Judi Pulver
Band members Related acts
line up 1 () - Judi Pulver (RIP 2024) -- vocals, keyboards
supporting musicians (1974) - John D’Andrea -- keyboards, sax - John Guerin -- drums, percussion - Carol Fleming (aka Carol Kaye) -- bass - David Paich -- keyboards - Michael Rubini -- keyboards - Sally Stevens -- backing vocals - Waddy Wachtel -- guitar, keyboards - Maxine Willard Waters -- backing vocals - Carolyn Willis -- backing vocals - Jackie Ward -- backing vocals
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- Twice Nicely (Judi Pulver)
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Genre: rock Rating: 2 stars ** Title: Pulver Rising Company: MGM Catalog: SE
4904 Country/State: Connecticut, US Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $25.00
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Along with guitarist Waddy Wachtel, by the late 1960s singer/keyboard player Judi Pulver was a member of the Vermont-based band Orphans. The group somehow attracted the attention of Bud Cowsill (father and then-manager of The Cowsills) who convinced Wachtel to relocate to Los Angeles. Wachtel convinced the entire band to relocate, but once in California Orphans quickly broke up. Wachtel and Pulver continued their collaboration in the short-lived Twice Nicely, recording a couple of demos before that project ground to a halt. Hanging on to their Cowsills connections, Wachtel joined The Cowsills' recording and touring band, producing and arranging material for their 1970 "II x II" and 1971 "On My Side" albums. Having shifted her focus to songwriting, Pulver placed several of her compositions on those two albums.
Her efforts captured the attention of MGM Records (home to The Cowsills), which signed her to a recording contract in late 1972. Teamed with producer Tony Scotti, Pulver made her debut with 1973's "Pulver Rising." Featuring ten original compositions (rare for a debut album), the spotlight was on Pulver's deep, raspy voice. With backing from Wachtel and an all-star cast of LA studio musicians the collection has always struck me as having sort of a bi-polar feeling. Exemplified by tracks like 'Sing for Your Supper', 'For God's Sake' and 'The Trouble With Cabbages', more than half of the album was devoted to "big", highly-orchestrated, sensitive singer-songwriter ballads. Nothing wrong with an occasional heartfelt ballad, but unless you were into the Jim Steinman and Meatloaf school of musical theatrics, this was a case of too much of a not-very-good-thing. Pulver was much better on the more conventional rock material where she momentarily stepped away from trying to power her way through the material. The bouncy 'Statler Hilton' was one of the album's more radio-friendly offerings, while 'Be Long (She Don’t Know)' was a strong and memorable rocker. Shame there weren't more rockers since ultimately the ballads proved overwhelming and deadening.
MGM's decision to throw their support behind Pulver's debut album provided a textbook case of how not to support an album. Billed as "The Great American Music Hall extravaganza", the label designed a then unheard of $100K promotional campaign which included hiring the late Charles Schulz and astronaut Edgar Mitchell to support advertising efforts. The label also renting a Boeing 720 airplane to fly a host of music journalists to her San Francisco opening. Needless to say, MGM did not get back it's $100K investment. I actually found a 2013 YouTube post from Pulver on the subject: "Thanks so much! Those were the days. Appreciate the kind words. The Great American Music Hall extravaganza was really something! (mostly a big waste of money on the part of the label, if you ask me.) I would have just rather been the opening act for Dr. John at the Troubadour, which is more what I wanted and needed to get my message out there."
"Pulver
Rising" track listing: 1.) Sing for Your Supper (Judi Pulver) - 3:15 rating: * star Opening up with some of John d'Andrea's heavy orchestration, my first impression of the ballad 'Sing for Your Supper' was Meatloaf-styled over-the-top, pretentious ballad. Pulver's rugged voice sounded very similar to Bonnie Tyler. I don't like Meatoaf. I don't like Bonnie Tyler. I don't like this song.
- 1972's 'Sing for You Supper' b/w 'Statler Hilton' (MGM catalog number K-14671)
YouTube has a 1974 clip of a snarling Pulver performing a stripped down version of the song for the German Musikladen television program: Judy Pulver - Sing for your supper (youtube.com) The song was released as a promo 45:
2.) Statler Hilton (Judi Pulver) - 2:10 rating: **** stars With a bouncy, old-time-styled pop melody and powered by Waddy Wachtel's fuzz guitar, 'Statler Hilton' has always reminded me of something Gilbert O'Sullivan might have recorded. Once again Pulver's raspy voice was fascinating. Not meant as a criticism since I liked her performance on this one, but she always makes me think of sandpaper. Only criticism on this one was the abrupt fade out. This one also appeared as the "B" side to her debut 'Sing for Your Support' 45. It should have been the song MGM pushed. 3.) For God’s Sake, Mama (Judi Pulver) - 3:24 rating: ** stars Another heartfelt ballad, 'For God’s Sake, Mama' found Pulver returning to sensitive singer-songwriter material. Pass. 4.) Be Long (She Don’t Know) (Judi Pulver - Waddy Wachtel) - 2:40 rating: **** stars A nice, slinky rocker, 'Be Long (She Don't Know)' was one of two tracks co-written with guitarist Waddy Wachtel. Stripped of John d'Andrea's choking orchestration and with Pulver briefly not trying to "belt out" her vocals, this was one of the album's best performances. Shame it was relegated to the "B" side of her 'Dancing On the Moon' 45. 5.) The Trouble With Cabbages (Judi Pulver) - 3:56 rating: *** stars 'The Trouble With Cabbages' found the album going back to a heavily orchestrated, piano-powered ballad. To my ears the tune had kind of a Broadway show feel. That's not a bad thing, just not something I enjoy. At least this one had a decent melody, but Pulver struggled avoiding be buried by the orchestration. Who knows why, but the song was released as a French single, whereas it was the "B" side to her 'Dancing On the Moon' single throughout the rest of the world.
- 1973's 'The Trouble With Cabbages' b/w 'Dancing On the Moon' (MGM catalog number 2006 354)
(side
2) 'Dancing On the Moon' is probably Pulver's best known song - thought that's not saving much. She described it as "My tribute to Kurt Weil and Bertholt Brecht". Given the keyboard powered music hall melody, that's actually a pretty good description. No idea when or where it was recorded, but YouTube has what appears to be a live television performance of the song at: Judi Pulver - Dancing On The Moon (live TV 1974) - YouTube The track also served as her second single: - 1973's 'Dancing On the Moon' b/w 'Be Long (She Don’t Know)' (MGM catalog number K-14165) 2.) Silver Spoon (Judi Pulver) - 2:56 rating: ** stars Not sure, but the bouncy ballad 'Silver Spoon' always reminds me of a television sitcom theme song. Nice Wachtel guitar solo, but otherwise the song was forgettable. 3.) Fish-Eye Blues (Judi Pulver) - 2:11 rating: * star Underwater bubble sound effects, ragtime piano and cutesy lyrics ... yeah it's a combination that does zero for me. 4.) Part Time Woman (Judi Pulver) - 2:43 rating: ** stars Anyone need another sensitive singer-songwriter ballad? Me neither ... 5.) Lemme See (Judi Pulver - Waddy Wachtel) - 2:14 rating: ** stars I've always wondered why non-country artists think it would be a good idea to add a country touch to their work. In spite of Wachtel's Telecaster, the closer 'Lemme See' was a good example of why that's normally a bad decision. Country just wasn't Pulver's forte.
The album proved a modest seller, peaking at # 118 on the US Billboard charts, leaving Pulver to go out the door opening for Mott the Hoople on their 1974 English tour. Sounds like an odd paring. The tour did nothing to rejuvenate her career and MGM quickly dropped her. One album and three singles and it was all over. Pulver remained active in music until the early 1980s when she moved into marketing and sales, working for The Hollywood Reporter and then Variety. She passed away in February 2024.
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