Plenty of UK activity to interest UK fans this summer with 2 CD releases in the space of a few weeks and a UK visit to promote one. Yes Frankie Valli is keeping busy at 77 visiting the UK and Rhino once again tap into the back catalogue with TV promotion. And there is even a TV ad campaign that shows John Paiva, Don Ciccone, Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro with Frankie and includes a very brief old Top Of the Pops clip of Frankie with Gerry singing ‘Oh What A Night’ We have already told Lee and John to put their claim in for a royalty cheque!
Rhino’s latest re-issue compilation entered the album charts after the TV promo and hit its peak last week. As Phil Elms said…”Working My Way Back To You, the new compilation album by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is due to take a tumble in the UK album chart this weekend. Having entered the chart at No 12, its current midweek placing is No 23, which is often a fair indicator of its weekend spot (give or take a few places). Based on limited information available (to me, at least), I would say the album sold about 11,000 copies in its first chart week and will probably sell 3 or 4,000 this week. That seems pretty good to me, considering most of the tracks have appeared on so many previous compilation albums.”
Valli appeared in and interview on BBC Radio 4 last night which you can still catch here!
The other CD release traces the ‘Roots of The Four Seasons’ ( a possible bootleg issue) and their pre-Four Seasons search for a hitsound as the Four Lovers, Billy Dixon and the Topics and other group names but interestingly this set includes 2 Gaudio efforts with the Royal Teens. The set covers 1953 to 1961 but not comprehensively. We will soon publish the full sessionography of these early years working with Bob Crewe.
Visit our updated CD Discography for links to purchase these if you are so inclined. Nothing previously un-released but maybe some well mastered versions of songs we already have. We’ll report re the sound quality and any alternate versions at a future date.
Other news is that the Hit Men are working away through the summer with some great dates .
July 15
Their latest performance was at Lee Shapiro’s daughter’s wedding last week when with a 12 piece band they appeared to perform ‘Who Loves You’ and ‘December 1963’ and as Lee told us….”Gerry was in such good voice that it sounded just like the record……and none of the sound-alike groups can get that sound”
Frankie Valli was invited but due to performing commitments was unable to attend. However he sent a message to the bridegroom that he had better look after her …or else!
More news from Lee is that he and John Paiva have been recording together…whilst still being 3000 miles apart. They have just completed around 50 instrumental tracks from funk-jazz to surf music. Fabulous arrangements and stunning guitar work are the highlight of these sessions and a very 70s feel reminiscent of the instrumental style of ‘Swearing to God’ on some of the tracks. News is that they have completed a new CD ‘Cut The Sheet’ and this we hope will be available soon. We hope to get a special interview with John and Lee re this to feature on this blog with a sample track.
Some argue that the current fascination with past music glory (like the success of Jersey Boys) is stifling Pop Culture. We don’t believe that and this site is dedicated to preserving the past glories of a great group and it’s various line-ups. You can read an in-depth argument re this subject here……(check out the comments) but it is not the re-mixing of past music that is a problem. We believe the ‘real’ sound of the Four Seasons in the 60s and 70s is in danger of being lost as CD production and the proliferation of many incorrect masters continues. It remains to be seen if this NEW compilation continues that trend.
In the meantime our sound engineers have just completed a re-mastering of the original album Edizione D’Oro in full STEREO (unlike the ACE 1996 re-issue which was mainly MONO) and this will be in our library by the end of summer.
So too will our project to recover the MONO masters from the GONE and Vee-Jay period. Over 40 tracks recovered from 45 and album vinyl with that true sound that everyone bought back then. Preserved uniquely, as it was recorded, with warmth and ambience and not like the over-loud and dry sound of many of today’s CD’s.(eg Jersey Beat)
Casey Chameleon
PS June 14th sees the release of the Mowest Story which features 3 tracks by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons lifted from the 'Chameleon' album
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