SO many comments that we had to run another "half-chapter" to cover them all!!!
Plus, another Phil Spector production "by request" ...
Read on ...
DIGGIN' IT:
Digging the Phil Spector Series a lot.
Goldierox
Hi Kent,
I'm really enjoying the Phil Spector series. Barking mad though he clearly is, he is a musical genius and my all-time favourite record producer.
Keep up all the good work, Kent, it's much appreciated.
Chris Chapman
Swindon, England
Great
write-up on your Phil Spector / Atlantic history.
Thanks for all your great work.
rbroz
Hi Kent,
Having been a Phil Spector fan since the 60s, I have been reading your series with great interest. Thanks also for the music, some of which I have never heard before. Keep up the good work!
David Peters
This is great stuff! The choice of music is very interesting. Thanks for your time and your labour of love.
Suzanne
Thanks again for the Phil Spector series!
Pat Fogel
I absolutely LOVE this series. It's so important to know our history of rock n roll to fully appreciate the many different sounds and combinations of instruments. I now fully understand that Wall Of Sound that made Phil so in demand as a producer. I was only 5 when Phil started out, but thanks to my Brother who is 10 years my senior, he turned me on to many different bands from that era. Even when The Beatles broke through in the US, I still kept an open mind to all kinds of music. I still do!
Keep up the good works!
Mark Z
Hayward, CA
Great series - kind of regret missing some of the others –
Thanks –
D
Hey Kent,
This series is the way to start a morning … this is even better than swimsuit models on the Today Show!
Since Be My Baby is my all time favorite song, I read every line of this piece for entertainment and then again for education.
Thank you for a wonderful experience.
Bob Mayben / Bobaloo
BONUS: We recently had QUITE a bit of discussion in FORGOTTEN HITS regarding the record that PHIL SPECTOR recorded in an effort to dissolve his partnership with LESTER SILL.
Once again, in '60's FLASHBACK Style, here is the COMPLETE story behind (LET'S DANCE) THE SCREW:
As for Phil Spector, why doesn't anyone ever play his record "Let's Dance the Screw" by The Crystals (Philles 111)? I have the 45 rpm and I'll tell you! It isn't really The Crystals! It sounds like he recorded himself while on Reds (seconal)! There must be a story behind it. I've heard a couple of different ones, so I don't really know.
Later . . .
Stan
Now THAT sounds like a challenge for DAVE THE RAVE!!!
(What do you say, DAVE??? Next Saturday's Show???)
I also asked STEVE KNUETTEL (who put together our special PHIL SPECTOR Series, now running in FORGOTTEN HITS) for HIS version of the LET'S DANCE THE SCREW story.
Here goes:
I accept the challenge ..... as long as I can blame the request on Stan!!
From what I remember, it's a terrible tune ... just a side filler ... and not worthy of any radio play. But ... I love a challenge so if your list of Forgotten Hits maniacs (like me) really want to hear the tune ... I will play it between 11 pm – 12 pm eastern time. Wow ... after playing this ... my future radio career will really be "screwed."
Dave the Rave
You can LISTEN LIVE at the link provided below. DAVE THE RAVE is on from 9 PM - 3 AM Central Time on TOP SHELF OLDIES ... and remember ... if you call or email DAVE during the show ... and identify yourself as a FORGOTTEN HITS subscriber ... he will play YOUR request on the air!!!
OK ... that was our ORIGINAL posting ... and Dave The Rave did, in fact, give LET'S DANCE THE SCREW on his RELICS AND RARITIES Program. (Hmm ... maybe we can get DAVE to play it again THIS week on RELICS AND RARITIES!!! Those two spins just may be more airplay than this record has received in the past 30 years!!!)
Phil Spector and his mentor, Lester Sill formed
Philles Records (named after Phil and Les) and Mother Bertha Music (a
publishing company named after Phil's mother). After several successful Phil
produced records and a few Lester produced flops, Phil wanted complete control
of Philles and Mother Bertha. To him, that meant his longtime friend and
partner Lester Sill had to go. Lester reportedly agreed to sell out
his entire interest in Philles and Mother Bertha for $60,000 and a piece of the
action on the next Crystals record. When Lester called Phil to collect the
check, Phil's lawyer told him that they were still working on it, trying to
calculate the loss from the lost Paris Sisters' album and other deductible
expenses. Lester got his own lawyer involved and the legal battle began.
Phil went into the studio with the Crystals and his lawyer and recorded
"(Let's Dance) The Screw - Parts 1 & 2". Phil had no intention of
ever releasing the awful record but allegedly produced it only to rid himself
of Lester. Eventually the split was finalized. Phil was now in full control of
Philles Records and Mother Bertha Music. "(Let's Dance) The Screw - Part
I" / "(Let's Dance) The Screw - Part II [Philles 111] was only
released on promotional copies and was quickly withdrawn. Phil replaced the
Philles 111 catalog number with Darlene Love's "(Today I Met) The Boy I'm
Gonna Marry." The few copies of “(Let's
Dance) The Screw” that do exist are extremely rare and valuable, selling for up
to $3,000 each. Blue bootleg copies of the record do exist and can be purchased
in the $5 - $25 range. (Spectropop says there was at least one stock copy of
the record - check the link at the end for a picture - if it is legit, I
imagine it would go for $5000+)
The reason no one ever plays the record is because it sucks. Supposedly, the
male voice on the record is that of Phil's lawyer and the female voices are the
Crystals. My best guess is that it is his lawyer and probably the Blossoms.
-- Steve Knuettel
From www.Spectropop.com ... (to explain Philles 109X and Philles 111)
One possible theory is as follows ...
After Philles 109 was released, Spector began in earnest his quest to rid Lester Sill from the partnership. In creating the terms of the break-up, one condition was that Sill would receive royalties from one more Crystals release ... Spector already had "Da Doo Ron Ron" in the can, ready to go, but he really didn't want Sill to get a part of the royalties from what Spector believed (and, rightly so) was going to be a big hit ... So, he re-released Philles 109 as 109X (Philles 110 had probably already been assigned) and passed it off as "another Crystals release" ... Sill's lawyers didn't buy into the ruse, and Spector had to come up with a legitimate new Crystals song ... Hence, the birth of "(Let's Dance) The Screw" (see "Withdrawn & unreleased Philles"), of which a few copies were passed out (including one to Sill) as Philles 111. Once the partnership was dissolved, the record was quickly withdrawn, a Darlene Love song was released with the same issue number, and the Crystals hit that Spector had held back, "Da Doo Ron Ron," came out as Philles 112.
See also ...
A few gems from the Philles label never made it to
the general public.
(withdrawn & unreleased)
How's THAT for a thorough answer?!?!? (lol) Fascinating stuff ... and you'll find a WHOLE bunch more fascinating PHIL SPECTOR information as our Special FORGOTTEN HITS Series continues. Meanwhile, don't forget to tune into The DAVE THE RAVE Show THIS Saturday Night to hear another airing of the God-Awful LET'S DANCE THE SCREW!!! (If he doesn't play it, be SURE to call in and REQUEST THIS SONG!!!! lol)
Let's Dance The Screw may have been Phil's joke to screw Lester in contracts. But it could have been worse. Phil could have shot him.
DooWopLover
You asked for it ... so here it is … "(Let's
Dance) The Screw - Part 1”
I now remember why I did not put it on the CD set other than it sucks - it's
also long nearly 4 1/2 minutes of shit! Part 2 is just as bad if not worse and
just as long - a slower version with a few instrumental breaks - yuk! It's a
real piece of trash, interesting only because of its history.
I recently read that it was released to satisfy a distribution deal with
Universal Distributors (Harold Lipsius & Harry Finfer.) Prior to that I've always heard that it was
released as part of his split with Lester Sill.
Steve (SLK47)
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