The 500 - #419 - "Dummy" - Portishead

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 419

Album Title: Dummy
Artist: Portishead
Genre: Trip Hop
Recorded: State of Art and Coach House Studios 1993-94
Released: August, 1994
My age at release: 29
How familiar was I with it before this week: Very
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Roads (Selected by my wife, Angela)

As the poet Robert Frost eloquently stated in his most famous work, The Road Not Taken: 

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Once, while paused at a fork on that metaphorical road, my wife put Dummy by Portishead into car's cassette player and, as we travelled and talked, I heard the album for the first time. Back then, in the spring of 1995, my wife was my girlfriend and, over the next few months, she would become my EX. It was a tumultuous time, as we were both moving along separate career paths. As ridiculous as it sounds in retrospect, we were struggling with the challenges of being twenty-somethings. Obviously, things between us worked out just fine but, during those difficult months, this record was a significant part of the soundtrack to our lives.

Dummy was the debut record released by Portishead. The band, originally comprised of Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons & Adrian Utley, took their name from a coastal town just outside their home base in Bristol, England -- where they were part of an influential artistic movement of the 80s and 90s dubbed The Bristol Scene.  

Dummy - by Portishead (1994)

The movement included anti-racism activism, graffiti (particularly the work of the mysterious street artist Banksy) and music, often dubbed The Bristol Sound. Portishead is considered a pioneer of a specific genre within the Bristol Sound called Trip-Hop. Trip Hop is a complicated genre, perhaps best described as an experimental fusion of hip-hop and electronica. However, neither truly define the sound. Trip-hop artists, including Portishead, Massive Attack and Tricky (all from Bristol), also incorporate elements of funk, soul, R&B, psychedelia and jazz into their compositions. Consequently, the trip-hop sound is a bit of a paradox. It is difficult to describe but also instantly recognizable. 

The music of Portishead is ethereal, moody, dark and hauntingly beautiful. The band combined live and pre-recorded material to create their signature sound. Typically, conventional instruments such as guitar or bass were layered by Adrian Utley over pre-recorded musical samples being spun, scratched and looped by disc jockey Geoff Barrow. Singer Beth Gibbons would contribute to this textured musical atmosphere with haunting melodic vocals. The band's sound was distinctively "lo-fi" (low fidelity) as they eschewed digital technologies for older, analogue equipment. Additionally, the vinyl records used were either vintage or had been intentionally distressed. 

As I re-listened to the record this week, I was transported back to that strange and uncertain time in my life. I returned to that fork in the road and the emotions, although muted by time, still resonate. My wife and I avoid talking about those days. 

It was a road we travelled apart from one another. Fortunately, there was another fork on our roads that led us back together...and that made all the difference. 

Next Up: Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings

The 500 - #420 - The Chirping Crickets - Buddy Holly & The Crickets

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 420

Album Title: The Chirping Crickets
Artist: Buddy Holly
Genre: Rock and Roll, Rockabilly, Pop
Recorded: February - September, 1957
Released: November, 1957
My age at release: Not born yet
How familiar was I with it before this week: Very
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Not Fade Away

The Backstory

The Chirping Crickets was the debut record of the quartet The Crickets, led by lead singer and guitarist Buddy Holly. Holly, who had signed a deal with Decca Records a year earlier, was committed to them as a solo artist. However, producer Owen Bradley (who despised Rock and Roll) had shelved Holly's solo recordings with Decca. Consequently, Holly formed The Crickets as a way to untangle himself from this legal imbroglio. After the success of The Chirping Crickets album, Decca was forced to reconsider Holly's work and released it. Consequently, by 1958, he was on the charts as both a solo act and as a member of The Crickets. 

The Chirping Crickets Debut Album Cover

My Connection

In the spring of 2015, I was invited to a reception at The Grand Theatre in my hometown of London, Ontario. The event was attended exclusively by educators as an opportunity for the theatre company to introduce its line-up for the upcoming season, highlighting productions which our students might enjoy. After the cocktails, we were invited to remain for that evening's performance of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. This was a jukebox musical -- a stage-show where a narrative (either biographical or fictionalized) is built around the music of a musician or band. Unlike many jukebox musicals, where singers mime performances on unstrung guitars or imitation pianos, this show was the full monty. These actors were also singers and instrumental musicians. Consequently, as the story of Buddy Holly was told it was  punctuated by incredible musical interludes that replicated famous performances by Buddy and The Crickets. The two hour production flew by and, as I left the theatre still humming Holly's hits, I was reminded of the greatness he achieved in such a short musical career.

Zach Stevenson as Buddy in The Grand Theatre's
Production of The Buddy Holly Story.

Legacy

There was something extraordinarily special about Buddy Holly who, regrettably, didn't live to see his 23rd birthday. 

• He left a legacy that has influenced artists for five decades. He has been cited as a pivotal influence by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Elton John and even The Hollies (who named themselves in his honour).
•  He is credited as the artist who defined the typical configuration of a rock and roll band: Two guitarists, a bass player and a drummer.  
• He was among the first ten artists inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's inaugural class, 
• Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him at #13 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. 

Tragically, He died on February 3, 1959 when a plane carrying him, Richie Valens, JP "The Big Bopper" Richardson and pilot Roger Peterson crashed near Clear Lake Iowa. This event has been immortalized as "The Day the Music Died" and memorialized in the 1971 song by Don McLean, American Pie.

Things I learned

Earlier this week, I listened to The Chirping Crickets episode of The 500 Podcast . In it, host Meyers and voice actor Tom Kenney (Mr. Show, Spongebob Squarepants) shared the following fascinating insights:

• When Buddy Holly first recorded That'll Be The Day for Decca records, the producer, Bradley, slowed the track down and raised the pitch of Buddy's voice to make it sound more like a pop song. Frustrated, Holly called Decca Records in Nashville and attempted to convince the company's head, Paul Cohen, to release the rights to the material. Holly actually recorded this phone call. In it, one can hear the desperation of a well-mannered Texas teen trying to find a way out of this dilemma. He was stonewalled by Cohen, and it was this encounter that eventually led to the creation of The Crickets.
• Speaking of That'll Be The Day, the song was penned by Holly, Jerry Allison (Cricket drummer) and Norman Petty (album producer) shortly after the trio watched the Western movie The Searchers. That catchphrase, which quickly became a signature tagline for actor John Wayne, was the inspiration for the lyric.  
• The song Not Fade Away, which I selected for my The 500 Spotify Playlist has been covered by many bands. In fact, it was the first song recorded by both The Rolling Stones and my favourite band, Rush. 

Next Up: Portishead: Dummy

The 500 - #421 Best of the Girl Groups - Volumes 1 & 2

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 421

Album Title: The Best of the Girl Groups - Volumes 1 & 2
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Pop, Rhythm & Blues (R&B)
Recorded: 1960s
Released: 1990
My age at release: 34
How familiar was I with it before this week: Quite Familiar (These are Classics)
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: The Shoop Song - Betty Everett

The Best of the Girl Groups - Volumes 1 & 2 was a two-CD compilation released by Rhino Records in 1990. These discs contains 36 well known tracks by the "girl groups" of the 1960s, including seven songs that hit number one and another 14 tracks that made it to the Top Ten. A decision was made to include 15 additional tracks to provide context for the genre and, according to the AllMusic website, "keep the collection interesting for serious fans of girl group pop."

A "girl group" is defined as a musical group composed of several female singers who harmonize together. It is also a term that denotes a wave of American female pop singers who were influenced by doo-wop music. Their heyday occurred in the time between early Rock and Roll and The British Invasion (approximately 1955-1965).

Recently, after publishing my post about The Supremes: Anthology, a friend cautioned me about using the term "girl group". He wondered if, in the cultural climate of 2020, referencing adult female artists as "girls" might be unwise. This gave me pause and I have been considering it for several days.

I'm an open-minded and socially conscious person. However, I recognize that I probably have hidden, learned biases that I should take into account. Ultimately, I viewed this as an opportunity to check for stereotyping, prejudices and any discrimination on my part.

Is it okay to use the term "girl group"? 

INTENTION AND CONTEXT

Words in isolation are powerless. It is context and intention that give them power. Consider the word "honey". Honey is a sweet, sticky, yellowish-brown fluid made by bees from the nectar of flowers. It is often used in a different context as a term of endearment or affection. My friend's mom, whom I have known for over 40 years, calls me "honey" and I take no offence. In fact, it always makes me smile when she does. However, I would never use the word "honey" when addressing someone I have just met. 

The term "girl group" was never intended to have a negative or pejorative context. In fact, the term "girl" is frequently embraced in positive context by many, including women, over the past 30+ years.

• In the 90s, The Spice Girls rocked female tenacity with their call for Girl Power which was, to some extent, co-opted from the Riot Grrrl feminist punk movement of the late 80s.
• "The Girls" was a moniker that fans used to identify the main cast of the popular HBO series Sex and The City. Granted, that program had some problematic moments, as detailed here. But, the intention was to celebrate the comically complicated lives of modern, self-sufficient thirty-something "girls" living in New York City in the 2000s. 
• 2013 brought us another HBO program, Girls, created by feminist and activist Lena Dunham. This series following the lives of twenty-something millennials living in New York City. 
• Finally, the refrain "Hey girl" is regularly used in casual conversation by female friends -- not to mention the popularity of the Hey Girl meme featuring Ryan Gosling which has been circulating since 2008. Its history can be found here.

An example of the "Hey Girl" meme

COMPARATIVE CONTEXT

There is a male equivalent to "girl group" and it is, of course, the "boy band".  The term boy band began with The Beatles but many would argue that The Beatles were a rock group and not a boy band. When examining the current definition of a "boy band", it is clear that The Beatles do not fit that mold. 

The term "Boy Band" refers to a musical group of several male singers (but sometimes musicians) who are typically teenagers or in their early twenties. Unlike girl groups, who appeal to a wider audience, boy bands perform songs that are marketed toward young women. Often, choreographed dance sequences are part of their performance. The most popular examples include The Jackson Five, New Kids on the Block, Boys II Men, Backstreet Boys, N'SYNC, One Direction and, most recently, the Korean pop (KPop) group BTS. 

Popular Boy Bands from Five Decades

Twenty four years as a Grade 4-8 educator has helped me become a bit of an expert on "boy bands". I have graded essays, poems, art work, stories, poster boards, websites, blogs and presentations dedicated to nearly every popular boy band since 1996. 

IN CONCLUSION

• The word "girl group" was never intended to be used negatively to describe the women who performed in these bands.
• No member of any "girl group" has ever raised a concern about that description.
• As detailed above, the word "girl" has plenty of positive connotations when used to describe a female over the age of 18.
• Although the word "girl" can be used disparagingly, that is not the case here.
• Boy Band is the male equivalent and it is used nearly identically with similar, positive connotations.

So, what does it mean to me? 

That's easy.  When I use, or hear, the words "girl group" I think of a group of talented, harmonizing females making awesome music. My mind goes to The Supremes, The Ronettes, The Chiffons, Bananarama, The Spice Girls, Destiny's Child and TLC. In every case, my reaction is complimentary. All of that music is terrific and so are the 36 songs you will find on these two companion records: Best of the Girl Groups Volumes 1 & 2. 

A FINAL NOTE 

I dismiss any argument that male singing groups are advantaged because they are called "bands" - the suggestion being that they are taken more seriously as musicians.

Clearly, "boy band" and "girl group" have their roots in alliteration. Additionally, the voice is an instrument -- all of these artists are musicians. 

Next up: The Chirping Crickets by The Crickets

The 500 - #422 The Ronettes - Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 422

Album Title: Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica 
Artist: The Ronettes
Genre: Pop, Rhythm & Blues (R&B)
Recorded: 1963-1964 - Gold Star Studios, Hollywood
Released: November, 1964
My age at release: Not born yet
How familiar was I with it before this week: A little
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Be My Baby

Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica is the only studio album by the 60s girl group, The Ronettes. The trio, from Washington Heights, Manhattan, consisted of Veronica Bennett, her older sister Estelle and their cousin Nedra Talley. Originally named The Darling Sisters, they had sung together since their early teens. In 1963, they signed with Phil Spector's label, Philly Records, and changed their name. Initially, Spector was only interested in signing Veronica. However, her mother insisted that they be signed as a group. Spector relented, but the words "featuring Veronica" were added to the album and she was front and centre on the record cover.  

The Ronettes exploded onto the music scene in the summer of 1963 with the single Be My Baby. It was a smash hit. In the 2004 edition of Rolling Stone magazine it was ranked at #22 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The magazine described it as a "Rosetta Stone" for studio pioneers such as The Beatles and Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. In fact, Wilson declared it "the greatest pop song ever made." 

Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Song Edition

The next 18 months would be a whirlwind for the group, with three additional hit songs  (all of which appear on this record), plus television appearances and a massive tour of the U.K.  However, by February, 1965, their popularity was declining and even a 14-city North American tour opening for The Beatles could not energize sales for their final single, I Can Hear Music -- a song that barely made it on the Billboard Top 100, and only for a single week. The group officially disbanded in early 1967 after a brief tour of Germany.

The Ronettes (Promotional Picture, 1966)

However, throughout the group's meteoric rise to success and their eventual break-up, there was another darker story being written. It was the story  of Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett who started a relationship with Spector shortly after the group signed with his record label. 

Spector in studio with The Ronettes

There is entirely too much detail to cover in this post but, Phil was intensely possessive of Veronica and, as her manager, controlled every choice in her young world. In fact, he forced her to remain in his home in California during The Ronettes' tour with The Beatles, using her cousin Elaine as a replacement. In other words, in two short years Spector had migrated from only wanting to sign Veronica...to featuring her prominently as the lead member of the group...to preventing her from touring. There are rumours that this was due to a relationship she had with Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards during the earlier U.K. tour. Regardless, Spector was intent on keeping Veronica close to home and under his watchful eye. Later that year, shortly after the band broke-up, Spector and Bennett married.

According to many accounts, Veronica, now Ronnie Spector, was kept a virtual prisoner in their mansion. It is said that Phil removed her footwear from the premises to prevent her from leaving. In 1969, they adopted a child. According to her memoir, Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts and Madness, being a mother brought her joy and, for a time, a meaningful purpose in her life. Emboldened, I suppose, Phil surprised her with adopted twins as a Christmas gift. A few months later, she fled barefoot to her mother who was waiting for her at a pre-arranged location. In her memoirs, she stated: "I knew if I didn't leave, I was going to die there". 

She and Spector divorced in 1972 and in the final settlement she forfeited all future record earnings because she feared her ex-husband would hire a hit man to kill her. She received $25,000, a used car and a monthly alimony of $2,500 for five years. Rumour has it that Phil once had the alimony payment delivered in dimes.

Her fears were certainly credible. Phil was known for brandishing a pistol and even installed a gold coffin with a glass lid in the basement of their home, promising that he would "kill her and display her corpse if she ever left him". Given that Spector was found guilty of second degree murder in the death of actress Lana Clarkson in 2008, these threats seem frighteningly real.

Veronica and The Ronettes have been inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Vocal Group Hall of Fame. She had a brief resurgence in 1986 when Eddie Money had the top five hit Take Me Home Tonight  which featured her on backing vocals. She occasionally performs today.

Eddie Money's 1986 single,
featuring Ronnie Spector on vocals

Ronnie currently lives in Connecticut with her second husband to whom she has been married since 1982. Spector is still, fittingly, serving a 19-year sentence in prison.

Next Up: The Best of The Girl Groups Volumes 1 & 2

The 500 - #423 - Diana Ross and The Supremes - Anthology

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 423

Album Title: Anthology
Artist: Diana Ross and the Supremes
Genre: Motown, Rhythm & Blues (R&B)
Recorded: 1960s and 1970s
Released: May, 1974 (Updated in 1995 & 2001)
My age at release: 8
How familiar was I with it before this week: Fairly Well - these are classics
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: You Can't Hurry Love

Anthology: The Best of The Supremes was initially released in 1974 as a three-record, 35-song collection spanning six phases in the career of this legendary 50s and 60s girl group. Each side was dedicated to a different period in their ten-year career, as follows:

1. The Early Sessions 
2. The Big Boom
3. Non-Stop Hit Making
4. New Horizons
5. Versatile Stylists
6. Memories, Moving On

Since the first release, the album has been reissued twice. In 1995 it became available as a double compact disc set. However, this version removed 19 of the tracks and replaced them with 16 others. Finally, in 2002, the "definitive anthology" was released. This is the version available to me on Spotify. It clocks-in at a staggering two hours and 26 minutes...with 50 tracks. Needless to say, it took me a couple afternoons to give it two complete listens.

Anthology: The Best of the Supremes

The Supremes are the most commercially successful of all the Motown performers and acknowledged as the greatest vocal group of all time -- with twelve number one singles. They originally formed as a quartet called The Primettes in the Brewster-Douglas housing projects of Detroit with members Florence Ballard, Betty McGlown, Diana Ross and Mary Wilson. In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown the year the group signed with Motown Records and became The Supremes. However, Martin left two years later leaving behind a trio until 1970 when Ross left to pursue a tremendously successful solo career.

The original Supremes line-up (1960)

As I played these songs in the background, I wondered what could I possibly add to a conversation about one of the best known and celebrated groups of all time?  

While listening to the song You Can't Hurry Love, it occured to me that my introduction had come by way of British singer Phil Collins. Collins, who was a member the progressive rock group Genesis, began a successful run as a solo artist in the early 80s. On his second record, Hello, I Must Be Going, he released a cover of this Supremes classic as a single, accompanied by this clever video.

Hello, I Must Be Going (1982)
Phil Collins

Collins' version was ubiquitous during the winter of 1982/83 when I was employed at an outdoor rink in Victoria Park, London, Ontario. Typically, I worked the boot-check kiosk in the basement of the adjecent bandshell; however, once a week, I was a "Cruiser". Trust me, the title sounds far more impressive than the job actually was. The task was to skate the perimeter of the rink ready to help patrons or prevent horseplay. Occasionally, this amounted to the distribution of a Band-Aid or stern warnings to preteens who were skating too fast or playing tag. It was mind-numbingly boring, but it paid well above minimum wage and I didn't smell like french fry grease at the end of a shift. Another benefit was being able to listen to music being piped through the park's speaker system, including Collins' hit.

Victoria Park Ice Rink (London, Ontario)

You Can't Hurry Love is a story told by a speaker reflecting on their mother's words of encouagement.

"My mama said, "you can't hurry love

No, you'll just have to wait"

She said, "love don't come easy

But it's a game of give and take"

You can't hurry love

No, you'll just have to wait

Just trust in a good time

No matter how long it takes"

Even at the age of 17, I remember picking up on the important themes of patience and compromise in a relationship. I'd like to say I applied these lessons expertly over the next decade. 

I did not. 

Indeed, love did come to me in "good time" and, with age, my capacity for concession and patience has expanded.   

The lyrics for You Can't Hurry Love were inspired by a gospel song called You Can't Hurry God, He's right on Time, by Dorothy Love Coates in 1958. I'm not an overtly religious person but was raised in a Christian household and value the teachings of Christ. Consequently, I embrace the ideals of forgiveness, kindness and love. Perhaps there is a lesson here that is universal, regardless of faith. Love, in its many forms, does not come without struggle and it requires commitment, compromise and, if you trust in its inevitability, will arrive...right on time.

Coming up next: The Ronettes - Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica