POP CULTURE CANTINA
Presents
DESTINATION: SUGARTOWN!
THE ARCHIE RECORDS STORY
A Journey Through
THE GREAT AMERICAN
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SONG BOOK
FROM ROD MACK'S ORAL HISTORY
OF ARCHIE RECORDS
IT WAS MID-SEPTEMBER OF 2014. I WAS REHEARSING FOR MY USUAL WEEKEND GIG @ LONDON'S SCOTCH OF SAINT-JAMES CLUB. THE BARTENDER TOLD ME I HAD A LONG-DISTANCE CALL. IT WAS VERONICA LODGE-ANDREWS, TELEPHONING FROM GERMANY WHERE THE ARCHIES HAD BEEN CUTTING A NEW ALBUM SINCE AUGUST.
DURING THAT CALL, I LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPENDING SALE OF ARCHIE RECORDS TO BILLIONAIRE JASON BLOSSOM; I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT IT. THE ARCHIES HADN'T EVEN BEEN TOLD YET, AND MAN! AFTER THEY WERE, THE SHIT WAS JUMPING OFF!
BUT RONI WASN'T THINKING ABOUT HOW HER BANDMATES MIGHT REACT: TO HER, THE SALE WAS GOOD NEWS. IT PROVIDED THE SEED MONEY TO FOUND AN ÉLITE MUSIC SCHOOL IN RIVERDALE, SOMETHING SHE + ARCHIE HAD BEEN PLANNING TO DO FOR YEARS.
TELLING ME ABOUT THAT WASN'T HER MAIN PURPOSE FOR CALLING ME, THOUGH. SINCE @ LEAST 2005, ARCH + RONI HAD WANTED TO BRING ME ON BOARD. THEY'D OFFERED ME A RECORDING CONTRACT AND A COUPLE OF ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, TOO. I TURNED THEM DOWN; I WAS SATISFIED BEING A VERY WELL-PAID STUDIO SIDEMAN!
I LIKED HAVING MY FREEDOM,TOO; BUT RONI HAD NEGOTIATED SOME FANTASTIC PERKS FOR ARCHIE RECORDS STAFF UNDER THE NEW RÉGIME, AND SHE WANTED ME TO BENEFIT FROM THEM. SHE OFFERED ME THE POSITION OF BRANCH A&R CHIEF FOR THE UK. I WAS TO BE IN CHARGE OF ALL RECORDING ACTIVITIES THAT TOOK PLACE OVER THERE.
AN ARCHIES BOX SET PRODUCED FOR
ARMED FORCES RADIO WAS ONE
OF THE PROJECTS SHORTLISTED
BY ROD MACK WHILE HE WAS
ARCHIE RECORDS A + R CHIEF.
IT WAS A LUCRATIVE OFFER, AND I WAS EVEN GOING TO HAVE MY OWN OFFICE INSIDE ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS! I WANTED VERY MUCH TO PRODUCE MASTERS, AND I'VE ALWAYS APPRECIATED BIG PAYCHECKS; BUT I DON'T KNOW . . . I GUESS I JUST FELT LIKE “SHOWING MY COLOR” THAT DAY!!!
THEY SAY YOU SHOULD NEVER LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH, BUT IF I WAS GOING TO GIVE UP MY FREEDOM AS A SESSION PLAYER, I NEEDED MORE TO MAKE IT WORTH MY WHILE. I TOLD HER SO! SHE ASKED ME FLAT-OUT WHAT I WANTED. I SAID: "I WANT TO BE A&R CHIEF FOR ALL OF ARCHIE'S RECORDING ACTIVITIES; IN EUROPE, NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA, ASIA AND EVERYWHERE ELSE!"
WELL, I DIDN'T GET THE ABBEY ROAD OFFICE, BUT I GOT THE POSITION I ASKED FOR! ONE WEEK AFTER TAKING THAT CALL, I WENT INTO THE STUDIO TO OVERDUB A FORTHCOMING SINGLE BY THE VIXENS. I LOGGED IN UNDER MY BRAND NEW JOB TITLE: SUPERVISOR OF ARTISTS + REPERTOIRE! FUCK,YEAH! IN JANUARY OF 2015, I WAS SCHEDULED TO CO-PRODUCE THE VIXENS' FIRST ALBUM WITH CHUCK CLAYTON. AFTER THAT, I ANTICIPATED SUPERVISING SESSIONS ON MY OWN.
I FELT SO ELATED! AND I'D HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, TOO: IN ADDITION TO THAT VIXENS RECORD, I WAS PUTTING TOGETHER A DUET FOR TONI TOPAZ + KEVIN KELLER; I HAD A VARIOUS ARTISTS PROJECT AND A NEW ARCHIES ALBUM ON THE DRAWING BOARD; AND I WAS PREPARING TO CHART A RADICAL NEW DIRECTION FOR THE LABEL.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT "THE BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN", RIGHT? THEY "OFTEN GO AWRY." I DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING ABOUT MICE, BUT MY PLANS SURE GOT SHOT ALL TO HELL!
THE FINAL MONTHS: 2015
"EVERYBODY"
SABRINA: MUCH TO JASON BLOSSOM'S DISPLEASURE, PROCEEDS FROM THE POP-ART-CHIE CONCERT TOUR WERE DONATED TO LOCAL ARTS COUNCILS. HE DENOUNCED IT AS “BAD BUSINESS PRACTICE”, BUT ARCHIE + VERONICA KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING! ARCHIE RECORDS MAY HAVE LOST MONEY MOUNTING THE TOUR, BUT THE LABEL GAINED INVALUABLE PROMOTION AND GOODWILL THAT JASON BENEFITED FROM.
EVEN SO, HE WAS IMPATIENT TO PROFIT FROM THIS VENTURE. JASON COMMISSIONED A TONI TOPAZ SINGLE AND THREE EPS FEATURING AUDIO FROM THE HOLOGRAPHIC CONCERTS; ONE EACH WAS DEVOTED TO KEVIN KELLER, JOSIE + THE PUSSY CATS AND THE ARCHIES. ALL WERE ISSUED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN FEBRUARY OF 2015.
THE BOBBY FULLER SONGBOOKS FEATURED
ARCHIE RECORDS ARTISTS PERFOMING
VINTAGE HITS FROM A SIXTIES
CULT HERO.
ARCHIE RECORDS
REMIX SESSIONS
"BOBBY FULLER SONGBOOKS"
A MACK DADDY MIX
(INSTRUMENTALS + VOCALS)
JANUARY 4 - 7, 9 - 18, 2015
MACK DADDY STUDIOS,
BIRMINGHAM, UK
LOVE'S MADE A FOOL OF YOU
- Archies Sing Bobby Fuller EP*
(Holly, Montgomery)
ANOTHER SAD AND LONELY NIGHT
- Archies Sing Bobby Fuller EP*
(Bobby Fuller)
SHE'S MY GIRL
- Archies Sing Bobby Fuller EP*
(Bobby Fuller)
JULIE
- Archies Sing Bobby Fuller EP*
(Chip Taylor)
TAKE MY WORD
- Destination Sugartown LP**
(Bobby Fuller)
I FOUGHT THE LAW
- Josie + The Pussy Cats Sing Bobby Fuller EP***
(Sonny Curtis)
LET HER DANCE
- Josie + The Pussy Cats Sing Bobby Fuller EP***
(Bobby Fuller)
THE PHANTOM DRAGSTER
- Josie + The Pussy Cats Sing Bobby Fuller EP***
(Bobby Fuller)
KING OF THE WHEELS
- Josie + The Pussy Cats Sing Bobby Fuller EP***
(Bobby Fuller)
DON'T EVER LET ME KNOW - unreleased****
(Fuller, Stone)
BABY MY HEART
- Kevin Keller Sings Bobby Fuller EP*****
(Sonny Curtis)
LUCKY GUY
- Kevin Keller Sings Bobby Fuller EP*****
(Bloodworth, Brown, Nader)
SATURDAY NIGHT
- Kevin Keller Sings Bobby Fuller EP*****
(Bobby Fuller)
YOU KISS ME
- Kevin Keller Sings Bobby Fuller EP*****
(Fuller, Stone)
A NEW SHADE OF BLUE
- Destination Sugartown LP******
(Fuller, Stone)
LOVE, COME WHAT MAY - unreleased#
(Fuller, Stone)
MY TRUE LOVE
- Destination Sugartown LP##
(Fuller, Stone)
THE MAGIC TOUCH - single###
(Ted Daryll)
THE SUGARTOWN REVUE:
*THE ARCHIES, **REGINALD,
***JOSIE + THE PUSSY CATS,
****BIG ETHEL,
*****KEVIN KELLER,
******BLUE-EYED SOUL,
#THE VIXENS, ##SAVOY SOUND,
###TONI TOPAZ
Arrangers:
JUSTIN STRICKLAND, ROD MACK,
BREE SPELLMAN, DEANIE GRUNDY,
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Music Director:
CHUCK CLAYTON
Remix Producer: ROD MACK
Remix Engineer:
KRISTIN GORRIE
Salem da Katt: Rod Mack constructed these tracks from hologram audio, pre-recorded for Archie Records’ Pop-Art-Chie concert tour from 2012 to 2014. Since he wasn't an Archie artist, Harris Gardner's excellent performances were not available for remixing. Rod regretted not having them to work on, but it was just as well that he didn't; dude got himself in enough trouble!
When Jason found out that Rod had gotten an advance on his salary from Veronica, dude fucking had a cow! As if Roni Lodge-Andrews needed anybody's permission to do what she wanted! Jason actually tried to make Rod give the money back, but it was too late: He'd used it to open his own UK tracking facility.
Bel Canto Studios had closed at the end of 2014, and Archie Records needed a new alternative to the frequently overbooked Abbey Road. Remixing tracks for the BOBBY FULLER SONGBOOK EPs was the first project undertaken @ Mack Daddy Studios in Birmingham. Not yet told about the group's decision to go on hiatus, Rod planned to cut an Archies album there, too.
Jason was also livid when he learned that audio from Big Ethel, The Vixens, Savoy Sound, Blue-Eyed Soul + Gino Mantle had also been remixed! He'd only told Rod to prepare Archies, Pussy Cats and Kevin Keller EPs for release. Disobeying Jason's directions always had unpleasant consequences, and Archie Records' new A + R Chief would suffer them soon enough!
@ THEIR LAST LIVE SHOW FOR OVER A DECADE,
THE ARCHIES TOOK THE STAGE OF RIVERDALE'S
AWESOME VENUE TO CELEBRATE THE SONGS
OF BOB CREWE.
SABRINA: THE TONI TOPAZ AND JOSIE RECORDS SOARED INTO THE TOP TEN, AND KEVIN KELLER'S EP SOLD WELL, TOO; BUT SURPRISINGLY, THE ARCHIES DISC DIDN’T EVEN MAKE TOP FORTY! IT GOT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF AIRPLAY BUT PROVED TO BE JUST A "TURNTABLE HIT". JASON BLOSSOM WAS ENRAGED! I’M CONVINCED THAT THE LACKLUSTER SHOWING OF ARCHIE SINGS BOBBY FULLER INFLUENCED HOW HE TREATED THE ARCHIES CATALOG GOING FORWARD.
FOLLOW-UP HOLOGRAPHIC TOURS WERE PLANNED, BUT THOSE PLANS FELL APART WHEN THE PARK BROTHERS FELL OUT WITH EACH OTHER! ICHI SUED KOO FOR OWNERSHIP OF THE COPYRIGHT, INSISTING THAT THEIR IMAGING PROCESS WAS HIS INVENTION ALONE. THE TECHNOLOGY WAS TIED UP IN LITIGATION FOR MANY YEARS, DURING WHICH TIME BOTH ARCHIE RECORDS AND THE ARCHIES CEASED TO BE!
HOWEVER, THE FUTURE OF THE LABEL WAS TIED UP WITH ITCHYKOO HOLOGRAPHICS, THE COMPANY THAT THE PARK BROTHERS FOUNDED. MY CRYSTAL BALL TELLS THE STORY: IN THE YEAR 2045, ITCHYKOO WILL MERGE WITH A MEDIA CONGLOMERATE BASED IN BANGALORE, INDIA AND CHANGE ITS NAME. TEN YEARS LATER, VOX SOUND + IMAGE WILL PURCHASE THE RECORD DIVISION OF REPUBLIC USA! WHEN IT DOES SO, THE ARCHIE RECORDS CATALOG WILL BE ONE OF ITS MAJOR ASSETS.
THE POP-ART-CHIE TOUR WAS ARCHIE
RECORDS' FUTURISTIC VERSION
OF A MOTORTOWN REVUE.
CHERRY VAGINA RECORDS
ALBUM SESSIONS
"DESTINATION LOVE"
A WITCH QUEEN PRODUCTION
(VOCALS + INSTRUMENTALS)
FEBRUARY 17 - 24, 2015
WITCH QUEEN RECORDING STUDIO,
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
BOSSA NOVA BABY
- Destination Love LP
(Leiber, Stoller)
PEARL'S A SINGER
- Destination Love LP
(Dino, Leiber, Sembello, Stoller)
IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
- Destination Love LP
(Leiber, Stoller)
NEIGHBORHOOD
- Destination Love LP
(Dino, Leiber, Sembello, Stoller)
DESTINATION LOVE
- Destination Love LP
(Leiber, Stoller)
I’M A WOMAN
- Destination Love LP
(Leiber, Stoller)
MY BOY JOHN
- Destination Love LP
(Leiber, Stoller)
STAND BY ME (OVERDUB)
- Destination Love LP
(King, Leiber, Stoller)
ARCHIE + VERONICA
w/THE BETTYS
w/THE GROOVIE GHOULIES
Arranger/Producer:
BREE SPELLMAN
Music Director:
JONNIEMAE
Sound Engineer:
NADIA CERVANTES
Executive Producer:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Salem da Katt: To friends, Archie constantly bragged about a “fantastic” duet album he was recording with his wife; but when they asked how soon it would be finished, dude could never name a date. “You’ll hear it soon,” he’d always promise. “Soon” ended up being January of 2015, right after he + Veronica sold their indie label to media mogul Jason Blossom.
As you know from reading this saga, the Lodge-Andrews marriage had plenty of volatile moments! Angry words were exchanged in the aftermath of that controversial sale: Archie had regrets, and Roni didn't! However, the couple never had an argument that they couldn’t patch up. As a peace offering, Roni finally agreed to finish DESTINATION LOVE, Archie’s long-delayed duet album project.
@ Sabrina’s demo studio in Boston (Witch Queen had yet to open as a full-fledged commercial facility), they taped their last few duets. “Is That All There Is?” a new solo performance by Roni was also tracked. They were backed by The Bettys, and to everybody who was there (including me, in my feline form), the collaboration felt symbolic of a renewed friendship bond between Betty, Veronica + Archie. These selections completed their tribute to songwriters Jerry Leiber + Mike Stoller, originally conceived in 2007.
A release date on the long-dormant Cherry Vagina subsidiary seemed imminent; then abruptly, Jason Blossom informed the couple that there wouldn't be one! “Your album just isn’t urban enough,” he told them. “Why don’t you do it over as a Rap album?” That suggestion was definitely a non-starter, so yet again, this album fell through the cracks.
Veronica’s tragic death in the year 2054 will raise the possibility of a posthumous release for DESTINATION LOVE, but Archie will find that prospect too painful to consider. After that, the album master will go back in the tape vaults . . . for seven fucking decades!
Fast forward to 2125, one year after The Walt Disney Company acquires the Archie Records masters from Vox Sound + Image. Archie's now-elderly son Elijah (fathered long after Roni dies) brings the forgotten album master to Disney's attention. DESTINATION LOVE finally sees light of day in the year 2128 . . . far too late for Archie + Veronica to bask in the wealth of critical praise it earns.
SPANISH-SPEAKING FANS WILL
EMBRACE ARCHIE'S CHICANO
OLDIES ALMOST AS STRONGLY AS
THEY EMBRACED THE ÉXITOS EN
ESPAÑOL ALBUM!
ARCHIE RECORDS
REMIX SESSIONS
"ARCHIE'S CHICANO OLDIES"
A LOWRIDER MIX
MARCH 8-15, 2015
THE CONGA ROOM,
MÈXICO CITY, MÈXICO
MY PLEDGE OF LOVE
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Joe Stafford, Jr)
GIRL WATCHER
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Killette, Pittman)
BANDALALA
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Farrell, Singleton)
STEPHANNY
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Henning, Klein, Price)
LOVE MAKES A WOMAN
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Davis, Record, Sanders, Sims)
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Garrett, Hardaway, Wonder, Wright)
STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Phillip Mitchell)
EXPRESSWAY 2 YOUR HEART
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Gamble, Huff)
STONED LOVE
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Thomas, Wilson)
KILLER JOE
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Berns, Kahan, Medley)
THE RAPPER
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Dominic Ierace)
HERE COMES MY BABY
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Cat Stevens)
CARRIE ANN
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Clarke, Hicks, Nash)
TIME WON'T LET ME
- Archie's Chicano Oldies LP
(Kelley, King)
LAST-MINUTE MIRACLE
- Chicano Oldies, Deluxe Edition
(Harris, Kerr)
I AM A ROCK - lost
(Paul Simon)
THE ARCHIES
w/THE VIXENS
w/REY COCHINO
w/ROD MACK
Remix Producer:
ROD MACK
Remix Engineers:
BABALÚ + VERONICA
Executive Producer:
ROD MACK
Remix Engineer: STYNG RAYE
Salem da Katt: Don Kirshner had refused to release the last album that The Archies recorded for his label. When Archie Records purchased the band's back catalog in 2005, Archie was primarily interested in this particular master tape: A collection of Pop/Soul covers cut in April of 1992. It was his hands-down favorite Archies LP!
With their scheduled album for 2014 (ABBA-NORMALITY) stuck in legal limbo and the band unexpectedly sidelined, he planned to substitute this rarity. Veronica + Porfirio "Babalù" Torres gave it a Latin Rock remix after Rod Mack, Rey Cochino + The Vixens added instrumental and vocal overdubs.
Archie wanted to call the untitled album STONED LOVE, but Roni had a more provocative title in mind: ARCHIE'S CHICANO OLDIES! “This is another record like ARCHIE @ THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL,” she insisted. “I think it’s tailor-made for our Latino fan base.” Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't; but they never got the chance to find out!
Jason Blossom nixed a final Archies release in no uncertain terms: "Dude," he told Archie, "Your label is deader than Hugh Hefner's dick @ a Gay men's orgy! Besides, you can't be serious, bringing me this 'Chicano' shit? I'm after the Black music market; that's where the big money is!" Archie was hella pissed, but there was nothing he could do. Exactly one month later, on Tax Day 2015, Jason officially discontinued the Archie Records imprint.
A RARE PHOTO OF DILTON DOILEY
BRISEÑO w/THE ARCHIES, JUST
BEFORE DON KIRSHNER FORCED
HIM OUT OF THE BAND!
FALCON RECORDS
EP SESSIONS
"FLASHDANCE EN ESPAÑOL"
A FALCON STUDIO PRODUCTION
APRIL 9 - 15, 2015
FALCON STUDIOS,
EL PASO, TEXAS
FLASHDANCE en Español
- Flashdance en Español EP
(Briseño, Cara, Forsey, Moroder)
AUGUANTA EL SUEÑO/THE DREAM
- Flashdance en Español EP
(Bellotte, Briseño, Cara, Moroder)
TALK TOO MUCH
- Flashdance en Español EP
(Cara, Forsey, Moroder)
ANYONE CAN SEE
- Flashdance en Español EP
(Cara, Roberts)
¡YO NO!/WHY ME?
- Flashdance en Español EP
(Briseño, Cara, Forsey, Moroder)
KEEP ON
- Flashdance en Español EP
(Barrow, Cara, Forsey, Zito)
BEAU JACQUES
Producer:
DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO
Sound Engineer:
HUSSEIN HABAKKUK
Executive Producer:
CHUCK CLAYTON
Salem da Katt: It's been rumored for years that The Archies cut a version of the Disco smash "Flashdance (What A Feelin')." No trace of an Archies recording will ever be found, because they didn't! It was actually recorded by a former member of The Archies: Tony Briseño. His Spanish-language cover version was intended for a bilingual album tribute to actress, singer and songwriter Irene Cara. Judging from the high quality of the six tracks produced at his solo session, it's a shame he never finished it!
Jason Blossom damn sure was no Disco fan, but dude had a soft spot for "Flashdance." The movie was one of his favorites as a young man; he was so obsessed with it, for several years he would only date girls who were dancers! This remake was guaranteed to please him: It had a stoned Hip-Hop groove. So did the other songs Tony cut, and half of them were in English. Dude knew what he had to do to get a record released under the new régime!
FLASHDANCE EN ESPAÑOL was marketed under a pseudonym. Unlike Archie + Veronica, Tony chose not to join the staff of Republic Records. When he found out, Jason decided to release his EP under the name "Tony Wetback!" That's right - the old slur used to insult Mexican immigrants! Can you imagine what kind of shitstorm that would've stirred up?
Fortunately, Roni intervened and convinced him to use the name of her pet alligator: Beau Jacques. Jason had a racist sense of humor, and that's putting it mildly! You've got to give dude credit, though: He knew how to get records played, and he gave this Falcon release a hard push. Yet the song that got the most airplay was "Anyone Can See," a cover of the hit single Irene Cara had just prior to "Flashdance."
An old-school power ballad despite the urban arrangement, "Anyone" broke out on the Gulf Coast and ended up charting Top Ten R + B! It went on to be a popular wedding song in Latino communities, despite not being sung in Spanish. This best-seller previewed by 17 years Tony's future success singing lead with the Latin Pop studio group Mantequilla.
Funny, though, how it turned out: Both the first and the last releases from the Archie label were Hip-Hop records! But the company was always better @ marketing straight-ahead Pop songs . . . right to the end.
FOR ARCHIE RECORDS' 2014-15
HOLOGRAM TOUR WILL BE ISSUED
IN THE YEAR 2033.
SABRINA: I'VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED TONY BRISEÑO THE MAN WHO DISCOVERED THE ARCHIES! HE WAS THEIR FIRST MUSIC DIRECTOR; HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST PERSON TO CAPTURE THEM ON TAPE. THE ECLECTIC MIX OF SONGS THAT HE ADDED TO THEIR STAGE SHOW SHARPENED THEIR MUSIC SKILLS AND GAVE THEM A DISTINCTIVE SOUND! THAT SOUND IS WHAT BROUGHT THEM TO THE ATTENTION OF ROCK IMPRESARIO DON KIRSHNER.
TONY DIDN'T GET ALONG WITH KIRSHNER, AND HE GOT PUSHED OUT OF THE BAND; BUT TONY STAYED IN THE PICTURE, FIRST AS A STUDIO SIDEMAN, THEN AS AN ARRANGER/PRODUCER, AND FINALLY AS ARCHIE'S BUSINESS PARTNER AFTER MERGING HIS FALCON LABEL WITH ARCHIE RECORDS.
HE WAS NEVER SIGNED AS A FALCON ARTIST, BUT AS AN EXECUTIVE HE HAD THE OPTION OF CUTTING MASTERS IF HE WANTED TO. TONY COULD SENSE WHAT WAS COMING; HE KNEW THAT IF HE WAS GOING TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING TO THE CATALOG, THIS WAS HIS LAST CHANCE!
GIVEN HIS IMPORTANCE TO BOTH THE ARCHIES AND ARCHIE RECORDS, I THINK IT'S FITTING THAT "BEAU JACQUES" WAS THE LAST SINGER TO BOOK AN ARCHIE TRACKING SESSION, AND THE LAST ONE TO SCORE A HIT ON THE LABEL.
WHEN GOLDEN SUGAR IS FINALLY RELEASED
IN THE YEAR 2025, IT WILL BE MARKETED
WITH AN ALBUM COVER THAT DIFFERS
FROM THIS ORIGINAL DESIGN.
ARCHIE RECORDS
REMIX SESSIONS
"GOLDEN SUGAR"
A SPANISH EDDIE MIX
APRIL 2015
SPANISH EDDIE'S BAR + GRILL,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
LADY JANE - Golden Sugar LP
(James, King)
GOOD LOVIN'- Golden Sugar LP
- Golden Sugar LP*
(Clark, Resnick)
LET'S GET IT ON TODAY!
- Golden Sugar LP
(Adams, Dante)
JET AIRLINER, SINGLE VERSION
- Golden Sugar LP
(Paul Peña)
LONELY QUEEN - Golden Sugar LP
(McCarthy, Strange)
LONELY WEEKENDS
- Golden Sugar LP
(Charlie Rich)
HAPPY! - Golden Sugar LP
(Jagger, Richards)
LOVE HER! - Golden Sugar LP
(Mann, Weil)
GOOD DEAL, LUCILLE
- Golden Sugar LP
(Miller, Theriot)
EVERYBODY - Golden Sugar LP
(Tommy Roe)
HE AIN'T NO ANGEL
- Golden Sugar LP
(Barry, Greenwich)
BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN
- Golden Sugar LP
(Tom Lazoros)
NOBODY BUT YOU - Golden Sugar LP
(Barry, Greenwich)
TUMBLING DICE - Golden Sugar LP
(Jagger, Richards)
LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE
- Golden Sugar LP
(Hurley, Wilkins)
HIP SHAKER - Golden Sugar LP
(Barry, Greenwich, Spector)
JACKIE DANIELS AND YOU
- Golden Sugar LP
(Greenfield, Sedaka)
GLITTER AND GOLD - Golden Sugar LP
(Mann, Weil)
SOUL DEEP SKA - Golden Sugar LP
(Wayne Carson Thompson)
I DON'T WANNA LOVE YOU
- Golden Sugar LP
(Mann, Weil)
SUGAR, SUGAR en Español
- Golden Sugar LP
(Barry, Kim, Milstein)
THE ARCHIES
*w/KEVIN KELLER
A & R Coordinator:
NERO THE DOG
Remix Producer/Engineer:
EDDIE ROXCHILD
Salem da Katt: Whoever coined the term "motherfucker" must've had Jason Blossom in mind! Dude callously fired Rod Mack by telegram, and then he used an email blast to terminate the rest of the label’s staff. That asshole also put the kibosh on GOLDEN SUGAR, an Archies hits compilation that Rod had scheduled for Christmas. In its May 23rd issue, Billboard reported this news: "Archie Records is closing after fourteen years of operation. The Sugartown Express has reached its final destination." That's because the fucking train was derailed!
The few catalogue reissues that Jason marketed came out on his Republic International label, on affiliated labels in Asia, Australia or Europe, or on bootleg imprints that he secretly funded. Dude stubbornly refused to reissue ANY Archies masters; he kept them off the market for ten long years! Jason claimed to be holding them back so their value would increase, but that was bullshit. Here's the real 411: When The Archies refused to work under his supervision, he took revenge on them. That’s the kind of vindictive bastard he was!
JASON BLOSSOM BROUGHT ABOUT THE
DEMISE OF ARCHIE RECORDS AND
NEARLY DESTROYED THE
ARCHIES, TOO!
I spoke to Sabrina shortly after news of the label’s demise broke. “I knew this was going to happen,” babe told me with a grim smile. “Selling out to Jason was one of the few decisions Veronica made that I disagreed with; but it was her call. @ least she + Archie will make excellent use of the money they got from him. Unfortunately, they’ll have to spend a lot more of it than they expect to! Mark my words, Salem: They’re going to end up in court with Jason and stay there for a long time.
"But that doesn’t matter," she continued. "Their musical legacy is secure. If they'd only sold releases by The Archies, they still would've made history. Archie + Roni did for Rock 'n' Roll what Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Mel Tormé, Nat "King" Cole + Frank Sinatra did for the Pop music of their era: They created a canon of standards. Neither Jason Blossom nor anybody else can take that away from them!”
For sure, JB destroyed Archie Records but he can't destroy The Archies! The band's gonna reunite one final time, and although their final years will be rocky, they'll go out as superstars. Their Farewell World Tour will break records, and with new recruits Chuck Clayton, Kevin Keller + Toni Topaz, they'll cut several more excellent albums. One of them, RIDE, RIDE, BABY, will be their most critically successful release; and their last LP will chase their next-to-last up the charts to Number One! Both of those puppies will be vinyl three-record sets. Ka-CHING!
As for Jason, the insatiable appetite that led to him becoming a mega-billionaire will also be his big downfall. After divorcing his first wife Bridget to marry Middle Eastern film star Benazir Bhooty, dude will creep on her with a Gay lover - and guess who it is? None other than Kevin Keller's ex-boyfriend, porn star Devon Sweetbottom!
When she finds out, Benazir will knife his fat lard ass, Alfred Hitchcock-style, in a fit of insane rage! I mean to tell you, that shit's gonna be scandalous: Jason Blossom bites the big one in a sleazy hotel bathroom! It happens right after dude will have triumphed over The Archies in court. The victor won't live long to enjoy his victory! Tough titty!
A CAREER BOX SET DEVOTED TO
THE ARCHIES WILL BE RELEASED
IN THE YEAR 2075.
SABRINA: LET'S NOT CLOSE OUT THE ARCHIE RECORDS SAGA IN SUCH A GRUESOME WAY. IT ACTUALLY HAS A HAPPY ENDING! MY POWERS OF PROGNOSTICATION REVEAL ITS ULTIMATE END, WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE 22nd CENTURY. COME AND GAZE DEEP INTO MY CRYSTAL BALL . . .
WHEN THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY PURCHASES THE ARCHIE RECORDS CATALOG FROM VOX IN THE YEAR 2124, IT INHERITS A NUMBER OF UNRELEASED MASTER TAPES. AMONG THEM IS MOTOWN FOREVER, THE ABORTED 2005 ALBUM BY THE CANDYHEARTS. FILED ALONGSIDE THAT MASTER IS A COMPILATION TAPE OF UNRELEASED TRACKS: VARIOUS UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL MOTOWN FOREVER VOCALS! YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT THEY WERE ERASED BY A VOODOO SPELL.
SINGERS LISTED ON THE LABEL INCLUDE MAJOR STARS JOSIE + THE PUSSY CATS, KEVIN KELLER, TONI TOPAZ + AUSTRALIAN SUPERSTAR DEB DELMAN. ALSO, LESSER-KNOWNS CHUCK CLAYTON, DILTON DOILEY BRISEÑO, NICHOLAS FREUND + THE ARCHIES’ TOURING BACKGROUND VOCALISTS, THE COCHINADA BROTHERS. BIG ETHEL + THE VIXENS, WHO ACTUALLY SANG ON PART OF THE ORIGINAL ALBUM, ARE AMONG THE REJECTS, TOO.
THIRTY YEARS PASS BEFORE DISNEY ENGINEERS GET AROUND TO PLAYING THIS TAPE FROM BEGINNING TO END! WHEN THEY FINALLY DO, THEY’RE SURPRISED TO FIND ANOTHER ALBUM, CREATED BY RODERICK GREGORY MACK, ARCHIE’S LAST A + R CHIEF. IT COMBINES THOSE INCOMPLETE VOICE TRACKS INTO A MONSTER MEGA MIX!
PROMO FOR ARCHIE'S SUGAR MOTOWN
MASH-UP, A BLOCKBUSTER ALBUM
TO BE RELEASED IN THE 22nd
CENTURY.
MOST OF THIS MIX FEATURES UNRELEASED DEMOS SUNG BY FORMER FOLK SINGER GERALDINE GRUNDY. ALTHOUGH SHE TRACKED THESE PERFORMANCES IN HER EARLY SEVENTIES, HER SINGING IS AWESOME! DEANIE'S SOULFULNESS ARGUABLY SURPASSED THAT OF FLAME EVANGELISTA, THE ORIGINAL VOCALIST ON MOTOWN FOREVER.
WHAT ROD MACK CONSIDERED A FAILED EXPERIMENT WILL SOUND LIKE AN EXCITING FIND TO DISNEY’S CATALOG A + R STAFF. AFTER REMIXING WITH 22nd CENTURY TECHNOLOGY, THE SUGAR MOTOWN MASH-UP IS BELATEDLY RELEASED TO DANCE CLUBS IN THE YEAR 2159; AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT IT SCORES A BIGGER HIT THAN ANY OF ARCHIE RECORDS’ ORIGINAL RELEASES?
BREAKING FOR A STONED SMASH A YEAR LATER, THIS ALBUM TOPS DANCE LISTINGS ALL OVER THE WORLD! THE AMAZING FEAT IS REPEATED WHEN IT CROSSES OVER TO URBAN, LATIN, POP AND OTHER CONTEMPORARY MUSIC GENRES. THIS UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS FROM A DEFUNCT RECORD LABEL SENDS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY SPINNING! AND IN ITS WAKE, VINTAGE MUSIC FROM THE ARCHIE CATALOG FILLS 22nd CENTURY AIRWAVES.
THE SUGAR MOTOWN MASH-UP STAYS ON THE CHARTS FOR NEARLY FIVE YEARS! EXCERPTED FROM THE MIX, THE SONG “FOREVER CAME TODAY” IS DOWNLOADED MILLIONS OF TIMES; FORMER ARCHIE STAFFER CHUCK CLAYTON FEATURES ON LEAD VOCALS. @ ONE POINT, DIFFERENT REMIXES OF THIS SONG WILL OCCUPY EVERY SLOT OF THE PAN-AMERICAN TOP TEN!
CHUCK CLAYTON APPEARS ON THE
COVER OF THE 2015 CHORDBOOK
FOR CHERRY VAGINA MUSIC.
ELIJAH BAUMGARTER ANDREWS, ARCHIE'S YOUNGEST SON WILL BE CONTACTED FOR COMMENT ABOUT THIS BELATED TRIUMPH. "MY FATHER ONCE CALLED CHUCK CLAYTON THE STATION MASTER OF HIS SUGARTOWN EXPRESS," HE'LL SAY SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH AT AGE 85. "WHEN CHUCK DIED, THE TWO OF THEM WERE ESTRANGED, BUT MY FATHER ALWAYS CONSIDERED HIM A DEAR FRIEND. ARCHIE WAS ALSO IN AWE OF HIS MANY MUSICAL GIFTS! CHUCK CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO THE LABEL; HE WORKED WITH EVERY ACT! SO IT'S FITTING THAT HE FINALLY GETS HIS DUE ON THIS POSTHUMOUS RECORDING. JUST AS OVERDUE IS THE ACCLAIM FOR TONY BRISEÑO, BIG NIPSY FREUND, ROD MACK + THE AMAZING DEANIE GRUNDY; THEY TRULY WERE THE BACKBONE OF ARCHIE RECORDS!"
WELL, NOT TO BRAG, BUT I DID MY PART, TOO! AS DID ALL OF THE EXCELLENT STUDIO MUSICIANS WE USED. OF COURSE, THE LION’S SHARE OF CREDIT MUST ALWAYS GO TO ARCHIE + VERONICA LODGE-ANDREWS. NOMINALLY, HE WAS THE HEAD AND SHE WAS THE HEART OF THE LABEL, BUT THEY ENDED UP SHARING THOSE ROLES. ARCH + RONI NEVER HAD BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN, BUT THEY STILL PRODUCED ONE BEAUTIFUL BABY! ITS NAME IS "THE GREAT AMERICAN ROCK 'N' ROLL SONGBOOK" . . . AND IT WILL LIVE FOREVER.
ARCHIE + VERONICA'S MUSICAL
PARTNERSHIP WILL GO DOWN
IN ROCK 'N' ROLL HISTORY!
EPILOGUE:
THE GREAT AMERICAN
ROCK + ROLL
SONGBOOK!
Back in the 1960s and '70s, you'd often hear people declare: Rock 'n' Roll will never die! It was easy to believe back then, but not so much today. Rock 'n' Roll's blood supply is in serious danger of being cut off! Many if not most of today's young Rock musicians are sorely deprived. No, not depraved (though some are that, too), but DEPRIVED. They lack the proper grounding in Pop and Rock history.
The music that inspires their craft usually dates back no more than 25 years, if that. A great deal of it is electronic. They've had little or no exposure to the sounds of the early and middle 20th century, most of which feature traditional instrumentation. What a sad state of affairs!
If you don't know Rock in its golden era; if you haven’t learned to appreciate the blend of real bass, real drums, pianos, organs, guitars, horns and percussion; and if you're unfamiliar with the Blues, Country, Gospel and Latin roots from which Rock grew - music upon which Punk, Alt-Rock, Reggaetón, Hip Hop/Rap, Electronica and all the other popular genres of today are based -then you really don't know Rock at all.
ARCHIE'S "GOLDEN SUGAR" CHORDBOOK,
MARKETED IN THE SPRING OF 2015
Before his death in 2003, the great Johnny Cash passed on to his daughter Rosanne a very special list of vintage songs. On that list were essential compositions that he wanted kept in her performance repertoire. They weren't just Country tunes; there were also Folk, Gospel and Blues numbers. Johnny firmly believed that, without access to its roots, true Country music would wither and die!
It took a while, but Rosanne Cash eventually came to share her daddy's point of view. "You can't imagine (America) without these songs," she told National Public Radio's Terry Gross. "They are so important to us! You know, it would be a tragedy if they were just . . . archived somewhere, if they weren't still being performed."
Here @ Pop Culture Cantina, we feel the same way as Johnny + Rosanne. In 2017, we decided to compile a similar list. It was drawn from the classic Rock 'n' Roll canon, but more specifically, from the vast record collection once owned by our blog master, DC Hampton Jacobs. Now we’ve updated it in this sixteen-part saga.
By no means is our list definitive! Most Rock historians and critics would probably take strong exception to it. Ironically, that's what makes it so essential: These titles aren’t weighted down by intellectual snobbery, songwriter bias, major artist bias, genre exclusivity or concern about a "coolness" factor. They're just solid roots Rock + Soul tunes, with most displaying the strong Latin rhythm foundation that we consider ESSENTIAL to authentic Rock 'n' Roll. Each one was chosen to fit a specific part of our “Pop-Art-Chie” narrative.
ARCHIES À GO-GO:
THE FIRST ARCHIES ALBUM BOX
SET, AND THE ONLY ONE
PRODUCED BY ARCHIE
RECORDS!
That narrative gives you access to this fabulous reference source. One-hundred songs? Get real. That's just a drop in the bucket! What about over a thousand? Our list is HUGE! We don't expect you to digest it all @ once. You can sample it @ your own pace. You're reading Part Fifteen right now, and for the rest of the titles, just scroll back through the fourteen previous blog posts. Don't miss the prologue, either, which summarizes the early history of The Archies.
So, from Pop Culture Cantina to you, with much love: Our new and improved 2023 version of the Great American Rock 'n Roll Songbook! Starring our krazy kewl version of The Archies; and really, what stars could be more appropriate for a cartoon studio log? No, we haven't provided links to song downloads, and that was done on purpose. Half the fun is researching these musical treasures for your DAMN self!
DESTINATION: SUGARTOWN!
CONCEPT BY HAMPTON JACOBS
TEXT BY TARQUIN GARRISON + HAMPTON JACOBS
COSTUMES BY HENRIETTA la del BARRIO
ILLUSTRATIONS RENDERED IN LIVING
p a t t y c o l o r
BY STUFFED ANIMAL
The majority of illustrations in this online book were created especially for its presentation. However, a few were completed earlier between the years 2014 and 2017. All of the artwork was conceived and executed in New England, sometimes in homeless shelters. Don't miss the sequel to DESTINATION: SUGARTOWN: ARCHIE IN THE THIRTIES documents the final recording sessions of The Archies.
THIS ONLINE BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF
A GREAT ACTRESS, SINGER AND SONGWRITER:
I R E N E C A R A
KEEP ON
Believing in our world.
Together and with hope
There's nothing we can't build!
KEEP ON
Knowing that we're right.
Sharing with each other
We can see the light shine!*
*Words + Music by Arthur Barrow, Irene Cara, Keith Forsey + Ritchie Zito,
copyright 1983 UniTunes/WC Music/Budde Songs (ASCAP/BMI)
SUGARTOWN TRAIN STOPS:
THE SUGARTOWN SAGA FEATURES CELEBRITY CAMEO APPEARANCES BY
DEBBIE ALLEN, RICK ASTLEY, BURT BACHARACH,
JEFF BARRY, PAT BENATAR, GARTH BROOKS,
HARRY CONNICK, JR, LAVERNE COX, RON DANTE,
SHEILA E, BILLY GIBBONS, MICK JAGGER,
SIR ELTON JOHN, SIR TOM JONES,
CAROLE KING, JOHN LEGEND,
DARLENE LOVE, YO YO MA, RAÚL MALO,
BARRY MANN, WYNTON MARSALIS,
RICKY MARTIN, SIR PAUL McCARTNEY,
ALISON MOYET, DOLLY PARTON,
JK ROWLING, PAUL SABU,
CARLOS SANTANA, MIKE STOLLER,
BJÖRN ULVAEUS, CYNTHIA WEIL,
JANN WENNER, TONI WINE,
TRISHA YEARWOOD +
DWIGHT YOAKAM
SPECIAL THANKS TO
KEVIN BOYLE, DEBORAH DELMAN, BRUCE FREY,
HARRIS GARDNER, KRISTIN GORRIE,
SONSERI KENNEDY, TOM MOURGOS,
EVA NAMAZZI, JUDY PARISELLA, LAURA PINTO,
MICHAEL V. SKEEN, JON TROUTEN
+ NERO THE DOG (R.I.P.)
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE RIDE!