That 'Four Seasons' Sound

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_130 – "THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF THE FOUR SEASONS – PART ONE

It is not often that we come across a programme well researched and told by top DJ's in an entertaining and engaging podcast that you can enjoy or download. Last week Part One of this two Part Series hit the internet and it is highly recommended to all Four Seasons fans. This is their introduction.

“This is part one of our two-part salute to a group whose incredible career has been celebrated on stage and screen in “The Jersey Boys.” They’re the Four Seasons. We’ll chronicle all of their hit singles, as we track their tunes – collectively as a group – and individually as soloists from the 1953 to 2020.

On this episode, we’ll cover their music through the year 1966. We’re joined by one of our frequent guest experts – Nay Nassar – a leading authority on 1950s and 1960s vocal groups. And our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, has sage perspectives on how the Four Seasons developed their distinctive sound. Plus, more of Ken’s customary factoids, including the Four Seasons unique connections with the Beatles and the Beach Boys. And Radio Dave will have more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record. Including some truly rare and scratchy answer songs by other artists who pressed platters in response to some of the Four Seasons greatest hits. Then there’s also the genesis of Frankie Valli’s solo career while simultaneously serving as the lead singer on almost all Four Seasons hit singles.”

The punchy DJ and Factoid experts fire facts from the early years of their career and feature all the hits in context as well as elements of the backing work pre Four Seasons and the key work of the members. The Unusual Instruments feature focused on Bob Crewe production style is really good

The Guys who research produce and deliver it have good credentials. "Radio Dave” Milberg is the host according to his biography, since 1965 he has worked as a DJ at stations 9n Detroit, Ann Arbor, Cincinnati (hence the reference to WLW-AM on this podcast), Chicago, Sarasota and Bradenton. He is also a lawyer.
Ken Deutsch is a former disc jockey, former TV director and former owner of a recording studio that specialized in radio jingles.

As Music Detectives and collectors ourselves we have our own observations that are not criticisms, but just observation of the sound and factoids presented. It is not easy to assemble so much specialty knowledge in such a format and get everything right. We found only one error and that is that the Four Seasons-Beach Boys 'Duet' of 'East Meets West was a 1984 release and not 1980.

The presentation of so many works they backed artists on in Bob Crewe's collection of artists is really well summarised with great tracks as is the well presented 'road from 1953 to The Four Seasons birth' [but not in it's timeline in the presentation]

And it would have been good to have had the Four Seasons 'HITS” samples in MONO instead of STEREO [as they were heard in MONO on radio at the time]. But as these are not generally available except on the Jersey Beat Box Set from 2007[and these are poor quality MONO versions]......so STEREO was probably the only choice possible until the Snapper Box Set comes out later this year.

The only major factual error is that Tommy's debt problems with the Mafia did not arise in 1965 . They were uncovered in 1968/69. Frankie Valli going solo and creating the Wonder Who to pay the bills is not correct. Frankie always wanted a solo career and Philips were reluctant......so he and Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio started recording him solo on Smash Records. Also the Wonder Who concept was an accidental novelty track during recording and Philips wanted it released but not to compete with 'Let's Hang On' in 1965 when it was flying high into the charts. Hence The Wonder Who.

Don't miss this, it is highly recommended. Click this link.

https://rareandscratchyrocknroll.libsyn.com

Part 2 is coming next week

Casey Chameleon

Major NEW Bob Crewe Book

We have for many years researched the musical work of Bob Crewe with all of his musical recording artists but more intensely with The Four Seasons and Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Charles Calello and Artie Schroeck. The fact that Bob never got the biography done he was planning was always a disappointment to me. His fall in 2012 and subsequent deeply sad passing in 2014 prevented that from happening, and the lack of a portrayal of his music production career apart from the long deleted 'The DynaVoice Story' was simply criminal.

So the news of the forthcoming Monograph book, Bob Crewe – Sight And Sound [Compositions In Art and Music] is very welcome.

Download Bob Crewe UK PR

Published on 26^th March 2021 [see the Press Release above] it is dominated by his artworks which in themselves are quite stunning, and it gives a window into his flamboyant nature as well as his life and the highs and lows of being a top producer and a bisexual man during the less accepted times of homosexuality in society during his career. Donald Albrecht's essay particularly shows the life of a 'queer' [as he is described] as this was how society generally in mid 20^th Century times identified his sexuality and labelled him, and others. His rise above this is well portrayed whilst his sensitivity to it stayed inside. He worked and mixed in 'gay' communities and was accepted and respected by singers and musicians he worked and associated. He made careers for many artists throughout the 60s. His battle with personal crises is documented as is his sobriety as he turned to art again in his post 1980 years.

The books documentation of his personal love of art and how he developed that is well explained and illustrated in beautiful plates of his best work. Andrew Loog Oldham's recollections are perceptive and sum up the relationships and respect Bob achieved in the music business over the years and his major hit productions are documented. It gives a more rounded view of a very special man and corrects the perception portrayed of the 'gay' producer in Jersey Boys. Bob's reaction to that is also made clear.

Of course as long-term fans of Frankie Valli and the group we have always known Bob's unique talent in delivering the groups hit sounds, and our in-depth research has published many aspects that made his contribution a cornerstone of their success. Much in the past has focused on the relationship between Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio and perhaps a lesser role Bob Crewe had in that partnership. As the essays point out it was a perfect match. Opposites attract they say, but it was Bob Crewe's perception that facilitated it much of the time as producer as well as co-writer on many songs. I had learned this from an interview with arranger Charles Calello some years ago.....

“Bob Crewe was more then capable and was a brilliant producer. Not to minimize my involvement, I just made his ideas work! Later on, with experience under my belt, I was able to do more and more and eventually became "Charlie Calello."(i.e. As arranger and producer on hundreds of pop records). In the beginning we needed Bob Crewe because he knew how to make "Hits." He taught us well and the records tell the story. Also, the songs were much simpler to record and there were usually a few people around that would help Crewe if he ran into trouble.......... a lot of things took place after the arrangements were written. When we went into the studio and we recorded the music, a lot of the things that would happen, would happen as a result of Bob Crewe, who would hear something, where somebody made a mistake, or somebody hit the wrong chord, or while they were tuning up they got a funny sound, and he would create something from it. And he added the element of the bizarre. What he taught us was not to be afraid of going beyond what was normal. And some of the things that took place on the record, although we all had our dominant part within the process, in the studio you never knew where that ingredient was going to come from that created the thing that caught the attention of people. It’s been well chronicled over the years that the creative process in the studio, certainly between the two Bob's was often volatile, there was a lot of arguing....it’s a very interesting subject in itself because if you understood the personalities, the differences between the two Bob's. Bob Gaudio was very mechanical and methodical and Bob Crewe was being off the cuff. You put those two elements together and there was always going to be some kind of friction. Very early on, I learnt from this from Bob Crewe. Bob asked me to do something and I said, "You can’t do that Bob". [It was not musically correct!] He said, "Charles; if you can’t, someone else will". So we did it and it worked. There was no musical thought that Bob ever had that I didn’t try to create to give him what he wanted in a particular area. So if I went into the studio and he said, "Charles, the strings should go down" , and I thought he was going to make a mistake, we tried it anyway. But eventually after making a lot of records with him, I realized that he really had a direction and I would try to help him accomplish what he was hearing. And whilst doing so and watching Gaudio and Crewe work together as I said, : [Gaudio being extremely inflexible and Crewe being somewhat flexible], Gaudio (also knowing that this was primarily his 'melody' brain child) if he thought the idea was working he’d let it go. Bob Gaudio did not have the most positive outlook on any kind of change. So it took him a while before he’d settle into an idea and if he thought the idea was working then he’d back off.“

These essays capture this essence of Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio and this quote by Charles helps show how they became arguably the most consistent and successful songwriters of the 1960s, after Lennon-McCartney, creating a lifetime result for both men and their talents that they may not have achieved on their own.

Jersey Boys did not portray Bob Crewe as we the long-term fans see him and this book is we hope the first of several projects to portray his superb talents as it focuses on his art and it's context in his remarkable life. Our own forthcoming Box Set with Snapper Records of London will illustrate even more his superb musical creations in the form of unreleased gems from the 1970s and 80s written and produced by him and matching in quality his best released work. And as we have maintained in The Four Seasons Motown Unreleased Campaign – on Facebook, there is more of Bob Crewe's work still to be uncovered and heard. Much of his work remains unpublicised in music collections/playlists/releases and is little known....and often hard to licence.

Bob's art was his love and this book correctly portrays the artist and gives us a glimpse of a little bit more of the man we hold dear.....as the 'Fifth Season' to some no doubt but much more than that to his fans. His lyric to the unreleased 'Hymn To Her' shows his way of portraying love.

“When my love touches me and takes me to her skin, she melts my soul in her and loves away my sin, my very own Madonna I love to lean upon her and feel the glory of the reason of my own existence.”

My own tribute to Bob Crew on You Tube is the Next Generation medley never released but sent to his friends as part of a Celebration CD as a Christmas gift. It seems an apt complement to this book review.

Ken Charmer and Lynn Boleyn

 

 

Back In Action - THE LOST DISCO ALBUM: Frankie Valli

As we enter the PRODUCTION STAGE of the Snapper box set of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons Catalogue 1962 to 2010, I will be doing Blog posts relating to the highlights and this is the story of one UNIQUE CD which developed out of the Tape research. We were given unique access to the NEW transfer from the Four Seasons Partnership [FSP] Archive.

Some tapes emerged which seemed to be related to the 'Heaven Above Me' album from 1980 and several tracks were clearly Unreleased or Alternate Versions and so we tried to analyse what MAY have happened.

Whilst Frankie was at Warners for the FRANKIE VALLI IS THE WORD album Bob Crewe[ with Bob Gaudio] recorded Back In Action/Can't Be Too Much Music/ Stagger Lee according to Warner paper records of masters completed. During this period Bob Crewe wrote[ with Larry Brown] , recorded for Warner Bros [probably late 1978] and released Fancy Dancer as a 45. [Warner Curb WBS 8734] It reached Nr 77 on the Billboard Chart and Nr 36 on the Adult Contemporary Chart in the USA. In Feb 1979 'Doctor Dance' was mixed for release but would come out over a year later as a B side.

Only 'Back In Action' appears to have been copied to the Partnership Vaults from the Warner sessions . How or why we do not know.....nor does anybody know where the other two tracks are.? [In a studio archive somewhere ….we wish we had access but probably Sigma Sound New York.. If any tapes remain unclaimed they may now be held at Drexel University, Philidelphia as noted on Wikipedia.]

A number of tracks have been found in the FSP Archive as proposed versions. Most of these tracks are known but as other recordings. Those found here are UNRELEASED. A proposed album was prepared for release on 22^nd May 1979. but only one side of the album has survived on Tape.

So as a NEW Record Deal with MCA was signed it meant a Crewe and Gaudio re-recording for MCA 5134 and the result was the Heaven Above Me album in 1980. The dates for these earlier recordings are indicated as mainly in mid 1979 according to tape box dates. A number of original versions with extended mixes and alternate vocals or arrangements were laid down and remained in the Partnership vault until now. We have carefully reviewed these and although at first they just had the potential to be BONUS tracks the idea of a CLUB disco album emerged and we looked at how they might fit together as a DISCO album. HEAVEN ABOVE ME stands iconically as the last CREWE/GAUDIO masterpiece but this set stands on its own as a CLUB SET. 

The result is an album that builds slowly to the break-out in 'Let It Be Whatever It Is' and then rocks TOTAL DISCO before a gentle wind-down of ALL UNRELEASED versions.

BACK IN ACTION – THE LOST DISCO ALBUM

Track 1 – Back In Action – 4mins 53secs....with fade [Unreleased]

Track 2 – Fancy Dancer – 4mins 18 secs.....longer version than 45 with fade [Unreleased]

Track 3 – Let It Be Whatever It Is – 7mins 59 secs....longer version with extra vocals [Unreleased]

Track 4 – Dr Dance – 6mins 7secs – Extended 2^nd Mix with extra vocals [Unreleased]

Track 5 – Eat Your Heart Out - 5mins 24 secs – Extended mix [Unreleased]

Track 6 – Passion For Paris – 9mins 20secs – Extended Mix [Unreleased]

Track 7 – Soul – 11mins 19 secs – Salvaged 'Casey Chameleon'EDIT [Latin Version- Edit of damaged tape]

Track 8 – Back In Action[Reprise] TV Instrumental [Unreleased]

Wind-down Track 9 – Where Did We Go Wrong – Original Long Version Extra vocal - 3mins 58sec [Unreleased]

Wind-down Track 10 – If It Really Wasn't Love – No female backing: Valli Solo [Unreleased]

Wind-down Track 11 – Just Say That You Love Me – Valli Solo [Unreleased]

The Master Tape that contained the proposed single of 'Soul' was mixed on 19^th October 1979 with a longer version for 12”. But we found the tape damaged and so we edited what was remaining and the result was a combination of the two and it runs 11 mins 19 seconds. What is different re this version is it contains a 'Latin' background singer solo in the middle...which appears twice due to this edit......as a result it is a completely different[and unique] version to the 'Heaven Above Me' album song

We think overall this works as a totally UNIQUE album set and runs 54mins 48 secs of Dance floor music plus Wind-down. We have used up the remaining space on the CD with a set of unreleased ballads found on the tapes …....as a Wind-Down set from the DANCE SET [around 10 mins]  …....these are all extra alternative versions of tracks which are entirely 'collectable' and are forerunners to the 'Heaven Above Me' album.

But there is more.......

We also had some really good ALTERNATE VERSIONS worthy of inclusion as BONUS Tracks which will fit comfortably at the end of the Heaven Above Me album but that ORIGINAL and final set of album mixes is the 'creme de la crème'. These tracks are just some 'icing' on the cake for fans as alternate versions

Heaven Above Me - BONUS TRACKS 

Track 9 – Back in Action – 4 mins 53secs: Alternate version with New Ending[no fade]

Track 10 – Soul[Latin Version]_Heaven Above Me[Valli Solo]Joined by Partnership 15mins48secs

Track 11 – Dr Dance - 3^rd Alternate – TV instrumental Mix

We have extracted all the tracks and sent them as sets for Re-Mastering and as part of the BIG LIST they have been approved by Bob Gaudio and will be Mastered for the Box Set.

This was Bob Crewe's last major Partnership work with Bob Gaudio before his retirement from mainstream production that generated the Heaven Above Me album . These tracks show it's development......but mainly the PURE ENERGY and FUN in it's DANCE productions.

Ken Charmer

The Four Seasons Story at Motown Starts To Unravel

Analyzing the full story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons catalogue is still impossible!! With only 2 Track Master Safety Copies in the Partnership vaults of their catalogue, it is apparent very little unreleased material has survived. But what has is more than we could have hoped for!!!!!. There may be multi-tracks lying discarded and forgotten in the Mercury/Warner/MCA and Curb vaults...but such is life and we can only celebrate what we have. So the Partnership Archive is our source for 2 track MONO/STEREO Masters. The only source where any Multi-Tracks appear to exist that we have been able to identify is in fact Universal Music – The Motown Tape Archive. Even though we have paper records that are accurate and comprehensive re the Multi-track Master Tapes in the Motown vault, there are still so many questions unanswered.

With only 22 tracks released following nearly 3 years at the label and paper records indicating another 30 unreleased Masters and several alternate takes and other session songs partially completed, it has been a hard task to assess the importance and quality of this period in Frankie Valli's career as well as that of the group sound.

But as another 13 Motown songs emerge as 'approved' by Bob Gaudio for the Snapper Box set it has become apparent that these 29 tapes are the only known 'treasure' of stored Multi-Track tapes that can be located of any of the groups sessions. …....ever!!!!! They represent a huge find in the history of this iconic group and a bounty for fans........if only Universal Motown and The Four Seasons Partnership would share the rest of the finds with us. Maybe if we keep asking someday we will be able too enjoy them.

We did our research this last 10 years accepting that there may only be a few songs of adequate quality to go in any CD release. As Motown themselves had 'trawled' the tapes for the 'Inside You' album in 1975 and at that time given us an exceptional addition to the their only released album whilst at the label in 'Chameleon'....that was it. Apart from the handful of non-album singles that make up the rest of the 22 released songs captured on CD for the first time in 2008 on The Motown Anthology set......what could be left?.....particularly when both Harry Weinger and Bob Gaudio said at the time that they accepted that anything left was 'unfinished demos' and Frankie Valli's lawyer said these were 'harmful to his career and out of key'. This has proved to be a total lie and the forthcoming release of the 'approved tracks' in the box set demonstrates it.

We thought we knew better given the 2 alternative tracks on the 2008 Anthology CD Set......and this has proved to be the case. Never before heard, the extended version of 'Charisma' and the alternative version of 'Listen To Yesterday' shows how 'spoilt for choice' Motown are in Frankie Valli vocal selections. His recordings are not always with the Four Seasons maybe, but many tracks were 'laid down' by him but never heard since.

Tape Research this last year has revealed that the Partnership Archive ALSO contains 'remnants' of those days at Motown in Safety Copies. But what is of most significance from these finds is the story of how the group could have stayed at the label with at least an album of completed quality material ready for release. Motown assembled an album of tracks for release in May 1974. Tapes P 5084 and 5 contain this 'un-named' album of completed songs. And 2 tracks 'The Night'[mix39 – out of 43. The rest are still there!!] and 'You Can't Hold On' were 'pulled' for potential 45 release in June 1974.

Now we have heard and know the full quality of this album we can also see how the re-union of Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio helped achieve superb material. Sessions together and as sole producers contributed to this set during sessions in 1973. And the hidden gem in this set is an alternative vocal ending version of 'My Eyes Adored You'. It is different to the one bought by Bob Crewe and subsequently released on Private Stock but in no way inferior. It is the Master lined up for release. If it had been Frankie would have been singing different lyrics since then......... But we are not getting that in the 13 approved for release with Universal Motown....... so as it was sold to The Partnership back then they can include it.........We have heard it now so it is in the box set too as a bonus track. And we won't stop asking for access to the rest of the known tapes and tracks.

We know that by 1974, the failure of promotion by Motown to push 'Hickory'[it barely broke the Billboard Top 100] had totally disenchanted Valli, Crewe and perhaps more so Gaudio who was driving towards new sounds and direction as the separate identities of The NEW Four Seasons and Frankie Valli 'solo' were beginning to emerge. Live shows and audience response was demonstrating the quality of the band. Bob Gaudio had a new writer/partner in Judy Parker. What was needed was the right material. New songs being written by Bob Gaudio with Judy and whilst registered at Berry Gordy's Jobete Music they would emerge at a new label and the well known story of them buying 'My Eyes Adored You' took Frankie Valli to a new 'Solo' career at Private Stock.

Motown were too late and had wasted several opportunities to generate hits during their contract and ignoring the output from sessions of great material remains inexcusable. They would get some financial success on the back of this 'walk-out' by Crewe and the Partnership as the re-issued 'The Night' soared into the UK chart on its re-release in 1975 [leading to the re-release of 'Chameleon' and the release of the 'Inside You' album] but as more quality tracks are now emerging the bad management at the label is ever more clear.

But as I said at the beginning we still can't capture the full story with at least 15 completed Masters of unreleased songs mainly from the MoWest period still unheard.We don't believe there is a lack of quality amongst this set.....it is just that we are unable to judge that YET? What will become apparent to fans with the forthcoming release is the superb quality of Crewe, Gaudio and Valli to deliver in the studio. 11 of the 13 approved songs are quite superb and a match for many that would follow at Private Stock with Frankie Valli. The Four Seasons feature[in various line-ups] on several tracks but the intense power of the NEW Four Seasons contribution[along with Nick Massi and Charles Calello] on the immense Crewe-Nolan songs 'Lovers' and 'Hymn to Her' [from December 1973] shows why Crewe and The Partnership wanted to buy more of the back catalogue from Motown at the end of their contract.

What we have achieved and will all get to hear is superb. The shame is that everyone involved has hidden this music from us [or even admitted it exists] for 45 years. As I said.....'it is all starting to unravel'.

Ken Charmer – The Four Seasons UK Appreciation Society

Coming soon......The Story Of 'The Night' and its 43 Mixes

 

 

Newsletter Update Winter 2015

It has taken a while to catch up with George Ingram who has been ‘motoring’ through his archive of articles and news of releases re The Four Seasons this winter. This is not ‘Jersey Boys’ but the real history……of the real group and their producer Bob Crewe. It celebrates their work and the teamwork that was necessary at all stages in their career and the success this brought.

 

Below are links to our Newsletters 61 and 62 and our web site is also updated to provide links to updated UK discographies and to Bob Crewe’s SOLO discography which now includes the recent discovery by Musicologist Mike Miler of a lost ABC Paramount 45 of Bob backed by the 4 Lovers on Come To Me and Another Day. Both are Bob Gaudio compositions the latter appearing by Chuck Jackson on his 1962 album ‘Encore’. It is amazing that even today unknown songs can surface like this. We hope to get these rare sides onto You Tube soon.

 

The Newsletters focus on late 70s articles and the last great ‘original’ hit band line-up of the group as well as obituaries and articles re Bob Crewe who passed away last year. Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio have got a lot to thank George Ingram for as in his Newsletters there is a very collectible scrapbook of many articles not available on the internet. This record of articles interfaces with Frank Rovello’s page at the GILG web site and in Newsletters 47 to 62 we have a published library dating back to 2006.(and a digitized  archive going back to 2000) This like all internet data is ‘transient’ and may not be available for too much longer in this digital form. Grab it while you can.

 

• Newsletters 47 to 60
• Newsletters 61 and 62
• Updated UK Discography
• Updated Bob Crewe Solo Discography

 

There will be a couple more Newsletters this year before George ‘officially’ retires having left the most comprehensive review of the group’s history and releases ever. We are all indebted to him.

And see our web site for even more on the groups history in The Rise and Fall Of The NEW Four Seasons as well as Master Track information for the groups recordings from 1953 to 1974 and a CD discography upto 2011 compiled by the late Stefan Wreidt.

 

Our good friend and Rag Doll ‘Jean Thomas’ is also featured on her own web site.

 

Casey Chameleon

Reflections on Bob Crewe's Passing

We knew it was coming after his accident and dementia a few years ago but the passing of Bob Crewe (my real music hero) in a way brings an end to an era. Our deepest condolences go out to brother Dan and all of Bob’s family and friends. Personally as a man and a producer I respected him, his talent and work more than any other 60s producer.

For 15 years we have researched his career and discovered little known tracks that show his immense talent. As a reminder of Bob’s skill read  the blog of Don Charles…by clicking …..THE POP CULTURE CANTINA. His career was awesome. It captures what we have been saying about Bob’s achievements in his production/writing career. He taught the Four Seasons how to make not just records…..but hits…he made Bob Gaudio a consistent musical genius…..he enabled Charlie Calello to become a top producer. He created success for others and gave hits to so many artists who will remember him with great affection

Despite the success of Jersey Boys his breadth of work  remains relatively unknown and his achievements very much under appreciated.

With 8 bootleg volumes of 'Seasons' Connections compiled from our collection of his work it is such a pity a record company working with Bob  couldn't have helped us celebrate this great producer with official collections of his work. Don Charles blog post is currenly the most comprehensive bio and  sets the record straight for those who don't know of his work.

Our past posts on the blogs have paid tribute to him in many ways and below are just a few:-

http://movementbureau.blogs.com/chameleon/2007/02/bob_crewe_off_t.html

http://thatfourseasonssound.typepad.com/seasonally/2011/06/best-producer-bob-crewe-or-bob-gaudio.html

and the work he did with Bobby Darin is legendary…(he spoke about it here)

http://www.bobbydarin.com/darincrewe.html

But the research we did into his female answer to the Four Seasons for me showed the great man and producer he was. He picked the lady who was to become a dear friend ‘Jean Thomas’ to be lead singer of The Rag Dolls and the result was a string of great girls sound 45s. Jean's bio contains a quote by Ellie Greenwich which captures their special relationship……”Jean’s good friend Ellie Greenwich had met Bob Crewe before Jean got to meet him. Ellie had a good relationship with Bob Crewe and commented on his ability in an interview before her untimely passing in 2009….."I'm not exactly sure when I met Bob Crewe, but we always saw each other around the business from the very beginning. (We) had an affinity for each other (and) still do! He was a joy to work with on all levels . . . he's a perfectionist, he's open to any outside ideas, he really knows what he wants and gets it, and most of all, he is passionate about what he does. He puts all of himself into everything he touches . . . I always loved and still do love Bob! I can go on and on about this talented gentleman, and he is just that: A 'gentle man'."

I like to think that now Bob and his great friend Ellie Greenwich are together in Heaven’s Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame and they are watching over successive generations discovering their music and stories.

 

Maybe his bio which we know he worked on will now surface. We know he completed many interviews and notes for this a few years ago. We can only hope that brother Dan can pull this together his wonderful life deserves this and we could all cherish his achievements and stories.

Finally to hear what Bob achieved with the Four Seasons and we didn’t get to have released catch Bob’s unreleased DEMO ‘Lovers’ which actually features images of Bob posing with a beautiful unknown girl. Bob Crewe at his best.

http://movementbureau.blogs.com/chameleon/motown-unreleased/

More re Bob and his legacy soon. Casey Chameleon

Best Producer – Bob Crewe or Bob Gaudio?

In our Chapter 7 of the Rise and Fall of The NEW Four Seasons, Casey Chameleon defended Bob Crewe’s ability re an article in Crawdaddy magazine back in the 70s in which Frankie Valli argued that the ‘genius’ of Bob Gaudio was the real talent of the Four Seasons success story. That claim and a recent article on the www prompted the question ‘Who was the best producer Bob Crewe or Bob Gaudio?’

Well for a fuller appreciation of Bob Crewe’s ability read Don Charles Goin' Places! the Bob Crewe Era (Part Two) to appreciate the sheer power and personality that enabled a ‘non-musician’ to succeed so spectacularly. It shines through in the Don Charles articles as it does in the photos of George Schowerer’s studio collection. It prompted me to revisit the recurring theme in our story of the ‘conflict’ between Crewe and Gaudio in the studio. In a 1972 interview, Bob Gaudio admits to the clashes in the studio that resulted in them not “working together in the studio” for periods in the late 60s and early 70s whilst still occasionally “writing together”. The clashes are understandable and people who worked with them have said that “it was like having two producers in the studio”….”

Don Charles describes Crewe’s production style very aptly.. . “His productions were always a patchwork affair; seldom did he ever cut songs "live" with all his musicians in the same room. The musical overdub was his favorite tool to use in the studio. He liked to spend a lot of time on details: A harp flourish here, a harmonica part there, a drum roll, a Flamenco guitar riff, a weird sound effect, a dramatic pause. Those details were often as important as the basic track, if not more, and they were essential to his production style.

(Bob Crewe photo courtesy of Aloma)

Arranger/producer Charlie Calello stresses that Crewe never began a recording session without first laying out his vision. "Before we would go into the studio, (Bob) would have other records as reference points and (he'd) explain how he wanted his song to sound. He would say that he liked the rhythm on one record, the strings on another . . . when he heard the concept in the studio, he would continue to make changes and adjust it until (he got) what he wanted. Crewe would move parts of a track to an earlier or later point on tape, or repeat it over and over again. His energy was always 'up', and he constantly came up with different ideas that would shape the record," Calello says. "If there was one thing I learned from Bob Crewe, it was (that) 'the impossible takes just a bit longer!'." Anyone who observed Crewe at work couldn't help but come away impressed by his creative ability, especially once they came to terms with the fact that he could neither read nor play music.”

In the early 60s Crewe's ambition and spontaneity clearly overshadowed Gaudio's. At the time, the feeling in the studio based on anecdotal information from those that worked with him was that Crewe really had a good handle on what he thought the market needed...and he had hits to prove it.

Gaudio cut his production ‘teeth’ (apart from some experimental projects with The 4-Evers, Jessica James and the Outlaws et al) from 1966 with the spectacular ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ but would follow that with ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ with Bob Crewe before he took control of most of the Four Seasons output . What followed were the failures of ‘The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette’ and ‘Chameleon’ albums before he scored with the ‘Who Loves You’ album before the flop ‘Helicon’. Then came his series of excellent successes with Neil Diamond. But Bob Gaudio has maintained he never set out in many of his song-writing/producing situations to write a ‘hit song’.

Crewe would argue his ability brought Valli’s solo career back from the dead with ‘My Eye’s Adored You’ and ‘Swearin’ To God’ . Don Charles talks up Crewe’s achievements as he maps out Crewe’s fundamental grasp of the hit sounds people wanted.” It's not surprising that Bob Crewe scored several big Disco hits in the '70s; it was all but inevitable that he would. Clearly, productions for The Four Seasons like "Workin' My Way Back To You", "Opus 17" and "Beggin'" anticipated Disco music; they're the missing link that falls between Cameo-Parkway's dance novelties and Motown's big beat concertos. All three styles form part of a direct line which connects the mambo and the cha-cha-chá to the Bump and the Hustle. Crewe's tickets to dance music immortality were the glam Rock trio LaBelle, who rode his Creole hooker fantasy "Lady Marmalade" to the top of the charts in 1974; Frankie Valli, for whom he wrote and produced the 1975 club classic "Swearin' To God"; The Eleventh Hour, with whom he waxed the cult favorite "Hollywood Hot" (1975), a revamped Bob Crewe Generation, who came back strong with "Street Talk"(1976); and the infamous Disco Tex and His Sex-O-Lettes, for whom he crafted the high camp anthem of 1974, "Get Dancin'". His Disco Tex LP is revered by dance music aficionados; a concept album revolving around the androgynous stage persona of former Las Vegas headliner Sir Monti Rock III, it features guest vocals by Sugarloaf's Jerry Corbetta, Crewe's new songwriting partners Kenny Nolan and Cindy Bullens, old friend Freddy Cannon, and '60s beach movie soundtrack singer Lu Ann Simms. Without a doubt, this was the wildest party Crewe ever staged on wax.

As important as the aforementioned records are to Disco music, Bob Crewe made his most significant contribution to the genre not as a producer, but as an organizer. After moving to Hollywood in the mid-70s, he co-founded the Los Angeles Deejay Pool. In his book Turn The Beat Around, Disco historian Peter Shapiro explains the significance of these organizations: "The idea was that the record companies could save money by sending promotional material to one centralized office (and) the deejays would get all the new records without . . . being rejected because their club wasn't (considered) important enough." By ensuring that the best dance records would be heard in a large number of discothèques, deejay pools facilitated Disco's transition from an underground phenomenon to the cultural explosion that it became. As always, Bob Crewe was primarily interested in promoting his own product, but with LADP, he helped foment a musical revolution in the process.”

 

So was Valli correct in attributing the success of the Seasons sound of the 60s to ‘Gaudio’s musical genius’ in that 1970s article.?

Crewe, a non musician, surrounded himself with talented people encouraging them to achieve their best and succeeded time and time again and he gave others credit and inspired them. Gaudio never did apart from a nod to Crewe’s contribution of lyrics in a 1972 interview and his crediting his first wife Brit who did contribute full lyrics to two songs via her poems. Doubts however have been expressed re Judy Parker’s lyric writing contribution to the 1970s songs Bob Gaudio penned.

Jersey Boys gives no inkling of the ‘reality’ of Bob Crewe’s contribution to the Four Seasons success which was clearly a team effort led by Crewe.

As Charles Calello says….”the key thing is that the Jersey Boys show is centered on the Four Seasons and the original members….and so Crewe’s involvement is somewhat incidental to the shows main direction”

One photo from George Schowerer’s studio set  paints a picture in their body language that doesn’t lie. Two big ego’s - they struggled to get on in the studio.

Charlie is quite clear that Crewe was the best producer…..”Well you’ve got look at what a producer actually does…a producer is someone that not only makes the records, but he also starts it from scratch. And if you look at Crewe’s history of success…Crewe was responsible for Freddie Cannon, Billy and Lilly The Rays …all before he met the Four Seasons….and then the success with the Four Seasons, Diane Renay, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels, The Bob Crewe Generation, Disco-Tex and The Sexolettes, Lady Marmalade and Frankie Valli’s career…so that is 9 artists he was responsible for developing in his career(as a producer) since he made the Four Seasons a success”

In Gaudio’s case he would offer up his success with Neil Diamond as a producer in the late 70s, but his production work with Diamond was when he was already a superstar.

“Gaudio doesn’t come close to Crewe as a producer’ says Charlie, “as a producer you have to get the song, find the artist, rehearse and record it and get it promoted by the record company. It is really hard work….. But one of the things I’ve noticed about Gaudio, to his credit, is that over the years, he didn’t score often, but when he scored he scored BIG….’Sherry’ launched the Four Seasons…and he wrote their first 3 hits…and some smaller hits(although ‘Rag Doll’ was a major hit I don’t credit him with that as it stemmed from an idea by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell) before the next blockbuster that he wrote…which was ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ and that was brilliant and he didn’t score again until ‘Who Loves You’ and ‘December 63’ and although he did further records, that was that as far as blockbuster hits was concerned”

A top arranger and producer himself Charlie describes the collaborative but visionary skills of Bob Crewe in this comment….

“Back in the days when I was doing the Crewe records, Bob always had a lot to say about direction and what he wanted the records to sound like. He was one of my teachers that helped me learn how to make "pop" records. I would write the arrangements and Crewe would finish them himself. Although he wasn't a musician and would sometimes have the singers sing the wrong notes, the parts always seemed to work. Crewe is singing and doing the background voices on "My Eyes Adored You." There are sections the singers sing the wrong notes, which always seems to bother me - - but  - - it worked. Crewe was more then capable and was a brilliant producer. Not to minimize my involvement, I just made his ideas work! Later on, with experience under my belt, I was able to do more and more and eventually became "Charlie Calello - Producer" In the beginning we needed Bob Crewe because he knew how to make "Hits."  He taught us well and the records tell the story.  Also, the songs were much simpler to record and there were usually a few people around that would help Crewe is he ran into trouble.”

And as Don Charles says Crewe has been mis-read. As a bi-sexual producer working with straight and gay artists throughout his career his contribution, as many believe, has been understated and his portrayal in Jersey Boys may have “ led some people to think of Bob Crewe as a King of Kitsch, Rock 'n' Roll's equivalent of an Andy Warhol or a John Waters. That's hardly an accurate assessment. They've mistaken embellishment for exaggeration! Crewe approached music making every bit as seriously as his contemporaries did; he just had a highly theatrical style. That style involved injecting a generous dose of humor into his songs when appropriate. It also involved giving records a larger-than-life quality, which all of his best productions have. His body of work reflects great conceptual vision, and would make any musician proud. What makes it all the more remarkable is the fact that Bob Crewe isn't a musician! He's a gifted audio-visual artist who possesses the power to dazzle you, regardless of which medium he chooses to work in.”

”What an amazing résumé he has! Singer, songwriter, producer, publisher, painter, sculptor, celebrity host, fashion model, consultant, entrepreneur and now, author . . . it's almost like he's lived several lifetimes at once.”

As producers they both have their fans and we all love Bob Gaudio’s melodies and creative ability. But thank God he did get to write and produce with Crewe, without whom, ‘Sherry’ and the rest of the Four Seasons story wouldn’t have happened. Bob Crewe added a dimension to the Four Seasons that they would not have otherwise achieved during the early 60s and he deserves to be saluted as a ‘pop genius’…and he would be the first to admit the contribution of Gaudio/Calello/Schroek/Hutch and others in the writing and producing of the fine music which is his legacy.

But who was the best producer is not really the key fact. They did their greatest work together and even during the 70s at Motown they found a way, together and apart to produce great material for Frankie and The Group some of which we have never heard. We’ll continue to push for the release of their separate and combined productions from 1973 and 74. More evidence of its existence has emerged and we will report on this later in the summer.

But for an example of classic writing and production by them both from the very early days is this gem …a Crewe-Gaudio lost classic written and recorded before ‘Sherry’ and beautifully delivered by Jerry Jackson on this 1962 Bob Crewe Production

And always being prepared to make the most of a good arrangement Bob Crewe re-used the Hal Miller and The Rays instrumental backing track for ‘An Angel Cried’ with a completely new Crewe-Gaudio lyric for Chuck Jackson on ‘King Of The Mountain’ in 1963. It just shows the imagination and innovation of this pop genius.

 

The real story of the Four Seasons music is NOT Jersey Boys but the collaborative skill of Crewe – Gaudio – Calello – Linzer – Randell and the incredible vocal performances of Frankie Valli.

Casey Chameleon

(Photos courtesy of George Schowerer)