Friday, February 1, 2019

John Lennon - Oldies But Mouldies




John Lennon – Oldies But Mouldies

(soniclovenoize reconstruction)

Side A:
1.  Here We Go Again
2.  You Can’t Catch Me
3.  To Know Her Is To Love Her
4.  Be My Baby

Side B:
5.  Bony Moronie
6.  My Baby Left Me
7.  Angel Baby
8.  Sweet Little Sixteen
9.  Just Because


This is a reconstruction of the unreleased 1973 John Lennon/Phil Spector collaboration album Oldies But Mouldies, recorded in the midst of Lennon’s infamous “Lost Weekend”.  Put on hold when Phil Spector mysteriously disappeared with the mastertapes, the album was later recovered, mostly rerecorded and released as the Rock ‘n’ Roll album in 1975.  This reconstruction attempts to not only present a more listenable product, but to present what the album would have sounded like before it became Rock ‘n’ Roll. 

After being literally inseparable for five years, Yoko Ono sensed John Lennon’s wondering eye and questioned if he was able to remain loyal to her.  Her solution was to kick him out, allowing him to “sow his wild oats” and get “it” out of his system.  Accompanied by his assistant May Pang (who was essentially authorized by Yoko to be Lennon’s mistress), Lennon departed to Los Angeles in September 1973, looking for a good time... and more.  What was supposed to be a two-week stay became fourteen months of chaos and debauchery—both in the clubs and the recording studio.

The seeds of the Oldies But Mouldies album—which was also provisionally titled Back To Mono—were apparently two events: Lennon meeting his heroes Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino, and a lawsuit by music publisher Morris Levy.  Lennon had nicked a line from Chuck Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me” for The Beatles classic “Come Together” and an out-of-court settlement stipulated that Lennon was to cover three songs from Levy’s Big Seven publishing catalog, earning royalties for Levy in lieu of any further litigation and the embarrassing co-writing credit to the Lennon/McCartney song.  Drunkenly giving in, Lennon decided to make a party of it and record an entire album of 1950s rockers and ballads that had influenced him as a teenager.  To top it off, he invited legendary producer Phil Spector to oversee the project, promising him complete creative control and even allowing Spector to choose the songs!

Sessions began in mid-October at A&M Studios with Spector creating his recognizable “Wall of Sound”, using an absurdly large group of the top session musicians in LA.  But the combination of Lennon’s destructive, drunken antics, Spector’s insane eccentricities and the revolving door of studio musicians, celebrities and hanger-ons, more lunacy was recorded than actual music.  Spector famously arrived with bodyguards, armed with a handgun, dressed alternatingly as a surgeon, karate master or a priest.  One night Spector even fired his gun in the studio, causing Lennon to dare to scream back at Spector, in fear of losing his hearing.  Other nights Lennon would go into violent, drunken fits, many believing in anguish over his separation from Yoko.  And of course, the backdrop to the proceedings was always a studio ridiculously full of musicians and a control room full of celebrities along for the ride—and the open bar. 

Throughout October and a final session in late November at A&M, eight songs were recorded: Larry Williams’ “Bony Moronie”; The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby”; Rosie & The Originals’ “Angel Baby”; Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen”; Lloyd Price’s “Just Because”; Martha & The Vendellas’ “A Love Like Yours”; The Chordettes’ “Born To Be With You”; and The Teddy Bears’ “To Know Her Is To Love Her”.  Additional sessions at The Record Plant Los Angeles in December produced three more tracks: Arthur Crudup’s “My Baby Left Me”; the song that started this whole mess—“You Can’t Catch Me”; and John Lennon’s only original composition during this period, “Here We Go Again”, co-credited to Phil Spector.  With the backing tracks to eleven songs more or less in the can, the album came to a crashing halt when Phil Spector mysteriously disappeared after telling Lennon the studio had burned down.  With rumors that Spector had suffered a serious car injury and might not even be in the country anymore, Lennon resolved to finish the album himself… Until he found that Spector had stolen all of the master tapes!  Oldies But Mouldies was officially on hold until further notice.

As 1974 rolled in, Lennon went on to work on different projects during his “Lost Weekend”.  Firstly, producing an album with his old friend Harry Nilsson that spring, Pussy Cats.  Secondly, Lennon began preproduction on his follow-up to Mind Games, demoing newer compositions.  Suddenly (and appropriately in the midst of the Watergate scandal), Lennon received a mysterious phone call from Spector, claiming that he “had the James Dean tape.”  For a sum of $90,000 Lennon was able to secure the masters to nine out of the eleven songs recorded; Spector chose to hold on to the masters of “A Love Like Yours” for Cher & Nilsson and “Born To Be With You” for Dion. 

After reviewing the Back To Mono/Oldies But Moldies/James Dean Tapes that summer, Lennon concluded that the recordings accurately reflected the actual sessions—they were a catastrophic, drunken mess.  Spector’s "Wall of Sound" was overblown and Lennon’s scratch vocals were over the edge.  Setting the tapes aside, Lennon instead focused on his new batch of songs, using much of the same session musicians as on Oldies But Mouldies.  This album, called Walls and Bridges, seemed to be a return to form for Lennon after a series of forgettable albums, songs that largely concerned his longing for Yoko.  With the fate of Oldies But Mouldies in question, Lennon used it’s intended cover art for Walls and Bridges instead: a drawing he had made in 1952, when he was 11 years old. 

Since Lennon felt that the Oldies But Mouldies tapes were basically unusable, he chose to appease Levy’s original lawsuit by including a short, impromptu cover of the Levy-owned “Ya Ya” to conclude Walls and Bridges.  Levy was not amused—nor satisfied.  Having to return to finish the Oldies But Mouldies project, Lennon and his backing band relocated to Levy’s own Sunnyview recording studio in order to sober up and focus on the project.  With Levy approving of the rehearsed material from his songbook, Lennon and his band entered The Record Plant New York in October 1974—one year from the start of the project—to record the additional songs intended to round out the salvageable material from the Spector sessions.  Nine songs were completed: Gene Vincent’s “Be-Bop-A-Lula”; Ben E King’s “Stand By Me”; a medley of Little Richard’s “Rip It Up”/”Ready Teddy”; Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That a Shame”; Bobby Freeman’s “Do You Wanna Dance”; Little Richard’s “Slippin and Slidin”; Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue”; a medley of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me” and Little Richard’s “Send Me Some Lovin”; and a proper version of Lee Dorsey’s “Ya Ya”. 

Now titled Rock ‘n Roll, Lennon used the leaner and sober 1974 New York sessions as the basis of the album.  Additional work was needed to some of the LA sessions: “Sweet Little Sixteen”, “Bony Moronie” and “Just Because” received new vocals; an edit was made in “You Can’t Catch Me” to reprise the first verse, extending the song’s length; likewise “Angel Baby” was edited to lengthen the track, although it did not make the final cut for the album; conversely, the intro to “Be My Baby” was cut short and an entire verse removed to shorten the song by over a minute, although it too did not make the album. 

Finally, a reunification between Lennon and Ono, orchestrated by none other than Elton John, put an end to “The Lost Weekend”.  Choosing to focus on promotion for Walls and Bridges, Lennon provided a rough mix of the assembled Rock ‘n’ Roll album to Levy in good faith, promising a release later in 1975.  Not satisfied to wait a year, Levy proposed to release the album in advance through his own mail-order service, Adam VIII, believing that would circumvent EMI’s ownership of the master recordings.  Initially approving of the idea, Lennon gave his consent and Levy issued his own cut of the album—Roots: John Lennon Sings The Great Rock & Roll Hits, using his tape of rough mixes.  Of course EMI did not approve, and with Lennon quickly switching sides, slight alterations were made to the master and Rock ‘n’ Roll was rush-released in February.  Levy was later sued for breach of contract.  Lennon and EMI ultimately prevailed but not after 1,270 copies of Roots made their way into the market, making it one of the most valuable Lennon collector’s items.  A curious effect of these competing albums was that they each had different edits of the same songs.  But did either represent the original Spector-helmed Oldies But Mouldies album? 

This is a tricky reconstruction, because the existent rough mixes of the Phil Spector sessions simply do not sound very good; to that extent, both Roots and Rock ‘n’ Roll are neither great sounding albums in the first place!  Relying on purely the rough mixes found on Roots or The Lost Lennon Tapes bootlegs reveals a tiring listen, based on Spector’s overblown production and Lennon’s drunken rambling; the original rough mix of “Just Because” is really all you need to hear to understand this point!  Thus, we will choose to generally utilize the more sensible and sonically palatable remixes found on the 2004 reissue of Rock ‘n’ Roll, commissioned by Yoko Ono.  While the mix itself is not historically accurate—using the new vocals Lennon cut in 1974—the result is a much more enjoyable listen! 

Side A begins with Lennon’s sole composition, the lush but lackluster “Here We Go Again” taken from Gimme Some Truth.  Following is the culprit “You Can’t Catch Me’, taken from the 2004 remix of Rock ‘n’ Roll but re-edited to match the original rough mix of the song, effectively removing the extra verse.  Next is “To Know Her Is To Love Her”, taken from the 2004 Rock ‘n’ Roll, although it is apparently in its original mix.  The side closes with what exemplifies the album’s madness and excess: “Be My Baby”, using the most refined mix of the full nearly-six minute version, taken from Phil Lip’s Delux Rock n Roll bootleg.   

Side B begins with the ruckus of “Bony Moronie” taken from the 2004 remix of Rock n Roll, a highlight of the album featuring a Lennon vocal teetering off the edge.  Following is “My Baby Left Me”, the remix also taken from the 2004 Rock ‘n’ Roll.  “Angel Baby” from the 2004 Rock ‘n’ Roll follows, again re-edited to match the original rough mix, effectively removing the extra bridge.  The remixed “Sweet Little Sixteen” follows, and the album concludes with the rambling weak-link “Just Because”, using the 2004 remix just because, to put it simply, the original rough mix from 1973 is unlistenable due to Lennon’s drunk ramblings.  


Sources used:
Gimme Some Truth (2001 CD)
Rock 'n' Roll (2004 CD Remix/Remaster)
Rock 'n' Roll Delux (2018 fanmade bootleg, Phil Lip)

flac --> wav --> editing in SONAR Pro & Goldwave --> flac encoding via TLH lv8
*md5, artwork and tracknotes included


48 comments:

  1. Fantastic work! I know you don't post as often as you used to, perhaps as often as you would like to, but I check your blog just out of habit about once a week and when I see a new album up a cool wave of euphoria washes over. Thank you for your service throughout the years, sir. It is appreciated and respected by many.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Would ne great if one could actually DOWNLOAD THE TORRENT via a CLEARLY MARKED link and not get a shitload of pop up's and malware links instead. Completely useless. Nothinbg like dealing with this shit after 4 strokes, Thanks a lot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 1) I don't offer any torrents here.
      2) Close the pop ups when they pop up.
      3) Only click the actual download link in the top left.
      4) For Gods sake man get some antivirus software

      Delete
    2. Ok. Top left. Thank you.

      I am using some antivirus software. But some stuff alwaus seems to get through (I don't know if you'd call them viruses as such. It's just stuff where I have to use 'control alt delete' to escape, which in turn messes up my language settings on this computer etc (in a nutshell what does pop up etc becomes a major pain in the ass - and yes: I realize that this is a zippy share problem but that is what this site uses, so...))

      Like I said: I do not know the correct terminology for what these links are called (so I called it a torrent). What IS the proper terminology?

      Finally: when I had my old computer I used to download everything on this page. Then first my computer ate it and I got a new ne and could not remember what this page was called so I have been gone for over a year. Also I had 4 strokes last year and my memory is basically shot, so once I remembered what this site was called I have been having a hard time downloading stuff because I cannot remember what links to click on. I am NOT mentioning this for pity or anything - It's just a current fact of my life and I am trying to figure out how to use this site effectively again as it was pretty much my favorite of all the download sites out there. I am NOT trying to be an annoying dick. I just get extremely frustrated when I can't get something to work for me and I am not sure if it is due to pop up's, clicking the wrong tab or me having forgotten which tab to click (I know: this sounds absolutely pathetic but unfortunately it's been my reality for the past year). I did finally get it yesterday but it took about two hours to finally get the correct link. I was just starting to get extremely frustrated when I left the comment yesterday. Sorry. In any case thanks for this. Like I said: this is probably my favorite site to download from that still exists and I look forward to everything that get's posted here.

      Delete
    3. Ad blockers do wonders for accessing Zippy.

      Delete
    4. Mike, I can empathize with becoming ill & your world turns upside down. 2013 is when my world changed.

      I use Kaspersky Internet Security. Yeah, they're Russian, kinda, but also have locations in the USA. Kaspersky sometimes blocks me from some sites & I trust their word and say no site or download is worth the havoc of a trashed PC. Also, they're not free but neither is replacing or repairing a trashed PC.

      As far as Ad-blocker, I use Firefox as my browser, and they do an excellent job of annihilating those pests with their Add-on ad blocker. Some sites block you but let you sneak thru. Some sites say "sorry Charlie" and I say "so long John", I can find other sites.

      Finally, Google 'how to avoid pop-us & malware' and you'll find tips about what not to click on or "get-arounds." I doubt any ad blockers or anti-virus is fool proof.

      I offer those suggestions because they are fairly simple for those of us who are sometimes technically and/or physically challenged.

      Delete
  3. I've always enjoyed your reconstructions but this one was rather disappointing especially in the sound quality department. Track 1 is extremely quiet while track 2 comes on blaring at full volume. I also noticed a lot of distortion in some parts of each track. It was very difficult to listen to this one. Perhaps you could go back, tweak some things and reupload it later on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 1) I haven't noticed the distortion you are referencing, and I've previewed this on several systems. Is there a problem with your setup? I would check your soundchain.

      Does anyone elese hear distortion on this?

      2) I would hope the ethereal song is quieter than the rock song, but the peak levels of Johns vocal are roughly the same in both songs. I suppose if you are just randomly skipping around and just listen to a few seconds of each, you might think that.

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  4. Thanks, interesting reconstruction. Granted, not Lennon at his finest.

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  5. Thanks, sonic! It's certainly pretty tough to make a listenable album out of the material he recorded. But I think you did the best possible job, in that department.

    You didn't consider adding Rock n' Roll People, from Menlove Ave? It's from the same time period, and I think it fits pretty well.

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    Replies
    1. Iirc Rock n Roll People was a Mind Games outtake. I was trying to seperate the projects here and group the specific Spector LA sessions as one album. So in this view, RnRP is not included.

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  6. I don't know what these things are called here. I only know the word 'torrent' from other sites.

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  7. It sounds very elegant - a level higher than the "Rock and Roll". Thanks you.

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  8. I check your site frequently and when I find a new entry I not only enjoy the music itself but also the detailed background that you provide about the "lost album" and your efforts to reconstruct it.
    Job well done.

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  9. Phil_Lip here. I love your reconstructions and I am hugely honoured that you have chosen to include one of my mixes on this album!

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    Replies
    1. I would love to know more about your mixes... "Be My Baby" sounds great, much better than the version on the Anthology box.

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    2. Goole 'rock and roll deluxe pl019' and you should find what you want.

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  10. These reconstructions are awesome, thanks for posting this one!

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  11. Excellent! A few years back, I made a personal mix just like this one using "Be My Baby" from the Lennon Anthology but otherwise all the same sources, and even starting with "Here We Go Again"!

    In general, while I like the finished ROCK N ROLL, some of those Spector tracks are stellar and I wish they'd finished that LP in 1973, instead.

    Also, great notes. I knew "Just Because" has a re-done vocal but didn't realize a few other tracks had the same treatment. I also look forward to hearing your edits on "You Can't Catch Me" (an overlooked highlight in Lennon's catalog, although it took the 2004 remix for me to hear it) and "Angel Baby".

    Thanks!

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  12. Any thoughts on this article: https://news.avclub.com/sunny-day-real-estates-drummer-says-their-greatest-albu-1830878314

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    Replies
    1. It's hard to reconstruct something stuck in Dave Grohl's sock drawer

      Delete
  13. Been listening to this regularly for the past few days. Thank you!

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  14. Interesting stuff. Hadn't known anything about this project. I always look forward to new posts here. I'm a big fan of what you've done here on this blog. Adding the cover art idea to the Hendrix 'First Rays Of The New Rising Sun' reconstruction was a nice touch.
    Anyways, I have a request/suggestion I've been meaning to get at you: Elliott Smith's 'From A Basement On A Hill'. Would love to see what you would do with that. I'm pretty sure there's enough leaked tracks to construct the 2xLP he had originally desired the album to be.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd love to do Basement--It's one of my top 10 all time favorite albums, I even have a blueprint to how it could be done--but I only do reconstructions where lossless sources are available. Since half of that stuff has only been leaked in low quality mp3s, alas, I cannot do it.

      Delete
  15. Great work on this one!
    I've always found it ironic that in singing "You Can't Catch Me," the song that--as you point out, started the WHOLE MESS--Lennon quotes from ANOTHER song, Jimmy McCracklin's "The Walk" (1957) several times! I always felt that it had to be on purpose...!

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  16. Your meticulous work and exhaustive research on ALL of your projects are truly appreciated. It's always exciting to see a new post.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Looks like the end of the road in the UK for Zippyshare, the following message has been posted

    Zippyshare has been blocked in UK by Sky, BT, Vodafone and Virgin

    Discussion
    Just to let y'all know Zippyshare has been blocked in the UK by all the big service provider

    Looks like i'll be missing out on your great posts

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's dumb. I'm open to suggestions for alterbatives.

      Delete
    2. Download Opera browser. It has a built-in VPN which allows access to Zippyshare and cannot be blocked.

      Delete
    3. Sorry to hear Zippy is dead in the UK. Works great here. I used it a few minutes ago to download this file. Zippy is my preferred free downloader. All other 'free' downloaders are slowed down & try to get me to pay for a premium account.

      Phil, I only recently discovered the bonus of having more than one browser on my PC, and I bounce back & forth between them. A page that won't load on one browser may work on another. My local newspaper site blocks me on Firefox (because of my ad blocker) so I access it on crappy Edge & suffer the ads for the few minutes I spend on my local news site.

      Delete
    4. Sonic, would mirrors work or are they time consuming & costly?

      Delete
  18. KEEP THE LENNON ( Beatles ) Coming Maybe Some Stones , or Early Bowie ??

    ReplyDelete
  19. PLEASE TRY this uploading site https://mega.nz only like 10 bucks a month and way better than zippy

    ReplyDelete
  20. In another world:

    Harry Nilsson & Lennon should have released a double album mixing up songs from Pussy Cats & Oldie But Mouldies. Better yet, they should have boiled both albums into one balls to the wall album. Great title, too! Balls To The Wall by Nilsson/Lennon.

    I am fascinated by Nilsson and the Pussy Cats fiasco especially after hearing the superior Quad fold-downs.

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  21. Readers of ATNW may find this one helps to pass the time until we get another Sonic masterpiece: https://falsememoryfoam.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  22. Every time I visit this site I find true works of art, because that is how the work you have done must be described, Extraordinary. It sounds very good and I hope you feel inspired to continue doing such good things. You should also feel that we appreciate you in what you do because otherwise we would not come here. Regards...

    ReplyDelete
  23. Any chance of reposting using something other than Zippy? I'm in the UK and would love to listen to this. I'll miss your site if you stay with Zippy.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I really enjoy most of your reconstructions and I am glad you took the trouble to put this together. That said it is easy to hear why this was never released. The performances are pretty bad. John sounds absolutely manic. "Rock and Roll" sounds like "Abbey Road" compared to this. Still nice to have for my archives. Thanks.

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  25. Much better than the 1975 release. This reconstruction is just perfect. Thanks !

    ReplyDelete
  26. Do9QhQIT#2gB5IK2RNVkyqEN0zuN7JEuIX6RSixe0xa0e3S15ioU

    Lh0iTYZJ#rkHwBApIIHohUZVPxZMgtG4ynWJqKpcAyS5GsthFUAI

    ReplyDelete
  27. Is there any way to download this album, not seeing any links?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. falk
      https://mega.nz/file/Lh0iTYZJ#rkHwBApIIHohUZVPxZMgtG4ynWJqKpcAyS5GsthFUAI

      emptythree
      https://mega.nz/file/Do9QhQIT#2gB5IK2RNVkyqEN0zuN7JEuIX6RSixe0xa0e3S15ioU

      Delete