https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Thu, 07 May 2026 15:55:03 +0000 Fri, 26 Sep 2014 09:12:47 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.07 360 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=8191 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum//images/Top-40-Music-on-CD-Forum-Logo.png https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42219&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42219 Author: Yah Shure
Subject: 8191
Posted: 26 September 2014 at 9:12am

Hykker wrote: There were also the target-logo-era albums that were also sort of a "puke green", but that only lasted until late '72/early '73, well before the (2nd) Knack was formed.

The chartreuse LP label with the purple target logo at the top only lasted about a year, mostly during 1970. When I bought Leo Kottke's Mudlark LP in early '71, the chartreuse background color had already been retired in favor of a reddish-orange. The rest of the label design remained unchanged.

The Discount Records chain had run an ad (probably in Rolling Stone magazine) in 1970 featuring a coupon for most of the Beatles' Capitol/Apple albums at $2.99 apiece, so I bought new copies of everything up through Sgt. Pepper's. Boy, was I ever surprised. Sacrilege! :) Although the sight of Sgt. Pepper's suddenly bedecked in chartreuse didn't make me puke, I thought it was the most hideous-looking record label I'd ever seen. I'm sure it was felt that the newly-rechristened Capitol Industries, Incorporated needed an updated logo to better represent its diversifying product line, but yeesh, that label color was the absolute pits.

Hykker wrote: My copy of "With A Little Luck" is a test pressing, but ISTR "regular" promos having the same label (only in black & white) as the stock copies with "not for sale" added.

I have that test pressing, too, as well as the standard promo 45. On the latter, the Tower Bridge design is in black and white on the stereo side, but is in full color on the mono side. You'd think it would have been the other way around. ]]> Fri, 26 Sep 2014 09:12:47 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42219&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42219 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42218&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42218 Author: Hykker
Subject: 8191
Posted: 26 September 2014 at 7:23am

jimct wrote: The only all-green U.S. Capitol 45 labels I'm aware of were used for 1967-1969 promo 45 copies, and was more of a fluorescent green. All post-1972 Capitol promo 45s were on white labels, except for some custom Wings 45 labels, such as "Silly Love Songs", "With A Little Luck", etc.

There were also the target-logo-era albums that were also
sort of a "puke green", but that only lasted until late
'72/early '73, well before the (2nd) Knack was formed.

As far as the always interesting topic of promo
labels...while the stock copies of the aforementioned Macca
singles had custom labels, the promos for
Silly Love Songs and Let 'Em In had the late 70s style label
with the retro script (which I believe was also used on his
1975 singles). My copy of "With A Little Luck" is a test
pressing, but ISTR "regular" promos having the same label
(only in black & white) as the stock copies with "not for
sale" added.


Edited by Hykker]]> Fri, 26 Sep 2014 07:23:29 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42218&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42218 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42217&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42217 Author: 80smusicfreak
Subject: 8191
Posted: 26 September 2014 at 7:10am

jimct wrote: Gregg, I'm sure you've quoted the book correctly, but Doug Fieger's recollection about "puke green" being used for 1979 Capitol labels is 100% incorrect...Fieger got his colors mixed up. Can't believe everything you read! Gregg, I'm surprised that a label stickler like you didn't catch his error right away???

Actually, Doug's description did jump out at me, Jim. My original intent was to let his answer stand on its own - never said it was "gospel". But since you brought it up, when I re-read his response last night (have had the book for about ten years now), my immediate thought was the EMI America 45 labels of that time, as they were a subsidiary of - yes - Capitol. And a check of the labels on eBay for EMI America's three top 40 hits from 1979 - "One Last Kiss" (8007), "Sad Eyes" (8015), and "This Night Won't Last Forever" (8019) - indicates that they were all indeed the "puke green" color that Doug described. Therefore, I'm 95% certain those were the ones he was referring to in that interview - but obviously, it's now too late to go back and ask him again. Not saying that your description of all the 45 labels for Capitol proper isn't accurate, but sometimes you gotta think outside the box... :-)]]> Fri, 26 Sep 2014 07:10:08 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42217&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42217 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42212&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42212 Author: jimct
Subject: 8191
Posted: 25 September 2014 at 11:11pm

80smusicfreak wrote: Actually, I can give it to you all straight from lead singer/guitarist Doug Fieger's mouth, as interviewed by Ken Sharp & Doug Sulpy in their 1997 book, Power Pop! (pg 244): Q: Why did you use the swirl Capitol Records label most associated with The Beatles? Doug: We used these swirl labels because we hated the Capitol label at the time. They were using this puke green label. It was just fucking awful.

Gregg, I'm sure you've quoted the book correctly, but Doug Fieger's
recollection about "puke green" being used for 1979 Capitol labels is
100% incorrect. 1972-1978 Capitol stock 45 labels were orange, with a
tan "Capitol" at the bottom. In 1978, they changed over to a dark plum-
colored "retro script" design, that was similar to the purple script
design they'd used back in the 50's. Capitol kept this plum color until
around 1983, when they changed over to a mostly black label, with a
silver logo. The only all-green U.S. Capitol 45 labels I'm aware of were
used for 1967-1969 promo 45 copies, and was more of a fluorescent
green. All post-1972 Capitol promo 45s were on white labels, except
for some custom Wings 45 labels, such as "Silly Love Songs", "With A
Little Luck", etc.

Hey, I'm not saying that the plum color Capitol 45 label was a fantastic
look, either. Fieger got his colors mixed up. Can't believe everything
you read! Gregg, I'm surprised that a label stickler like you didn't catch
his error right away??? (You seem to like using three question marks
"for dramatic effect", so I thought I'd return the favor, kind sir!)     :)

Edited by jimct]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2014 23:11:09 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42212&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42212 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42211&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42211 Author: AndrewChouffi
Subject: 8191
Posted: 25 September 2014 at 11:07pm

Re: "Producer Mike Chapman aced it"

Yes he did.

Sometimes the role of the producer is to leave well enough alone.

Mike Chapman knew how to take control when he NEEDED to, and also back off when that would result in a great record.

Andy

]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2014 23:07:29 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42211&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42211 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42210&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42210 Author: 80smusicfreak
Subject: 8191
Posted: 25 September 2014 at 10:25pm

crapfromthepast wrote: ...a spectacular guitar solo...

Continuing from the same source quoted in my previous post, lead guitarist Berton Averre had this to say about that solo in the song (pg. 242):

Q: Berton, the guitar solo on "My Sharona" is outstanding. Did you pre-plan it?

Berton: No. Like most guitarists, I went through a be-bop jazz period. The most important thing you can learn from that is to ad-lib, so I formulate a solo spontaneously and when I get something that really works, I stick with it. I did the "My Sharona" solo as an overdub. The solo in "My Sharona" was not the one I was playing live. Probably the thinking was they wanted to get something a little fresher out of me.

Producer Mike Chapman aced it.

Seems you're giving him MUCH more credit than he deserves, lol. Here's what Doug Fieger said (again, same source, pg. 243):

Q: What did Mike Chapman contribute as a producer on the first two Knack albums?

Doug: When he came down to meet us at rehearsal he said all the right things. We didn't really need a lot of production. The first two albums were just recorded live. I think he knew enough to sort of leave the band alone and mike it properly. It's always been my feeling that anybody could have produced those records as long as they did it the way that it was done. There wasn't a heavy production technique. It was a matter of getting the live sound onto tape as authentically as possible. I always felt we were a better live band than we ever were on record.]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2014 22:25:20 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42210&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42210 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42209&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42209 Author: 80smusicfreak
Subject: 8191
Posted: 25 September 2014 at 9:47pm

Hykker wrote: Curiously, is the existence of the "first" Knack the reason Capitol used the retro swirl label on the second Knack's singles?

Santi Paradoa wrote: I think the retro swirl Capitol label was part of the record company's marketing scheme for the Knack as the modern day American version of the Beatles.

jimct wrote: As for the re-use of the vintage swirl Capitol label for "My Sharona", anything's possible.

Actually, I can give it to you all straight from lead singer/guitarist Doug Fieger's mouth, as interviewed by Ken Sharp & Doug Sulpy in their 1997 book, Power Pop! (pg 244):

Q: Why did you use the swirl Capitol Records label most associated with The Beatles?

Doug: We used these swirl labels because we hated the Capitol label at the time. They were using this puke green label. It was just fucking awful. First, we wanted to put out a double album because we had all of the songs for the second album as well. The record company said, "No. You're a new group. We don't know if it's gonna sell. It's gonna cost too much money. You can't do a double album." So we said "okay." Then we wanted to design our label. We chose the swirl label because it was the nicest one they had. And, yes, it reminded us of the great records.

Hykker wrote: Interestingly, there were 2 bands called the Knack both signed to Capitol. They had at least one single: "I'm Aware" b/w "Time Waits For No One" on Capitol 5774, it did not chart.

And to that, Doug Fieger had this to say (same source, pg. 241):

Q: Oddly enough, there was a group on Capitol in the mid-'60's called The Knack. Were you aware of this?

Doug: That group was a local Los Angeles band and they had a couple of records out. I don't think that they had any big hits. I had never heard of them and didn't find out there was a band with the same name until a guy from Capitol said, "By the way, do you know that there was a band on Capitol with the name The Knack?"]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2014 21:47:44 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42209&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42209 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42206&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42206 Author: jimct
Subject: 8191
Posted: 25 September 2014 at 7:11pm

Hykker wrote: Interestingly, there were 2 bands called the Knack both signed to Capitol. They had at least one single: "I'm Aware" b/w "Time Waits For No One" on Capitol 5774, it did not chart. Curiously, is the existence of the "first" Knack the reason Capitol used the retro swirl label on the second Knack's singles?

                                                          
Steve, the one you mentioned was the first of their 4 Capitol 45's,
released in 2/67, with both sides getting airplay in different markets. Here
are the other 3:

-Softly, Softly/The Spell (Capitol 5889) (4/67)
-Pretty Daisy/Banana Man (Capitol 5940) (7/67)
-Freedom Now/Lady In The Window (Capitol 2075) (1/68)

No LP was ever released, but UK label Cherry Red did issue a CD of the 4
45s, 5 unreleased tracks and an alternate mix of "I'm Aware" back in
2012.

There were other similarities. Both bands were from L.A., both received an
unusually high amount of promotional effort at the start, with Capitol
commonly utilizing the "Get The Knack" phrase during 1967 as well.

My CD's liner notes state that their first 45 came out the exact same week
as "Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever". Band members claim "Boss
Radio" head honcho Bill Drake wanted his stations to get earlier access to   
new Beatle product than his competitors did. When Capitol said no to that,
Drake then cooled on other Capitol releases, which killed momentum for
their 45s, for what little their opinion is worth.

As for the re-use of the vintage swirl Capitol label for "My Sharona",
anything's possible. I know our gruff, loud, beloved, longtime regional
Capitol promo guy (from 1950-1991, Merv Amols; you're a MA radio guy,
Steve-perhaps you also met Merv) was at Capitol for both Knack eras, and
he would've immediately remembered/brought that fact to L.A.'s
attention, if no one else had. Thanks for reminding me about Merv, who
only passed away in 2010, at the ripe old age of 89.

Edited by jimct]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2014 19:11:35 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42206&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42206 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42204&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42204 Author: Santi Paradoa
Subject: 8191
Posted: 25 September 2014 at 6:09pm

I think the retro swirl Capitol label was part of the
record company's marketing scheme for the Knack as the
modern day American version of the Beatles.]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2014 18:09:11 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42204&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42204 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42203&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42203 Author: Hykker
Subject: 8191
Posted: 25 September 2014 at 4:52pm

Interestingly, there were 2 bands called the Knack both
signed to Capitol. They had at least one single: "I'm Aware"
b/w "Time Waits For No One" on Capitol 5774, it did not
chart. Curiously, is the existence of the "first" Knack the
reason Capitol used the retro swirl label on the second
Knack's singles?
]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:52:31 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8191&PID=42203&title=the-knack-my-sharona#42203