Genre: pop
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Permanent Damage
Company: Straight
Catalog: STS
1059
Year: 1969
Country/State: Los Angeles, California
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: gatefold sleeve; includes insert
Available: SOLD
Catalog ID: SOLD 6049
Price: SOLD $70.00
Human nature being what it is, there's a tendency to gloss over the bad things and try to focus on the good ... How often have we all heard people refer to the 'good old days'. Chances are they really weren't that good. The same is true with art and music. With the benefit of hindsight, some folks seem to think everything recorded in the 1960s was wonderful. I beg to differ and as evidence I'd like to present the sole album recorded by The GTO's (Girls Together Outrageously).
For anyone interested, Miss Pamela's written a number of books that discuss the GTO's and her life as a 1960s groupie. For anyone interested she usually has a couple of signed copies available on eBay. There's also a ton of online information to be found about the group so I'm just going to hit the highlights.
The late 1960s found Christine Frka (aka Miss Christine), Judith Edra Peters (aka Miss Mercy), Pamela Ann Miller (aka Miss Pamela), Linda Sue Parker (aka Miss Sparky), and Sandra Lynn Rowe (aka Miss Sandra) living and working in Hollywood. Frka briefly served as a nanny to Frank Zappa's two older children (her startling image graces the cover of Zappa's 1969 album "Hot Rats"). She was replaced as nanny by Miller. Together with Parker, Peters and Rowe the group decided to try their luck at the arts, forming The Laurel Canyon Ballet Company they dabbled in a mixture of dance, singing, and theatrics. With the addition of Cynthia Wells (aka Miss Cynderella), the group found a mentor and financial backer in the form of Zappa who suggested a name change resulting in The GTO's.
Straight publicity shot
Always on the lookout for the unusual, Zappa signed the group to his Warner Brothers associated Straight label, producing 1969's "Permanently Damage" with help from Lowell George and help from several of the Mothers of Invention. I've own quite a bit of Zappa weirdness in my collection, but have to tell you that this hodgepodge of spoken word segments=, phone snippets, and songs (I'm using the term loosely) was strange beyond description. Having listened to the album a couple of times over the years I've got to tell you that I don't have a clue what their talents were. With the possible exception of the Lowell George penned 'Do Me In Once And I'll Be Sad, Do Me In Twice And I'll Know Better (Circular Circulation)', none of the 'songs' was particular worthwhile and the spoken word segments were simply depressing. Hearing these women talk about stuffing their bras, being picked up by dirty old men, and other demeaning experiences leaves you thinking how young and naive they sounded. That said, this makes for a goofy timepiece with cameos from a big chunk of The Mothers, The Jeff Back Group, and even Monkee Davy Jones (who co-wrote two tracks).
- Here's how 'The Eureka Springs Garbage Lady' is described - "This song is about a school teacher with a college degree in a small Ozark town who wanted to get it on with the local blacksmith (Harry). She was too shy to let Harry in on the idea so, in order to get a little closer to her dream goal, she became a garbage collection .. just so she could pick up Harry's trash. This is a true story according to Cinderella': One of their stabs at a true song, this underscored one of the album's fundamental problems - none of the women could sing to save their lives. Christine handled the lead vocal and the results sounded like a cat being strangled. Jeff Beck provided the guitar solo. rating: ** stars (for the Beck solo)
- A spoken word segment, 'Miss Pamela and Miss Sparky discuss STUFFED BRAS and some of their early gym class experiences' pretty much said it all. rating: * star
- 'Who's Jim Sox? was another brief spoken word segment.
- 'Kansas and the BTO's' was described as: "Mr. Kansas was formerly road technician for The Mothers. He happened to be in the studio one night while I was working with the GTO's. I asked him to conduct this interview from the standpoint of Mr. and Mrs. Middle America." Wasn't particularly insightful, or interesting. rating: * stars
- Written by the Monkees Davy Jones, 'The Captain's Fat Theresa Shoes' was another stab at a song. The liner notes described it as: 'This is a song about a pair of crazed shoes Captain Beefheart wears." rating: * stars
- 'Wouldn't It Be Sad If There Were No Cones?' featured Pamela and Sparky talking about African American men coming on to them - "Miss Pamela and Spark discuss the manner in which local Hollywood soul brothers make sexual advances in front of the Whiskey A Go-Go." Guess those brothers were pretty desperate if they were hitting on this collection. rating: * stars
- Don't get me wrong, sung by Miss Pamela in a cloying little girl voice, 'Do Me In Once And I'll Be Sad, Do Me In Twice And I'll Know Better (Circular Circulation)' was far from a great performance. That said, Lowell George at least provided the GTO's with a decent country-rock melody (though they didn't have a clue what to do with it). Wonder what the song would have sounded like with a real singer ... rating: *** stars
- 'The Moche Monster' featured Miss Pamela and Sparky talking about some of their hitch hiking experiences. Hard to imagine a young woman doing stuff like this today. rating: * star
- Written by Don Preston, the brief and ominous 'T.V. Lives' was described as: "This song is nearly as absurd as the medium it describes." rating: ** stars
- I'm guessing 'Rodney' was intended to showcase the girl's theatrical sides. "Rodney Bingenheimer is one of the more unique figures of contemporary social history. The GTO's have put together an unusual piece which includes the voice of Mr. Bingenheimer as he comments on the lyrics which had been written about his particular exploits. This 'song' might give you a broad view of the scene in Hollywood as it relates to the Sunset Strip's foremost make groupie." About all I can say is Bingenheimer comes off as a major pathetic figure. rating: ** stars
- Another Lowell George composition, 'I Have A Paintbrush In My Hand To Color A Triangle' was at least recognizable as a song, though Miss Mercy's vocal managed to wipe out every last trace of appeal the song might have had. Another one that would have sounded pretty good with a decent singer. It was described as: "This is a song about a lovers' triangle which involves Brian Jonesm Bernardo BTO and Mercy." rating: ** stars
- 'Miss Christine's First Conversation With The Plaster Casters Of Chicago' was a brief snippet of a phone conversation between Miss Christine and Cynthia Plaster Caster ... too weird. rating: * star
- 'The Original GTO's' was a short harpsichord propelled segment described as "Miss Lucy and Miss Johna were the originators of the GTO.sim two years ago, In this sequence we find them inside a piano kissing each other & having a cosmic-level discussion." Can't speak for the location, but I can tell you my five year old has deeper conversations than these two airheads. rating: * star
- Described as "Miss Mercy explains her personal philosophy" 'The Ghost Chained To The Past, Present, And Future (Shock Treatment)' was actually interesting for the Rod Stewart vocal. rating: *** stars
- Maybe it's just me, but hearing The GTO's talk on 'Love On An Eleven Year Old Level' was plain creepy. In this day and age they'd probably be thrown in jail for attempted child abuse. "For some reason the GTO's are preoccupied by the memory of Brian Jones. In this song they discuss their mutual admiration for an 11 year old boy who happens to look like Brian Jones .. and also has a couple of things going for him." rating: * star
- 'Miss Pamela's First Conversation With The Plaster Casters Of Chicago' was another snippet of phone conversation. Life was apparent very tough as a 1960s groupie with a wild crush on Noel Redding. rating: * star
- 'I'm In Love With The Ooo-Ooo Man' was another Davy Jones composition with Miss Pamela responsible for the lyrics (hard to imagine she'd want to be associated with this song ...) The liner notes described it as: "In real life the ooo-ooo man is Nicky St. Nicholas from Steppenwolf. Miss Pamela sings the leas vocal in this very special song of love." Technically I guess you could call it singing. but barely. Hum, guess St. Nicholas was her first big love, but it apparently didn't work out all that well since she ended up marrying Michael Des Barres. rating: ** stars
Hard to imagine, but Straight actually tapped the album for a single:
- 1969's 'Circular Circulation' b/w 'Mercy's Tune' (Straight catalog number STS 104)
The album attracted some publicity which allowed the group to continue working for awhile, though the set did nothing commercially. They also expanded their performing roster with the addition of Lucy Offerall (aka Miss Lucy).
inner sleeve photo left to right:
Pamela - Sandra (yes she's pregnant) - Cinderella - Christine - Mercy
"Permanent
Damage" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) The Eureka Springs Garbage Lady (Cinderella - Craig Doerge - Nicky St. Nichols) - 3:47
2.) Miss Pamela and Miss Sparky discuss STUFFED BRAS and some of their early gym class experiences - 2:10
3.) Who's Jim Sox? (Christine - Sandra - Cinderella) - 0:18)
4.) Kansas and the BTO's - 1:12
5.) The Captain's Fat Theresa Shoes (Pamela - Sparky - Christine - Sandra - Cinderella) - 1:56
6.) Wouldn't It Be Sad If There Were No Cones? (Pamela - Sparky) - 1:11
7.) Do Me In Once And I'll Be Sad, Do Me In Twice And I'll Know Better (Circular Circulation) (Sandra - Lowell) - (2:19
8.) The Moche Monster (Pamela - Sparky) - 1:46
9.) TV Lives (Christine - Don Preston) - 1:03
(side
2)
1.) Rodney (Christine - Sandra
- Sparky - Pamela - Cinderella - Lucy) - (3:42)
2.) I Have A Paintbrush In My Hand To Color A Triangle Lowell George - Mercy) - 2:11
3.) Miss Christine's First Conversation With The Plaster Casters Of Chicago - 0:57
4.) The Original GTO's - 1:05
5.) The Ghost Chained To The Past, Present, And Future (Shock Treatment) (Mercy - Cinderella) - 1:45
6.) Love On An Eleven Year Old Level (Christine - Sandra - Sparky - Pamela - Cinderella - Lucy) - 1:18
7.) Miss Pamela's First Conversation With The Plaster Casters Of Chicago - 1:31
8.) I'm In Love With The Ooo-Ooo Man (Davy Jones - Pamela) - 3:27
As a group the GTO's have had a high mortality rate.
- Miss Christine died of a heroin overdose in November 1972.
- Miss Lucy died of AIDS in 1991
- Miss Sandra died of ovarian cancer in 1991.
- With virtually no public notice, Miss Cynderella died in 1997.
That leaves Miss Mercy, Miss Pamela. and Miss Sparky (the first to leave the group and the most successful in the real world - she worked as a Disney executive) as the sole surviving members. Miss Pamela's enjoyed the most success of the group. You can check out her website at:
http://www.pameladesbarres.com/