TOP TEN MOMENTS FROM BEACH BOYS' MADE IN CALIFORNIA

Made In California is the long-awaited six-cd boxset by The Beach Boys. Covering all aspects of the band’s 50+ year long career in depth, the discs take you from their first release, “Surfin’”, all the way up to tracks from their 2012 album, “That’s Why God Made The Radio”. Along the way, the listener is treated to a complete catalog overview – including hit singles, album tracks, alternate versions, and a wealth of truly unreleased material.

Packaged as a hard-bound yearbook featuring many rare photos and informative quotes from the band, Made In California is an essential purchase for Beach Boys fans. Among the many outstanding highlights, I have picked ten tracks that perked my ears up and continued to pique my interest:

10) Meant For You (Alternate Version – Disc 3, Track 3): A tantalizingly short intro to the album Friends is almost triple the length in this never before released, extended version. Featuring a set of verse lyrics sung by Brian – he didn’t forget to name check ponies AND puppies. Chalk it up to 1968!

9) Sound Of Free (Disc 3, Track 29): A wonderful Dennis Wilson single (released under the name Dennis Wilson & Rumbo) from 1970. It has never previously been released on legitimate cd, possibly because a tape source wasn’t located until this box. A feel-good track co-written with Mike Love and Carl Wilson vocal involvement.

8) Soul Searchin’ (Disc 5, Track 7): Recorded during the Andy-Paley/Don Was produced album sessions (that ultimately never turned into an album), this gem of a song was resurrected by Brian and released in his own solo version on the 2004 release “Gettin’ In Over My Head”. This version features a backing track with some mid 60s charm elements. Carl’s vocal is passionate and heartfelt and the group sound is evident in the prominent background vocals.

7) Don’t Worry Baby (Alternate Vocal Take – Disc 6, Track 3): Thanks to a recently discovered tape, an early vocal attempt by Brian of “Don’t Worry Baby” has surfaced. The vocal is single-tracked, and really shows the influence of Ronnie Spector’s vocals on Brian. Keep listening until the last seconds and you’ll hear Brian riffing on a familiar vocal refrain as used on “Hawaii” and “Little St. Nick”.

6) Sherry, She Needs Me (Disc 6, Track 6): Started in 1965, lead vocal overdubs weren’t attempted until 1977 during the “Love You” sessions. Somewhat rough, but impassioned, the song languished in the vaults until Brian released a modified version (with lyrical content help from Carole Bayer-Sager) on his 1998 solo release, “Imagination”.

5) Do It Again (Stereo Mix – Disc 3, Track 10): All previous releases of “Do It Again” in it’s single version have been presented in mono or rechanneled versions. This fresh new mix finally provides some stereo separation and a good chance to hear the individual elements of the late sixties hit.

4) You’re Still A Mystery (Disc 5, Track 8): Another tune from the Paley-Wilson sessions. This one features a thoughtful Brian vocal (which may or may not have been recorded recently), with clear contributions from Mike and Al. A nice attempt at the “Pet Sounds” style.

3) California Feelin’ (Disc 4, Track 19): The first release of a Beach Boys version of this oft-attempted track. Notable for it’s inclusion of three lead vocalists…Brian on the intro, Carl on the main lines, and Bruce on the innocent refrain.

2) Where Is She? (Disc 6, Track 9): It’s not often you get to hear a totally unreleased, new-but-old Brian Wilson tune. Featuring a sparse arrangement of keyboard, Rhythm-King percussion, and a multi-tracked vocal, this is a classic Brian Wilson song that has never seen the light of a day. One could only imagine how magnificent it could have turned out if the group had polished it and worked on it during the Sunflower era, in which it was recorded.

1) (Wouldn’t It Be Nice To) Live Again (Disc 4, Track 4): A Dennis Wilson track of mythical proportions,  this Surf’s Up outtake has been long rumored to contain some of Dennis’ best musical, lyrical, and vocal content. It doesn’t disappoint. This mid-tempo ballad features a heartbreaking lyric (co-written with Stan Shapiro) that ranks close to the heights of “Forever”. Dennis sings it smooth and takes his time with the vocal, while his brothers Carl and Brian back him up with Mike doing a classic bass vocal near the end.

Made In California is a fitting-tribute to the continuing legacy of one of America’s most iconic bands.

DEBUT OF THE BAMBOO TRADING COMPANY

Waiting for the upcoming “Made In California” 6CD Beach Boys box? Anxious to hear some summer sounds before the end of August? Look no further – The Bamboo Trading Company is here.

This isn’t your standard California "tribute" type album - nothing of the sort. First of all, let’s clear the mystery up. The Bamboo Trading Company features:

Gary Griffin
Matt Jardine

Phillip Bardowell

Randell Kirsch

Chris English

Miami Dan Yoe

If you’re a Beach Boys fan, you’re likely to recognize most of the above names. And, yeah…Matt Jardine is indeed the son of Al. As if that wasn’t enough, the album, the self-titled album featured guest spots by THE David Marks, Dean Torrence, Beach Boys archivist Alan Boyd, and Brian Wilson Band/Wondermint member Probyn Gregory.

With a line-up like that, how could you go wrong? There’s plenty of wonderful things about this record. What I really like about it, though, is that it’s joyous. It’s forty minutes of fun.

Highlights include:

“Kitty Hawk” – a nice, laid back medium-tempo pop tune which features some tasty sitar/zither-like playing. Recalls the old B.J Thomas records of the late 60s.

“Tweet (Don’t Talk Anymore)” – a funny ode to the Twitter generation, bathed in glorious stacked harmonies and Wilson-esque percussion touches. The tempo changes a few times and the harmonies that swell around the bridge are phenomenal. “I’ll shoot you an IM to settle the score….”

“Drinkin’ In The Sunshine” brings to mind Friends-era BBs. The simple feeling of laying in the sun, perhaps on the beach with an ice cold drink? Nothing better.

Listen to “Star of The Beach” (which, according to the sleevenotes, was featured in the movie “Return of The Killer Shrews” - hmm) and you’ll hear some really nice guitar work by David Marks.

Matt Jardine turns in an impressive vocal on “I’ve Always Loved The Ocean”, with a reflective lyric about a hit maker’s younger days.

Those are only a select few – there’s half a dozen songs I haven’t even mentioned. Check them out for yourself. You can find out even more about The Bamboo Trading Company at https://www.facebook.com/TheBambooTradingCompany.

HARRY NILSSON’s RCA ALBUMS COLLECTION BOX SET TO BE RELEASED!

I can think of few artists more deserving of a mega-box set spanning a decade’s worth of material than Mr. Harry Nilsson. Sure, there have been reissues of his albums in the past, on various labels and formats, but nothing that could be called truly definitive. On July 30, 2013, that is about to change.

RCA/Legacy will release the 17-CD retrospective “The RCA Albums Collection”, featuring fourteen original albums spanning the years 1967-1977. Each of these albums is loaded with bonus goodies – and if that wasn’t enough – there are three additional discs filled to the brim with even more rarities.

 

(If you'd rather watch than read - or both - check out an exclusive unboxing of the Nilsson set:)

 

Where to begin….for a box you can hold in your hand, it’s so overwhelming. There’s so much “good” here. Let’s start with the art. The outer box is a classic tan/brown combination, featuring a picture of Nilsson in his prime on the front. It folds open to reveal seventeen mini-LP sleeves and a hearty booklet. The fourteen mini-LPs are faithful to their original vinyl counterparts, including gatefolds when appropriate. The three bonus discs have eye-catching designs by Steve Stanley (of Now Sounds fame), and fit right in with the look of the older albums.

The booklet is expertly annotated by Andrew Sandoval. Sandoval, a Grammy-nominated producer/engineer who has worked on countless projects that would interest you (as if you didn’t already own them all already…) gives a nice intro to the collection before briefing the reader on each disc in the collection, providing facts and filling details along the way. There are more than a few Nilsson pics here, too, along with the track listings of each disc with relevant writers’ credits and musician information.

 

 

 

 

The sound of this set is breathtaking – in this writer’s opinion, blowing away all previous issues of Nilsson on compact disc (or any other medium!). Mastering is by Vic Anesini – he made these recordings sound vibrant and fresh. The star of these recordings (it goes without saying) is Nilsson, and Harry’s voice shines through on each and every one of these tracks –the way it’s supposed to be. The bass is clear, the drums are punchy. Everything’s right here.

Oh, yeah – the music:

Nilsson’s first two albums on RCA, Pandemonium Shadow Show and Aerial Ballet, are represented in their stereo AND mono mixes. The mono mixes have never been available on compact disc before. You don’t have to choose which mix you like better, but it’s fun to compare the differences between each.

Harry and Nilsson Sings Newman have a variety of interesting bonus tracks. Highlights include the UK-only single mix of “Mournin’ Glory Story” on the former and “Snow”, a beautiful Newman song that didn’t make the final cut on the latter.

The Point!, Nilsson at the very top of his game, sounds better than ever – and I’m oh so glad that box set producers Sandoval and Rob Santos didn’t forget that irresistible alternate mix of the single-only “Down To The Valley”. It has even more Brian Wilson-esque touches than the 45!

Long before remix albums were hip, man, Nilsson made his (he called It Aerial Pandemonium Ballet) – and there’s a bevy on bonus tracks. Of note, five previously unreleased Italian language versions of songs from his first album, and a November 1968 BBC session with the incomparable Brian Matthew hosting.

 

 

The Schmilsson trilogy is next up – Nilsson Schmilsson, Son of Schmilsson & A Little Bit of Schmilsson In The Night. All come alive no matter what sound system you’re using – just crank ‘em up and enjoy that voice.

The remaining albums through ’77 were recorded and released during a tough time in Nilsson’s career, but there are still many gems to discover if you haven’t given them a chance. Among my favorites, “Don’t Forget Me” from the John Lennon-produced Pussy Cats; “Turn Out The Light” on Duit on Mon Dei; “Will She Miss Me?”, the last track on Sandman; the Harrison cover “That Is All” that opens AND closes …That’s The Way It Is; and Knilsson’s ear-candy ballad “Lean on Me”.

We’re not through yet. The real treat here is the bonus discs that grace the set. Divided into three discs, part one (Sessions 1967-1968) opens with the infamous demos Harry cut with Chip Douglas for The Monkees. The piano and soulful vocal reading of “This Will Be The Night” is a mind-blower. There are outtakes from the first and second album sessions here, too – including unheard gems like “The Family” - and the most beautiful remix of “Miss Butter’s Lament” that is imaginable. Baroque Pop in all its’ glory.

 

Sessions 1968-1971 picks up where the first one left off – and provides even more rarities. “You Are Here” contains perhaps the best chorus Nilsson ever wrote, and it’s been sitting in the vaults for over 40 years. Tracks from the motion picture Skidoo are here –the relevant vocal ones that Harry was involved in – so no need to buy that cd separately. Among the other unreleased pieces and alternates on this disc, a stunner is “Marry Me A Little”, a five-minute Stephen Sondheim pop opus with fantastic vocals and crystal clear sound.

The final Sessions disc has material from the Schmilsson period(s). A previously unreleased alternate of “Jump Into The Fire”, with a very different arrangement, is sure to surprise even the most die-hard of fans.

 

 

NILSSON – THE RCA ALBUMS COLLECTION is available everywhere July 30, 2013. Don’t miss this one – it’s the box set of the year.

GIRLS ON 45 - VOLUME TWO!

Back by popular demand, the prestigious Teensville label presents another volume of Girls on 45!!!! Covering a four year span (1963-1967), this disc takes the listener through a wide variety of 60s female gems.

Some of the highlights include the manic Spector-like opener, Merry Clayton's "Usher Boy". I can't imagine how many musicians were crammed in the studio for this one! Likewise, "Run Johnny Run" by Ramona King takes a cue from "When You Walk In The Room (Jackie Deshannon or The Searchers, take your pick) and transforms it into something entirely different. Just listen....

Still not convinced? A late girl group bopper, "Oh I Wonder Why", as sung by The Gypsies in 1966, sports one of the catchiest call-and-responses you'll ever hear. Gwen Stacey turns in a fine rendition of cult collector favorite "How Many Times Can One Heart Break". And if you're searching for a name you know, there's Joanie Summers - but with a song you don't - the insatiable "Don't Pity Me". One of the most revelatory discoveries is not one, but TWO outstanding girlie pop tracks by one Joanne Engel. "The Boy With The Guitar" is found on the first half of the disc, and "He's Looking This Way" (my favorite on the whole disc) is presented later near the end. Here's the full track listing for your perusal:

 1. USHER BOY - MERRY CLAYTON
2. RUN JOHNNY RUN - RAMONA KING
3. I CRY INSIDE - RICKIE PAGE
4. OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS - THE CASHELLES
5. HE’S HURTIN’ ME - BEVERLY WILLIAMS
6. OH I WONDER WHY - THE GYPSIES
7. THE BOY WITH THE GUITAR - JOANNE ENGEL
8. DON’T PITY ME - JOANIE SOMMERS
9. HOW MANY TIMES CAN ONE HEART BREAK - GWEN STACEY
10. HE’LL COME BACK - SYLVIA SHEMWELL
11. CHANGED DISPOSITION - THE PARTY FAVORS
12. I’LL REMEMBER JIMMY - MISS CATHY BRASHER
13. DON’T LET IT GET YOU, GIRL - DEBBIE ROLLINS
14. WILD ANGEL - VICKI SALLEE
15. BIG MAN - BARBARA JACKSON
16. ONLY THE GUILTY CRY - CLYDIE KING & THE SWEET THINGS
17. (WILL YOU EVER BE MY) STEADY BOYFRIEND - APRIL YOUNG
18. SWEETLY AND COMPLETELY - GEORGETTA BANKS
19. AFTER LAST NIGHT - THE REV-LONS
20. STRANGER IN MY ARMS - LYNNE RANDELL
21. THEN CAME HEARTBREAK - THE REASONS
22. HE’S LOOKING THIS WAY - JOANNE ENGEL
23. MR. MAGIC MOON - THE GLEAMS
24. YOU’RE MY BABY - THE CAROLINES
25. YOU’RE NOT THE GUY FOR ME - ERNESTINE ANDERSON
26. DON’T SAY GOODBYE - JEAN KING

The cover art is extravagant & colorful (what else do you expect from Teensville?) and the booklet is expertly annotated by Ash Wells & Mike Edwards. You'll like the way it sounds, too - all of the punch of the original 45s without the snap, crackle, and pop. What are you waiting for????? Order GIRLS ON 45, VOL 2 at the RRR Store. Just click RIGHT HERE. I dare ya. Rock on....

THE HEART (AND SOUL!) OF KENNY CHANDLER

Here at Rare Rockin’ Records, one of our all-time favorite teen artists from the 60s is Kenny Chandler (real name: Ken Bolognese). Mr. Chandler has had a long and varied career, and although his music is only a small part of it, Kenny is such a nice person that he immediately agreed to answer some questions for the blog when we asked. It was a privilege to speak with him and we hope you find the article informative and interesting. Read on!



Kyler: What kind of music did you listen to growing up?

Kenny: Oddly enough, until the age of 12 I wasn’t interested in music at all. Once I heard the melodies and harmonies from the new music revolution (rock ‘n roll), I found that I could emulate those sounds vocally. I was hooked!

I found I was first inclined in grade school. I was sitting on a swing at sunset after playing basketball. The swings were just across the street from a girl I was infatuated with – but too shy to speak to. As I admired her from afar, I found myself singing “Crying in the Chapel”, a popular song by Sonny Til and The Orioles at that time. Later, I sang “Only You” by The Platters to a girl I took on a hayride. I pulled her aside, and said, “Hey, listen to this!” Her reaction changed my life forever!

These tunes were important to me as an artist and gave me the courage to step into this exciting new world as a professional singer. I was about to step into the big leagues.

Kyler: What were the circumstances of the name change to Kenny Chandler? Who decided it?

Kenny: Just before my first record on United Artists was going to be released, “Drums”, Danny Kessler came up to me. He was the business manager for Leiber and Stoller, with whom I’d hooked up with because they were a hot team at that time. Danny asked me if I wanted to use my own name on the record. Previous to this, the only solo records I had made were under the name Kenny Beau. Well….after growing up with people completely destroying my name, from Bol-Legged-Nese, Banana-Man, Mayonnaise, I’d had enough!

Also, at that time, it was in vogue to change your name. Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin…all changed their names. Not to mention all the actors! As I was making the drive from New York to Harrisburg the weekend after Danny asked me what name I wanted to have on the record, I wracked my brain for a new name. At that time, an actor I really liked was named Jeff Chandler. Chandler seemed to fit well with Kenny. I had a match!

Kyler: Your first record under the name Kenny Chandler was “Drums” on United Artists. Did you like the song, and how did you feel about the finished record?

Kenny: Regarding “Drums”….I was working with the best people in the business on that record. Leiber & Stoller as producers, Stan Applebaum was the arranger, Brooks Arthur – best engineer around, and one of the finest studios, Bell Sound in New York. I wasn’t happy with my vocal performance on the song, to be honest.

My manager Herb Weiner saw the potential in the song. I must admit, I didn’t! I wasn’t as schooled in other forms of music besides doo-wop; I certainly didn’t know how to pick a hit song. I depended on Herb, as he had more experience in the New York scene. I was just a kid with a dream from Harrisburg. I guess I didn’t seem to appreciate the genius of Leiber & Stoller, nor how unique the arrangement was (for that time) by Stanley Applebaum.


Kyler: Did you ever hear the Jay & The Americans version – what were your thoughts?

Kenny: Yes, I did! I was happy to see that someone else recorded “Drums”, and I would have been really happy if it had been a hit for them. It would have validated my guilt of giving a bad performance. Oddly enough, no one else had a chart record with that song. I loved Jay Black’s voice and his vocal on “Cara Mia” – just great – and “She Cried” sung by the original Jay was also wonderful.

Kyler: One thing I wanted to mention is that your records all have a unique sound to them. On some of them you sound like Roy Orbison, others like Gene Pitney – was it intentional for you to try to sound like another artist, or was that coincidental?

Kenny: The fact that you say my records had a unique sound is something….at that time, that was not in my conscious. Unfortunately, I never really understood what it meant to be original; I just loved being a part of this great new world.

It has its good and bad points. Yes, I could sound like Gene Pitney! Yes, I could sound like Roy Orbison! Yes, I could sound like Frankie Valli! I have made records that imitated many artists and therein lays the rub.

Kyler: Around the time you signed with Laurie Records, Dion left Laurie to sign with Columbia. Did Laurie sign you with the intention of them grooming you to be the next Dion?

Kenny: That is an interesting question, and it is correct. Maybe not so much “grooming” me to be the next Dion, but Laurie had me in mind to be their next male star. I recorded many of my records at Laurie with the same group that backed Dion on his solo records, The Del Satins. Some of my records from that time have a ‘Dion’ sound to them, such as “Leave Me If You Want To” and “Gonna Make You Pay”. Maybe if Dion had stuck around, he might have recorded some of those songs and not me!

I also have some great memories of touring with Carlo Mastrangelo (who became the lead singer of The Belmonts after Dion left, and they had a chart record entitled “Come On Little Angel”), two years after the Winter Dance Party tour that featured Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper. We played the original Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Carlo was looking pale when we entered the venue. I went up to him and asked him if everything was ok. He said, “I’m freaking out, man! This is where we got the news that Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens were killed in the plane crash!!

We started the tour in Chicago and ended it in Chicago. When we were going back, many people were going to fly. I asked Carlo if he was and he just looked at me and said, “I don’t fly anymore”, for obvious reasons he didn’t have to state. I asked him how he would get back and he told me he would be taking the bus. So, I told him I would take the bus with him! We sat in the back, having a good time playing and singing our favorite doo-wop songs.







Kyler: “Heart” was your biggest hit. I know you’ve told the story before, but how did you first come across that song?

Kenny: Before I made records under the name “Kenny Chandler”, I worked with The Tree Swingers –their hit record was “Kookie Little Paradise”. I wasn’t on the record, but I was hired to do a promotion with them on tour. Art Polhemus was one of the members of that group. Jump to a couple years later, I got a call from Art. He was now a recording engineer, and he had just engineered a demo session for Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil for a song called “Heart”. He told me it was a fantastic song, and that it would be perfect for me. But, Bobby Darin was producing Wayne Newton at that time, and he had an exclusive on the song!

Eddie Mathews, who at that time was the National Promotional Director at Laurie, told me that if there was a lead sheet at the Library of Congress, anyone could record it, and sure enough, it was there. We recorded it and beat out Wayne Newton.

Bobby Darin was good friends with Dick Clark. The day I was scheduled to lip-sync “Heart” on American Bandstand, Darin used his influence to bump me from the show and have Wayne Newton on instead! Maybe if I was the one on Bandstand that day, it would have had an even higher chart placing.

Kyler: How do you feel about the Wayne Newton version compared to yours?

Kenny: I liked my record better – not my performance, though. I always loved Wayne’s voice; one of my favorite records of his is “Danke Schoen”.

Wayne and I had the same booking agent, Frank Barcelona at the GAC Agency. I’m in his office and we were just finishing up our discussion. The receptionist calls Frank and tells him Wayne Newton is waiting. Frank asked if I would like to meet him. Of course, I said yes!

We go out into the reception area and Frank introduces us. “Wayne, this is Kenny Chandler…” Wayne looked down at me (he’s a tall guy – and at that time he had the short hair, baby fat, and looked like a kid on steroids!). He said, “Oh, you’re Kenny Chandler”, very coldly – so I said, “Oh, you’re Wayne Newton”. And that was it! If it was the old wild west, we would have had a shootout! How funny.

Kyler: The B-Side of “Heart”, entitled “Wait for Me”, is one of my all-time favorites. Any memories about that?

Kenny: Even though it was a Ricky Nelson imitation, I always liked it!

Kyler: I Can’t Stand Tears At A Party – your third Laurie single - was that meant as a Lesley Gore “It’s My Party” answer record?

Kenny: Absolutely! I was personal friends with John Gluck Jr, one of the writers of “It’s My Party”. They never came back to him and the other writers of “It’s My Party” for a follow up for Lesley. My “answer song” used some of the same arrangement styles of “Party”, including the way the horns and drums sounded. It must have come out around the same time as “Judy’s Turn to Cry”. We never had a chance!

                                                                          



Kyler: “I Tell Myself” was the B side – any memories/thoughts?

Kenny: “I Tell Myself” is memorable because it was my first arrangement. I had the entire arrangement in my mind before I got to the studio. As an arranger, in the studio, with all these wonderfully creative musicians with whom I had worked with on so many sessions was incredible. Who knew a kid from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania could find himself producing a session with some of the best musicians in America and quite possibly the world…what a rush! I thought it was amazing and I learned so much. Sadly, this record never received any airplay.

Kyler: Did you sing live with the band or would you overdub your vocals after the tracks had been recorded?

Kenny: I did both! If we needed to come back, after hearing the dub, and felt we could improve it…that’s what we did. In my case, if my live performances were recorded I would have been better represented than my studio recordings. I never was happy with my studio sessions. It took me many years to learn how to be a studio singer.

Kyler: I’ve read that in 1964, you lost your voice – is that true?

Kenny: Very true. I credit Burt Bacharach for my recovery. He sent me to a great doctor who was the only one who got results. I had gone to the best doctor in the biz, Dr. Rosen – who was Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme’s doctor….nothing. It took me a year of searching until I ran into Burt and he sent me to Dr. Berberich. 6 months later my voice returned. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was. I had thought my professional singing career was over.

Sometime later I had an opportunity to thank Burt. It was at my first recording session since the loss of my voice. I saw Burt going into the men’s room at the same time I was. I had to call his name twice and he said “who is it” I said Kenny Chandler, he popped his head around the corner and said “Hey how are you” I told him I was so thankful to him for sending me to Dr. Berberbich, that I was there to do a session and that he saved my recording life. By this time, Burt had become a huge success.

Kyler: What are your favorite recordings of your own?

Kenny: I was never really happy with any of my recordings. I am very proud of my latest single, “In the Still of The Night”, which has been released through TuneCore and is available to purchase through Amazon and other internet retailers. However, I feel the best is yet to come!




I’d like to thank Kenny for taking the time to graciously provide the memories and stories for the interview.

You can buy Kenny's latest singles, "In The Still of The Night" and "Little Darlin'" on Amazon - just CLICK HERE.

Rare Rockin' Records current release is David Gates - The Early Years 1962/1967 (Songwriter Masters Series). You can purchase directly from the RRR online store....all you have to do is CLICK HERE for more information.

Until next time, rock on….

DAVID GATES - THE EARLY YEARS 1962-1967

Upcoming release from your favorite label, Rare Rockin' Records!

 

 

The next installment of the highly acclaimed Songwriter Masters Series higlights the written accomplishments of David Gates. As you may know, Mr. Gates was active in the music business long before Bread - as a recording artist, yes....but also a master craftsman of fine pop, doo wop, rock n' roll, girl group, and soul tunes. This compilation, lovingly compiled and annotated, presents 32 of Gates' finest written songs spanning the years 1962-1967. It includes songs you may know (including the smash Murmaids hit "Popsicles & Icicles"), and some you may not (including killers by The Crickets, Margaret Mandolph, and Shelley Fabares). In addition, Gates' original own demo of "You'll Be Needin' Me Baby" is included as a bonus treat - as if 32 amazing songs weren't enough!!! And if that wasn't enough information to get you salivating, here's the full track list:


 1. THE MURMAIDS - POPSICLES AND ICICLES 2. ANN-MARGRET – HEY, LITTLE STAR
3. MICHAEL LANDON - WITHOUT YOU
4. GLORIA MELBOURNE - DON’T LET HIM
5. DOROTHY BERRY – CRYIN’ ON MY PILLOW
6. DORSEY BURNETTE - PEBBLES
7. SHELLEY FABARES - FOOTBALL SEASONS OVER
8. GWEN STACEY - AIN’T GONNA CRY NO MORE
9. THE GIRLFRIENDS - MY ONE AND ONLY JIMMY BOY
10. PAT POWDRILL - THE LUCKIEST GIRL IN TOWN
11. FRANKIE FANELLI - TEARS, RAIN
12. MARGARET MANDOLPH - IF YOU EVER NEED ME
13. THE CRICKETS - PLAYBOY
14. CONNIE STEVENS - LOST IN WONDERLAND
15. DOROTHY BERRY - YOU BETTER WATCH OUT
16. JOHNNY BURNETTE - THE FOOL OF THE YEAR
17. GWEN STACEY - LONELY GIRL
18. MARGARET MANDOLPH - SILLY LITTLE GIRL
19. GAIL GANLEY - I THINK I’M GONNA CRY
20. JERRY MODINE - ARE YOU PUTTING ME ON
21. MERRY CLAYTON - NOTHING LEFT TO DO BUT CRY
22. SUZY WALLIS - TELL HIM
23. DOTTY & KATHY - THE PRINCE OF MY DREAMS
24. CARL EDWARDS - THE BRIGHTER SIDE
25. GWEN STACEY - GIVE THANKS TO A FRIEND
26. JODY MILLER - NEVER LET HIM GO
27. THE GIRLFRIENDS - FOR MY SAKE
28. THE FENCEMEN - SWINGIN’ GATES
29. JOHNNY CRAWFORD - NO ONE REALLY LOVES A CLOWN
30. DOROTHY BERRY - STANDIN‘ ON THE CORNER
31. JODY MILLER - HOW DO YOU SAY GOODBYE
32. THE LETTERMEN - YOU’LL BE NEEDIN’ ME
33. DAVID GATES - YOU’LL BE NEEDIN’ ME (ORIGINAL DEMO)



You can place your pre-order direct from us at the official RRR online store. Just click HERE!

GIRLS ON 45 (New Teensville CD Release)

Ladies lovers rejoyce! Teensville Records (a division of RRR) presents GIRLS ON 45, a fantastic new compact disc release featuring over an hour of 60s girl pop sounds. Since you all own the wonderful line of products already available on Teensville, I don't need to tell you the wondrous sounds to be found on this label. This newest release is no different, with 26 rare sounds for your enjoyment.

The packaging is colourful and glamorous - pictures of the artists and records are abound. Liner notes are provided by head-honcho Ash Wells and the talented Mike Edwards, chronlicling the stories and sounds so you can read as you listen. A point that's come up recently - some music fans are wary of buying material by artists they have never heard of. Well, who says unknown equals poor? In this case, it's the exact opposite! Compilers Ash and Mike have chosen to include 26 songs that weren't even close to hits - but they should have been!!! Give it a try, something new won't hurt. In this case, I promise! You'll have to buy the cd to read all about the artists and songs, but I'll provide a few of my personal fave raves from the disc: -The Emeralds' "Did You Ever Love A Guy", coming across like a brilliant lost Chiffons single. -Atmospheric and dramatic sounding "Better Off Without You" by Beverly Noble. -Hideously rare Toni Wine/Tony Powers composition "Make Me Happy", sung here by Barbara Wilson. -Italian charmer Piccola Pupa sounding like an updated female Neil Sedaka in 1965 on "Put Two Extra Candles On My Candles". It was co-written by Howie Greenfield, no wonder. -Vi Valesco's "If You Must Break A Heart" from her Vee-Jay album, in stereo no less! They're all good, though, and I urge you to support a great label and a great product by purchasing GIRLS ON 45 (on cd!)(or official mp3 download!). Links below for your convinience: CD Purchase Link: CLICK HERE MP3 Download Purchase Link: CLICK HERE

The Explorers Club - "Grand Hotel", Grand Album.

February 14th, 2012. Maybe a mundane day for some, a romantic day for others but for the informed music lover, it is a grand day. Why? It is (or was, depending on when you are reading this nifty little blog post), the day that Grand Hotel by The Explorers Club is released.

The Explorers Club are a bunch of nice lads hailing from South Carolina with a knack for creating finely crafted pop tunes chock full of harmony and melody. Their first album was released in 2008, entitled Freedom Wind, and quickly became a favorite of anyone who heard it. It had a definite Beach Boys flavor, and for this writer’s money (not that I have any to give you!), was better than many of the BB’s own creations that spun on 33 and 1/3.

It’s nearly 3 years later from that monumental release, and look ma, here’s the next one! And you can buy it on CD (click here), Vinyl (click here), or MP3 download (click here). You could take my word for it and just buy it right now – but I figure you might want a little more enticing. Read on.

The cover art (pictured below), shows the influence of the A&M sound on this latest record. It may look like you are about to get some Herb Alpert record inside, but no, it’s the Explorers Club, offering so much more.




Grand Hotel was mixed by Mark Linet, the man responsible for mixing many Beach Boys and Brian Wilson projects. While the BB parallel doesn’t end there, this new record is decidedly less Beach Boys than the first one, and definitely more “Explorers Club” in its’ place.
Did you ask for a track-by-track rundown? No? I’ll give you one anyway.
The brief instrumental “Acapulco (Sunrise)” sets the mood. Oceanic sounds open the record, and soon flutes, guitars, and island sounds come into the mix to greet you. Everything sounds so warm and enticing – within only the first few seconds of the album the listener can tell much care was put into the performing and mastering, by the EC and M.L respectively.

Then there are horns, and you know you’re in for a treat, because the next track is the first main track, “Run Run Run”. At a nice pace with a pleading lead vocal, this is about as perfect as a song can get. The harmonies on the chorus are rich and full, and if you listen closely, there are some faint bongos, recalling to mind ‘You’re Gonna Lose That Girl’ by the Fabs. Excellent choice for the first single from the album!

A blues based intro jolts “Anticipatin’” to a start, but just as soon as it gets funky, The EC switch it up and go into a melodic, deep voiced vocal that tells the listener to forget their troubles. I’m not sure if they were going for it, but the verses sound like a really good Hall & Oates song. But wait! Just as you’re digging the KissOnMyList vibe they’re putting down, the chorus comes in, and damn, it sounds like the sweet falsetto combination of Lou Christie and Frankie Valli! Such a feel good track and just the record that everyone should be trying to emulate from this point forward.

After all the excitement, “Bluebird” is next, a soft mid-tempo ballad, with some nice snare brushes and a laid-back, mellow vocal. Beautiful harmonies on the chorus.
The title track, “Grand Hotel”, is an instrumental. It has some great Herb Alpert-esque horns, conjuring up images of the cover art – a beautiful girl, darkish green colour all around, and perhaps some ringwear…

“Grand Hotel” segues into the next track, “Go For You”, which begins with a tinge of psychedelica, but quickly turns into a wonderful uptempo pop track with an irresistible catchy chorus. The middle-eight shows a bit of the Burt Bacharach sound, never a bad thing. I go for “Go For You” quite a bit!

Acoustic plucking opens “Any Little Way”, a short one minute link track which combines 70s disco with some Brian Wilson-esque falsetto touches. Another of my (many) favorites on the album is the next tune entitled “It’s No Use”. A pop-ballad stunner, for sure. There is something so special about this song that I can’t quite put into words. It’s one you just have to hear for yourself. If Pet Sounds was made in the very early 70s, this would be right at home. At the tail end of the track we get treated to a very Gary Puckett fade out.

“Sweet Delights” is another ballad, and another beautiful one at that. The lead vocal is reminiscent of Carl Wilson, in this writer’s mind anyway. Close your eyes and listen to this one in the dark – magic stuff.

The tempo gets picked up quite a bit on “I’ve Been Waiting”, starting out with some Buddy Holly drum beats and acoustic strums, and continuing on with a unique slice of power-pop. I like the call-and-response playfulness between the lead vocals and background harmonies.

“It’s You” is a piano driven ballad, reminiscent of the fantastic things Paul M., Eric C., and Todd R. were doing in the early 70s. The verses build up to a sweet falsetto chorus. The production is clean, highlighting and letting every element shine in its own way. The ending calls to mind Barbara Mason’s 1965 hit, ‘Yes I’m Ready’.

“Acapulco (Sunset)” signals that the record is soon to end, leaving the listener with three acoustic driven ballads before the album reaches completion - “Summer Days, Summer Nights” (which may or may not have been influenced by the title of a certain Beach Boys album), “Weight of the World” (which has a fantastic island feel), and “Open The Door”. This triplet of songs, although not in sound, is very Pet Sounds in nature. Feelings and emotions are expressed through music that is so special, you'll need to hear it for yourself.

Although there are many more months to come in 2012, “Grand Hotel” is easily going to be the best album of the year. I strongly suggest you run, run, run to pick it up as fast as you can!
-KS

SUSANNA AND THE ROOMATES - OUT NOW!

Blog readers,

You can now purchase the new Susanna and the Roomates CD direct from RRR at a special price! Just click right HERE and you'll be taken to a magical place where magical teen and doo wop recordings live. :)




A nice description of this fantastic CD via Ash:

Doo Wop is Back in vogue as Rare Rockin' Records proudly presents their latest CD-release in their 'Today's Doo Wop Masters Series'. This time we have The UK's finest Doo Wop group - The Roomates backing the most delightful; Susanna.

Susanna takes centre stage with her striking movie star looks and versatile vocals. She truly shines, as she either with her smooth and rich tone of voice charms her way through the songs, or more sultrily delivers these Doo Wop and teen pop rarities as lead vocalist with the ever-amazing tight vocal harmonies of The Roomates right behind her.

Susanna & The Roomates - '16 Reasons and more' will take you down memory lane on a musical journey of mainly obscure cover versions, which will sound as fresh and original as ever. If you love Doo Wop, vocal group harmony, rock 'n' roll or just 50's and 60's oldies in general, you will love this great collection. A whopping 30 tracks with an 8-page full-colour booklet packed with rare pics and insights into Susanna & The Roomates, as well as feedback and comments from fellow artists; both from the good old days and new. Reserve your copy now. RRR TDM 1031.



Wishing all readers a very happy holiday!

SUZANNA AND THE ROOMATES - NEW CD JAN 2012

Hi all,

Some news in the Rare Rockin' Records world, a new cd featuring your favorites The Roomates with female lead vocalist Suzanna singing 30 (yes, 30!) brand new doo wop tracks for your enjoyment. The cd will be out early next year.



And here is the track lineup:




Until next time...rock on!

PAUL PETERSEN - HITS & RARITIES - OUT NOW!

On the heels of RRR's Billy Meshel disc, we are proud to present a brand new release on Teensville: "Hits & Rarities" by the fabulous Paul Petersen.



This is a great release on so many levels! First of all, there's 31 tracks here, the most comprehensive collection of Paul yet.

Out of all the tracks, Teensville is presenting 10 in superb sounding stereo, while the rest are in punchy and vibrant mono.

There are also 4 unreleased tracks - the great teener "Quarantine" (presented here in two versions, including rad studio chatter), the group sounding "I Wanna Be Free" (featured in an episode of The Donna Reed Show, but never released on record), and the somber "Two Little Boys".

Of course the hits are here - "My Dad", "Lollipops and Roses", "She Can't Find Her Keys", "Keep Your Love Locked".....

If you are only familiar with the hits side of Paul Petersen, you will be delighted to find many hidden gems on this CD. For instance, there's "Amy", written by Mann-Weil, which was so good that Barry later recorded it for himself. Paul's version of "The Poorest Boy In Town" is incuded too. You might know it by Johnny Burnette.

Beach Boys fans rejoyce - "She Rides With Me" is Track #9 - it's written by Brian Wilson and Roger Christian.

You will also hear a couple cuts Paul cut for a Colpix album of "Bye Bye Birdie" songs, and even a brief look at his stint at Motown Records in the late sixties.'

The music isn't the only great thing about this collection - the booklet is outstanding! Many pictures of Paul and full information about the tracks. The liner notes are by Brian Gari (check out his own music at cdbaby.com), detailing Paul's career in the biz with some funny antedotes.

You can buy Paul Petersen's "Hits and Rarities" direct at the RARE ROCKIN RECORDS SHOP (just click it!)

(Non RRR Related) Power Pop Duo 'The Red Button'

Hi folks,

As a quick aside from the news about upcoming releases from Rare Rockin' Records and Teensville, I'd like to direct you to the latest album by the The Red Button.

The Red Button (Seth Swirksy and Mike Ruekberg), if you don't know, are one of the most promising and talented artists in a genre known as power pop. 60s styled pop with a bit of an updated edge, if you like.




Their new, second album, entitled "As Far As Yesterday Goes", was released recently. It's simply a delight to listen to. In these heavy times, a 12-track breezy pop album hits the spot.

My favorite track is actually the album opener, "Caught In The Middle". It's upbeat and catchy as hell - images of Black & White moptops and girls chasing them come to mind! There's also a wicked, Dylan-esque harmonica recurring throug the intro and solo. The title track employs a Ringo-like drum beat (see 'Anna' or 'In My Life') with sections of Brian Wilson falsetto. Can't go wrong there...

"Picture" is a soft and wistful track about a love gone wrong. It reminds one of something off of The Hollies' "Butterfly" album. "Girl Don't" is another one of my favorites, an updated Merseybeat track with jangly guitars and pitch-perfect harmonies. Kinda Searchers-y!

Other standouts here include "On A Summer's Day", sounding like a cross between Mark Bacino and Harry Nillson - or the reggae and pop concoction of "You Do Something To Me" -or the uptempo "I Can't Forget", with a great opening lyric of 'It was a day she won't remember, it was a night I can't forget'.....

Check out The Red Button at their official website (theredbutton.net), where you can order both their albums.

PARADISE FOUND - THE SONGS OF BILLY MESHEL CD

To all the RRR Blog readers -

The new Billy Meshel CD is hot of the press and it certainly doesn't dissapoint. First off, the packaging is amazing - vibrant colors, full of stories from and about Billy and his compositions.




The music is another thing - there's tons of variety here, from bonafide stars like Dion & The Belmonts (with a track dating from their 1967 reunion) and Del Shannon, to unknowns with great voices like Mark Richards and Dale Brooks. For northern soul collectors, there's Lenny Welch and Don & Juan. Also, the girls are here as usual, with killers by Ginny Arnell, Babs Tino, and plenty of other fine chicks.

A couple of more obscure favorites from this CD include....
-Donna Lewis' "Call Him Back" which recalls the Peggy March sound of the early sixties.
-Mickey Denton's "Now You Can't Give Them Away", which has 'hit' written all over it.

Pick it up - another winner from the Rare Rockin' Records catalog. Buy it HERE

CHATTING WITH DENNY DIANTE

Once again, it's time for another interview segment on the Rare Rockin' Records blog. Some may know him as a producer, arranger, and engineer for such artists as Neil Diamond, Johnny Mathis, and Elton John.

Here at RRR we love Denny for the teen records he made in the 60s. I hope you enjoy learning the backstories behind the great tunes Denny sang and recorded back in those glorious days.



Kyler:What were the circumstances behind your signing with Holiday Records?

DENNY:I was introduced to Cal Van Zile by a friend. Van and Harry Fields were just starting Holiday Records. He brought aboard Marty Cooper to run the label as well as produce. Marty was known for working with Jack Nietzsche and Lee Hazelwood. Jan Davis (the Fugitive), Marty (the Shacklefords) and yours truly were the first 3 artists signed to the label..actually I was the first.

Kyler:You had two singles with Holiday, I’m going to list each title and then maybe you could give me some thoughts/memories about them? The first one is “Little Lover”.

DENNY:“Little Lover” was actually produced by me. Tom Crumplar ( bass player) of the Cornells, put the session together with most of the players who did the Phil Spector recordings…actually had the Blossoms doing bg’s with 2 guys…it was Hal Blaine and most o the Wrecking Crew on the date. Had no clue what I was doing but somehow knew what I wanted it to sound like…hey, we’re talking about it all these years later! Cool…




Kyler:Your vocal on Little Lover seems reminiscent of Dion. How big of an influence was he on your style of singing?

DENNY:This vocal style was done at the request of Lou Chudd who owned Imperial Records. I met Lou through his wife and daughter at a local supermarket. He had huge success with Fats Domino and Ricky Nelson. An appointment was set up and I had a live audition in his office in Hollywood…down the block from KFWB and the record biz hang out Aldo’s coffee shop. Thought I hit the big time!!!! Me and my guitar. Played him a couple of ballads and then went into my Dion groove on Little Lover…I loved Dion and the Belmonts. He stood up and yelled “It’s a hit”!!! ‘He said go make a demo and bring it back to me…so…we went in and cut a record..who wants a demo?…brought it to him and he got on his feet and hugged me…..after a few weeks I got a call from Lou where he said “you sound a little too much like Dion”..what else do you have? First experience of “HUH???” He said I had the look of a Ricky type so do something like Ricky…a little rockabilly and pop thing. So Tom and I and the Cornells went into the studio and did 2 sides. One was dead on Rick Nelson….got a second call from Lou…you guessed it…said I was too close to Ricky style….I never went back to see him. That’s why I’m on that cd “Why do you sound like me, Dion”

Kyler:Next up is “Faraway Places”.

DENNY:Marty Cooper choice and production..great David Gates arrangement…terrific record…I thought it was too adult for me at the time…I wanted to sing to girls and fun in the sun stuff.

Kyler:The next one was “What Makes Little Girls Cry”.



DENNY:David Gates did the arranging with Hal Blaine drums, Glenn Campbell and Gates on gtrs., Don Robertson piano, Julius Wechter on everything, and Ray Pohlman on bass. This was my teeny bopper anthem! Get tons of emails from around the world on this one too…..written by Lou Josie who wrote “Midnight Confessions” for the Grass Roots…


Kyler:The B-Side of that was a great ballad entitled “Traveled”.

DENNY:I wrote “Traveled” when I was still a teenager…can you tell. My original demo was pretty close to the record but Gates (pre-Bread) put his great touch to it. I wanted strings and all the backing stuff but the record was finished before I could get my shots in…most likely a money thing for a small label. I get emails from all over the world asking about this song….only took a few decades and the internet for a little recognition.. I had a few fan clubs starting in Europe and Asia but Holiday was not to be around long enough to be successful. Did a bunch of teen mags with photos and stories, just didn’t have the financial backing to go all the way. Traveled was a favorite of Arthur Lee and Love who played it in the Jukebox at BiDoLiDo’s every night..a club in a Hollywood alley….who knew?

Kyler:Were there any unreleased/unissued sides done while you were at Holiday?

DENNY:We did a few more sides but Holiday closed up so I signed with 20h Century Fox Records. Bob Marcucci who managed Avalon and Fabian, thought I had the talent and look to become successful. He started me in acting classes and put out the first single “Just a Boy In Love” Marty Cooper and Ray Whitley wrote the song and Marty wanted me to do the “Billy Joe Royal” southern sound..so I did. AT the same time, the co-publisher of the song got 2 other cover records to come out at the same time so the competition killed all 3. I got the most action but by then I was more interested in making records than performing…I started hanging out at Gold Star studios in Hollywood where, Stan Ross, Dave Gold and Doc Siegel started teaching me how to engineer and mix. Singing took a back seat.
I then went to work with Marty and Vicki Cooper at their publishing company learning all about songs and song plugging (I hate that term) Did a bunch of demos and learned how to make records.

Kyler:Finally, Denny, please tell our readers what you are up to these days.

DENNY:Still producing records..mainly in Nashville…doing an occasional movie….producing special market productions….may teach a master class at NYU….do the Taxi.com conference every year as part of the final night A&R listening sessions… chops are still up….loving the rediscovery of the 60’s records….life is still rock and roll to me!!!






I would like to thank Denny for taking the time to answer the questions! I hope you've enjoyed this latest interview segment. Please check out the Rare Rockin' Records shop and learn about past, new, and upcoming releases (new ones by Billy Meshel and Paul Petersen coming soon!).

HE'S IN TOWN - AN INTERVIEW WITH PHIL MARGO

Hope you enjoy the latest installment in our interview series - Phil Margo of the legendary Tokens was nice enough to answer our questions.



Kyler:Phil, how did you (and your brother) become ½ of the classic lineup of the Tokens?

PHIL:Well, it’s mainly because I was in a boy’s chorus in high school and I learned how beautiful singing was, it was in my junior year and I was kind of unspectacular. We did our first concert and our teacher asked if some of us would want to entertain at the annual spring sock hop, so I volunteered Mitch and me and we sang “All I Have To Do Is Dream”, accapella. People applauded and girls introduced themselves and that was the beginning. I found that I had a talent for music and I pursued it. I learned how to play the piano, and had a band in the summer of 59. We worked in the Catskill Mountains. When I came back, our drummer (his father won the lottery won the lottery two months in a row) went to college, and I had to find a new drummer. The new drummer knew Henry Medress. And he introduced Henry to us and we started working and writing together. We did kind of a rock and roll version of Chopsticks and nothing happened. We continued to write because Hank saw something in us. And we wrote “Tonight I Fell In Love” and some other songs and we got Jay (who was in Darrell and the Oxfords with Hank) to sing lead and that’s how it all began. Mitch was actually 9-10 years old when we first sang and then when we got together (in the Tokens) I was 17 and Mitch was 12.



Kyler:What kind of music were The Tokens into offstage?

PHIL:Jay had a very eclectic view of music. he was into country and folk. Mitch and I liked 40s music. I liked some classical stuff and of course what was current. Our favorite was stuff like Ray Charles and good harmony groups.

Kyler:How did you come to be signed by Warwick Records?

PHIL:We went with Warwick because they frankly were the only label that would take the record! We made “Tonight I Fell In Love” and nobody jumped up and down and then finally Warwick agreed to put it out. Then they changed their mind. Morty (Craft, head of Warwick at the time) didn’t want to put it out because he didn’t like the name we picked for ourselves, which was “Those Guys”. He didn’t want ‘Those Guys’, and he wasn’t gonna put the record out. So we came to him, and he said “ok, we’ll use the name ‘The Tokens’, because one of his labels was the label that Neil Sedaka & The Tokens were on. So, we took the name ‘The Tokens’. It was an afterthought. We didn’t really like the name but we took it because we wanted to do anything to get a record out!

Kyler:After “Tonight I Fell In Love”, you moved from Warwick to RCA. What was the reason behind the move?

PHIL:We moved to RCA from Warwick because Morty said our record wasn’t earning any money, when it was in the Top 15. He said, “what can RCA do for you that I can’t”? And we all said in unison, without rehearsal, “Pay us!”

Kyler:Can you tell me about some great doo wop songs that graced the first RCA Tokens single – “Dry Your Eyes” and “When I Go To Sleep At Night”?


PHIL:Dry Your Eyes and When I Go were songs that we had written and nothing much to say except that I don’t think the records weren’t what we wanted. Once you turn things over to an arranger and orchestra you’re at their mercy. We weren’t in charge, so we weren’t the producers, so we had to do what was in front of us. Later on, “He’s So Fine”, when we recorded the Chiffons, we had run through the budget at Capitol Records so we had to play the instruments and do the arrangements ourselves. I think that’s what made the record successful because it had that spontaneous feel about it.

Kyler:Of course your biggest hit on RCA was “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”….how influential were The Tokens to the arrangement of the original folk standard?

PHIL:We kinda gave them the demo – we did a demo in 1960 of Wimoweh without the lyric. I just found it recently within the last couple of years (the original demo). We pretty much laid down the feel of it, the bongo drums etc. The lyric was a thing that was added later and we didn’t get that until the day of the session. We were supposed to sing the lyric to the melody line of the chant (“Wimoweh”), but it got boring, after a while repeating the same thing over and over again, so we went over to the piano and adjusted the melody. We actually wrote a new melody to go with the lyrics. We unfortunately never got credited or paid for that and it was even admitted to by the people that kind of stole it from us.



Kyler:Some of my favorite Tokens songs from the early Sixties are little known gems which have very little information to be found on the web – namely, “Right Or Wrong”, “Somewhere There’s A Girl”, and “Dear Judy” – can you provide any details?

PHIL:“Right or Wrong” was written by Neil Sedaka, that was on our original session. “Somewhere There’s A Girl”, Neil Sedaka also wrote. We wrote “Dear Judy”. We were trying to do a record like “Little Darlin’”, so we did “Dear Judy”.

Kyler:What was the major impetus behind the creation of BT Puppy Records?


PHIL:We started BT Puppy because we were leaving RCA and we wanted our own label, like a little RCA. BT stands for Bright Tunes (our publishing company), and Puppy, as a reference to RCA’s dog.

Kyler:Many, if not all, of the Tokens original songs were followed by the credits “Margo/Margo/Medress/Siegel”. Did each of you actually write parts of every song or was it more like a Lennon/McCartney situation?

PHIL:Margo/Margo/Medress/Siegel were the credits. Mitch and I wrote most of the songs, in fact Mitch even more than me. Jay and Hank didn’t really write that much. Jay’s edition was to make little changes in the melody once a song was written. Basically the songs were written by Mitchell and I. Although Hank, with us, did write Tonight I Fell In Love and I’ll Always Love You.

Kyler:How did The Tokens acquire “He’s In Town”? Were you good friends with Goffin, King and the other writers from the Brill Building?

PHIL:We were friends with Carole and Gerry because once we produced “He’s So Fine” for the Chiffons, they came to us with the demo for “One Fine Day” (sung by Little Eva on the demo), and I said we would want to do that (with the Chiffons). She sent it over and we used the backing track, with Carole on piano, and added to it to make the master. So we were friends with Carole and she called us up and said “I have a great song for you guys”.We were friendly with Mann and Weil, Barry and Greenwich, Artie Resnick, all of those people from the Brill Building.


(above: Carole King and Gerry Goffin, writers of "He's In Town")



Kyler:Who came up with the Puppy design for BT Puppy? Was it meant to be a knock on RCA Victor’s dog?

PHIL:It wasn’t a knock on RCA, it was an homage to them – that was where we had our biggest hit record so the last thing we wanted to do was knock them!

Kyler:“I Hear Trumpets Blow” has a set of wonderful lyrics. What was the inspiration behind that tune?


PHIL:I Hear Trumpets Blow is an interesting story. It continues now – we always loved it. Mitch wrote it as a homage to our family. It would have been a big record if New York would have played it. The only area we couldn’t get it played was New York City so the record wasn’t as big as it could have been. Noah (Phil’s son) and I wrote a play which is being considered for Broadway called “Oh My Goddess”, and one of the songs we put in it is “I Hear Trumpets Blow”. Hopefully it will have another life – we’ll see!

Kyler:Many of the Tokens songs have intricate background parts – for example, “Breezy” and “Greatest Moments In A Girl’s Life”. Did you guys arrange those parts yourselves?

PHIL:We did all the background parts ourselves. The only one we didn’t do was “He’s In Town”, which Carole King did.

Kyler:You produced many great records and artists – do you have a favorite?

PHIL:Out of all of them, there were only three that I knew would be hits – Knock Three Times (Tony Orlando and Dawn), I Got Rhythm (Happenings) and One Fine Day (Chiffons). I guess I don’t really have a favorite My favorite Tokens record is “Tonight I Fell In Love”. There was something wonderful about the innocence of the background parts. If you notice, the background parts are a descending triad instead of the obvious part. And the record turned out the way we all heard it, so that was kind of exciting.

Kyler:Finally, I bet out readers would like to know what Phil Margo and Tokens are up to these days.

PHIL:We tour all over the country and we travel. We do television and we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”!








Thanks to Phil for the interview! You can check the Tokens official website out HERE


Also, be sure to check out the Rare Rockin Records shop (just click here). You can find many great compact discs to order, and information about two upcoming ones - Billy Meshel (Songwriter's Series) on RRR and Paul Petersen (Hits & Rarities) on Teensville.

NEW RELEASES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey folks!

I am glad to tell you about not one, but TWO new releases from the RRR family. Get ready!

The first is a deluxe disc featuring tracks written and co-written by the legendary Billy Meshel. Don't worry - there are some big, Big, BIG names on this CD such as Lenny Welch, Dion & The Belmonts, and Del Shannon. Check out the track lineup:





1. Del Shannon – Don’t Gild the Lily, Lily (Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) Big Top 3075 (1961)
2. Babs Tino – Dr. Jekyll Or Mr. Hyde (Billy Meshel & Phil Barr) Kapp 561 ( 1963)
3. Billy Mitchell – (Let’s) Stop A Little While (Billy Meshel) Warwick 501 (1959)
4. Lenny Welch – My Fool Of A Heart (Billy Meshel & Teddy Randazzo) Kapp 648 (1965)
5. The Fortune Cookies – It Should Have Been Me (Billy Meshel & Phil Barr) Smash 1991 ( 1965)
6. Eddie Martin – Keep Away From Julie (Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) Mercury 71909 (1961)
7. Don & Juan – What I Really Meant To Say ( Billy Meshel & Bill Ramal) Big Top 3121 (1962)
8. Donna Lewis – Call Him Back ( Billy Meshel & Phil Barr) Decca 31554 (1964)
9. Billy Meshel – Paradise Found ( Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) Time 1036 (1961)
10. The Royalettes – Don’t You Cry (Billy Meshel, Teddy Randazzo & Bobby Weinstein) MGM 13283 (1964)
11. Chuck Foote – I Stopped Asking (Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) 20th Fox 302 (1962)
12. Roberta Wynn – Dream Boy Jubilee 5405 (Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) Jubilee 5405 (1962)
13. Gary Criss – Sweet, Warm and Soft ( Billy Meshel, Don Covay & John Berry) Diamond 145 (1962)
14. The Crampton Sisters – My Guy Is Boss (Billy Meshel & Phil Barr) DCP 1107 (1964)
15. Billy Stewart – This Is A Fine Time (Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) United Artists 340 (1961)
16. Ginny Arnell – B-i-l-l-? Why (Billy Meshel) MGM 13362 (1965)
17. Roger Douglass – But Suddenly ( Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) Mercury 71860 (1961)
18. Marcy Jo – Take A Word ( Billy Meshel) Robbee 117 (1961)
19. Mark Richards – She Can Make Me Cry ( Billy Meshel & Doug Morris) ABC Paramount 10654 (1965)
20. Jennie Smith – It’s Murder For Roberta (Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) Canadian American 135 (1962)
21. Chuck Foote – I’d Do It All Over Again ( Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) 20th Fox 302 (1962)
22. Marie Applebee – Dear Mrs Applebee (Billy Meshel & Phil Barr) Jubilee 5570 (1966)
23. The Carousels – Symptons of Love (Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) ABC Paramount 10233 (1961)
24. Rita Pavone – Right Now (Billy Meshel, Teddy Randazzo & Phil Barr) RCA 47-8612 (1964)
25. Mickey Denton – Now You Can’t Give Them Away (Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) Big Top 3078 (1962)
26. Dale Brooks – What is There To Tell (Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) Twirl 2028 ( 1966)
27. Billy Mitchum – Living On A Cloud (Billy Meshel) Imperial 5616 (1961)
28. The Fortune Cookies – A Girl In Love (Billy Meshel & Phil Barr) Smash 1991 (1965)
29. Jerry Keller – Be Careful How You Drive Young Joey ( Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) Capitol 4630 (1962)
30. Kansas City Twisters – What A Wacky Weekend ( Billy Meshel & Arthur Altman) APT 25062 (1962)
31. Dion & The Belmonts – Movin’ Man (Billy Meshel & Phil Barr) ABC Paramount 10896 (1967)
32. Del Shannon – I Can’t Believe My Ears (Billy Meshel & Phil Barr) Amy 947 ( 1966)



This disc is the closest of the two to release - so you can pre-order now HERE.



Just as exciting is a new Teensville release by teen idol Paul Petersen. It's entitled "HITS & RARITIES". Just like the title says, all the hits are here, plus many rare tracks and new stereo mixes added in to make a great compilation. There is no pre-order option yet, but we will let you know when there is! For now, take a look at the track listing:




1. SHE CAN'T FIND HER KEYS (A) stereo
(Wally Gold-Roy Alfred)
Colpix 620
2. KEEP YOUR LOVE LOCKED (DEEP IN YOUR HEART) (A) stereo
(Gerry Goffin-Carole King)
Colpix 622
3. LOLLIPOPS & ROSES (A) stereo
(Tony Velona)
Colpix 649
4. MY DAD (A) stereo
(Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil)
Colpix 663
5. AMY (A)
(Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil)
Colpix 676
6. GIRLS IN THE SUMMERTIME (A)
(Sid Wayne-Sherman Edwards)
Colpix 697
7. THE CHEERLEADER (A)
(Fred Tobias-Lee Pockriss)
Colpix 707
8. POOREST BOY IN TOWN (A)
(Fred Tobias-Lee Pockriss)
Colpix 720
9. SHE RIDES WITH ME (B)
(Brian Wilson-Roger Christian)
Colpix 720
10. WHERE IS SHE? (C)
(Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil)
Colpix 730
11. HEY THERE BEAUTIFUL (C)
(Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil)
Colpix 730
12. LITTLE DREAMER (A)
(Deane Hawley-Jerry Riopelle)
Colpix 763
13. HAPPY (A)
(Nick DeCaro)
Colpix 763
14. THE RING (D)
(Billy Page)
Colpix 785
15. YOU DON'T NEED MONEY (E)
(Tommy Roe)
Colpix 785
16. LITTLE BOY SAD (A)
(Wayne P. Walker)
Colpix 663
17. BE EVERYTHING TO ANYONE YOU LOVE (A)
(Doc Pomus-Alan Jeffreys)
Colpix 622
18. MAMA YOUR LITTLE BOY FELL (A)
(Barry Mann-Mike Anthony)
Colpix 697
19. I WANNA BE FREE (TV) (A) (unreleased)
(Stu Phillips-Tommy Boyce)
20. ROSIE (from Bye Bye Birdie) (A)
(Charles Strouse-Lee Adams)
Colpix LP 454
21. ONE GIRL (from Bye Bye Birdie) (A) stereo
(Charles Strouse-Lee Adams)
Colpix LP 454
22. KIDS (FOLKS) (from Bye Bye Birdie) (A)
(Charles Strouse-Lee Adams)
Colpix LP 454
23. VERY UNLIKELY (A) stereo
(Gary Geld-Peter Udell)
Colpix 620
24. WHAT DID THEY DO BEFORE ROCK 'N' ROLL? (A) stereo
(Sherman Edwards-Sid Wayne)
Colpix 631
25. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN TO US (F) stereo
(Frank Wilson)
Motown 1108
26. CHAINED (F)
(Frank Wilson)
Motown 1108
27. A LITTLE BIT FOR SANDY (G)
(R. Dean Taylor)
Motown 1129
28. YOUR LOVE'S GOT ME BURNING ALIVE (H)
Motown 1109
29. TWO LITTLE BOYS (H) (unreleased)
(Theodore Morse-Edward Madden)
30. QUARANTINE (A) (unreleased) stereo
(Fred Anisfield)
31. QUARANTINE (TV insert) (A) (unreleased) stereo

The official page for this CD can be found HERE



As always, we'd love to hear you comments. Just post them below - they WILL be read!

Until next time, rock on!

IT'S HIS LIFE - THE ROGER ATKINS INTERVIEW

Brill Building genius Roger Atkins was nice enough to chat with the Rare Rockin' Records blog - I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did asking the questions!


(above:Roger Atkins in 1970 with his new-born son)


Kyler:How did you get started in song writing at the Brill Building?

ROGER:When I was thirteen or fourteen my mother bought me a ticket to a Saturday matinee of The Music Man on Broadway. I'd never seen a Broadway show before and I was so blown away by what I saw that by the time I left the theater I'd decided that I was going to write Broadway musicals. I saved up my money and bought tickets to as many musicals as I could. Then, after seeing My Fair Lady, and reading about how Alan Jay Lerner adapted the play Pygmalion, I wrote the book, music and lyrics to Like Father, Like Son which was my adaptation of one of my favorite plays (I'd only seen the movie but bought a copy of the play), Life With Father. I sent my work to BMI and to my amazement they invited me to join their theatrical workshop.

One day I met a guy named Richard Costiera. We hit it off and began writing together. He wrote music and I wrote lyrics. We started writing what was then contemporary Doo Whop, street corner songs. His father was also a musician and had some contacts at Hill & Range Music Songs in the Brill Building. We played them what we had written and they gave us publishing contracts for some of them. Then we went door to door playing songs for whoever would listen. Of course we could say that we had songs published by Hill & Range and Regent Music, which was also a Hill & Range company. But I must say we spent most of our time writing at 1650 Broadway, not the Brill Building. One of the doors we knocked on at 1650 was Unbelievable Music, which was owned by Teddy Vann. He liked what we played him and he asked us to work with him. We went up there to write almost everyday for months. Then Richard decided he didn't like what Teddy wanted us to write so he left, but I stayed. The first records I ever had released, "My Top Ten Chart" by Roberta Meshell and, "My Mamma Said (originally titled, "Be Tough" but changed by Diamond records) by the Bobbettes, were with Teddy.



Kyler:Who were some of the collaborators you worked with in the 60s?

ROGER:Richard Costiera; Teddy Vann. Then at Screen-Gems Columbia Music: Ronnie Dante; Jerry Robinson; Big Dee Irwin; Helen Miller; Carl D'Errico; and Neil Sedaka. At the very tail end of the 60's and early 70's, Helen again; Peter Allen; and one song with the great arranger Peter Matz.

Kyler:When writing, would you strictly do lyrics, music, or a bit of both?

ROGER: I mostly write lyrics. However, I have on occasion written both music and lyrics. I do try to convey musical ideas to whomever I'm working with, though. Sometimes they're used and sometimes they're not.

Kyler:You wrote a number of wonderful songs with Neil Sedaka. Can you tell our readers the incident involving "Kissin' My Life Away"?

ROGER:This was the first song we wrote together. Don Kirshner asked me one day if I'd be interested in writing with Neil and of course I jumped at the chance. The company was looking for songs for their new TV show, The Monkees, which had yet to be made. All they had was the audition footage of each of the cast which they had shown to all the staff writers. I told Neil my title, "Kissin' My Life Away" and he loved it so I came up with the lyrics, "I got nothin' but trouble, girls don't leave me alone. Goin' twenty-four hours, I've got no time of my own. Oooo, oooo, oooo, I feel I'm kissin' my life away. Kiss-a-kissin' my life away. Kiss-a-kissin' my life away" Well, Neil got very excited and before long played me his melody which I thought it was very catchy. But I said the beginning sounded exactly like George Gershwin's, "I Got Plenty O Nothin'" from Porgy and Bess. He thought about it a while. I could see him going over it in his head as he played. Then he said he didn't think it would matter because it was only two bars and two bars was acceptable. He sat and tried several different openings but didn't like any of them and always came back to his original. Truthfully, I should have thrown a tantrum and insisted that he change it but I was insecure and, after all, it was Neil Sedaka who'd written a gazillion hits! Who was I to tell him how to write? If he said it was OK, then it was OK!

We played the song for Kirshner and the professional staff all of whom had the same reaction as I did but no one insisted upon a change, either. I'll let you in on a little secret, in those days there was a general attitude among publishers and record companies that went like this: If we get sued, we get sued! Go for the hit and deal with being sued later! For example, do really think that no one at Capital records realized that "Surfin' USA" wasn't really "Sweet Little Sixteen" on a surf board? They just went along with it until the law suit came and then they changed the credits and split the publishing.

Unfortunately for us, when our song was finally recorded by The Hondells and the record hit the charts with a bullet, The Gershwin Organization sent a letter to Screen-Gems saying, regardless of the fact that only two bars of their copyright was used, they were going to sue on the basis of, "familiarity." In other words, those two bars were so ingrained in the public consciousness that their use alone was the equivalent of using the entire copyright. Screen-Gems, not wanting to battle The Gershwin Organization, immediately caved and had the record pulled, never to be heard from again. All it would have taken was for Neil to change one note and we would have had a hit, but there's no use now in crying over spilled music!


(above:Neil Sedaka in the 60s, who was a frequent collaborator with Roger Atkins)


Kyler:Did you write your songs for specific artists in mind?

ROGER:Sometimes we did. Every week we'd be told who'd be coming up for recording and we'd try to write for them. Carl and I wrote, "It's My Life" because we were told that Mickie Most was coming to town looking for songs for The Animals. But many times we'd write because I had an idea I wanted to explore or someone had a melody they liked. Some of my favorite songs from back then were written just because we wanted to write them. With Carl I could write about unusual topics like, "Flea Circus", "I'm Whatever You Think I AM", "Born Ahead Of My Time", "Community". These were songs that we really needed our own group for but never had, so all but, "Community", which Tiny Tim did, have never, to my knowledge, been recorded. With Helen I did mostly R&B flavored songs, many of which were recorded. (My first top 40 hit was, "I Can't Let You Out Of My Sight" that Helen and I wrote and was recorded by Chuck Jackson and Maxine Brown. A bit of a distorted record but it did pretty well on the pop charts and much bigger on the R&B charts.) And Neil and I wrote some wonderful pop songs that to this day I don't understand why they're still sitting unrecorded.

Kyler:You co-wrote "The Kind Of Girl I Could Love" with Mike Nesmith for the Monkees 2nd album. What was that like?




ROGER:Well, when I wrote that with Michael it was before the show had gone on the air. There were no Monkees songs, yet. At that time Michael wanted to write all the songs, sing lead, and produce all the records but Don Kirshner had different plans. He sent me to California to work with Michael, I think, to keep Michael occupied while he maneuvered behind the scenes. Michael didn't really want to write with me, or with anyone for that matter. He was polite, brought me to his house in the Hollywood Hills to meet his wife and new born son, and on the set introduced me Micky, Peter and Davy, who I had already met several times in New York before The Monkees came along when he recorded one of my songs, "Face Up To It" on his first Colpix album. But he never really did any writing with me. He would drop off cassette tapes with snippets of music on them, really more like musical doodling. From these I pieced together two or three usable songs and wrote lyrics, one of which was, "The Kind Of Girl I Could Love." The others I really don't remember at all.

Kyler:The Vogues cut a song of yours called "Come And Get Me" that is amazing. It was unreleased until about a decade ago. Can you remember anything about this great track?

ROGER: I'm very glad to hear that you like the record. That's my demo track their singing on. Helen and I wrote that with them in mind and we styled the demo for them and offered our track for them to put their voices on, but we were told that they passed. It wasn't until a few years ago that I found out they did record it. Why it was never released as a single back then I'll never know. I think it would have been a smash!

Kyler: Is it true that Eric Burdon never sang the correct lyrics to "It's My Life" as you had written them?

ROGER:That's true. I wrote,

"It's my life and I'll do what I want!
It's my mind and I'll think what I want!
Sure, I'll do wrong,
Hurt you sometime
But someday I'll treat you so fine ..."

but Eric sings, "..... Show me I'm wrong, hurt me sometime....." which never made any sense to me. Everyone who's recorded it sings the wrong chorus, and sometimes even the wrong lyrics in the verses, too.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest!

Kyler:"Make Me Your Baby" and "It's My Life" are probably your most well-known hits. They are almost polar opposites! How did you write in such different styles in the same time period?

ROGER:Well, I'd say that, "Workin' On A Groovy Thing" that I wrote with Neil is pretty well know, also, and is probably my most recorded song, even if it is my least favorite title. As for writing in different styles, I just wrote what came to me whether it was thin pop or multi-layered sub-text. I just love to write songs!

Kyler:Finally, Roger, please tell our readers what you're up to today.

ROGER: I'm still writing. Ideas, words, new ways of saying things still come to me. As a matter of fact I recently sent Carl a lyric that he's putting to music, now. Something very sophisticated and different than anything we've done before. It's just a shame that we have no contacts left, no outlet for what we do now. No one wants songs from the dinosaurs. But we still keep writing because that's who we are!



Special thanks to Mr. Atkins for the great interview. Stay tuned to the RRR blog, there are many new surprises in the future! Until next time, rock on....