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Volume #0349 November 23, 1999
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The most trusted name in sound
Subject: Phil Spector
Received: 11/23/99 11:35 am
From: Fisxxxxxcom
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
Hi- i am doing a paper on the Brill Building and Phil
Spector. I was wondering of you could give me any helpful
information?
Thanks,
Jaimee
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Screen Gems demos/Girlfriends follow-up
Received: 11/23/99 11:36 am
From: Ian Chapman, iaxxxxx.net
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
Jamie wrote:
> The Cinderellas' "Good Good Lovin" is classic Brill, in
> fact it sounds a lot like "Some of Your Lovin'" (Dusty).
> According to the liners, this is an unreleased Screen Gems
> (Aldon) demo. There is a recent Barry Mann boot of all his
> Screen Gems demos floating around, which leads to the
> question: Why did all these Screen Gems demos suddenly
> surface? Who at EMI has them and how is it that these
> reissue specialists are suddenly given access to them?
> Anyone know? Bet you do, Ian Chapman! You are namechecked
> in the liners. Do tell!
Hi Jamie,
Well, Jamie, I don't think it's so much a case of them
suddenly surfacing. They've always been around - it's just
that these days, good reissue companies are tending to ask
people to do these compilations who have a deeper
knowledge of their subject than perhaps has been the case
in the past. Consequently, if a girl-group expert is given
a list of available tapes to look through, and sees, say, a
title credited to an artist/group that he/she knows wasn't
issued, or maybe a song title that has no artist listed,
but has the "right" writing or producing credits, then
it's more likely that the expert will investigate and
recognise the possible significance of what they've found.
That way, the rarities finally see the light of day.
With the Barry Mann demos, however, I get the impression
that Barry kinda gave his unofficial blessing to that CD
being issued - that he wanted his demos to be heard,
particularly "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" - and who
can blame him?
While we're on the subject of scarce tracks, is there
anybody on the list who either owns, or has ever seen or
heard the Girlfriends near-mythical follow-up to "My One &
Only Jimmy Boy"? Titles are "I Don't Believe In You"/"Baby
Don't Cry", and it is listed as Colpix 744. It's likely to
be another Dave Gates production. Interestingly, when Mick
Patrick asked Gloria Jones (Goodson) of the Girlfriends
about this, she clearly remembered "Jimmy Boy", but had no
knowledge of any follow-up. So does this mean a different
set of session singers were used? EMI have the rights to
the 2 tracks, but can't locate any tapes. It would be
great to get them out on CD if they can be located
anywhere, and if the owner was willing to let their record
be used for a dub.
Carol, do you have any information listed for those titles?
The record's release date is listed as September '64. It
must be out there somewhere!
Ian
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Subject: Re: the 'Mints
Received: 11/23/99 11:35 am
From: DJ JimmyB, DJJimxxxxxcom
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
In a message dated 11/21/99 12:28:22 PM, you wrote:
>Wednesday evening the LA Music awards were held at the El
>Rey Theater. After a tight set by the Wondermints, Carol
>Kaye presented Brian Wilson with a Lifetime Achievment
>award and then joined Brian, the 'Mints, and Jeffrey
>Foskett on a beautiful version of "God Only Knows." Seeing
>Brian and Carol actually perform together on stage was
>quite an exciting and touching moment.
I love the 'Mints...Their take on Burt Bacharach's "Don't
Go Breaking My Heart" on that Bacharach tribute recording
of a couple of years back is the ONLY song on the CD worth
hearing.
Jimmy Botticelli
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Att: Jamie etc.
Received: 11/23/99 11:35 am
From: Carol Kaye, caroxxxxxhlink.net
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
Jamie,
I worked quite a bit with the wonderful Darlene Love and
many many other fine background studio singers too,
actually some of the finest singers you'd ever hear. And
they sightread music and sung together in the studios so
well, you'd think they'd been "together" for years and
years - but the singers were like us, each of them
independent of each other - called "free-lance"
independent. The singers were the best in the business.
It was quite noticeable how mediocre (or bad) most of the
"star" singers were in comparison....but as in the article
that Howard Roberts spoke of, about the music that we had
to record, for that rock-pop-different types of "easy"
music (music that was technically-easy, Howard speaks of
playing the utmost simplest triad chords for hours, not
even dominants, and getting sick of it all, was so boring
and tiresome).
The "star" singers were OK for those types of recordings...
you didn't have to have a lot of talent nor fine
singing ability to be a "star"...and I see the same holds
true for much of today's music too altho' there's a few who
can really sing well also.
The studio singers were some of the greatest singers you'd
ever hear, very excellent at their craft...they were worth
their money believe me for propping up many a recording.
Just like the studio musicians were also.
Sorry, I don't remember any episode of Leon Russell "drunk",
I know he was pretty busy there before he went off on
his own (about the time the arrangements got "hairier" in
difficulty to sightread).
There was a guitar player who did get drunk and locked
himself in a closet that I was called to sub for, and that
didn't help his studio career any when word of that got out.
Booze, dope, being late, being arrogant, not knowing
multiple-styles of music, not being up on your instrument,
etc. -- these things were NOT tolerated back in the 50s,
60s and early 70s....but the 70s saw introduction of
cocaine being used by producers who encouraged their
studio musicians to "use" it with them (or they didn't
work), that kind of thing....thank God most of our group
were doing the more conservative TV film and movie scoring
by that time...I heard the awful stories, and saw the
drummers rush on cocaine on a few of the record dates I
would take too, ugly business. No wonder the synthesizers
took over.
Yes, things like that you don't forget, about the vast
differences between the "star" talents and the background
studio singers. But there were *real* star-singers like
Bobby Darin, Ray Charles, Mel Torme, Sam Cooke, Sinatra,
etc. who made up the difference and others who were fairly
good singers also: Lettermen, Righteous Bros. (for that
style of music), others.
Thank-you, David, for your nice words about the Brian
Wilson Lifetime Achievement Awards....it was a great
moment for Brian, and an absolute happy thrill to play for
him again, he was a little tired but very happy that night.
I just said a few words (great audience) and it was Chris
Carter, manager of the Wondermints, who presented the
award to Brian. Lots of press and media in the band-room
afterwards where a few of Brian's close friends also were,
with Melinda all smiles too -- she's so great, so
well-organized, and helps Brian with it all, I admire her
so much. The people in the audience were just the best.
Regards,
Carol
http://www.carolkaye.com/
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Re: Gold Star
Received: 11/23/99 11:35 am
From: WASE RADIO,xxxxxt.org
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
To Jake Tassell:
Gold Star studios was founded in 1950 by Dave Gold and
Stan Ross, and in its 34 years has lived up to its name-by
being awarded with 175 gold record awards. The studio
dimension was roughly 35 by 23 feet, with a 14 foot high
ceiling. Because of the low ceiling that would cause the
sound to go flat, acoustic chambers had to be designed.
According to the liner note on the Phil Spector's Greatest
Hits double album released on Warner Spector, Gold Star had
four accoustic chambers.
In an interview with drummer Hal Blaine on Dick Clark's
Rock, Roll and Remember, Hal mentioned that one chamber
was on the ceiling, It was in the shape of a casket with a
microphone on one end and a speaker on the other. The
amount of reverb could be controlled therough the board.
The board was a custom board-in other words completely
built from scratch. The mics were probablly the usual
ones-such as Neumann.
One particular note. There is a picture of the Righteous
Brothers singing into a single RCA mike. I have seen
several pictures of the studio, and across the room from
where the control room is are two large monitor speaker
cabinets, each looking like they have two speakers inside.
The top ones look like Klipschhorns and the bottom ones
like giant woofers. Imagine how loud they must have
sounded.
On the back of the original Sonny and Cher album"Look At
Us" (Atco 33-177) there is a picture of a very serious
looking Stan Ross at the board. To his right are two reel
to reel tape machines. One is a full track, and next to it
is a taller three track machine. I don't know what the
brand names are.
The roster of artist who recorded there is a virtual who's
who. The Teddy Bears' "To Know Him Is To Love Him" (which
Phil wrote, played guitar and sang backgroung on) was
recorded there. Phil must have loved that studio so much,
he produced the Paris Sisters' "I Love How You Love Me"
there- and pretty much the majority of his Philles stuff,
starting with the Crystals' "He's A Rebel". Phil was not
the only person to visit the studio, but it used by Sonny
and Cher, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, The Murmaids
("Popsicles and Icicles"), and so many others.
Well, got a basketball game I got to sit through.
More later,
Michael G. Marvin
WASE radio
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Mirasound, Stea-Phillips, A&R, Western/United...
Received: 11/23/99 11:35 am
From: Billy G. Spradlin, bgsprxxxxxhlink.net
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
Dear Michael:
I saw your information on Mirasound and was wondering do
you know any information about Stea-Phillips studios,
where the 4 Seasons recorded most of their hits?
Also, how many tracks did most of these studio's have (3-4
-8?). These 60's studio's seemed unique compared to
today's studios, because they were so big. I was checking
out the Bacharach box set and there's several pictures of
Dionne Warwick sessions at A&R in NYC and it looked like
the studio was big enough to play half-court basketball in.
I think its sad that most of these studios are now defunct.
I can understand why someone like Matthew Sweet went to
Cello studios in L.A. (Formerly Western/United) to
re-create a classic Wall-of-Sound for his new album.
Theres not too many left!
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Re: Reparata
Received: 11/23/99 11:35 am
From: Michael B Kelly, docxxxxx.com
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
I forgot to mention that I also have over a dozen
Reparata 45s.
Doc
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: Reparata & the Deter-Rons
Received: 11/23/99 11:36 am
From: Ian Chapman, iaxxxxx.net
To: Spectropop List, spectxxxxxities.com
Kingsley wrote:
> They may well get some re-released tracks in the UK on a
> Mick Patrick compilation. I seem to recall him talking to
> me about them a month or two back.
There was a Reparata compilation planned for Ace that Mick
was going to do, about a couple of years ago. Ace were in
touch with Steve Jerome, who had given the go-ahead, and
he sent a list of Reparata titles that he claimed to have
the master tapes to. These included all the World Artists
tracks, some RCA, (but not "I'm Nobody's Baby") and some
Mala. There was an unreleased RCA track too. Mick was
given a deadline to do the sequencing and the liner notes,
which he did after interviewing Reparata over the phone.
Everything was in place, but as with many of these
compilations, actually obtaining the tapes is often the
very last item on the agenda. Steve Jerome allegedly
proved rather difficult to deal with, and no matter how
many times Ace asked, apparently he would not send them
the correct tapes. It seems he would either send
incomplete mixes, or tapes that were not of sufficient
sound quality to use. In the end, they gave up, and the
project was cancelled. However, Ace did manage to salvage
the unreleased RCA track, "Look In My Diary", and use it
on "Where The Girls Are". This too was of poor sound
quality - however, you'd never know it, thanks to some
splicing wizardry at Ace.
Mick's interview with Mary Reparata Aiese is still in the
can, and he will eventually publish it in "That Will Never
Happen Again" (sometime!). In the meantime, here's a couple
of snippets from it that he's happy to share. Reparata, who
is indeed a school teacher now, has a very clear memory of
her recording days.
We've had a few posts about the original line-up recently...
it seems that Kathy Romeos' departure was more likely
to have stemmed from tone-deafness, rather than any
considerations of size . As for Delrons Carol Drobnicki
(the blonde one) and Sheila Reilly (on the right on the LP
cover), it's been documented in past interviews that the
morning the group were due to depart on a Dick Clark tour,
Carol and Sheila got cold feet and didn't show up, and were
fired. Reparata then had to go on the tour solo. As the
group's current record was "Tommy" - very much a
call-and-response song - Reparata urgently needed some
stand-ins. And so who became unseen temporary "Delrons"
from the wings? None other than the Detergents, who were
also on the bill!
Regarding the group's album, it may come as no surprise to
learn that the real Delrons didn't actually back Reparata.
Instead, Reparata told Mick, her backing vocals on that LP
were done by Patty Lace & the Petticoats, plus Ellie
Greenwich.
Mick wondered if Reparata was given acetates to listen to
when she had to learn a new song. Usually, yes, she said,
but in the case of "I'm Nobody's Baby Now" - her favourite
recording, and the one of which she is most proud - she
said that Jeff Barry, who wrote it, played it for her, and
that's where she learned it - "live", with Jeff at the
piano.
Mick said Reparata was a really nice lady to talk to, very
friendly and helpful. More's the pity the compilation never
came to anything, she must have been very disappointed.
Ian
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Subject: The Liquid Room 11/20/99
Received: 11/23/99 11:35 am
From: Ponak, David, david.xxxxxcom
To: Spectropop, spectxxxxxities.com
The Liquid Room airs every Saturday Morning (Friday night)
from 3-6 on 90.7 FM KPFK. (98.7 in Santa Barbara County).
Also check out my show The Nice Age at
http://www.spikeradio.com
Monday and Wednesday evenings from 8-10, PST.
1.The Comittee-California My Way
Happy Together: The Best Of White Whale Records (Varese Sarabande)
2.Cibo Matto-About A Girl
Moonchild Promo CD (WB)
3.Lalo Schifrin-The Girl Who Came In The The Tide
Mannix Soundtrack (Aleph)
4.Lords Of Acid-Am I Sexy?
More Music From The Motion Picture The Spy Who Shagged Me (Maverick)
5.Handsome Boy Modeling School-The Truth (Feat. Roison of Moloko)
So...How's Your Girl? (Tommy Boy)
6.Stu Phillips (featuring Dino, Desi & Billy)-Big Wave Bay
Follow Me Soundtrack (UNI)
7.Wondermints-My id/Entity
Bali (NeOSITE-Japan)
8.The Rotary Connection-If I Sing My Song
Songs/Hey Love (CD 2-fer, Ace UK)
9.Katerine-Le Appartement
Les Creatures (Rosebud-France)
10.Frank Sinatra Jr.-Now Is The Time (Free Design cover song!!!!)
His Way! (Daybreak)
11.Sammy Davis Jr.-Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow (Baretta's Theme)
Yes I Can! The Sammy Davis Jr. Story (Box Set-Rhino)
12.Le Tone-Rocky VIII
Le Petit Nabab (Creation-UK)
13.Van Dyke Parks-Music For Ice Capades TV Commercials
The 1969 Warner Reprise Record Show (WB)
14.Chappie-The International Chappie's Cheerleading Team
New Chappie (SMEJ)
15.Steve Lawrence-The Drifter
The Roger Nichols Songbook (Japanese Bootleg Compilation)
16.Scott Walker-Only Myself To Blame
The World Is Not Enough Soundtrack (Radioactive)
17.Blossom Dearie-I Like London In The Rain
In Flight Entertainment (Deram-UK)
18.Spanky & Our Gang-Without Rhyme Or Reason
Without Rhyme Or Reason b/w Anything You Choose (Mercury)
19.Toog-My White Trousers
6633 (Le Grand Magistery)
20.Sagittarius-My World Fell Down (Single Version)
Present Tense (Sundazed)
21.The Raymakers-Love-lee
Unreleased
22.Lee Hazlewood-Wind Sky Sea & Sand
Poet Fool Or Bum (Captiol)
23.Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood-Love Is Strange (Previously Unreleased)
You Go-Go Girl (Varese Sarabande)
24.Ben Folds Five-Don't Change Your Plans
The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner (Sony)
25.Serge Gainsbourg-Cargo Culte
Melody Nelson (Polygram)
26.Prince-The Sun The Moon And Star
Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic (NPG/Arista)
27.Jason Faulkner-Pretty Ballerina
A Tribute To The Left Banke (Apollo)
28.The Bill Shepherd Singers-Red Chair Fade Away
The Bill Shepherd Singers Sing The Bee Gee's Hits (Atco)
30.PM Dawn-Music For Carnivores
Dearest Christian, I'm So Sorry For Bringing You Here, Love Dad (Gee
Street/V2)
31.Orbital-Way Out
Middle Of Nowhere (London)
32.Boo Radleys-Jimmy Webb Is God
King Size (Creation)
33.Neil Diamond-The Grass Won't Pay No Mind
Glory Road (MCA)
34.Saturnine-The Wind Is Blowing Like An Outlaw
American Kestrel
35.Blur-Tender (Cornelius Remix)
Coffee & TV EP (EMI-Japan)
36.Funkadelic-We Hurt Too
America Eats Its Young (Westbound)
37.Stereolab-Les Aimies Des Memes
The Free Design Promo CD (b-side) (Elektra)
38.Beck-Broken Train
Midnight Vultures (DGC)
39.Cher-Dream Baby
EMI Legendary Masters-The Best Of Cher (EMI)
40.Scritti Politti-Brushed With Oil, Dusted With Powder
Anomie & Bonhomie (Virgin)
41.Elvis Costello With Burt Bacharach-The Sweetest Punch
Painted From Memory (Mercury)
42.Esquivel-Brazil
See It In Sound (7n/BMG)
43.Eternity's Children-Lifetime Day
Eternity's Children (Rev-ola)
44.One Star-The Jelly Is Set!
Triangulum (Flavour-Japan)
45.The Association-Come On In
Birthday (WB)
46.Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends-Trust
The Complete.... (Polydor-Japan)
47.Leslie Gore-Small Talk
It's My Party-The Mercury Anthology (Polygram)
48.Paul Williams-Morning I'll Be Moving On
Someday Man (Reprise)
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