ARCHIE IN THE STUDIO: THE YEAR 2009
Presents
DESTINATION: SUGARTOWN!
THE ARCHIE RECORDS STORY
A Journey Through
THE GREAT AMERICAN
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SONG BOOK
Salem da Katt: So . . . is it true that The Archies were @ one time signed to play The Partridge Family in a reboot of the classic TV series? The answer is: Yes and no!
In late 2008, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) greenlit a new version of "The Partridge Family." Would you believe it was set in Liverpool during the late 1950s? Word! And, unlike on the original series, none of the actors they cast could sing or play instruments. Hired as music director for the series, my man Rod Mack was tasked with finding studio substitutes. Naturally, he thought of his friends The Archies!
Veronica Lodge-Andrews was a fucking huge Partridge Family fan - remember her aborted PARTRIDGE GANGSTAS project? So there was no way that she was going to refuse this gig. With Chuck Clayton subbing for Reggie, who was still suspended, The Archies flew over to London. In January of 2009, they spent two weeks @ Abbey Road Studios, tracking music for the new series. Also during that time, Archie + Veronica finalized a deal for their label to release @ least one soundtrack album from the series.
WHERE THEY DUBBED SINGING
VOICES FOR THE PARTRIDGE
FAMILY!
Then, a week into the sessions, they got word that production problems had shelved the show indefinitely. Roni was crushed! Then portions of the script were leaked to the press, and fans of the original series balked @ content that included devil worship, prostitution, interracial rape fantasies, drug-dealing and pedophilia! The project was ultimately abandoned, but not before the group had posed for publicity shots in late-50's period costumes. Those pictures are what fueled the rumors!
The Archies cut eight complete songs: selections from the Partridge Family catalog, re-imagined as what the British call "Trad Jazz" - Dixieland to you + me! Strange but true, and not half-bad. These unusual recordings have circulated for years as bootlegs, and if you’ve ever heard them, it’s obvious where inspiration for The Archies’ infamous 2013 Jazz album came from.
So, that's the real story behind the "Parchies!" And I should know because I was there, in my gorgeous feline form! Sabrina took me with her when she flew over to help Rod Mack + Roscoe Shirley with the song arrangements.
"KING CREOLE"
SABRINA: ROD MACK + I CONSIDER OURSELVES "HONORARY" MEMBERS OF THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY, BECAUSE WE SANG AND PRODUCED SONG DEMOS FOR THE TV SERIES TOGETHER! I KEPT COPIES OF THE ARRANGEMENTS I WROTE, AND A PARTRIDGE TRIBUTE IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS I'LL HAVE ON THE DRAWING BOARD FOR THE NEW ARCHIES. UNFORTUNATELY, WE'LL NEVER GET AROUND TO DOING IT!
ARCHIE RECORDS
SOUNDTRACK SESSIONS
"PARTRIDGE FAMILY '59"
A SCREEN GEMS PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
JANUARY 5, 7 -9, 12 - 16
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS
LONDON, UK
SINGIN' MY SONG - unreleased*
(Farrell, Hilderbrand)
I WOKE UP IN LOVE THIS MORNING*
- unreleased
(Brown, Levine)
LET THE GOOD TIMES IN - unreleased**
(Bayer-Sager, Sedaka)
BROWN EYES - unreleased**
(Farrell, Janssen)
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY - unreleased**
(Farrell, Janssen)
ON THE ROAD - unreleased***
(Mann, Weil)
SUMMER DAYS - unreleased***
(Tony Romeo)
I'M ON MY WAY BACK HOME
- unreleased***
(Hart, Keller)
THE ARCHIES
w/GRAND AVENUE JAZZ
Vocal Arranger:
CHUCK CLAYTON
Arrangers:
*ROD MACK, **ROSCOE SHIRLEY,
***BREE SPELLMAN
Music Director: ROD MACK
Producer: KEVIN BOYLE
Sound Engineers:
BUDDY + RONNIE SHELBY,
ESMAEL ABDULKERIM
Executive Producer:
ALBERT FOX
Although the recording sessions are logged here,
these unreleased masters are housed in the
archives of Screen Gems-EMI Music.
SABRINA: IN LATE JANUARY, FANTASY RECORDS RELEASED LOVE TO LOVE, REGGIE MANTLE'S FINEST SOLO ALBUM. SUBTITLED REGGIE DOES NEIL DIAMOND, IT WAS A CELEBRATION OF SOME OF THE THEATRICAL ROCKER'S MORE OBSCURE COMPOSITIONS. I THOUGHT IT WAS BRILLIANT, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE I WROTE SOME OF THE ARRANGEMENTS! THE SONGS HAD AN EDGY QUALITY AND THEY SEGUED ONE INTO THE OTHER LIKE CLASSIC DISCO ALBUMS FROM THE 1970s. FANTASY WOULD'VE BEEN WISE TO TARGET DANCE CLUBS; INSTEAD, THEY FUNNELED NEARLY ALL OF THEIR PROMOTION MONEY INTO A TRIO OF PROVOCATE MUSIC VIDEOS.
THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO SAY THIS: REGGIE'S VIDEOS WERE X-RATED! AS AN ARTIST, HE ALWAYS LIKED TO BE ON THE CUTTING-EDGE; BUT WHEN HE DECIDED TO FILM REAL SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS AS BACKDROPS FOR HIS RECORDINGS OF "LORDY", "LOVE TO LOVE" AND "IT COMES AND GOES", HE PUSHED THE ENVELOPE TOO FAR - ESPECIALLY FOR NEIL DIAMOND!
NEIL SUED BOTH REGGIE AND FANTASY RECORDS, CHARGING THAT THEY'D "DEFAMED" HIS SONGS AND THREATENED HIS REPUTATION AS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ARTIST. MEDIA CRITICS SMELLED BLOOD, AND THEY POUNCED ON REGGIE'S "SLEAZY SENSATIONALISM" AS WELL AS HIS VOCAL DEFICIENCIES - ALTHOUGH BY THEN HE WAS A MUCH BETTER SINGER THAN HE USED TO BE.
AFTER JUST THREE WEEKS ON THE MARKET, FANTASY RECORDS WITHDREW LOVE TO LOVE FROM SALE AND PULLED THE MUSIC VIDEOS FROM CIRCULATION. I WAS SAD FOR MY FRIEND, BUT NOT WORRIED: ONCE THE CONTROVERSY DIED DOWN, IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HIS EXCELLENT ALBUM WOULD BE REDISCOVERED. IN FACT, IT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY DREW A CULT FOLLOWING; THE SELECTIONS WERE COVERED BY RICKY MARTIN, SANTANA, TONI TOPAZ AND (YEARS LATER) THE NEW ARCHIES! BUT THE ONSLAUGHT OF NEGATIVE PUBLICITY IN 2009 GREW SO INTENSE, REGGIE WENT INTO SECLUSION @ HIS FLORIDA RANCH.
FORTUNATELY, HE GOT STRONG MORAL SUPPORT FROM HIS BANDMATES - INCLUDING ARCHIE, MUCH TO HIS SURPRISE! REGGIE ALSO HAD OLGA SAN QUENTÍN BY HIS SIDE; AND IN THE SPRING OF 2009 THEY WELCOMED DANTE CARMINE MANTLE, THEIR FIRST CHILD TOGETHER. RON DANTE IS HIS GODFATHER, AND I WAS THRILLED TO BE NAMED HIS GODMOTHER! DANTE WILL GROW UP TO BE A TOP CHOREOGRAPHER, AND IN THE YEAR 2039, I'LL HIRE MY GODSON TO STAGE SHOWS FOR THE NEW ARCHIES.
SONGS PERFORMED BY THE ARCHIES
IN EARLY 2009 WILL SURFACE
ON A 2118 BOX SET.
ESSEX RECORDS
SINGLES SESSIONS
AN ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
FEBRUARY 25 - 28, MARCH 2 - 6, 2009
ESSEX STUDIOS,
LONDON, UK
FORTY DAYS, FORTY NIGHTS (James, King)
- single B-side
SAYIN' SOMETHING (Crewe, Knight)
- duet, unreleased*
JUST BECAUSE (Clayton, Mack)
- single B-side
GINGERBREAD MAN (James, Vale)
- single A-side
TIGHTER (James, King)
- solo version, single A-side
TIGHTER (James, King)
- duet version, unreleased*
THROUGH THE FIRE (Clayton, Mack, Tate)
- single B-side
LOVED ONE (James, Vale)
- single A-side*
ROD MACK
w/LES GIGOLETTES
w/THE NASTY BOYS
*w/BREE SPELLMAN
Arrangers:
BREE SPELLMAN, *ROD MACK
Music Director: ROD MACK
Producer: CHUCK CLAYTON
Sound Engineer: XENA FREES
Executive Producer:
TOD DUSENBERY
Salem da Katt: Rod Mack never wanted to become an Archie Records artist, although he was offered a contract more than once. Dude doubted that a Rock-oriented label was the right place for a Jazz artist! Instead, he chose to sign with Essex, a British imprint known for its classical and Jazz releases. However, Essex’s A + R department planned to promote him as a Pop artist; they saw in Rod potential to become a new George Benson!
What’s more, the British indie had just linked up with Disques Pathé, the Paris-based company whose American sister label was Archie Records. Long story short, Archie staff flew over to help Rod cut his Essex singles. “I’ve got the best of both worlds,” he told Chuck Clayton, who was assigned to supervise his sessions. “I’m with a Jazz label that wants to sell me to Pop audiences; and I get to make records with friends who know what I’m all about musically!” Those friends not only included his fellow Nasty Boys Chuck and Terry “Pop” Tate, but Les Gigolettes, too. Rod also invited Sabrina to sit in; she was already in London to work on the aborted Partridge Family project.
Due to factors beyond his control, dude was only an Essex artist for eighteen months; three singles were issued during that time. None got the promotion they deserved, but each one earned a cult following soon after hitting the market. All were intended as heralds for a jazzy album tribute to Tommy James, one of Rod’s favorite artists.
“I wasn’t interested in those chirpy Bubblegum Rock songs Tommy recorded with The Shondells,” he'd later tell me. “I wanted to sing Rock ballads like 'Loved One' and 'Tighter'. He wrote those songs after finding salvation with Jesus Christ. They have a spirituality and soulfulness that I strongly related to.”
So did Sabrina, even though she's a Wiccan. Recalling Rod's never-completed tribute album decades later, babe was inspired to produce a million-selling New Archies LP called TIGHTER. The title track will chart in 2039 with an arrangement that’s all but identical to Rod’s unreleased duet version.
"Loved One” was the only Essex single to get airplay; in the year 2028, it will feature in a successful film adaptation of Rohase Piercy’s cult novel MY DEAREST HOLMES. While not a chart hit, Rod's solo version of "Tighter" was favored by British dance clubs as a closing-time number. His third single “Gingerbread Man” b/w “Forty Days And Forty Nights” was his personal favorite; Les Gigolettes sounded awesome on that one! But sadly, it never caught on.
And despite Essex’s distribution agreement, none of his singles were ever marketed outside of Europe. In the end, Rod was left wondering if he should've signed with Archie after all! Many years later, the reissue label Vox Sound + Image will acquire the rights to Rod's Essex masters; because of his history with the Archie label they'll be treated as part of its catalog, which Vox will have already purchased. Long before then, dude scored a hit on the Archie label without being on the artist roster . . . details forthcoming!
ALBUMS THAT ROD MACK REMIXED
FOR ARCHIE RECORDS. THE OTHERS WERE
ARCHIE @ THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL, THE
LIVE-IN-CONCERT ALBUM ÉXITOS EN VIVO
AND THE VARIOUS ARTISTS COMPILATION
DESTINATION: SUGARTOWN!
ARCHIES FAN CLUB RECORDS
REMIX SESSIONS
"ÉXITOS EN VIVO"
A MACK DADDY MIX
MARCH 12 - 16, 2009
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS,
LONDON, UK
DULCE Y PICANTE - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Allan, Dante, Santiago)
JINGLE JANGLE en Español - Éxitos en Vivo LP*
(Barry, Kim, Milstein)
SKOOBY-DOO - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, Kim, Milstein)
VEN BAILAR CONMIGO - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin)
SEÑOR FÁBRICA - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Goldberg, Santiago)
CHICOS Y CHICAS - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin)
SEÑORITA RITA - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin)
MALAGUEÑA SALEROSA - Éxitos en Vivo LP*
(Galindo, Ramirez)
BANG-SHANG-A-LANG en Español
- Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin)
A LA LINEA - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin, Santiago)
JUNTOS DOS - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, Kim, Milstein)
DISFRUTANDO TÚ - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Adams, Barkan, Santiago)
¿QUIÉN ES TU NOVIA? - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, Kim, Milstein)
PASEO - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin)
UNA Y OTRA VEZ - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, Dante, Santiago)
ANGELITO MÍO - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin)
¡DÁMELO! - Éxitos en Vivo LP**
LA MÚSICA ROCK - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin)
JUVENTUD NO ES JOVEN - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin)
MEDLEY:
SONRISA (Barry, Briseno, Kim, Milstein)/
LA BAMBA (Ritchie Valens)/
CHERRY, CHERRY (Neil Diamond)
- Éxitos en Vivo LP
LUZ DE AMOR - Éxitos en Vivo LP
(Barry, San Quentin)
SUGAR, SUGAR en Español - - Éxitos en Vivo LP***
(Barry, Kim, Milstein)
THE ARCHIES
w/EL MARIACHI LOWRIDER
w/KEVIN KELLER
w/ROD MACK
*w/RITA PHOENIX
**w/BINGO
***w/RITA PHOENIX + BINGO
Arranger:
BREE SPELLMAN
Music Director:
FOOLKILLER
Remix Producer:
ROD MACK
Remix Engineers:
BUDDY SHELBY, XENA FREES
The live-in-concert version of The Archies'
ÉXITOS EN ESPAÑOL album came very close
to being released as the AFC album for Christmas
2009. The previous year, it been bumped from
the schedule by U. S. of ARCHIE, but Archie wasn't
averse to having one live LP follow another one.
Shelved yet again, this time in favor of Betty +
Veronica's excellent 2009 duet album
BEAUTIFUL STRANGER, ÉXITOS EN VIVO will
take seven decades to see light of day! After
Atlantic Records declines to market the master
in 2027, it will somehow get lost in Abbey Road Studio's
vast tape archive. When finally recovered in the
year 2078, EN VIVO will have sustained climate
damage and a five-year restoration project
will be necessary; fortunately, it will be successful!
THE EVOLUTION OF
LES GIGOLETTES
INTO THE BETTYS.
SABRINA: HOW AND WHEN LES GIGOLETTES BECAME THE NEW HOUSE BAND FOR ARCHIE RECORDS IS SURELY A TALE WORTH TELLING! IN EARLY 2007 @ THE HEIGHT OF THEIR MARITAL CRISIS, ARCHIE + VERONICA DECIDED TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING OTHER THAN THEMSELVES. THEY ADOPTED A HOMELESS FORMER LAB ANIMAL: A RARE PYGMY ALLIGATOR THAT HAD BEEN LEFT IN POOR HEALTH. RONI NAMED HIM "BEAU JACQUES" AFTER HER PATERNAL GRANDFATHER.
SHE + ARCHIE SPENT MONTHS NURSING HIM BACK TO HEALTH; AND IN THE PROCESS, THEY REDISCOVERED THEIR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER! SO IT ISN'T HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW “BJ” BECAME A TREASURED MEMBER OF THEIR FAMILY. BY EARLY 2008 THE GATOR WAS WELL AGAIN, AND THEY OBTAINED A SPECIAL LICENSE ALLOWING THEM TO WALK HIM OUTSIDE ON A LEASH. VERONICA WOULD BRING BJ TO THE ARCHIE RECORDS OFFICES!
HAVING THE SNOUT OF A PYGMY ALLIGATOR NUZZLING IN MY LAP TOOK GETTING USED TO, I MUST ADMIT; BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG! AS A BORN WICCAN, I HAVE A TELEPATHIC RAPPORT WITH ANIMALS. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT BEAU JACQUES HAD NO WILD TENDENCIES LEFT; HE WAS WARM (IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT IN A REPTILE), FRIENDLY, PLAYFUL AND DOCILE AS COULD BE! THE ENTIRE ARCHIE STAFF JUST ADORED HIM.
WELL, ALL EXCEPT FOR TWO PEOPLE.
BINGO WILKIN'S WIFE SAMI WAS SO AFRAID OF WILD ANIMALS, SHE REFUSED TO EVEN VISIT THE RIVERDALE ZOO! SHE'D TOTALLY FREAK OUT IF SHE KNEW BJ WAS ANYWHERE NEARBY. SAMI WILKIN COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY RONI WOULD HAVE "THAT SWAMP MONSTER" AS A PET, AND HER HUSBAND AGREED. THEY UNWISELY SAID SO ALOUD, LEADING TO THE END OF THE BINGOS' TENURE AS ARCHIE'S HOUSE BAND! FORTUNATELY, ANOTHER GROUP WAS WAITING IN THE WINGS TO REPLACE THEM.
DRUMMER MIDGE MERCURY HAD RECENTLY STARTED HER OWN BAND WITH SOME GIRLFRIENDS; LES GIGOLETTES FANCIED THEMSELVES RIVERDALE'S ANSWER TO THE BANGLES! BUT BOOKINGS WERE SLOW, SO THEY WERE DELIGHTED WHEN ARCHIE OFFERED THEM SOME WELL-PAYING STUDIO GIGS. THE FIRST ONE WAS A SESSION FOR VERONICA'S ABORTED ABBA TRIBUTE.
MIDGIE WAS A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN BUT NOT SO FIFI BURNS (KEYBOARDS), JOYA "JOEY" KLEMPERER (BASS) + MYRNA MARIE TOLLIVER (GUITAR). HOWEVER, WHEN I REHEARSED THEM I FOUND THAT THEY HAD GOOD EARS AND WERE FAST LEARNERS. TECHNICALLY, LES GIGOLETTES WEREN'T AS GOOD AS THE BINGOS, BUT THEIR PLAYING HAD AN APPEALINGLY GRUNGY "GARAGE" SOUND. ARCHIE LOVED IT, AND SO DID I. THEIR 2012 KARAOKE ALBUM BE YOUR OWN ARCHIES WAS A HUGE BEST-SELLER FOR THE ARCHIES FAN CLUB LABEL!
KEVIN LUTHER VANDROSS
"KELLY" KELLER
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"SOUL ON FIRE"
AN A LO LATINO PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
MARCH 13 - 15, 2009
STUDIO “B”
EL PASO, TEXAS
HE’S MY MAN, El Paso version
(Patterson, Wright)
- incomplete
JUMP THE GUN
(Faltermeyer, Forsey)
- incomplete
TAKE ME WITH YOU
(Dunbar, Wayne)
- incomplete
I WISH I’D NEVER LOVED YOU - single B-side
(Hawker, Raymonde)
JOSIE + THE PUSSY CATS
featuring VALERIE
w/MARIACHI LOWRIDER
Arranger/Producer:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Music Director: FOOLKILLER
Sound Engineer: PUNK E. GUTIÉRREZ
Executive Producer:
LEX CABOT
Salem da Katt: There was little chance that Josie would agree to work with Alexandra + Alan M again. For The Pussy Cats’ second Soul music album, Archie hooked the group up with Tony Briseño. Instead of London, Josie, Melly + Val headed down South to the Land of Tejanos; and this time, Josie’s friend Rod Mack wasn’t part of the crew. In retrospect, Rod's absence was a bad omen! (Rod + Dilton won’t actually meet for another twenty years, although they'll come close to crossing paths several times.)
As on most of his productions, Tony planned to augment the trio with his studio house band, Mariachi Lowrider. The prospect of cutting Soul music with mariachi horns had him salivating with anticipation! Josie was never completely on board with the idea, though, and her skepticism soon turned into disapproval. To her ears, the stylistic blend was dissonant: “That Tijuana Brass sound won’t fly with our fans,” she complained. Before long, babe was battling with Tony for control of the sessions!
As if the mood in Studio "B" wasn’t tense enough, Tony’s wife Bundles crashed the sessions on the third day. When she slammed her fist down on the engineer’s console, sound man Punk E. Gutiérrez spilled hot coffee all over himself! Fortunately he didn't suffer any burns, but Bunny could have cared less; she always mistreated Tony's staff, and they hated her like poison! While Punk E. excused himself to clean up, she resumed an argument with Tony that they'd been having that morning.
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO'S WIFE
BUNNY PECKERWOOD: BOTH THE
LOVE OF HIS LIFE AND THE
BANE OF HIS EXISTENCE!
A busty and brassy Galveston blonde, Bunny Peckerwood-Briseño was rude, crude and insanely jealous! To the total shock of everyone present, she accused Tony of having an affair with a member of the group. “Which one, Dilton?” she demanded. “It’s Valerie, isn’t it? I know you’ve got jungle fever! Grandma Peckerwood warned me you’d take up with a Black bitch someday. Oh, why did I ever marry an Afro-Mexican?”
Not one to suffer racial slurs in silence, Valerie Smith-Cabot laid right into Bunny! A proud Afro-Mexican her damn self, Val vented her outrage with a rapid-fire torrent of Spanish laced with Anglo-Saxon cuss words! Bunny got up in her face and started shrieking the N-word! A mortified Tony barely managed to stop a mini-race riot!
In the midst of utter chaos, he had little choice but to abort the date. Session contractor Rey Cochino attempted to reschedule but hit a stone wall: The Pussy Cats refused to work with Tony again! Thoroughly incensed, they flew back to Archie Records HQ and back to the drawing board for a new album concept. Nothing got released from their truncated El Paso sessions but the flipside of a single that would surface two years later.
SABRINA: ARCHIE BADLY WANTED TO FINISH HIS GROUP'S ABORTED FIFTY SHADES OF SOUL ALBUM; HE KEPT PUSHING IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. HOWEVER, HE CONCURRED WITH HIS BANDMATES THAT IT WAS TOO AMBITIOUS; THE CONCEPT NEEDED TO BE SCALED DOWN.
@ ONE POINT, THERE WAS TALK ABOUT CUTTING INDIVIDUAL TRIBUTE ALBUMS TO BARRY GIBB, VALERIE SIMPSON + LAURA NYRO; TONY BRISEÑO CHAMPIONED THE LATTER AND LOBBIED HARD FOR IT! HE WON'T STOP LOBBYING UNTIL THEY AGREE TO RECORD IT AS THE SOUNDTRACK FOR A TV SPECIAL; BUT THAT WON'T BE UNTIL THE YEAR 2032, LONG AFTER ARCHIE RECORDS' DEMISE.
IN 2009, VERONICA'S COMMERCIAL INSTINCTS WERE STEERING HER IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. "IT'S TIME TO MAKE ANOTHER COUNTRY ALBUM," SHE DECLARED. THE NEXT THING THE ARCHIES KNEW, THEY WERE CUTTING ONE IN BAYAMÓN, PUERTO RICO. THAT'S WHERE RALFI CHINGAS' HOME STUDIO WAS; HE ALWAYS PREFERRED WORKING THERE, AND THIS TIME AND HE INSISTED ON IT. THE COUNTRY LP HE PRODUCED IN PUERTO RICO SURFACED DECADES LATER UNDER THE TITLE ARCHIE ON THE BAYOU; I THINK OF IT AS THE ARCHIES' GREAT LOST CAJUN MUSIC EXPERIMENT!
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE ON THE BAYOU"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
APRIL 2009
EL RANCHO CHINGAS,
BAYAMÒN, PUERTO RICO
OKLAHOMA HILLS - discarded
(Woody Guthrie)
NEVER-ENDING SONG OF LOVE
- Archie On The Bayou LP
(Delaney Bramlett)
UP ABOVE MY HEAD - Archie On The Bayou LP
(Rosetta Tharpe)
RAMBLIN' MAN - Archie On The Bayou LP
(Dickey Betts)
AIMÈE - Archie On The Bayou LP
(Craig Fuller)
JACKY DANIELS AND YOU
- Archie On The Bayou LP
(Greenfield, Sedaka)
JET AIRLINER - Archie On The Bayou LP
(Paul Peña)
REUBEN JAMES - Archie On The Bayou LP
(Etris, Harvey)
THE ARCHIES
w/TREVOR SMITH
Vocal Arranger: BETTY JONES
Arrangers/Producers:
RALFI CHINGAS, THE ARCHIES
Music Director:
ARCHIE ANDREWS
Sound Engineer: MIGUELITO SKEEN
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Reggie Mantle was still officially "on suspension" from
The Archies in 2009. Trevor Smith had not yet
officially joined the group when he played bass on these
sessions. The titles were intended for The Archies'
second Country music album.
O N T H E B A Y O U !
AN UNRELEASED ARCHIES
ALBUM FROM 2009.
SABRINA: INCREASINGLY, BETTY JONES LIKED TO CHALLENGE HERSELF MUSICALLY. IN ORDER TO DISTINGUISH THIS NEW COUNTRY ALBUM FROM 2002's ARCHIE COUNTRY!, SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE SONG SELECTIONS BE GIVEN CAJUN MUSIC ARRANGEMENTS. HER BANDMATES WERE GAME, AND TO MY EARS THEY DID A GOOD JOB APPROXIMATING LOUISIANA SOUL. "AIMEÉ," "NICKY HOEKY" AND "RAMBLIN' MAN" WERE ESPECIALLY GOOD; THEY SURELY WOULD'VE BECOME HITS!
HOWEVER, VERONICA DIDN'T LIKE HOW THE NEW TRACKS SOUNDED ON PLAYBACK; SHE COMPLAINED THAT THEY WERE "TOO RUSTIC." BETTY WAS UNHAPPY, BUT RALFI CHINGAS WAS INCENSED BY HER REACTION! ADDING INSULT TO INJURY, RONI DEMANDED THAT HE MOVE THE PRODUCTION TO SPANISH EDDIE'S; SHE TOLD RALFI THAT RANCHO CHINGAS WASN'T HER IDEA OF A TOP-FLIGHT RECORDING FACILITY. "NEITHER IS A STUDIO SITUATED OVER A DIVE BAR!" HE FUMED.
THE TWO OF THEM GOT INTO A SHOUTING MATCH, AND BY THE TIME THE ARCHIES LEFT PUERTO RICO FOR NEW ORLEANS, THEY WERE NO LONGER ON SPEAKING TERMS. ALMOST A YEAR WOULD PASS BEFORE RALFI WORKED WITH THE BAND AGAIN!
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"ARCHIE ON THE BAYOU"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
MAY 2009
EL RANCHO CHINGAS,
BAYAMÒN, PUERTO RICO
LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE
- Archie On The Bayou LP
(Hurley, Wilkins)
LOVIN' ARMS - Archie On The Bayou LP
(Tom Jans)
DRIFT AWAY - Archie On The Bayou LP
(Mentor Williams)
THERE'LL BE NO TEARDROPS TONIGHT
- Archie On The Bayou LP
(Hank Williams)
GOOD DEAL, LUCILLE
- Archie On The Bayou LP
(Miller, Theriot)
THE SWEETEST THING I'VE EVER KNOWN
- Archie On The Bayou LP
(Robert Otha Young)
THE ARCHIES
w/TREVOR SMITH
Vocal Arranger: BETTY JONES
Arrangers/Producers:
RALFI CHINGAS, THE ARCHIES
Music Director:
ARCHIE ANDREWS
Sound Engineer: MIGUELITO SKEEN
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Guitarist Katz Rockland + fiddler Frenchy
Skaggs from Katz + The Fiddles were rumored
to be sidemen on this date. In fact, they were
not present; the only sideman was Trevor Smith.
Reggie Mantle + Olga San Quentín were present to
observe the proceedings, but neither of them took
part. When Roni Lodge-Andrews nixed the release of
these Cajun-flavored tracks, The Archies started
over recording their new Country album from
scratch.
SABRINA: FROM MAY TO AUGUST, THE GROUP RE-RECORDED MOST OF THE SONGS, WHICH WERE SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASED ON THEIR MILLION-SELLING RETURN TO ARCHIE COUNTRY LP. JUST AS VERONICA WANTED, THE TRACKING WAS DONE @ SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL, AND TONY BRISEÑO TOOK OVER PRODUCTION DUTIES. HAVING FINALLY MADE UP WITH ARCHIE, REGGIE MANTLE TOOK PART IN THE ALBUM SESSIONS AS A “GUEST ARTIST.” HOWEVER, HE HADN’T YET MADE UP HIS MIND TO REJOIN THE GROUP!
THE ARCHIES DIDN'T PERFORM HIP-HOP MUSIC
BUT THEY ADAPTED THEIR STAGING
TO RESEMBLE THAT USED BY
RAPPERS.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"RETURN TO ARCHIE COUNTRY"
AN A LO LATINO PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
MAY/JUNE 2009
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
TAKE A STEP - single flipside (Canada)*
(Billy Dawn Smith)
TAKE A LETTER, MARÌA
- Return To Archie Country LP
(RB Greaves)
TIME DRAGS BY - Return To Archie Country LP
(The Shadows)
GOOD DEAL, LUCILLE - Golden Sugar LP
(Miller, Theriot)
SPEEDY GONZÀLEZ
- Return To Archie Country LP**
(Hess, Kaye, Lee)
LOVIN' ARMS - Return To Archie Country LP
(Tom Jans)
THE ARCHIES
*JUGGY
w/DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
w/TREVOR SMITH
w/REGGIE MANTLE
**w/OLGA SAN QUENTÌN
Vocal Arranger:
REGGIE MANTLE
Arranger/Producers:
THE ARCHIES w/DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Dilton Doiley Briseño stepped in for an absent
Ralfi Chingas, sidelined by creative differences
with Veronica. Unfortunately, most label copy
mistakenly credited Ralfi as the co-producer
of these sessions, resulting in strained relations
between him and Tony! "Take A Step" was issued
as a fan club single; Juggy Jones sang lead.
Featuring a comedic duet vocal by Reggie
Mantle + his fiancée Olga San Quentín,
"Speedy González" became a major hit in
South America.
AND EMBRACING HIS LONG-SUPPRESSED
BISEXUALITY, DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
WILL FIND HAPPINESS WITH
ROD MACK.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"RETURN TO ARCHIE COUNTRY"
AN A LO LATINO PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
JULY 2009
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
UP ABOVE MY HEAD
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Rosetta Tharpe)
SIX DAYS ON THE ROAD
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Green, Montgomery)
I FOUGHT THE LAW
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Sonny Curtis)
REUBEN JAMES
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Etris, Harvey)
JET AIRLINER
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Paul Peña)
BLESS MY SOUL!
Return To Archie Country LP
(Barry, Bloom)
THE ARCHIES
w/DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
w/TREVOR SMITH
w/REGGIE MANTLE
w/HARRY CONNICK, JR.
Vocal Arranger: VERONICA
Arrangers/Producers:
THE ARCHIES w/DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Jazz legend Harry Connick, Jr played piano @ these dates.
"I Fought The Law" became a major hit in Australia, with
Juggy Jones singing lead; this wasn't the last time that
The Archies would sample The Bobby Fuller Four's
song catalog. An earlier version of "Bless My Soul"
was recorded for Kirshner Records in 1989.
SABRINA: BY NOW, MOST ARCHIES FANS KNOW THAT TONY BRISEÑO PRODUCED RETURN TO ARCHIE COUNTRY, BUT FEW PEOPLE KNEW THAT WHEN THE ALBUM FIRST HIT THE STREETS! RALFI CHINGAS WAS CREDITED AS THE PRODUCER. THERE'S NO TRUTH TO RUMORS THAT TONY AGREED TO FOREGO CREDIT FOR CONTRACTUAL REASONS; HE WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED TO SEE RALFI'S NAME ON THE RECORD LABELS! IT WAS A MISTAKE THAT GOT CORRECTED ON FUTURE PRESSINGS.
RALFI DIDN'T EXACTLY GO OUT OF HIS WAY TO CLEAR UP THE CONFUSION! IN HIS DEFENSE, HE DID PRODUCE THE OLDER ALBUM TRACKS, BUT TONY FELT THAT HE SHOULD'VE CLARIFIED HIS LIMITED ROLE IN THE PROJECT. GOING FORWARD, THERE WAS TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM AND THEY NEVER COLLABORATED AGAIN ON A STUDIO PRODUCTION!
TREVIÑO HAMPTON "TREVOR SMITH"
SANTIAGO
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"RETURN TO ARCHIE COUNTRY"
AN A LO LATINO PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
AUGUST 2009
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
SHE SHOT A HOLE IN MY SOUL!
- Retro box set
(Gayden, Neese)
LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE
- single, Return To Archie Country LP
(Hurley, Wilkins)
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Greenfield, Sedaka)
A MESS OF BLUES
- Return To Archie Country LP
(Pomus, Shuman)
HEY, MEMPHIS!
Return To Archie Country LP
(Pomus, Shuman)
JACKY DANIELS AND YOU
- single, Return To Archie Country LP
(Greenfield, Sedaka)
THE ARCHIES
w/DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
w/TREVOR SMITH
w/REGGIE MANTLE
w/OLGA SAN QUENTÌN
Vocal Arranger: BETTY JONES
Arrangers/Producers:
THE ARCHIES w/DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
"Love Of The Common People" was a major international
hit; it featured ensemble vocals by the entire group
(including Trevor Smith + the yet-to-be-reinstated
Reggie Mantle). "Jacky Daniels And You" was The
Archies' first and only Top Ten Country single. "A Mess Of
Blues" was issued as a fan club single flipside; Betty
Jones took the lead on both songs. Olga San Quentín
contributed acoustic guitar and backing vocals to
these sessions.
ARCHIE RECORDS
REMIX SESSIONS
A SPANISH EDDIE MIX
AUGUST 13-15, 2009
STUDIO "B",
EL PASO, TEXAS
JET AIRLINER - single
COUNTRY 2 THE CITY - single (Europe)*
THE ARCHIES
w/TREVOR SMITH
w/BILLY GIBBONS
Arrangers:
DILTON DOILY BRISEÑO w/THE ARCHIES,
*ROD MACK w/THE ARCHIES
Producers:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
*NICHOLAS FREUND
Remix Engineer:
SPANISH EDDIE
A Top Ten hit featuring guest lead vocalist
Trevor Smith, "Jet Airliner" was the only Grammy-
nominated Archies single of the 21st century. The lead
guitar parts were overdubbed by Billy Gibbons of ZZ
Top; he and his band were in negotiations @ this
time to become Archie Records artists! Unfortunately,
they could not come to terms with the label. "Country
2 The City" is a live recording captured at UK's Wembley
Stadium in January 2009. It's the English version of the
only hit that The Archies ever scored in the Muslim world!
That single, sung in Arabic, was tracked in Hollywood
back in the Summer of 2007.
SABRINA: ARCHIE COUNTRY! WAS A FINE ALBUM BUT RETURN TO ARCHIE COUNTRY WAS A MUCH STRONGER RECORD. THE FORMER WAS COUNTRY POP; THIS NEW RECORD WAS PURE COUNTRY ROCK, RAW AND SASSY! YOU COULD HEAR THE DIFFERENCE IN HIT SINGLES DRAWN FROM THE TRACK LIST: JUGHEAD BELTING OUT BOBBY FULLER'S "I FOUGHT THE LAW"; REGGIE + OLGUITA ROCKING "SPEEDY GONZÁLEZ" AS A BILINGUAL DUET; A SNARLING TREVOR SMITH PUTTING A REVERSE-RACIAL SPIN ON "REUBEN JAMES"; AND BETTY JONES GETTING DOWN 'N' DIRTY WITH A DRINKING SONG CALLED "JACKIE DANIELS AND YOU." COUNTRY RADIO POUNCED ON THAT ONE, AND NASHVILLE AWARED THE ARCHIES WITH A GOLD RECORD!
TWO BIG SUPRISES WERE "LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE", A COUNTRY POP TUNE MADE OVER WITH A REGGAE ARRANGEMENT, AND "JET AIRLINER", A TEX-MEX-FLAVORED REVIVAL OF THE STEVE MILLER BAND CLASSIC. TONY BRISEÑO BELIEVED STRONGLY IN THOSE TRACKS, AND HE EVEN GOT INVOLVED IN PROMOTING THEM! HIS INSTINCTS WERE PROVEN RIGHT WHEN BOTH BROKE FOR SMASH HITS AS SINGLES; AND THE LATTER, FEATURING ANOTHER FEROCIOUS TREVOR SMITH VOCAL, GOT NOMINATED FOR A "BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE" GRAMMY AWARD!
SO WORKING WITH TONY PAID OFF HANDSOMELY FOR THE ARCHIES; BUT AS I SAID BEFORE, RETURN TO ARCHIE COUNTRY ALSO CONTAINED SOME LEFTOVER TRACKS FROM THE ARCHIE COUNTRY! SESSIONS. THOSE RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTIONS PACKED A COMMERCIAL WALLOP, TOO, AND "GOOD DEAL, LUCILLE" PROVED THE POINT WHEN IT EARNED A PLACE ALONGSIDE THE NEWLY-RECORDED HITS. REGGIE (WHO SANG LEAD) WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT HAPPENING; THE BAND CUT TWO ADDITIONAL VERSIONS, ONE IN PUERTO RICO AND ANOTHER IN NEW ORLEANS, BUT HE JUDGED THE ORIGINAL MEMPHIS MASTER SUPERIOR - AND ARCHIE AGREED!
IT WAS A RARE CREATIVE CONSENSUS BETWEEN ADVERSARIES THAT SEEMED TO PROMISE BETTER RELATIONS IN THE FUTURE; STILL, NOBODY KNEW WHETHER OR NOT REGGIE WOULD COME BACK TO THE ARCHIES! FOR THE TIME BEING, THAT UNCERTAINTY SUITED HIM JUST FINE: "I ALWAYS LIKED TO KEEP THE GINGERBREAD MAN GUESSING," HE TOLD ME, USING HIS WRY NICKNAME FOR ARCHIE. "I NEVER LET DUDE TAKE MY COOPERATION FOR GRANTED!"
THE ARCHIES WERE SETTING
THE STAGE FOR THEIR ULTIMATE
INCARNATION AS A SOUL MUSIC
BAND.
ARCHIES FAN CLUB RECORDS
REMIX SESSIONS
"ARCHIE’S MOTOWN MEDLEY"
A BIG ETHEL MIX
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2009
BABY GRAND RECORDING STUDIOS,
HONOLULU, HAWAII
ARCHIE'S MOTOWN MEDLEY:
(Part One)
MY GIRL
(Robinson, White)/
SINCE I LOST MY BABY/
(Robinson, Moore)/
BEAUTY’S ONLY SKIN DEEP
(Holland, Whitfield)/
(I KNOW) I’M LOSING YOU
(Grant, Holland, Whitfield)/
DANCING IN THE STREET
(Gaye, Hunter, Stevenson)*/
ASK THE LONELY
(Hunter, Stevenson)*
- Archie’s Motown Medley EP
ARCHIE'S MOTOWN MEDLEY:
(Part Two)
STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF LOVE
(Dozier, Holland)*/
THERE’S A GHOST IN MY HOUSE
(Dozier, Holland, Taylor)*/
WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN-HEARTED?
(Dean, Riser, Weatherspoon)**/
LET ME GO THE RIGHT WAY
(Berry Gordy, Jr)/
I’M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME
(Gamble, Ross)/
MY GUY
(Smokey Robinson)
- Archie’s Motown Medley EP
THE ARCHIES
*w/CHUCK CLAYTON
**w/ROD MACK
Music Director:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Remix Producer:
FAWN ETHEL MASON
Remix Engineer:
RHETT VALENTYNE
Salem da Katt: Workaholic Big Ethel prepared this fourth and final volume of previously-unreleased Kirshner tracks while on vacation. Both sides of this EP play edited versions of a live medley that The Archies performed @ Harlem’s Apollo Theater. Guitarist, singer and arranger Rod Mack first met them @ that May 1990 gig and actually put the medley together.
Rod resented not being asked to work on this project, and when he heard Ethel’s edits, dude was less than happy! "I wish she'd put the complete, unedited medley out on an album," he grumbled. "I can't stand listening to this chopped-up version!" Fan club members must not have liked it either; what should’ve been the most collectible RARE MASTERS EP proved to be the least popular.
The series was discontinued. AFC Records began showcasing a a variety of artists on extended-play discs; ironically, Rod Mack would be the first in 2010. Shortly before stepping down from her duties @ Archie Records, Big Ethel did revive the ARCHIES RARE MASTERS series; however, her intended fifth volume was never pressed. For details, see the entry for March 14th, 2014.
In the year 2065, Vox Sound + Image will reissue all four rarities EPs on one ultra-long-playing album. ARCHIE SINGS SOUL will also include three previously-unissued Kirshner Records sides that Big Ethel had under consideration: “I’ve Never Gotten Over You” featuring another rare lead vocal by Betty, plus live recordings of “I Like It Like That” and “The Way You Do The Things You Do.”
"HE'S SO EASY TO LOVE" b/w "WHAT
LOVE HAS JOINED TOGETHER."
TRIUMPH RECORDS
SINGLES SESSION
A MACK DADDY PRODUCTION
OCTOBER 16 - 19, 2009
(INSTRUMENTALS)
BEL CANTO STUDIOS,
LONDON, UK
WHAT LOVE HAS JOINED TOGETHER - single
(Robinson, Rogers)
HE'S SO EASY TO LOVE - single B-side
(Lewis, Phillips)
JOSIE
w/ROD MACK
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arrangers/Producers:
KEVIN KELLER, ROD MACK
Music Director: JOSIE JAMES
Sound Engineer: VI NGUYEN
Executive Producer:
LEX CABOT
This was originally a demo session for Josie +
The Pussy Cats, but the only singers present were
Josie + Rod Mack; he sang a bass counterpoint to
her lead vocal. They both agreed that these tracks
sounded good enough to be two sides of a single.
The demos only had guitar accompaniment, so Rod
suggested "sexing them up" before playing them for
Valerie + Melody. The Pussy Cats were about
to play a British Rock festival and Kevin Keller
had flown over to catch their show. @ Josie's
request, Kelly came down to the studio and
overdubbed keyboards, drums and percussion.
Rod was blown away by his organ-playing; he
excitedly dialed up Archie and played the new
dubs for him over the phone. Equally excited,
Arch pronounced "He's So Easy To Love" a
"surefire" hit, and he set wheels in motion
for a rush release! The Pussy Cats were
scheduled to cut a master version with
Josie the following week.
Salem da Katt: Kevin Keller + Josie James were
on-again, off-again lovers for years. Dude wasn't
such a big Pussy Cats fan; he flew to London to
see her, not them! Kelly identified himself as
Gay and Josie was rumored to be Lesbian, so when
their relationship was revealed in the mid-teens, it
surprised everybody - especially Kelly's husband, Dr.
Clay Walker! Eventually, both of them "came out"
as Bisexual. Kelly's marriage survived booty calls
with other women as well as his affair with Josie;
their sexual relationship evolved into a strong
friendship and professional bond that lasted
for the rest of her life.
Somehow, "He's So Easy To Love" got pressed up
before The Pussy Cats had a chance to redo it!
Archie had a choice: Either kill the pressing or
release it as a solo record by Josie. Dude chose
to do the latter! Veronica wasn't happy that Archie
jumped the gun on a single before consulting her,
but she grudgingly signed off on the shipment.
"You're plugging the wrong side," babe warned
him. "The Smokey Robinson tune is the hit!"
Unfortunately, Arch chose to be stubborn: "I
know I'm right about this one. You'll see!"
Pussy Cats manager Lex Cabot had negotiated
a custom record label for the group, so "Easy To
Love" came out emblazoned with the Triumph
logo; but when Roni's judgment proved to
be right and it underperformed on the Pop
charts (barely breaking Top Forty), dude
accused Archie Records' promotion staff of
incompetence. Valerie + Melody were pissed,
too, for being left off of a single they were
scheduled to play on! Archie's faux pas sparked
inter-group friction and set the stage for more
trouble down the road.
The Bettys cut a definitive version of "He's So Easy To
Love" in 2017 but to this day, some people champion
Josie's recording. That wasn't the side that took
dance clubs by storm, though. "What Love Has Joined
Together" did that, also in 2017, after a club deejay
in Aruba put an old promo copy in rotation. Soon,
it was in heavy rotation! Frenzy for that record
spread up the Caribbean, exploded in New York
City and ended by topping the dance charts!
This belated smash will immediately go into the
set list of Josie's new band, Jozetta, which she'll
have launched the previous year.
BIG ETHEL + THE VIXENS
@ AN OVERDUB RECORDING
SESSION IN MAMARONECK.
ARCHIE RECORDS
EP SESSIONS
"ARCHIE IN JAPAN"
AN ISLAND PACIFIC PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
NOVEMBER 16-20, 2009
VOX POPULI STUDIOS,
TOKYO, JAPAN
ST. KEVIN, APOSTROPHE in Japanese
- Archie in Japan EP (Asia)
(Becker, Jones, Prado, Santiago, Takeshi)
KIND OF A DRAG in Japanese
- Archie in Japan EP (Asia)
(Holvay, Jones, Takeshi)
DENVER DREAM in Japanese
- Archie in Japan EP (Asia)
(Bellotte, Jones, Takeshi)
PRECIOUS AND FEW in Japanese
- Archie in Japan EP (Asia)
(Jones, Nims, Takeshi)
THE ARCHIES
w/TREVOR SMITH
w/ROD MACK
w/BREE SPELLMAN
Arranger:
BREE SPELLMAN
Music Director:
ROD MACK
Producer: BARCLAY SINGH
Sound Engineer: GO TAKESHI
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
Rod Mack + Bree Spellman took part in these sessions
on guitar and keyboards, respectively; this was Rod's
first work with The Archies since the disastrous 2006
dates for their album GET IT ON TODAY. "Precious And
Few" became a Top Ten hit in Japan; Juggy Jones, half of
whose heritage is Japanese, was prouder of this record
than any other he sang lead on! He + Go Takeshi
collaborated on new lyrics for all four of the selections
tracked at this Tokyo date. With much coaching from
Jughead, soon-to-be new group member Trev Smith
sang a Japanese translation of his original song
"St. Kevin, Apostrophe." An English-language
vocal will be overdubbed by Kevin Keller in
June of 2010.
SABRINA: IN NOVEMBER OF 2009, I WAS WITH TONY BRISEÑO + THE ARCHIES WHEN THEY PLAYED THE NISSAN STADIUM IN TOKYO. THAT'S A GIGANTIC VENUE, BUT JUST HOURS AFTER TICKETS WENT ON SALE, THEY FILLED IT UP! AND THE SERIES OF SHOWS THEY PUT ON THERE WERE SIMPLY FABULOUS; @ ONE POINT, THE GROUP WAS JOINED ONSTAGE BY AN ALL-FEMALE SQUAD OF TAIKO DRUMMERS!
WHILE THEY WERE IN JAPAN, THE GROUP CUT THEIR ONLY SIDES IN JAPANESE. ARCHIE IN JAPAN CONTAINED A REMAKE OF "PRECIOUS AND FEW," WHICH JUST EXPLODED ACROSS THE ASIAN CONTINENT! THAT EP ALSO CONTAINED A FUTURE HIT SINGLE: “ST. KEVIN APOSTROPHE”, WRITTEN BY JUGHEAD + TREVOR SMITH. THE ENGLISH VERSION, RECORDED A YEAR LATER, WAS DESTINED TO TOP THE CHARTS, BUT POSTHUMOUSLY - IN THE 22nd CENTURY!
LATER THAT MONTH, THE ARCHIES OVERDUBBED TRACKS FROM THEIR LATEST COUNTRY ALBUM IN ITALIAN. THESE NEW VERSIONS WERE RELEASED IN ITALY ON A CHART-TOPPING EP CALLED MI RICORDANO MARIA. ARCHIE + RONI, BOTH OF PART-SICILIAN HERITAGE, COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE PLEASED! REGGIE WAS NO LESS DELIGHTED, BECAUSE HIS LEAD VOCALS GRACED THE TITLE TRACK.
DISQUES PATHÉ
OVERDUB SESSIONS
UNA PRODUZIONE GRAND PRIX
(VOCALS)
NOVEMBER 2009
GRAND PRIX STUDIOS,
MILAN, ITALY
UNA PRODUZIONE A LO LATINO
(INSTRUMENTALS)
MAY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, 2009
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
*UNA PRODUZIONE RALFI CHINGAS
MAY 2009
RANCHO CHINGAS,
BAYAMÓN, PUERTO RICO
TAZZA DI LACRIME/
A MESS OF BLUES (OVERDUB)
- Mi Ricordano Maria EP (Italy)
HO INFRANTO LA LEGGE/
I FOUGHT THE LAW (OVERDUB)
- Mi Ricordano Maria EP (Italy)
MI RICORDANO MARIA/
TAKE A LETTER, MARÌA (OVERDUB)
- Mi Ricordano Maria EP (Italy)
GALLEGIANTE/DRIFT AWAY (OVERDUB)*
- Mi Ricordano Maria EP (Italy)
THE ARCHIES
w/TREVOR SMITH
w/REGGIE MANTLE
Producers:
THE ARCHIES w/DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
+ D'ANGELO WONG
*RALFI CHINGAS + THE ARCHIES
w/D'ANGELO WONG
Overdub Sound Engineer:
FRANCESCO NALDI
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
The Archies' Italian-language remake of
"Take A Letter, Marìa" topped the charts
in Italy! Veronica + Terry "Pop" Tate
translated the song; Reggie Mantle
sang "guest" lead vocals.
CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED
COUNTRY MUSIC ALBUM
RECORDED IN 2009.
ARCHIE AMERICANA RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"NASHVILLE KATZ"
A CHERRY VAGINA PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
DECEMBER 1- 3, 2009
MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND STUDIOS,
MUSCLE SHOALS, ALABAMA
1994 (Garland, Spellman)
- Nashville Katz LP
DOWN ON THE SPANISH SIDE
(Andrews, Briseño)
- Nashville Katz LP
TITTY TWISTER (Andrews, Jones, Mason)
- Nashville Katz LP
JESUS WAS A GAMBLER (Jones, Mason)
- Nashville Katz LP
CORN GIRLS AND COUNTRY BOYS
(Betty + Juggy Jones)
- Nashville Katz LP
MAKIN' IT LONELY FOR ME (Betty Jones)
- Nashville Katz LP
KATZ + THE FIDDLES
w/BIG ETHEL + THE VIXENS
w/GERALDINE GRUNDY
Arrangers:
KATZ + THE FIDDLES, GERALDINE GRUNDY
Producer: CHUCK CLAYTON
Sound Engineer: CADE MURPHY
Executive Producer:
TOM MYETTE
This was the maiden tracking date for the most promising act
to come out of Riverdale since The Archies! Members of Katz
+ The Fiddles frequently sat in on Archies sessions, prompting
Archie to wonder why they weren't signed to a label. He activated
one in order to launch them and assigned the reliable Chuck Clayton
as their producer. Deanie Grundy flew down from her music school
in Haverhill to add authentic-sounding barrelhouse piano to the tracks.
SABRINA: KATZ ROCKLAND WAS BORN IN ALABAMA, AND SHE WAS DELIGHTED WHEN CHUCK CLAYTON BOOKED HER GROUP INTO HISTORIC MUSCLE SHOALS STUDIOS; KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY WERE PRECEDED THERE BY THE LIKES OF WILSON PICKETT, ARETHA FRANKLIN + CHER INSPIRED ROUSING PERFORMANCES! THE GROUP OF VIXENS THAT SANG ON THESE DATES WAS NURMEEN "MIMI" SAROYAN, KRAYGEN HINOJOSA AND PAMELA "PIPPA" TAGLIAFERRO. A DIFFERENT LINEUP OF VIXENS HAD ACCOMPANIED THE ARCHIES ON THEIR LIKE A ROLLING STONE TOUR.
GROUP SAVOY SOUND, FEATURING
TREVOR SMITH AS A STAND-
IN LEAD SINGER.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"BEGIN THE BEGUINE"
A STEED-PINTO PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
DECEMBER 5 - 7, 2009
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS
LONDON, UK
TABÚ - Begin The Beguine LP
(Margarita Lecuona)
A RAINY NIGHT IN RIO
- Begin The Beguine LP*
(Robin, Schwartz)
BEGIN THE BEGUINE
- Begin The Beguine LP*
(Cole Porter)
ANDALUCIA
- Begin The Beguine LP
(Ernesto Lecuona)
BÉSAME MUCHO
- Begin The Beguine LP
(Consuelo Velázquez)
TAMPICO - Begin The Beguine LP
(Fisher, Roberts)*
THE LADY IN RED
- Begin The Beguine LP
(Dixon, Wrubel)*
BRAZIL - Begin The Beguine LP
(Ary Barroso)
AMAPOLA - Begin The Beguine LP
(Joseph La Calle)
IN A LITTLE SPANISH TOWN
- Begin The Beguine LP
(Lewis, Wayne, Young)*
SAVOY SOUND
*w/TREVOR SMITH
w/THE SUGARTOWN PIPERS
w/LES GIGOLETTES
Arranger: JUSTIN STRICKLAND
Music Director: KEVIN BOYLE
Producer: LAURA PINTO
Sound Engineers:
RONNIE + BUDDY SHELBY
Executive Producer:
CHERYLANNE PETRUNTI
Salem da Katt: These album sessions almost never took place! Archie signed Jazz vocalists Savoy Sound on Trevor Smith's recommendation; but he didn’t know that a love triangle was tearing the quartet apart!
Both lead singer Art Greene + pianist/music director Justin Strickland were romancing harmony vocalist Britney Birdsong. Matters came to a “head” when Art surprised Britney serving up a “box lunch” to Justin! Dude staged an ugly scene and then quit the group. This happened just two days before they were scheduled to begin cutting their début album!
Rather than forfeit an expensive orchestra date booked @ Abbey Road, Archie urged Trevor to fill in. Singing lead with the tenor and soprano-heavy trio, his smoky baritone stuck out like a sore thumb! However, Justin Strickland rose to the challenge; on the spot, Jussie crafted brand new song arrangements to showcase Trevor’s limited vocal range.
Members of The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra were default accompanists @ Archie sessions held in the UK. "The Sugartown Pipers" were well worth the expense of hiring them, but both Archie + Veronica had occasion to find them lacking a certain looseness! This was one of those occasions. Monitoring the sessions from Mamaroneck, Arch dispatched Les Gigolettes to London. Producer Laura Pinto took umbrage @ their addition to her crew, but dude knew what he wanted to hear. "Their rawness," he promised her, "will give these songs an edge and make them swing harder. You'll see!"
Upon hearing the dope-ass playbacks, both Archie + Laura gave the album an enthusiastic thumbs-up! Roni wasn’t really a Jazz fan, but Savoy Sound’s Latin orientation was right up her musical alley. Everybody @ Archie Records loved BEGIN THE BEGUINE. Unfortunately, the quartet’s new configuration wasn’t to the liking of most of their fans! "There's just one thing wrong with the way this record sounds," a prominent Jazz blogger wrote. "The lead singer! Savoy Sound has essentially replaced Mel Tormé with David Lee Roth! WTF?"
Sales stats for BEGIN THE BEGUINE were respectable for an album by a brand new group, but Veronica wasn't interested in respectability. Babe wanted Gold and Platinum Records! It was the beginning of the end for Savoy Sound. By the time their album hit the streets in January of 2010, Trevor Smith had accepted an invitation to join The Archies. The quartet found a new tenor lead in 2011; however, they never got their original groove back and broke up the following year.
Even so, signing them proved to be a very good investment - for Archie Records in general and Trev in particular. Jussie Strickland later became The Archies’ semi-regular arranger, while female lead singer Cristina Angel became Mrs. Trevor Santiago!
ARCHIE AMERICANA RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"NASHVILLE KATZ"
A CHERRY VAGINA PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
DECEMBER 16 - 18, 2009
MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND STUDIOS
MUSCLE SHOALS, ALABAMA
DON'T U WANT ME 2 LOVE U?
(Keller, Lodge-Andrews)
- Nashville Katz LP
CHINCHILLA BLUES (Keller, Lodge-Andrews)
- Nashville Katz LP
WALK LIKE THAT (Roni Lodge-Andrews)
- Nashville Katz LP
HEARTQUAKE SHAKE 'N' BAKE
(Lodge-Andrews, Mason)
- Nashville Katz LP
KATZ + THE FIDDLES
w/SUGARBRITCHES
w/MYRNA MARIE TOLLIVER
w/JOEY KLEMPERER
Arrangers: KATZ + THE FIDDLES
Producer: CHUCK CLAYTON
Sound Engineer: CADE MURPHY
Executive Producer:
CHERYANNE PETRUNTI
Members of Les Gigolettes took part in these sessions,
lending a raw Rock edge to certain tracks. The
"Sugarbritches" (Kevin Keller, Roni Lodge-Andrews +
Reggie Mantle) reunited for this date. This trio was
The Archies' regular backing vocal unit between
2002 and 2007.
Salem da Katt: I'm not big into Country music, but I've got to
give NASHVILLE KATZ its props: That album was fucking excellent! While it didn't become a best-seller, it did impress major Country acts like Gretchen Wilson, Ty Herndon + Dwight Yoakam. All of them mined the track listing for material. Veronica wasn't so prolific a songwriter, and her compositions were overshadowed by more successful ones by Betty, Juggy + Archie; but some of her best work can be found here.
In retrospect, Archie Americana Records' first and only release was the best song showcase Archie's publishing company ever had! You can't help but speculate how an Archies album featuring these original tunes might've sounded. However, the flagship
group was on a million-dollar roll remaking classic oldies; no way were they going to abandon a winning strategy!
LIKED THE ARCHIES' MUSIC, BUT
THEY COULDN'T IGNORE IT!
SABRINA: BOTH JOEY + MYRNA MARIE LEFT LES GIGOLETTES SHORTLY AFTER SITTING IN WITH KATZ + THE FIDDLES. THE ONLY DOWNSIDE TO THAT BAND WAS THEIR FREQUENT CHANGES IN MEMBERSHIP. THEY WERE LIKE A REVOLVING DOOR, WITH PEOPLE ALWAYS COMING AND GOING! @ DIFFERENT TIMES, BIG ETHEL, CHUCK CLAYTON, JUGHEAD'S SISTER ANJELICA AND I WERE ALL DRAFTED IN AS MEMBERS.
I WAS PART OF THE BAND WHEN IT EVOLVED INTO THE BETTYS, LED BY BETTY JONES. THIS WAS JUST BEFORE THE ARCHIES TOOK AN EXTENDED BREAK FROM THE MUSIC BUSINESS. THE OTHER MEMBERS WERE MIDGE MERCURY AND JONNIEMAE, THE BRILLIANT FLAMENCO GUITARIST DISCOVERED BY RALFI CHINGAS. WE WERE NEVER THE HOUSE BAND FOR ARCHIE RECORDS, BUT WE DID PLAY ON TONI TOPAZ'S FIRST ALBUM AS WELL AS ARCHIE + VERONICA'S UNRELEASED DUET ALBUM.
AFTER THE ARCHIE LABEL WAS SOLD, I WENT OUT ON TOUR WITH THE BETTYS. UP UNTIL THAT TIME, WE'D ONLY HAD GIGS IN NEW ENGLAND; BUT WHEN BETTY, MIDGIE + MAE MAE ASKED ME TO GO ON THE ROAD, I SAID YES. I CERTAINLY HADN'T PLANNED ON DOING THE ROCK STAR THING, BUT I REALLY DON'T MIND TOURING; BY THEN, I'D WORKED AS THE ARCHIES' TRAVELING MUSIC DIRECTOR. BESIDES, I THOUGHT IT WAS A NOVEL WAY TO OCCUPY MY TIME WHILE MY RECORDING STUDIO IN BOSTON UNDERWENT RENOVATIONS!
THE ARCHIES CONCENTRATE ON
SOLO MUSIC PROJECTS
IN THE YEAR
2 0 1 0 !!!
