SPITBALLS
It's not unusual to have label mates to sing on each others records. At
Cameo for example, Chubby Checker often teamed up with Bobby Rydell or Dee
Dee Sharp. At Beserkley, Jonathan Richman sang on Greg Kihn's "All
The Right Reasons". Still, the idea of the ENTIRE label roster getting
together under one "band name" to make this record is kind of
unique. Not since the Kasenetz-Katz Super Circus with the combining of Bubblegum
greats the 1910 Fruitgum Company; Ohio Express; and other, has a project
encompassed such an ambitious endeavor. The fun folks at Beserkley (Matthew
King Kaufman; Glen Kolotkin; Kenny Laguna) formed The Spitballs by putting
members of The Rubinoos, Greg Kihn, Earthquake, The Modern Lovers, plus
Sean Tyla (of the Tyla Gang) together in the studio to play the classic
songs they all grew up with. Songs by The Bobby Fuller 4; Phil Coulter;
Gino Washington; Smokey Robinson; John Fogerty; Dave Clark 5; Joe Meek;
others.
Hear: "I Can Only Give You Everything" (w/ Royce Ader of The Rubinoos singing);
"Gino Is A Coward" (w/ Larry Lynch of The Greg Kihn Band singing); "Life's
Too Short" (sung by Greg Kihn); "I Want Her So Bad" (sung by Tommy Dunbar
of The Rubinoos); "Chapel Of Love" (Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector song,
sung by Jonathan Richman); "Way Over There" (sung by Asa Brebner of The
Modern Lovers); "Knock On Wood" (Steve Cropper, Eddie Floyd song, sung by
John Doukas of Earthquake, & Sean Tyla); "Just Like Me" (Paul Revere &
Raiders hit, sung by Jon Rubin of The Rubinoos); "Feel Too Good" (Roy Wood
song, sung by John Doukas of Earthquake); plus "Telstar" (Joe Meek, Tornados
hit); "Over & Over" (Dave Clark 5 hit); "Boris The Spider" (John Entwistle
& The Who song); "Bad Moon Rising" (a hit for Creedence Clearwater Revival);
"Let Her Dance" (Bobby Fuller Four classic); and the Neil Hefti theme to
"Batman". From 1978, and never released as a CD, this cool rarity appears
on Beserkley Records (0058) and is beautiful MINT!
