POP CULTURE CANTINA
Presents
DESTINATION: SUGARTOWN!
THE ARCHIE RECORDS STORY
A Journey Through
THE GREAT AMERICAN
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SONG BOOK
SABRINA: SOCIAL MEDIA WAS STILL IN ITS INFANCY IN 2003, BUT WHAT EXISTED WAS AFLAME WITH RUMORS ABOUT THE ARCHIES’ NEXT ALBUM PROJECT: WAS IT REALLY GOING TO BE A DOUBLE- LENGTH TRIBUTE TO THE ROLLING STONES? IT WAS INDEED! AND THE OUTRAGE AMONG LONGTIME STONES FANS WAS SO OVERWHELMING, IT WAS LIKE A TIDAL WAVE! THE CONSENSUS REACTION WAS: HOW DARE SUCH A LIGHTWEIGHT GROUP DESECRATE THE HITS OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST ROCK BAND?
THE THIRD YEAR: 2003
"I JUST CAN'T HELP IT"
WHOSE SINGING VOICES ARE
CLOSEST TO THOSE OF
THE ARCHIES?
ARCHIE RECORDS
SINGLES SESSIONS
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
FEBRUARY 3 - 8, 2003
ARCHIE SOUND STUDIOS (ASS),
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK
YOU'RE MY BABY - single flipside (France)
(Anders, Poncia, Spector)
MARYANN - single flipside (India)
(Anders, Poncia, Spector)
THE CHEATER - single flipside (Australia)
(John Krenski)
LOVELY LINDSAY - Disques D'Or (France)
(Kimberly Rew)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arranger: ARCHIE ANDREWS
Producer: RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineer: ALAN MAYBERRY
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
An earlier Archies recording of "The Cheater" exists,
dating from the Don Kirshner era. This second version
featured Juggy Jones on lead vocals. "You're My Baby"
(led by Reggie Mantle) and "Maryann" (featuring
Roni Lodge-Andrews + Betty Jones) were issued
as fan club single flipsides.
ARCHIES SINGLES RELEASED ON THE
CUSTOM ARCHIES FAN CLUB
RECORD LABEL.
SABRINA: FANS OF CLASSIC ROCK 'N' ROLL WERE APOPLECTIC: NOT ONLY HAD MICK JAGGER PERSONALLY APPROVED THE ARCHIES’ COVERING HIS SONG CATALOG, HE WAS ALSO ASSISTING WITH IT! ROCK CRITICS DECLARED THAT HE'D LOST HIS MIND; BUT WHEN DID THEY EVER UNDERSTAND MICK? HE ALWAYS LIKED TO GO HIS OWN WAY. "I LOVED THEIR COMEBACK ALBUM ARCHIE COUNTRY," HE TOLD THE PRESS. "IT PROVED THAT THEY AREN'T A TWEE BUBBLEGUM BAND ANY MORE. RECORDING OUR SONGS WILL OBLITERATE THAT IMAGE, AND IT'S ABOUT TIME, ISN'T IT? WHEN VERONICA SUGGESTED THIS PROJECT, I WAS JUST AS EAGER TO START RECORDING AS SHE WAS! RIGHT NOW, WE'RE CUTTING DEMOS."
MICK NEVER DOUBTED THAT THE ARCHIES COULD PLAY HIS KIND OF EDGY ROCK 'N' ROLL, BUT HARDLY ANYBODY ELSE WOULD GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. A LOT OF PEOPLE MADE UP THEIR MINDS TO HATE THE NEW ALBUM NO MATTER HOW IT TURNED OUT; LET ME TELL YOU, WHEN LIKE A ROLLING STONE HIT THE STREETS, THE REVIEWS WERE ABSOLUTELY SCATHING! BETTY WAS SO UPSET, SHE QUESTIONED WHETHER REMAKING THE ARCHIES' IMAGE WAS WISE; BUT ARCHIE + VERONICA SHARED A STRONG VISION FOR THE GROUP. I FULLY SUPPORTED THEM, TOO!
THE BAND REALLY DID NEED TO GO OUT ON TOUR THIS TIME; THEY HAD TO KNOW IF THEIR NEW ALBUM SOUNDED AS BAD AS THE CRITICS CLAIMED! BUT POSITIVE AUDIENCE RESPONSE DISABUSED THEM OF THAT FEAR: NEARLY ALL OF THEIR CONCERT VENUES SOLD OUT, AND THE GENEROUS OUTPOURING OF LOVE THEY GOT FROM FANS OLD AND NEW NEUTRALIZED THE REVIEWERS' BILE!
AND DESPITE ALL THE NEGATIVE PRESS, THE STONES TRIBUTE ALBUM WAS A STONED SMASH! IT WAS IN THE TOP FIVE AFTER JUST ONE WEEK, AND IT STAYED THERE FOR NEARLY A MONTH. A BEST-SELLING TRIBUTE EP WAS ALSO RELEASED. PERSONALLY, I DIDN'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THE REVIEWS; I DON'T NEED ROCK CRITICS TELLING ME WHAT I SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T LISTEN TO! EXCEPT FOR THE ALBUM THEY WORKED ON WITH ME, LIKE A ROLLING STONE IS MY FAVORITE ARCHIES RECORD.
PROMO FOR THE 2003 ARCHIES
EP THE LAST TIME.
ARCHIE RECORDS
EP SESSIONS
"THE LAST TIME"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
MARCH 2003
ARCHIE SOUND STUDIOS (ASS),
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK
THE LAST TIME - The Last Time EP
(Jagger, Richards)
IT'S ONLY ROCK 'N' ROLL
- Like A Rolling Stone LP
(Jagger, Richards)
incomplete
incomplete
SHATTERED! - The Last Time EP
(Jagger, Richards)
incomplete
IT'S ALL OVER NOW
- single flipside (Japan)
(Bobby + Shirley Womack)
TIME IS ON MY SIDE
- Like A Rolling Stone LP
(Jerry Ragovoy)
THE ARCHIES
w/MICK JAGGER
w/ROD MACK
Arranger: ROD MACK
Producer: RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineer: ALAN MAYBERRY
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
"It's All Over Now" was issued as a fan club single flipside.
Archie Andrews + Reggie Mantle sang a duet lead.
Mick Jagger attended this date and played percussion
on the tracks.
PRINT CATALOGS FOR
THE ARCHIE RECORD
LABEL.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"LIKE A ROLLING STONE"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
APRIL 2003
ARCHIE SOUND STUDIOS (ASS),
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK
START ME UP! - unreleased
(Jagger, Richards)
BROWN SUGAR - Like A Rolling Stone LP
(Jagger, Richards)
I CAN LOVE YOU - Retro box set
(Jeff Barry)
HONKY TONK WOMEN
- single flipside, Like A Rolling Stone LP*
(Jagger, Richards)
incomplete
incomplete
RUBY TUESDAY - Like A Rolling Stone LP
(Jagger, Richards)
SUMMER IN THE CITY (underdub)
- single flipside (Philippines)
(Boone, Sebastian)
THE ARCHIES
w/CHUCK CLAYTON
Arrangers:
RALFI CHINGAS, *ARCHIE ANDREWS
Producer: RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineer: ALAN MAYBERRY
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
“I Can Love You” was intended as a single but Veronica
changed her mind about it. "Summer In The City" was issued
as a fan club single; Reggie Mantle sang lead. Chuck
Clayton played rhythm guitar on this date.
THE ARCHIES' RECORDED REPORTOIRE
WAS MAINLY DRAWN FROM THE
"BRILL BUILDING" MUSIC
CATALOG OF THE 1960s.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"LIKE A ROLLING STONE"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
APRIL/MAY 2003
THE CAPITOL TOWER,
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA
LET'S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER
- Like A Rolling Stone LP*
GET OFF MY CLOUD! - Like A Rolling Stone LP*
(I CAN'T GET NO) SATISFACTION
- Like A Rolling Stone LP
NINETEENTH NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
- single, Like A Rolling Stone LP*
UNDER MY THUMB - single flipside
DANDELION - Like A Rolling Stone LP
JUMPIN' JACK FLASH - Like A Rolling Stone LP
TUMBLING DICE
- single, Like A Rolling Stone LP
(Jagger, Richards)*
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arrangers:
RALFI CHINGAS, *ARCHIE ANDREWS
Producer: RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineer: ZACHARY THAXTON
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
"Jumpin' Jack Flash" was issued as a fan club single.
Betty + Veronica sang a sizzling duet lead.
A COMPILATION OF ARCHIES SINGLES
THAT WERE ORIGINALLY RELEASED
ON THE ARCHIES FAN CLUB
LABEL.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"LIKE A ROLLING STONE"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
MAY 2003
BABY GRAND STUDIOS,
HONOLULU, HAWAII
STATE OF SHOCK
- single, SHAD ROWE
(Hansen, Jackson)*
START ME UP! - Like A Rolling Stone LP
(Jagger, Richards)
BEAST OF BURDEN
- Like A Rolling Stone LP
(Jagger, Richards)
STREET FIGHTING MAN
- single flipside, Like A Rolling Stone LP**
(Jagger, Richards)
GIMME SHELTER - Like A Rolling Stone LP
(Jagger, Richards)
PAINT IT BLACK - Like A Rolling Stone LP***
(Jagger, Richards)
EMOTIONAL RESCUE
- single, Like A Rolling Stone LP***
(Jagger, Richards)
THE LAST TIME - Like A Rolling Stone LP**
(Jagger, Richards)
HAPPY - single, Like A Rolling Stone LP**
(Jagger, Richards)
LIKE A ROLLING STONE
- Like A Rolling Stone LP
(Bob Dylan)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arrangers:
RALFI CHINGAS, *ROD MACK,
**ARCHIE ANDREWS,
***REGGIE "GINO" MANTLE
Producer: RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineer: RHETT VALENTYNE
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Kevin Keller sang guest lead vocals on "State
Of Shock" with Veronica singing harmony.
A later recording scored a South-American hit
for The Archies in the year 2015. The original
version didn't surface until 2017, on the flipside
of a single deceptively credited to "Shad Rowe" - the
alleged younger brother of Kelly! (For details, see the entry
dated August of 2014.) Featuring Betty Jones on lead,
"Happy" was the biggest hit culled from these
album sessions.
INSIDE GATEFOLD ARTWORK FOR THE
VOX SOUND + IMAGE COMPILATION
FAN CLUB FAVORITES.
SABRINA: ON JULY 1, 2003, THE ARCHIES TAPED A LIVE TV SPECIAL FROM PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE IN FLORIDA. SHARING THE BILL WERE SPECIAL GUESTS CHUCK CLAYTON, REY COCHINO + BIG-ASS BRASS AND BIG ETHEL WITH THE VIXENS. I WAS THERE, TOO, BUT NOT AS A FEATURED PERFORMER.
THE BAND HAD APPEARED BEFORE ENLISTED PERSONNEL ONCE BEFORE BACK IN 1989, BUT @ THAT TIME THEY RECEIVED A LUKEWARM RESPONSE. THIS TIME, THEY WERE DETERMINED TO DRIVE THE GRUNTS WILD! THEY DID JUST THAT WITH A BLUESY REPERTOIRE DOMINATED BY CHUCK BERRY AND CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL SONGS. SELECTIONS FROM THEIR ROLLING STONES TRIBUTE ALBUM WERE ALSO WELL-RECEIVED.
BETTY SINGS AND DANCES FOR
US MILITARY TROOPS!
POOR TV RATINGS WERE NO REFLECTION ON THE QUALITY OF THIS CONCERT; ARCHIE WOULD REMEMBER IT AS HIS BAND’S BEST LIVE SHOW, AND VERONICA WOULD ALWAYS REGRET NOT RELEASING IT ON LP. (IT EVENTUALLY DID APPEAR IN THAT FORMAT, BUT SOLD EXCLUSIVELY TO ARCHIES FAN CLUB MEMBERS.)
GOING FORWARD, THE ARCHIES HAD A SOLID MILITARY FAN BASE! USO DATES BECAME A REGULAR PART OF THEIR TOUR ITINERARY. LATER IN THE DECADE, MILITARY PX STORES STARTED CARRYING VINYL ARCHIES SINGLES AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THEY SOLD OUT! THE ONLY OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU COULD BUY THEM IN THAT FORMAT WERE CONCERT VENUES OR THE ARCHIE RECORDS WEBSITE.
POSTER FOR A 2003
DOLLYWOOD MUSICAL
PRODUCTION STARRING
KEVIN KELLER.
DOLLYWOOD RECORDS
CAST ALBUM SESSIONS
"HOT DOG BUDDY BUDDY"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
in association with
INCA HOOTS PRODUCTIONS
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
AUGUST 30, 2003
FALCON STUDIOS,
EL PASO, TEXAS
POSSUM IN THE POT
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album*
(Randy Parton)
ROCK THE JOINT
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album**
(Bagby, Crafton, Keene)
CRAZY, MAN, CRAZY
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album***
(Bill Haley)
FANNY FIVE AND DIME
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album*
(Parton, Stallings)
DIM, DIM THE LIGHTS
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album****
(Dixon, Ross)
SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album*****
(Bob Guidry)
HOT DOG BUDDY BUDDY
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album***
(Bill Haley)
SQUEEZE ME LIKE A SQUEEZE BOX
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album**
(Gabrielle Stallings)
TWO HOUND DOGS
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album****
(Haley, Pingatore)
ROCK-A-BEATIN’ BOOGIE
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album***
(Bill Haley)
CHICKEN LEGS ‘N’ CHITLINS
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album**
(Parton, Stallings)
SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album*****
(Jesse Stone)
BURN THAT CANDLE!
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album***
(Winfield Scott)
ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK
- Hot Dog Buddy Buddy cast album******
(DeKnight, Freedman)
THE KINFOLKS
*w/BIG ETHEL + THE VIXENS,
**w/CHERYL BLOSSOM, ***w/KEVIN KELLER,
****w/CHUCK CLAYTON, *****w/GERALDINE GRUNDY,
******w/KEVIN KELLER, CHERYL BLOSSOM + CHUCK CLAYTON
Vocal Arranger: CHUCK CLAYTON
Arranger:
GERALDINE GRUNDY
Music Director:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Producer: RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineers:
RANDY KLING, PUNK E. GUTIÉRREZ
Executive Producers:
DOLLY + RANDY PARTON
Salem da Katt: In 2013, Archie Records marketed a smash hit cast album from a musical, but it wasn't the first time they tried. Every heard of a show called HOT DOG BUDDY BUDDY? This off-the-wall project came to be when Veronica approached her godmother with a business proposal. Most people don't interact with godparents that way, but most people aren't Roni Lodge-Andrews, and most godparents aren't the legendary Dolly Parton!
Word! For a minute, Dolly had a hot 'n' heavy thing going with Roni's father, Ram Lodge! After it cooled down, Dolly introduced Ram to her best friend, who later became Roni's mother, and a godparent situation resulted. It was such a close relationship, Dolly even took Roni out on tour with her once! So her god-daughter felt totally comfortable making this proposal: “What about Archie Records releasing cast albums for your musical productions?” Of course, she was talking about productions mounted @ Dollywood, the Country music theme park located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Roni wanted to create a custom label just to market music from those stage shows.
They made a handshake deal, and Dolly brought Roni a yet-to-be-produced musical written by her brother, Randy Parton. Several people affiliated with Archie Records ended up getting cast in the show: Chuck Clayton, former Folk music star Geraldine Grundy, and erstwhile Gangsta rapper Big Ethel. She brought along her friends Ember Roslindale + Annabette MacDonald, with whom she'd formed a vocal group called The Vixens. Jughead’s pal Kevin Keller was the leading man.
ARCHIE RECORDS IS THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL INDIE RECORD
LABEL OF THE EARLY 21st
CENTURY!
The marquee star was actress, model and wannabe singer Cheryl Blossom. This would be Cheryl's only work connecting her to the Archie organization; but her billionaire brother Jason loomed large in its future!
HOT DOG BUDDY BUDDY celebrated the classic Rock ‘n’ Roll catalog of Bill Haley + The Comets, and it also featured four original songs. Chuckii, Kelly, Ethel + Dilton Doiley Briseño co-wrote them with Randy using the collective pseudonym “Gabrielle Stallings”. In addition, they augmented an authentic Bluegrass band called The Kinfolks in the studio. With strong material and great musicians, the cast album was, and is, well worth hearing!
Fortunately, that cast album was tracked before the show opened. I mean to tell you: This hybrid skateboard/hot rod/Bluegrass Rock musical bombed big-time! Oh, the indignity of audience members throwing fried pork rinds @ the stage! Randy Parton was so embarrassed afterwards, he didn’t even want to discuss his failed musical, much less try to salvage it. Sadly, some exceptionally good tracks (except for a misbegotten ballad called “Chicken Legs ‘n’ Chitlins”) were all but forgotten about. Nothing else got recorded or released under the Dollywood imprint; Dolly Parton’s custom label ended up being just a footnote in the Archie Records session logs.
Fortunately, Dolly + Randy didn’t hold the show’s dismal reception against its vocal arranger. Randy raved to his sister about Chuck Clayton's work, and Dolly thought he was somebody she’d like to have on staff. She made him a job offer in 2005, but by then he’d been drawn into the administrative operations of Archie Records. Not until the label had finished its run did Chuckii hire on @ Dollywood. He was music director for the theme park from 2015 to 2027.
THE ARCHIES STAGED A LEGENDARY INDEPENDENCE
DAY CONCERT @ PATRICK AIR FORCE
BASE IN 2003.
ARCHIE RECORDS
OVERDUB SESSIONS
(VOCALS)
NOVEMBER 9 - 14, 2003
A VA-VA-VOOM PRODUCTION
in association with
ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTIONS
CRANBERRY STUDIOS,
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
*(INSTRUMENTALS)
APRIL 2003
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
ARCHIE SOUND STUDIOS (ASS)
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK
**(INSTRUMENTALS)
MARCH, MAY 2002
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
RYMAN OPRY HOUSE,
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
SUMMER IN THE CITY in Dutch (overdub) - lost*
BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN in Dutch (overdub)
- Archie Around The World**
EVERYBODY in Dutch (overdub)
- single (Netherlands)**
WHEN I STOP LEAVIN', I'LL BE GONE
in Dutch (overdub)
- single (Netherlands)**
THE ARCHIES
Producer:
NETTA VOORHIES
Sound Engineer:
JOHANN PAPAGEORGIOU
Remix Engineer: ALAN MAYBERRY
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
The Archies' second foreign-language release was
no more successful than their first one. However,
Archie remained committed to multi-lingual tracking;
he saw it as an ideal way to connect with fans around
the world. "Sooner or later, we'll score a hit that isn't
sung in English," he predicted, and he was right! A
Dutch single of "Summer In The City"/"Everybody" by
THE DONUT HOELZ was actually an Archies
bootleg taken from these sessions.
GANGSTA RAP GROUP
JUNGLE BOOK!
ARCHIE RECORDS
EP SESSIONS
"PARTRIDGE GANGSTAS"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(VOCALS)
DECEMBER 19 - 24, 2003
BABY GRAND STUDIOS,
HONOLULU, HAWAII
MEDLEY:
SINGING MY SONG (FARRELL, HILDEBRAND)/
DOESN’T SOMEBODY WANT TO BE WANTED?
(APPEL, CRETECOS, FARRELL)/
I CAN FEEL YOUR HEARTBEAT
(APPEL, CRETECOS, FARRELL)/
I’LL MEET YOU HALFWAY
(GOFFIN, FARRELL)
- incomplete
MEDLEY:
ONE NIGHT STAND (ANKA, FARRELL)/
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY
(FARRELL, JANSSEN)/
I’M ON MY WAY BACK HOME
(HART, KELLER)/
WHEN WE’RE SINGIN’
(FARRELL, HILDEBRAND)
- incomplete
JUNGLE BOOK
featuring TREASURE WOO
w/THE VIXENS
Vocal Arrangers:
TREASURE WOO, VERONICA
Producers:
RALFI CHINGAS, ALAN MAYBERRY
Sound Engineer: RHETT VALENTYNE
Executive Producer:
KEITH BENTON
Salem da Katt: Right up until the end of 2003, Archie Records was open to signing Hip-Hop artists. However, by then Archie + Veronica had started to follow Big Ethel’s example. “We won’t be marketing Gangsta Rap anymore,” Roni informed Billboard. “It’s become toxic! Too much violence and vulgarity! We only want rappers who are safe for kids to listen to.” She didn't realize it, but that one statement ended Archie's relevance to the Rap music industry!
Rhett Valentyne was the owner of Baby Grand Studios in Honolulu. Dude got to know The Archies back in 1992, when he helped them track an unreleased album in The Bahamas. In November of 2003, Rhett alerted The Andrews to a promising local Hip-Hop act. Treasure + The Bigga Niggas had an “old school” Rap vibe and an avid following in the Hawaiian Islands!
However, the three members were often @ odds with each other: Lead singer/rapper Treasure Woo had a strong Pop orientation, but MC Shere Khan was a stoned Gangsta rapper at heart. Deejay Mowgli served as the group’s peacemaker, willing to go either way. (A fourth member, Baboo, only appeared with them onstage.) Archie Records signed them on condition of a name change, after which they were known as Jungle Book.
When the trio visited Archie Sound Studios (ASS), Treasure Woo noticed the sizable collection of Partridge Family albums that Veronica kept in her office. She asked Roni if she could play one, liked what she heard and started singing along. Overhearing her, sound engineer Alan Mayberry got a sudden inspiration: An album of Partridge Family songs performed in a Hip-Hop style! Well, why the fuck not?
Shere Khan could cite any number of reasons why not! Dude was firmly opposed to the concept, but his objections only managed to get it downsized to an EP. Veronica liked Alan M's idea, and she wasn't going to be dissuaded!
Treasure set the pitch with a single piano chord and sang; the guys rhymed; Ralfi Chingas played percussion; and Ember + Annabette of The Vixens joined Roni clapping hands to the beat. Despite Khan's hostile attitude, PARTRIDGE GANGSTAS turned out to be a brilliant, cutting-edge recording; everyone who heard the raw tracks raved about how dope they sounded!
But instrumental recording had barely begun when Mowgli had to quit the group for health reasons; dude suffered from sickle cell disease. He was replaced by Hista the Snake, a Honolulu hoochie mama who shared Shere Khan’s Gangsta Rap leanings. Both of them refused to do any more work on PARTRIDGE GANGSTGAS! Treasure very much wanted to finish the project, but she was outvoted.
Hista brought in lots of new ideas, and Archie was open to them; but the music that the group started making was so violent, racist and misogynistic, he was grossed out. Dude told them bluntly: “I won’t release this shit!” A standoff resulted. Shere Khan was foolish enough to make threats, and Archie responded by cancelling Jungle Book’s recording contract. Much to Veronica + Alan M’s disappointment, the EP was shelved!
Treasure Woo quit the group to pursue a solo career but soon left the music business to marry and raise a family. As a duo composed of Shere Khan + Hista, Jungle Book went on to achieve some success recording hardcore Gangsta Rap. Terrified that Khan’s PARTRIDGE GANGSTA vocals might surface and destroy their all-important “street cred”, their manager Keith Benton acquired the raw tracks in 2006 for an undisclosed sum. They’re believed to have been destroyed, but bootlegs exist . . .
SABRINA: AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF JUNGLE BOOK FROM ARCHIE’S ROSTER, WE CLOSED THE BOOK ON HIP-HOP AND RAP! THE ARCHIES’ HITS WERE STEERING THE LABEL IN THE DIRECTION OF CLASSIC ROCK, COUNTRY AND SOUL. THAT WASN’T WHERE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY WAS GOING, BUT ARCHIE + VERONICA HAD SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH MICK JAGGER: THEY HAD NO QUALMS ABOUT CHARTING THEIR OWN MUSICAL PATH. THEY WERE LEADERS INSTEAD OF FOLLOWERS OF TRENDS, AND FRANKLY, IF THEY HADN'T BEEN I WOULDN’T HAVE WORKED FOR THEM AS LONG AS I DID!
"BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY"
WYNTON MARSALIS PROMISES TO WORK
WITH THE ARCHIES IN THE YEAR
2 0 0 4 !