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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 17 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: The Chordettes
From: Ian Chapman
2. Re: John Kongos, Scrugg
From: Mark Frumento
3. Re: John Kongos
From: Phil Milstein
4. Re: Reparata and the Delrons Discography
From: Louis
5. Re: Millennium, Sandy Salisbury, Randy Meisner on Sonic Past Music Label
From: David Goodwin
6. Re: John Kongos, Scrugg
From: Steve Harvey
7. Re: John Kongos
From: DPW
8. Re: John Kongos
From: Simon White
9. Re: Sonic Past Music Label
From: Jean-Emmanuel Dubois
10. Righteous Brothers & Johnnie Wimber
From: Peter Richmond
11. Re: John Kongos
From: Frank
12. Denise Ferri
From: John Clemente
13. The Cookies
From: Jimmy Crescitelli
14. Re: Reparata and the Delrons
From: Ian Chapman
15. South Africa
From: Steve Harvey
16. Connie Francis Souvenirs
From: Stuffed Animal
17. Sinatra, Gaudio and the Pool
From: Kingsley Abbott
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 13:52:38 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Re: The Chordettes
Country Paul wondered:
> Does anyone know if any of the Chordettes are still alive?
> Anyone else have anything they can add?
Paul,
I found a reference to the group being inducted into the Vocal
Group Hall of Fame in 2001 and found the following link to the
Rockin' Oldies site:
http://www.rockinoldies.com/vocal.htm
On that page you'll see a pic of four of the original ladies,
looking very much hale and hearty. Recognisable are group
founder Jinny Osborn on the left, then second left is (I think)
later member Nancy Overton. Lynn Evans (who sang the opening
on "Lollipop") is to the right of her and Carol Bushman is on
the extreme right.
By my reckoning, the ladies are just about entering their
seventh decade. There's another write-up on their Hall of Fame
induction, with a couple of quotes from Jinny, at:
http://www.sharon-herald.com/localnews/recentnews/0110/ln101801e.html
Incidentally, the Rockin' Oldies site is worth a look around -
apart from the Chordettes, there are "now" pics of other artists,
including the Fleetwoods, Moulty (& the new Barbarians), Johnny
Maestro, Brian Hyland, Shirley Alston, Lettermen, loads of pics
of the Pixies 3, Four Lads, Bobby Lewis, Gale Storm and even
Tiny Tim!
Go to http://www.rockinoldies.com/scrapbook.htm and follow the links
at the bottom of the page relating to artists and various fairs and
shows.
Indeed, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame itself has a site well worth
a visit - it's at http://www.vghf.com/index.htm
Ian
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 01:13:54 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: John Kongos, Scrugg
Art Longmire wrote:
> I've been listening to a CD called Paisley Pop for several
> months now and it features a group called Schrag doing
> "Lavender Popcorn" and "I Wish I Was Five" - both terrific
> psychedelic pop songs.
Both wonderful songs. One correction though, the group is Scrugg.
They (he really) had 3 singles. All of them and one unreleased
track appear on a Sequel UK comp called "Lavender Popcorn" by
John Kongos.
The second part of the CD is all of Kongos' really beautiful and
quirky first solo LP. Perhaps an acquired taste?
> group's leader was a musician named John Kongos...who had a
> song out way back in 1971 that I have been looking for called
> "He's Gonna Step On You Again".
That song appeard on a CD called Kongos and is the last track on
the the 1971 album of the same name. I think Repertoire released
a version of this but mine is on a UK label.
Kongos was from South Africa and his recording career started in
the early 60s. After his 60s pop-pysch as Scrugg career he turned
singer/songwriter.
If you check GEMM.COM most of Kongos' material is readily available.
Cool that Scrugg got played in CA!!!
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 22:07:39 -0400
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: John Kongos
Art Longmire wrote:
> ... musician named John Kongos...who had a song out way back
> in 1971 that I have been looking for called "He's Gonna Step
> On You Again". Anybody else remember hearing this?
My local station, WWDJ in Hackensack, NJ, played it heavily in
'71, during the same period I would bike over there every
Wednesday afternoon (timed to coincide with the release of the
week's new chart) and watch the DJs spin. A great track, which
holds up to this day. I was delighted to locate a pic sleeve 45
of it at some point over the years. On Elektra, if I recall. I
believe Kongos was South African.
--Phil M.
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 02:17:50 -0000
From: Louis
Subject: Re: Reparata and the Delrons Discography
Regarding the CD "Magical Musical History Tour" by Reparata
and the Delrons, in my opinion, it has to be one if not the
greatest CDs I have ever purchased.
I really love the songs from the RCA and Mala years. I was so
shocked after I heard "Panic" because I had only heard it by
the disco group called French Kiss, and never knew it was a
Reparata and the Delrons' song.
My 13 favorite songs on this CD (none of which I had ever heard
before) are these:
1. Captain Of Your Ship
2. Weather Forecast
3. I'm Nobody's Baby Now (a classic that should have been #1)
4. Boys and Girls
5. Heaven Only Knows (most fantastic harmonies)
6. Toom Toom (Is A Little Boy)
7. Panic
8. Maybe Tomorrow
9. Saturday Night Didn't Happen
10. Summer Laughter
11. He Don't Want You
12. Mama's Little Girl
13. It's Waiting There For You
But all the rest are fantastic as well!
You can easily find this CD at:
http://www.gocontinental.com/cdlist/mobanana_reparata.htm
What are your favorite songs on this CD?
Thanks,
Louis
http://surf.to/girlgroups
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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 21:36:02 -0500
From: David Goodwin
Subject: Re: Millennium, Sandy Salisbury, Randy Meisner on Sonic Past Music Label
Just catching up with digests...I have to wonder what the
following means:
> The main reason is that each of these releases, and subsequent
> Sonic Past Music releases, have been completely remastered by
> John Porter (Roxy Music) to be more sonically compatible with
> our U.S. stereo systems.
"sonically compatible with our US Stereo systems?" Uhh, what?
-D
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 21:04:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: John Kongos, Scrugg
The group is probably from South Africa like John
Kongos was. I still have his Elektra LP with "He's
Gonna Step On You Again" and "Tokoloshe Man". The Happy
Mondays recorded "Step On" for the Elektra Anniversary
CD set, Rubyiat. However, it turned out so good they
kept it for themselves and did "Tokoloshe Man" for the
CD set. There was a great video for the Happy Mondays'
version.
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Message: 7
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 03:36:18 EDT
From: DPW
Subject: Re: John Kongos
Hi Art,
The John Kongos solo-LP is called "Confusion about a Goldfish"
on the DAWN label in GB.
DPW
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Message: 8
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 15:14:19 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: John Kongos
Mark Frumento wrote:
> Kongos was from South Africa and his recording career started in
> the early 60s. After his 60s pop-pysch as Scrugg career he turned
> singer/songwriter.
"He's Gonna Step On You Again" was a big U.K. hit. I remember it
from the time because my cousin Sandra who is slightly older than me
had it and played it a lot. I seem to remember him on Top Of The Pops
with glasses and a beard although that could be Manfred Man - wasn't
he South African too ?
Or was that Rolf Harris?
Or Anita Harris?
Or Anita Bryant?
Or Anita Humes?
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Message: 9
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 16:37:35 +0200
From: Jean-Emmanuel Dubois
Subject: Re: Sonic Past Music Label
David Goodwin a écrit :
> Just catching up with digests...I have to wonder what the
> following means:
> "sonically compatible with our US Stereo systems?" Uhh, what?
It means that french systems or any european system are different!!!
Hu?
JED
Weird - great name for a song though: 'our great US stereo system'
Ha ha!!
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Message: 10
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 15:58:22 +0100
From: Peter Richmond
Subject: Righteous Brothers & Johnnie Wimber
Stuffed Animal wrote:
>I've been revisiting my Righteous Brothers album collection,
>and once again I've fallen in love with their Moonglow sessions!
>They're so raw and wild and fun. Bill Medley, undoubtedly
>producing sessions for the first time, created a wonderful body
>of work at Moonglow. My favorites include "Fannie Mae," "I Still
>Love You," "Burn On Love," "Gotta Tell You How I Feel" and "If
>You're Lyin', You'll Be Cryin'." Does anyone know what became
>of Johnny Wimber, the arranger on these early sides? Why did he
>stop working with the Righteous Brothers? And did he arrange for
>any other artists?
Johnnie Wimber was person responsible for putting Bill Medley (from
the Paramours) and Bobby Hatfield (from the Variations) together in
a group and then later as a newer version of the Paramours.
There is a lot of confusion over exactly when or even if Bobby
Hatfield recorded with the Paramours, but without a shadow of doubt
Bobby Hatfield is on the Paramours track "That's All I Want Tonight",
the B side of "There She Goes" on Moonglow 214. He is instantly
recognisable by his falsetto on the intro of the song and is easily
identifiable throughout the song.
When the duo broke off as the Righteous Brothers, Johnnie Wimber
worked with them as arranger and conductor on the 1963 debut album
"Right Now" on Moonglow Records.
However in late 1963 at the age of 29, he quit the music business
completely to enter the discipleship, working in a factory to make
ends meet and was reunited with his wife who had left him.
Becoming the senior pastor of the Anaheim Vineyard Christian
Fellowship in 1977, he also became a best selling author and
conference speaker.
He was to become the spiritual leader of 450 Vineyard congregations
in the USA and also 250 worldwide.
He wrote several worship songs during this time including "Spirit
Song", "To Seek Your Face" and "Isn't He", which I believe have
become classics.
He died on 17 November 1997 after being ill for several years.
Peter Richmond.
Righteous Brothers Discography
http://freespace.virgin.net/p.richmond/
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Message: 11
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 17:40:24 +0200
From: Frank
Subject: Re: John Kongos
Art Longmire wrote:
> ... musician named John Kongos...who had a song out way back
> in 1971 that I have been looking for called "He's Gonna Step
> On You Again". Anybody else remember hearing this?
Phil M:
> My local station, WWDJ in Hackensack, NJ, played it heavily in
> '71, during the same period I would bike over there every
> Wednesday afternoon (timed to coincide with the release of the
> week's new chart) and watch the DJs spin. A great track, which
> holds up to this day. I was delighted to locate a pic sleeve 45
> of it at some point over the years. On Elektra, if I recall. I
> believe Kongos was South African.
Plus an LP that was released in France on EMI, which was produced
by Gus Dudgeon and which features this great track as well.
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Message: 12
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 12:10:30 -0400
From: John Clemente
Subject: Denise Ferri
Hello All,
I would also like to welcome Denise Ferri to Spectropop. I would
like to publicly apologize to you, Denise, for not getting your
first-hand input for my book, but I was unable to locate you at the
time.
If possible, please contact me off the group. I live in Clifton, NJ.
My e-mail is johnnyvinyl@optonline.net
Regards,
John Clemente
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Message: 13
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 12:43:57 EDT
From: Jimmy Crescitelli
Subject: The Cookies
I recently inherited a CD entitled "Beyond the Valley of the
Dimension Dolls," and I just played it in the car (the best
system I have). I tell you... I just want to go on record as
saying that The Cookies are one of the best, most professional-
sounding groups ever. I put them right up there with The Blossoms.
I hope those ladies get all the recognition they deserve! Are
they available to receive fan letters? I would love to write them
and let them know how great they are.
Thanks,
Jimmy Crescitelli
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Message: 14
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 16:47:57 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Re: Reparata and the Delrons
Louis asked:
> Is the correct title of the song "We Need You" or "A Song For All"
> because it is listed as track 18 on Collectables CD COL-CD-0527
> as "A Song For All"?
> Do you know what the label and number of the record is?
Louis,
The details are:
"Shoes"/"A Song For All" (reached #43 in the UK chart) 1975
Polydor 2066 562 (UK, also released as Dart 2066 562)
Polydor 14271 (US)
"Jesabee Lancer (The Belly Dancer)"/"We Need You" 1976
Polydor 2058 688 (UK)
Polydor 14298 (US, but apparently unreleased)
As "Jesabee" seems to be something of an elusive track in
the US, I've played it to musica – should appeal to fans
of "Egyptian Shumba"! "We Need You" is a religious song, by
the way.
The collection of tracks on "Magical Musical History Tour"
is indeed superb, but it's surely a "grey" release. The
Collectables reissue of their World Artists album had
disappointing sound quality. What we need is an official
all-label Reparata anthology in pristine sound quality –
maybe something a label like Bear Family could tackle, if
they could sort out the legalities.
Ian
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Message: 15
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 10:25:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: South Africa
Manfred was from South Africa, Rolf Harris was from Australia.
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Message: 16
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 17:52:05 +0000
From: Stuffed Animal
Subject: Connie Francis Souvenirs
Ian Chapman wrote:
> Can I assume that Connie's "Souvenirs" was the title track of
> your box set? I really like that track, which always seems to
> get overlooked when talk turns to Connie's Brill Building-type
> stuff. Even though Ellie & Jeff didn't write that one, Ellie
> is so "all over it" on the intro. My copy is on a German 45,
> which lists only the writer credits (Mark Barkan/Dick Heard)
> Who produced it?
The wonderful Danny Davis produced "Souvenirs," and I believe
Alan Lorber arranged it. Thankfully, it survives in the PolyGram/
Universal vaults in stereo, which, regretfully, is more than I can
say for "Teddy" and numerous other Connie Francis single tracks.
You are correct to assume that it was the title track of the box
set.
Just for clarification, I might add that Danny Davis also produced
"Second Hand Love," the final version of which was recorded in
Nashville. Both Davis and co-writer Hank Hunter were adamant that
Phil Spector did not produce it.
Stuff
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Message: 17
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 18:58:02 +0100
From: Kingsley Abbott
Subject: Sinatra, Gaudio and the Pool
Ok, so here's the real true story... The little story in Mojo
was actually from me relaying the story as Jake Holmes told it
to me. It seems he got it partially right - that when Bob Gaudio
was engaged by Frank to oversee 'Watertown' (which as an album
is worth persevering with), he did set out to build a pool at
his brand new house in time for a visit from 'The Voice'.
Interviewing Bob G recently for the big Dorling Kindersley book
due next year, he told me what actually happened:
With help from various Italian 'connections' it did get built
very quickly and the day FS was due to arrive a man was finishing
off the turfing on the pool surround which happened to be on a
steep slope down to the pool side. Just as FS arrived with his
entourage for the day there was a torrential downpour - really,
really heavy rain, says Bob - and much of the new turf slid down
into the newly filled pool. Sinatra took it all in good heart,
and actually went out in the rain to commiserate with the poor man
whose work had just been ruined!
There was another good story about the recording of that album, but
as it may well be in the book, I'll keep it to myself at present.
Kingsley
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