Spector, Ronnie


Band members               Related acts

- Ronnie Spector (aka Veronica Bennett) -- vocals

 

  supporting musicians:

- Glen Robert Allen - drums (1980)

- Bobby Blain -- keyboards (1980)

- Cheetah Chrome -- guitar (1980)

- Ken Curry -- sax (1980)

- Charles Freida -- sax (1980)

- Ralph Fuentes -- guitar (1980)

- Greg Gerson-- flute (1980)

- Tom Graves -- synthesizers (1980)

- Lars Janson -- guitar (1980)

- Howey Hower -- guitar (1980)

- James Kraut -- guitar (1980)

- Louis Lavilla -- drums (1980)

- Louie Lepore -- guitar (1980)

- Wally Liberty -- bass (1980)

- Kenny Margolis -- keyboards (1980)

- Thommy Prices -- drums (1980)

- Dee Dee Ramone --  (1980)

- Joey Ramone --  (1980)

- Johnny Ramone --  (1980)

- Tommy Ramone --  (1980)

- James Schwartz -- bass (1980)

- Ron Stackman -- keyboards (1980)

- Conrad Taylor -- keyboards (1980)

- Joe Vasta JR. -- bass (1980)

- Billy Wrath -- bass (1980)

 

 

 

- The Ronettes (Ronnie Spector)

- Veronica (Ronnie Spector)

 

 

 


 

Genre: rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Siren

Company: Polish

Catalog: PRG 808
Year: 1980

Country/State: New York, NY

Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+

Comments: includes insert

Available: 2

GEMM catalog ID: 5592

Price: $20.00

 

Given the success Ronnie Spector enjoyed as a member of The Ronnettes (to say nothing of her exotic looks), you would have thought he solo career would have gone gangbusters,  Didn't really happen.

 

 

Initially part of the problem could be traced to her marriage to Phil Spector.  The pair married in 1968, but the ever-eccentric Phil Spector did not want his wife involved in music and essentially locked her up in their Hollywood mansion.  Over the next four years she managed to release one single:

 

 

- 1970's 'Try Some, Buy Some' b/w 'Tandoori Chicken' (Apple catalog number 1832) 

 

When her marriage to Spector ended in 1973 (check out her autobiography Be My Baby for the ugly details), she reformed The Ronettes.  The group recorded a couple of mid-1970s singles that immediately tanked. 

 

 

Next up was a one shot for the RCA affiliated Tom Cat label, followed by a reunion with Phil Spector for a hideous disco single:

 

- 1975's 'You'd Be Good for Me' b/w '' (Tom Cat catalog number YB-10380)

- 1976's 'Paradise' b/w 'When I Saw You' (Warner Spector catalog number SPS-0409) 

 

A year later Spector called in the big guns, including Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.  Credited to 'Ronnie Spector & the E. Street Band' the result was a killer single that did surprisingly little commercially:

 

- 1977's 'Say Goodbye To Hollywood' b/w 'Baby Please Don't Go' (CBS Cleveland International catalog number 8-50374)

 

The single was also released in a 12" format:

 

- 1977's 'Say Goodbye To Hollywood' and 'Baby Please Don't Go' b/w 'Baby Please Don't Go' (CBS Cleveland International catalog number ASF-35)

 

After a stint working with Southside Johnny & the Ashbury Jukes she returned with another single:

 

- 1978's 'It's a Heartache' b/w 'I Wanna Come Over (Is That What Time It Is)' (Alston catalog number 3738)

 

The song became a massive hit, though it was the Bonnie Tyler version that zoomed up the charts while Spector's version when into the discount bins.

 

Almost a decade after she'd started her post-Ronettes solo career Spector finally got an opportunity to record an album.  Released in 1980, "Siren" saw Spector teaming up with former Goldie and the Gingerbreads frontwoman-turned producer Genya Ravan.  Released on Ravan's own Polish label, the album offered up a weird mixture of concepts.  Side one was an interesting attempt to update Spector's sound by teaming her with an impressive array of punk artists including Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome, members of Mink DeVille, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers bassist Billy Wrath and The Ramones (who contributed 'Here Today, Gone Tomorrow').  At least on the surface you might have questioned the concept, but the results were pretty impressive with Ravan somehow having figured out how to blend the best of 1960s girl group commercial moves with 1970s punk energy.  Doubt that statement then simply listen to Spector crush her way through the Ramones track or Chris Robison's 'Tonight'.  On tracks like 'Darlin'' Ravan even managed to recapture and update Phil Spector's famous wall of sound feel.  For her part Spector always had one of those instantly recognizable voices (that at least to my ears has always been incredibly sexy) and on songs like 'Any Way That You Want Me' or the blistering 'Boys Will Be Boys' she pulled out all of the stops.  In contrast, side two found Spector saddled with far more conventional material.  Songs like 'Settn' the Woods On Fire', 'Dynamite' and the goofy reggae number 'Let Your Feelings Show' were simply dull and formulaic.  Even worse was the Phil Spector dedication - 'Happy Birthday Rock 'n' Roll (Dedicated To Phil)'.  Yech !!   Too bad they didn't sh*tcan side two and record more of the punk-flavored stuff.  Elsewhere the album was tapped for a single in the form of:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- 1980's 'Darlin' b/w 'Tonight' (Polish catalog number PR-202)

 

In the UK the the album was released on by the Red Shadow label which elected to slap a different 'B' side on the English single:

- 1980's 'Darlin' b/w 'Settin' the Woods On Fire' (Red Shadow catalog number REDS008)

 

"Siren" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Here Today, Gone Tomorrow  (Tommy Ramone - Dee Ramone - Johnny Ramone - Joey Ramone) - 3:48

2.) Darlin'   (Oscar S. Blandmar) - 3:09

3.) Any Way That You Want Me   (Chip Taylor) - 4:08

4.) Tonight   (Chris Robison) - 2:55

5.) Boys Will Be Boys   (Roger Cook - Charles Cochran) - 2:58

 

(side 2)
1.) Hell of a Nerve   (Glen Robert Allen - Ralph Fuentes) - 4:01

2.) Settn' the Woods On Fire   (Glen Robert Allen - Ralph Fuentes) - 3:17   

3.) Let Your Feelings Show   (Roger Cook - 3:31

4.) Dynamite   (Glen Robert Allen - Ralph Fuentes) - 2:46

5.) Happy Birthday Rock 'n' Roll (Dedicated To Phil)   (Pete Gage - Elkie Brooks) - 5:56

 

 

 

 

 

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