'Beatlemania' on horizon, again

This is how their appearance on the Ed Sullivan
Show will be depicted in "The Beatles: Rock Band" music
Video game which will be released Sept. 9. In addition,
the original Beatles albums have been remastered for the
first time since 1987 and will be released on the same day,
promising improved sound quality for fans of the legendary
band.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Get ready for the re-appearance of Beatlemania.

Although massive public excitement over the Beatles first erupted in the United States more than 45 years ago, their digitally remastered music catalog should cause some renewed frenzy when it's issued on Sept. 9.

On the same date, the Beatles will take aim at a new generation of fans with the release of their own "Rock Band" video game.

Virtually every major act was established in the new digital format before the Beatles and their catalog finally made the leap in 1987. Since then, digital technology has advanced significantly while EMI/ Capitol Records has done nothing to upgrade the sound of those early CDs.

The British band's 13 albums have been re-mastered at London's Abbey Road Studios over the last four years. A dedicated team of engineers did the work using "state of the art recording technology alongside vintage audio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analog recordings," according to a press release from Apple Corps. In addition, various singles contained on the "Past Masters, Vol. 1 and 2" will be released as a single disc.

Each CD will come with the original British cover art and liner notes, plus newly written liner notes and period photographs of the group. In addition, the CDs will contain a brief documentary DVD about each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and in-studio chat from the Beatles' recording sessions.

The 14 albums, including the first four in stereo for the first time, will be available separately and in a box set. Since the "White Album" comprised two discs, the set will contain 15 pieces.

A second box set will present the collection in monophonic sound. The mono mixes made of the Beatles albums during the 1960s were often significantly different than the stereo mixes and today are sought-after by collectors.

The digital remasters include all the singles and albums the band released from "Please Please Me" in 1963 through "Let It Be" in 1970.

Although the Beatles enjoyed tremendous success in the mid 1990s with their six-disc "Anthology" collection of out-takes and unreleased tracks, no bonus material will be included.

Even the release date (9-9-09) has been creating a buzz among collectors. Some see a connection to the Beatles song "One After 909," while others point to "Revolution 9," the avant- garde sound collage from 1968 which includes the words "number nine" repeated over and over. Certainly either reference could be used in a promotional campaign for the new product.

While older fans will be excited by the release of the reinvigorated Beatles CDs, younger ones may be enticed by the simultaneous release of the band's music-based video game. The highly-anticipated game will be available on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Wii.

The music video game was developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and distributed by Electronic Arts.

Featuring 45 songs by the Beatles, the Rock Band title will allow fans to use guitar, bass, microphone and drums to take a journey through the group's legendary career. Game players may use instruments modeled after those played by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

The four instruments are Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 guitar, McCartney's Hofner bass, Harrison's Gretsch Duo Jet guitar and Starr's Ludwig drum kit.

The game includes virtual depictions of the Beatles playing at the Cavern Club, Ed Sullivan show set, Shea Stadium, Budokan, Abbey Road Studios, the rooftop of Apple Records and elsewhere. For "Octopus' Garden," they play underwater-- something only the Beatles could do. Some "dreamscape" venues were inspired by the Beatles/ Cirque du Soleil show now running in Las Vegas, called "Love."

Tracks contained in the game include "Get Back," "Here Comes the Sun," "Back in the USSR," "I Am the Walrus," "Taxman," "Day Tripper," "I Feel Fine," "I Want To Hold Your Hand," and "I Saw Her Standing There." Early word is that "Twist and Shout," "Hard Day's Night" and "Paperback Writer" are also included.

The song "All You Need Is Love" will be available as downloadable content, with proceeds being donated to the charitable group, Doctors Without Borders. In addition, the entire "Abbey Road" album will be available as downloadable content to gamers.

Rated "T" for teen, the video game will carry a $59.98 pricetag.

Harrison's son Dhani played an integral part in suggesting such a project to the gaming industry and convincing McCartney, Starr and Yoko Ono Lennon to support it.

The young Harrison was also involved in the recent release on compact disc of "Let It Roll: Songs of George Harrison." The disc contains all four of Harrison's chart toppers, as well as many other hits and will presumably serve as an introduction to Harrison's solo catalog for new fans just discovering his music through the Beatles video game. The CD includes live versions of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun," three of Harrison's greatest Beatles compositions.

Harrison was just 20 years old when the Beatles began their invasion of America with an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in February, 1964 to a raucous response soon tagged "Beatlemania" by the news media. In less than six years they sold millions of albums and racked up 21 number one singles in the United States, a feat unmatched to this day.

When the Beatles broke up in 1970, interest in the band and their music only intensified. Lennon's assassination in 1980 by a crazed fan and Harrison's untimely cancer-related passing in 2001 brought renewed attention to the world's greatest rock and roll band.

Their "1" disc, containing 27 chart-topping American and British singles has been a mega-seller around the world since its release in 2000.

For those wishing to legally download Beatles songs from iTunes, that wait is not yet over. Although the Beatles have been negotiating for years with iTunes, Dhani Harrison has suggested the group may offer songs at its own standalone site instead.

With those upcoming remastered CDs and Rock Band video game, it seems the Beatles continue to fascinate us. Full-fledged Beatlemania can't be far behind.

Singles reveal Princeton story

This photo of French Church was published in Kip Brown's 12 O'clock July fanzine in 1989. From left: Princeton Records owner Fred L. Crook, manager Joe Wellington, John Spratto (guitar), Warren MacDonald (drums), Mike Cleary (vocals), Gordon MacDonald (bass).

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Marquette's Princeton Records issued a series of seven-inch singles in the late 1960s, some highly sought by collectors today.

Owned by Fred L. Crook, the Princeton imprint was used on at least seven 45 rpm records, a newly-compiled discography shows.

At the time Crook launched Princeton, independent labels were popping up around the country to service the myriad rock bands spawned by the Beatles and other British Invasion acts.

Crook had been in several bands as a young person and probably saw potential in the burgeoning music scene when he was stationed at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the central Upper Peninsula.

Pooling his money with another entrepreneur, Crook set up shop in a tiny Marquette County community near Gwinn called Princeton. He named his enterprise Princeton as well, apparently unaware a record label in St. Joseph, Michigan, was already using the name.

Like other independent labels, Princeton would sell studio time and other services, providing clients with a number of 45s for a fee.

Princeton's first client was a local rock band called the French Church, comprised of John Spratto (guitar), Mike Cleary (lead vocals), Gordon MacDonald (bass) and Warren MacDonald (drums).

In the winter of 1966, French Church recorded a few tracks at Crook's facility, then based at the Princeton Post Office building, Gordon MacDonald recalled.

Soon, however, Crook moved his studio, called Superior Recording Co., into the basement of a storefront in bustling downtown Marquette, the city which also serves as home to Northern Michigan University.

With the new location, French Church tried recording again, with two new songs. The quartet taped the original compositions, "Without Crying" and "Slapneck 1943," in Crook's subterranean studio during January, 1968.

The tracks were recorded on mono RCA equipment Crook said he obtained from the fabled RCA studio in Nashville, Tennessee, where Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers and Chet Atkins recorded.

Unfamiliar with how established labels sold their product, Crook assigned different catalog numbers to each side of the French Church disc. Although 45s carried one song on each side, record companies assigned each disc a single catalog number. Crook, however, printed 101 on the label for "Without Crying" and 102 on the "Slapneck 1943" side. Such numbering meant retailers might order both songs, not realizing they were on the same record.

Crook arranged for some of Princeton's work to be completed in Tennessee. Masters were made by Nashville Matrix, while the records were manufactured at a pressing plant called Sound of Nashville, Inc., located at 102 2nd Ave. S. in the state's capital city. The company pressed 500 copies of the French Church single.

Princeton's subsequent release, 45-rpm single 103/104, is a mysteriously unknown entry in the label's discography.

The next single in the series is by Tommy James. This is not the Niles, Michigan native responsible for "Hanky Panky," but instead "Country" Tommy James, the One Man Band.

James recorded the Mel Tillis- Webb Pierce song "A Thousand Miles Ago" and "Auctioneer," by Leroy Van Dyke and Buddy Black. Both songs were arranged by James and produced by Crook. In the label's sequential numbering system, the 45 was given the catalog numbers 105/106.

Sault Ste. Marie's Renaissance Fair rock
band recorded two 45 rpm singles on the Princeton
label during the late 1960s. Group member John
Ordiway, right, pictured with keyboardist Gordie
Moon, wrote and sang "In Wyrd."

Sault Ste. Marie's Renaissance Fair traveled to Marquette to record Princeton's next single. The group was comprised of John Ordiway (guitar, trumpet), Gordie Moon (guitar, keyboards), Greg Myner (drums, sax, guitar, bass), Rob Benjamin (bass, drums), Larry Verrett (guitar, bass), Jim Rogers (bass, guitar), and Larry McGahey (guitar). Everyone contributed vocals.

Now four decades later, McGahey said he doesn't recall just how he heard about Crook's label.

Armed with McGahey's compositions, "Every Moment" and "It's Still Her," Renaissance Fair recorded what became 45 rpm single 107/108. The songs were produced by Crook and published by his Frook Publishing.

A Northern Michigan University student from Dearborn was Crook's next patron. Mike Koda was known as "Cub" or "Cubby" by his friends and fellow students. Koda had some experience in the music business, having recorded in high school with his band, the Del-Tinos.

Koda brought two original songs into Crook's studio, "More Than Me" and the bizarre "Let's Hear a Word (For the Folks in the Cemetery)."

"Did you ever try to eat a gasoline and mustard sandwich?" Koda sang in "Let's Hear a Word." Another lyric surmised, "This song doesn't make a damn bit of sense." In addition, the tune included a wild guitar solo to go with the unusual lyrics.

Koda's first solo record was issued in the spring of 1968 as 109/110, complete with the graphic of a five-pointed crown on the label. Both tracks were produced and published by Crook.

While many residents remember Koda's musical exploits in the Marquette area, the musician decided to drop out of Northern and resume his musical career downstate. He emerged in Ann Arbor as the leader of Brownsville Station and hit the big-time with "Smokin' in the Boys Room."

Apparently happy with their first effort, the eastern U. P. combo Renaissance Fair returned to Marquette for further recording. Larry McGahey had composed another song, "Simple Love," while John Ordiway penned "In Wyrd."

"We rehearsed and recorded all day at Superior Recording Co. with Crook," McGahey recalled. At first satisfied with their work, the band recorded a new version of "The Wyrd," the following day. The second take, deemed superior, was used for the 45, but the band was never able to duplicate the recording's unique sound in concert, McGahey said.

As was usual at Princeton by this time, Crook published and produced both songs. However, he did finally conform to industry standards and assigned this release a single catalog number, 111.

Another group from Sault Ste. Marie, the Executives, taped two cover songs for what was evidently the final single in the Princeton Records discography. The popular combo recorded "Cara Mia," a number four hit for Jay and the Americans in 1965, and "My Special Angel," a number seven smash for the Vogues in 1968.

The resulting single was released as Princeton 112.

Around this time, Crook moved to Wausau, Wisconsin and Princeton Records entered into garage band history.

Although Crook's label was short-lived, the Princeton discography includes some noteworthy songs. "Slapneck 1943" by French Church and "In Wyrd" by Renaissance Fair are sought-after by collectors and have appeared on compilations of 1960s era garage band music. Despite the fact that Cub Koda went on to considerable success as a recording artist, his Princeton sides have never been re-released.

Anka brings 'Las Vegas' to U. P.

Veteran singer-songwriter and Las Vegas
entertainer Paul Anka brought his show to the
Island Resort and Casino last weekend.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Singer-songwriter Paul Anka brought his hits-laden Las Vegas show to the Island Resort and Casino in Harris last weekend.

With more than 50 charting songs to his credit, Anka had no trouble filling the June 5 and 6 performances with crowd-pleasing material.

A performer since age 12, Anka's first hit was the chart-topping "Diana" from 1957. He continued to score hits in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s.

Besides composing most of his own hits, Anka penned "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" for Buddy Holly and "She's a Lady" for Tom Jones. He wrote the theme for the "Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and penned the English lyrics for Frank Sinatra's "My Way."

Backed by a 12-piece orchestra directed by Jon Crosse, Anka surprised the crowd by singing "Take Me Down" as he entered the theater from behind the audience.

A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Anka wasted little time getting to "Diana," his mega-hit from 1957. While the song reigned supreme in the United States for just seven days, it topped the pop chart in Britain for nine weeks. "I'm so young and you're so old," Anka sang about the 19-year-old babysitter he had a crush on as a teenager.

The international superstar turned in his version of "For Once In My Life," the Motown hit for Stevie Wonder, before delivering "You Are My Destiny," his Top Ten composition from 1958.

Anka saluted Bobby Darin with "Mack the Knife," the Record of the Year for 1959 and followed with "(All Of a Sudden) My Heart Sings," another smash from '58.

As a video summarized his career, Anka sang "Times of Your Life," his hit from 1975. The song was originally a jingle for Kodak cameras.

Anka turned in an emotional version of "Papa," a song he wrote about the death of his beloved mother at age 39. She had encouraged her son's musical ambitions, listening his songs in the basement of their home before he sang them in public.

Knowing the audience was expecting to hear his early hits, the crooner reeled them off in quick succession, performing "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" (#2, 1959), "Puppy Love" (#2, 1960), "Lonely Boy" (#1, 1959), "My Home Town" (#8, 1960) and Eso Beso (#19, 1962).

Anka sang "Lonely Boy" in the motion picture "Girls Town," which also starred Mel Torme and Mamie Van Doren. "Puppy Love," meanwhile, addressed his feelings for Disney star Annette Funicello.

Showing his composing skills, Anka sang "She's a Lady," which he wrote for Tom Jones. Released in 1971, the song was the biggest hit Jones ever recorded.

On the eve of the 65th anniversary of the Allied D-Day landing at Normandy, Anka dedicated "The Longest Day" to the American heroes of that World War II battle. He wrote the theme song and made a cameo appearance in the 1962 movie of the same name. A giant American flag was displayed at the back of the stage as Anka sang the song for the Harris audience, earning him a standing ovation.

Anka played piano on "Do I Love You?" which included an attention-grabbing sax solo from Crosse, Anka's musical arranger since 1983. "More" followed.

The show returned to the 1950s when Anka played acoustic guitar on a song he wrote for Buddy Holly. "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" became a hit for Holly in the weeks after he was killed in a plane crash on Feb. 3, 1959. Anka and Holly became friends when they toured Australia together. "May he rest in peace," Anka said.

Anka continued the acoustic set with Don Gibson's "Oh, Lonesome Me" from 1958 and "Bye Bye Love", a 1957 hit for the Everly Brothers.

The full orchestra returned for "Hold Me Till the Morning Comes," which Anka recorded with the rock group Chicago.

Anka has written more than 700 songs, including "I'm Not Anyone" for Sammy Davis Jr. The casino audience was shown a video clip of Davis singing the song, which unfortunately did not become a hit for the late entertainer.

The 67-year-old Anka followed with "Jubilation," a tune he wrote for Barbra Streisand. The song was a showcase for demonstrating the instrumental versatility of Anka's orchestra and brought the audience to its feet.

Anka began a three-song tribute to Frank Sinatra with "Let Me Try Again (Laisse Moi Le Temps)." Anka and Sammy Cahn are credited with writing English lyrics for the French song.

"My Way," one of Anka's most-recognized songs, came next in the program. Anka had taken "Comme d'Habitade," by Jacques Reveau, Claude Francois and Gilles Thibaut, and applied his own lyrics to the song. "My Way" became a hit for both Sinatra and Elvis Presley.

"Theme from New York, New York," brought the Sinatra trilogy to a close.

Anka concluded his Las Vegas show with "Twist and Shout" and a brief reprise of the classic "Diana."

The prolific songwriter didn't perform "(You're) Having My Baby," "One Man Woman/ One Woman Man," "I Don't Sleep Alone," and "(I Believe) There's Nothing Stronger Than Our Love." All four hits were duets with Odia Coates from the mid-70s.

More than five decades after "Diana," Anka continues to dazzle audiences with his impressive songwriting and performance skills.

Judging from the shows he staged in the Upper Peninsula last weekend, Anka is likely to remain a top draw in Las Vegas and around the world for years to come.

Chuck Berry proves ageless

82-year-old Chuck Berry showed he could still
rock and roll during a concert at the Oneida Casino
in Green Bay on May 31.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

When Green Bay's Oneida Casino announced a concert appearance by guitarist and singer Chuck Berry, my wife Sue and I jumped at the chance to go.

With Berry now 82 years old, we didn't want to miss an opportunity to see the man who virtually invented rock 'n' roll.

Still, prior to the show at the 3 Clans Ballroom on May 31, we didn't know what to expect from the veteran rocker.

Sue and I saw Berry open and close the concert for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and I had witnessed an outdoors Berry show back in 1972 when I was a student at Central Michigan University.

Berry has performed countless times since "Maybellene," became his first hit in the fall of 1955.

He not only sang and played guitar on his records, he wrote the songs, too. And they were terrific songs about girls, cars and school, subjects on every teenage boy's mind.

While Berry was racking up his hits, I was busy being a kid. By the time I started paying attention as a teen, Berry's glorious decade atop the pop charts was ending.

If U. S. fans were inexplicably losing interest in Berry, the British Invasion groups were using his songs to capture the hearts, minds and dollars of American teens.

The Beatles had hits with "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Rock and Roll Music." The Rolling Stones added "Little Queenie," "Carol" and 11 other Berry originals. More artists followed suit.

American groups didn't stay silent. Johnny Rivers made "Memphis" into a No. 2 smash and followed with "Maybellene." The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson copped the music to "Sweet Little Sixteen" for "Surfin' USA" and didn't credit Berry until he sued.

Dozens of groups used the Chuck Berry songbook to further their careers.

For his part, Berry kept touring. With his hits so well known, the songwriter often traveled by himself, using pick-up bands during shows. He knew any self-respecting musicians would know his songs. Consequently, some Berry shows were better than others.

Just a day before the Green Bay date, Berry was in New Orleans to perform at "The Domino Effect." Named after rhythm and blues giant Fats Domino, the event raises funds to help rebuild schools and playgrounds damaged by Hurricane Katrina. B. B. King and Little Richard were among the performers.

Following a 45-minute set by rockabilly sensation Li'l Gizzelle, Berry strolled on the Wisconsin stage with "Roll Over Beethoven."

Dressed in a sparkly red shirt and sailor cap, Berry was impressive on his Gibson guitar which unfortunately needed to be tuned several times during the show.

With the sound a little ragged, the rock 'n' roll icon followed with "School Days" and "Sweet Little Sixteen," the audience singing along.

"Do you remember this one?" Berry asked as he introduced "My Ding-A-Ling," his only chart-topping song. The novelty hit brought back memories of my college days when I saw Berry perform live for the first time.

Berry combined "Carol" and "Little Queenie," ending the medley saying, "That's it."

"You name it and we'll play it," Berry announced before launching into "Rock And Roll Music."

The St. Louis native forgot some of the lyrics but made up for it with a rousing rendition of "Johnny B. Goode," his Top Ten smash from 1958.

Berry sang about some of life's hardships with his version of the classic "Everyday I Have the Blues." He followed with "Reelin' & Rockin'," a B-side released in 1957.

The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame member enjoyed a strong year in 1964, despite the arrival of the Beatles, Rolling Stones and other British beat groups. For the Green Bay show, Berry performed three of his hits from that year: "Nadine," "No Particular Place To Go," and his self-described ballad, "You Never Can Tell."

"Brown-Eyed Handsome Man," with its autobiographical lyrics, also found a place in Berry's program. The rock 'n' roll pioneer played his composition, "Memphis," after asking the audience, "What are the first three words?" The song was a hit for both Lonnie Mack and Johnny Rivers.

Of course, no show would be complete without "Maybellene." As Berry played his first hit, he dramatically got down on one knee and back up again without missing a lick on his guitar.

For a concert-closing instrumental jam, Berry invited a dozen women on stage to dance. He even demonstrated his famous "duck walk," jumping on one leg while moving the other in a back and forth motion, not a bad feat for a man who turns 83 on Oct. 18.

Berry clearly had fun performing, telling the crowd he'd be "back within six months" and predicting he'd live to be 106.

The casino audience clearly loved Berry, and demonstrated the fact with plenty of cheering and applause. Nobody seemed to mind some forgotten lyrics and abbreviated songs.

Sure, the 75-minute show was a little sloppy, but fans seemed happy Berry was still willing to entertain them when he could just as easily be collecting royalty checks at home.

Berry's influence stretches far and wide.

Rolling Stone included six of his songs on the magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list in 2004: "Johnny Be Goode" (7), "Maybellene" (18), "Roll Over Beethoven" (97), "Rock And Roll Music" (128), "Sweet Little Sixteen" (272) and "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man" (374).

Musical acts as diverse as the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Judas Priest owe a debt of gratitude to the man from Wentzville, Missouri.

So do all the fans who've loved his music for more than half a century.

Thanks, Chuck, for showing us how to rock, and for reminding us we don't have to stop.