ARCHIE IN THE STUDIO: THE YEAR 2013
POP CULTURE CANTINA
Presents
DESTINATION: SUGARTOWN!
THE ARCHIE RECORDS STORY
A Journey Through
THE GREAT AMERICAN
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SONG BOOK
Salem da Katt: Sabrina + I have been accused of using witchcraft to make Archie Records a success! T'AIN'T TRUE!!! Bree is too ethical to do things like that, and as for me, I’m nobody’s do-gooder. Everybody knows that The Archies kept that label afloat; but compared to most acts, they got very little radio airplay in the early 2000s. So it does make sense to wonder about how they generated such healthy sales!
True, airplay's a big part of how success is measured in the music business; but The Archies were one of the bands that proved it isn't mandatory. They embraced digital downloading from the start, selling their music exclusively in that format or on vinyl (whose resurgence Archie + Roni anticipated). They also had their mob-connected manager Big Nipsy Freund, tirelessly booking them for TV shows, podcasts, nightclub appearances and music festivals all over the world. Meanwhile, a team led by publicist Heather "Squeak" McGillicuddy maintained a high social media profile for them, and clever promotional efforts like the Pop-Art-Chie hologram tour generated lots of good publicity.
South of the border, The Archies are remembered for co-starring in a blockbuster 2005 telenovela,"La Diosa del Aire." Between 2006 and 2013, they made dozens of telenovela cameo appearances. Among the most memorable were adaptations of classic Mexican film dramas like "Janitzio", "Señora Tentación" "Victimas del Pecado" and "Mulata". This helped solidify what became a massive Latino fan base! In addition, The Archies
guest-starred on some popular soap operas in The Philippines, including "Pangako Sa'Yo."
THE ARCHIES CUT TRACKS @
SPLENDID MEDIA IN
MELBOURNE.
They also had key music industry friends: For instance, Dolly Midnight, a popular deejay @ Radio Luxemburg in Europe; Heavy Herbie, the Australasian Sensation; Disco Vinny of Radio Jamaica; and Professor Bubblegum, host of the Echo Valley podcast. The Prof commanded a huge cult following! In addition, The Archies were supported by international TV hosts like Cristina Saralegui, Javier Romero, Boy William + Belinda Lee; and I can’t count how many times they appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning, America” over the years!
Archie Records music videos got lots of exposure, because they were crafted by award-winning directors like Raj Patel and often choreographed by Toni Topaz. That fierce little lady was trained by Shabba-Doo Quiñones of The Lockers, and her grooves were always on point! Even though Hip-Hop wasn't the kind of music Archie marketed, you could count on Toni and her dancers to put cutting-edge West Coast moves on display every single time. The videos for "Soul Deep Ska" and "Glitter And Gold" in particular influenced a lot of choreographers.
While they were married, Jughead + Betty owned a thriving North-American restaurant chain. Not only was new Archies music played regularly in their diners, you never knew when The Archies themselves would drop by for an impromptu performance! That happened many times. What's more, the band's regular performances @ Riverdale's Awesome Venue drew shitloads of fans from hundreds of miles away!
SURPRISE APPEARANCES @ A
JUGHEAD'S DINER FRANCHISE.
An edge that the label had over its competitors was how it treated digital singles as if they were vinyl. Where other companies would release one track @ a time, Archie always dropped a pair: Just like old-fashioned pressings, there'd be an "A" side and a "B" side! And a significant number of those bonus songs became popular in their own right. Also, in 2010 the Archie Records website started selling bundles of hit singles pressed on vinyl; they were for sale @ selected venues in Europe and Asia, too. Once vinyl started getting popular again, those bundles did a surprisingly brisk business!
The biggest promotional vehicle for The Archies just may have been the cartoon series based on them; new episodes ran during and immediately after they recorded for Kirshner Records. That hit TV series went into syndication, and it was still airing while Archie Records was active. Big Nipsy arranged for the band’s newer music to be edited into those shows! What's more, Archie’s project coordinator Mike Pellerito supervised the production of two Archie comic books, PEP and LAUGH, that almost always sold out.
But, I can’t stress this enough: Archie label product was FIRE! Written, arranged, performed, pressed and packaged according to the highest standards. Word-of-mouth is still one of the best promotional tools around, and when you've got music that's as addictive as what Archie Records produced . . . forget about it! Once people were exposed to those boss grooves, they had to have more, more, more!
THE THIRTEENTH YEAR: 2013
SABRINA: IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF 2013, JUGHEAD, KEVIN KELLER, TONI TOPAZ, RALFI CHINGAS, JONNIEMAE + ARCHIE CUT THE CAST ALBUM FOR SOUL + INSPIRATION. THE LP WAS TRACKED IN LONDON, WHERE THE MUSICAL WAS PLAYING TO SELLOUT CROWDS.
I'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY IT TOOK SO LONG FOR A MUSICAL ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS TO REACH THE STAGE! BILL MEDLEY + THE LATE BOBBY HATFIELD HAD A CLASSIC SHOW BUSINESS STORY, AND THEIR HITS WERE WRITTEN BY THE CREAM OF AMERICAN SOUL AND POP COMPOSERS: DENNIS LAMBERT + BRIAN POTTER, GERRY GOFFIN + CAROLE KING, AND OF COURSE, MANN + WEIL. BILL WAS ALSO A GREAT SONGWRITER, PENNING FANTASTIC TUNES LIKE "LITTLE LATIN LUPE LU" AND "WHO AM I?" (WHICH WILL SCORE A POSTHUMOUS PLATINUM SINGLE FOR THE ARCHIES.)
AS IF THAT WEREN'T INCENTIVE ENOUGH, THE CAST OF CHARACTERS INCLUDES TWO POP CULTURE ICONS: PHIL SPECTOR AND HIS GREATEST DISCOVERY, DARLENE LOVE! YOU'D THINK PRODUCERS WOULD'VE BEEN IN FIERCE COMPETITION TO BE THE FIRST TO MOUNT A RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS SHOW.
I GUESS IT JUST WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL THE RIGHT CREATIVE TEAM GOT TOGETHER! THAT WAS DEFINITELY MEDLEY, MANN + WEIL; AND JUGGY + KELLY COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE PERFECT AS VEHICLES FOR THEIR VISION. THE ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING OF SOUL + INSPIRATION IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE JUKEBOX MUSICAL GENRE AT ITS FINEST!
SOUL + INSPIRATION WAS THE
SENSATION OF LONDON'S WEST
END THEATRE DISTRICT IN 2013!
ARCHIE RECORDS
CAST ALBUM SESSIONS
"SOUL + INSPIRATION"
A MANN/WEIL/MEDLEY PRODUCTION
in association with
MAMARONECK Productions
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
JANUARY 2013
BEL CANTO STUDIOS,
LONDON, ENGLAND
OVERTURE (instrumental)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
HE
(BUCKY HEARD, PARAMOURS
+ BLOSSOMS)
(Mullin, Richards)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
THERE SHE GOES
(THE PARAMOURS featuring BILL MEDLEY)
(Bill Medley)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE
(BILL MEDLEY, PARAMOURS + BLOSSOMS)
(Lambert, Potter)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
THE TIME OF MY LIFE
(BILL MEDLEY, DARLENE LOVE, PARAMOURS
+ BLOSSOMS)
(DiNicola, Markowitz, Previte)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
BROWN-EYED WOMAN
(BILL MEDLEY, DARLENE LOVE + BLOSSOMS)
(Mann, Weil)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
MAKE THE WOMAN LOVE ME
(BILL MEDLEY + PARAMOURS)
(Mann, Weil)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
LORD, IF YOU'RE A WOMAN
(DARLENE LOVE + BLOSSOMS)
(Mann, Weil)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
SEE THAT BOY
(TONI TOPAZ + BLOSSOMS)
(Mann, Weil)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
GOTTA TELL YOU HOW I FEEL!
(BILL MEDLEY + BLOSSOMS)
(Bill Medley)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
GEORGIA ON MY MIND
(BILL MEDLEY, PARAMOURS + BLOSSOMS)
(Carmichael, Gorrell)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
SHE'S MINE, ALL MINE
(BOBBY HATFIELD)
(Bobby Hatfield)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
A MAN WITHOUT A DREAM
(BOBBY HATFIELD)
(Goffin, King)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
I JUST WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO YOU
(RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS)
(Willie Dixon)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
UNCHAINED MELODY
(BOBBY HATFIELD + PARAMOURS)
(North, Zaret)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
I CAN'T MAKE IT ALONE
(RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS)
(Goffin, King)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
BLUE-EYED SOUL
w/TONI TOPAZ + TREVOR ANSARI
w/COCHINADA BROTHERS
w/THE VIXENS
w/MARIACHI LOWRIDER
w/POP TATE
Vocal Arranger: KEVIN KELLER
Arrangers:
ARCHIE ANDREWS, BLUE-EYED SOUL
Music Director: JONNIEMAE
Producer: RALFI CHINGAS
Sound Engineers:
ALAN MAYBERRY, LAKSHMI SHUTTLESWORTH
Executive Producer:
BILL MEDLEY
These cast album recordings for SOUL + INSPIRATION,
the West End hit starring Jughead + Kevin Keller were the
most expensive studio dates Archie Records ever mounted!
"Stand By" did not appear on the cast album; it was featured
on a promotional EP. The Cochinada Brothers are nephews of trumpet
virtuoso Rey Cochino. Nurmeen “Mimi” Saroyan + Juggy's sister Jelli Jones-
Torres were The Vixens in studio, but neither one of them appeared on stage.
The London production of SOUL featured a rotating pair of femme singers.
However, whether on stage or in the studio, Toni Topaz always provided
the third voice in that group.
ARCHIES SONGS THAT DIFFERED FROM
NORTH AMERICAN RELEASES. SOME
ARCHIES HITS WERE UNIQUE TO
SOUTH AMERICA.
SABRINA: BY THE END OF THE YEAR, PLANS HAD BEEN FINALIZED TO MOVE THE SHOW TO BROADWAY, BUT WOULD YOU BELIEVE . . . WITHOUT KELLY + JUGGY? A NEW PRODUCTION TEAM FIRED THEM AND RECAST THE LEAD ROLES WITH HOLLYWOOD STARS. "WE NEED MARQUEE NAMES," THEY INSISTED, EVEN THOUGH KEVIN KELLER HAD BECOME A HUGE CELEBRITY! "THOSE SONS-OF-BITCHES TOLD ME I WAS TOO OLD," KELLY FUMED, "AND THAT I LACKED SOMETHING CALLED 'HIP-HOP STREET CRED.' WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? WE WEREN'T DOING A RAP MUSICAL!" JUGGY TOLD ME: "BILL MEDLEY WAS AGAINST RECASTING OUR PARTS, BUT HE'D BARGAINED AWAY HIS POWER." THE SHOW SUBSEQUENTLY TANKED, BUT THE CAST ALBUM WAS A DOUBLE-PLATINUM SMASH FOR ARCHIE RECORDS! THOSE NEW PRODUCERS WOUND UP WITH EGG ON THEIR FACES AND EMPTY POCKETS.
ARCHIE RECORDS
CAST ALBUM SESSIONS
"SOUL + INSPIRATION"
A MANN/WEIL/MEDLEY PRODUCTION
in association with
MAMARONECK PRODUCTIONS
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
FEBRUARY 2013
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS,
LONDON, ENGLAND
LITTLE LATIN LUPE LU
(RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS)
(Bill Medley)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
MEDLEY:
JUSTINE/FANNIE MAE/
CRAZY LITTLE MAMA
(RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS)
(Harris, Terry)/(Brown, Lewis, Robinson)/
(Abner/Moore)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
I STILL LOVE YOU
(RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS + DARLENE LOVE)
(Nino Tempo)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
MEDLEY:
HUNG ON YOU/ON THIS SIDE OF GOODBYE
(RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS , PARAMOURS
+ BLOSSOMS)
(Goffin, King, Spector)/(Goffin, King)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
WOMAN, MAN NEEDS YA!
(BOBBY HATFIELD, JIMMY WALKER
+ BLOSSOMS)
(Dick Monda)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
MELANCHOLY MUSIC MAN
(RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS + BLOSSOMS)
(Bonner, Gordon)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
DREAM ON
(DARLENE LOVE + THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS)
(Lambert, Potter)
- Soul + Inspiration cast album
MEDLEY:
I CAN'T MAKE IT ALONE (REPRISE)/
GO AHEAD AND CRY
(BILL MEDLEY, PARAMOURS
+ BLOSSOMS)
(Goffin, King)/(Bill Medley)
Soul + Inspiration cast album
ROCK + ROLL HEAVEN
(BILL MEDLEY, DARLENE LOVE, PARAMOURS,
+ BLOSSOMS)
(O'Day, Stevenson)
Soul + Inspiration cast album
MEDLEY:
YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELIN'/
JUST ONCE IN MY LIFE
(BILL MEDLEY, BUCKY HEARD,
PARAMOURS + BLOSSOMS)
(Mann, Spector, Weil)/(Goffin, King)
Soul + Inspiration cast album
SOUL AND INSPIRATION
(RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS,
PARAMOURS + BLOSSOMS)
(Mann, Weil)
- Archie Sings Barry, Mann + Weil*
FINALE:
BRING YOUR LOVE TO ME/DREAM ON
(RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS, JIMMY WALKER,
DARLENE LOVE, BUCKY HEARD,
PARAMOURS + BLOSSOMS)
(Hatfield, Medley/Lambert, Potter)
Soul + Inspiration cast album
BLUE-EYED SOUL
w/TONI TOPAZ, RALFI CHINGAS
+ TREVOR ANSARI
w/COCHINADA BROTHERS
w/THE VIXENS
w/MARIACHI LOWRIDER
w/REY COCHINO
Vocal Arranger: KEVIN KELLER
Arrangers:
ARCHIE ANDREWS, BLUE-EYED SOUL
Music Director: JONNIEMAE
Producers: RALFI CHINGAS, *JOHNNIEMAE
Sound Engineers:
ALAN MAYBERRY, THORNE TEWKSBURY
Executive Producer:
BILL MEDLEY
On the cast album, a single version of “Soul + Inspiration”
that Blue-Eyed Soul recorded in 2011 will substitute
for the new version cut @ Abbey Road. These duet
sessions are justifiably famous! Juggy + Kelly
laid down some of the finest Rock duet performances
ever recorded; Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John,
Sir Tom Jones, Rick Astley, Alison Moyet, Carlos +
Cindy Santana, Laverne Cox + JK Rowling were among
a host of celebrities observing from the sound
booth @ various times. The SOUL + INSPIRATION cast
album sold double-platinum, even while the new
Broadway production went down in history as
one of the biggest bombs on record!
ALBUM. THOUGH UNSUCCESSFUL, IT WILL LAUNCH A
FRUITFUL PRODUCTION PARTNERSHIP WITH DILTON
DOILEY BRISEÑO. THEIR CREATIVE COLLABORATION
EVOLVES INTO A PERFECT BLEND OF
BUSINESS, MUSIC AND LOVE!
ARCHIE RECORDS
EP SESSIONS
"SOUL + INSPIRATION"
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
MARCH 2013
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
FALCON STUDIOS,
EL PASO, TEXAS
I STILL LOVE YOU - Soul + Inspiration EP*
(Nino Tempo)
GO AHEAD AND CRY - Soul + Inspiration EP
(Bill Medley)
BRING YOUR LOVE TO ME - Soul + Inspiration EP
(Hatfield, Medley)
STAND BY - Soul + Inspiration EP
(Bill Medley)
BLUE-EYED SOUL
w/MARIACHI LOWRIDER
*w/TONI TOPAZ
Vocal Arranger:
KEVIN KELLER
Arranger: BREE SPELLMAN
Music Director:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Producer: JONNIEMAE
Sound Engineer:
HUSSEIN HABAKKUK
Executive Producer:
NICHOLAS FREUND
@ long last, Archie convinced Blue-Eyed Soul to
sign with his label! It happened during the London
cast album sessions. Unfortunately, it ended up being
a symbolic coup: Repeated scheduling conflicts
prevented Juggy + Kelly from tracking any more
duet masters! This promotional EP was the first
logged production for Ralfi Chingas associate
Jonniemae Trouten, as well as the only one
that this musically gifted Transwoman did
for Archie Records.
SABRINA: SOMETIMES I'M MISTAKENLY CREDITED WITH WRITING ORCHESTRATIONS FOR THE MUSICAL SOUL + INSPIRATION. BELIEVE ME, I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM! THAT WAS ALL ARCHIE'S WORK, AND HE DID A FABULOUS JOB. MY ONLY INVOLVEMENT WITH THAT PROJECT WAS HELPING JONNIEMAE PRODUCE RADIO-FRIENDLY VERSIONS OF SOME OF THE SONGS.
WE CUT THEM @ TONY BRISEÑO'S STUDIO IN EL PASO, WHERE I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ARRANGING FOR EL MARIACHI LOWRIDER AND WORKING WITH JUGHEAD AGAIN. HE MOSTLY PLAYED BASS @ THOSE SESSIONS, AND I ACTUALLY PLAYED DRUMS A COUPLE OF TIMES! THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN TOO OFTEN. ALTHOUGH I'M A DECENT DRUMMER, I'M DEFINITELY NOT IN JUGGY'S LEAGUE; BUT WITH TONY COACHING ME, I LAID DOWN SOME SOLID BEATS! THAT'S ME YOU HEAR ON "GO AHEAD AND CRY" AND "STAND BY."
FELL VICTIM TO THE SAME KIND OF
TABLOID COVERAGE THAT THE
ARCHIES HAD TO ENDURE! THIS
SENSATIONAL PHOTO SPREAD
APPEARED WHILE HE WAS
CUTTING HIS DÉBUT
ALBUM.
ARCHIES FAN CLUB RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME"
A RALFI CHINGAS PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
MARCH/APRIL 2013
THE CAPITOL TOWER,
HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA
FALLIN' - You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Greenfield, Sedaka)
MANY TEARS AGO - You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Winfield Scott)
MY HEART HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Greenfield, Keller)
YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT FORSAKEN
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Tommy Everett)
DON'T CRY ON MY SHOULDER
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Benjamin, Marcus)
YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Memphis Curtis)
CHUCK CLAYTON
w/KATZ + THE FIDDLES
Arranger: GERALDINE GRUNDY
Music Director:
REY COCHINO
Producer:
CHUCK CLAYTON
Sound Engineer:
ZACHARY THAXTON
Executive Producer:
FAWN ETHEL MASON
Salem da Katt: Chuck Clayton was an honorary member of
The Archies, dating back to 1989. When they were still college students, dude subbed for absent members on stage. He was also the group’s touring music director @ that time.
Later on, Chuckii was an aspiring Country singer/songwriter,
and for years he struggled for recognition in Nashville.
He worked for Archie Records in unofficial capacities
until Archie tapped him, first for A + R chief of the Archies Fan Club label and later for promotion director @ Cherry Vagina Music. By 2013, Chuckii was heavily involved in song publishing activities and no longer actively pursuing a singing career.
In fact, dude was so deep into an administrative bag, he
declined Big Ethel’s request to cut a record for the Archies
Fan Club; however, Veronica wouldn't take no for an answer!
Roni even got Katz + The Fiddles to back him up in the studio.
They had to postpone the start of their Las Vegas residency, but
Katz Rockland + her boys were more than happy to do it.
After all, Chuckii produced their 2010 debut album!
SENSATION: THE FOLKLORIC
SONGS AND DANCES OF OLGUITA
+ REGINALD!
FALCON RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"OLGUITA + REGINALD"
AN A LO LATINO PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
MAY 31, JUNE 1 - 7, 2013
FALCON STUDIOS,
EL PASO, TEXAS
BUENO YA . . .
- single A-side
NO ESCÚCHAME MÁS
- Olguita + Reginald LP
CREE QUE TODAVÍA LO QUIERO
- Olguita + Reginald LP
LLORÉ TODO EL CAMINO
- Olguita + Reginald LP
¡CÓRRENLE, GATOS!
- Olguita + Reginald LP
CABRONITO
- single B-side
¡VAYA AMOR!
- single B-side
YA NO ESTÁ EN EL CORAZÓN
- Olguita + Reginald LP
JUNTOS OTRA VEZ
- Olguita + Reginald LP
YO, EL MISERABLE
- Olguita + Reginald LP
¡NO COMPRARÍA UN BURRO DE ÉL!
- single A-side
IDO, IDO, SE HA IDO
- Olguita + Reginald LP
(Olga San Quentín)
OLGUITA + REGINALD
w/MARIACHI LOWRIDER
Arrangers:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO,
OLGA SAN QUENTÍN, REGGIE “GINO” MANTLE
Music Director:
FOOLKILLER
Producer:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Sound Engineer:
HUSSEIN HABAKKUK
Executive Producer:
CHUCK CLAYTON
Salem da Katt: Membership in The Archies, and in The Juggz before them, was only ever a means to an end for Gino! Even before the band came under Don Kirshner’s supervision, dude was eyeing a solo career. Over the years, he repeatedly tried for one without success. Each time, he ended up back with The Archies; but by late 2012, he’d spent all the creative energy he cared to spend on their music.
Gino + his future wife, the talented singer, songwriter and dancer Olga San Quentín, had formed an exciting duet act. They sang and performed exhibition dances to her original songs. In his gut, he felt: “This is my last chance. It’s now or never!” So dude took what became a permanent leave of absence from The Archies, but there was still something Archie Andrews could do for him: Manufacture and distribute his new music!
Since Archie + Veronica were planning to launch another subsidiary devoted to Latin sounds, the arrangement was mutually beneficial. Tony Briseño had already agreed to sell them his Falcon label, so the stage was set for the recording début of "Olguita + Reginald!" Gino had never liked Veronica’s pet name for him, but Tony convinced him that “Olguita + Gino” didn’t have the right flow: “It sounds like a has-been comedy team!”
Olguita’s ranchera-tinged, Spanish-language repertoire proved
to be the launching pad Gino had sought for decades; but surprisingly, he was in no hurry to leave the act. His love for Olga was deep and real, and performing with her was joyful in ways being an Archies member had never been! Soon enough, Gino would be thrilling stadium crowds on his own; but in the fall of 2013, the runaway success of the OLGUITA + REGINALD album was all the career he wanted or needed.
SABRINA: A GOLDEN ROCK MUSIC ERA WAS DRAWING TO A CLOSE. BY THE SUMMER OF 2013, PARTNERS ARCHIE, VERONICA + ALAN MAYBERRY (ALONG WITH SILENT PARTNER NICHOLAS FREUND) HAD DECIDED TO SELL ARCHIE RECORDS. SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS BEGAN. THERE WERE SEVERAL BIDDERS, INCLUDING SONY, WEA AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC, BUT ONLY ONE COMPANY BROUGHT TO THE TABLE THE KIND OF SEVEN-FIGURE OFFER THE PARTNERS WERE AFTER: REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL, THE MEDIA CONGLOMERATE HEADED BY JASON BLOSSOM!
PRIMARILY KNOWN AS A RUTHLESS CORPORATE RAIDER (HIS NICKNAME IN INDUSTRY CIRCLES WAS "THE PIRANHA"), JASON WAS ONE OF THE THREE RICHEST MEN IN THE WORLD! WHEN HE COULDN'T FORCE HIS WAY INTO A COMPANY, HE AND HIS ATTORNEYS BROKE DOWN THE OWNERS IN BRUTAL NEGOTIATIONS. HE'D KNOWN THE MEMBERS OF THE ARCHIES SINCE THEY WERE ALL TEENAGERS, WHICH PUT HIM ON THE INSIDE TRACK. JASON WAS SURE ARCHIE + RONI WOULD BE PUSHOVERS, BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING: IN VERONICA LODGE-ANDREWS, BABY BOY MET HIS MATCH AND MORE!
USING MY CRYSTAL BALL, I EAVESDROPPED ON THEIR MEETINGS. THE LANGUAGE WAS RAW! "YOU'RE A HARD-BITTEN BITCH," JASON SNARLED WHEN RONI REJECTED MULTIPLE LUCRATIVE OFFERS,"BUT GODDAMIT, I'M GOING TO BREAK YOU." VERONICA SET HIM STRAIGHT IN A HURRY: "MONEY TALKS, AND BULLSHIT WALKS, MOTHERFUCKER. IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE MONEY, THEN STOP WASTING MY TIME!" WOW! IT TOOK SIX MONTHS BEFORE THEY COULD COME TO TERMS, BUT BY LATE 2013, A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED. ONLY A SMALL CIRCLE OF PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT!
DEMO "HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS"
@ SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR
+ GRILL.
ARCHIE RECORDS
SINGLES SESSIONS
AN ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTION
in association with
RALFI CHINGAS
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
JUNE 2013
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
NIKI HOEKY - Big Noise From Riverdale LP*
(Ford, Vegas)
A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING - Archie In New Orleans LP*
(Greenwich, Powers)
A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING in Swedish
- single (Scandinavia)*
(Greenwich, Lodge-Andrews, Powers, Svenson)
HOW FINE CAN ONE GUY BE? in Swedish
- Archie Around The World CD
(Barry, Greenwich, Lodge-Andrews, Svenson)
SMACK DAB! IN THE MIDDLE (UNDERDUB)
- Complete Fuentes Albums box set
(Charles Calhoun)
JUMP BACK, HONEY (UNDERDUB)
- God Bless Rock 'n' Roll**
(Hadda Brooks)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Vocal Arrangers:
VERONICA, *BETTY JONES,
**KEVIN KELLER
Arranger: JUSTIN STRICKLAND
Music Director:
JONNIEMAE
Producers:
VERONICA w/BLUE-EYED SOUL
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
The version of "Niki Hoeky" listed here is the rare
second recording. The first one was cut in January
2002 @ The Archies' maiden record date with
Ralfi Chingas. "A Little Bit Of Everything" became a
chart-topper in Sweden, sung by Betty in
the native language.
SABRINA: IT WAS NO SECRET, HOW MUCH INTO CLASSIC SOUL MUSIC ARCHIE WAS. HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO GET HIS BAND TO CUT A SOUL ALBUM! HE KNEW THEY WERE CAPABLE OF AUTHENTIC SOUL SINGING BECAUSE, WHILE STILL SIGNED TO THE KIRSHNER LABEL, THEY'D DAZZLED THE NOTORIOUSLY TOUGH AUDIENCE @ HARLEM'S APOLLO THEATER. EVEN SO, THE OTHER MEMBERS JUST DIDN'T SHARE HIS OBSESSION.
VERONICA IN PARTICULAR PUSHED BACK HARD ON IT. HER TASTES WERE AS POP-ORIENTED AS THEY GET, AND SHE STAYED LASER-FOCUSED ON WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC WOULD WORK BEST FOR THE ARCHIES COMMERCIALLY. "DON KIRSHNER WASN'T THE ONLY ONE GIFTED WITH GOLDEN EARS," HER COUSIN LEROY WOULD BRAG, "AND I'VE GOT THE YEAR-END PROFIT REPORTS TO PROVE IT!" HE WAS ARCHIE'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, SO YOU COULD TAKE HIM @ HIS WORD!
RARELY DID RONI'S MUSICAL INSTINCTS FAIL TO DELIVER A HIT; BUT THE RECORD BUSINESS IS NOTHING IF NOT UNPREDICTABLE. RELEASING THE WRONG RECORD @ THE WRONG TIME WAS SOMETHING EVEN RONI WAS CAPABLE OF! THAT HAPPENED WITH BOTH HER SOLO ALBUM AND ARCHIE'S, AND WITH THE ARCHIES PROJECT THAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT NOW.
HELP THE ARCHIES DEMO "SOLID
POTATO SALAD."
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"JUMP BACK, HONEY"
AN ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTION
in association with
RALFI CHINGAS
(INSTRUMENTALS)
JUNE 2013
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
BLACKSMITH BLUES
BOUNCE THE BALL
GREYHOUND
HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS
GET ON BOARD, LITTLE CHILDREN
COFFEE DATE
JUMP BACK, HONEY (OVERDUB)
- single, Jump Back, Honey LP
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arranger: JUSTIN STRICKLAND
Music Director: JONNIEMAE
Producers:
VERONICA w/BLUE-EYED SOUL
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
The Archies commenced cutting backing tracks for a Jazz/
Blues album, their most ambitious project to date.
SABRINA: JUGHEAD HAD BEEN URGING THE BAND TO TRY CUTTING A JAZZ ALBUM SINCE 2009, WHEN THEY RECORDED DIXIELAND ARRANGEMENTS FOR AN ABORTED PARTRIDGE FAMILY TV SERIES. BY 2013, THE MEMBERS WERE READY FOR A NEW CHALLENGE (ESPECIALLY BETTY, WHO WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL CREATIVELY STIFLED). FOR HIS PART, ARCHIE WANTED TO SILENCE PERSISTENT RUMORS THAT HIS GROUP DIDN’T PLAY ON THEIR RECORDS! THOSE RUMORS HAD BEEN HAUNTING THE BAND SINCE THEIR KIRSHNER YEARS.
EVERYONE GOT ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN JUGGY BROUGHT VINTAGE RECORDINGS BY 1940s DIVA ELLA MAE MORSE TO A BAND REHEARSAL. SHE WAS ONE OF THE GREAT SWING VOCALISTS, AND HER MATERIAL WAS WRITTEN BY SOME OF THE BEST SONGWRITERS OF THE DAY. EVERYBODY'S TOES WERE TAPPING AND FINGERS WERE POPPING WHEN THEY HEARD HER INCOMPARABLE RENDITIONS OF "BLACKSMITH BLUES", "OAKIE BOOGIE", "SHOO-SHOO, BABY", "MISTER FIVE x FIVE" AND "COW COW BOOGIE."
THERE WERE PHOTOGRAPHERS @ BOTH THE DEMO SESSIONS AND THE ALBUM DATES. ARCHIE INVITED AS MANY AS WOULD COME, AND THEY CAPTURED THE ARCHIES PLAYING MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTS AND STRUGGLING TO MASTER VERY
COMPLICATED JAZZ ARRANGEMENTS. THE MUSIC PRESS WAS OPENLY SKEPTICAL THAT THEY COULD PULL OFF SUCH AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT, BUT I NEVER DOUBTED THEM!
WORKING REMOTELY FROM BOSTON, I WAS INVOLVED WITH THIS NEW ALBUM IN A PERIPHERAL WAY; BUT I DON’T WANT TO TAKE ANY CREDIT AWAY FROM JUSTIN STRICKLAND. HE WAS THE ARRANGER, AND HE'S THE ONE WHO TAUGHT THE ARCHIES HOW TO SWING!
STRICKLAND + GUITARIST JONNIEMAE
HELP THE ARCHIES DEMO
"GREYHOUND."
ARCHIES FAN CLUB RECORDS
REMIX SESSION
A SPANISH EDDIE MIX
JUNE 24, 2013
ARCHIE SOUND STUDIOS (ASS),
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK
ROCK THE TASTE FROM YOUR MOUTH (PART 1)
- fan club single
(Andrews, Briseño, Clark, Spellman)
ROCK THE TASTE FROM YOUR MOUTH (PART 2)
- fan club single flipside
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Music Director:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Archie + Trevor brought their Sam + Dave performance
style to bear on these live tracks, which were cut @ Spanish
Eddie's Bar + Grill on May 3. Instead of the recording
studio upstairs, they were captured downstairs in
the club. Complete with stomps, screams and wolf
whistles from the SRO crowd, "Rock The Taste,
Parts I + II" became the opening and closing themes
of Archie Radio, an all-Archie satellite music
channel that aired for three months in late 2013.
The tune is a rewrite of "Baby, I Dig Love", originally
recorded by Rudy Lewis in 1963; Archie, Dilton
Doiley Briseño + Bree Spellman collaborated
on the new music and lyrics. The very last
Archies Fan Club single to be released, it was
only ever tracked live.
ONLY AFTER COMPLETING THEIR
DEMO FOR "BOUNCE THE BALL"
DID THE ARCHIES FEEL CONFIDENT
ENOUGH TO RECORD THEIR
JAZZ ALBUM!
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"JUMP BACK, HONEY"
AN ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTION
in association with
RALFI CHINGAS
(INSTRUMENTALS)
JUNE/JULY 2013
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
COW COW BOOGIE
HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS (OVERDUB)
OAKIE BOOGIE
SOLID POTATO SALAD
MISTER FIVE BY FIVE
FORTY CUPS OF COFFEE
SMACK DAB! IN THE MIDDLE (OVERDUB)
- Jump Back, Honey LP
SHOO, SHOO, BABY
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arranger: JUSTIN STRICKLAND
Music Director: JONNIEMAE
Producers:
VERONICA w/BLUE-EYED SOUL
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
A wealth of alternate takes survive from this
instrumental session.
ALBUM SURFACED ON eBAY, THEY
WERE IMMEDIATELY SNATCHED
UP BY COLLECTORS. "FORTY
CUPS OF COFFEE" EARNED
THE HIGHEST BID PRICE!
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"JUMP BACK, HONEY"
AN ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTION
in association with
RALFI CHINGAS
(VOCALS)
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
COFFEE DATE - Jump Back, Honey LP*
(Barris, Whiteman)
SOLID POTATO SALAD - Jump Back, Honey LP
(DePaul, Prince, Raye)
BOUNCE THE BALL
- flipside, Jump Back, Honey LP
(Dexter, Jackson)
GREYHOUND - Jump Back, Honey LP**
(Rudy Toombs)
BLACKSMITH BLUES - Jump Back, Honey LP*
(Jack Holmes)
COW COW BOOGIE - Jump Back, Honey LP*
(Carter, DePaul, Raye)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Vocal Arrangers:
VERONICA, *KEVIN KELLER,
**BETTY JONES
Producers:
VERONICA w/BLUE-EYED SOUL
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
The Archies played every note of music
on JUMP BACK, HONEY save for a
trumpet solo on "Greyhound" that
neither Juggy nor Archie could nail to
Justin Strickland's satisfaction. Ralfi
Chingas overdubbed it "on the QT"
@ the last of these dates.
ALTHOUGH HE HELPED THE ARCHIES CUT
ALBUM DEMOS, RALFI CHINGAS DID
NOT PRODUCE THEIR JAZZ ALBUM.
VERONICA HELMED THE SESSIONS,
ASSISTED BY JUGGY + KELLY.
SABRINA: RALFI CHINGAS WAS A GREAT PRODUCER, BUT AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE, HE WASN'T THE EASIEST GUY TO WORK WITH. TO SAY THAT HE WAS MOODY WOULD BE A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT, AND HIS TEMPER WAS UNPREDICATABLE. I COULD SEE EARLY ON THAT HE WAS ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH VERONICA! THAT COLLISION FINALLY HAPPENED IN 2009, WHEN SHE FIRED HIM DURING SESSIONS FOR THE ARCHIES' SECOND COUNTRY ALBUM.
WORKING WITH RONI TO PUT ARCHIE'S COLLABORATION WITH BURT BACHARACH TOGETHER GOT RALFI BACK IN HER GOOD GRACES. THAT'S WHY HE WAS REHIRED TO HELM THE ARCHIES' NEXT BIG PROJECT, HITS OF THE SIXTIES. HOWEVER, AFTER HE CLASHED SPECTACULARLY WITH SONGWRITERS BARRY MANN + CYNTHIA WEIL, WHO WERE THAT PROJECT'S EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, RONI REACHED THE END OF HER ROPE WITH HIM!
THERE WAS NO FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF RALFI BEING REPLACED; HE WAS NEVER OFFICIALLY A + R DIRECTOR OF ARCHIE RECORDS ANYWAY! IT WAS JUST UNDERSTOOD THAT, GOING FORWARD, VERONICA (WHO WAS THE OFFICIAL HEAD OF A + R) WOULD BE CALLING THE SHOTS IN THE STUDIO. KEVIN KELLER APPEARED AS A GUEST ARTIST ON JUMP BACK, HONEY, SO RONI ASKED HIM + JUGGY TO CO-PRODUCE THE NEW ALBUM WITH HER.
JUST LIKE IN AUGUEST OF 2011 WHEN THE ARCHIES CUT THEIR BARRY GIBB TRIBUTE AND AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER WHEN THEIR TEAM-UP SINGLE WITH THE PUSSY CATS WAS TRACKED, RALFI WAS GIVEN THE TITLE OF EXECUTIVE PRODUCER. IT WAS WHAT I'D CALL A "CEREMONIAL" TITLE! HIS MUSIC DIRECTOR, JONNIEMAE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE ARCHIES, BUT HE NO LONGER HAD ANY SAY OVER THE PROCEEDINGS. HE HATED BEING PUT OUT TO PASTURE, AND WHO WOULDN'T? SO NEARLY TWO DECADES PASSED BEFORE RALFI + THE ARCHIES SHARED
A STUDIO AGAIN.
ARCHIE RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"JUMP BACK, HONEY"
AN ARCHIE AMERICANA PRODUCTION
in association with
RALFI CHINGAS
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
OCTOBER 2013
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
OAKIE BOOGIE - Jump Back, Honey LP*
(Johnny Tyler)
HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS - Jump Back, Honey LP*
(Raye, Slack)
FORTY CUPS OF COFFEE - Jump Back, Honey LP*
(Danny Overbea)
GET ON BOARD, LITTLE CHILDREN
- Jump Back, Honey LP*
(DePaul, Raye)
MISTER FIVE BY FIVE - Jump Back, Honey LP
(DePaul, Raye)
SHOO, SHOO, BABY - Jump Back, Honey LP
(Phil Moore)
THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Vocal Arrangers:
VERONICA, *BETTY JONES
Arranger: JUSTIN STRICKLAND
Music Director: JONNIEMAE
Producer: VERONICA
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
"Oakie Boogie" and "Shoo-Shoo, Baby" were
issued as a double A-side fan club single: Betty led
the up tempo number, and Veronica cooed the
sultry ballad.
RELEASED, THE ARCHIES' MUSIC
SKILLS WERE NEVER QUESTIONED
AGAIN!
SABRINA: UNFORTUNATELY, JUMP BACK, HONEY WAS A BIG COMMERCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT. DESPITE ABUNDANT CRITICAL PRAISE, IT ONLY SOLD WELL IN JAPAN! ARCHIE AGREED WITH ME THAT THE ALBUM WOULD FIND ITS AUDIENCE OVER TIME; BUT HE WAS TOO BUSY BEHIND-THE-SCENES TO BE PREOCCUPIED WITH FAILURE. AFTER HE + VERONICA PURCHASED FALCON RECORDS FROM DILTON, THE ARCHIE LABEL'S PARENT COMPANY OFFICIALLY CHANGED ITS NAME: ARCHIE AMERICANA BECAME SUGARTOWN PRODUCTIONS! UNDER THOSE AUSPICES, THE ARCHIES PREPARED TO CUT A NEW LIVE ALBUM @ THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL. MEANWHILE, A GIRL GROUP TO REPLACE THE CANDYHEARTS WAS FINALLY ABOUT TO BE SIGNED!
ARCHIE RECORDS
SINGLES SESSIONS
A SUGARTOWN PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
OCTOBER 29 - 30, 2013
ARCHIE SOUND STUDIOS (ASS),
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK
*A STEED-PINTO PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTAL)
AUGUST 20, 2005
RED BUS RECORDING STUDIOS,
LONDON, UK
GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME TONIGHT!
(OVERDUB) - unreleased*
(Vanda, Young)
I’LL LET YOU HOLD MY HAND
- unreleased
(DeMilo, Wiley)
THE VIXENS
*w/THE ARCHIES
w/ROD MACK
w/DEANIE GRUNDY
Vocal Arrangements:
CHUCK CLAYTON
Arrangers:
REGGIE MANTLE*, ROD MACK
Music Director: ROD MACK
Producers:
CHUCK CLAYTON, ALAN MAYBERRY
Sound Engineer:
TAYE FAXTOTUM
Executive Producer:
FAWN ETHEL MASON
Salem da Katt: Even before Big Ethel officially quit the girl group she founded, The Vixens started appearing without her. The various members cut demos and sang background for different artists, both individually and in different configurations. By the early teens, The Vixens were picking up high-profile gigs here and there and building a fan base separate from Ethel.
Her absence from their ranks was due to an increasing reluctance to perform secular music. Slowly but surely, Fawn Ethel Mason was transitioning to Gospel! Babe attended this singles date in her capacity as president of Archies Fan Club Records. Her presence wasn’t just official, though: Ethel had a strong maternal feeling about her “homegirls!” They were cutting an AFC single @ her request.
The Vixens almost always performed as a trio, but their membership varied: Present @ this session were Clydene Philpott-Saunders, Nurmeen “Mimi” Saroyan + Pamela “Pippa” Tagliaferro. Pippa sang lead vocals on the first song and Mimi did the honors on the second; over the years, both ladies had matured into outstanding song stylists.
Producers Chuck Clayton + Alan Mayberry devoted the most studio time to “Gonna Have A Good Time Tonight!” It rocked hard to a bone-crunching instrumental track that The Archies had recorded almost a decade earlier. On the second tune, session musicians Rod Mack (visiting from London), Deanie Grundy + Chuckii were joined by Mimi, who did double-duty as bass player and background singer. She’ll teach her daughter to play bass, too, and Nantzi Saroyan will do just that @ a 2031 Archies studio date.
The playbacks sounded hella fabulous! So much so that Veronica decided the time had come to sign The Vixens up as Archie Records artists. That happened the day before Thanksgiving, 2013; so instead of AFC, their single got scheduled for release on the flagship label. Big Ethel still wanted AFC product from them, so a Vixens EP was planned.
ORO SERIES WILL NOT BE RELEASED UNTIL
UNTIL THE YEAR 2035.
ARCHIE RECORDS
SINGLES SESSION
A SUGARTOWN PRODUCTION
in association with
RALFI CHINGAS
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
NOVEMBER 21, 2013
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
*AN ISLAND PACIFIC PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTAL)
NOVEMBER, 2009
VOX POPULI STUDIOS,
TOKYO, JAPAN
PRECIOUS AND FEW, ENGLISH OVERDUB*
- Lite Av Allt LP (Scandinavia)
(Walter Nims)
ROCK IT!
- Big Noise From Riverdale box set
(Goetzman, Piccirillo)
THE ARCHIES
Vocal Arranger: VERONICA
Arrangers:
*BREE SPELLMAN, RALFI CHINGAS,
Music Director: JONNIEMAE
Producers:
VERONICA w/BLUE-EYED SOUL
Sound Engineer: EDDIE ROXCHILD
Executive Producer:
RALFI CHINGAS
The hit Japanese version of "Precious And Few"
was tracked in Japan in November of 2009.
Here was an excellent ballad performance by
Jughead, coupled with Veronica's solid
interpretation of an obscure Disco tune; but
indecision over which side to promote resulted
in neither being released as an
Archies single.
ARCHIE @ THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL
THE LAST PLATINUM ARCHIES ALBUM
RELEASED BY ARCHIE RECORDS!
DISCOS FUENTES
REMIX SESSIONS
"ARCHIE @ THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL"
A TOM MOURGOS MIX
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
DECEMBER 10 - 14, 2013
CHAPEL OF ROCK,
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
TEACH ME TO TWIST (Appell, Cohen)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
SOUTH STREET (Appell, Cohen)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
MEDLEY:
NOT ME! (Anderson, Guida)/
THE EIGHTY-ONE (Gamble, Ross)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
YOU CAN'T SIT DOWN bilingual
(Clark, Cohen, Mack, Muldrow, Upchurch)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
ANGEL OF THE MORNING en Español
(Mack, Santiago, Taylor)
- single A-side (South America)
MEDLEY:
LIMBO ROCK en Español (Cohen, Santiago, Strange)/
YOU JUST DON'T KNOW! (Robert Miller)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
DO THE CHA-CHA-CHÁ bilingual
(Appell, Cohen, Lowe, Santiago)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
MEDLEY:
DO THE BIRD/ROCK ME IN THE CRADLE OF LOVE
(Appell, Cohen)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
FEVER en Español
(Blackwell, Cooley, Mack, Santiago)
- single A-side (South America)
LONG TALL SALLY
(Blackwell, Johnson, Penniman)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
KARATE MONKEY
(Jackson, Virtuoso)
-Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
MEDLEY:
WAH-WATUSI (Appell, Cohen)/
MASHED POTATO TIME
(Bateman, Cohen, Dobbins, Garrett, Gorman, Holland)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
DO THE FISH bilingual (Cohen, Denson, Dixon, Mack)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
EVERYTHING'S WRONG! (Alfred, Farrell)
- single flipside (South America)
CAST YOUR FATE TO THE WIND en Español
(Guaraldi, Mack, Santiago, Werber)
- single A-side (South America)
MEDLEY:
HULLY GULLY BABY/BRISTOL STOMP/
DO THE NEW CONTINENTAL/
THE POPEYE WADDLE
(Appell, Cohen)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
NINETY-SIX TEARS en Español (Rudy Martínez)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
PICTURE ME GONE (Gorgoni, Taylor)
- single flipside (South America)
MEDLEY:
JINGLE BELL ROCK bilingual
(Beal, Boothe, Mack, Santiago)/
CHRISTMAS (BABY, PLEASE COME HOME)
(Barry, Greenwich, Spector)
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP*
THE TWIST (Ballard, Santiago) bilingual
- Archie @ The Hollywood Bowl LP
THE ARCHIES
w/LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
w/ANDY YOSHIDA
w/SASHIMI SISTERS
w/ROD MACK
*w/DARLENE LOVE
Vocal Arranger:
ANDY YOSHIDA
Arrangers:
TREVOR SMITH, ROD MACK
Music Director: ROD MACK
Remix Producers:
TOM MOURGOS, VERONICA
Remix Engineers:
TOM MOURGOS, ROD MACK,
CANDY FIGUEROA
Salem da Katt: Trevor Smith had the option of re-cutting his 2012 AFC album with replacement musicians. He didn’t want to do that, so WATUSI FEVER never came out. That might’ve been the end of it; but in late 2013, Big Nipsy Freund booked The Archies to play a Christmas concert @ the world-famous Hollywood Bowl. Their Jazz + Blues album JUMP BACK, HONEY was tanking, but here was a plum opportunity to promote it! Yet they sensed that they'd just be beating a dead horse. They decided to not perform any songs from the LP, but they didn't want to sing Christmas carols, either.
Trevor had an inspired suggestion: "Remember my solo album with all those early Sixties dance numbers on it? Why don’t we perform those songs live? With all of us singing them, of course. That would be hella fun, both for us and the audience!" The Archies agreed that it was a great idea; the unissued master was retrieved, and new lead vocalists were assigned to Trevor’s album selections. However, they didn't want to just copy what his backing band had done - even though that band was Josie + The Pussy Cats!
@ Trev's urging, they flew Rod Mack to Los Angeles from his home in London. He + Rod then got busy customizing the song arrangements they'd written the previous year. Rod also served as music director for the show, which involved working with the Hollywood Bowl dancers. After a red-eye flight, dude was probably suffering jet lag but it didn't show: The man worked his ass off, coordinating songs with dance numbers, adding ballads to the set list for variety, translating several numbers into Spanish with Trevor's help, and creating a Christmas medley for the finale.
Gino Mantle had still not been replaced. Sometimes, Kevin Keller subbed for him but the majority of Kelly's time was taken up by his solo career. During The Archies' HITS OF THE SIXTIES tour, Andy Yoshida had sung background vocals and alternated with Sabrina on piano. He lived nearby in West Hollywood, so Archie called on him to play keyboards. Andy ended up doing much more; dude had flawless comedic timing, formidable arranging skills and an excellent lead voice! He played Bobby Rydell
to Trevor's Chubby Checker.
ANDY YOSHIDA WAS THE ARCHIES'
SPECIAL GUEST STAR @ THEIR
2013 HOLLYWOOD BOWL
CONCERT.
As for live background singers, Veronica wanted The Cochinada Brothers, but they weren’t available. Andy offered to contact the other HOTS background singers; there had been five in all. Gayme (the elderly Brothers St. George) had retired from performing by then, but The Sashimi Sisters were still active. Kym and Patti Karimatsu had never done a holiday gig before and were thrilled to be asked! Rod Mack provided a third background voice.
"Christmas Watusi Fever with The Archies" drew a diverse crowd ranging from nostalgia junkies to senior citizen groups, young parents with toddlers, East LA gang bangers, drag queens and longtime Archies fans. The show went down big with all of them! By the time Betty took center stage to sing "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)," that crowd was on fire; but the Hollywood Bowl erupted like a volcano when surprise guest star Darlene Love walked out of the wings! Darlene joined Betty for a dope-ass duet performance of the yuletide classic she made famous. I mean to tell you . . . that shit was off the chain!
In fact, that December 1st concert was so well-received, The Archies were asked to reprise the theme the following year. They likely would have, too, had the demise of Archie Records not put the band’s future in doubt. Fortunately, sound engineer Tom Mourgos recorded the show so its awesomeness could be preserved on a live album.
Behind the scenes, Archie + Veronica were @ a crucial stage of negotiations to sell Archie Records. They needed another best-selling LP to justify their lofty asking price, and Roni felt strongly that ARCHIE @ THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL would fit the bill. Yet after hearing the playback, Archie was undecided. He didn’t think an album of dance craze remakes could go Top Ten in America; but Veronica had a different America in mind: South instead of North! And her instincts were dead on target: Subtitled FIEBRE DEL WATUSI NAVIDEÑO, the live album broke for a Top Ten record on the Pan-American charts!
It was released on Discos Fuentes' Coda subsidiary, destined to be an Archie Records reissue label in the far-flung future. The album might've been a bigger success with full international distribution, but with sufficient sales to go Platinum, it was certainly successful enough! During a period that was devoid of new studio-generated Archies product, it kept the group's market profile high. That profile was Veronica's ace bargaining chip, and she used it to play a winning hand with Jason Blossom!
SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 2013.
SABRINA: IN THE FALL OF 2013, REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL SPONSORED ARCHIE RADIO, A SATELLITE CHANNEL THAT BROADCAST FROM MAMARONECK, EL PASO AND LONDON. IT AIRED THE VERY BEST OF THE ARCHIE LABEL'S OUTPUT, AS WELL AS LIVE PERFORMANCES BY ARTISTS PAST AND PRESENT. STUDIO SIDEMEN LIKE RALFI CHINGAS, MADAME AXE, POP TATE, NERO THE DOG, ROD MACK, CHUCK CLAYTON + ME ALSO APPEARED. TREVOR ANSARI, WHO PORTRAYED SINGER JIMMY WALKER IN THE LONDON PRODUCTION OF SOUL + INSPIRATION, WAS THE MAIN DEEJAY.
ARCHIE RADIO WAS AN IDEAL PROMOTIONAL VEHICLE: A THREE-MONTH-LONG MUSICAL CELEBRATION! LITTLE DID ANYONE SUSPECT THAT IT HERALDED THE LAST GASP OF THE FINEST INDIE OF THE EARLY 21st CENTURY.
BEFORE JOINING THE POPULAR TEJANO
DUO OLGUITA + REGINALD. HE WON'T
RECORD ANOTHER ONE UNTIL AFTER
HE RE-INVENTS HIMSELF AS A
MEXICAN HUAPANGO ICON.
IN DECEMBER OF 2013 AFTER CONQUERING THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL, THE ARCHIES HELPED CHUCK CLAYTON COMPLETE AN ALBUM TRIBUTE TO CONNIE FRANCIS. YOU’RE GONNA MISS ME WAS THE LAST ALBUM RELEASED BY ARCHIES FAN CLUB RECORDS, BUT ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR. THAT SAME MONTH, ARCHIE + VERONICA NAMED CHUCK CEO OF THEIR MUSIC PUBLISHING FIRM, CHERRY VAGINA MUSIC.
HIS FIRST AND ONLY SOLO ALBUM,
REFLECTING HIS LOVE FOR BOTH
COUNTRY MUSIC AND CONNIE
FRANCIS!
ARCHIES FAN CLUB RECORDS
ALBUM SESSION
"YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME"
A SUGARTOWN PRODUCTION
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
DECEMBER 2013
FAME STUDIOS,
MUSCLE SHOALS, ALABAMA
DROWNIN' MY SORROWS
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Hunter, Vincent)
IF YOU EVER GET LONELY
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Bob Forshee)
HOLLYWOOD - You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(John Loudermilk)
WHO'S SORRY NOW?
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Kalmar, Ruby, Snyder)
I WAS SUCH A FOOL
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Canosa, Stradella)
EVERYBODY'S SOMEBODY'S FOOL
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Greenfield, Keller)
WISHIN' IT WAS YOU
You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Byers, Otis)
SECOND HAND LOVE
- You're Gonna Miss Me LP
(Hunter, Spector)
CHUCK CLAYTON
w/THE ARCHIES
w/KEVIN KELLER
Arrangers:
GERALDINE GRUNDY, THE ARCHIES
Music Director:
ARCHIE ANDREWS
Producers:
CHUCK CLAYTON, ALAN MAYBERRY
Sound Engineer: CADE MURPHY
Executive Producer:
FAWN ETHEL MASON
These are belated final sessions for Chuck Clayton's
Archies Fan Club LP. Katz + The Fiddles weren’t
available, so Veronica secured a more-than-adequate
substitute to complete the project! As a rule, The Archies
didn’t play back-up for other artists, but they gladly
made an exception for their former music director (and
they made another one for Big Ethel in 2014). Even though
the band features on most of Chuck's album tracks,
they declined to take label credit. "We don't want
anybody calling this an Archies record," they agreed.
"It's Chuckii's time to shine!" Shine he did on 14
choice Connie Francis covers. Betty Jones adored
YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME, calling it "the Country album
I tried to make but never did." It outsold every other
AFC album except BE YOUR OWN ARCHIES! Long-delayed
stardom seemed to beckon, but "you're gonna miss me" really
was Chuck Clayton’s message to Nashville; he chose to stay
on the publishing side of the music business.
SABRINA: EVERY MAJOR ROCK SINGER AND BAND DREAMS ABOUT GRACING THE COVER OF ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE! THE ARCHIES WANTED THAT HONOR AS MUCH AS THEIR PEERS DID, BUT THERE WAS A MAJOR OBSTACLE: MOST OF THE ROCK PRESS DESPISED THEM! THE SAME CRITICISMS WERE HURLED REPEATEDLY: THEY WEREN'T EDGY ENOUGH; THEY WERE A THROWBACK ACT; THEY DIDN'T SING THEIR OWN SONGS! ONE EXASPERATED CRITIC WROTE "THE ARCHIES ARE JUST TOO GODDAMN CUTE!" AND LEFT IT AT THAT.
SO NOBODY THOUGHT THEY STOOD EVEN HALF A CHANCE OF MAKING THAT COVETED COVER, BUT THEY HAD A SECRET WEAPON: KEVIN KELLER. BY THE END OF 2013, THE GROUP'S FREQUENT SIDEMAN WAS ONE OF ROCK'S MEGA-STARS! AND THERE WAS AN EDGE TO KELLY THAT SET HIM APART FROM THE ARCHIES.
ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS WAS HIS NC-17-RATED ART HOUSE SMASH MAN BITCHES ON A BEACH! ANOTHER ONE WAS THE FILTHY POTTY MOUTH HE ACQUIRED DURING HIS MILITARY SERVICE. KELLY'S SURPRISE WIN AT THE 55th GRAMMY AWARDS CAUGHT HIM COMPLETELY OFF-GUARD; ON THE PODIUM, HE GAVE AN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FILLED WITH GRATITUDE AND BLAZING WITH PROFANITY! THE NEXT DAY, HIS NAME AND IMAGE WERE PLASTERED ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA. EVERYBODY LOVES A "BAD BOY!"
THE ARCHIES POUR A LITTLE
SUGAR ON READERS OF
ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE!
ROLLING STONE COULDN'T WAIT TO SCHEDULE A COVER SHOOT FOR HIM; THEY DID SO THE VERY NEXT WEEK IN FEBRUARY 2013. HOWEVER, KELLY SHOCKED THEM WITH AN ULTIMATUM. "I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I AM TODAY WITHOUT MY GOOD BUDDIES, THE ARCHIES," HE INSISTED, "AND DAMMIT, I WANT THEM RIGHT THERE ON THE COVER WITH ME!"
PUBLISHER JANN WENNER WAS VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO THE IDEA, BUT KELLY HAD LEVERAGE: HIS ART FILM AND THE SOUL + INSPIRATION CAST ALBUM HAD MADE HIM A HOTTER PROPERTY THAN EVER! WENNER OFFERED A COMPROMISE: HIS WEST END CO-STAR JUGHEAD COULD SHARE THE COVER BUT NOT THE REST OF THE GROUP. AN OUTRAGED KELLY TURNED THUMBS DOWN ON THIS DEAL: "FORGET ABOUT IT, DUDE! IT'S ALL OF US OR NONE OF US!"
KELLY HELD OUT UNTIL HE GOT HIS WAY; HIS DEFIANCE WAS UNPRECEDENTED! AND HE ENDED UP GRACING NOT ONE, BUT TWO ROLLING STONE COVERS: THE FIRST ONE, WHICH HE SHARED WITH HIS HUSBAND, DR. CLAY WALKER AND HIS FRIEND (WITH BENEFITS!) JOSIE JAMES OF THE PUSSY CATS, APPEARED IN JUNE OF 2013. THE SECOND HE SHARED WITH THE ARCHIES! PUBLISHED WITH A DECEMBER COVER DATE, IT CONTAINED SEPARATE FEATURES ON BOTH SOLO ARTIST AND GROUP. YOU'D BEST BELIEVE THAT CHAMPAGNE CORKS WERE POPPING @ ARCHIE RECORDS HQ IN MAMARONECK!
JUST A MINUTE LEFT BEFORE ARCHIE
RECORDS' GOLDEN CARRIAGE TURNS
INTO A PUMPKIN IN THE YEAR
2 0 1 4 !
