from the Audities Message Board
The Smashers? (from 1981)
From: MRL
Subject: The Smashers? (from 1981)
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 20:28:02 -0500
Has anyone heard the Smashers LP from 1981? Am curious if it's any good. Thanks.
Mark
From: R. Emmett McAuliffe
Subject: Re: The Smashers? (from 1981)
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 15:54:47 -0500
It's pop, but I don't especially recommend it.
Emmett
MRL@PSFC.MIT.EDU 01/26 9:14 PM wrote:
Thanks for the info. Someone I know had heard 2 songs from it and thought it was decent, but I couldn't find anything about it on the web except on a web page that sells tapes of anything to do with Stevie Moore. Sometimes unknown albums are great, but I guess this one isn't?
Mark
From: R. Emmett McAuliffe
Subject: Re: The Smashers? (from 1981)
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 07:45:32 -0500
I am playing it right now.
The best song on the album is intriguing:
"Once Is Not Enough" has a neat stop/start structure.
The group seems to have a Nashville and/or Atlanta connection.
I don't see any Stevie Moore connection.
Playing the record again, I like it better. Maybe its just nostalgia because they don't make records that sound like this anymore. Sort of like a B-grade Titan sampler, Roulettes or Secrets. If the album is under $10 I would get it just to have an authentic slice of 1981 "indie" pop.
Emmett
called "Gleason" and sounding like a love song about a girl with a rather cool name but on closer inspection of the lyrics appears to actually be about the actor (weird!): "Gleason has a broken heart, little pieces Gleason really played a part, never ceases."
From: Stewart Mason
Subject: Re: The Smashers? (from 1981)
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 06:04:09 -0700
>>I don't see any Stevie Moore connection.
What are the names of the players/writers/producers? If they have a Nashville connection, they might be connected through some of Steve's old hometown pals, like Roger Ferguson or Billy Anderson.
Stewart
Stewart Allensworth Mason
Box 40172 "Mom, stop saying 'Mofo'!"
Albuquerque NM 87196
www.rt66.com/~flamingo
*************HAPPY MUSIC FOR NICE PEOPLE**************
From: R. Emmett McAuliffe
Date: 1/27/00 8:56AM -0500
None of those names appear. The trio is Gypsy Carns, Victor Lovera and Fagan Arouh. The producer is Michael Snow. The label is Atlanta and the only Nashville connection is that Father Ryan High School, a school near Music Row is thanked for the loan of the drum kit. REM
From: Stewart Mason
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 06:56:39 -0700
Bingo. The late Victor Lovera was a good friend and prime influence on Stevie. They were in several bands together before Stevie split for New Jersey. A picture of Victor is on the cover of my reissue of PHONOGRAPHY (he's the dark-haired guy in the upper right corner), which he also designed. The CD ends with Stevie's version of Victor's "Because We're the Dig," which I think is one of the best songs Stevie ever recorded.
Now *I* want this record!
Stewart
SOME BACKGROUND INFO:
Recorded 1979-1980 at Jack Clement Studio, Belmont Ave, Nashville TN
Produced by MICHAEL SNOW for BRITISH STERLING PRODUCTIONS
Tony Newman (Smashers LP drummer):
Tony has been playing professionally for 38 years. He was born in England during the latter part of the Big Band era. Early influences were Duke Ellington, Louie Bellson, and Buddy Rich.
He joined Sounds Incorporated in 1960, where he backed Gene Vincent, Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Jerry Lee Lewis and numerous others. In 1966 he left Sounds Incorporated to pursue a session career, which included playing on hits for Robert Palmer, Petula Clark, Tom Jones, Cliff Richard, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and John Lennon.
Tony has been a part of some interesting bands including Jeff Beck (Beckkola), David Bowie (Diamond Dogs & David Live).
Tony moved to Nashville in 1978. He has recorded with many of Nashville's best artists. Tony now spends his time on the road with the Everly Brothers when he isn't in the studio.