SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Something Here In My Heart (The Complete Recordings 1968-1970) The Paper Dolls cd

SOMETHING HERE IN MY HEART (THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS 1968-1970) The Paper Dolls

Firstly, Happy New Year to all friends and fellow Smarties I hope its a good one for you.

Okay for the first review of 2018 lets hit the time travel button and return to 1968. Thirty years before the advent of the Spice Girls and their (marketing ploy) nicknames Scary, Baby, Posh etc, there were three girls who also had nicknames namely Susie Mathis (Tiger), Pauline Bennett (Spyder) and Sue Marshall (Copper) and they could really sing! Unlike the aforementioned manufactured ‘group’ The Paper Dolls were a working band hailing from the Midlands doing the clubs, ballrooms etc etc. After being spotted they were invited to Pye Records in London to meet Tony Macauley hot producer and songwriter for The Foundations and Long John Baldry amongst many others. Driven to London by one Peter Stringfellow (yes that one) they were so poor he even had to stop to buy them new tights to wear! All then went well at the audition and with a name change from the Dolly Set to the Paper Dolls by May 1st they were at number 11 in the charts with the insanely catchy ‘Something Here In My Heart’. Many TV appearances followed, the girls were the epitome of what was then dubbed ‘ Dolly Birds’ by the contemporary press of the day. An album was hastily put together (contained in its entirety on this release) and it must have been very quick as the tracks were mainly cover versions of songs that were in the charts at the same time as SHIMH! thus there are good takes of ‘Captain Of Your Ship, ‘Darlin’, ‘Simon Says’ ‘Aint Nothing but A Houseparty’ and ‘Any Old Time You’re Lonely or Sad’ a hit for The Foundations, written as previously mentioned by Tony Macauley. After the success of their debut hit the second single release would be all important. It is at this point that history dealt the girls a cruel blow. The follow up was to have been ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ however due to a mix up the girls didn’t turn up for the recording session (not their error) and of course it was recorded instead by The Foundations and became a monster worldwide hit. Sadly therefore The Dolls were doomed to that ‘one hit wonder’ niche in the history of pop. They carried on busily working live up to 1970 before disbanding. This new 29 track compilation as the title suggests contains all their recordings and later solo singles by lead singer Susie ‘Tiger’ Mathis. The original album Paper Dolls House has in the meantime become a rare and expensive rarerity so its great to have it here at a price that all can enjoy. I must also mention that there is a really punchy take here on the much covered Angels ‘My Boyfriends Back’, indeed probably the best version ive heard (Chris Gentry take note!). Its a shame The Paper Dolls didn’t have the longtime chart career I feel they deserved, however they did leave a perfect pop footprint with SHIMH its impossible to not feel a smile coming on for a more innocent era, so on that note i’ll leave you with a glorious video from 50 years ago! Enjoy…….

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk

Til next time……………………………….

Harvey Ellison sax player with The Glitter Band R.I.P. (1st Feb 2017)

http://louderthanwar.com/harvey-ellison-glitter-band-rip/

Andrew Clifton… Harvey Ellison formally of The Glitter Band passed away on Wednesday 1st February.

Alan Esdaile… I thought we might get through a day without someone we know dying. Remember him, I doubt if the BBC will mention it. R.I.P. Harvey Ellison and thanks for that great Sax.

Andrew Clifton… John Rossall is doing a gig in Bognor Regis. As a tribute. Here’s a photo taken two years ago at Bognor Regis. John Rossall and Harvey Ellison in full swing.

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photo by Andrew Clifton

Mick O’Dowd… Remember playing football in Alexandra Park Hastings with them when they appeared with a certain other person on Carnival Night.

Peter Fairless… Remember chatting with them when same certain person played the Pier Ballroom.

Peter Millington… Did a “support” Gig (SUSPECT) with GG and the Glitter Band in January 1973 – stage was covered in glitter and very slippery. Good act though.

Andre Martin… Part of a great entertainment, when they all played together RIP

Chris van Rock… Sad to hear … my childhood slipping away

Jan Warren… Its such a shame that “GG” has forever “darkened” the name of his faithful Glitter band, how could he do that?? – I saw GG and the Glitter Band live in Alexandra Park, Hastings in the early 70s, I wasn’t a fan, but my Hubby was, so I just went along with him, I remember GG being very arrogant, YUK!! – its sad that the Glitter Band had to live with the “shame” of their “leader” 🙁 – R.I.P Harvey Ellison 🙁 

Mick O’Dowd… If you have a GG autograph from Hastings Pier in January gig it was actually mine. I stood behind stage door & signed them because GG didn’t want to be bothered! Nice band and great guys. Tried to do the rock thing and smash their guitars into speaker cabinets. The “special” guitars were then gathered up and stuck togetheragain (sounds like a song) for the next show. That’s rock’n’roll!

Dave Johnson… So sad to hear about Harvey. He was a great guy and I have many happy memories of him appearing at Newcastle City Hall in 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977. His place within the original Glitter Band will always be secured in our thoughts of him – rasping sax that gave the music that additional lift. Just been looking at a superb photograph of Harvey from the Geordie Scene Programme, filmed in Newcastle 1975 – a real star! Rock On dear mate.

Martyn Faulds… Very sad to hear of the passing of Harvey aged 65, along with the loss of Gerry Shephard aged 51 back in May 2003. Seems that so many of the 70S Glam Rock stars are leaving us. Both Harvey & Gerry started out in The Boston International band in 1966, based in Hamburg, Germany and split in 1973 to form the Glittermen,then Glitter Band.RIP Harvey & Gerry.

Lee Johnson… Darn tooting the BBC didn’t mention it! Nor did many other outlets – only just found out myself a few days ago. When will folk learn that one “man” does not a paedophile gang make? RIP Brian H Ellison.

Pete Fisher…Glam rock was my younger sister’s thing, but I did think some of the music was cool, and the Glitter band had a unique sound…in the early 80s friends of mine in a Norwich band had the job of recording demos for the Glitter band, and let me in on the secret of the guitar sound – 6 “A” strings in unison through an overdriven amp…they backed GG at a wedding and I drove the van, and got to meet the man, who was very polite and friendly, and extremely professional, with a whole vocabulary of Elvis type gestures to conduct the band…little did we know…credit has to go to Mike Leander, who played all the instruments except brass on the early recordings…good read here…http://thequietus.com/articles/00709-rock-roll-part-3-stepping-out-of-gary-glitter-s-shadow

Martin… I was at that John Rossall gig with Harvey in 2015 … in The Reds.  Took lots of video.  Maybe I should post some online.  Was my first time hearing the Glitter Band live.  Brilliant sounds that afternoon.

Daryl Perkins… I LOVED the Glitter Band…or G Band as they became….saw them so many times. On one of their appearances on the Pier a group of us made a scrapbook to present to them!! Embarrassingly it was in the Observer!! Still listen to their music. 😂😂