chameleon

Motown Unreleased - 37 years of myths and mis-information - Part4

It has been a good start to 2011 for Four Seasons fans and just to finish off January with a flourish we can celebrate the release of another Seasons gem thanks to ‘TheCrewezer’. Once again we return to the late 1973 Bob Crewe produced sessions to find another Bob Crewe – Kenny Nolan penned song that is a superb example of Bob’s appreciation of the Four Seasons sound. Another romantic ballad that would have graced the excellent ‘Close-Up’ album. And ‘Lovers’ is one that would have been a potential single if it had fitted the ‘strategic direction’ for Valli and the group. But they would from 1975 embark on a path of separation of identity which would never happen.! We know now that this was the plan even as the ‘Who Loves You’ album was being recorded. Both would fail to achieve separate successful musical identities as our story of ‘The Rise and Fall Of The NEW Four Seasons” Chapters 5 to 9 describes. But what we are left with is this superb vocal by Valli with once again an anthemic Four Seasons.

Motown Universal are now licensing tracks to companies with a reputation for collectors sets, most notably ACE Records of London, who have recently announced a CD of unreleased tracks from the early sixties by the Motown group The Contours this year. Would they be interested in these unreleased masters? Perhaps if someone close to Valli or Gaudio was able and prepared to act as Exec Producer in the review of the masters with Motown’s or ACE’s sound engineers perhaps a project could be instigated. Although Motown are the copyright holders they wont proceed without agreement with the performer ! However, as Bob Gaudio probably produced very few of the ‘list’ he has little to gain from their release. And we all know who controls the Four Seasons Partnership.

For now you can Review the full list of unreleased tracks here as we finally publish all we had at December 2010. It now remains for Motown Universal, The Partnership or some kind soul to tell us more. But now the mis-information is exposed. But hey….who cares?? Jersey Boys, it appears, is all that matters. Of at least 68 tracks recorded (and there is rumour of more) only 22 to 25 have been released(some being alternative versions). Just 32 % of the session work…and as you can see from fan attendance at one of the sessions and this demo the work was generally completed. 

We will continue to urge Motown Universal to share information with us re the sessions and masters and to seek to find every title listed (and maybe some more)…..and get confirmation of the ones that are complete. As for the Four Seasons Partnership….well their position does them little credit and becomes more untenable and lacking in any form of ‘compassion’ towards their rightly labeled ‘loyal and supportive fans’. Will they change their stance or be known forever for suppressing these ‘works of art’?

More information we believe will surface and we will keep you posted. But it now seems impossible to complete our story of the group because without this music it is impossible to judge the Motown period and the real story of their music. OK Bob Gaudio might say, just believe ‘Jersey Boys’…erm…I don’t think so!!!

Casey Chameleon

 

Motown Unreleased - 37 years of myths and mis-information - Part3

Another day …….another ‘unreleased’ Four Seasons track, this time a bit of fun by Bob Crewe and The Four Seasons on a session that Lee Shapiro attended with Gerry Polci on vocal background, along with Joe Long.

A song provisionally called ‘(You’ve Got to) Make Your Tomorrow Tonight’(writers unknown) is given the Wonder Who treatment with Frankie doing his ‘Rose Murphy’ voice on an entertaining track. But it rightly raises the question as to the Partnership’s argument that tracks were done for demo purposes and never intended for release….they may argue that this demonstrates that……but the question must be raised as to why not? It is a great fun track not dissimilar to any of the 60s Wonder Who releases.

It is certainly no worse than those earlier ‘Wonder Who’ songs and simply a catchy ‘tongue in cheek’ effort. Crewe was famous for trying the ‘bizarre’ and this certainly is a surprise in 1973!!

 

It is another track which it appears was from the sessions for the ‘Inside Out’ album provisionally ‘slated for release’ in August 1973 by Motown as MW 788 . Sessions appear to have run through the fall and possibly into 1974. The song ‘Inside Out’ is a BMI listed title by Bob Crewe but may be connected with the released track ‘Inside You’ (Crewe – Gaudio) as an alternative title.

The proof that finished tracks exist from the very earliest of the Four Seasons Motown sessions can be found here in our Motown Unreleased Part 3 and our final Part will feature the last of the unreleased Motown tracks we have found to date and we guarantee it will surprise and entertain you…plus the list as at the end of 2010 of what MAY exist in the vaults. Back soon…….

Motown Unreleased - 37 years of myths and mis-information - Part2

Can this man salvage the ‘lost’ Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons tracks from the Motown Universal vaults? Or will an intransigent Four Seasons Partnership continue to deprive fans of these gems? Are they right to do so and maintain these are not ‘fit for purpose’….or release?. As the tracks emerge we can debate the relevant positions.

Hymn To Her, caused quite a reaction amongst fans and thanks for your comments. Firstly, it is clear to me these  are recorded from demos.....but I have had so many discussions with Jean Thomas (former ‘Rag Doll’)on the relative qualities of 'demos' (and she did thousands) that I believe the term is misleading in suggesting they are inferior or incomplete. We have information that shows these tracks are stored as 16 track multi-tracks and as 2 track stereo mix-downs which indicates to us that a degree of completeness was achieved.

We will continue to encourage Motown Universal to ‘rescue’ the Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons lost tracks and alternative versions like this original version of ‘Hickory’ which Bob Crew enthusiast ‘TheCrewezer’ has uploaded to You Tube. This version has an extra verse and falsetto bridge. It also contained a horns fault but we understand that was easily corrected. However Lee Shapiro tells us that this is recorded in the wrong key…so maybe the Four Seasons Partnership were right in saying….” tracks were not even in the proper key and they were never intended for commercial release”

Maybe the mastering engineers at Motown couldn’t fix this version adequately for inclusion on the ‘Motown Years’ 2 CD set whereas the alternative version of ‘Charisma’ did make it. It is not surprising that after a few listens I got to prefer this longer version.

You can judge for yourselves if this is a version you would like in your collection. And would  the rest of the unreleased cassette tape finds be worthy ‘acquisitions’ if released ‘officially’ on CD by Motown Universal or one of their ‘licencees’.? We will see what else can be ‘salvaged’ from tape. Whether these can also be salvaged from the Motown vault we can’t say but Charles Calello is supportive of a CD issue as he told us….”I think what you are doing, assembling the past, is a really good idea because eventually, when they all die, the old tracks will be released or if not destroyed”

Better now if someone can manage it!!

The second Part of our ‘Seasons’ Wiki-leaks’ articles (here) covers the problems of the Motown vaults, the record keeping and the state of the masters. We await news if other tracks have been salvaged from cassette and will be back soon with more information of what might be found based on the ‘Motown unreleased lists’.

 

Motown Unreleased - 37 years of myths and mis-information - Part1

Since The Four Seasons left Motown in 1974 and the subsequent release of the ‘Inside You’ album (Motown M6-852S1) in September 1975, fans have questioned whether any other tracks remained left in the vaults.

Rumour and myth have circulated since and it is amazing that no definitive answers have been found. But now in what is to me a  ‘shocking’ disclosure we can prove that the answer is YES completed masters do exist and with examples and research we show all fans the potential which has been wasted. Until now that is, when we wonder, perhaps, if the success of Jersey Boys has created a climate in which anything is possible.?

In our articles we will explain the history of rumour and mis-information, describe the difficulties with Motown Universal’s record keeping and vault masters and tell you what MAY and what DOES exist based on today’s information.

We’ll also examine the possibilities of  future research and release for what are clearly ‘lost gems’.

But you can be the judge and jury.!!

Read our first article Part 1 here and thanks to Bob Crewe enthusiast 'TheCrewezer' the You Tube video is back.

Casey

Motown New Year

2011 is going to be a great year for Four Seasons fans with lots of music releases and news and to start our theme of Motown retrospective articles a tribute via 3 of our favourite Jersey Boys from the London cast who really did the play proud with their performances. Now as a trio Glen, Stephen and Philip do justice to a great Motown track by the Four Seasons.

The Franks Collective