As fans anticipate the forthcoming release of 13 previously 'unreleased' tracks from the Motown period of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons career I can't help thinking of four fans who contributed so much to fandom over the last 45 years and who would have been so excited at what we are trying to achieve in the forthcoming Snapper Box Set. Whilst I can say 'I told you so!' re the titles that have turned up as superb and complete productions, these guys were out there trying to tell the story and get the music for the fans before me and I can't play the tracks coming out without wishing they were still with us to share the happiness.
Rex Woodard contributed greatly to 'The Work' which would provide the key information to allow Jersey Boys to be created and his Billboard Articles re the history of The Four Lovers and The Four Seasons up to and beyond Motown are important reference points today in their bibliography. He provided many News articles for George Ingram's bi-yearly Newsletters during the 1970s and 80s and was a sad loss in 1991.
Frank Rovello worked heroically as a USA fan club pioneer and webmaster of the GILG web site. A terrific reference source for Four Seasons fans from 1997 till his premature passing. He collated their story and documented group news since.
Stefan Wriedt in Germany collected and re-mastered all of the Frankie Valli/Four Lovers tracks for the Bear Records collection and The First Fantastic Years [1953 to 1961] CD as well as putting 21 of the 22 released Motown vinyl tracks on CD for the first time on The Night/Inside You CD.
But just as significantly for today...... Stuart Miller[Ex UK Four Seasons Fan Club President in 1971] started the search for the Motown 'Unreleased' with his 1972 Newsletter piece and his 1972 interview with Bob Gaudio. Here is an extract from a past blog post by me......re the interview.
'The most significant interview from the Motown period was by the late Stuart Miller who visited LA to interview Bob Gaudio on 14th September 1972. At the time the UK Mowest label was soon to be launched and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons had recorded up to 30 tracks at the label and the US release of 'Walk On, Don't Look Back' had just happened. Stuart best remembers the situation in his CD note of the interview recording.
“But I remember mentally where I was at the time and I feel my instincts were right. The group had just taken a major step in signing to a label that at first glance was not a natural home to them. Their chart success had slackened off and they had deviated away from their regular style that had been so successful for them and had been "messing" with stuff like Genuine Imitation Life. I had before me the heart and driving force of the group and I was demanding answers! "What are you doing with my 4 Seasons and when will you start making records again that the public want to buy?" seemed to be the essence of my attitude. I felt I drove Bob on to the back foot so to speak and I thought he dealt with the lobs I was chucking at him with panache and style.“
The interview covers all aspects of how Bob Gaudio took the Four Seasons sound into Motown and how 'Chameleon'written largely during the UK tour was delayed by technical issues and the start-up problems that Mowest had, which resulted in poor promotion. Bob's relationship with Bob Crewe is starkly revealed as is Bob Gaudio's writing style. The conflict of the Four Seasons past and present sound is explored.
Bob said at the time that he believes that 'if you make good product....somewhere along the line someone's gonna buy it' and this stands out as a comment. [even more so today.as the Snapper Project gathers it..ed] At no time does he criticise Mowest nor does he accept claims that the 'Chameleon' album is un-commercial (a criticism some fans made)as at the time he believed there was no 'commercial' chart formula for pop music and fans needed to move on and accept a new sounding Four Seasons. But if not and 'Walk On Don't Look Back' is the re-worked Four Seasons sound fans want and buy then Bob was happy to get someone else producing their subsequent hit records. It was fascinating perspective.....but not one that came to pass.....the next 2 years would be a roller coaster at the label.
It was a clear crossroads.......and the Motown Tape Index for this time shows this as they explored change of style and sound at Mowest up to this date. It also gives an indication of the next year's events and the further exploration of musical directions.
But what changed after this interview is significant as this Snapper release will show. Michael Masser, Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe would go on in 1973 to produce some of the most stunning tracks of their time at the label. And this year we will see that all was not confusion at Motown in 1973 in terms of recordings......but they failed to release the quality material they had then even though some Motown Exec's clearly wanted to. They lost their relationship with the Partnership and Bob Crewe and THEY moved on.....leaving what is now becoming apparent are some amazing songs that fans are now going to hear.
As Stuart recalled...”Nevertheless, I was left with this marvelous timepiece in Season's history.“ ....and it has great significance now as I continue to campaign to hear the lost recordings.
What has happened since Stuart reviewed this interview is significant....and clearly JB changed everything. But looking at what remains unheard at Motown only makes any fan want to have the gaps in this part of the story filled in and the music published. It reinforces for me the importance of maintaining this group[ie the FB Campaign group] and it's objectives to achieve that.
The interview is a good listen for group members who share my interest in the 1971/72 recordings [and there remains much to uncover here] and Frank Rovello put the Interview on the GILG web site which was handed back to Frankie Valli's management upon Frank's passing. Unfortunately the subscription lapsed and all of the site and it's data was tragically lost.
Maybe I should salvage the Interview as a podcast and put it in our Facebook Campaign group sometime.?
So with only 13 more tracks and potentially 15+ still on the multi-track tapes which are now in Bob Gaudio's possession, you can guess what we will be asking for at the Box Set launch......more please Bob? Thank you Rex, Frank, Stuart and Stefan for helping us get here. The story is still unravelling. Ken Charmer
PS. The full CD information and text is available at The Four Seasons Motown Unreleased Campaign on Facebook.
Recent Comments