The Sequel cds were terrific, but only covered half the B/D/W Scepter years. At least the Collector`s Choice re-issues gave us (at last!) "Who Gets the Guy" on the Very Dionne album where it should have been from day one. (Burt cut it, senselessly,to include the nice but inferior "...Green Grass...").
BTW, that`s the third of my heretofore unidentified Top 5 B/D songs. Can I, off the top of my head, complete this list?
Yeah, I think I can! "Long Ago Tomorrow" and "Who Is Gonna Love Me"
(For those who came in late, the first two are "All Kinds of People" and "Be Aware").
My 'Very Dionne' album is from Rhino Handmade. They did a brilliant job. I wonder why they didn't put out more of Dionne's albums. They stopped after three releases. They are much better than the Collector's Choice CDs. By the way, Edsel and Collectables also released Dionne Warwick albums.
Last edited by Fussi on Mon Sep 14, 2015 8:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
You`ve corrected me. My reference was to the Rhino re-issues which were very good. They ceased because Dionne told David Nathan to stop. She was (ridiculously) afraid that her current album sales were being hurt by the older material.
In addition to any concerns Dionne may have expressed - there had to be marketing and promotional issues as well. ...... Those 4 Rhino Handmade releases - which were limited to 5000 numbered copies - lingered on the Rhino website for years. .... I was so impressed with the quality and content of those releases that I ordered a 2nd set which remain factory sealed for someone who will truly appreciate them! ........ I believe it was the plethora of the greatest hits packages that have relentlessly flooded the market (and still do) that were of concern to Warwick. ........ I'll repeat what I've said in the past: These 4 Rhino Handmade projects should be in every BB/HD/DW admirers collection. ...... Keep in mind that some of their best work was never released in the form of singles, actively promoted or received airplay. The 4 releases include 6 complete Scepter albums and portions of 3 other Scepter albums (all remastered).
Dionne Warwick had no say in stopping the Rhino reissues. She relinquished her rights to her material when she became strapped for cash in 1991 and sold her 50% rights to her Scepter and WB recordings back to Warner (Bacharach/David retained the other 50%). These are the same rights she received as part of a $5 million settlement with Bacharach/David in 1979 to settle her breach of contract lawsuit against them. Although David Nathan, who compiled the reissue recordings, is a longtime supporter of Dionne, Rhino and Warner pulled the plug on the project as it was not financially feasible to continue the reissue series, not because Dionne told him not to; again she had no say. Although Dionne complained bitterly about all the old material flooding the market, she had no influence to stop reissues. She didn't like that those reissues were far superior to the dreck re-recordings of the same that she and her son, Damon Elliott were turning out in the late 90's and on into the mid-2000s and didn't want the competition. And guess what? Not many folks took an interest in the remakes. The old, far superior original recordings are still what the demand is for today...not her remakes. She's been to that well and it ran dry after about two remakes. It's amazing that the reissues of the original continue into 2015...great music will always be in demand.
Thanks Blair...have just officially become a curmudgeon (there are some who will dispute the timing of this) and I decry that I have become old and out of sorts with the music industry as a whole and would like to hark back to a time when music was great FUN and interesting in its variety and complexity...Bacharach/David and Warwick turned out the best and were so unique and in retrospect I've heard really nothing but inferior crap from them for the past 20 years or so with the exception of Bacharach's work with Costello which gave me such hope that more would follow...but alas! Truthfully, nothing from Warwick has really lit my fire since Heartbreaker in 82... and that was an anomaly...it seems that she just coasted after that and got musically easy and lazy...the Warwick "aficionados" will eat me alive for saying that but it's how I feel...LOL! She was too busy being a star by 1983 to worry about quality! She was the Bette Davis of music in the 1960s and became the Joan Crawford of music in the 1980s (forgive me for this reference...great musical art in the early part of her career and great technique but little else by the 1980s for those of you youngsters who don't get the reference). I know it's hard for Bacharach/David/Warwick to top their work in the sixties but I can't help but compare! And they never will...why Warwick STILL is recording those remakes is beyond me...Even "Now", her best in years and made me yawn...not to mention the latest project which I can't even recall the name of was even more a yawn and let's just call that latest effort her "Trog" (another Joan Crawford reference...please forgive me again). Give us a break with those remakes! That Sammy Cahn effort was pretty good, I'll admit but it's not something I even listen to anymore. I believe I used it as a coaster for my drink. Truth is, little in music has excited me for a long time. Ok, time for my meds.
On another note, Rolling Stone recently ranked Bacharach/David a disappointing 37th in the top songwriters 100 of the sixties...but WTF do they know anyway!
I know exactly what you mean, BtoB. The jazz greats are (mostly) all dead now; the pop geniuses gone or moribund. I don`t even have time for the Baroque composers I used to dote on. In fact, I listen to almost nothing any more. Sad, isn`t it?
BTW, the last DW album I liked was Being Myself. Yeah, it was a huge disappointment not being a B/D production but better than anything I heard later.
As a self proclaimed curmudgeon myself (a BB/HD/DW admirer since 1964) - after reading your posts I realized I was also not listening to my music nearly as much these days. ..... I was inspired to open up my iTunes library and started listening to things I had almost forgotten about and my interest was re-ignited. .... I've been listening to my old BB/HD/DW stuff (lots of other music as well) as I work toward getting myself "organized" and to get rid of stuff. .... It's enhanced my ability to get this done which will hopefully eliminate the need for my family to sort through all my stuff when I'm no longer able to do it myself.
Blair - I disagree with your conclusion that everything following the early 70's DW/ H/D/H release "Just Being Myself" was a disappointment. ..... There have been some good BB/DW recordings in the last 40 years. Also a number of good DW songs by other composers.
BachtoBacharach - you've raised some very valid points - The "re-recording projects" by DW over the past 15+ years have been more than disappointing. Kind of turned me off completely to even some of the good things Dionne recorded in the post BB/HD/DW years. ...... What made it even more disappointing was Dionne proclaiming that she was bringing these "updated" songs into the 21st Century. ... REALLY?
I recently acquired 2 reel recordings from a lot that came out of Sceptor Studios. 60 mins Dionne at Garden State and Dionne at Copa. 7.5 IPS, wonderful quality. I guess the G.S. recording is covered by Rhino. This tape has live Promises, Promises and includes all of the banter between songs. I just compared to what is on Spotify? Both tapes must have been recorded 50 years ago, but play and sound great. Also some other artists. Came across these when I purchased some Aretha live and w/Johnny Carson. I knew they scrubbed Carson's Video from that era so I pounced. Still in negotiations for more of these Sceptor recordings. Just didn't know what they were until I did some research. Are there any missing grail type things being sought?
Found this Youtube link, snippet from same show as the 20 minute Copa tape that I have. My tape is at least of the same generation and quality as what is presented on YouTube. Sad knowing that so many Sceptor Studio recordings are going to get trashed or recorded over. I'm sure there are other gems in the pile that is available, just don't know what to search for? I've absolutely nailed it down that the tapes are from Sceptor In New York.