BRITISH TEEN RARITIES - REVIEW

I just got my copy of the new TEENSVILLE release 'BRITISH TEEN RARITIES', and let me tell ya, you're in for a treat!



Guys and gals,

The artwork is colorful and flashy - the theme is red, white, and blue - the colors of the UK flag, of course. Inside you can see many pictures of the artists and fascinating label scans.

The sound is top notch, all of the power and punch of the UK 45s are right here on this compact disc.

The music is the most important part, though, isn't it? No need to worry. There are 30 UK Top Teen Tracks from 1960-1965 here, and it sure doesn't dissapoint.

The disc starts out with Peter Gordeno singing his version of the Laddins USA doo wop track "I'll Kiss Your Teardrops Away". Peter adds a teen flair to the track and it really works. Teen fan-favorite Jimmy Crawford is up next with a new-to-CD gem, "Thank You". Actually, almost all of these tracks are new-to-CD, which is a delight to collectors all around the globe.

Jan Burnette is the first girl in the set and sings a nice string-laden track entitled "Til I Hear The Truth From You". Brad Newman sings a Bobby Vee-inspired track, "I'll Find You Another Baby", and actor/singer Brian Weske does the Wayne Rooks (USA version) classic "Where Does The Clown Go?".

Collectors will love the inclusion of the next track on the CD - "Keep On Lovin' Me" by the Kaye Sisters. It is a great girl-group track with a nonstop beat and honking saxes. After two nice tunes by Dean Stevens and David Macbeth, a change of pace is in order with Josh Hanna's "When I Love You". Not much is known about Josh but he has a killer voice and a great range.

Lance Fortune (great name for an artist, isn't it?), continues in that Bobby Vee mode from earlier with the bouncy "Will You Still Be My Girl". A Spector-influenced gem from Lynda Graham, "You'd Better Believe It" follows.

That's only roughly 1/3rd of the CD, but buy it to find out what the others sound like! You won't be dissapointed.

Buy British Teen Rarities 1960-1965 HERE.

BRITISH TEEN RARITIES - OUT NOW!

You can now order the new Teensville release 'BRITISH TEEN RARITIES', featuring thirty (yes, thirty!), great and obscure UK Teen tracks from 1960-1965. A review with be forthcoming.




Get it direct from the Rare Rockin' Records shop HERE.

TONY POWERS SPEAKS!

Hey all you guys and gals,


I know I don't have to tell our RRR blog readers who Tony Powers is - legendary songwriter in the Brill Building who wrote countless classic pop tunes of the 60s. In this in depth interview you will find out all about his days in the 60s and what he is up to today. I hope you enjoy it, because I know we did!



Kyler:How did you come become a songwriter in the 60s at the Brill Building?

TONY:I was 21ish and had written a different lyric version to the melody of an old gospel song and wanted to have it transcribed (a lead sheet made up). I asked a friend of mine , Mark Korman who was an agent-in-training at the William Morris talent agency (nyc), if he knew how I could get the sheet music written out (to this day I do not transcribe music...I write and play by ear). He suggested I go over to the Brill Bldg. and see this man-- and I'll never forget his name--Hamilton Grandison, and he would write out the lead-sheet...in those days they were called onion skins...a master lead-sheet from which all copies were then made. That was Mr. Grandison's business in the Brill Bldg since a lot of young writers...or wannabes could not notate their music. Okay...so I go to his tiny office in the Brill Bldg, him sitting at the upright piano, and I hum him the song which, of course it being an old gospel song (Go Tell It On The Mountain) he knew, and I give him the new lyric...which in part was "Go tell it on the mountain, that I'm in love with you..." (absolutely dreadful - but what did I know?) and he says come back in a few days...so I leave. When I return to pick up the lead-sheet a few days later he tells me that a Mr. Lester Sims of Bourne Music wants to see me...he likes the song!?!? Hamilton Grandison had shown it to Lester Sims...and just like that--I was a songwriter. Pure luck combined with Hamilton Grandison was how it all came about.




Kyler:Can you tell our readers who some of your writing partners were? Did you have a favorite composer to work with?

TONY:I guess my favorite collaborator was George Fischoff (with whom I wrote 98.6, Lazy Day, and others), then there was Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector (Today I met The Boy I'm Gonna Marry, Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts), and Ellie and I wrote "He's Got The Power" for the Exciters, Beverly Ross (we wrote Remember When), Jack Keller, (he and I wrote a song that the great Louis Armstrong did, "I like this Kind of Party"), Al Kooper, (of Blood, Sweat, and Tears fame) Jerry Leiber ( of the great duo Leiber and Stoller, with whom I was a contracted writer), etc. you can see all the songs I wrote with these people, and others at the Discography link at my website


(pictured above: songwriter ELLIE GREENWICH, collaborator of Tony Powers).



Kyler:When writing a song, would you write for a specific artist?

TONY:Half and half. i.e: we wrote Remember When specifically for the Earls, 98.6 for Keith, Lazy Day for Spanky and Our Gang, Today I met The Boy I'm Gonna Marry and Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts for any of Phil Spector's artists, He's Got The Power for The Exciters, I Didn't Mean To Hurt You for The Shirelles (not a hit), All Of My Life for Lesley Gore (also not a hit)......but come to think of it most of my hits WERE written specifically for the artist...other songs were just good songs that got shopped and then recorded, i.e: I Like This Kid of Party by Louis Armstrong, or Heaven Held by Gene Pitney, or Odyssey recorded by Kiss. If you take a look at my discography on my website www.tonypowersmusic.com ,you'll see lots and lots of those.




Kyler:You wrote “Today I Met The Boy I’m Gonna Marry” and “Why Do Lovers Break Each Others’ Hearts”, recorded by Darlene Love. Did you get to meet Darlene and Phil Spector? What were they like?

TONY:I never did get to meet Darlene, but Phil and I (and Ellie) wrote in the same room...well, after Ellie and I came in with most or all of the song done. Phil was quite eccentric as well as being flambouyant, and he had a great ear for a "hit"...he was also quite a good guitarist. About Why Do Lovers...I seem to remember we three were riffing on the music up in Phil's Penthouse apt. on York ave. and, I wanna say 61street, and we were looking for a lyric...I asked Phil for a pad or some paper to write on and he gave me a cardboard from inside a laundered shirt...I ended up taking it into his bathroom and writing some, or most, of that lyric in there. Phil also once held a meeting with me about a song in the back of his limo. A character to be sure...it's too bad he flew so far off the rails in recent years.




(pictured above:Phil Spector in the early 60s)

Kyler:”Remember Then” by The Earls is one of the greatest doo wop tunes of the 60s. Do you have any recollection of writing that one?

TONY:Thanks for the props....I remember (no pun intended) just a little bit of it. Firstly, in the late 1950's early 1960's all of us 20 something songwriters, (and would-be songwriters) were hanging out on Broadway in the 50's (the Brill Bldg was on 49th and B'way), and we would always see each other either in Hanson's drug store, a big lunch and dinner hang, or this burger joint who's name escapes me, on the cr of 51st and B'way...and we would sometimes get together at parties also...at one of these parties (where i remember Phil Spector playing the guitar) I met Beverly Ross, who had had a big hit with Lollipop,(as great a euphemism I've ever heard - i don't think the public ever put that one together)...anyway, I had just left a publisher called Tri-o-dex (a name I always thought better suited to a condom co.) run by a nice man named Bill Buchanan. Tri-o-dex was in the same B'way bldg. as Hy Weiss' Old Towne Records which in 1961 had a bit of a hit by The Earls called "Life Is But A Dream" and had learned from Bill at Tri-o-Dex that they were looking for another goodie to record. So Beverly and I made a plan to try and write something at her apt. between B'way and 8th Ave. (on 47th I think). I remember sitting with her at the piano and just riffing on stuff... and somewhere in that process of tossing out ideas one of us must have hit on Remember When (it's original title - until the chiseler who produced the record and decided to change the title to Remember (T)hen, screw up the lyric a bit, and add his name to the writing credits -which Beverly and I disputed for years and eventually had to settle for, or)...anyway, I'm sure the second we hit on the title we had the riff:
"Re-meh-meh, Re-meh-meh-mem-ber,
Re-meh-meh, Re-meh-meh-mem-ber,
Re-meh-meh, Re-meh-meh-mem-ber,
When, When,
Remember when...
Either she started the music lick, or i started the lyric lick, or vice-versa...and off we went...once we had that the song just basically wrote itself.
Beverly was doing business with Aaron Schroeder at his January Music, so we brought the song there, he loved it, got it to Hy Weiss, and that was that. What I do remember vividly tho' was walking in Central Park after it hit the charts and passing someone with a radio... and Remember When was playing...that was the very first time I ever heard a song of mine being played over the air...wow!
Years later, after I had left Don Kirschner's Screen Gems-Columbia Music, I signed a pub deal with Aaron Schroeder at January, and I put in a year or two there. One thing I've never forgotten was Aaron's mantra... "thought before rhyme".
As a songwriter working in the music "business", I was fortunate to have written for, and been mentored by, some of the very, very best songwriter/publishers...Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Don Kirschner, and Aaron Schroeder.



Kyler:Did you ever think about having your own singing career in the 60s?

TONY:Of course. Always. I sang on demos...either lead or background, and in the 70's and 80's (after I had quit the "business") I played and sang my own originals, usually with a band of some very talented local musicians both in L.A. and NY. I played The Troubador in L.A., and The Savoy, and Ballroom, in NY among other venues...and I did my MusicFilms (many of them can be seen HERE)

Kyler:Do you have a favorite ‘obscure record’ that you wrote?

TONY:A couple or four...or more...I suppose because it is the great Louis Armstrong I have to say "I Like This Kind of Party" is way up there, along with "Heaven Held" a Gene Pitney song (i always loved the play-on-words title), "Gotta Have Your Love" by The Sapphires, and "Big Bad World" a Cathy Saint record. In order they were written with Jack Keller,Neil Sheppard,Jack Keller again, and Bob Finiz (as Abe Fisher, one of many pseudonyms)...and of course ALL my own original recorded stuff.




Kyler:I love the song, “Three on A Date” as recorded by Bobby Vee. What can you tell me about that one?

TONY: I know how much you like this one, but unfortunately aside from writing it up at Trio Music (Leiber and Stoller) with Matt Maurer, I've no recollection of it and, in fact, had no idea Bobby Vee did it until you told me...sorry man.

Kyler:When co-writing, did you usually do the music, lyrics, or a bit of both?

TONY:All of the above.

Kyler:Finally, what are you up to these days?

TONY:I do a bit of acting, and I am way guilty over the fact that with all the new lunacy of the "human condition" I should be doing another CD or more MusicFilms -- but my lame excuse is I need to get some new equipment and learn (and join) the ProTools revolution...I'm working on that those thoughts. The CD I send you monday (Who Could Imagine...which cost a lot of $ to make - which is why I have to learn Pro Tools) will illustrate both my latest musical work, and the continuing evolution of a singer/songwriter.




I would like to give the biggest thank you to Tony Powers, for not only taking the time to answer all the questions, but for being so kind and generous with his answers. You can visit Tony Powers on the web at TonyPowersMusic.Com.

Feel free to pass on your comments about this article, Tony WILL be notified!

ROCK ON!

LESLEY GORE - HITS & RARITIES - OUT NOW!

I've just got my copy of the new Lesley Gore CD, "Hits & Rarities". If you're a Lesley fan, you'll love it!



Believe it or not, this compact disc was ready for release in 1989(!) as a second volume of greatest hits. It was never released and it sat for over 20 years. It's finally available to purchase.

There are several cool things about this CD. One is the UNFADED version of "The Look of Love", sleigh bells version. You get to hear the background girls (including Ellie Greenwich) and Ms. Gore do their thing even after the recorded track ends.

There are many ADD multi-track remixes, too, prepared in the late 80s. They sound great!

At the end, you get two Italian sung tracks, and two PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED tracks from 1978 and 1989, respectively. I think all of you 60s music fans will get a kick out of the track entitled "If Our Songs Can't Make It (Why Can't We)". It's got a great feel to it.

What are you waiting for? Go buy it at the RRR SHOP, now!

BOB CELLI TALKS ABOUT UPCOMING BOBBY VEE RELEASE

I would like to say that I was the all-time biggest Bobby Vee fan. However, I am not a guy who lies. I have to settle for the second biggest Vee fan. Who's #1?

His name is Bob Celli. He's the head of the Bobby Vee fan and collectors' clubs. He helps out with new releases - doing research, providing pictures, and writing informative liner notes.

As you may or may not know, a Bobby Vee "Rarities" 2CD set has been in the works for years, and will finally be released at the beginning of 2011. Mr. Celli played a big part in this project, going to the Capitol Tower in California to gather the previously-unheard material from the vaults.

I know you're dying for more information - so take a seat, grab a Coke, and read all about it as Bob Celli provides all the details!


(photo:Bob Celli at the Capitol Mastering Suite)




Kyler:How did the project come about?

BC:Well, I had been bugging Bobby since the early eighties about getting this stuff out. Our first thought was to combine the Vee/Crickets unreleased tracks with the Clovis session. We pulled the tracks and got some interest from EMI International but that soon died. A couple of years ago, I asked Bobby if I could approach EMI UK with the project and he gave me his blessings. Jon Wilson at EMI gave me the go ahead on it. One of the EMI/Cap people over here sent me pdf files of all the tracks that were in the vault, finished mixes and multi tracks. Bobby and I went over the lists and decided which tracks were worth getting. I was the logical choice for the one to make the trip as I knew the most about what was there.

Kyler:How many of the unissued tracks had you heard before and how many were new to you? Did Bobby remember the majority of the material?

BC:Roughly half if I were to make a guess, and half I hadn't heard. I think after Bobby listened to them his memory was sufficiently jogged!

Kyler:How were the tapes catalogued and were they easily accessible?

BC:The tapes were all bar coded so all I had to do was look at the pdf files I had and copy the bar code. Jack Arenas, the tape librarian at Capitol was given the list and they were all waiting for me when I arrived.

Kyler:Did you have to go through multiple takes to find the finished versions?

BC:The masters were usually marked, for example- Save A Love take 16C final. Sometimes I would liste to alternate takes. That's how I found that neat little version of "Foolish Tears"

Kyler:What was it like listening to the multi tracks?

BC:Very exciting! When the tapes are played for evaluation, they are automatically mixed, so you hear essentially what they will sound like finished. I remember the engineer staring at one of the speakers during "Party Doll". Sensing the queried look on his face I said "Cardboard Box!" He heard the unusual drumming sound of Jerry Allison playing a box instead of drums as they did on the original Buddy Knox record. One of the neat moments!


(photo: The former United Studio B, where Bobby Vee recorded many of his classic tunes)




Kyler:Can you describe some of the gems you found while you were there?

BC:There were several. I was anxious to hear "Stagger Lee" and "Party Doll" from the Vee/Crickets sessions. I was also most curious about a song title "I'd Sigh, I'd Cry". Bobby thought it was another tune that started out "I made you sigh, I made you cry" but it was totally different. It was a simple little demo that cried out for strings to be added, and they were back at RockHouse. I also wanted to find the single version of "Hickory Dick and Doc" which I did, and the studio version of the "Live On Tour" album. There will be three tracks from that lp along with the entire Nashville session that spawned "Hickory Dick and Doc"

Kyler:Any rarities from the set that you feel could have been A-Sides for Bobby in the 60s?

BC:That's a difficult question and very subjective. I like "Bittersweet" and "Heartache of Yesterday" as album tracks. Nothing jumps out at me as a major hit though, maybe "You'll Be Needing Me Baby"

Kyler:Were you anxious to find all of the previously mono-only material and mix it to stereo 40+ years after they had been out on 45s?

BC:Probably more interested in hearing those as some of the unreleased stuff. "Stranger In You Arms", "Pretend You Don't See Her" are two that jump out at me!

Kyler:How long did the transfers take?

BC:I was there for four days.

Kyler:During those four days, roughly how many tracks did you transfer?

BC:One hundred thirty.


(photo:Bobby Vee in the mid-sixties. Many of the tracks on the upcoming Rarities package date from this period.)




Kyler:Any problems with the tapes?

BC:I wanted to retrieve "Run To Him" to see if I could clean the noise up on the vocal. When we looked at it there were about a dozen splices. We did a few repairs , but seeing it was getting time consuming, I passed. There are a couple of clunks on it that I haven't been able to remove but since this had nothing to do with the project, the answer would be "No, there weren't any problems"

Kyler:Were the tapes transfered on vintage tube machines? I have heard that some studios do not use the proper equipment...

BC:The engineer used two, three and four track heads on the same machine and they were transferred to a portable hard drive. They also made several DVD copies of the tracks as a back up. The tapes sounded like they were recorded yesterday!

Kyler:Who mixed the multis into stereo?

BC:I rough mixed everything first and sent them up to RockHouse. Jeff Vee did the final mixing.

Kyler:Will the mixes be faithful to the original sixties style?

BC:Several things will be improved due to the mixing programs now available. Jeff was good at panning the tracks and had a good ear for filling in blank spots to make the tracks sound fuller.





I hope you have enjoyed this special interview! You can find the offical Bobby Vee website at www.bobbyvee.net and the Bobby Vee Collectors Club (run by Bob Celli) HERE.

"Rarities" by Bobby Vee, a 61 song 2CD set, is available for pre-order at the RARE ROCKIN' RECORDS ONLINE STORE. The set will be ready to ship on or about January 30, 2011.


To all the RRR blog readers, thanks so much for your support. We will see you next year!

LESLEY GORE - HITS AND RARITIES

A great new TEENSVILLE release - Lesley Gore, direct from the masters, with many tunes and versions you simply haven't heard before!

Hear LOOK OF LOVE, sleigh bells version, unfaded! TWO previously unreleased Gore tracks! Plenty more where that came from - It doesn't get much better, folks.




1. Look Of Love
2. All Of My Life
3. I Won’t Love You Anymore (Sorry)
4. We Know We’re In Love
5. Young Love
6. Treat Me Like A Lady
7. Summer And Sandy
8. Brink Of Disaster (stereo)
9. Magic Colors
10. Small Talk
11. He Gives Me Love (La La La)
12. I Can’t Make It Without You
13. 98.6/ Lazy Day
14. Summer Symphony
15. You Don’t Own Me (Italian)
16. Judy’s Turn To Cry (Italian)
17. If Our Songs Still Make (Why Can’t We?)
18. America’s Sweetheart

Pre-order now at the Rare Rockin' Records shop!

BRITISH TEEN RARITIES 1960-1965

For those who have been anxiously awaiting new releases, the wait is only a little longer!

BRITISH TEEN RARITIES 1960-1965



1. PETER GORDENO - I'll Kiss Your Teardrops Away
2. JIMMY CRAWFORD - Thank You
3. JAN BURNNETTE - ‘Til I Hear The Truth From You
4. BRAD NEWMAN - I’ll Find You Another Baby
5. BRIAN WESKE - Where Does The Clown Go
6. THE KAYE SISTERS - Keep On Lovin' Me 
7. DEAN STEVENS - I've Just Heard
8. DAVID MACBETH - A Brother Like You 
9. JOSH HANNA - When I Love You
10. LANCE FORTUNE - Will You Still Be My Girl
11. LYNDA GRAHAM - You’d Better Believe It 
12. DANNY DAVIS - Rumours 
13. AL SAXON - Believe Me
14. TONY SHEVETON - Lullaby Of Love
15. SANDRA BROWNE - You'd Think He Didn't Know Me
16. DAVID MARTIN - Why Have You Treated Me This Way  
17. ANDEE SILVER - Sleeping Beauty
18. RUSS SAINTY - Unforgettable Love
19. PETER GORDENO - The Makings Of A Man
20. MIKE HURST - Any Chance For Me
21. BOBBI CAROL - It Doesn't Matter   
22. DEAN STEVENS - Let Me Show You Now
23. MARY JANE - Robot Man   
24. GERRY RENO - What Would You Do
25. SUSAN SINGER - Lock Your Heart Away
26. COL JAMES - Gonna Settle Down
27. MARK PETERS - Don't Cry For Me
28. GARY LANE - Start Walking Boy
29. THE AVONS - Once Upon A Summer’s Day
30. TIM CONNOR - So Long, Baby



Also, be on the lookout for a new CD from our favourite girl-pop legend LESLEY GORE featuring all new stereo mixes, some rare monos, unreleased and foreign tracks!!!!! You read that right folks.

Have a happy and joyous holiday season from Rare Rockin Records.