NEW JONI MITCHELL 10 CD COLLECTION
November 9, 2012
When I was plugging songs in the early ‘70s at Warner Brothers music we represented the music of manager, David Geffen’s artists whose roster included the Eagles, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Jackson Browne, and Joni Mitchell.
I had known Joni before socially, and respected her talents, but I never knew how deep she was. It wasn’t until my friend, singer/ songwriter Patti Dahlstrom made me sit down and listen to the “Blue” album and read the lyrics did I fully appreciate what Joni was all about.
I was so hungry to hear more that when David Geffen sent cassettes to WB music to copyright the songs from the yet to be released album, “For the Roses”, I volunteered to transcribe all the lyrics (which I had never done before).
Now all these years later, Patti Dahlstrom emails me a review by her friend Mick Brown from the Daily telegraph in London, of the new Joni Mitchell collection that was just released
The Studio Albums 1968-1979 by Joni Mitchell, review
Joni Mitchell’s 10 CD box set showcases the greatest female singer-songwriter in popular music, says Mick Brown.
By Mick Brown
9:47AM GMT 07 Nov 2012
This release, then, a collection of her first ten studio albums, recorded between 1968 and 1977, seems particularly timely. It’s a reminder of Mitchell’s musical genius – and I don’t use the word lightly – and an affirmation of her status as unquestionably the greatest female singer-songwriter in popular music, as major a figure in her own way as Bob Dylan.
We’re treading on dangerous ground here. Mitchell has sometimes been described as “the female Dylan” – prompting her retort “why doesn’t anybody ever call Dylan the male Joni Mitchell?” And Bob is clearly a sore point. In her last interview, given to the Los Angeles Times in 2010,she lambasted Dylan as “a plagiarist” and “a fake”. “We are like night and day, he and I,” she said. “Everything about Bob is a deception.” Ouch!
Leaving the question of authenticity aside (and Mitchell’s comments surely say more about her cantankerousness than they do about Dylan’s integrity), any stylistic comparison between the two is pretty meaningless, beginning – and ending – with the fact that both began their careers labouring under the description of folk artists.
But what they do share is an arresting narrative to their lives which has nourished and illuminated their work. Dylan’s story is written in stone: the Minnesota childhood; hitchhiking across America on a pilgrimage to meet his hero Woody Guthrie; his apprenticeship in the coffee-houses of New York; his alignment with the civil rights movement; “the voice of a generation”; Newport, the motorcycle crash. And so on.
Mitchell’s narrative is no less beguiling. The childhood in the Canadian prairie town of Saskatoon; her apprenticeship in the coffee houses of Toronto; an early pregnancy, giving up for adoption the daughter that she felt unable to care for her herself; the migration to California, and her ascent to become the reigning queen of the Laurel Canyon – arguably the first, and certainly the most candid, of the confessional singer-songwriters of the era.
While it was true that Mitchell (winner of eight Grammys in all) sang in a folk idiom she was never a folk singer in the way that Joan Baez defined the type – reviving old ballads or singing songs for to fortify the barricades of political protest.
Form the outset, Mitchell was a writer as well as a performer, her earliest songs studies of lovelorn introspection.
TO READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE BY MICK BROWN CLICK ONTO http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/9655783/The-Studio-Albums-1968-1979-by-Joni-Mitchell-review.html
SPECIAL THANKS TO PATTI DAHLSTROM FOR HELPING PUT THIS ARTICLE TOGETHER. http://patti dahlstrom.com
Copyright 2012 by Artie Wayne
WHILE FIGHTING LARGE CORPORATIONS WHO ARE TRYING TO KEEP ROYALTIES AWAY ME AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER ARTISTS, SONGWRITERS AND PUBLISHERS, MY ONLY SOURCE OF INCOME IS FROM THE SALE OF MY BOOK. ” I DID IT FOR A SONG”, WITH OVER 100 STORIES FROM THE MUSIC BUSINESS OF THE ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. I HOPE YOU’LL CONSIDER BUYING ONE DIRECTLY FROM ME THROUGH PAYPAL FOR ONLY $9.99 AT artiewayne@gmail.com OR BY CHECK TO…ARTIE WAYNE P.O. BOX 1105, DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA 92240
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“IF YOU CAN ONLY LIFT ONE FINGER…… YOU STILL CAN POINT THE WAY!”
January 5, 2012
If you’ve been following my blog then you know the battles I’ve taken on and fought for with all my heart. I’ve shamed large corporations out of withholding millions of dollars in royalties from songwriters who didn’t earn at least $250 (the amount that had to be earned before a check was issued.)
When I ranted about Time Warner cable sending out programs where the sound wasn’t in synch with the picture, hundreds of customers all over the country who were suffering with the same problem bombarded the company with complaints, who corrected the problem immediately!
I’m proud to say that I helped to break the controversial Tommy James book, “ME, THE MOB, AND THE MUSIC”, which is being brought to the screen by Martin Scorcese. In the hard hitting interview I did with my former label mate, we exposed practices by the legendary Morris Levy, whose company Roulette Records, back in the sixties was said to have made more 45’s than singles.
I also exposed a “JACK-OFFICER” (a guy at a company who keeps telling you the check is in the mail.) when I wrote a blog about up one of the companies’ dubious past which included being started by the NAZIS, I was sent a check for what the company owed me, from LA by messenger to my desert home four hours later!
I was impressed when “Biz”Stone, the guy who started TWITTER contacted me to apologize for his company signing me up “by mistake” and making things right again.
When I discovered that YouTube was paying some artists like Lady GaGa and Justin Bieber every time their video was played, while lesser artists and songwriters received nothing (although their videos were viewed millions of times)…I was livid! I became more outraged when I also found out that a large group of publishers are signing a deal with YouTube on January 16, 2012 for future rights to their music, and getting part of a 4 million dollar settlement, which may or may not be divided with the writers!
When I talked to my friend Jeremy Blietz, an executive at Warner Brothers Music, he told me that his company is not going to sign what the other publishers are. He said that WBM is making its own deal with YouTube and assured me that every writer will be equally and fairly compensated.
I told Jeremy about my suspicions of gross underpayment of royalties by the Universal Music Group (which now owns Motown records on my two Michael Jackson cuts in four posthumously released CDs).
It’s hard to believe that Michael was the biggest music artist of 2011 earning over 170 million dollars, and I earned less than five grand in packages that included his biggest Motown solo hits “BEN”, “I’LL BE THERE”, “GOTTA’ BE THERE”, “ROCKIN’ ROBIN” and the classic “LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE” (Clinton, jr./ Wayne).
Then I told him I located 99 pages in a google search listing for “Little Christmas Tree”, with dozens of new videos put up, with items like mp3 downloads, and ringtones for sale. Jeremy a man of a few words emailed me, “Hi Artie, I’ll look into this and get back to you shortly.”
Best regards, Jeremy Blietz
Vice President, Administration
Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Considering my relationship with Warners over the past 40 years, since I was General Professional Mgr. and earned millions of dollars for the company, I know Jeremy will do everything he can to see that justice is done!
Finally, after my medical miracle last week, I’m having my dance in the wheelchair videotaped to show potential investors what THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC is all about.
I want to create an instructional video package to motivate people who have physical problems who need to exercise but won’t! The series is called, THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC and features abbreviated popular dance music clips BY GAGA, BIEBER etc., which stimulate us on cerebral, primal, and emotional levels. Short enough not to tire out a disabled person, but not long enough to be considered competition to the artists commercially released recording.
I’ve discovered a common denominator in all of the music that has worked a miracle on me, and I can explain what it is and show each viewer how to benefit from it.
Eventually I want to shoot a video with me showing movements to a group of people of all ages who are physically challenged and watch their faces light up when they see how much they enjoy it!
This could lead to a TV special (or series) THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC featuring people like J.R. Martinez, who overcame incredible odds to become this year’s winner of “DANCING WITH THE STARS”, my friend, and former Quincy Jones, one of the geniuses behind, “WE ARE THE WORLD”, with segments that show how congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot earlier this year, regained her voice through music therapy.
It will also feature guest superstar performers who will interact with a physically challenged audience.Finally it will also feature a riveting special appearance by Steven Hawking and his voice synthesizer, who personifies my philosophy, “IF YOU CAN ONLY LIFT ONE FINGER YOU STILL CAN POINT THE WAY”
Regards, Artie Wayne http://artiewayne.com
IF YOU HAVEN’T READ ABOUT MY MEDICAL MIRACLE CLICK ONTO https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/my-medical-miracle/
photo at top taken during a demonstration in 1988 that was passing by the UNIQUE CLOTHING WAREHOUSE in the East Village, N.Y.
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RON ANTON…ROCK IN PERPETUITY!
December 11, 2011
The first time I met Ron Anton was in 1966 when I was living in NYC. He was a lawyer at BMI, who was young enough to relate to the songwriters who were making the popular music of the day. My partner, Kelli Ross, and I administered the publishing for some of those popular music makers, who included Joey Levine, Artie Resnick (“Chewy, Chewy”), Leslie Gore (“She’s A Fool”, “California Nights”), Janis Ian (“Society’s Child”), Jazz greats Bobby Scott, and Quincy Jones!
It was always a pleasure to deal with Ron on behalf of our clients, he treated Kelli Ross and me with the upmost respect, during a time when there were no black song pluggers at any major publishing company, and few women owned their own businesses. I never thought of Ron as being part of the establishment because of his sensitivity to the needs of songwriters, composers, and publishers.
In the early ‘70s, when I moved to LA and went to work as General Professional manager for Warner Brothers Music I’d run into Ron, who was running BMI’s west coast office, at industry functions, concerts, openings, etc. and occasionally share a lunch, but I never imagined I had such a strong ally.
In 1975, I remember Ron coming to my aid, when I went into business for myself after running Irving-Almo Music and BMI wouldn’t give me a $5000 advance against my future songwriter and publishing company royalties. It was standard procedure, when I was at Warner Brothers music, that every new artist David Geffen would sign to his record company would get a $5000 advance from BMI, so I thought I should at least get the same consideration.
When BMI turned me down I was livid, but Ron calmed me down and not only got me the advance I was asking for, but he named my new publishing company, WayneArt Music.
I remember, it was a cloudy afternoon the Wednesday before thanksgiving I was waiting up in Ron’s office up at BMI, for a my check to arrive overnight from NY…but it never came. As the office workers started to leave early for the long weekend, Ron saw me sitting dejected in the outer office, sat down with me and asked, “What’s wrong?”
I told him that I needed that certified check in order to buy a classic 1965 Mustang hardtop at half it’s value by tomorrow or lose the opportunity. He smiled, wrote me a personal check for $5000 and took me to his bank downstairs to cash it, wished me “Happy Thanksgiving” and walked out to his car!
I thought to myself as I returned the money to him on Monday, when my check came in up at BMI, how lucky I was to have a friend like Ron.
Over the years as I drifted away from the music business I lost touch with Ron and his lovely wife Dene, who was my occasional songwriting partner. Then I ran into them unexpectedly at Rick Bolsom’s Cakewalk restaurant in Nashville in the mid-nineties, where I was guest hosting for the evening. We were all so happy to see each other, even though Ron introduced me to the rest of the dinner party as Artie Shaw in the excitement of the moment, Dene hit him on the arm and corrected him. We all had a good laugh and proceeded to have a great evening!
In October of 2000, I was stunned to hear that Ron lost his life in a fire at his home. I’ve stayed in touch with Dene over the years, who has done a remarkable job of keeping Ron’s memory alive.
As we get older, we look back and appreciate the people who made a difference in our lives and Ron certainly made a big difference in mine!
Thank you my friend and may you ROCK IN PERPETUITY!
Respectfully, Artie Wayne http://artiewayne.com
Copyright 2011 by Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
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I’VE GOTCHA’ COVERED!
November 9, 2011
When I was a song plugger back in the ‘60s for Warner Brothers Music, in addition to getting new songs recorded by the hottest artists on the charts, we had to get songs from our catalog cut as well as songs from current films to help promote the movie every time it was played on the radio.
I remember the Warner Raiders (which I nicknamed my professional staff) got over 100 cover records on “The Summer Knows- theme from “Summer of ‘42”, in a three month period, which earned us a lot respect. We also had unexpected hits from the catalog when I updated songs like “You’re 16” for Ringo Starr or super creative casting ideas like getting Al Green to cover, “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart”.
Today artists and managers realize that song writing and publishing royalties are sometimes the only source of income from their “Multi-Platinum” CDs, since the artist is usually charged with everything a company can get away with, including the making of million dollar videos.
When I think back, I remember hearing stories about Beatle manager, Brian Epstein sitting down with Lennon and McCartney and forcing them to write more original songs for economic reasons…Andrew Loog Oldham convinced Jagger and Richards to do the same, which changed the musical direction of two of the greatest “cover” groups of all time!
And speaking of covers, I was there with “Papa” Joe Jackson, the day that Michael and the Jackson 5 left Motown. They were weary of being forced to do “covers” on their albums and “other peoples songs” on their singles. I was able to help Joe get a $25,000 dollar advance, within 48 hours for their sub-publishing around from Freddie Bienstock, for world rights to songs that were yet to be written by unproven writers (Michael, Randy, and Jackie). The deal ultimately included “Beat it” and most of the compositions on the “Thriller” album!!.
Okay…Okay, The world’s a better place because of these self-generating artists…but how many artists
today are capable of really writing “Great” songs all the time? I’d be happy as a music lover and consumer to have a couple of familiar songs on every CD that I buy. Maybe even one I could sing along with.
I’d like to hear Bruno Mars sing, “Wonderful, Wonderful”, Katy Perry do “MacArthur Park”, Bono and Mary J. Blige kill, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” for starters.
WHAT SONG FROM THE PAST WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR REMADE TODAY AND BY WHOM? (YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS BELOW THE ARTICLE)
Copyright 2011 by Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
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UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP UNDER SIEGE!
November 4, 2011
BACK IN THE ’60S, WHEN I WAS GPM OF WARNER BROTHERS MUSIC, I FOUGHT THE EXPLOITATION OF SONGWRITERS AND HELPED MY FRIENDS, AL CLEAVELAND (“I SECOND THAT EMOTION”, “WHAT’S GOIN’ ON”) AS WELL AS NICK ASHFORD AND VALERIE SIMPSON (“AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH”) ESCAPE FROM MOTOWN.
I NEVER DREAMED THAT 35 YEARS LATER, I’D BE IN THE MIDDLE A BATTLE WI TH AN OLD ADVISARY…I GUESS EVERYTHING OLD IS NEWS AGAIN!
MOTOWN ORGINALLY BOUGHT BY THE UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP HAS RECENTLY BEEN AQUIRED BY THE VIVENDI MUSIC CONGLOMORATE. AMONG THE TRACKS THEY OWN ARE, “LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE” AND “TOUCH THE ONE YOU LOVE”, WHICH I CO-WROTE WITH GEORGE CLINTON, JR., AND WERE RECORDED BY MICHAEL JACKSON
THESE TWO SONGS ARE IN FOUR POSTHUMOUS RELEASES, AND I WAS PAID LESS THAN $4000 IN ROYALTIES…
WHEN I STARTED SPOTLIGHTING THE UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP AND THEIR QUESTIONABLE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM I STARTED GETTING CONFIDENTIAL E MAILS AND PRIVATE MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO GET WHAT THEY WERE DUE ALSO, BUT WERE AFRAID OF RETALIATION.
I SUGGESTED A CLASS ACTION AUDIT, WHICH WOULD MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE, IF YOU COULDN’T AFFORD YOUR OWN INVESTIGATION. IN THE MEANTIME, I STARTED WRITING ABOUT THE INJUSTICES I WAS DEALING WITH, URGED EVERYONE WHO HAD A PROBLEM WITH UMG, TO SPEAK UP NOW!
I’M HAPPY TO SAY THAT MORE AND MORE OF THAT IS HAPPENING, AND I’M THRILLED TO SAY THAT TWO MORE VOICES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE CHORUS…I MEAN THE CHORALE!!
THE ESTATE OF RICK JAMES, WHOM I DISCOVERED AND SIGNED TO A+M RECORDS, HAS FILED SUIT AGAINST UMG FOR THE UNDERPAYMENT OF ROYALTIES THAT COMES TO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2011/111102jamesa
AND CHUCK D., FROM PUBLIC ENEMY WHOSE RECORD COMPANY DEF JAM RECORDS WAS BOUGHT BY UMG, HAS JUST FILED A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT AGAINST THE COMPANY AS WELL http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2011/111102chuckd
IF I WERE VIVENDI I’D BE LOOKING TO SETTLE OUR CLAIMS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO THEY CAN GET ON WITH THE MARKETING OF THE ONE OF THE BEST MUSIC CATALOGS IN THE WORLD!
IF “THE MAN” DISABLES “FIGHT THE POWER”…JUST CLICK ONTO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PaoLy7PHwk&feature=related
THANKS TO PAUL RESNIKOFF FOR THE INFO ON THE LAWSUITS
SPECIAL THANKS TO DAWN LEE WAKEFIELD FOR SPEARHEADING THE CAMPAIGN TO FIND JUSTICE FOR ME STARTING WITH THE TWO SHOCKING ARTICLES SHE WROTE FOR THE NATIONAL EXAMINER LAST WEEK…ARTIE WAYNE VS. THE MUSIC INDUSTRY http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-national/artie-wayne-vs-the-music-industry-can-a-nice-guy-finish-firstAS WELL AS PART TWO OF HER SCATHING BEHIND THE SCENE STORY. http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-national/the-artie-wayne-school-of-music-economics-counting-up-friends-who-count
IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING PAID FROM THE POWERS THAT BE PLEASE LEAVE YOUR STORY IN THE PLACE PROVIDED FOR COMMENTS BELOW…THANKS
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“MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO EIGHTY MILES PER HOUR!”
March 18, 2010
When I moved to California and went to work for Warner Brothers Music the company leased a brand new Audi for me. I had been driving for less than a year and sometimes when I’d be cruising through a quiet Hollywood street in my new car, I’d suddenly accelerate to 80 miles an hour!
After a few times this happened, it slowed down by itself and I was able to regain control of it. I chalked it up to experience as a new driver and figured I must have been pressing down on the accelerator instead of brake. When I mentioned to some of the execs at my company what I was experiencing, after they stopped laughing, they suggested I take it back to the dealership where I leased it.
I got scared and figured I should take care of this right away, so I went downstairs to the parking lot, but when I got into the Audi it started acting like it had a mind of its own. It stalled on Hollywood B’lvd just before I got to La Cienega…and then when it was time to make a left turn the car suddenly accelerated!
40….50…MPH I was a blur passing Santa Monica and Melrose. I was up to 70 MPH when I got to Beverly B’lvd. I had both feet on the brakes, my left hand on the wheel, and my right hand trying to pull the hand brake out of
its socket. I was lucky there wasn’t much traffic. I didn’t soil my pants, however, until I was about a half a block away from the Audi dealers on Wilshire when I made a sudden turn and the engine stopped as I spun around and slid into the Audi showroom!
When I stopped within inches of the salesman, who was with a customer, casually looked up at me said, “I’ll be with you in a minute”. I jumped out of the car and screamed, “YOU’LL BE WITH ME RIGHT NOW MOTHER F@#KER”
Before I had a chance to scare away any potential customers, the manager took me aside, apologized, and said “don’t worry we’ll get it fixed for you” and gave me a “loaner”. Although no one said anything to me, I sensed this kind of thing happened before.
After one more incident, the Audi was performing perfectly. Although this happened to me almost 40 years ago, with all the problems Toyota is having with sudden acceleration, and with the Honda recall yesterday, I think it might be a good idea to for these companies to put competition aside, talk to the engineers at Audi and work together on a solution that will surely save hundreds, if not thousands of lives!
Copyright 2010 by Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
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I WAS THE “HOUSE NEGRO” FOR WB FILMS DURING THE BLAXPLOITATION ERA!
February 25, 2010
“It seems Like Warner Brothers Music is celebrating a victory, or facing a new crisis every day. After spearheading a campaign that results in over a 100 cover records on, “The Summer Knows”, from “The Summer Of ‘42’, I’m asked to be consultant for a new project and find a Black composer, for another Blaxpoitation film, “Cleopatra Jones”.
Again I agree to act as the “house negro” and do the film for a screen credit and no money, which Warner Brothers Music President Ed Silvers agrees to, as long as the film company picks up my expenses. I just look on it as an opportunity get my foot in the door and work with artists and producers I might not otherwise meet. After seeing the Max Julian film, in my head I keep hearing the intro to the O’Jays, “Backstabbers” which is written and arranged by my Philadelphia pal, Thom Bell. The introduction is good enough to be a movie theme itself!
The writer and director, Max Julian lights up when he hears my suggestion, and when I play the short passage, so does Bill Tenant the producer, and Larry Marks, current head of the film department. They want me to bring Thom Bell to Hollywood; I think it’s going to be a sure thing. By the time he gets out here they’ve already changed their mind.
It doesn’t take me long to find out these people don’t know what they’re doing. I throw my hands up in disgust and walk away from this extremely stressful situation. A few weeks later the producers call me up and apologize for making things difficult and tell me they’d like to hire Thom, after all.
I tell them it’s too late; he has three records in the top 20, and has made other commitments. They beg me to help them find someone fast so the picture can be released on schedule. I tell them I’ll help them out if they listen seriously to my suggestions. They tell me that veteran composer, Dominic Frontiere, has finished the score and all they need now is the title song.
I tell them I can not only get Joe Simon to write the title song to the film film, but also get a few potential hit singles by other hit artists from the label to include in the film and soundtrack. I also propose that WB records get the album rights to the singles, while the artist’s original label gets the rights to the singles, which they will promote as usual..
WB records goes along with this unique marketing concept in an effort to get into the very lucrative, but closed, R&B market.
The next morning I meet with Roy and Julie Riffkind, who own the small successful Spring records, they’re riding high on the R&B charts with Joe Simon (“The Chokin’ Kind”, “Drownin’ In The Sea Of Love”) who would be a perfect candidate to score, “Cleopatra Jones”. While I’m in their office they play me a new single they’re putting out by Millie Jackson, “Hurt So Good”, which I think would be great for the film. I tell them the unique idea I had, that WB Records has already agreed to, and they say that it could work for them as well.
I tell Warner Brothers Films that Joe Simon is able to write, produce and record, “The Theme from Cleopatra Jones”, next week which thrills them. When a letter of intent is drawn, I talk to Joe Simon and tell him about the film and the idea I had for a sweeping theme like the intro to the “Backstabbers”.
Joe gets it completely, and when I go back to NY for the session, I’m totally blown away by the funky, yet majestic track he’s recorded. When he starts to put the vocal on, Joe realizes that he hasn’t written the lyric to the second verse.
He seems stumped as where go with the lyric and for the lack of time says he’ll just repeat the first verse. I tell him he can’t do that the record could be a classic. Then I scratch out a lyric that he loves and records on the spot.
After the session, Joe comes over, thanks me and says he wants me to have a piece of the writers share for my contribution to the song. I thank him and say that it wasn’t my intention to muscle in, but I’ll happily accept his generosity.
It’s another story, however, when I get back to Hollywood. Ed is happy that the recording came out so well, but freaks out on me when he finds out that I’m a co-writer on the song. He says, “I don’t believe you took advantage of the situation and forced your way into a piece of the writers share. Are you a professional manager or a writer?” I don’t say anything, but go back to office and quietly fume.
I should’ve known something was wrong when I’m not invited to screening of, “Cleopatra Jones”. When I go to see the film at a local theater, I hear the theme I played a part in“Theme From Cleopatra Jones” but wasn’t allowed to take credit for, I hear Millie Jackson’s “Hurt So Good”, which is already racing up the charts, but when the film is over, my name is missing as musical consultant!
I’m absolutely livid, but when I confront Ed in my “Superfly” hat, he says he’s sorry, but he can’t do anything about it. I should talk to the producers. He refuses to do anything to help me in my unpaid extra curricular activity as a highly effective musical consultant, and wants me to return to just plugging songs at the company…Yeah…Right!”
(TO BE CONTINUED)
FOR THE STORY BEHIND THE WARNER BROTHERS FILM “COME BACK CHARLESTON BLUE”, CHECK OUT “DRIVIN’ AROUND WITH QUINCY JONES” https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/driving-around-with-quincy-jones/
Copyright 2010 by Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
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LOU RAWLS R.I.P. ROCK IN PERPETUITY!
January 1, 2010
LOU RAWLS 12/1/33 – 1/6/06
“I was aware of the impact that Lou Rawls had on his own generation, Frank Sinatra in particular, I never felt a personal connection with his music until, “Love is a Hurtin’ Thing” [Raleigh/Lindley]. To understand why this was a pivotal point, not only in his career, but to the evolution of pop music in general, we have to examine the times during which the music was created.
It came in the middle of the Civil Rights movement, when “Negroes” were “allowed” to voice a political opinion in music…a time when complacency, turned into, “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud!. Lou Rawls, obviously wanted to express himself too, but was restrained by his label, Capitol records, who still referred their R and B recordings as “race records”.
Capitol A+ R men made it clear to me, as a songwriter/publisher they were only looking for material that was entertaining, not a song that made a political statement of any kind.
Lou, obviously, jumped at a chance to combine his streetwise eloquence with a song Ben Raleigh and David Linden brought to him, “Love is a Hurtin’ Thing”. Lou’s talking at the beginning of the record was as revolutionary, from a personal and emotional standpoint,
as any music connected with the Civil Rights movement. He even got R and B radio play…a rarity for Capitol records during this time.
For the next few years, he was the only one making records like these that were successful. Then a couple of artists came along a few years later, and added longer talking
segments, liberally sprinkled with sexual references…and a “New” genre was born, with it’s new stars, Isaac Hayes and Barry White.
It was when he signed with Philadelphia International, that he actually sold the most albums, I believe. Gamble and Huff were looking for artists who could be successfully
marketed by their distribution company, Columbia records, and Lou fit the Bill perfectly. He not only was one of the best interpreters of Gamble and Huff’s songs, he had a history of being able to sell albums.
It was around this time that I met Lou. Margo Matthews, who was Ed Silvers secretary at Warner Brothers music, had been his personal assistant for years…and he dropped by to see her one day. As I walked by her office, she called me in, and introduced us. I sat talking with him for a few minutes…and felt like I was reconnecting with an old friend. I
left a few minutes later, to let them talk, but I felt special all day long…not to mention every time I heard one of his recordings from that day on.”
From my forthcoming book, “I Did It For A Song”
Copyright 2009 by Artie Wayne
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BACK TO THE R.I.P. ROCK N PERPETUITY ARCHIVES https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/rip-rock-in-perpetuity-archives/
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STEPHEN -CRAIG ARISTEI AND THE WARNER RAIDERS
September 3, 2006
top l-r Ed Silvers, Tony Byrne, Mel Bly… bottom l-r Artie Wayne and Stephen – Craig Aristei
Back in 1972, I moved to Hollywood, became General Professional Manager and Director of Creative Services at Warner Brothers Music. I headed up a group of seven relentless songpluggers, I named “The Warner Raiders”, who would go to any lengths to get one of our companies songs recorded.
There was a kid in the mailroom that had the same fire in his eye as David Geffen had, when he was in a similar position at the William Morris agency. Stephen Craig Aristei would work hard, ask questions of everybody and stay late in the office listening to songs in the vast catalog. Ed Silvers, president of the company, and I welcomed him to our staff meetings where he would make astute casting suggestions and be treated like one of the “Warner Raiders”.
We all knew that he had the potential, but I didn’t have the budget, to hire another “Raider”. One day, Ed called me into his office and told me that we had to get cover records from the show that was just revived on Broadway, “No, No Nanette”. I looked at him like he was crazy … and asked if that meant I should try to get Michael Jackson to cut “Tea For Two”? He glare and said, “You’re the Director of Creative Services … be creative!”
Craig and I listened to the score over and over, and we decided that I should update the song “I Want To Be Happy” and submit it to Motown. I gave my piano voice demo to the late Hal Davis at Motown, who cut the track for Michael Jackson.
A week later, when I went to Mowest studios, found him putting an unknown Lionel Ritchie on the track!! Hal, an imposing bear of a man, saw that I was freaking out over the “switch”, grabbed me and threw me across the recording console, warned me that if I got anyone else to record the song, I would have to answer to him!!
I quietly got up, brushed myself off and went back and locked myself in my office. That night, Craig and I sent out dozens of copies of “I Want To Be Happy” to everyone I could possibly think of!! Nobody Fucks with the Warner Raiders!!
A few days later, I hired a dancer, the actress Teri Garr, to join Tony, Craig (who would carry a boombox, playing “Tea For Two” and “Happy”), a limo and a camera-bearing limo driver, who would capture us promoting “No, No Nanette” in the offices of Mo Ostin, Joe Smith, Jerry Moss, Artie Vallando, Mike Curb and Jimmy Bowen.
On the morning of the promotion, Teri Garr, the dancer, is a no-show, at which point Stephen Craig Aristei jumps in and says, “I can dance!!”. I got down from the window ledge and said, “If you dance today …you’ll be a “Warner Raider” tomorrow!!
Well, Craig became a “Warner Raider”…and “I Want To Be Happy” was cut by Sammy Davis, Jr. and wound up on the b-side of his million selling, “Candy Man”! Over the years Craig has become one of “Unsung Heroes” of our business, and one of the best song men I’ve ever known!
Copyright 2012 by Artie Wayne
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