Leanne Cowie - The Scientists

Leanne Cowie (nee Chock) is an Australian drummer. In 1984 she was an aimless 20-year-old who had escaped from Sydney to London with no particular plans, other than to not get a job and do something with music or writing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Scientists is an influential post-punk band from Perth, Western Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as the Exterminators and then the Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s. The lineup included Roddy Radalj (guitar, vocals), Boris Sujdovic (bass) and John Rowlings (drums). In September 1981, Salmon and Sujdovic reformed the band, with Rixon on drums and Tony Thewlis (ex-Helicopters) on guitar, and prepared to move to Sydney. For this version of the band, the musical direction of the band turned more towards swampy, psychedelic-tinged rock and roll, incorporating the influence of bands such as The Gun Club, the Cramps, Suicide, the Stooges and Captain Beefheart.

 

 

 

 

 

In 1985 The Scientists were stranded. On the eve of a major UK tour, their talented, yet difficult drummer Brett Rixon walked out on the band. A number of name “Rock” drummers were hired to replicate Rixon’s parts, however, it never sounded like The Scientists. The last thing this band wanted to do was “Rock”. In 1985, The Scientists’ sound was Dark, Primal, Beat Driven, Minimal and Swampy. As important as the Beat was, it couldn’t overpower the band.  Leanne who volunteered to be their tour manager in 1984, secretly purchased Rixon’s drum kit and proceeded to learn the instrument through The Scientists’ repertoire. After a few more failed auditions, Leanne was finally asked to join the band. Instantly, The Scientists sounded like The Scientists. With Leanne as Rixon’s replacement, the band was able to tour and record a little longer. However, even with this vital transplant, the band’s days were numbered and by 1987 it was no more.

As is always the case in rock mythology, it took twenty years of being broken up before anyone would offer The Scientists money to play a show. The newly reformed Scientists (with Leanne on drums) played festivals throughout Europe and Australia. The band finally made their American live debut in 2010 with a one-off show at New York’s All Tomorrow’s Parties festival with the also recently reformed Iggy & The Stooges. The Scientists reformation at the beginning of the decade reignited Salmon’s interest in all things Dark & Primitive. Deciding to go with it, Salmon and Cowie entered a Melbourne studio and within a few days, True West was born.

Since True West’s release in Australia late in 2014, Kim & Leanne have played a number of shows and the reviews for both the live show and record have all been as you would expect. Fans and critics have taken to Kim & Leanne.

Betty Everett

Betty Everett (November 23, 1939 – August 19, 2001) was an American soul singer and pianist, best known for her biggest hit single, the million-selling "Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)", and her duet "Let It Be Me" with Jerry Butler. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everett was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, United States. She began playing the piano and singing gospel music in church at the age of nine. She moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1957 to pursue a career in secular music. She recorded for various small local Chicago soul labels, before she was signed in 1963 by Calvin Carter, A&R musical director of fast-growing independent label Vee-Jay Records. An initial single failed, but her second Vee-Jay release, a bluesy version of "You're No Good" (written by Clint Ballard Jr. and later a No. 1 hit for Linda Ronstadt), just missed the U.S. top 50. Her next single, the catchy "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)", was her biggest solo hit. The song climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and made No. 1 on the Cashbox R&B chart for three weeks. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her other hits included "I Can't Hear You" (covered by numerous artists, including Dusty Springfield, Helen Reddy, and others), "Getting Mighty Crowded" (covered by Elvis Costello in 1980), and several duets with Jerry Butler, including "Let It Be Me", which made the US Top 5 in 1964 and was another Cashbox R&B number 1. After Vee-Jay folded in 1966, she recorded for several other labels, including ABC, Fantasy, and Uni. After an unsuccessful year with ABC, a move to Uni brought another major success in 1969 with "There'll Come A Time", co-written by producer and lead singer of The Chi-Lites, Eugene Record. This rose to No. 2 in the Billboard R&B listing (No. 26 on the Hot 100) and topped the Cashbox chart. However, most of her later work would not match the success she had with Vee-Jay, although there were other R&B hits such as "It's Been A Long Time" and "I Got To Tell Somebody", which re-united her with Calvin Carter in 1970. The 1975 album Happy Endings had arrangements by Gene Page and includes a cover of "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys. Her final recording came out in 1980, again produced by Carter. Her awards include the BMI Pop Award (both for 1964 and 1991) and the BMI R&B Award (for 1964). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until her death, Everett resided with her sister in South Beloit, Illinois, where she was involved in the Rhythm & Blues Foundation and the churches of the Fountain of Life and New Covenant. In 1990, her signature hit, "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)", had been used in the movie Mermaids for the end credits, and recorded by the star of the film, Cher. This reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart and charted well elsewhere in Europe. She was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Hall Of Fame in 1996 and, about four years later, made her last public appearance on the PBS special Doo Wop 51, along with her former singing partner, Jerry Butler. 

 

 

Everett died at her home in Beloit, Wisconsin, on August 19, 2001; she was 61.

Annie Golden - The Shirts

Annie Golden (born October 19, 1951 in New York ) is an American actress and singer. She first came to prominence as the lead singer of the punk band The Shirts from 1975 to 1981 with whom she recorded three albums. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Shirts had their roots in Brooklyn, where Robert Racioppo and Artie Lamonica had been playing together on and off as early as 1970. Members of the band were gradually added (including lead singer Annie Golden) in the next three years. The band got its name when Racioppo, having just broken up his existing band, asserted his desire to form a new one, and his indifference to its name: "call it anything ... shirts ... pants ... shoes ... The Shirts!" The newly named band, eventually including nine musicians, played covers at small venues in New York until, in 1975, they went to a show at CBGB featuring Patti Smith and were inspired to play there using only their original material. The Shirts auditioned for CBGB owner Hilly Kristal which resulted in the band being hired, first to open for other bands (including Television and the Talking Heads), then to play as the headliner band. As the band honed their skills and developed new songs, they played at such other local venues as Max's Kansas City. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although little interest was initially shown in the band by American record labels, The Shirts were featured on a double compilation album featuring the major bands of the CBGB scene in the mid-70s, Live at CBGB. However, Nick Mobbs at EMI (who had signed the Sex Pistols to the label) signed the band to EMI's Harvest label in the fall of 1977, and assigned Mike Thorne (who had also worked on Sex Pistols albums) to produce their first album. Largely for corporate purposes, the band was signed by EMI in conjunction with its US subsidiary label, Capitol Records, which had initially passed on signing the band. This formality would eventually have a significant impact on the band’s early history. The first album, The Shirts, was recorded in London (while lead singer Golden commuted back to the US to shoot Miloš Forman’s screen version of Hair) and released in 1978, and became very popular in Europe, the single Tell Me Your Plans charting in the top five in the Netherlands for example. The band went on to tour Europe opening for Peter Gabriel, at his request.

Thorne chose to record the band’s second album, Streetlight Shine (1979), at Mediasound Studio in New York City. The resulting sound was much more eclectic than their debut album, and the album was again a financial and critical success in Europe, the single Laugh and Walk Away again charting high in the Netherlands. However, breakthrough in the US market continued to elude the band. For the third album, Capitol Records made a deal with EMI in which the band would be signed solely to Capitol. Now under Capitol’s management rather than Thorne’s, recording went poorly and the resulting album, Inner Sleeve (1980), was not properly supported by the label, only 10,000 copies being pressed. It was a signal failure for the band, and although they continued playing for another two years, the large band (nine members at its height) had been reduced to four players, and essentially broke up in 1981. 

 

 

 

During the early 1990s Golden performed as part of the duo Golden Carillo with Frank Carillo. They released three albums, Fire in Newtown, Toxic Emotion, and Back for More. She returned to The Shirts, but she has also performed solo and with a band. In 1984, her song "Hang Up the Phone" was featured on the soundtrack of the film Sixteen Candles. She performs a revue of songs from her stage career along with originals called Annie Golden's Velvet Prison.

 

 

She began her acting career as Mother in the 1977 Broadway revival of Hair; later taking on the role of Jeannie Ryan in the 1979 film version of the musical. Other notable film credits include Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Strictly Business (1991), 12 Monkeys (1995), The American Astronaut (2001), It Runs in the Family (2003), Adventures of Power (2008), and I Love You Phillip Morris (2009). Golden is best known for portraying mute Norma Romano in the Netflix comedy-drama web television series Orange Is the New Black from 2013 to 2019. 

Pauline Murray

Pauline Murray (born 8 March 1958) is best known as the lead singer of the punk rock band Penetration, originally formed in 1976. She was born in Waterhouses, County Durham, England, and her parents later moved to Ferryhill. She left school at age sixteen, studied art at Darlington College and then worked at odd jobs. In May 1976 the 18-year-old Murray saw the Sex Pistols perform, and she and her Ferryhill comrades became Pistols devotees, earning for themselves the title of "Durham Contingent".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In late 1976, Murray formed a band with friends Robert Blamire and Gary Smallman. The band's lineup was lead singer Pauline Murray, Robert Blamire (bass), Gary Smallman (drums) and Gary Chaplin (guitar). Chaplin left in March 1978 being replaced with Neale Floyd, with second guitarist Fred Purser joining in July.  Formed in Ferryhill as The Points, under which name they played their first gig, at the Rock Garden pub in Middlesbrough in October 1976, they changed the band's name after a 1973 song by Iggy & The Stooges. Their second gig was supporting The Stranglers at Newcastle City Hall. Significantly, the band also played at The Roxy during its first 100 days. On 9 April 1977, the band appeared on the same bill as Generation X. Early in their career, the band also supported The Vibrators and toured with Buzzcocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their debut single, "Don't Dictate", released in Nov. 1977 is now acknowledged as a classic. After the release of their second single, Penetration recorded the first of two sessions for John Peel at BBC Radio 1 in July 1978. Later that year, the band released their debut album. Moving Targets was number 6 in the Sounds Critics' albums of the year; and it made number 13 in the NME critics' chart. In 1979, they toured Europe, the US and Britain but the grueling schedule began to take its toll. A disappointing reaction to Coming Up For Air, the second album, was the final nail in the coffin of the original band. After the band split in October an official bootleg album called Race Against Time was released, which was a collection of early demos and live tracks.

In 1980 Murray worked on her first solo album with record producer Martin Hannett's band The Invisible Girls, which also included ex-Penetration member and co-writer Robert Blamire, as well as guesting Manchester musicians such as Vini Reilly, guitarist in The Durutti Column, and Steve Hopkins. John Maher from Buzzcocks also drummed for the band. The resulting album, Pauline Murray and The Invisible Girls, reached Number 25 on the UK Albums Chart in October 1980 and spawned the singles "Dream Sequence" and "Mr. X". The album was well received by critics.  Murray also provided vocals for The Only Ones on their song "Fools" and backing vocals on "Me and My Shadow".




In the early 1980s, Murray formed the band Pauline Murray and The Storm, with Robert Blamire (bass), Tim Johnston (drums) and Paul Harvey (guitar), releasing the singles "Holocaust" in 1984, a cover of Alex Chilton/Big Star and the self-penned "New Age" in 1986. In 1989 Murray released the EP This Thing Called Love and the album Storm Clouds under her own name. In 2013 she booked a number of solo acoustic dates around the North End in the UK. Penetration played a number of gigs around London in 2001–2002, leading to a band reunion. In 2015 the band announced they would release Resolution, a new studio album. The current line-up of the band is Pauline Murray, Robert Blamire, John Maher (ex-Buzzcocks), Paul Harvey and Steve Wallace.

Candy & The Kisses

The 60s group from Richmond, NY, consisted of sisters Candy and Suzanne Nelson and their friend Jeanette Johnson. The Nelsons' father was a minister and they developed their singing skills in his church. For a while they were the Symphonettes but never recorded as such; they became Candy and the Kisses with their first release, “After I Cry” b/w “Let the Good Times Roll,” issued in 1963 on R&L Records. 

 

 

 

 

 

"The 81" b/w “Two Happy People” (Cameo Records, 1964) was their biggest record; Kenny Gamble and Jerry Ross wrote the shuffler about the popular Philly dance. Leon Huff and Cindy Scott wrote the flip; Gamble & Huff later united to become Hall-of-Fame songwriters and producers. "The 81" stopped short of Billboard's pop Top 40 and nested in the 50s. Cameo followed with Phil Spector’s “Soldier Boy (of Mine)” b/w “Shakin’ Time” (1965), but politics killed the potential two-sided hit and the Cameo deal.

 

They signed with Scepter Records in 1965 and were assigned to the writing team of Josephine (Joshie) Armstead, Valerie Simpson, and Nicholas Ashford. However, excellent material like “Keep on Searchin’,” “Sweet and Lovely,” “Out in the Streets Again,” “I'll Settle for You,” “Mr. Creator,” and “Are You Trying to Get Rid of Me Baby,” fail to chart. Even a remake of the Shirelles' 1960 hit "Tonight's the Night" and "You Did the Best You Could" misfired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1968, the final Candy & the Kisses recording appeared on Decca Records; when "Chains of Love" b/w "Someone out There" didn't bust a grape, Candy retired. Suzanne, Jeanette, and new lead Beryl Martin tried again as Sweet Soul on Mercury Records in 1969. Their only single "Oh No, Oh No" b/w "If You Love Him" didn't win, place, or show, and they disbanded.

Althea & Donna

Althea & Donna were a Jamaican reggae vocal duo, consisting of Althea Rose Forrest and Donna Marie Reid. They are best known for their 1977 single "Uptown Top Ranking", which was a number-one hit in the United Kingdom in 1978.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Jamaican teenage singers Althea Forrest and Donna Reid – then 17 and 18 years old respectively – caused a chart surprise when their reggae song "Uptown Top Ranking" became a no. 1 hit in the UK in February 1978. Conceived as a mere light-hearted “answer song” to Trinity’s Three Piece Suit, it was an inauspicious beginning. The track, produced by Joe Gibbs, was essentially based on the 1967 Alton Ellis tune I’m Still In Love, which had already been repopularised by Marcia Aitken as I’m Still In Love With YouBoy. However, it was the Three Piece Suit version – itself a Joe Gibbs production – which sparked the new, improvised lyrics from Althea & Donna. In another odd twist, Uptown Top Ranking was originally played by John Peel completely by accident (at the right speed for once from Peelie, though), and the legendary taste-making DJ was soon inundated with listener requests to give the record more spins on his show. The song eventually hit No. 1 in the UK charts in February 1978 after a notable Top Of The Pops appearance. Despite spending 11 weeks on the charts, it enjoyed only a single week at the summit.

 

 

 

 

 

They released the album of the same name in 1978, backed by The Revolutionaries, on the Virgin Records subsidiary Front Line, The album was produced by Karl Pitterson. The duo recorded several more singles, but did not meet with any more tangible success thereafter. In 2001, Caroline Records reissued the full-length Uptown Top Ranking.
 

Karen Dalton

Karen J. Dalton (born Jean Karen Cariker; July 19, 1937 – March 19, 1993) was an American folk blues singer, guitarist, and banjo player. She was associated with the early 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene, particularly with Fred Neil, the Holy Modal Rounders, and Bob Dylan. Although she did not enjoy much commercial success during her lifetime, her music has gained significant recognition since her death. Artists like Nick Cave, Devendra Banhart, and Joanna Newsom have noted her as an influence. 

 

 

 

 

 

Dalton was born Jean Karen Cariker in Bonham, Texas, but was raised in Enid, Oklahoma. She also lived in Stillwater, Oklahoma and Lawrence, Kansas. At the age of 21, Dalton left Oklahoma and arrived in Greenwich Village, New York City in the early 1960s, she brought her twelve string guitar and long-neck banjo with her. Dalton quickly became entrenched in the Greenwich Village folk musical scene of the 1960s. She played alongside big names of the time, including Bob Dylan (who occasionally backed her up on harmonica), Fred Neil, Richard Tucker, and Tim Hardin. She covered many of their songs in her own performances. She was among the first to sing Hardin's "Reason to Believe".

While Dalton was a regular at famous folk venue Café Wha? and performed at benefit concerts for civil rights groups, she was a reluctant performer and refused to perform her own songs. Dalton was "not interested in playing the music industry's games in an era when musicians had little other choice," as bass player and producer Harvey Brooks noted. She often responded in anger when producers attempted to change her music while recording. At first, producer Nik Venet was unsuccessful in recording her first album, It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You the Best (Capitol, 1969). It wasn't until he invited Fred Neil to a session that they were able to come away with recordings. And even then Venet and Neil were only successful by tricking Dalton into thinking the tape wasn't rolling. Dalton cut most of the tracks with one take, and all in one night. The record features songs from Neil, Hardin, Jelly Roll Morton, and Eddie Floyd & Booker T. Jones. It was re-released by Koch Records on CD in 1996.

Dalton's second album, In My Own Time (1971), was recorded at Bearsville Studios (which was set up by Bob Dylan's manager, Albert Grossman) and originally released by Woodstock Festival promoter Michael Lang's label, Just Sunshine Records. The album was produced and arranged by Harvey Brooks, who played bass on it. Piano player Richard Bell guested on the album. Its liner notes were written by Fred Neil and its cover photos were taken by Elliott Landy.




It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You the Best was re-released on Koch records in 1997, in collaboration with New York based radio DJ and Karen Dalton fan Nicholas Hill, and with liner notes by Peter Stampfel. In 1999 the French label Megaphone music did a European re-release of the same album, which included a bonus DVD featuring rare performance footage of Dalton and a French TV feature on Karen Dalton from 1970. In My Own Time was re-released on CD and LP on November 7, 2006 by Light in the Attic Records.

Dalton lived in rural Colorado some years in the 1960s, in a small mining cabin in Summerville. Eventually she moved back to New York via LA, and later to Woodstock. She died there in March 1993 from an AIDS-related illness, aged 55.