POP CULTURE CANTINA
Presents
DESTINATION: SUGARTOWN!
THE ARCHIE RECORDS STORY
A Journey Through
THE GREAT AMERICAN
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SONG BOOK
SABRINA: THE ARCHIES GOT BACK TOGETHER BECAUSE OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 DISASTER! THEY PLAYED OVER A DOZEN BENEFIT SHOWS FOR VICTIMS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. IT WAS SERIOUS WORK, DONE UNDER SOMBER CIRCUMSTANCES; BUT THE MEMBERS ENJOYED BEING ON STAGE TOGETHER AGAIN. IT WAS THE IMPETUS THAT ARCHIE + VERONICA NEEDED TO MAKE A REUNION HAPPEN! THEY SOLD THEIR BANDMATES ON THE BENEFITS OF SIGNING WITH AN INDIE LABEL AND THEN SWEETENED THE DEAL WITH GUARANTEES OF CREATIVE FREEDOM, OWNERSHIP OF SOLO MASTERS, SUBSTANTIAL ROYALTIES AND PROFIT SHARING - NONE OF WHICH THEY'D HAD AS KIRSHNER RECORDS ARTISTS!
THE BAND INKED A TEN-YEAR CONTRACT WITH ARCHIE RECORDS ON NOVEMBER 12, 2001. WITH AN A + R CHIEF YET TO BE NAMED, A PRIORITY WAS PUT ON FINDING A PRODUCER FOR THE GROUP'S NEW PRODUCT. CANDIDATES AUDITIONED FOR THE JOB OVER A PERIOD OF FOUR WEEKS; I WAS ONE OF THEM, BUT THEY WERE NERVOUS ABOUT MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE. DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO WAS ALSO REJECTED, EVEN THOUGH BY THAT TIME HE WAS BUILDING A STRONG TRACK RECORD WORKING WITH TEJANO ACTS. FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, NOBODY SEEMED RIGHT! ALL THE ARCHIES KNEW FOR SURE WAS THAT THEY WANTED TO START FRESH; THEIR NEW PRODUCER WASN'T GOING TO BE ANYBODY THEY'D WORKED WITH BEFORE.
HOW CAROLE KING GOT INVOLVED IS A LONG STORY THAT I WON'T BORE YOU WITH; BUT IN EARLY DECEMBER, ARCHIE MET WITH HER REPRESENTATIVES IN A CONFERENCE THAT LASTED ALL DAY! CAROLE WAS NEVER GOING TO BE THE ARCHIES' REGULAR PRODUCER, BUT THEY WERE EAGER TO WORK WITH HER ON A SPECIAL PROJECT. IN MID-DECEMBER, THEY CUT DEMOS FOR A PROPOSED ALBUM OF HER CLASSIC SIXTIES HITS. THAT HAPPENED @ LEGENDARY SUN STUDIOS IN MEMPHIS. I MET CAROLE DURING THOSE SESSIONS, AND SHE WAS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT COLLABORATING WITH THE ARCHIES; HER DAUGHTER LOUISE GOFFIN WAS SLATED TO PRODUCE THE RECORD. HOWEVER, THE TRIBUTE ALBUM WAS OPPOSED BY CERTAIN PEOPLE CLOSE TO CAROLE, AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW, IT WAS CANCELLED!
SO, PRODUCER AUDITIONS STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN, BUT THEY DIDN'T LAST LONG. REGGIE MANTLE RECOMMENDED A CANDIDATE WHO IMPRESSED EVERYBODY: A LATIN MUSIC VETERAN WHO'D SUPERVISED A SOLO ALBUM THAT HE'D CUT THE PREVIOUS YEAR. RALFI CHINGAS WAS QUITE VERSATILE MUSICALLY AND INTERESTED IN WHAT EACH MEMBER BROUGHT TO THE GROUP. HE COULD BE A REAL TASKMASTER IN THE STUDIO, BUT HE WAS ALSO FUN TO WORK WITH AND BURSTING WITH IDEAS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE GOT ALONG WELL WITH BOTH ARCHIE + VERONICA (FOR A WHILE)! IN JANUARY OF 2002, RALFI SUPERVISED THE FIRST OF MANY ARCHIES RECORDING SESSIONS.
THE SECOND YEAR: 2002
"STANDING IN THE NEED OF LOVE"
PROMO FOR THE ARCHIES' DÉBUT
ON THE ARCHIE LABEL.
ARCHIE RECORDS
SINGLES SESSIONS
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
JANUARY 16-21, 2002
EL RANCHO CHINGAS,
BAYAMÓN, PUERTO RICO
WALK WITH A WINNER - Disque D'Or (France)
(Colley, Jones, Mannering)
CAN'T ESCAPE FROM YOU, BABY!
- Disque D'Or (France)
(Adams, Ragovoy)
NIKI HOEKY - Big Noise From Riverdale box set
(Ford, Vegas)
ROCK IT! - fan club single
(Goetzman, Piccirillo)
THE ARCHIES
Arranger/Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
Music Director:
ARCHIE ANDREWS
Sound Engineer: MIGUELITO SKEEN
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
The Archies now featured Betty Jones on saxophone,
an instrument that her husband Jughead taught her
to play. Of course, Juggy was on drums, Reggie
Mantle played bass, Roni Lodge-Andrews played
keyboards and Archie Andrews was the guitarist.
These were the first finished masters that the
reformed group cut with their new producer.
A successful demo session prompted Archie +
Veronica to schedule this singles session;
however, years will pass before any of these
songs see light of day. An alternate take of
"Can't Escape From You, Baby" will surface
on the 2097 ARCHIES AUSTRALIAN
SINGLES COLLECTION box set.
PROMO FOR THE AUSTRALIAN HIT
SINGLE "MY DREAM" BY
DEB DELMAN.
CAPITOL RECORDS AUSTRALIA
ALBUM SESSIONS
"YOUR OTHER LOVE"
AN ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
JANUARY 19 - 25, FEBRUARY 3 - 5, 2002
SPLENDID MEDIA,
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
WE HAVE SOMETHING MORE - Your Other Love LP
(Brignolo, Daniele, Gentile, Lambert)*
FALLIN’ - Your Other Love LP**
from the Cathay film Dreamboat
(Greenfield, Sedaka)
NO BETTER OFF - Your Other Love LP*
(Kahan, Keyes)
HILL UNDERGROUND - Your Other Love LP*
(Lewis-Warrick, Smith)
SEND FOR MY BABY - single B-side*
from the San Pacifico motion picture
Edsel Summer
(Heath, Rose)
LOVE IS ME, LOVE IS YOU - Your Other Love LP*
(Tony Hatch)
ROUNDABOUT - Your Other Love LP***
(Tony Hatch)
MY DREAM - single A-side***
(Deb Delman)
SPANISH NIGHTS AND YOU
- Your Other Love LP***
(Albanese, Merrell)
IT WOULD STILL BE WORTH IT
- Your Other Love LP***
(Ballard, Tobias)
YOUR OTHER LOVE - Your Other Love LP***
(Ogermann, Raleigh)
IT’S A DIFFERENT WORLD
- Your Other Love LP***
(Jimmie Crane)
LOVE EYES -
from the Broadway musical Whoop Up
- Your Other Love LP**
(Charlap, Gimbel)
DANCE MY TROUBLES AWAY
from the Fox film Zorba The Greek
- Your Other Love LP*
(Stillman, Theodorakis)
DEB DELMAN
w/THE EDEN DAWN STRINGS
w/THE NASTY BOYS
Vocal Arranger: CHUCK CLAYTON
Arrangers:
*GERALDINE GRUNDY, **ROD MACK,
***BREE SPELLMAN
Music Director:
EVA NAMAZZI
Producer: CHUCK CLAYTON
Sound Engineers:
PHILIPPE TIMOTHÉE, CHEVY TIDINGS
Executive Producer:
MARK GYURINA
Salem da Katt: When executives @ Capitol Records Australia heard about the wonders Archie’s production staff had worked with Harris Gardner, they got in touch with Veronica. Former child star Deb Delman, now an Alt Rock singer/songwriter, was clearly an act destined for great things! Admirers called her Australia’s Barbra Streisand, but perhaps a more apt comparison would’ve been Aretha Franklin.
Like Aretha in the early 1960s, she’d released several critically-acclaimed records but nothing had caught fire. Now her husband and manager was itching to ditch Capitol and land her a new record deal! Desperate to keep Deb in their stable, Capitol commissioned its American indie “sister label” to come up with a long-delayed hit. That's how Chuck Clayton bagged his first production job; but setting a studio date proved difficult.
Deb Delman had so many prior commitments, it made scheduling a stateside session all but impossible. After three months of cancellations, she suggested that they record in Australia. Capitol flew Chuck + his session crew over to Melbourne. The production staff included Sabrina on keyboards, Rod Mack on guitar, Pop Tate on sax, drummer Midge Mercury and a new version of backing vocal trio The Nasty Boys, with Chuck’s baritone replacing Archie’s tenor. Former music teacher Geraldine Grundy came along, too, in order to provide a female backing voice. Before she entered the teaching profession, Deanie was a Folk singer of some renown; Deb's husband Mark Gyurina was a fan and thrilled to meet her!
Deb Delman’s preferred recording locale was Splendid Media, better known as the Eden Dawn nightclub. Much like Spanish Eddie’s Bar + Grill, where The Archies would later cut many sessions, the Eden was a Rock club that functioned as a tracking studio in the daytime. Its owner was symphony musician Eva Namazzi, whose seven-piece string section was sometimes available for record dates. Chuckii thought it was a shame that Deb had yet to use strings on a studio session, and he decided to change that!
Her original songs were on the edgy side, but he wanted to take a more Pop-oriented approach. Dude asked if she had an old-fashioned ballad in her songbook, whereupon she played him one called “My Dream”. Chuckii was hella impressed! “That sounds like a Connie Francis song,” he raved. Deb informed him that her mother was a major Connie Francis fan. “Would you believe she once asked me to cut a tribute album to Connie?” she laughed. “Imagine me, singing music like that!” Chuckii didn’t think the idea was funny @ all. “You can write that kind of music,” he reasoned, “so why not? @ least for this one album. What have you got to lose?”
She took some convincing, but once it was decided that “My Dream” would be the centerpiece of her new project, Deb was on board. That song would break for a massive hit in Australia, and her LP salute to Connie Francis would chase it to the top of the down-under charts!
Babe was fully involved in track selection: She dug deep into Connie’s catalog for choice Jazz, Latin, Rockabilly and even Folk material. “Anybody expecting me to warble ‘Where The Boys Are’ is going to be disappointed,” she told the music press, “but I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised. This album shows off a very different side of me.”
Its retro sound was a one-off project: Never again would Deb Delman sing “that kind of music.” However, she did keep writing frothy ballads like “My Dream!” In the future, when her cutting-edge musician friends would ask why, she’d just say: “Because my fans love them so much!” The success of YOUR OTHER LOVE helped Oz’s Precious Little Sweetheart finally make the transition from child star to Pop diva.
SABRINA: THIS ALBUM WAS A FIRM FAVORITE OF VERONICA’S, AND OVER THE YEARS SHE WOULD URGE OTHER ARTISTS TO COVER ITS SONGS. THE ARCHIES LATER CUT A VERSION OF “HILL UNDERGROUND” AND SESSION GUITARIST MADAME AXE (WHOM YOU’LL MEET ON THE FIFTH STOP OF THIS JOURNEY) WOULD HAVE HER METALLIC WAY WITH “WE HAVE SOMETHING MORE” AND “NO BETTER OFF”. NO SURPRISE, THEN, THAT RONI DECIDED TO RELEASE DEB’S ALBUM STATESIDE; IT HAD THE HONOR OF BEING ARCHIE RECORDS’ FIRST DOMESTIC LP!
UNFORTUNATELY, SALES WERE DISAPPOINTING BUT ARCH + RONI STILL MADE MONEY FROM IT. THEY LICENSED THE SELECTIONS "FALLIN'" AND "SEND FOR MY BABY" TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FOR A PAIR OF MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS. BOTH FILMS WERE SET IN THE 1950S, SO THE RETRO SOUND OF THOSE NUMBERS WAS PERFECT FOR THEM. ROYALTIES CAME ROLLING IN WHEN FIRST DREAMBOAT AND THEN EDSEL SUMMER BECAME BIG BOX OFFICE HITS! THOSE TWO SONGS INAUGURATED DEB DELMAN’S CATALOG OF MOTION PICTURE MUSIC, WHICH WOULD GROW TO BE QUITE LARGE.
THE ARCHIES IN THE STUDIO WITH
LEGENDARY SINGER/SONGWRITER
AND MUSICAL ARRANGER
CAROLE KING!
ARCHIE RECORDS
REMIX SESSIONS
"SO MUCH LOVE"
AN ALAN M MIX
(INSTRUMENTALS)
FEBRUARY 11-16, 2002
ARCHIE SOUND STUDIOS (ASS),
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK
YOU'RE A SWEET SWEETHEART (overdub)
- single flipside
HI-DE-HO (overdub) - Retro box set
SO MUCH LOVE (overdub) - Retro box set
ONE FINE DAY (overdub) - Retro box set
(Goffin, King)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Remix Producer: RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineer: ALAN MAYBERRY
This was an overdub session for four demos
recorded in late 2001 with Carole King. A
proposed extended-play album was never
released. These demos will be remixed twice
more in the year 2030, for a poorly-selling
compilation and a best-selling album whose
release will be delayed until the year 2127.
THE ARCHIES @ NASHVILLE'S
RYMAN OPRY HOUSE IN
MARCH OF 2002.
SABRINA: RIGHT AFTER THE ARCHIES OFFICIALLY SIGNED RALFI CHINGAS AS THEIR PRODUCER, THEY WORKED WITH RAÚL MALO, LEAD SINGER/SONGWRITER OF COUNTRY BAND THE MAVERICKS. RAÚL WAS A FAN AND HE RECRUITED THE GROUP FOR A TV PROJECT HE WAS WORKING ON. UNDER A TEXAS MOON WAS A WESTERN-THEMED MINISERIES THAT RAN ON COUNTRY MUSIC TELEVISION IN LATE 2002. THE BAND APPEARED IN A BARROOM BRAWL SCENE, AND THE SONG THAT THEY PERFORMED LATER BECAME A HIT MAVERICKS SINGLE. NO SOUNDTRACK ALBUM WAS MARKETED, SO THE ARCHIES' ORIGINAL VERSION OF "COME UNTO ME" WON'T BE RELEASED UNTIL THE YEAR 2035, LONG AFTER ARCHIE RECORDS HAS CLOSED.
ARCHIE RECORDS
SOUNDTRACK SESSIONS
"UNDER A TEXAS MOON"
A WARNER BROTHERS PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
FEBRUARY 21 - 24, 2002
THE WARNER BROTHERS RANCH,
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA
COME UNTO ME - Disque D'Or (France)
(Raúl Malo)
COME UNTO ME, INSTRUMENTAL
- unreleased
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
w/RAÚL MALO
Arranger/Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
Music Director:
RAÚL MALO
Sound Engineers:
ALAN MAYBERRY, VIRGIL BRADLEY,
COCO KENSINGTON, TARLETON GOTH
Executive Producer
for Archie Records:
NICHOLAS FREUND
These tracks were captured on one of Warner Brothers' legendary soundstages! Betty Jones was chosen to sing lead voice. For a band that had never before played Tex-Mex-style, The Archies acquitted themselves admirably; Latin music expert Ralfi Chingas firmly but patiently coaxed authentic performances out of them. In addition to acting as composer and music director, Raúl Malo sang harmony with Kevin Keller. The instrumental track was intended to have a Spanish vocal, but after over a dozen attempts Malo couldn't get a "take" he was satisfied with. Not until well into the decade would The Archies be competent recording in foreign languages!
THE ARCHIES w/ KEVIN KELLER + RAÚL MALO IN 2002,
TRACKING MUSIC @ WARNER BROTHERS STUDIOS. THEIR
VERSION OF MALO'S SONG "COME UNTO ME" WAS
FEATURED IN A TV MINISERIES.
THE ARCHIES' WORK ON UNDER A TEXAS MOON DIRECTLY INFLUENCED THEIR CHOICE OF A COMEBACK ALBUM THEME. "WHY DON'T WE CUT A WHOLE COUNTRY MUSIC LP?" BETTY SUGGESTED. RALFI CHINGAS THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA, AND HE CONVINCED ARCHIE + VERONICA TO GO WITH IT. FROM MARCH TO JUNE 2002, THE GROUP CUT THEIR MILLION-SELLING ARCHIE COUNTRY LP IN MEMPHIS AND NASHVILLE. ITS BLEND OF ROCKABILLY AND HONKY TONK NUMBERS WITH "NASHVILLE SOUND" COUNTRY FAVORITES WOULD PROVE TO BE JUST WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTED TO HEAR; @ LONG LAST, ARCHIE RECORDS WAS ON THE VERGE OF SCORING ITS FIRST SMASH HIT! AND EVERYBODY KNEW IT.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE COUNTRY"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS)
MARCH 2002
RYMAN OPRY HOUSE,
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
EYES OF A NEW YORK WOMAN
HEAVEN ONLY KNOWS
DOWN IN THE BOONDOCKS
GOOD DEAL, LUCILLE
A SATISFIED MIND
LONELY WEEKENDS
PRETTY ANNA BELLE - discarded
I DON'T WANNA LOVE YOU
MY MARIA
JUST SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW
PARTY DOLL
MY HEART SKIPS A BEAT
RUBY ANN
IF YOU AIN'T LOVIN, YOU AIN'T LIVIN'
BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN
SWEET CITY WOMAN
DIESEL ON MY TAIL
ROSALIE
PLAIN AND SIMPLE
THE ARCHIES
w/DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Arranger/Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineer: RANDY KLING
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
The Archies began recording a double-length Country
music album! Their old friend Dilton was on hand to
play fiddle and accordion. The band cut all of
the instrumental tracks @ Nashville's Ryman
Opry House; it was home to the legendary Grand
Ole Opry for many years.
JUGGY WAS THE ARCHIE'S NOT-SO-
SECRET WEAPON: ONE OF THE BEST
PERCUSSIONISTS IN THE MUSIC
BUSINESS!
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE COUNTRY"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(VOCALS)
MARCH 2002
SUN STUDIOS,
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
MY MARÌA - Archie Country LP
(Moore, Stevenson)
I DON'T WANNA LOVE YOU
- single flipside, Archie Country LP
(Mann, Weil)
LONELY WEEKENDS
- single, Archie Country LP
(Charlie Rich)
GOOD DEAL, LUCILLE
- single, Return To Archie Country LP
(Miller, Theriot)
DIESEL ON MY TAIL
- single flipside, Return To Archie Country LP
(Jimmy Fagan)
JUST SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW
- single flipside, Archie Country LP
(Jack Clement)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arranger/Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineers:
ALAN MAYBERRY, CINDY ST. JOSEPHS
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
"Lonely Weekends" was the first hit single
for The Archies on their new label. "I Don't Wanna
Love You" became a regional hit in 2005. A third
selection from these dates, "Good Deal, Lucille"
scored big in 2009. Reggie Mantle sang lead
on all three sides.
SELECTIONS FROM THE ARCHIES' TWO
COUNTRY ALBUMS WILL BE SOME OF
THE MOST POPULAR SIDES WITH
US MILITARY PERSONNEL.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE COUNTRY"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(VOCALS)
APRIL 2002
SUN STUDIOS,
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
PARTY DOLL - Archie Country LP
(Bowen, Knox)
ROSALIE - single, Archie Country LP
(Linda Hargrove)
DOWN IN THE BOONDOCKS
- Archie Country LP
(Joe South)
MY HEART SKIPS A BEAT
- Archie Country LP
(Buck Owens)
RUBY ANN - Archie Country LP
(Roberta Bellamy)
A SATISFIED MIND
- single flipside, Archie Country LP
(Hayes, Rhodes)
IF YOU AIN'T LOVIN', YOU AIN'T LIVIN'
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Tommy Collins)
HEAVEN ONLY KNOWS
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Freddie Hart)
PLAIN AND SIMPLE
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Geld, Udell)
BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN
- single flipside, Archie Country LP
(Tom Lazoros)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arranger/Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineers:
ALAN MAYBERRY, CINDY ST. JOSEPHS
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
"Down In The Boondocks" and "Plain And
Simple" were issued as fan club singles.
Archie Andrews sang lead on
both sides.
PROMO FOR THE ARCHIES'
2002 EXTENDED PLAY DISC
LONELY WEEKENDS.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE COUNTRY"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS)
MAY 2002
RYMAN OPRY HOUSE,
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
I AIN'T NEVER!
PRETTY ANNA BELLE - retake
COMIN' ON STRONG
WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES
BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN
- unreleased retake
THE RACE IS ON
WAITING FOR YOU
MY BOY ARCHIE
SLEEPY-EYED JOHN
NO LOVE AT ALL
EVERYBODY
WHEN I STOP LEAVIN', I'LL BE GONE
DON'T HIDE YOUR LOVE
REASON TO WORRY
IF NOT FOR YOU
LONELY QUEEN
LOVE'S GONNA LIVE HERE AGAIN
SO LONG, BABE!
THE ARCHIES
w/DWIGHT YOAKAM
Arranger/Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineer: RANDY KLING
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Country star Dwight Yoakam switched
off with Archie on lead and rhythm
guitars at these instrumental
sessions.
PROMO FROM THE YEAR
2088 FOR THE ARCHIES'
100th ANNIVERSARY
ALBUM!
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE COUNTRY"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(VOCALS)
MAY 2002
SUN STUDIOS,
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
REASON TO WORRY
- single flipside, Return To Archie Country LP
(David Russo)
SLEEPY-EYED JOHN
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Tex Atchison)
I AIN'T NEVER! - Archie Country LP
(Pierce, Tillis)
EYES OF A NEW YORK WOMAN
- Archie Country LP
(Mark James)
PRETTY ANNA BELLE
- single, Archie Country LP
(Levine, Thomas)
NO LOVE AT ALL
- single flipside, Archie Country LP
(Christopher, Thompson)
EVERYBODY - Lonely Weekends EP
(Tommy Roe)
WHEN I STOP LEAVIN', I'LL BE GONE
- single, Archie Country LP
(Kent Robbins)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arranger/Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineers:
ALAN MAYBERRY, CINDY ST. JOSEPHS
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Forsythe "Juggy" Jones sang all the leads
at these sessions except for "Reason To
Worry", which was sung by Roni Lodge-
Andrews. "I Ain't Never!" was issued
as a fan club single flipside.
"LONELY QUEEN", AN ALBUM TRACK
FROM ARCHIE COUNTRY, WILL
GET A BELATED RELEASE IN 2009
AS A VERONICA SOLO SINGLE.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE COUNTRY"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(VOCALS)
JUNE 2002
SUN STUDIOS,
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
COMIN' ON STRONG
- Archie Country LP
(David Wilkins)
DON'T HIDE YOUR LOVE
- Archie Country LP
(Greenfield, Sedaka)
THE RACE IS ON - Archie Country LP
(Don Rollins)
WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Joe South)
LOVE'S GONNA LIVE HERE AGAIN
- Archie Country LP
(Buck Owens)
IF NOT FOR YOU
- single flipside, Archie Country LP
(Bob Dylan)
LONELY QUEEN
- single (VERONICA), Archie Country LP
(McCarthy, Strange)
SO LONG, BABE!
- single flipside, Archie Country LP
(Lee Hazlewood)
WAITING FOR YOU - single flipside
(Barry, Greenwich)
MY BOY ARCHIE - Return To Archie Country LP
(Fitting, Rockingham)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arranger/Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineers:
ALAN MAYBERRY, CINDY ST. JOSEPHS
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Either Betty or Veronica or both women
together sang all the lead vocals at this
session. The high background voice
belonged to Kevin Keller.
SABRINA: ONE OF THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE ARCHIES AGREED TO REGROUP WAS THAT THEY WOULDN'T TOUR CONSTANTLY LIKE MOST OTHER BANDS DID. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE WAS NO CONCERT TOUR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF ARCHIE COUNTRY! THE ALBUM WAS PROMOTED WITH MUSIC VIDEOS, HIGH-PROFILE PERSONAL APPEARANCES AND LOTS OF WORD-OF-MOUTH. VERONICA LATER BELIEVED THAT NOT HEADING OUT ON THE ROAD WORKED IN THE ARCHIES' FAVOR; IT ALLOWED THEM TO BUILD A MYSTIQUE WITH THE PUBLIC. EVERYBODY THOUGHT THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE, UNTIL THE ALBUM WON A PLATINUM SALES AWARD!
BETTY JONES CAME INTO HER OWN
AS A LEAD SINGER ON ARCHIE
RECORDS RELEASES.
ARCHIE RECORDS
EP SESSION
"HOT CHOCOLATE ARCHIE"
AN ISLAND PACIFIC PRODUCTION
in association with
ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTIONS
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
AUGUST 19 - 22, 2002
SPLENDID MEDIA,
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
YOU SEXY THING! in Chinese
(Brown, Zhang)
- unreleased
EVERY ONE'S A WINNER in Chinese
(Brown, Zhang)
- unreleased
COULD'VE BEEN A LADY in Chinese
(Brown, Wilson, Zhang)
- unreleased
DISCO QUEEN in Chinese
- single (Asia)
(Brown, Wilson, Zhang)
THE ARCHIES
Arranger: PAM-PAM
Music Director:
EVA NAMAZZI
Producer: BARCLAY SINGH
Sound Engineer:
CHEVY TIDINGS HOWE
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Betty Jones sang lead on all four of The Archies' first and
only Chinese-language recordings, which were also the first
sides they cut specifically for a foreign country. It was
logical to feature Betty because in Asia, the tracks from ARCHIE
COUNTRY with her lead vocals had been the most popular.
Although an EP tribute to iconic British band Hot Chocolate
was recorded @ these sessions, only one side ever got
released. It was not successful, but the group continued
to work with Punjabi producer Barclay Singh on all
sides recorded for Asian markets.
IN THE YEAR 2088, AN ARCHIES
BOX SET TITLED END OF THE
CENTURY WILL BE SOLD TO
JAPANESE FANS IN VERY
LIMITED QUANTITIES.
SABRINA: NO MORE MASTERS WERE CUT IN 2002, BUT THAT DIDN'T MEAN THE COMPANY WAS IDLE. IN SEPTEMBER, ARCHIE + VERONICA LAUNCHED CHERRY VAGINA MUSIC, THE SONG PUBLISHING ARM OF ARCHIE RECORDS. NAMING THE FIRM SOMETHING SO PROVOCATIVE WAS QUESTIONABLE, TO SAY THE LEAST; BUT THEY WANTED A NAME THAT WAS BOTH UNUSUAL AND MEMORABLE. "CHERRY VAGINA" WAS WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH! I NEVER LIKED IT, BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT CHUCK CLAYTON'S DESIGN FOR THE COMPANY INSIGNIA - AN ABSTRACT RENDERING OF THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT - WAS REALLY QUITE BEAUTIFUL.
@ THIS EARLY STAGE, THE ARCHIES INTENDED TO RECORD ORIGINAL MATERIAL WRITTEN BY GROUP MEMBERS. ARCHIE, BETTY, JUGGY, RONI + KELLY (KEVIN KELLER'S NICKNAME) WERE ALL SIGNED TO THE FIRM. SO WAS I, WITH MY WRITING PARTNER TIMOTHY GARLAND, AS WELL AS TERRY "POP" TATE + DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO. CHUCK CLAYTON WAS CONTRACTED TO ANOTHER SONG PUBLISHER @ THE TIME, BUT WHEN THAT CONTRACT RAN OUT A FEW YEARS LATER, HE SIGNED UP, TOO.
BIG ETHEL ALSO CAME ON BOARD; IMPATIENT WITH JUST BEING A PREACHER'S WIFE, SHE WANTED TO TRY HER HAND @ WRITING STANDARD SONG LYRICS. SHE + REGGIE (WHO ARRANGED MUSIC BUT DIDN'T COMPOSE IT) WERE OUR PRIMARY DEMO AND JINGLE SINGERS. NOT ONLY DID WE WRITE FOR ARTISTS, WE ALSO COMPOSED, SANG AND PRODUCED RADIO, TV AND WEB COMMERCIALS.
ALAN MAYBERRY WAS THE DEFAULT DEMO PRODUCER BUT REALLY, ALL OF US WERE PRODUCERS AS WELL AS WRITERS. WE DEMO'D SONGS FURIOUSLY ALL THROUGH THE FALL AND WINTER, LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A MUSIC STOCKPILE THAT WOULD BE ONE OF SUGARTOWN'S MOST VALUABLE ASSETS!
"I JUST CAN'T HELP IT"
MICK JAGGER SHRUGS OFF FAN CRITICISM
FOR WORKING WITH THE ARCHIES
IN THE YEAR
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