April 21, 200916 yr Tangent...did any of the Mirwood acts ever tour Asia/Australia back in the day? Well Dave, arguably the greatest Ikette/Mirette of them all, Venetta Fields, has been living in Australia since the early 80's and has carved out a very respected career on the Australian music scene both in her own right and especially as a backing singer for some of the country's biggest pop acts. We've long regarded her as an Aussie ! I think it would be great if someone like Ady could talk her into going over to the UK and performing at Crossfire or somewhere like that as the Mirettes with the other girls if they are still around !!! That reminds me of when I ran into a guy at a Sydney Record Fair some years ago who, back in the 60's used to work as "security' at legendary nightclubs / cabaret lounges in Sydney like "Chequers" and he told me of the time The Apollas toured Australia (and NZ) and actually performed at Chequers in 1966 !!! Not only that he actually was given the responsibilty of "chaperoning" them around town for several days !!!
April 21, 200916 yr Or just as Bob & Earl following the 1969 Harlem Shuffle re-release hit? didn't Jackie Lee do the Torch in 1972 as a solo artist Adi?...I'm sure .theres a photo somewhere of Martyn Ellis and Jackie Lee at said dooooooo.
April 21, 200916 yr Or maybe as Jay Dee during the mid 70's when he was doing "Strange Funky Games & Things" on Warner Bros ...
April 21, 200916 yr Incidentally has the mystery of a US issue of Bob & Earl's "Everybody Jerk" been solved yet ?
April 21, 200916 yr Well Dave, arguably the greatest Ikette/Mirette of them all, Venetta Fields, has been living in Australia since the early 80's and has carved out a very respected career on the Australian music scene both in her own right and especially as a backing singer for some of the country's biggest pop acts. We've long regarded her as an Aussie ! Nice info...any pics of the heroine on the beach?! Amazing where some folk ended up...how did she end up in Australia? (I've 'only' ever 'The Duck' and 'Harlem Shuffle' on Japanese releases...are there Australian releases too?)
April 21, 200916 yr Or just as Bob & Earl following the 1969 Harlem Shuffle re-release hit? I saw Bob & Earl at The Catacombs in the early 70's, They were pissed and the club owner took them off stage early.Think they did Torch later same night, they had probably sobered up by then. Richie Pitts said that when he was signed to Contempo he used to run into Jackie at the office in Hanway Street. Neil
April 21, 200916 yr Author Sherlie Matthews lived with Vanetta and worked in OZ for several years too. Lemme know if you see an ad for Jackie Lee at the Torch, i can only find them as a duo. ta Ady
April 21, 200916 yr Incidentally has the mystery of a US issue of Bob & Earl's "Everybody Jerk" been solved yet ? Nope. At least not as far as I'm aware. The hunt continues.
April 21, 200916 yr Nice info...any pics of the heroine on the beach?! Amazing where some folk ended up...how did she end up in Australia? (I've 'only' ever 'The Duck' and 'Harlem Shuffle' on Japanese releases...are there Australian releases too?) Strangely, Bob & Earl's "Harlem Shuffle" never at any time got a release in Australia on a 7" but Roy Head's band The Traits had their version of "Harlem Shuffle" released on Aussie Scepter in 1966 (Garrison in the US) Jackie Lee's "The Duck" was released on Aussie Philips. Venetta Fields came over to Australia in 1978 as one of the backing singers touring with Boz Scaggs and liked the place so much she ended up staying permanently.
April 22, 200916 yr Author And on our new Jackie Lee CD we have his previously unissued version of Roy Head's Treat Her Right, a bit of reciprocal song covering there!
April 22, 200916 yr And on our new Jackie Lee CD we have his previously unissued version of Roy Head's Treat Her Right, a bit of reciprocal song covering there! Nice one, I'd like to hear that ! So Ady, what do you think about getting Venetta and the other Mirettes (I believe Robbie Montgomery is still alive and well) together again to perform ?! Perhaps even as The Ikettes, although I suspect that Ike Turner's estate might have something to say about use of the Ikettes name ...
April 22, 200916 yr I saw Bob & Earl at The Catacombs in the early 70's, They were pissed and the club owner took them off stage early.Think they did Torch later same night, they had probably sobered up by then. Richie Pitts said that when he was signed to Contempo he used to run into Jackie at the office in Hanway Street. Neil neil/Ady Richie Pitts speaks very highly of Jackie lee and has mention he worked with Bob & Earl several times in the late 60s/ early 70s. he's away on holiday at the moment ,but I'll be with him at a private gig next weekend and see what I can find out Rob ps see You friday Ady
April 22, 200916 yr In the 60's, The UK had Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band ... Italy had Rocky Roberts and the Airedales ... And France had the great Vigon !!! See him here with his hit version of Bob & Earl's Harlem Shuffle ... ">
April 22, 200916 yr Author Nice one, I'd like to hear that ! So Ady, what do you think about getting Venetta and the other Mirettes (I believe Robbie Montgomery is still alive and well) together again to perform ?! Perhaps even as The Ikettes, although I suspect that Ike Turner's estate might have something to say about use of the Ikettes name ... it has been mentioned but it'd cost a lot so may not happen for a while.
April 22, 200916 yr Author neil/Ady Richie Pitts speaks very highly of Jackie lee and has mention he worked with Bob & Earl several times in the late 60s/ early 70s. he's away on holiday at the moment ,but I'll be with him at a private gig next weekend and see what I can find out Rob ps see You friday Ady Thanks Rob, I'll be there as long as the sickness bug that's got me up at 3 am doesn't do for me!
April 22, 200916 yr And France had the great Vigon !!! See him here with his hit version of Bob & Earl's Harlem Shuffle ... ...and oddly enough Vignon's version of Bob & Earl's ballad, 'Your time is my time', is set at an uptempo pace and is very Mirwood-esque...in fact it is more Mirwood sounding than Bob & Earl's original!
April 24, 200916 yr Incidentally has the mystery of a US issue of Bob & Earl's "Everybody Jerk" been solved yet ?Nope. At least not as far as I'm aware. The hunt continues. Too True Dave, The Hunt Continues. They Were Responsible For A Couple Of Mysterious Releases. According To The Listings. Loma 2004 - Bob and Earl - Everybody Jerkb/w Just One Look In Your Eyes Mirwood 5507 - Bob & Earl - Dancin' Everywhere / It's Over As far as I am aware, nobody has ever found a copy. Believed to be unissued. Edited April 25, 200916 yr by 45cellar
Or just as Bob & Earl following the 1969 Harlem Shuffle re-release hit?