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Volume #0201 December 27, 1998
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It's what's happening to Scene '67!
Subject: Girls Can Tell
Sent: 12/25/98 5:46 am
Received: 12/25/98 8:26 am
From: IAC, ianXXXXXXXXlnet.co.uk
Hi Billy,
Yes, the Crystals version is great, and it's beyond me why it was
never issued at the time. Same comments apply to the Ronettes
version. For those of you who may not know - the Ronettes version
was issued on the UK PSI set "Rare Masters Vol. 1" back in the
late 70s - but it was incorrectly credited to the Crystals on the
album label and sleeve. It has never appeared on any legit
reissues since, because I believe UK Polydor, the licensees at the
time, lost the tape!! However, the track was issued on a bootleg 45-
there was a set of boot Philles singles, some on coloured wax,
doing the rounds in the early 80s. Try and find it if you can - it
rates as one of the Ronettes finest-ever cuts, similar to "I
Wonder" - only better!!
Ian Chapman
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Subject: Re: Great Shakes jingles
Sent: 12/25/98 8:53 am
Received: 12/25/98 12:46 pm
From: Stewart Mason, flamXXXXXXXXcom
Ian Chapman wrote:
>There was also a great 7" vinyl boot some year back with various
>artists plugging "Great Shakes" milkshake drink - as with the Coke
>jingles, the ads were arranged vaguely similar to current hits, so
>you get Dusty Springfield with a slant on "I Only Want To Be With
>You", the Chiffons on "Sweet Talking Guy", also the Tokens,
>Happenings, Yardbirds and the Who and others.
In 1996, a Japanese label called Honest Abe released an amazing CD
called PRODUCT MUSIC, VOLUME 1. It didn't focus so much on jingles,
instead concentrating on songs from industrial musicals --
apparently, itw as the fashion in the 60s and early 70s to
commission original revues for your corporation's annual meeting
or convention, leading to brilliant Broadway-style songs extolling
the virtues of, say, Exxon ("Up Came Oil") or American Standard
("My Bathroom Is A Special Kind of Place").
Anyway, one of the few commercially-released tracks on this CD was
a song from a promo 7" for Great Shakes, an original written and
performed by Boyce and Hart called "Shake It." It's no "Alice
Long," but it's unmistakably Tommy and Bobby, and quite good.
My personal favorite track on the CD is from a 7-11 promo 7"
called "Dance the Slurp." Electric bass carrying the melody with
horn and electric piano accents, interrupted by a mixed-gender
chorus chirping "Slurp slurp!" and a crazed breakdown section
performed on three Slurpees. Genius, obviously.
Stewart
***************************FLAMINGO RECORDS***************************
Stewart Allensworth Mason
Box 40172 "Whuffo wiggle it?"
Albuquerque NM 87196
www.rt66.com/~flamingo
*********************HAPPY MUSIC FOR NICE PEOPLE**********************
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Subject: Coke jingles
Sent: 12/26/98 11:58 pm
Received: 12/27/98 9:25 am
From: Mark Landwehr, msXXXXXXXXbs.com
> Last year I heard a jingle for Coke sung by Lesley Gore. It went,
> "Do you want to know what we did last night? Nothin', just nothin'
> at all, just sat around, had a Coke or two"....It was so catchy it
> could have been a hit! The tune still sticks in my mind. It
> sounded very Brill Building. Anyone know when it was recorded and
> who wrote the jingle?
>
That was one of 4 cuts on an EP called "Swing the Jingle."
Lesley's tune was the best, by far. Others ("Swingers for Coke")
on the record were the Drifters, Roy Orbison (another great little
tune), and Los Bravos. As the Los Bravos jingle was done with a
"Black is Black" flavor to it, I'd say this was released in late
1966, although no date appears on the record or the pic sleeve. No
writer's credits are given.
As with Barbara Alston, the input we've received from Carol Kaye
is fantastic stuff...Carol, you mean you couldn't get into Zappa's
Suzy Creamcheese?? Ha, ha! Nice having you with us!!
Mark (Philles Phanatic)
http://www.toltbbs.com/~msland/Spector
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Subject: Billy Nicholls "Would You Believe"
Sent: 12/27/98 8:38 am
Received: 12/27/98 9:25 am
From: Jamie LePage, le_pageXXXXXXXXties.com
Fellow lister David Bash and I both got the new CD release of
Billy Nicholls' "Would You Believe" album and exchanged a few
words about it. As one of the long lost pop albums of Swinging
London '67, it's a fascinating listen. I thought it would be of
interest to this list, so with David's permission I am cross-
posting the information here.
David Bash wrote:
I just got a wonderful reissue of a 1967 album that a lot of you
would love, "Would You Believe" by Billy Nicholls, on the Japanese
label Teichiku Records. This album was original released, in
extremely small quanities, in the UK on Immediate Records and was
supposedly producer Andrew Loog Oldham's attempt to do a British
version of Pet Sounds. Well, it doesn't really sound like Pet
Sounds but it is excellent soft pop, with lots of harpsichord and
soaring vocals. Nicholls' melodies are great, and the high, almost
eerie vocals are a great complement to the arrangements. Fans of
Curt Boettcher related material, The Twice As Much, "Odessey and
Oracle " and yes, "Pet Sounds", should gobble this one up!
To which I add:
Yes, I picked this up and also recommend it. I think fans of
Between the Buttons/Flowers era Stones will like this very much.
The title cut Would You Believe is produced by Steve Marriott and
Ronnie Lane, featuring Small Faces on backing tracks and BG vox by
Marriott. Oldham's strings on this are wonderful!
The arranger on many of the tracks is John Paul Jones (ref: Graham
Gouldman Thing, NOT led zep) and Nicky Hopkins plays keys on much
of this.
I heard only 100 or so copies were pressed, and apparently
original pressings of Immediate IMCP-009 go for as much as 750
Sterling Pounds!
>...supposedly producer Andrew Loog Oldham's attempt to do a
>British version of Pet Sounds. Well, it doesn't really sound
>like Pet Sounds...
I agree it doesn't sound like Pet Sounds, but Oldham proudly wears
his influences on his sleeve and this album is full of Pet Sounds
references.
btw, Nicholls has a web page at http://www.nicholls.co.uk
There are sound clips of Would You Believe available there and he
is selling CDs off his site.
David adds that he will post a proper review of the album here
as time allows. In the meantime, check out Nicholls web site for
more info.
--
le_pageXXXXXXXXties.com
RodeoDrive/5030
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Subject: Re: It's My Party
Sent: 12/25/98 10:18 am
Received: 12/25/98 12:46 pm
From: WILLIAM STOS, wXXXXXXXXt.com
http://members.aol.com/imprty
I think the above address will get you to the It's My Party Site.
It's pretty cool. I haven't heard the group yet, but John has just
mailed me both of their singles. I plan to give them heavy rotation
on my show (anything to get girl groups back to the mainstream!) If
you write to John, make sure you tell him who sent you! Plus, if
you know of any great lesser known songs that his group might
record on their album, let him know!
Happy Holidays, Will
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Subject: Re: Spectropop V#0200
Sent: 12/25/98 9:42 am
Received: 12/25/98 12:46 pm
From: David Feldman, felXXXXXXXXderables.com
Wow, #200 was a keeper.
Thanks so much, Ian, for the wonderful account of the Brenda
Holloway/Kim Weston concert. It pains me to think that these
singers feel unappreciated in their own country. Indeed, during a
short stay in London, I had the privilege of seeing Jr. Walker, the
4 Tops, Jackie Wilson, & Gladys Knight & the Pips (separately) play
before appreciative audiences at a time when they couldn't get
arrested in the U.S.
And thanks, Carol, for the wonderful discussion of your sessions. I
can't wait to read your book. I especially loved you talking about
Earl Palmer -- you made your playing sound like dancing.
And to all Spectropoppers, I wish the merriest of holiday seasons,
and a Wall of Goodwill 1999: what a great group this is!
Dave Feldman
Movie of the Week: "Babe: Pig in the City"
Best Network TV Show of New Season: "Sports Night" & "Cupid" (tie)
CD of the Week: "We Three Kings" (Roches)
City of the Week: London
Best Time Killer of the 90's: Filling out the UPDATED gender survey at
"http://www.imponderables.com"
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Subject: Carol Kaye
Sent: 12/25/98 12:38 pm
Received: 12/25/98 12:46 pm
From: CLAUDIA CUNNINGHAM, TXXXXXXXX.net
I would like to thank Carol Kaye for the wonderful little essay on
"Lovin' Feelin'"...I am saving this to refer to in years to come.
It is really an honor to have you on this list...you are wonderful!
Thank you so much for sharing your very rich history with all of us.
You mentioned you did Sonny and Cher's recordings. Was it you who
played the first guitar riff on "Friends With You" featuring Cher?
That first note always thrills me! Go figure! And did you play on
"I Got You Babe"?
Every time I hear the middle, slow, dramatic part of "Lovin'
Feelin'" I'll think of you.
Thank you so much....Claudia
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Subject: Carol Question
Sent: 12/25/98 11:29 am
Received: 12/25/98 12:46 pm
From: Doc Rock, docrXXXXXXXXcom
Carol,
Your posts on the old days are simply fascinating! Please keep
contributing!
Question: There are two records (and of course many others) which
were heavily influenced by "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling."
"Always Waiting" by the Paris Sisters and "You Really Know How Too
Hurt A Guy" by Jan & Dean. Do you recall if you were on those or
not?
By the way, one early album (1965) which DID list the musicians on
the back cover was Jan Berry's "Jan & Dean's Pop Symphony #1." Also,
Jan named/introduced the members of the band on the unreleased
(until many years later) LP, "Filet of Soul."
One last thing. In light of the many hit records that you and the
"clique" recorded, did you find the Milli Vanilli scandal kind of
ironic?
Doc
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Subject: Supremes, Surfers, Sinatras and the Wondermints
Sent: 12/26/98 1:10 am
Received: 12/26/98 3:17 am
From: Jamie LePage, le_pageXXXXXXXXties.com
Carol Kaye wrote:
>...about 40% of 60s Motown hits were cut in LA.
I think this statement surprised quite a few of us. OK, I can
imagine the later records like Ain't No Mountain High Enough and
Someday We'll Be Together being tracked in LA, but earlier sides
like Supremes' Baby Love, Back In My Arms Again, Stop in the Name
Of Love; or 4 Tops' I Can't Help Myself (with that incredible bass
line)...many of us identify the "sound" of those records with
Detroit. Did you play on any of these dates, and could that
possibly be you playing the supreme bass line on (gulp) You Can't
Hurry Love????
Now I am starting to wonder why many of the early Motown hits
share a (non-musical) ambience which so strongly characterizes the
Motor City Sound. I always assumed it was the Motown studio room,
engineers, in-house EQ and (especially) reverb. Now I am not so sure.
Carol, where were these LA dates cut? Certainly not at Gold Star???
A more anonymous RCA perhaps? Do you recall the engineers on the
early LA Motown hits? Do tell more!
>Yes, I was one of the bass players on Tina's "River Deep Mountain
>High", but at Gold Star Recorders. Ray Pohlman also played Fender
>Bass on that, and they had a Dano, as well as a string bass.
What's a Dano? Is that short for a Dan Electro 5 string e-bass?
One last thing, Carol. You recently played bass on a track for
the LA band Wondermints (one of the guys is on this list but it's
no lip service when I say Wondermints' album Bali is my favorite
*new* album of the year!). Anyway, Wondermints played in LA at
Spaceland recently, and both Brian Wilson AND Nancy Sinatra got
up on stage with them. Besides playing on Wondermints and Brian
Wilson dates, you also played on These Boots are Made For Walking,
right? A Carol Kaye Triple Play!
I heard it was quite the party with even fellow Spectropopper David
Ponak getting in on the action! If anyone is interested, read about
it at:
http://www.mylaunch.com/Features/fs_Start.asp?contentType=NEWS&FeatureMode=News&ContentId=2223
http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/news/text/newsarticle.asp?af1=rsn&NewsID=6468&ArtistID=512
--
LePageWeb
http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/5030
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