He wasn’t the average record exec.

Although I first met Seymour at the Troubadour, when he approached me about something I wrote and then went into a story about Syd Nathan, it wasn’t until 2004, when I went to Tony Wilson’s In The City conference in Manchester, that we began to hang, began to bond.

Tony left us over a decade ago. Talk about being cut down before your time, he was still in his fifties. Now that was an atypical record exec. Tony was the most educated man I knew, he could opine about seemingly anything, with a gleam in his eye, I was privileged to know him.

And I was privileged to know Seymour too.

First and foremost Seymour would go to In the City. Other conferences. No one else with his status and success would. But you’d see Seymour all over the world, always soaking up the flavor, looking for new acts and looking for good food. Seymour loved not only Chinese, but other cuisines. He’d put that napkin in his collar and… If you ever ate with him you know what I’m talking about. Well, let me just say his manners were not the best, as in food dripped and splattered, but if Seymour were still here he wouldn’t be offended, he’d double-down, and make an excuse.

You see Seymour was a hypochondriac, he was always complaining about something. He was in the hospital when he signed Madonna. He couldn’t come out for Evelyn Ostin’s funeral because there was a problem with his leg… He’d shuffle along, ultimately with a cane, but that was Seymour, he was a fixture, you thought he’d be here forever. But he was pissed when Warner took the Sire name from him. How could anybody else run Sire?

So if you knew Seymour long enough you got his history. About going to Ohio for the summer to work for Syd Nathan. Most people in the music business this successful are thousand watt hustlers. Seymour’s light was turned down quite a bit. He was not a ranter and a raver, not that he couldn’t raise his voice, but he was more like that guy you knew in high school, who you talked to but seemed to be invisible to not only the girls, but the popular people.

Of course Seymour was gay. But it was a different era. I’ll leave it at that.

So, you’ve heard the stories about “Billboard,” etc., but the thing about Seymour is I’d hear from him on a regular basis, usually about songs I was completely unfamiliar with. They’d been hits in the forties, or fifties, even the thirties. He was inspired by something I wrote. This is not the kind of e-mail I get from most record execs. They might send you an album or a track they’re promoting, but to discuss music, during business hours…that’s for business.

With Seymour music came first.

And he was a fan.

Yes, he started licensing records from England. Did have success with Focus and “Hocus Pocus” and Fleetwood Mac, but… The best stories Seymour would tell were about signing English acts. It’s hard to believe, even long after the Beatles, but there were still English acts that went unnoticed in the U.S. Seymour wanted to get there first. So one day he read about an act in one of the English music papers, might have been the NME or “MelodyMaker,” and immediately went to the airport and took the Concorde to see them and sign them that night. He didn’t pack a suitcase, he didn’t bring any clothes. I think it was the Psychedelic Furs, don’t hold me to it.

And Seymour signed a lot of acts. And when money was short… He’d employ shenanigans to make sure he got the band.

He’d go to some publisher and say that really they should be in the record business. And if this publisher or other music business person would put up the money, they could be 50/50 partners with Seymour. He did this more than once. And ultimately, after selling Sire to Warner, they’d continually tell him he couldn’t get any more money, couldn’t sign any more acts, but that didn’t stop him, it was a passion, he had no time for the bean counters.

Not that he didn’t know how to make a deal. That’s how you get rich in the business, owning copyrights to your advantage.

And Seymour’s legend preceded him. With the CBGB scene if nothing else.

Believe me, unless you were living in NYC you didn’t know about CBGB’s. And the Ramones… Even aficionados didn’t know the band had released records until the second, “Leave Home.” It was only by time the third, “Rocket to Russia” with “Rockaway Beach,” was released, that people realized this was a real act, committed to success, much more talented than they’d originally perceived. You see the Ramones were seen as a novelty, a curio, a one and done. I mean when were they gonna give up on the joke? And just to be clear, you may see their t-shirts everywhere, but they never ever had a hit, and they toured in vans long after others had graduated to jets, which preceded the ubiquity of buses. And I wonder what was in the air in those vans that all four original members are now deceased.

And the Talking Heads couldn’t be more different from the Ramones. The only thing they really had in common was they both played CBGB’s. And were from a new, younger generation, not born in the forties, but the fifties. As for CBGB’s… Hilly Kristal pivoted from his original concept and hosted all these new acts when his original paradigm didn’t work. Politicians may not change their mind, but to succeed in art you must be ready to pivot, and it’s those with nothing, or very little, willing to put it all on the line, who succeed.

Not that Seymour was a complete anomaly. There were tons of New York music men who were younger than the fifties legends, who knew each other, who worked together, like Gary Kurfirst, who started as a promoter, managed Mountain and then the Talking Heads and more. It was a club. And the music came first. As much money as the Beatles made, big money for most acts didn’t come until Peter Grant flipped the script and demanded almost all of the cash from live shows go to the acts, in his case Led Zeppelin, which was a guaranteed sellout.

But then came the eighties, with the twin verticals of MTV and CDs and money rained down in heretofore unfathomable numbers. Before that you were a musical act, after that you were a brand. And then Kurt Cobain came along and once again upset the apple cart, by hearkening back to the days of punk. It might sound raw and edgy, but that does not mean it can’t have melody. The Ramones knew that.

As for Madonna… Seymour could see something.

Seymour was neither too big nor moving too fast to stop and talk to you, to call you, to spend time with you. And if you were with him one on one, in person, he’d start to smile and it made you feel good, makes me feel good just thinking about it now.

But there were the stories. Always the stories. There are plenty of people who can testify about post-Beatles music, but Seymour’s knowledge went way back, like I said, music came first. Mo Ostin fell into music. Clive Davis was a lawyer. Walter Yetnikoff? Even Bhaskar Menon… Seymour was sui generis, one of a kind.

And then when I got pemphigus foliaceus back in 2016… Seymour reached out and asked for my Jewish name, I had to call my mother to get it, I didn’t remember it, and then had a rabbi in Europe pray for me.

There’s humanity right there.

Seymour’s records are a legacy few can equal.

But if you knew Seymour… He wasn’t like anybody else, he was anything but aloof, you’d see him in some foreign country and he’d come up to you like you saw him yesterday. There was a lot of tragedy in his life, but he also touched a lot of people.

Including me.

P.S. I’m gonna print some e-mails I received over the years from Seymour to amplify my above points.

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Savoy Brown were one of the best of several British Blues bands produced by Mike Vernon.Another great Blues band Mike produced at Decca was Ten Years After.

Mike was at Decca, back in the mid-60’s.Like most staff producers, Mike could do just about anything.He produced David Bowie’s first recordings, released under his real name David Jones.

Perhaps best known for producing John Mayall’s Blues Breakerswhich provided launching pad for Eric Clapton. Other members included Peter Green,Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. The Blues Breakers we’re responsible for starting the British Blues movement in the UK. When any members asked Mayal for more money he would promptly fire them; seems there wasalways someone new ready to fill their shoes.

When Peter, Mick and John all confronted Mayall for a raise, thinking there might be strength in numbers, he fired them all. Mike Vernon suggested they start their own band and launched Blue Horizon Records, as home to Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, and the rest is history.

On Blue Horizon,Fleetwood Mac’s early hits included, “Albatross,” “Black Magic Woman” and “Need Your Love So Bad.”

Soon after, Mike signed Chicken Shack, fronted by Stan Webb with Christine (McVie) Perfect, on keyboards.Christine had her first hit, “I’d Rather Go Blind” on Blue Horizon, before leaving the band and eventually joining Fleetwood Mac.

Othergreat Blue Horizon artists were Duster Bennett and Johnny Almond.

Mike also brought Fleetwood Mac to Chess studios in Chicago and co- produced with Marshall Chess, an amazing set of recordings with blues greats Otis Spann,Willie Dixon and many of the other Chess blues players.

Mike Vernon is very much responsible for the British Blues movement in the UK.

In addition, Mike produced Sire’s first million selling single, “Hocus Pocus” and Gold album “Moving Waves” both by Dutch band, Focus, I signed to Sire.

Mike also produced an amazing album with Sire artist, Martha Velez, “Fiends and Angels,” which featured Eric Clapton, Stan Webb and Paul Kosoff, all on guitar,Christine Mc Vie on piano, Jack Bruce on bass, Brian Auger on organ, one of two fabulous albums Martha released on Sire.The other was “Escape From Babylon” produced in Jamaica by Bob Marley, early on in his career.Her version of “Get Up, Stand Up” was I believe, first recording of the song.

In my opinion, British Blues do not get enough credit for their contribution to music in the late 1960’s and beyond and most certainly Mike Vernon was greatly responsible for this.

All the best,

Seymour

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Ron Delsener was legendary in the live end of the business,when it was real struggle and and not always appreciated.

You had Bill Graham and Chet Helms in San Fransisco and Ronnie on the east coast.The role these men played in live end of Rock & Roll was monumental.I cherished the collection of 45’s I started amassing as a kid,but nothing matched those live events, which for me, as a kid, began with Alan Freed, first in Ohio and later in Brooklyn and Manhattan,which was my first mass exposure to live music,as a preteen kid beginning in Brooklyn at the Paramount and Fox Theatre’s during the Christmas and Easter breaks.and also R&B Jocks like WOV’s Jocko Henderson,Hal Jackson on WBLS others at the Apollo year round.

There were also similar radio shows in Chicago, hosted by E. Rodney Jones on great station, WVON, owned by the Chess brothers and live shows at the Regal,Jerry Blavat, Hot Rod, Fat Daddy and many others in Philadelphia, Baltimore and DC in Theatre’s like the Uptown. Royal and Howard.

One of my jobs, when I worked for King Records, still in my teens was going on the road with James Brown, when he headlined those shows.Only one who could compete on that level of performance was Jackie Wilson, a great athlete who could do many splits continuously on stage.

Marshall Chess, Leonard’s son and Ron Alexenberg would be good people to interview if you want top notch coverage of this live scene.

Only, just back in New York.Rough flight back.My bags missed the connection at Heathrow and only arrived 30 minutes ago.

All the best,

Seymour

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Mentoring taught and helped me achieve what I accomplished at Sire.Had many great mentors; Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler, Ahmet’s brother Nesuhi, Paul Ackerman and Tom Noonan at Billboard,George Goldner at Red Bird and others.

That said,Syd Nathan was most important mentor in my career.That is why book is dedicated to him

Just arrived in Mumbai, India, last night to attend two Music conferences.

I like Porter Wagoner, but if you want to hear best version of “A Satisfied Mind,” you should listen to the version by Jean Shepherd.With the exception of Kitty Wells, Jean was the best female country singer in the early 1950’s.

Jean also is great on “A Dear John Letter,” a duet with Ferlin Husky.

Kitty was amazing and her best recordings were answer songs, most famously “It Wasn’t G-d Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” in answer to Hank Thompson’s “Wild Side of Life” and also “Paying for That Back Street Affair,” in answer to “Back Street Affair” by Webb Pierce.Check them out.

Loving your Connecticut journals.Your mother sounds fabulous. You’re so lucky to have each other.

All the best,

Seymour

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With music it’s never the same, even if some of the new music bears more than slight resemblance to what might have preceded it, if not immediately, sometimes further back.

Yes, the Beatles helped bring rock into the LP business. Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and others sold millions of albums before the Beatles.Johnny Mathis’ Greatest Hits stayed on charts for almost 20 years or more.

There were a lot of Broadway musicals like “My Fair Lady” and numeroussoundtracks that sold millions as well.

Most best selling rock albums, pre Beatles were singles compilations.The Beatles created Rock albums from scratch.There’s a difference.

Music in many ways mirrors the times in which we live.Sometimes history repeats itself.

One day we should have dinner and discuss this all.Might have some time next week in between book signings and getting my Grammy.

Let’s talk about the podcast.Would enjoy that.

All the best,

Seymour

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“Prior to the Beatles, the music business was a backwater.”I beg to differ.Music was Never a backwater.

You refer to record companies, but there was a music business in the United States, before there were gramophones and records.

It all started with Tin Pan Alley in New Yorkand the emergence of great American songwriters.Almost every middle class family had a piano in their parlor and songs like “After the Ball” sold as many as five million copies or more back in the 1890’s when the population of USA was 63;000,000.

Music was greatly enhanced by the introduction and popularity of the phonograph, but suffered setbacks duringtheGreat Depression,temporarily with the advent of radio, which eventually turned out to be a great benefactor.

Talking pictures, both helped and somewhat hampered.The first talkie was a musical, “The Jazz Singer,” starring Al Jolson.Many of the most successful early talkies were musicals.Most earlyposters from that era have three bands on the bottom that proclaim in both size and order “All singing,” “All dancing” “AllTalking”.

You make think that info from almost 100 years ago is irrelevant, but I would like to think that the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Tommy Dorsey and others, perhaps even some on Sire like the Ramones, Talking Heads, Madonna, Pretenders, Depeche Mode, Replacements, Smith’s, Cure, Cult, k.d.lang, And artists I picked up late in the game like Lou Reed, Cyndi Lauper and Brian Wilson,will still be remembered and cherished.

The music business goes back hundreds of years and superstars like Beethoven,Bach, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and many others.Their fans were royalty and the elite, a relatively small market and yet their music survives.

I’m a huge fan of the Beatles, but without the music they heard from the United States, and their initial A&R man, German composer, producer, Bert Kaempfert, who produced their earliest recordings during their days in Hamburg.

Kaempfert had his own #1 in us with “Wonderland By Night” and also wrote “Strangers in the Night,” for Sinatra,“Spanish Eyes,” “Wooden Heart,” “Danke Schoen” and others.

Please don’t get me wrong.I love, love, lovethe Beatles. Knew and met them all. John Lennon and his then, girlfriend, May Pang, visited my apartment, where Elton John was staying with me and my wife Linda on the Thanksgiving Day, just before John and Elton performed “Whatever Gets You Through the Night.” I’ve also taught at RADA, Paul McCartney’s University in Liverpool. Was just in Liverpool last month,which remains one of the greatest music cities in the world.

I researched and see you were born in 1953, probably nine or ten when you first heard the Beatles,a time when lasting memories begin and are held forever.

When I was a lad, I heard Hank Williams, Fats Domino,doo-wop like “Gee” by the Crows, “Sh-Boom” by the Chords and “Hearts of Stone” by Otis Williams and the Charms and early Elvis on Sun. Years later, I was fortunate enough to work with some of the men behind those records, like Syd Nathan at King Records, Ahmet Ertegun at Atlantic and George Goldner, then at Red Bird; all later became mentors of mine. The music and memories stick with me to this day.

The years in which we were born, to a large extent,shape our taste in music and will continue to do so in future.

Much of what you say is correct,Most of all, “The music will change, that we know for sure, it always does”.

Please let me have your thoughts when you can.Really value your input.

Hope you are feeling and doing well.

All the best,

Seymour

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Barry McGuire??? You’ve got to be kidding. “Eve of Destruction” was an incredible song, but give credit where is credit is due; to the writers, P.F. Sloan, Steve Barri, and Lou Adler.

 

The real pioneering artists of that period were, of course, The Weavers, and in particular, Pete Seeger, but also Lee Hays, Ronnie Gilbert, and Fred Hellerman; and of course Joan Baez, an early supporter and believer in Bob Dylan, who helped nurture his career early on.

 

Tim Hardin was another great writer; “Reason To Believe,” “The Lady Came from Baltimore,” “If I Were A Carpenter,” “Misty Roses,” and others. One can only imagine how many more important songs he would’ve penned had he not died so young.

 

All the best,

 

Seymour Stein

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As far as I recall, the term reggae was not used until around 1968.

“The Tide is High” is more Rocksteady and a hit first for it’s writer, John Holt and his band, the Paragons in 1966

They are notto be confused with 1950’sdoo-wop group, The Paragons, from Brooklyn, who had great success with “Florence” and “Let’s Start Over Again” on the Winley label;also home to the Jesters.

No need to print this,

Best,

Seymour

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You’re right about Bill Haley, one listen to original “Shake, Rattle & Roll” by Joe Turner says it all.Bill Haley & the Comets owe their limited success to “Blackboard Jungle” using “Rock Around the Clock” the film and to one of the greatest, A&R men and producers, Milt Gabler at Decca.

Chuck Berry was great, perhaps the greatest.He wrote great POP songs in the early days of Rock & Roll.His only rival in that respect was Otis Blackwell, ” Don’t Be Cruel,” “All Shook Up,” “Return to Sender,” for Elvis;”Fever” for Little Willie John,”Great Balls of Fire” and “Breathless”, for Jerry Lee Lewis, “Handy Man for Jimmy James,”Hey Little Girl” for Dee Clark and more.

As a performer few could come close to Chuck.But,Little Richard was incredible liveand for all his 250 pounds, Fats Domino could move and pump that piano across stage with amazing grace.Jerry Lee Lewis; also amazing.They’re about all of the great ones from those early days, still alive and hopefully kicking.

Sam Cooke, James Brown, Clyde McPhatter, Jackie Wilson, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Hank Ballard, Tony Williams of the Platters and one, not yet inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Ivory Joe Hunter, who I regard as the missing link between Country and R&B with songs he wrote and recorded like, “I Almost Lost My Mind” and “Since I Met You Baby”.

Also, lest not forget Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who together wrote and often produced some of the greatest early Rock & Roll records ever.

“Hail, Hail, Rock & Roll

Deliver me from the days of old

Long live Rock & Roll

The best of the drum is loud and bold” b

Seymour Stein

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Believe Sly also produced “C’mon and Swim” by Bobby Freeman on Autumn. Sly was an amazing talent.

Donahue had a partner in Autumn, Bob Mitchell, also a disk-jockey.

The Fleetwoods were an amazing group, from Washington state, who like the Beau Brummels were two-hit wonders,but what hits, “Come Softly to Me” and even better in my opinion, “Mr. Blue” only difference is that both were number 1’s.They also scored with a revival of Thomas Wayne’s, “Tragedy,” and then faded away.

All the best,

Seymour

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Roger Miller was most of all a great songwriter. One of his earliest and I believe his first hit was “When Two Worlds Collide” on RCA Victor.

Two of his great early compositions were “Invitation to the Blues,” a major hit for Ray Price  on Columbia and “Billy Bayou,” an early hit for Jim Reeves on RCA Victor.

Roger had been around for several years.It was Mercury/Smash A&R man Shelby Singleton’s belief in Miller that really helped his career take off.Singleton sadly is not given all the credit he deserves and was an incredible Music Man and even more incredible character.

It was Shelby who introduced me to Roger Miller, who I met just once in NY, when we all had dinner at Trader Vic’s, around the corner from the old Mercury offices on 5th Avenue.

Thanks for bringing back those memories.Try to listen to those Roger Miller songs.”When Two Worlds Collide” and “Invitation to the Blues” both show a more serious side to his writing

talents.

All the best,

Seymour.

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Wow! Two Sire acts mentioned and both favorably.Thanks for that!After three days and nights at Great Escape in Brighton, I’m on my way to Music Matters in Singapore. Really looking forward to it. Missed it last year and really regretted it. Madonna and Talking Heads were so great. Ramones, Pretenders, and so many others.Thanks for reminding me how lucky I’ve been.

Yes, BOOK OF MORMON is wonderful.But, the real ground breaking Rock musical was HAIR.The powers that be at the time, the Shubert’s and others wouldn’t even let in on Broadway. I’m told that when Joe Papp put in on at his Theatre, they pressured him to close it. Don’t know how accurate that is.

I got an invite to uptown opening of HAIR, when I was working for George Goldner, the legendary Rock indie.They couldn’t get it into a theatre, so it played at discotheque across from the Brill Building, The Cheetah. Went there with Ellie Greenwich, Shadow Morton and legendary groupie, my dear friend Roberta Goldstein. We all loved it. It had five hit singles come out of it. That hadn’t happened since the Gershwin’s, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and Rodger,s and Hart (and Hammerstein) were there back in the 30’s through early 50’s.

Those Brill Building days, working at Red Bird Records, just before starting Sire with Richard Gottehrer were among the happiest of my life.

If you’re still in London check out new Helen Mirren play,it’s Brilliant.If by chance, you’re back at MusicMatters again this year, look forward to seeing you.

All the best,

Seymour

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Try to make it out to MOSCA’S, in Avondale, just over the Mississippi Bridge.

Best food in the area.Legend has it that when Al Capone was arrested back in the ’40’s, his chef, MOSCA was kidnapped for his own protection and brought down to New Orleans.The local Mafia had him cook for them.

When Capone died about three years later, they helped the chef open his own place.The food is a combination, New Orleans/Sicilian.Oysters Mosca and Shrimps Mosca the best, also the spaghetti.All guaranteed to please.Today, the restaurant is run by his son and daughter, who closely guard the old recipes.

Other favorites Clancy’s, Commander’s Palace and for quick lunch in quarter, Le Bon Ton Cafe.

If you have extra time, check out the music and food up in Lafayette, Zydeco  capital of the world and restaurants, Prejean’s and also Don’s, both Cajun style. Musically, there’s usually something always going on, on the weekend.

We all owe New Orleans a great debt for it’s contribution to Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll and of course Jazz.Back in the early 50’s and earlier all the r & b indies, Atlantic, Specialty, King, Imperial, Chess, Aladdin, Modern had scouts in  New Orleans mining the area for talent.

I’m in Liverpool at the moment, at Liverpool Sound City.

All the best

Seymour

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Just read yesterday’s blog.Bought back a distant memory from the past.

Jack Pearl was one of those 1950/1960’s era music lawyers who
represented my great mentor Syd Nathan of King Record’s, but also
represented James Brown, Kings biggest artist and Ben Bart, James
Brown’s manager.In addition, Jack was married to Ben Bart’s sister.
He was very smart but quite nasty and mean.When anyone spoke about
being poor, he would say, “being poor is nothing to be ashamed of, but that doesn’t mean you should go around bragging about it”.

By the way, really enjoyed your blog about old, top 40 hit singles.I
really like “Down in the boondocks” by Billy Joe Royal, quite a good
singer.The real star there was Joe South who wrote the song and lots
of the other great ones like “You’re the reason”, “Games People Play”
and “I never promised you a rose garden”.

Both Billy Joe Royal and Joe South were mentored by Bill Lowrey of
Lowrey Music publishing; the company that first put Atlanta on the map
musically back in the late 50’s and early 1960’s.

Good seeing you in Toronto

All the Best

Seymour

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Back in (58 or 59) when I was still in my teens, a group The Fleetwoods
who I believe came out of Seattle, at least that’s where their label
Dolton was headquartered they had only two real hits “Come Softly To Me” and “Mr. Blue” both # 1’s.They also had a top ten “Tragedy” a
re-record of Thomas Wayne’s original a few years before.

Many years later, an A&R man at Warner Bros. played me “I Melt With You” by Modern English on 4AD. I said, “If it’s available grab it and put it
out. “He replied, “Why don’t you pick it up, that was the only thing I
heard that was any good of theirs.”

I did exactly that, licensing it from Martin Mills and like the French
auctioneer says before he slams the hammer down Pas de regret.My
answer an emphatic, NO!” I Melt With You” was the band’s only hit, but
it’s a classic!

“He who hesitates is lost.”

All the best,
Seymour

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Discovering that Candi Staton’s “He Called Me Baby” is a song rooted in country should not come as a surprise.Country and Western and Rhythm and Blues are much closer than people realize.When you consider the roots both lie in the South, it’s really no surprise.King Records where I got my education was in Cincinnati, on the Kentucky border and very much influenced by both genres.Syd Nathan would often take songs recorded by his country acts and record them by R&B acts.Two that come to mind are “Blood Shot Eyes” by Hank Penny also massively successful in R&B by Wynonie Harris and”Signed, Sealed and Delivered” a number one
country smash for Cowboy Copas, was later done successfully by James
Brown.

Paul Ackerman, the legendary music editor of Billboard and Rock & Roll
Hall Of Fame inductee gave Jerry Wexler the country song “Just Out Of
Reach”which was Solomon Burke’s debut after he left Apollo Records to
join Atlantic.The original country and western version was on the Four
Star label.I forget the group.

Perhaps, the greatest of all examples was Ray Charles classic album
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music and brought the artist to the mainstream.The hit single, “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was written by
Don Gibson for Kitty Wells and was a hit in both fields.Other songs of
note on the album were “Born To Lose” and two Floyd Tillman tunes “It
Makes No Difference Now” and “I Love You So Much It Hurts” as well as
three Hank William’s classics “Hey Goodlookin'””You Win Again,” and
“Half As Much.”

Pop A&R men like Mitch Miller at Columbia and Hugo Winterhalter were
also quick to spot country classics and record them by pop acts in the
days just before the beginning of Rock & Roll.Miller had great success
with “Cold Cold Heart” by Tony Bennett.”You Belong To Me” by Joe
Stafford.”Half As Much” by Rosemary Clooney and later in the early
days of rock with Guy Mitchell’s “Singin’ The Blues” and “Heartaches By
The Number” originally introduced in country by Marty Robbins and Ray
Price respectively.Winterhalter produced Eddie Fisher with Eddy
Arnold’s massive country hit “Anytime”and also Slim Willet’s “Don’t
Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes” a number one for Perry Como.

Perhaps the best example of pop goes country is Patti Pages’ “Tennessee
Waltz” written by Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart produced by either her
manager Jack Rael or Mercury exec Art Talmadge, I can’t recall.First a
hit in country in versions by Cowboy Copas and Pee Wee King.Patti
Pages’, one of the first “multi-track” recordings spent over three
months at the top of the pop charts.

Listened to Candi Staton’s”He Called Me Baby” and like it a lot.If
you’re not familiar with Little Esther Phillips version of “Release Me,”
I think you’ll enjoy it.Originally a country hit both for Kitty Wells
and Ray Price.Any of these three versions far superior to Englebert
Humperdinck in 1967.All this just goes to prove is a great song is a
great song; back in the 50’s and 60’s and still true today.

Good to hear you’ll be in Toronto.Look forward to seeing you at
Canadian Music Week.

Best Regards,
Seymour

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Back in the day before Chrysalis Records there was the Ellis-Wright
Organization with a small office, I believe at 123 Regents St. with just
Chris and Terry and their secretary Rose.I knew them through Mike
Vernon, my partner and founder of Blue Horizon Records original home to Peter Greene’s Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack which featured Christine Perfect (later McVie) on Piano.Mike was also a star producer at
British Decca where he produced John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, Eric
Clapton, Keef Hartley, Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, and two bands looked
after by Ellis Wright: Ten Years After and also Savoy Brown Blues Band.
Mike also produced David Bowie’s first album for Decca.

Back then, I always had a complex about the fact that I couldn’t play an
instrument.I was in the music business since age 14 working at
Billboard while in school and later for Syd Nathan at King Records and
finally for George Goldner at Redbird Records and his partners Leiber &
Stoller in the Brill Building.I was in the business, but couldn’t
play.It really bothered me.It was in the Brill Building that I met
Richard Gottehrer who was to become my partner and close friend in Sire
Records.Richard’s company FGG Productions was on the 10th Floor and
Redbird was on the 9th Floor of this fabled building.Richard was a
great and gifted musician (as well as songwriter/producer/artist) When
we started Sire my complex about not being a musician grew even greater.

One day in London I went with Mike Vernon and his then engineer Gus
Dudgeon, (later Elton John’s producer) to the Windsor Pop and Jazz
Festival where some of our Blue Horizon artists were playing.There was
this one new band managed by Chris and Terry.They took the stage and
stole the show.I couldn’t believe how great they were. The minute
their set was over I turned to Mike and said, “We ought to sign this
band to Blue Horizon, you know they are looked after by Chris and
Terry.”Mike turned to me and said, “Seymour, I don’t want to work with
a band fronted by a flautist.”My heart sank!

I turned to Gus Dudgeon and said “Gus, please help me. Tell Mike we
should try to sign this band.”Gus turned to me and said, “Seymour,
obviously you don’t play a musical instrument.If you did you would
have heard all the bad notes the band hit.”I couldn’t believe what I
was hearing.The band was of course Jethro Tull.Jethro Tull launched
the Chrysalis label which along with Island and Virgin were the three
great English Indie labels that emerged in the early 1970’s.

I am happy that Warner Music Group played a major role in the launch of
these labels in the United States.I am also happy that about two years
later when I found and signed the Dutch band Focus featuring Thijs van
Leer on flute and Jan Akkermann on guitar. I took the demos to Mike
Vernon and said, “I don’t care if you like flautists or not you’re
producing this record.”That album “Moving Ways” was Sire’s first
platinum record and helped keep our doors open ’til I discovered CBGB’s
and along with it The Ramones and Talking Heads.By that time Richard
Gottehrer had left Sire, but found and produced Blondie so we were both
well on our way.

Perhaps most important of all, after that incident at the Windsor Pop &
Jazz Festival, I was never again bothered that I couldn’t play an
instrument.Finding and signing the artists, hearing hit songs are more
than enough for me and have served me well over the years.Had I
followed Gus Dudgeon’s rules I would have never signed The Ramones, the
band that opened up all the doors and along with Talking Heads landed
Sire the deal with Mo and Lenny at Warner’s.

Thank you Chris, thank you Terry.

-Seymour Stein

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Last night, 13th January, I journeyed up to United House of Prayer in Harlem to attend the funeral and pay tribute to a true industry giant, record producer Bobby Robinson. His hit R&B productions included “Kansas City” by Wilbert Harrison, “Every Beat Of My Heart” the record that launched the career of Gladys Knight and the Pips.The amazing New Orleans smash “Ya Ya” by Lee Dorsey.“Soul Twist”by King Curtis and the iconic “Fannie May” by Buster Brown – that song surely must have inspired Brian Wilson when composing “Help Me Rhonda” for the Beach Boys.Robinson also produced some of Elmore James’ best recordings including “The Sun Is Crying” and some of the greatest ever doo-wop like “I’m So Happy” and  “Honey Honey” by Lewis Lyman and the Teenchords (Frankie’s brother).“Oh Gee, Oh Gosh” by the Kodoks and numerous hits by The Velvets, The Channels, and The Scarlets.

 

A pioneer in hip-hop, later on in his career Bobby produced early recordings by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five.The Funky Four Plus One More, Kool Moe Dee to name a few.

 

Bobby’s career in music began in 1946 when he opened Bobby’s Record Shop, the first black owned business on West 125th St., a favorite hang out for r&b stars appearing down the street at the Apollo.Back during my days at King Records in the early 1960’s I went up to Bobby’s with Hank Ballard and James Brown.My boss Syd Nathan thought Bobby was the best r&b producer at that time.Bobby had a great audio system blasting the music out on to the street attracting huge crowds.He called it his radio station, W-BOBBY.

 

Bobby’s various labels over 60 years in the business included Fire, Fury, Everlast, Enjoy, Whirlin’ Disc.He was 93 and still active.Sadly turnout from the music community was minimal, Tom Silverman of Tommy Boy, writer Andy Schwartz and a few others.Paul Winley of Winley Records home to 1950’s doo-woppers The Paragons and the Jesters made a touching tribute, Congressman Charlie Rangel made the opening remarks.

 

Bobby Robinson, a true legend and hopefully a future Rock & Roll Hall of Famer.

_________________

I could not agree more that Linda Ronstadt belongs in the Rock and Roll of Fame.I do believe her admission is inevitable, too bad it’s so long
overdue.

Feel the same about the Moody Blues, Chuck Willis, Joe Tex, The
Searchers, Carly Simon, Chicago and many others.

Thanks for your mention of “Tainted Love”.So proud to have had Soft
Cell on Sire.Thought it was a natural, took so long to work its way up
the chart and it spent a total of 43 weeks on the hot 100 as it broke
from city to city.”Tainted Love” was written by Ed Cobb, leader of the
1950’s group, the Four Preps; most famous for hits “Twenty Six Miles”
and “Big Man”.I loved their spoof on groups “More Money for You and
Me”, not quite as big a hit but memorable.

In your discussion of songwriters who are also artists.Please remember
that Bobby Darin wrote “Early in the Morning”, recorded under the name
the Rinkidinks on ATCO which was also a hit for Buddy Holly.

Hall of Famer, Gene Pitney actually started as a songwriter, writing
hits like “Hello Mary Lou” for Ricky Nelson, “Rubber Ball” for Bobby Vee
and “He’s a Rebel” for the Crystals.All this came before his first
solo hit, “The Man who Shot Liberty Valance”.Gene is best remembered
for “Only Love can Breaka Heart” and “It Hurts to be in Love”.

Country great Don Gibson wrote “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and stuck it on
the b side of his country/pop smash “Oh Lonesome Me”.He actually wrote
it for Kitty Wells, “Queen of country music” who took it to number three
on the country charts in 1958.Other versions in country included Faron
Young in 1956, Patsy Cline in 1963 and Emmy Lou Harris in 1976.

“Oh Lonesome Me” was recorded by Neil Young on “After the Goldrush” LP.

“I Can’t Stop Loving You” changed the life and career of Ray Charles as
it was the prime track on his “Modern Sounds” in Country and Western
music.The single was Ray Charles biggest ever, same with the album.

Joe South, country singer songwriter most famous for “Games People Play”
back in 1969 is also the writer of “Down in the Boondocks” by Billie Joe
Royal.”Hush” by Deep Purple and Billie Joe Royal, “I never Promised
You a Rose Garden” by Lynn Anderson and “Birds of a feather” by Paul
Revere and the Raiders.

The great Ivory Joe Hunter who surely belongs in the Rock and Roll hall
of Fame is perhaps best known for “Since I Met You Baby” which he wrote
and recorded for Atlantic back in 1956. The song became a number one
country hit years later by Sonny James.Hunter also wrote, “Out of
Sight, Out of Mind” for doo wop group, the 5 Keys and three Elvis
Presley songs “Ain’t that loving you Baby”, “My Wish Came True” and “I
Need You So”.

When I first heard Tim Hardin, I thought he would have an incredible
career as singer songwriter.Tragically, his life was cut short but not
before writing some of the great songs of the 1960’s and 70’s including,
“Reasons to Believe”, “If I Were a Carpenter”, “The Lady Came from
Baltimore”, “Misty Roses”, “Don’t Make Promises” and also “How Nice we
Hang on to a Dream”, recorded by Echo and the Bunnymen on Sire.

The songwriter is the key to everything.So great you spent so much
time outlining this in your recent blog post.

Glad you made mention of Hank Williams, my all-time favorite.I’m sure
you’re familiar with songs he wrote and recorded under the name Luke the
Drifter like “Pictures from Life’s other Side” and “Be Careful of the
Stones That you Throw”, a hit years later for Dion (DiMucci)

Pat Boone who I feel is somewhat underrated because of his pop cover
versions of songs by Fats Domino, Little Richard and others recorded “I
Almost Lost My Mind”, in my opinion Hunter’s best ever song and Boones
best ever recording.Was not technically a cover because Hunter’s
recording was from 1950, Boones from 1956 when it spent four weeks at
number one. . . . . . same year Elvis was at number 1 with “Heartbreak
Hotel”, “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You”, “Don’t be Cruel”/”Hound
Dog” and “Love Me Tender”.

Dion, who gave up his seat to Buddy Holly on that an ill-fated plane.
Buddy was anxious to get back to his bride, Maria Elena.

Finally, can’t leave out of the list J.D Souther, whose songs like “New
Kid in Town” and “Best of my Love” are classics, but was a damn good
artist as well.

All the best,

Seymour

P.S Hardly ever write responses although I am an avid reader.Feeling
quite sentimental this past week.The passing of several friends, some
unexpected like Pete Bennett and Mickey ‘Guitar’ Baker.Others who have
been sick for a very long time like legendary live agent Frank Barsalona
and Broadway producer, Marty Richards.

_________________

“Keith and I trolled the Brill Building for songs in the summer of ‘ 64. Nobody would see us except Seymour. He was at Red Bird Records doing promo for Lieber & Stoller. He gave us ‘Down Home Girl’ by Alvin Robinson. We cut it with the Stones. Seymour had the ears of an angel and vinyl blood.”

Andrew Loog Oldham