Ghosts of Bubblegum Past

Dear Sir, I would not put Poison in the same list as Milli Vanilli or Rick Astley. They are a a great rock band...CC DeVille is probably the greatest living guitarist! For me no other rock band has come close to matching their output of classic songs...Every Rose, Talk Dirty To Me, Something to Believe In, Let it Play, Life Goes On...except maybe Bon Jovi. I do sincerely like Poison . I think many people here will share my view of this innovative and yet much derided band, and will share my disbelief at their ommission from the ILM top 100, I suspect foul play! :)

Anyway, also search Skid Row, Queensryche and the LA Guns "Ballad of Jane".

Oh and also go and get Europe's greatest hits! So much more to them than the Final Countdown, well Carrie but still!

Not forgetting such Europe classics as 'Rock The Night' and 'Cherokee', such poignant eulogies may, alas, never be seen again in our generation. Sniff.

(warning: intensely anal bubblegum fanatic speaks)

Old bubblegum records are interesting for being much-heard but little- known; I recently seeked out Daniel Boone's "Beautiful Sunday" (as often, at least one ILM-er will know what I'm on about here), a *title* which would previously have been merely a name in the Rice / Gambaccini oeuvre to me, and I instantly recognised the song, certainly the chorus. Hearing the Fortunes' "Storm In A Teacup" (same time, same place) brought about instantly the same sensation; the placing of a chorus that had haunted me for years ("it doesn't matter, oh no it doesn't matter" ... if only those were my feelings).

Good call to Momus for alluding a while back to Tommy James and the Shondells' "Mony Mony", which is terrific in its original form. Also Vanity Fare's "Early In The Morning" and "Hitchin' A Ride", and First Class's "Beach Baby".

And the first 20 seconds of "Now Is The Time" by Jimmy James and the Vagabonds. Noel Edmonds's smoothie intro while playing it on the R1 Roadshow in Newquay amid totally scorched grass and weirdly Blytonian beach crowds in August '76; is there a more rueful British pop- cultural image of that time?

Anal bubblegum...

Sorry: I was kind of savouring the concept (if "savouring" is the word I want).

I grew up on Debbie and Boney M. Everyone must search the best of Tommy James. His genius had no limits. Or, actually, very well defined limits, but who cares?

"Beautiful Sunday," Robin, what a memory dredger! I mostly know it, though, from the Squirrels' hilarious cover version -- changes nothing about the song but plays up the arrangements into new corners (vibes? sure!). I actually hope I see them play it two weeks from tomorrow.

Is anyone going to answer this man's Poison question? I, personally, find them to be a band of less merit than thought possible. And I don't see how Mr. Deville is a guitar hero at all. (Have you heard his new band??) I want to hear another take on this...

You're not the one I was thinking of, Ned. But, hey, the Squirrels (of whom I know nothing) *covered* "Beautiful Sunday"?

I have to hear that. Given that the original arrangement is absolutely textbook early 70s Brit bubblegum (already being squeezed out at that point by glam), and *very* Eurovisionish and cheesy (I like it, though), it wouldn't be hard to rearrange it. I actually think it could work very well in an 80s indiepop arrangement.

Now, don't get me started on Stephanie De Sykes's "Life Is A Beautiful Book" ...

The first Poison album could pass as bubblegum, esp. due to syrup-soft production and that Max Factor album cover. Maybe "Nothin' But a Good Time" and "Your Mama Don't Dance" off the 2nd album, too, but that's it: they're, y'know, a "rock band" from there on. (And wouldn't've thought Skid Row, Queensryche, L.A. Guns are bubblegum in any sense.) And, yeah, odd to see C.C. deified as guitar God. At the time, he was oft-singled out as the one guy who COULDN'T play. Quote someoneIforget: "toneless, ear-splitting solos." I like him fine, but for "shred" technique, doesn't hold candle next to Steve Blaze, Warren DiMartini, George Lynch, Jake Lee, Reb Beach, etc in their prime.

FLESH & BLOOD is a very good album ("Unskinny Bop" = classic).

'These Boots Are Made for Walking' by dear old Nancy Sinatra. In fact, just about anything by our Nancy. Now, why didn't her Greatest Hits get in the ILM top 100? Beats Britney anytime.

Tom likes it. See the latest instalment of A Thousand Songs.

Sterling, where in the U.S. did you grow up hearing Boney M? I'd never heard of those guys 'cept thru Chuck Eddy, and mentioning them w/ Debbie Gibson as your standard radio bubblegum seems odd. Were they ever played on the radio here? Maybe I just missed it.

It isn't standard 80s indiepop. Trust me, the Squirrels have nothing to do with that! ;-)

This really belies my adavanced age, but you can't possibly speak of bubblegum today or yesterday without mentioning Katzenetz (sp.?) & Katz on the Kama Sutra label (Buddha, too?), who I think not only named the genre but invented more imaginary groups than Mike Alway and Joe Meek put together. Start with "Simple Simon Says," a song I remember fondly from second grade...

PS I forgot to mention that the first record I ever bought was The Flying Machine's "Smile A Little Smile For Me (Rose Marie)" in fall 1969. (I'll usually only admit to it having been "Electric Warrior." What was the first record you ever bought vs. the first record you'll admit to buying? might be a good question here.) "Smile" may be bubblegum, but it does have a certain elegaic grandeur and a suitably mournful French horn solo, so I'm not too ashamed.

I was five, and in Singapore (Commonwealth territory, no?) and some dude was selling tapes on the street. My mother let me buy two -- A) Boney M. B) Some breakdancing thing. Why did I pick those? I don't know, I was five. But then I listend to them A LOT as they were the only two tapes I owned until I picked up Cyndi Lauper, some elvis, and Debbi Gibson a bit later. Radio? I only listened to the oldies station.

As far as bubblegum goes, I would like to point out "sweet pea" which is magnificent. Also that the liner notes to the Bhudda singles collection are scads of fun, as they detail just how EVERY SINGLE band was a studio creation.

I'm sure they don't, Ned, I just thought "Beautiful Sunday" could fit into that style. Got to hear their version, though.

Poison is way not better than Whitesnake btw. Next person who drives me around in a car is going to be treated to me rolling around all over the joint like Tawny Kitaen.

I recently seeked out Daniel Boone's "Beautiful Sunday" (as often, at least one ILM-er will know what I'm on about here)

Robin..there's no need to be so cryptic. Yes I do know 'what you're you're on about' - I ought to, given that I drew it to your attention in the first place.

Boney M in the US: 'Rivers of Babylon' got to #30 in 1978 (six weeks in charts, says Billboard). Singapore *is* in the Commonwealth, tho I don't follow the point Sterling is making, Boney M being German. Am I being dim?

Boney M wiere all ovre the UK charts, and really all the european charts, not just Germany. Singapore, by being part of the commonwealth, probably got quite a bit of UK chart music.

Doh!!

But hey David, I *like* being cryptic. I was just sending up my own tendency to be obsessed with things that aren't part of the official history of anything and which I can safely assume the majority of contributors here to not be aware of. I could have said the same thing, hinting explicitly to Norman, if the time ever came to mention Ashley Hutchings, and so on (and so on, and so on ...).

Anyone else like "Banner Man" by Blue Mink, from 1971?

I like some other song by Blue Mink - it's on one of my K-Tels, or maybe it *is* that one. Kinda nerdy.

Since this thread was revived and caught my eye, I thought I'd point y'all to the authoritative history of bubblegum , as sprung directly from the headz of Kasenetz & Katz (and Joey Levine deserves much credit as well). I'm warning you - the guy's a hardline gumnik, but the links will take you to more broader discussions of the music. Seriously, I have these LPs - they're really *good*.

yeah "banner man" is good..."good morning freedom", "by the devil i was tempted" is some more good ones.

hey kerry do you know this site?

Thanks, Duane! No, I hadn't seen it. All those K-Tels - I only have about forty or so. I may have to submit a review. I love the early ones, but I must say, "Disco Rocket" is my favorite.

I would LOVE for Toploader to hear 'Brandy' by Looking Glass, so that they commit suicide right after.

what intrigues me is how was gene pitney seen when he appeared - bubblegum crooner? I mean, now I listen to his stuff and marvel, but at the time, I wonder who thought he was ok, and who thought he was juts a trend...just a historical thought to play around with here.

Not sure how Pitney was seen at the time. I'd agree with you about his voice being "bigger" than a lot of his songs, as it were.

"Melting Pot" sounds incredibly twee now, and rather naive - I mean, Alan Partridge sang it to himself in the lift at the Linton Travel Tavern! But at the time I suppose it sounded adequate as ultra- watered-down protest, and "Banner Man" will forever remind me of the last time those sorts of events actually meant something in Britain. Magical.