POP CULTURE CANTINA
Presents
DESTINATION: SUGARTOWN!
THE ARCHIE RECORDS STORY
A Journey Through
THE GREAT AMERICAN
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SONG BOOK
SABRINA: IN FEBRUARY OF 2007, THE ARCHIES CAME TOGETHER AGAIN @ THE REQUEST OF JEFF BARRY. JEFF WROTE AND PRODUCED MOST OF THEIR HITS WHEN THEY WERE SIGNED TO KIRSHNER RECORDS IN THE 1980s. A TRIBUTE TO HIS STELLAR SONGWRITING CAREER WAS BEING STAGED IN SANTA BARBARA @ THE GRANADA THEATER.
JEFF WOULD ONLY AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IF HIS FAVORITE ARTISTS TOOK PART, TOO, AND THE ARCHIES WERE AT THE TOP OF HIS LIST! THEIR MANAGER, NICHOLAS FREUND ACTED AS GO-BETWEEN, CONVINCING THE ESTRANGED MEMBERS TO RE-UNITE FOR THIS SPECIAL OCCASION. I WAS CHOSEN AS MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR THE EVENT. NATURALLY, BIG NIPSY, JEFF + THE REST OF US WANTED THEIR REUNION TO BE PERMANENT, BUT THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE OF THAT!
THE CELEBRATION AND CONCERT WAS A BIG SUCCESS, AND THE ARCHIES HELPED MAKE IT SO; BUT THEIR BACKSTAGE RELATIONS WERE AWKWARD @ BEST. ARCHIE WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK IN JUGHEAD'S DIRECTION, MUCH LESS SPEAK TO HIM! THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BETTY + VERONICA WERE ALSO FROSTY, AND IT DIDN'T HELP MATTERS THAT RONI'S NEMESIS FROM LONDON, LAURA PINTO WAS HOST OF THE SHOW!
THE SEVENTH YEAR: 2007
"YOU CAN'T GO HALFWAY"
PROMO FOR THE ARCHIES'
2007 CONCERT TRIBUTE TO
WRITER/PRODUCER
JEFF BARRY.
SABRINA: IN ADDITION TO THE ARCHIES, THE
TRIBUTE FEATURED BIG ETHEL, RALFI CHINGAS,
POP DUO ALVASON/CHAMPLAIN + SPECIAL GUEST
STAR BRIDGET, ALONG WITH SEVERAL FAMOUS
SONGWRITER FRIENDS OF JEFF BARRY. THEY
INCLUDED THE LEGENDARY TEAM OF JERRY
LEIBER + MIKE STOLLER, PAUL WILLIAMS +
NORMAN GIMBEL. EL MARIACHI LOWRIDER,
THE INCREDIBLE DANCING MARIACHI BAND
FROM EL PASO WAS FLOWN IN TO PROVIDE
MUSICAL BACKING. THE EVENT HAD A VERY
STRONG LATIN THEME, WITH EVERYONE ON
STAGE DRESSED IN COLORFUL SPANISH,
MEXICAN AND INDIGENOUS
COSTUMES.
ARCHIE RECORDS
REMIX SESSIONS
"A TRIBUTE TO JEFF BARRY"
A TOM MOURGOS MIX
FEBRUARY 25-29, 2007
CHAPEL OF ROCK,
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
SUNSHINE
- Complete Fuentes Albums box set*
(Barry, Bloom)
BANG-SHANG-A-LANG
- Complete Fuentes Albums box set*
(Jeff Barry)
MEDLEY:
NOBODY BUT YOU
(Barry, Greenwich)/
RIVER-DEEP, MOUNTAIN-HIGH
- 50 Años de Los Archies LP*
(Barry, Greenwich, Spector)
MOVIN' ON UP - unreleased**
(Barry, DuBois)
LEADER OF THE PACK
- 50 Años de Los Archies LP**
(Barry, Greenwich, Morton)
SUGAR, SUGAR
- 50 Años de Los Archies LP*
(Barry, Kim)
MONTEGO BAY
- Complete Fuentes Albums box set*
(Barry, Bloom)
MEDLEY:
DOO WAH DIDDY DIDDY
(Barry, Greenwich)/
DA DOO RON RON*
- Compete Fuentes Albums box set
(Barry, Greenwich, Spector)
HANKY PANKY***
- unreleased
(Barry, Greenwich)
MEDLEY:
HERE IS MY LOVE/
WALKIN' IN THE SUN
- unreleased***
(Jeff Barry)
THEN I KISSED HER
- Complete Fuentes Albums box set*
(Barry, Greenwich, Spector)
WHO'S YOUR BABY?
- Complete Fuentes Albums box set*
(Barry, Kim)
MEDLEY:
BE MY BABY/BABY, I LOVE YOU
- 50 Años de Los Archies LP*
(Barry, Greenwich, Spector)
SUITE:
TELL LAURA I LOVE HER/
TELL TOMMY I MISS HIM
- unreleased*****
(Barry, Raleigh)
I HONESTLY LOVE YOU
- unreleased******
(Allen, Barry)
HEAVY MAKES YOU HAPPY
- 50 Años de Los Archies*
(Barry, Bloom)
WE GOT A THING GOIN', BABY
- 50 Años de Los Archies LP*
(Jeff Barry)
BOBBY, DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE TONIGHT!
- 50 Años de Los Archies LP*
(Jeff Barry)
CHAPEL OF LOVE
- unreleased**
(Barry, Greenwich, Spector)
GET ON THE LINE
- Complete Fuentes Albums box set*
(Jeff Barry)
I JUST WANT TO SING WITH MY FRIENDS
(JEFF BARRY + ENSEMBLE)
- 50 Años de Los Archies LP****
(Jeff Barry)
MARIACHI LOWRIDER
*w/THE ARCHIES, **w/BIG ETHEL,
***w/GIL ALVASON + KRIS CHAMPLAIN
****w/JEFF BARRY + FRIENDS
*****w/RALFI CHINGAS + LAURA PINTO
******w/BRIDGET
Music Director:
BREE SPELLMAN
Remix Engineer:
TOM MOURGOS
These are live recordings taken from a 19 February
2007 tribute concert to songwriter Jeff Barry. The
concert was filmed and a DVD and soundtrack release
was planned. However, when ballad queen Bridget
refused to allow her performance of "I Honestly
Love You" to be used, the project was derailed; Jeff
loved her rendition and refused to proceed without
it! Bootlegs will proliferate but only fifteen songs
from this excellent show will ever get a legitimate
release, and not for many years hence.
THE DUO ALVASON/CHAMPLAIN
WITH MEMBERS OF EL MARIACHI
LOWRIDER, PERFORMING AT THE
ARCHIES' 2007 CONCERT TRIBUTE
TO JEFF BARRY.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"DESTINATION LOVE"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
MARCH 15 - 16, 2007
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
DESTINATION LOVE - unreleased
I'M A WOMAN - unreleased
MY BOY JOHN - unreleased
KANSAS CITY - unreleased
(Leiber-Stoller)
VERONICA
w/THE BINGOS
w/BIG ETHEL + THE VIXENS
Arranger/Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
Music Director:
MIKE STOLLER
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Salem da Katt: Archie did many things to re-affirm his love for Veronica after their marital crisis. One of them was to work with her on a new solo album. In March of 2007, dude instructed session contractor Rey Cochino to book The Bingos and Rey’s own brass section for a date @ Roni’s favorite studio: Spanish Eddie’s in New Orleans. Ralfi Chingas’s production services were engaged.
Archie’s intention was to record his wife singing an album tribute to pioneering Rock 'n' Roll songwriters Jerry Leiber + Mike Stoller. He convinced Stoller himself to take part in the tracking sessions; but, still grieving her miscarriage, Roni's enthusiasm for the project could best be described as “lukewarm.” Even so, the playbacks promised an altogether solid album.
SABRINA: YOU MAY KNOW ABOUT DON'T TOUCH MY GUITAR, A MUSICAL TRAGEDY LOOSELY BASED ON THE STORY OF THE ARCHIES. BETTY JONES WILL WRITE THIS BROADWAY-BOUND SHOW! HOWEVER, THAT WON'T BE THE FIRST ARCHIES-INSPIRED PROJECT TO REACH THE STAGE.
THE FIRST ONE WAS A COMEDY CALLED IDOL-NESS IN RIVERDALE, AND IT DÉBUTED @ RIVERDALE'S AWESOME VENUE IN MARCH OF 2007. THE STARS WERE HONOR STUDENTS FROM GERALDINE GRUNDY'S MUSIC SCHOOL. DEANIE CO-WROTE THE SHOW WITH CHUCK CLAYTON, HER MUSICAL AND LIFE PARTNER; SHE WAS A PROLIFIC ARRANGER, BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE THIS WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME SHE COMPOSED MUSIC.
UNFORTUNATELY, IDOL-NESS WAS A TERRIBLE SHOW THAT CAME AND WENT VERY QUICKLY; BUT RIGHT AFTER IT CLOSED, VERONICA OFFERED DEANIE AN ARTIST'S CONTRACT. SHE WAS RELUCTANT, BUT CHUCK CONVINCED HER TO SIGN; SHE'D BEEN A FOLK MUSIC STAR IN THE SIXTIES AND HE FELT SHE WAS RIPE FOR A COMEBACK! HOWEVER, DEANIE'S TIME @ ARCHIE RECORDS PRODUCED NOTHING BUT DEMOS, SOME OF WHICH I SUPERVISED MYSELF.
A DEMO SESSION FOR DEANIE GRUNDY
SUPERVISED BY CHUCK CLAYTON +
ALAN MAYBERRY.
AS BOTH A SINGER AND A PIANO PLAYER, THE WOMAN WAS IMMENSELY TALENTED, BUT WE GOT OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT WITH HER. SHE WAS VERY UNHAPPY WITH OUR PLANS TO REINVENT HER AS A DANCE POP DIVA! IN RETROSPECT, NOT STAYING TRUE TO HER FOLK BALLAD ROOTS WAS A MISTAKE. AFTER TWO FRUSTRATING YEARS, DEANIE OPTED TO RESUME HER PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH ARCHIE: AS A SOMETIME-SESSION MUSICIAN AND BACKING VOCALIST. EVEN SO, HER EXCELLENT DEMOS WOULD PROVE TO BE MORE VALUABLE THAN EVEN I COULD PREDICT!
ARCHIE RECORDS
SINGLES SESSIONS
A JEFF BARRY INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION
in association with
LEIBER-STOLLER
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
MARCH 21, 22, 2007
CHAPEL OF ROCK
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
YOU'RE THE BOSS - Destination Love LP
KANSAS CITY - Destination Love LP
(Leiber, Stoller)
ARCHIE + VERONICA
w/KATZ + THE FIDDLES
Producer: JEFF BARRY
Sound Engineer: TOM MOURGOS
Executive Producer:
MIKE STOLLER
Salem da Katt: This pair of selections was intended for Veronica’s new solo LP. However, she would only agree to record them if Archie sang with her! Roni still wasn’t sold on his Leiber-Stoller concept, and by the time these tracks were finished, she was ready to abandon it. Bidding Archie "goodbye and good luck!" Mike Stoller bailed out of the project after this difficult two-day session was over.
The finished masters were reclassified as single tracks. An April promo announced “You’re The Boss/”Kansas City” as a teaser for Veronica’s forthcoming album, but she refused to commit to further recordings! She didn't want to promote a single, either, so the release never got scheduled.
SABRINA: IN APRIL OF 2007, ALL FIVE MEMBERS OF THE ARCHIES DECIDED TO TRY RECORDING TOGETHER AGAIN. CONVENING IN THE STUDIO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A YEAR, AND WITH KEVIN KELLER BACK AS THEIR MAIN SIDEMAN, THEY CUT SIX NEW TRACKS. MOST OF THEM WOULD APPEAR ON GREATEST HITS OF ALL-TIME, THEIR FIRST SINGLES COMPILATION RELEASED ON THE ARCHIE LABEL.
THE RESPONSE TO THEIR NEW MATERIAL CERTAINLY GAVE THEM STRONG INCENTIVE TO REUNITE: EVERY ONE OF THOSE SONGS BECAME HITS IN SOME PART OF THE WORLD! "SOUL DEEP SKA" WENT TOP TEN IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE. "HILL UNDERGROUND" SCORED A MAJOR HIT IN ASIA. REGGIE'S GREAT LEAD VOCALS ON A MEDLEY OF NEIL DIAMOND SONGS NEARLY TOPPED THE CHARTS IN AUSTRALIA; AND "REACH OUT IN THE DARKNESS" BROKE BIG IN SOUTH AMERICA, ESPECIALLY IN GAY DANCE CLUBS.
THE ROCK BALLAD "LADY JANE" IS THE SONG THAT FANS LOVED ACROSS NATIONAL BOUNDARIES. THIS WAS THE BLOCKBUSTER THAT ARCHIE + VERONICA HAD BEEN WAITING FOR; WITH JUGHEAD ON LEAD VOCALS, IT BECAME THE ARCHIES' BIGGEST HIT SINGLE SINCE "SUGAR, SUGAR." THIRTY YEARS LATER, IT WOULD CLIMB THE CHARTS ALL OVER AGAIN IN A COVER VERSION BY THE NEW ARCHIES!
BETTY, VERONICA + BIG ETHEL,
PERFORMING AT THE ARCHIES'
2007 CONCERT TRIBUTE TO
JEFF BARRY.
ARCHIE RECORDS
SINGLES SESSIONS
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
APRIL 27 - 30, 2007
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
SOUL DEEP SKA -
single, Greatest Hits Of All-Time LP
(Wayne Carson Thompson)
NEIL DIAMOND MEDLEY:
TWO-BIT MANCHILD/PRACTICALLY NEWBORN -
single, Greatest Hits Of All-Time LP
(Neil Diamond)
HILL UNDERGROUND - single flipside
(Lewis-Warwick, Smith)
LADY JANE - Greatest Hits Of All-Time LP*
(James, King)
LADY JANE (OVERDUB) - single*
REACH OUT IN THE DARKNESS
- single flipside (India)
(Jim Post)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
w/DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
w/TREVOR SANTIAGO
Arrangers:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO, *ARCHIE ANDREWS
Music Director:
ARCHIE ANDREWS
Producers:
RALFI CHINGAS, THE ARCHIES
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
"Reach Out In The Darkness" was issued as
a fan club single flipside; Roni Lodge-Andrews sang
lead and Kevin Keller was prominent on backing vocals.
These were The Archies' most successful recording sessions
for singles, and "Lady Jane" was the biggest smash of their
adult career! Trevor Santiago made his début as a session
bass player at these dates, two years before he became an
official member of the group.
BIG ETHEL, CHUCK CLAYTON +
ALAN MAYBERRY: THE PRESIDENT +
A & R STAFF OF ARCHIES FAN CLUB
RECORDS!
SABRINA: BY 2007, THE ARCHIES FAN CLUB HAD BECOME A PROFITABLE ENTERPRISE. LET ME BACKTRACK HERE AND TALK ABOUT ITS EVOLUTION: DURING THE KIRSHNER YEARS, THERE HAD NEVER BEEN AN OFFICIAL ARCHIES FAN CLUB, EVEN THOUGH THE DEMAND WAS THERE. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS VERONICA DID AFTER THE GROUP REUNITED IN 2001 WAS LAUNCH ONE.
THE AFC WAS ALREADY UP AND RUNNING WHEN THE ARCHIES' COMEBACK ALBUM ARCHIE COUNTRY CATAPULTED THEM BACK INTO THE MEDIA SPOTLIGHT. MEMBERSHIP GREW STEADILY: @ ONE POINT THERE WERE OVER 10,000 MEMBERS WORLDWIDE, NOT TO MENTION THOUSANDS MORE SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS!
BIG ETHEL CAME ON BOARD AS ARCHIE'S PRIVATE SECRETARY IN 2005. PART OF HER DUTIES WAS TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE ARCHIES FAN CLUB. IT WAS ETHEL'S IDEA TO PRESS A LIMITED-EDITION VINYL SINGLE EVERY YEAR AS A MEMBERSHIP PREMIUM; SHE CHOSE THE TITLES, AND THE SINGLE USUALLY WENT ON SALE IN THE FALL.
HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE EXTENDED-
PLAY DISCS PRESSED ON THE
ARCHIES FAN CLUB LABEL.
THESE PLATTERS WERE SHOWCASES FOR CURRENT ARCHIES ALBUM TRACKS, AND THERE WERE OCCASIONAL RARITIES, TOO; BUT IN 2007, THE BAND DECIDED TO CUT A CHRISTMAS SINGLE JUST FOR CLUB MEMBERS. "ARCHIE" (BABY, PLEASE COME HOME)" SOLD EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE FIRST FAN CLUB ALBUM WAS ISSUED. FIVE MORE WOULD FOLLOW, AND EP PACKAGES, INCLUDING THE ARCHIES RARE MASTERS SERIES ALSO BECAME AVAILABLE.
PRESSED ON MULTI-COLORED VINYL, THESE RECORDS WEREN'T CHEAP TO BUY INDIVIDUALLY. FAN CLUB SUBSCRIPTIONS WERE EXPENSIVE, TOO! THERE WAS MUCH GRUMBLING ABOUT THE HIGH PRICES, BUT VERONICA WASN'T HAVING IT. "THESE VINYL PRESSINGS ARE INSTANT COLLECTOR'S ITEMS," SHE DECLARED, "AND THEY'LL BE WORTH EVEN MORE AS TIME PASSES."
IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE MARKET TO CONFIRM HER ASSESSMENT: JUST TWO YEARS AFTER THE FINAL AFC RELEASE, THE VALUE OF THOSE PRESSINGS MORE THAN DOUBLED! AND IN LATER YEARS, VINTAGE MUSIC DEALERS DEMANDED ASTRONOMICAL SUMS FOR ORIGINAL COPIES.
ARCHIE + VERONICA WITH MEMBERS OF
EL MARIACHI LOWRIDER, PERFORMING
@ THE ARCHIES' 2007 CONCERT TRIBUTE
TO JEFF BARRY.
ARCHIE FAN CLUB RECORDS
REMIX SESSIONS
"RARE MASTERS, VOLUME TWO"
A BIG ETHEL MIX
JUNE 4 - 7, 2007
ARCHIE SOUND STUDIOS,
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK
YELLOW SUNGLASSES (Barry, Bloom)
- Rare Masters II EP
YOU CAN BET THEY DO! (Barry, Kim)
- Rare Masters II EP
THREE TO GET READY (Barry, Bloom)
- Rare Masters II EP
I BEEN MOVED (Barry, Kim)
- Rare Masters II EP
THE ARCHIES
Remix Producer:
FAWN ETHEL MASON
Remix Engineer: TAYE FAXTOTUM
Salem da Katt: The first volume of ARCHIES RARE MASTERS was very popular, so a second volume for Christmas 2007 was a forgone conclusion. These four selections were tracked during The Archies' initial heyday of 1989-90; all of them are fucking awesome! Big Ethel couldn’t fathom how or why Don Kirshner passed them over for single release.
My explanation: "Mr. K" suffered from tunnel vision when it came to repertoire for Archie + Veronica (and he didn't factor the rest of the band into his decisions at all). If the material deviated too much from the New Wave Rock 'n' Roll sound he favored, dude would always reject it! Even so, a number as full of Pop hooks as "Three To Get Ready" is sounds like it should've been right down his alley.
SABRINA: THEIR OFFICIAL REUNION IN NEW ORLEANS HAD GONE WELL, SO IN JUNE OF 2007, THE ARCHIES RECONVENED IN HOLLYWOOD TO RECORD THEIR FIRST OF TWO HOLIDAY ALBUMS. RALFI CHINGAS WASN'T AVAILABLE, SO RON DANTE PRODUCED THE DATES.
AFTER THE DEBACLE OF THE GET IT ON TODAY! ALBUM, RON CERTAINLY HAD REASON TO FEEL APPREHENSIVE! HOWEVER, HE WAS RELIEVED TO FIND THE GROUP MEMBERS NOT ONLY BACK IN PROFESSIONAL MODE BUT @ EASE WITH ONE ANOTHER. HE'D RANK THE CHRISTMAS SESSIONS AS THE BEST HE EVER WORKED ON WITH THEM!
I ATTENDED A SPECIAL HOLIDAY CONCERT THAT THE ARCHIES GAVE @ RIVERDALE'S AWESOME VENUE; IT'S THE ONLY TIME I KNOW OF WHEN THEY PERFORMED ANY OF THE SONGS FROM THEIR CHRISTMAS ALBUM. NEITHER THAT RECORD NOR THEIR GREATEST HITS OF ALL-TIME LP SOLD AS WELL AS ARCHIE + VERONICA HOPED THEY WOULD, BUT . . . THE ARCHIES WERE BACK IN BUSINESS! THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING; AND NONE OF US @ THE LABEL DOUBTED THAT THEY’D SOON BE BACK ON TOP AGAIN.
ARCHIE'S CHRISTMAS ALBUM
THE ARCHIES
featuring BETTY + VERONICA
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE'S CHRISTMAS ALBUM"
A RON DANTE PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
JUNE 2007
THE CAPITOL TOWER,
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA
*A CHAPEL OF ROCK PRODUCTION
in association with
ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTIONS
(INSTRUMENTAL)
NOVEMBER 2004
CHAPEL OF ROCK,
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
ARCHIE (BABY, PLEASE COME HOME)
- fan club single*
(Barry, Greenwich, Spector)
HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS
- Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Autry, Haldeman)
UP ON THE HOUSETOP
- Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Benjamin Hanby)
ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE -
Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Johnny Marks)
A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS
- Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Johnny Marks)
JINGLE BELL ROCK
- Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Beal, Boothe)
THAT'S HOW IT GOES - Archiemania LP
(Tony Hatch)
I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS -
Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Tommie Connor)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Vocal Arrangers:
VERONICA, BETTY JONES,
REGGIE "GINO" MANTLE
Arranger:
LEE HOLDRIDGE
Music Director:
ARCHIE ANDREWS
Producers:
RON DANTE, *TOM MOURGOS
Sound Engineers:
TED PERLMAN, SCOTT ERIKSON
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
These were initial sessions for The Archies' Christmas album.
"Archie (Baby, Please Come Home)" was the first single
specially recorded for the Archies Fan Club; Betty Jones
sang lead to a backing track that was produced in 2004
(see the log entry for November of that year). "That's How
It Goes" was briefly considered for release as a
Betty + Veronica duet single.
REGGIE SINGS A MEDLEY OF "BE MY
BABY" + "BABY, I LOVE YOU" @ THE
ARCHIES' 2007 CONCERT TRIBUTE TO
JEFF BARRY. HE'S ACCOMPANIED BY
LAURA PINTO + RALFI CHINGAS.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE'S CHRISTMAS ALBUM"
A RON DANTE PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
JULY 2007
THE CAPITOL TOWER,
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA
RUN, RUN, RUDOLPH
- Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Brodie, Marks)
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN -
Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Coots, Gillespie)
HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS
- Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Blane, Martin)
SLEIGH RIDE - Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Anderson, Parish)
ARCHIE'S CHRISTMAS PARTY
- Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Ron Dante)
CHRISTMAS IN RIVERDALE
- Archie's Christmas Album LP
(Ron Dante)
COUNTRY 2 THE CITY in Arabic
- single (Saudi Arabia)
(Ansari, Harper, Poindexter)
THE COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR
- fan club single flipside
(Mann, Weil)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Vocal Arrangers:
VERONICA, BETTY JONES,
REGGIE "GINO" MANTLE
Arranger:
LEE HOLDRIDGE
Music Director:
ARCHIE ANDREWS
Producer: RON DANTE
Sound Engineers:
TED PERLMAN, SCOTT ERIKSON
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Released in 2008, "Country 2 The City" became a
hit in underground Gay dance clubs throughout
the Muslim world. A 2009 live version sung in English
went Top Ten in the United Kingdom; both feature
Juggy Jones on lead.
SABRINA: JUST BEFORE THE ARCHIES GOT BACK TOGETHER, THEY TOOK STOCK OF THEIR MUSICAL ASSETS. THEY COULDN'T FAIL TO SEE A WEALTH OF SKILL AND TALENT! ALREADY, THEY WERE A GROUP OF FIVE LEAD SINGERS, WITH ARCHIE, BETTY + JUGHEAD AS THE STANDOUTS. BY 2007, ALL OF THE MEMBERS PLAYED MORE THAN ONE INSTRUMENT AND COULD WRITE ARRANGEMENTS FOR SONGS.
ARCHIE ENCOURAGED CROSS-TRAINING; HIS BAD EXPERIENCE WITH DON KIRSHNER MADE HIM WANT A BAND THAT WAS SELF-CONTAINED. AS A RESULT, BOTH VERONICA + BETTY BECAME COMPETENT VOCAL ARRANGERS, ALTHOUGH RONI'S INTEREST WAS GREATER. REGGIE WASN'T AS COMPETENT, BUT HE COULD ARRANGE MUSIC AS WELL AS VOICES. JUGGY DIDN'T LIKE TO ARRANGE, PREFERRING TO IMPROVISE WHAT HE PLAYED; STILL, IN COLLABORATION WITH KEVIN KELLER HE WROTE SOME SUPERB RHYTHM CHARTS.
SO COMMERCIALLY, THE ARCHIES WERE A QUADRUPLE THREAT: A SINGING, SONGWRITING AND ARRANGING INSTRUMENTAL UNIT! THEY COULD DO IT ALL THEMSELVES. YET WHEN THEY HAD SOMETHING AMBITIOUS IN MIND, THEY TENDED TO CALL ON OUTSIDE ARRANGERS: ROD MACK, DEANIE GRUNDY, TONY BRISEÑO, JUSTIN STRICKLAND (WHO THEY WORKED WITH IN LATER YEARS) OR ME.
THE ARCHIES USED ARRANGERS FOR LIVE PERFORMANCES, TOO. THAT WAS A HOLDOVER FROM THE KIRSHNER YEARS; ARCHIE WANTED THE SHOWS TO LOOK LOOSE AND SPONTANEOUS BUT BELIEVE ME, THEY NEVER WERE! WHAT THE BAND PLAYED IN PUBLIC WAS ALWAYS LAID OUT BEFOREHAND AND THOROUGHLY REHEARSED. I BEGAN WRITING ARRANGEMENTS FOR ARCHIES CONCERTS IN 2007; VERONICA LIKED MY WORK ON THE JEFF BARRY TRIBUTE AND GAVE ME A CHANCE. THE FIRST TIME THEY USED MY CHARTS WAS @ THE NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL THAT JULY. THEY GOT A TREMENDOUS RESPONSE!
THEN IN SEPTEMBER, I TRAVELED TO HAWAII WITH THEM FOR A WORKING VACATION. WE WERE ONLY GOING TO CUT SOME DEMOS, BUT WE ENDED UP LOGGING THE FIRST SESSION FOR AN ALBUM OF MEDLEYS. ON FOUR SIDES OF A TWO-RECORD SET, THE GROUP PLANNED TO SAMPLE THE SONG CATALOGS OF EIGHT ICONIC POP/SOUL SONGWRITERS: BARRY GIBB, JACKIE DeSHANNON, JOHNNY NASH, LAURA NYRO, VAN McCOY, VALERIE SIMPSON, JIM DORIS + VERONICA’S HANDS-DOWN FAVORITE COMPOSER, BURT BACHARACH!
JUGHEAD + BETTY PERFORM WITH
MEMBERS OF EL MARIACHI LOWRIDER
@ THE ARCHIES' 2007 CONCERT
TRIBUTE TO JEFF BARRY.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"FIFTY SHADES OF SOUL"
AN ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2007
BABY GRAND STUDIOS,
HONOLULU, HAWAII
JIM DORIS MEDLEY:
OH, ME, OH, MY/AFTER ALL
- Retro box set
(Jim Doris)
incomplete
incomplete
BARRY GIBB MEDLEY:
FANNY BE TENDER/GREASE/
GIVE AND TAKE A HAND/
IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU/LONELY DAYS/
TO LOVE SOMEBODY
- Retro box set
(The Bee Gees)
incomplete
incomplete
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Vocal Arrangers:
VERONICA, BETTY JONES,
REGGIE MANTLE, KEVIN KELLER
Arranger: BREE SPELLMAN
Music Director:
ARCHIE ANDREWS
Producers:
THE ARCHIES w/ALAN MAYBERRY
Sound Engineers:
ALAN MAYBERRY, RHETT VALENTYNE
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Roni Lodge-Andrews sings lead on the Jim Doris Medley,
and Betty Jones duets with Reggie Mantle on the Barry Gibb
Medley. The four incomplete tracks from these sessions were
potential singles, not intended for the FIFTY SHADES album;
they will be finished in May of 2033.
SABRINA: I REMEMBER HOW FABULOUS BETTY + REGGIE SOUNDED, SINGING TOGETHER ON A BARRY GIBB TRIBUTE! THAT WAS ONE OF JUST TWO MEDLEYS THAT WE FINISHED TRACKING @ BABY GRAND STUDIOS; BUT DESPITE HIS EXCELLENT VOCALS, REGGIE STRONGLY DISAPPROVED OF THE CONCEPT! HE SAID WE WERE SHORTCHANGING THE WRITERS BY PRESENTING THEIR MATERIAL IN SNIPPETS.
JUGHEAD AGREED WITH HIM, BETTY DIDN’T AND EVERYBODY STARTED ARGUING! BEFORE I KNEW IT, THE PROJECT HAD CRASHED AND BURNED. I WAS DISAPPOINTED AND MORE THAN A LITTLE IRRITATED @ REGGIE - THOUGH NOWHERE NEAR AS UPSET AS ARCHIE WAS!
HOWEVER, I WAS DETERMINED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF AN ARCHIES ALBUM, AND I KNEW THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN EVENTUALLY. LATER ON, AS SOLO PERFORMERS, ARCHIE DID JUSTICE TO BURT BACHARACH'S CATALOG, AND BETTY HAD HER SOULFUL WAY WITH JACKIE DeSHANNON'S HITS. A DEFINITIVE ARCHIES INTERPRETATION OF LAURA NYRO'S WORK LAY 25 YEARS IN THE FUTURE!
PROMO FOR REGGIE MANTLE'S CONTROVERSIAL
2007 COUNTRY SINGLE "EUNICE DANVERS".
CHERRY VAGINA RECORDS
SINGLES SESSIONS
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
DECEMBER 8 - 11, 2007
SUN STUDIOS,
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
AIN'T NOTHIN' LIKE A HEARTBREAKER
- single
(Jones, Lodge-Andrews)
TRUCK BED LOLITA - single flipside
(Betty + Juggy Jones)
BULLETS FOR BREAKFAST
- single flipside
(Andrews, Briseño, Mason)
EUNICE DANVERS - single*
(Keller, Lodge-Andrews)
REGINALD
w/KEVIN KELLER
w/LONG TALL WISDOM
w/PENCIL PETE DRYSDALE
Vocal Arranger: REGGIE "GINO" MANTLE
Arrangers/Producers:
RALFI CHINGAS, *VERONICA
Music Director:
REGGIE "GINO" MANTLE
Sound Engineers:
ALAN MAYBERRY, VIRGIL BRADLEY
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Salem da Katt: When he heard Roni + Kelly's original song "Eunice Danvers", a Country murder ballad with a bisexual twist, Gino suspected it might be the hit solo single he'd been waiting for. After singing the demo, dude was absolutely convinced and he insisted that it be released under his name! Subsequently, "Reginald" became the début artist for a short-lived Archie Records subsidiary label.
The Memphis tracking sessions included Kevin Keller on keyboards + Long Tall Wisdom + Pencil Pete from Katz + The Fiddles. However, Gino the Perfectionist played most of the instruments himself in order to get exactly the sound he wanted! Veronica was also very particular about the arrangement for “Eunice Danvers,” so that one song took a long time to capture; but the end result was worth it! Country music is not to my taste, but this was one dope-ass record!
Unfortunately, its subject matter proved too hot for Country radio, and after a nasty fight with Archie over its failure to chart, Gino refused to promote his follow-up single. The entire released catalog of Cherry Vagina Records consists of these four titles, but the music world was destined to hear more from "Reginald" . . . Roni's preferred name for her bandmate will survive into the early years of his solo career.
SABRINA: AROUND THIS TIME, ARCHIE APPROACHED ME ABOUT BECOMING A SOLO ARTIST FOR THE LABEL. HE EVEN OFFERED TO HAVE THE ARCHIES BACK ME UP ON MY FIRST RECORD, AND THAT KIND OF THING ALMOST NEVER HAPPENED! SALEM URGED ME TO GO FOR IT, BUT I DECLINED.
I HAVE JUST NEVER CONSIDERED MYSELF A SINGER! NOT THAT I CAN’T SING. I’M A DECENT VOCALIST WHEN IT COMES TO CUTTING AN AD JINGLE, A DEMO DISC OR A BACKGROUND PART; BUT ALL I EVER REALLY WANTED TO DO WAS ARRANGE AND PRODUCE MUSIC FOR MOTION PICTURES! I REALIZED THAT GOAL LATER ON, AND NEVER HAD ANY REGRETS ABOUT HOW I DID IT; BUT I GUESS I’LL AWAYS WONDER WHAT MIGHT'VE BEEN HAD I TAKEN UP ARCHIE’S OFFER!
"CAT TALK"
JOSIE + THE PUSSY CATS' NEW RECORDING
DEAL IS THE TALK OF THE MUSIC
INDUSTRY IN THE YEAR
2 0 0 8 !