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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 12 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. The Three Degrees
From: David Bell
2. Re: The Three Degrees
From: Simon White
3. Saturday Morning Playlist
From: Simon White
4. Re: Laura Nyro Background Singers
From: Bill Craig
5. Mature teenagers
From: Susan
6. Andy Kim's Steed recordings - background singers
From: Laura Pinto
7. Groop Scoop
From: Keith
8. Re: The Jam "Somethings Gone" 1972
From: Michel Gignac
9. Laura Nyro
From: Art Longmire
10. Boots and Danny Comments
From: Paul Urbahns
11. Jonna Gault and Her Symphonopop Scene
From: Art Longmire
12. Re: The Three Degrees
From: Phil Milstein
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 02:45:39 EDT
From: David Bell
Subject: The Three Degrees
Wonderful group and they'll be doing dates in England later
this month. One of them is at my friends' blessing on the 25th
and I'm very much looking forward to that. It's at a castle
somewhere near Shrewsbury, I think.
David.
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 09:54:34 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: The Three Degrees
Interesting all this, because it shows the UK/US divide quite
nicely. The name means MUCH more here than it does Stateside!
They have a history stretching back to 1963.
The Three Degrees were a very big pop act in Europe for years -
mention the name to anyone and they would know who they are, in
the same manner as they would know The Supremes. The "Prince
Charles' favourite group" tag certainly did them no harm publicity-
wise !
The Northern Soul scene embraced singer Sheila Fergusons 60s solo
recordings on Swan, "Are You Satisfied" and "Heartbroken Memories"
and The Three Degrees' Swan releases, "Gotta Draw The Line" and
"Drivin' Me Mad".
Best of the lot though is the ourageous "Contact", a one-off 45 on
Warner Brothers.
Apart from the incredible Gamble/Huff Philadelphia International
productions, they also had hits in Europe with "The Runner",
and "Giving Up, Giving In" (big Hi NRG tracks courtesy of Giorgio
Moroder, the man responsible for kick starting Donna Summer's career)
and huge hits with "My Simple Heart" and "Woman In Love".
"It May Be Winter Outside" was of course the late and lamented Barry
White's group, Love Unlimited and recorded originally by the
marvellous Felice Taylor.
The group still tour regularly, although Sheila Ferguson left in
the late eighties, had a situation comedy role on T.V. and married
someone with a "title". She's toured regularly in the musical "Oh
What a Night" (named after the Four Seasons hit) and has a
wonderfully showbizzy web page on http://www.sheilaferguson.com
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 11:00:38 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Saturday Morning Playlist
I had some requests for me to post this again so here it is
- The Saturday Morning Playlist
1. The (Bossa Nova) Bird - The Dells -Argo
2. When You Dance - Billy Storm - Atlantic
3. Dominica - Frank Nelson And His Beat Strings - Mira
4. Reach Out I'll Be There - Paul Mauriat - Philips
5. Rilleah! - Marvin Gaye and Oma Page - Motown Connoisseurs Vol 2
6. Every Other Day - Della Reese - ABC
7. (Ain't That) Just Like A Woman - Mark Murphy - Fontana
8. Do Your Own Thing - Brook Benton - Cotillion
9. Teardrop Avenue - Bette Boothe - Falew
10. Nothing Lasts Forever - Margaret Whiting - London
11. Let's Spend Some Time Together (Inst) - The L.A.
Power & Light Co. - W.B.
12. Stop Breaking My Heart - Tom Jones - Parrot
13. Polly Wants A Cracker - The Parrots
14. Til The End Of Time - Ketty Lester - Capitol
15. Swingin' Summer love - Googie Rene - Class
16. So Wonderful - The Wonderlettes - Baja
17. I Got You Babe - Tiny Tim - Reprise
18. Jimmy Mack - James Brown - Smash
19. Last Tango In Paris - Willie Mitchell - London
20. I'd Best Be Going - Vito and The Salutations - Sandbag
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 11:53:12 -0000
From: Bill Craig
Subject: Re: Laura Nyro Background Singers
David Feldman quoted Tony Leong, who asked:
> It's stunning how Nyro seemed to emerge at birth as a mature
> artist. Has any teenager ever written and performed at the
> level of "First Songs" and "Eli & the Thirteenth Confession?"
> I can't think of any......
Hey! I tried to get a Laura Nyro thread going a couple of months
ago, but had no takers!
I feel much abused now and I'm going off to have a good sulk.
Bill Craig
(a sensitive artist in his own right with many personality
shortcomings)
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 08:39:21 EDT
From: Susan
Subject: Mature teenagers
Dave Feldman wonders:
> Has any teenager ever written and performed at the level
> of "First Songs" and "Eli & the Thirteenth Confession?"
> I can't think of any.
Janis Ian with "Society's Child" and all that came after?
Susan
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 13:45:49 -0000
From: Laura Pinto
Subject: Andy Kim's Steed recordings - background singers
Hi folks. I love listening to Andy Kim's recordings on Steed
Records from the late 60s and early 70s, and I was wondering
if anyone could tell me who the female backup singers were on
tracks such as "Baby I Love You" and "Be My Baby."
Also, don't forget that Andy will be headlining at the Riviera
Hotel in Las Vegas on September 6th along with Ron "I almost
don't have to say his last name" Dante! For info, go to the
CONCERT ITINERARY page on my fan site at
http://lpintop.tripod.com/laurasrondantefanpages/
Thanks for any help anyone can give me! (Yes, Stuff, I know I'm
beyond help.)
Laura
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 13:57:17 -0000
From: Keith
Subject: Groop Scoop
Hi All,
I've been off the list for a while (must be a few years now)
but it hasn't stopped me digging...
For the last few months I've been gathering information on the
elusive Groop LP on Bell (catalog number 6038) in the hopes of
drumming up enough interest for a reissue. I've spoken to the
two female singers, Susan Musmanno and Corlynn Hanney
(who now reside in northern Texas & Vancouver, respectively)
and to Toxey French who produced the LP with help from a
young Dave Grusin, and none of the above realized that an LP
was actually released. Corlynn was nice enough to make me a
dub from the master tapes that eeach of the band members
were given upon their (I'm guessing) unceremonious dismissal
from the label. I'm still on the lookout for their manager at
the time, a fellow named Richard Adler, who apparently had
something to do with Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 previous to the
Groop project.
I've only come across one person lucky enough to have actually
found a copy (eight sealed copies to be exact), and
unsurprisingly he and they are all in Japan. There is a Joey
Stec/Sandy Salisbury composition on the LP, which should
make a reissue desirable for the Boettcher gang completists
among us, and a fine cover of "Goin' Back" by Goffin & King.
It turns out that the Groop actually did a European tour at the
tail end of the 1960s and apparently that's the reason for their
Spanish picture sleeve 45 of "La Gancion Del Jet"/"Famoso Mito,"
which I saw mentioned in the archives.
Anybody out there have any idea why this one's so elusive?
Anyone on the list lucky enough to own a copy?
Well, it's nice to be back. I hope that in the time I've been
away, conversation on the topic of soft pop and lite-psych hasn't
been banned by those more sensibly minded Spectropoppers...
Over to y'all,
Keith
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Message: 8
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 20:54:06 -0000
From: Michel Gignac
Subject: Re: The Jam "Somethings Gone" 1972
Billy G. Spradlin wrote:
> It's a super-catchy record (with a killer hook) and sounds
> more like a 1966-7 garage band than 1972.
Billy,
I think that your impression is quite right. In Jerry Osborne's
book "Rockin' Records", he puts Jam's single on Sire in 1968.
When I first saw that you had uploaded some music by Jam from
1972, I thought this was the same Jam who released "Pigeon" in
1971. I have not heard "Pigeon" since 1971 when a snippet of it
was played at American Bandstand I think. If somebody owns that
single and wants to play it to musica or sell it to me, it would
be fantastic!
Thank you,
Michel.
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Message: 9
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 21:17:50 -0000
From: Art Longmire
Subject: Laura Nyro
I have to agree with Dave Feldman on Laura Nyro - an incredible
talent at such a young age. I read the biography on her that
appeared recently and enjoyed it very much. I just wish that her
album "Christmas and the Beads of Sweat" was easier to find - I
still don't have it on either LP or CD and I'm dying to hear it!
My favorite of all her work is "New York Tendaberry" - definitely
one of the great albums of the late 60s.
Art Longmire
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 17:27:04 EDT
From: Paul Urbahns
Subject: Boots and Danny Comments
Tony Leong wrote:
> Many session singers today sometimes get confused on songs
> that they actually sang on over 35 years ago (that's not
> uncommon). Sessions tend to blur I guess, especially when
> there may have been several a day back then.
I've interviewed Boots Randolph a couple of times. He did
session work back in the 60s in Nashville. His last regular
session job was "Gitarzan" but he has done other session work
when asked. I've spoken with Danny Davis (of Nashville Brass
fame) who was a producer on Connie Francis records among others
in those days. We were standing around at Boots' theater when
he had one in Nashville, talking about records he played on that
we liked; Boots turned to Danny after one was mentioned and
asked "Did I play on that one?" And Danny Davis answered "Yes."
Boots commented, "The fans know more about what I have done than
I do."
This is probably because if you do 3 or 4 three hour sessions a
day for weeks it all becomes a blur. Some of the songs are hits,
some are not. Some of the titles are changed from the time they
are recorded, until they are issued.
They were busy and exciting times then.
Paul Urbahns
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Message: 11
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 21:27:57 -0000
From: Art Longmire
Subject: Jonna Gault and Her Symphonopop Scene
Anybody on Spectropop ever heard this LP? I just posted on
Laura Nyro and was reminded of this record which also was
done by a "precocious" young lady based in New York (aged 19
when it was released on RCA records in 1968). It's definitely
an interesting record, although not a perfect one by any means.
I also have a 45 by Jonna Gault and Her Symphonopop Scene
called "What If They Gave A War And No One Came?" This song is
actually better than anything on the album in my opinion, but
wasn't included on it for some reason.
Best,
Art Longmire
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Message: 12
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 20:28:37 -0400
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: The Three Degrees
Simon White wrote:
> The Three Degrees were a very big pop act in Europe for years -
> mention the name to anyone and they would know who they are, in
> the same manner as they would know The Supremes. The "Prince
> Charles' favourite group" tag certainly did them no harm
> publicity-wise !
How long ago did he issue that opinion? I wonder if he still
listens to them much. I'd long had him figured for a New Age fan.
--Phil M.
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