of "Peaches" in his great song
> "Whisper's Getting Louder"? As far as I can tell it's
> unrelated to anything else in the entire lyric, and yet it's
> a part of the chorus, and so is no tossaway. Did he have a
> thing for Etta James?
Makes sense...Etta and Jackie both being Chitown singers.
I believe he utters it after the lyric "calling your name.....
Peaches". So it was someone named "Peaches". But more than one
woman has at one time in her life borne that identity, so.....
--
Jimmy Botticelli
Taking The E-Z...Way Out!
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 18:33:25 -0000
From: Michael
Subject: Alexys
I have a single by Alexys on Dot ("Freedom's Child" b/w
"Evolution of Alexys"). I gather she did an LP on Dot as
well, that I'd love to hear. Does anyone on the list own it?
If so, please contact me.
many thanks,
Michael
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Thu, 05 Sep 2002 12:19:21 -0000
From: Team Spectropop
Subject: Backcomb'n'Beat: Dream Babes 3
Dear Members,
Three great tracks by the McKinleys are out on CD at last.
Not to mention some of Mark Wirtz's best distaff productions
and a bounty of other Brit Girls. Could RPM's "BACKCOMB'N'BEAT:
Dream Babes, Volume 3" be the best comp of its kind since
"Here Come The Girls"? St. Etienne's Bob Stanley reckons so.
To find out more, simply click below:
http://www.spectropop.com/recommends/recommends.html#dreambabes
Enjoy!
The Spectropop Team
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 18:18:43 -0700
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: Star Trek sounds...
Simon White:
> A while ago on a BBC Star Trek dedicated night, they used
> a very 'sixties' version of the theme as background music.
> And this means 'sixties' in the Motown/dance sense.
FYI. The coolest version I have heard in a while of this
great theme is by The Rubinoos on their latest album:
"Paleophonic". It really rocks in an EXTREME SURF way.
Gordon Jenkins by way of the Ventures mixed with a lot of
Shadowy Men From A Shadowy Planet... ironically groovy.
best stuff,
albabe
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 21:12:43 -0400
From: John Solocinski
Subject: Re: Commercial radio - robbing our collective memory?
>Mary S. writes....
>Hearing an oldies station generally means listening to one or
>two songs by any particular artist, but nothing else. If we
>hear the Temptations, for example, they will almost always be
>singing "My Girl". If we hear the Four Tops, they are usually
>singing "Can't Help Myself"......
In Detroit they always play "It's the same old song" ;)
and don't forget DC 5's "Over and over and over again"....
John
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Sat, 07 Sep 2002 10:09:21 +0100
From: Peter Lerner
Subject: Re: Jack Nitzsche At Spectropop
Hi Spectropoppers
I've just spent the first part of my weekend totally immersed
in Martin's superb site. There's so much in there. Nitzsche
was a part of my growing up in the 60s but I didn't realise
how much - or how much else there was.
Congratulations to Martin on a titanic production - a life work
if ever there was one. And I'm so sorry my own small contribution
took so long to be delivered.
Now to my record collection - if I can find just one thing to
add to Martin's lists I'll be content.
And just a couple of things about Martin - he's a great guy
and everything he touches is quality. Visit this site and be
impressed, fascinated, delighted.
Peter
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Sat, 07 Sep 2002 05:09:27 -0000
From: Tony Leong
Subject: Re: The Mystery of Jackie Wilson's Peaches
Davie Gordon wrote:
> "Peaches" was Barbara Acklin, the co-writer of the song.
You know, I always wondered about that too!!!! The funny thing
about that song is that I knew the background voices sounded
familiar, but I couldnt place them--at least for Chicago session
singers (not that I know many!!) BUT, thanks to John Clemente's
book, he revealed that it was Motown's ace session singers
THE ANDANTES supplying back-up on "Whispers (Getting Louder)".
They snuck away from Detroit to moonlight on the session in
Chicago!!! BTW, can anybody identify the heavenly background
group on Jerry Butler's "I Dig You, Baby"????
Tony Leong
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Sat, 07 Sep 2002 06:59:19 -0000
From: Billy Spradlin
Subject: Re: Cousin' Brucie
One of my favorite jocks in the 70's was John "Records"
Landecker on WLS in Chicago. He was very sarcastic with
commericals he couldn't stand and made snide comments in
the background while they aired, on a 50,000 watt station
that covered most of the central USA! None of the local
jocks while growing up in NE Oklahoma I heard would do this
(unless the cart jammed up).
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
End
