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Radio Caroline - The all day Music Station
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There are 24 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 378:
1. Re: The Peels
From: "Lindsay"
2. Re. Jerry Samuels
From: Richard Havers
3. Re: Alley Oop Cha-Cha-Cha
From: bryan
4. Aki Aleong, Master Thespian
From: "David Feldman"
5. Re: The Peels
From: "Nick Archer"
6. Diane Renay
From: Ronnie Allen
7. Re: Rock Flowers
From: Patrick Rands
8. Re: Rock Flowers
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
9. Re: Rock Flowers Number Wonderful
From: simon white
10. Re: The Archies
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
11. Bananas
From: Simon White
12. Re: Spector ........ Jack
From: "Den Lindquist"
13. Re: Spector ........ Jack
From: "Ian Slater"
14. Re: Spector ........ Jack
From: Patrick Rands
15. Beetle Rekkids
From: James Botticelli
16. Superdupers
From: Peter McDonnell
17. Dora Hall
From: Doc Rock
18. RE: Bananas
From: Andrew Simons
19. Re Bananas
From: Richard Havers
20. RE: Bananas [and other fruits ].
From: Simon White
21. Times Square, Alpert, Spector and more
From: "Paul Payton"
22. The Liquid Room-2/32002
From: "David Ponak"
23. Re: Spector ........ Jack
From: "Ken Levine"
24. Peels...
From: "Kingsley Abbott"
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 11:14:50 -0000
From: "Lindsay"
Subject: Re: The Peels
Guy Lawrence wrote:
> tell me something about The Peels
Hoo-hah! I recently added to a small thread on this
topic over at the rec-dot-etc-etc-60s newsgroup, where
someone identified the Verdi aria heard in the chorus of
"Juanita Banana" as "Caro Nome" from "Rigoletto".
Someone else even offered the startling information that
there was a "Juanita Banana Part 2", which featured
Bizet's "Carmen". That I have never heard, but would
dearly love to. (A Peels greatest hits was also
mentioned!)
"JB" is a joyous piece of novelty pop. My 45 is on the
Karate label, KA522, and was produced by Charlie Fox. I
long assumed this to be Charles Foxx, but later realised
I had no reason to make such an assumption. The B-side
is a deadpan throwaway called "Fun", the entire lyrics of
which are "Everybody have fun".
One more thing: I remember "Juanita Banana" being used on
one of those comedy "cut-in" records: you know, the ones
where a newscaster is reporting on something like an
alien invasion and the interview bites are all bits of
current pop songs? No doubt some aficionado here will be
able to identify it; I guess it was around 1966.
And (I'm nearly finished) "Juanita Banana" was apparently
a much- covered song in non-English speaking countries. I
don't have the details at my fingertips, but a poke
around Google or Winmx using "Juanita Banana" as a search
term will turn up some varied results.
Cheers,
Lindsay
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 2
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 09:04:28 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re. Jerry Samuels
Hi
This is some info that have have worked up over the years
on Napoleon XIV....anyone have anything to add or subtract
or correct? If not I share it for what it is. The info on
weeks on chart etc applies to the UK
Napoleon XIV
Hits 1
Weeks on Chart 10
When the so-called 'sicko single' They're Coming To Take
Me Away Ha-Haaa! hit the charts in August '66, the
identity of the singer was a mystery. It was eventually
revealed that the producer, composer, engineer and singer
was 28 year old, father of two, Jerry Samuels. Samuels did
not want to go on the road to promote or perform, so 21
year old business administration and public relations
graduate Richard Stern undertook all the tours and stage
work after the record's success. Despite the single
reaching No. 3 in the States and No. 4 in Britain the
follow-up, I'm In Love with My Little Red Tricycle, with
effects by Bobby Gosh, failed to even trickle into the
chart.
When Stern toured the U.K. as Napoleon XIV his British
backing group T.D. Backus & The Powerhouse walked out
after one gig and were replaced by Trendsetters Limited.
Said Backus: "musically we just didn't speak the same
language, frankly it was a load of rubbish!" Stern
retorted "They didn't walk out, I fired them!"
Napoleon's only album included such extraordinary titles
as Photogenic Schizophrenic You, The Place Where the Nuts
Hunt the Squirrels and Let's Cuddle Up In My Security
Blanket.
During the chart run of They're Coming To Take Me Away
Ha-Haaa, which was banned by Radio Caroline, the stars
were asked for their comments on the allegedly sick record,
after various newspapers decreed that it joked about
mental health. Their response was probably indicative of
what any cross section of the British population thought.
Ken Dodd "I like listening to it", Crispian St Peters
"Disgusting really", Alan Price "It's a bit sick to make
fun of mental illness", and Georgie Fame "It sums up the
whole American thing". Pye Records however replied: "If
people listen they'll find it's all about a dog!"
Kim Fowley also released a version of the song but it was
Samuels, who was actually a composer of melodious songs
like As If I Didn't Know and The Shelter Of Your Arms for
Sammy Davis JR, who took the honours. Samuals had released
a song called Puppy Love in '56 but it failed to arouse
any interest.
Warner Bros. WB5831 They're Coming To Take Me Away
Ha-Haaa/ Aaah-Ah Yawa Em Ekat Ot Ginmoc Er'yeht 1966
4 Warner Bros. WB5853 I'm In Love With My Little Red
Tricycle/Doin' The Napoleon 1966
--
Best Wishes
Richard
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 3
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 01:14:10 -0800
From: bryan
Subject: Re: Alley Oop Cha-Cha-Cha
> 'Interesting' Don's claim that their version was first. I
> wonder what Gary Paxton would say?!
I don't know if this is all that interesting, but recent
talk about Paxton and Dante & the Evergreens reminded me
of a story I have heard about a single that was released
on Del-Fi's Edsel imprint in November 1960. It was called
"Alley Oop Cha Cha Cha".
This single was attributed to a made-up group called The
Prehistorics, who were essentially Kim Fowley & Gary
Paxton.
In Oct.1960, Bob Keane had signed Fowley and Paxton to a
production deal, and their assignment was to record an
"Alley Oop" knock-off. Fowley and Paxton traveled to New
York, where they reportedly got Bobby Spencer (who wrote
"Let the Little Girl Dance" and bass singer Arthur Crier
(of The Chimes) to help out with the vocals.
Fowley co-produced the track with Paxton, who played
guitar while Skip Battin played bass. According to
Fowley's account of it, in an interview he did for the
L.A. Reader, he and drummer Sandy Nelson, got "drunk as
skunks, bashed empty bottles and wastepaper baskets while
Paxton drawled out the very same lyrics to the "Alley Oop"
hit, except this time, everyone added the Cha cha cha's."
The b-side was a totally different vocal track that Keane
had recorded but hadn't released, called "Oh Blues," by
Chuckie Chandler & the Chandeliers. The next day, Keane
got on a train and took the completed song to
Philadelphia to give it to the program director at the #1
station in Philly. He also dropped off a cassette to
Jerry Blavat, "The Geator With The Heator," a local
deejay who had helped break Ritchie's "Come On, Let's Go"
in Philadelphia.
"Alley Oop Cha Cha Cha" (Edsel 779) didn't sell, but it
was possibly a mixed blessing as I understand the owners
of the "Alley Oop" comic strip took legal action against
versions of the song which they considered infringement.
Word is that an out-of-court settlement was eventually
reached.
That's the story I've heard, anyway.
Bryan
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 4
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 04:55:39 -0500
From: "David Feldman"
Subject: Aki Aleong, Master Thespian
On 8 Feb 2002, spectropop wrote:
> Thanks to all who came forth with info about Aki Aleong.
> I had no idea he was an actor! If you want to hear one of
> the craziest records ever made, find a copy (yeah, right)
> of Sheriff & The Revels "Shombolar" which I believe he
> wrote.
Marc,
If you want to see how extensive his acting career has been,
in both movies and television, check out his Internet Movie
Database credits:
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Aleong,+Aki
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 05:49:16 -0600
From: "Nick Archer"
Subject: Re: The Peels
> One more thing: I remember "Juanita Banana" being used on
> one of those comedy "cut-in" records: you know, the ones
> where a newscaster is reporting on something like an
> alien invasion and the interview bites are all bits of
> current pop songs? No doubt some aficionado here will be
> able to identify it; I guess it was around 1966.
the song was "Batman and His Grandmother", by Dickie
Goodman. I can [play it] if anyone wants to hear
it.
Nick Archer
Nashville TN
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 6
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 06:58:24 EST
From: Ronnie Allen
Subject: Diane Renay
To all Diane Renay fans .....
I'm happy to report that Diane has bounced back from her
recent illness which forced the cancellation of my
recently-scheduled January 17th live interview hour with
her which was to be heard on a Bucks County PA radio
station and the Internet.
I've scheduled another interview show with her to be
heard next week.
This show will be on a DIFFERENT station from the
previous one and will cover substantially more ground.
This coming Wednesday evening (February 13) from 9 PM to
Midnight E.S.T. on the Internet-only station M-PAK Radio
I'll be presenting a special THREE-HOUR interview show
featuring 60's recording star Diane Renay. This will
kinda be a musical "This Is Your Life" covering more than
thirty years of her recording career! And for the most
part we'll be moving in chronological order.
[ time zone converter: http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/worldtime/
]
Diane will talk about and I'll be playing her hits "Navy
Blue" and "Kiss Me, Sailor" plus many selections from her
new double-CD "Diane Renay Sings Some Things Old And Some
Things New", many of them not played on my previous
interview show with Diane from last December 6th. But
unlike that show we'll ALSO be featuring songs from her
original now-out-of-print "Navy Blue" LP plus a few
hard-to-find Renay rarities. Included in this show will
be Diane's "tough girl" recording of "Watch Out Sally"
and the pre-"Navy-Blue" hard-to-find single "Tender" and
"A Dime A Dozen."
And here's a special note. Toward the end of the first
hour Diane will tell the story of a harrowing experience
in which she, along with a couple of other well-known
recording stars, almost became instant legends. Most
Diane Renay fans do not know this story. It's a moving
story that up-to-now was known for the most part only by
members of her family and others close to her.
As an added bonus Diane and I will be giving away as
prizes four copies of her double-CD. If you've emailed me
previously with the subject "Make Me Eligible" you are
AUTOMATICALLY ELIGIBLE to win this time around. If you
haven't yet done so but would like a chance to win this
coming Wednesday evening please e-mail me at
at any time prior to the show
with the subject line "Make Me Eligible" and please
include your name and address.
The show will be heard exclusively on the internet on
MPAK-Radio. You can hear it using either of the following
URLs:
http://www.mpakradio.com
this is the home page; click on "Streaming by Warp" on
the upper-right to listen
or
http://www.warpradio.com/asx/MPAK-IN.asx
this gets you directly into the broadcast itself.
I sincerely thank those of you who have commented publicly
and privately about my previous interview show with Diane
>from last December 6th. In terms of music and interview
content this three-hour special will be much more
comprehensive than that one and Diane has told me it will
in fact be the most extensive radio interview show she
has ever done. Many of the songs included will be in
response to your requests.
Ronnie Allen
E-mail:
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 7
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 08:44:08 -0500
From: Patrick Rands
Subject: Re: Rock Flowers
---- On Thu, 07 Feb 2002, Don Charles wrote:
> Here are the songs from the two Rock Flowers albums:
>
> ROCK FLOWERS - Wheel STEREO WLS-1001
> You're My Kind Of Music
> You Shouldn't Have Set My Soul On Fire
> Uptight World
> Shake It, Wake It
> Heaven Help The Non-Beleiver (great Toni Wine ballad)
> Sunday Dreaming (also cut by The Shirelles)
> Mother You, Smother You
Here's a simple Rock Flowers question - did the Supremes
also do Mother You, Smother You?
And one fun fact: The Polly Browne group Pickettywitch
covered the Rock Flowers song Number Wonderful - and
Polly mentions in the cd liner notes how the Rock
Flower's version of the song did better than her's in the
UK,
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/salaryman/asada/picketty.htm
Patrick
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 8
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 10:13:24 -0500
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
Subject: Re: Rock Flowers
Is there anyone in Spectropop Land that can make me a CDR
of the SECOND Rock Flowers LP? I have lots of stuff to
trade, and will give more than I get!!
thanks,
Mikey
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 9
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 14:39:54 +0000
From: simon white
Subject: Re: Rock Flowers Number Wonderful
Patrick Rands wrote on 8/2/02
>
> And one fun fact: The Polly Browne group Pickettywitch
> covered the Rock Flowers song Number Wonderful - and
> Polly mentions in the cd liner notes how the Rock
> Flower's version of the song did better than her's in the
> UK,
Jay and The Techniques did a version as well .
It was nearly a U.K. hit in the mid 70's.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 10
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 10:08:09 -0500
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
Subject: Re: The Archies
"Don Charles" wrote:
> Which issue of Goldmine has Ron Dante saying [they
> performed as the Archies]? What's the name of the
> article? Who wrote it? What exactly is the quote?
> Which photos from Laura's website are you talking
> about?
Don, I don't keep the issues. It was a few years ago,
that's all I know.
Laura.....PLEASE chime in here and tell Don about the
photos on your website.
Mike
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 11
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 14:39:55 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Bananas
Nick Archer wrote on 8/2/02:
> the song was "Batman and His Grandmother", by Dickie
> Goodman. I can [play it] if anyone wants to hear
> it.
Good grief ! This may have solved a twenty odd year
mystery for me !
I hung on to this single because of one of the snippets
and I reckon this must be it. I remember hearing it as a
kid and I never knew what it was ! I must dig it out and
play it. Of course then I'll need to have Juanita....
And on the subject of Bananas was The Charmolettes
" Yes We Have No Bananas " ever a 45 ??
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 12
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 07:41:52 -0500
From: "Den Lindquist"
Subject: Re: Spector ........ Jack
----- Original Message from Peter Lerner
> Back around 1964/65, the pirate radio ship Caroline
> used to broadcast...Nightly at 6pm...an hour long
> show recorded in New York by a DJ called Jack Spector,
> who played brilliant US 45s otherwise totally unheard
> over here. These formed the staple part of my record
> collection at that time.
>
> My question - who was Jack Spector? Was this his real
> name? Was he any relation? I'll tell you, his shows
> were great.
Jack Spector (I pretty sure that was his real name) was
no relation to Phil, and was a New York City DJ for many
years beginning in the 1950s. He was one of the legendary
"Good Guys" on WMCA radio during the heyday of AM top-40
personality radio in the 60s. He would finish an airshift
with his famous closing line: "Look out street, here I
come!".
In the late 80s, Jack S. still worked in radio in the NYC
area, and died in the middle of an airshift. This tragedy
was cruelly parodied on-the-air by Howard Stern, who
changed "look out street" to "look out floor".
I didn't realize Jack Spector did any music programming
for Radio Caroline. If anyone has more info on this, I'd
like to hear more about it. I'd love to know what songs
he included on this programming.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 13
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 17:49:10 -0000
From: "Ian Slater"
Subject: Re: Spector ........ Jack
"Peter Lerner" wrote:
> who was Jack Spector? Was this his real name? Was he any
> relation? I'll tell you, his shows were great.
He also had a show on Friday nights on Radio AFN - the
American Forces Network, which was aimed at US troops
based in Europe. I think this show started up before the
days of the pirate ships. It was the best show we could
get in Britain at the time - the first place to hear new
US records - often the ONLY place. Reception was awful -
the best way to hear it was to drive to a local hill-top!
Non -British readers may be puzzled at the existence of
off-shore pirate radio stations and the other desperate
measures we had to take to hear pop records. This was
because there was NO commercial radio here - the BBC had
a total, legally-enforced, monopoly. Worse, the Beeb was
greatly limited by the trade unions as to the amount of
recorded music it could play ("needle time"). Not only
was it hard to hear new records, but home-grown artists
could make (usually dreadful) cover versions of new US
hits and have the advantage of better exposure by
performing them on live radio and TV shows, thereby
evading the needle-time restrictions which limited
exposure of the original records.
Perhaps I could start a debate by querying whether this
gave UK artists a boost which contributed to the British
Invasion?
I'd too would love to hear more about Jack Spector,
though I'd be surprised if he is related to Phil, or to
Abner for that matter!
Ian Slater
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 14
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 13:08:57 -0500
From: Patrick Rands
Subject: Re: Spector ........ Jack
> My question - who was Jack Spector?
Here's a link about Jack Spector:
http://www.meretrix.com/stern/html/UFAQ-1.1/06.07.html
Patrick
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 15
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 16:38:59 EST
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Beetle Rekkids
In a message dated 2/7/02 Spectropop writes:
>DJJimmyBee wrote:
>> Is there someone here knowledgable enough to print up a
>> discography of Beetle rekkids? I would love to know just
>> how many were made.
>
>Do you have half a lifetime to read said list, never mind
>listen to them all? :-)
I'm not talking about Beatle Rekkids...but phony ones by
phony groups posing as the original Fab Four , sometimes
referred to as Beetle Rekkids.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 16
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 13:22:12 -0800
From: Peter McDonnell
Subject: Superdupers
First posting for me: I have a record album I bought in a
Sears tire shop in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. when I was
maybe eight years old, which would be around 1967, and
it's a collection of songs and instrumentals named for--
or are about--popular comics and pop culture characters.
There's no date on the sleeve or the label; the label
bears a logo, "Design records": underneath the logo is
written "Pickwick International, Inc." The address on
back of the sleeve is Long Island City, 01 , New York. The
credit on the label reads "The Super Record of Super
Heroes Played by the Super Dupers"
Side one: 1.Batman & Robin 2.The Phantom 3.The Shadow
4.Flash Gordon
Side two: 1.March of Tarzan 2.Captain Marvel Jones
3.Mickey Mouse March 4.The Green Hornet
The songs are not throw-aways. There are some very clever
lyrics and some very cool mid-60's garage-band rave-ups
here."Batman & Robin" is not the TV show theme, but an
original tune that I've never heard anywhere else. "Flash
Gordon" is hilarious and totally rockin'. The
instrumentals ("Phantom", "Shadow", "Tarzan" "MM March"
and "Green Hornet") are basic, but they all cook! What's
very strange to me is that "Captain Marvel Jones" (sample
lyric: "He's the Southern Super-mayan!..ya ought to hear
them scream and holler when they hear him say:
'SHAZAM-Y'ALL!'") sounds dead on like Leon Russell on
vocals. Of course when I bought it nobody knew who Leon
Russell was, but it's of course easy to pick out his
voice, and I know he used to do a lot of session work for
people like Gary Lewis and The Playboys around this time.
Anybody know anything at all about this record? I'd love
to know some background on it.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 17
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 16:55:26 -0500
From: Doc Rock
Subject: Dora Hall
I sent off for a rock and roll 45 (artist unidentified)
>from Solo cups in the '60s. Turned out, it was a Dora
Hall record. I was also made the Dora Hall Fan Club
President for my city!
Doc
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 18
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 19:08:15 -0000
From: Andrew Simons
Subject: RE: Bananas
Yum yum, everybody... Didn't Eddie Cantor popularise
"Yes! We Have No Bananas" ? Too, there's the Slim
Gaillard ditty, "Banana Skins are Falling" or sommink
like dat. But my faves are
Yes, We Have No Bananas
Mulberry Fruit Band (Anders-Poncia-Perry prod)
Buddah BDA1
Juanita Banana
The Peels
Karate 45-522A
and for a troll down High Camp Street...
Banana-What a Crazy Fruit!
Rusty Canyon with the Banana Boys
Teenerama TE 1001-X
Somehow, apple records just aren't as interesting.
-Andrew Simons
British Library National Sound Archive
-----Original Message from Simon White
>
> Nick Archer wrote on 8/2/02:
>
> > the song was "Batman and His Grandmother", by Dickie
> > Goodman. I can [play it] if anyone wants
> > to hear it.
>
> Good grief ! This may have solved a twenty odd year
> mystery for me !
>
> I hung on to this single because of one of the snippets
> and I reckon this must be it. I remember hearing it as a
> kid and I never knew what it was ! I must dig it out and
> play it. Of course then I'll need to have Juanita....
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 19
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 22:18:16 +0000
From: Richard Havers
Subject: Re Bananas
>From: Richard Havers
Subject: The Rock Machine
> Slightly....oh well, very off topic, but can any British
> Spectropopper tell me the track listings for The Rock
> Machine Turns You On and Rock machine I Love You.
------------------------------------------
Richard,
Here's the track listings for them
THE ROCK MACHINE TURNS YOU ON (CBS PR 22)
Side A
1. I'll be Your Baby Tonight - Bob Dylan
2. Can't Be So Bad - Moby Grape
3. Fresh Garbage - Spirit
4. I won't Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar
- The United States of America
5. Time of the Season - The Zombies
6. Turn on a Friend - The Peanut Butter Conspiracy
7. Sisters of Mercy - Leonard Cohen
Side B
1. My Days are Numbered - Blood Sweat & Tears
2. Dolphin Smile - The Byrds
3. Scarborough Fair / Canticle - Simon & Garfunkel
4. Statesboro Blues - Taj Mahal
5. Killing Floor - The Electric Flag
6. Nobody's Got Any Money in the Summer - Roy Harper
7. Come Away Melinda - Tim Rose
8. Flames - Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera
ROCK MACHINE I LOVE YOU (CBS PR 26)
Side A
1. More and More - Blood Sweat & Tears
2. Stoned Soul Picnic - Laura Nyro
3. Stop - Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper
4. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - The Byrds
5. Somebody to Love - Grace Slick & the Great Society
6. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major 2nd Movement
(from the lp Switched on Bach)
7. That's No Way To Say Goodbye - Leonard Cohen
Side B
1. America - Simon & Garfunkel
2. My Name is Jack - John Simon
3. See To Your Neighbor - The Electric Flag
4. Excerpt from "The Tahiti" - Don Ellis & His Orchestra
5. Ball and Chain - Big Brother & the Holding Company
6. Time - Dino Valente
7. A Lot of Love - Taj Mahal
.....and on the subject of bananas
'I like bananas because they have no bones' by the
Hoosier Hot Shots from 1935
or Bo Carter's 'Banana in your fruit basket' from 1931
and last but....
Banana man blues (I don't want that thing) from Memphis
Minnie 1934
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 20
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 23:53:54 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: RE: Bananas [and other fruits ].
Strangely enough I bought another fruit related single
today , no Bananas involved [ at least I don't recall
them getting a mention ] but " Peaches and Pears " -
Gaynor Jones -- U.K. production on Decca.
It sounds like it was written for Eurovision but failed
to make the grade. Yes, it's that bad but in a
....fruity kind of way.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 21
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 18:48:23 -0500
From: "Paul Payton"
Subject: Times Square, Alpert, Spector and more
It seems every Spectropop dispatch presents me with more
"homework." Thank you all - I'm grateful.
>From Aki Aleong great things grow! Now I've gotta see
what I have by him in my dusty files. And I didn't know
The Untouchables became the Alley Cats on the way to
being Africa! (Thanks, Martin!)
Simon White wrote re: Dora Hall:
> they were "vanity projects'. What amazes me is the
> sheer scope of recording styles....
Wow - I guess so. And "Hello Faithless" was credible if
not great. I'll check the site you recommended
http://www.dorahall.tvheaven.com/.
BTW, did she sell any records on any kind of hit level?
Marc Miller wrote:
> If you want to hear one of the craziest records ever
> made, find a copy (yeah, right) of Sheriff & The
> Revels "Shombolar" which I believe [Aki Aleong] wrote.
He did indeed. I think it was reissued on the revived
VeeJay label a few years back on a compliation CD; it's
also currently available on Volume 1 (COL-5172) of the
amazing 10-volume "Memories of Times Square Record Shop"
Memories CD's on Collectibles, spelled as "Shombalor."
(The same volume also features the equally crazy "Bila"
by the Versatones, and the Elchord deliciously obscene
"Peppermint Stick," a New York classic originally on the
oxymoronically-named Good Records.) This primarily
doo-wop collection is a major part of the soundtrack of
my youth; I used to hang out in Slim Rose's wonderful
little hovel below Times Square at least a couple of
times a month from 1960-62 just soaking up the sounds of
the high-priced collectors' sides I wished I could afford.
They did, however, have 45's as cheap as a penny apiece,
and I'd come home with hundreds of "hot hunches" (I'd
heard of it, it looked interesting, cool label, known
writer or producer, etc.) and find a couple of gems among
them. One all-time favorite fine - actually for years my
nominal favorite in my entire collection - is a
transcendent A&M 45 (#714) credited to Dore Alpert called
"Dina." "Dore" (note the name: same as the Teddy Bears'
label, same as Herb's son) was actually Herb singing an
exquisite slow 6/8 ballad with gorgeous modulations, a
dramatic pause, and a magnificently sour trombone. A true
undiscovered masterpiece, I know of no reissues, but it's
the only record of which I own 3 copies.
Martin Roberts wrote:
> 'Interesting' Don's claim that their version [of Alley
> Oop] was first. I wonder what Gary Paxton would say?!
With the Adler & Alpert production credits and a "known"
writer on an established label owned by an old-line
industry pro, I'd give the probable nod to Dante & the
Evergreens - but of course I can't be sure.
By the way, the Untouchables' title is "Raisin' Sugar
Cane" and (1) it's beautiful and worth searching for
(wish I had the equipment to post it for you); and (2)
it's one of the first pop records to deal with an
understated but yet present racial theme - field
hands?/tenant farmers?/slaves? in the cotton fields. A
grabber!
Now, about Herb & Lou's Pr & Wr "Poor Boy Needs A
Preacher" - under that name? What label, please? Reissued
anywhere? Sounds great!
Re: Jerry Samuels, I have the Napoleon XIV album, too.
I've always found that the best and most enduring
"novelty" records have some underlying depth that makes
them greater than they are. Examples: - "...Split Level
Head" - maybe it was what I was smoking when I first
heard it in the 60's, but as it breaks down into
overdubbed dementia it really grabs me. Coincidentally, I
just heard it again on WFMU, and it still bears listening.
- Larry Verne's "Please Mr. Custer" (Era, 1960) - think
about this poor shlub going into battle with the
foreknowledge we now have. Also, the actual song,
stripped of the novelty vocal, is a simple yet beautiful
minor melody. And in a related mode..... - Linda Laurie,
"Ambrose, Pt. 5" (Glory, 1959) - "Ambrose," she says,
"it's so dawk heah in the subway tunnel." Yeah, that one.
But beneath the comedy reading is a nifty little jazz
track....
Peter Lerner asks who Jack Spector was. "Your main man
Jake" was no relation to Phil, but was a perpetual
personality on NYC rock radio covering many decades. Best
known as a WMCA Good Guy, I believe he came from the
early days of rock on WINS and spent some time on WCBS-FM
as well; I know there's a lot that brief description
misses. I'm glad he could cut loose on Radio Caroline, as
all DJ's were eventually very limited by format
restrictions in New York, where a tenth of a rating point
could mean 100,000 listeners. He died a couple of years
ago while doing mornings at WHLI on suburban Long Island
- had a heart attack while he was on the air! Radio
friends who knew him said that's probably the way he'd
have wanted to go. I wouldn't be surprised if you found
an obituary for him online at the New York Times site.
Thanks to all to have suggested off-list ways to better
listen to musica; will work on the system this weekend!
Country Paul
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 23
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 12:20:08 -0800
From: "David Ponak"
Subject: The Liquid Room-2/32002
The Liquid Room, (usually) hosted by David Ponak (me),
airs every Saturday night from Midnight to 3AM (PDT) on
90.7FM KPFK Los Angeles, as well as streaming at
http://kpfk.org.
Exciting news: The Divine Comedy (performing acoustic as
a duo) will be coming to Los Angeles. The 2 shows at
Largo on Feb. 19 are sold out, but there's an additional
show at The Knitting Factory on Feb. 21, at 8PM (early
show.) Listen to The Liquid Room this weekend to win
tickets!
The Liquid Room-2/3/2002
1. The Association/Come On In
Birthday (WB)
2.Neos/Original Untitled
Schema Livello Uni (Schema-Italy)
3.The Cyrkle/There's A Fire In The Fireplace
Red Rubber Ball (Sundazed)
4.Marizane/Sad Foolish Robot
Hypercube Sideshow
5.The Termites/Tell Me
Girls In The Garage (Romulan)
6.The Revillos/Rev Up
Rev Up (Captain Oi-UK)
7.Mike Sheldon/Joanne
Mike Sheldon (Le Grande Magistery)
8.Peggy Lee/Hard Days Night
On The Rocks Vol. 1 (Capitol)
9.Pulp/The Trees (Felled By I Monster)
The Trees (single) (Island-UK)
10.Meyba B. Beauty/The Chamber Of Dreams
Informacio Y Turismo (Siesta-Spain)
11.Richard Hayman/The Girl From Ipanema
The Genuine Electric Latin Love Machine (Command)
12.Pico/Ano Toki
Pico First/ABC (Kitty-Japan)
13.Toog/A Secret Son
Easy Toog For Beginners (Le Grande Magistery)
14.I Monster/Daydream
7"
15.The Gunter Hallman Choir/Daydream
Lounge Legends (Universal Music-France)
16.The Association/Everything That Touches You
Birthday (WB)
17.Gorillaz/19-2000 (Soul Child Mix)
G-Sides (EMI-Japan)
18.Gabor Szabo (with the California Dreamers)/The End
Of Life Wind, Sky And Diamonds (Impulse)
19.Puffy/Aoi Namida
Single (Epic-Japan)
20.Koop/Waltz For Koop
Waltz For Koop (Compost/Jazzanova-Germany)
21.The Langley School's Music Project/You're So Good To Me
Innocence And Despair (Bar None)
22.Saint Etienne/Erica America
Good Humour (Sub-Pop)
23.Rupert Holmes/Who, What, When, Where, Why
The Epoch Collection (Varese Sarabande)
24.Cymbals/Stupid Girl
Respects (JVC Victor-Japan)
25.Charlotte Leslie/Le Filles C'Est Fait
Whizzz (Musique Hybrid-Japan)
26.The Diff'rent Strokes/Is This It
This Isn't It (7" EP)
27.J.K. & Co./One Free Soil Strand
Suddenly One Summer (Sundazed)
28.Margo Guryan/Hold Me Dancin'
25 Demos (Franklin Castle)
29.Flanger/Outer Space Inner Space
Outer Space Inner Space (Ninja Tune)
30.Michel Legrand/Le Moulins De Mon Coer
Anthology (Universal Music-France)
31.Smokey & Miho/Blue Glasses
Smokey & Miho (Afro Samba)
32.The Mamas & The Papas/Glad To Be Unhappy
All The Leaves Are Brown-The Golden Era Collection (MCA)
33.Linus Of Hollywood/Goodbye To Romance
Let Yourself Be Happy (Franklin Castle)
34.Rolf Kuhn/Paranoid
New Happy Discoteque (BASF-Germany)
35.Del Tha Funkee Homosapien/Mista Dobolina
I Wish My Brother George Was Here (Elektra)
36.Haruomi Hosono/Super Xevious
Single (Scriton-Japan)
37.His Name Is Alive/Nothing Special
Someday My Blues Will Cover The Earth (4AD)
38.Jacques Dutronc/Proverbes
Jacques Dutronc (Vogue-France)
39.Spookey Rubin/Overkills
Breakfast (Hi-Hat-Canada)
40.Epherma/Again
Sun
41.Chara/Lemon Candy
Madrigal (Sony Music-Japan)
42.The Inner Dialogue/I Got To Life
The Inner Dialogue (Ranwood)
43.Thu Su Yong/What A Sound
Asian Takeaways (QDK-Germany)
44.Plastic D'Amour/La Ficelle
Plastic D'Amour (Siesta-France)
45.The Avalanches/Slow Walking
At Last Alone (Toy's Factory-Japan)
46.Sunshine Fix/A Better Way To Be
Age Of The Sun (Emperor Norton)
47.Roger Nichols & Paul Williams/Out In The Country
We've Only Just Begun-The Songs Of Roger Nichols & Paul
Williams (Universal Music-Japan)
48.Black Box Recorder/The English Motorway System
The Facts Of Life (Jet Set)
49. Paul Williams/Mornin' I'll Be Movin' On
Someday Man (Reprise)
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 23
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 00:16:45 -0800
From: "Ken Levine"
Subject: Re: Spector ........ Jack
Jack Spector was one of the "Good Guys" on WMCA in New
York. I believe there is a WMCA tribute website that
offers bios of the disc jockeys. To my knowledge Jack was
no relation to Phil and has since passed away.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 24
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 10:25:28 -0000
From: "Kingsley Abbott"
Subject: Peels...
Guy wrote - 'best song ever about dairy farming'...
Please, what was the competition?? We should be told!
Oh, I do love Spectropop! :-)
Also I also recall the Jack Spector show on Caroline
(broadcasting to our eastern region - achhored off
Frinton-on-Sea at that stage) - Caroline was largely
responsible for the fact that most of the band based in
Essex turned into Harmony bands (Castaways,Symbols and
many more), as they were, along with Radio London, the
only place we could hear rare US releases. Golden days
indeed!
Kingsley Abbott
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
