Ozzy Osbourne, '60s Pop Star?

In 1968, an unassuming British pop band called The Magic Lanterns scored a major hit in North America with the catchy “Shame, Shame.” Little did anybody know that nearly 40 years later, a debate would be raging as to whether one of the most legendary and controversial figures in all of rock was a member of this outfit. The issue has been in dispute for decades and it may never, ever be resolved. But that doesn’t stop this writer from tackling one of the most polarizing questions concerning the history of rock ‘n’ roll:

Was Ozzy Osbourne a member of The Magic Lanterns?

Here are the facts: The Magic Lanterns were from Warrington, England. During the late ‘60s, their personnel included a bass player and singer named Mike “Oz” Osbourne (also spelled Osborne), who was featured on “Shame, Shame” and other Magic Lanterns recordings from 1968-69. Many music critics and historians have since claimed that Mike “Oz” Osbourne and John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne are one in the same and record dealers have often sold the Lanterns’ 1969 LP Shame, Shame as an early effort by the Black Sabbath frontman and solo superstar. Ozzy himself has always denied being a Magic Lantern, but there is no shortage of music lovers who refuse to believe him.

Ozzy’s fans have plenty of responses to charges that he was in The Magic Lanterns: Ozzy’s from Birmingham, not Warrington. Black Sabbath were already active, under the names Polka Tulk (or Polka Tulk Blues Company) and Earth, before and during the period when Ozzy was supposed to have been plucking away at his bass as a Magic Lantern. And for that matter, when has Ozzy Osbourne ever been a bass player? In addition, this webpage includes detailed personal recollections from The Magic Lanterns’ own Alistair “Bev” Beveridge, who mentions Mike Osborne [sic] but never says a word about Ozzy.

And yet, one can reasonably make the argument that Ozzy is indeed doing what oh, so many people over a certain age are wont to do: lying about what he did in the ‘60s. Here’s a picture of The Magic Lanterns from the appropriate era:

Now, here’s Ozzy:

There is a fellow in the Magic Lanterns’ photo who looks like Ozzy. One might even listen to recordings from Mike “Oz” Osbourne’s tenure in the band and discern a voice in the harmonies that bears a certain resemblance to Ozzy’s. Most intriguing is this paragraph from Mark Marymont’s liner notes to The Magic Lanterns’ CD compilation Shame, Shame (Collectables Records, 1998):

“[Ozzy] has denied that he was ever in the group and most rock history books have Black Sabbath forming in 1967 in their native Birmingham, England. The four schoolmates were originally known as Polka Tulk, a blues band, before changing their name to Earth in 1968 and Black Sabbath in 1969. The record company for whom The Magic Lanterns recorded, however, has confirmed that it is indeed THE Ozzy Osbourne on these recordings. It would appear that this group was only a side-gig for the fledgling superstar.”

This paragraph seems compelling at first, but it raises a few questions. Exactly what record company confirmed the identity of the Lanterns’ bass player? The UK branch of CBS Records, to whom The Magic Lanterns were originally signed? Atlantic Records in the United States, for whom the band recorded the Shame, Shame LP? Or was it another label entirely? Also, one must only look at a map of England to see some problems with The Magic Lanterns being Ozzy’s side-gig during Black Sabbath’s early history. Warrington is close to Manchester, which is in turn a considerable distance from Birmingham. Marymont claims that The Magic Lanterns “ventured down to London in the mid-‘60s,” but if we operate on the premise that the Lanterns were based in London during the “Shame, Shame” era, we must also take note of the fact that London is no closer to Birmingham than Manchester. If Ozzy was already in a band in Birmingham, why would he take such a long trek to play in another band as a side project? It’s possible that Ozzy felt he wasn’t advancing quickly enough in the music business, took up the bass, traveled a long way to live a second life in a commercial pop group with a UK chart entry (“Excuse Me Baby”) under its belt, and then denied having any involvement in said band after he became famous. It’s just not particularly likely. A voice in The Magic Lanterns might sound like Ozzy’s because a latter-day listener is casting about for proof that the Prince of Darkness really was in that band. As for the Ozzy lookalike in the Lanterns’ photo, let’s face it: Ozzy Osbourne does not have a distinctive face. His overall image is what makes him easy to identify.

So the data available to us would seem to indicate that Ozzy Osbourne was NOT one of The Magic Lanterns after all. But The Magic Lanterns have a lot of intriguing connections that can be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt:

=> “Shame, Shame” and other early Magic Lanterns tracks were arranged by John Paul Jones, soon to become the bass player for Led Zeppelin. This is not surprising; during the 1960s, Jones was a highly prolific arranger and, like his eventual bandmate Jimmy Page, an in-demand session musician.

=> Later Magic Lanterns recordings (post-Mike Osbourne) included Albert Hammond, the singer/songwriter responsible for ‘70s soft rock favorites like “It Never Rains In Southern California” and “The Air That I Breathe.” Hammond co-wrote a number of Magic Lanterns tunes from the early ‘70s, including their small US hit “One Night Stand.” Hammond’s son is the appropriately-named Albert Hammond, Jr. of The Strokes.

=> The Magic Lanterns’ only UK chart entry, “Excuse Me Baby,” was written by Artie Wayne, a legendary mover-and-shaker who has done everything and then some in the music business. His website is here and his entertaining blog can be found here.

=> “Shame, Shame” was co-written and originally recorded by American singer and songwriter Keith Colley, best known for his own regional 1963 hit “Enamorado.” He and his wife Linda wrote several songs that ‘60s rock and pop collectors know and love, such as “Shame, Shame,” “One Track Mind” (The Knickerbockers), “Playgirl” (The Knickerbockers, Thee Prophets), and “Mindrocker” (Fenwyck, The American Breed). Colley’s demo version of “Shame, Shame” is available on his Mindrocker compilation, but the 45 version remains a rarity.

All those ties plus the allure of Ozzy Osbourne’s alleged membership? Not bad for a typical-sounding pop band that would probably have been forgotten otherwise.

Original text copyright © 2007 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.

One Note Ahead's Quick Takes

I created One Note Ahead for the purpose of having my own outlet for my music journalism, but one of the reasons I feel so strongly about music journalism is that it enables me to promote interesting and talented artists who deserve the publicity. However, in a world where soundbites rule and full-length magazine features sometimes amount to less than a page, it can be a bit much to expect people to read a full story or review on an act they've never even heard of.

Now, you don't have to.

The rules are simple. If an artist I've written about is not already a superstar, I'll list that artist here. So...Elvis Presley is out. If I wrote about an artist but later removed that article from One Note Ahead, that artist will not be included in this rundown (full apologies to Butterfly Boucher, but I'll probably make it up to her by reviewing her next album). If an artist's music is not available on iTunes, I'll skip that artist for now; many of Ed (Eddie) Rambeau's oldies are on iTunes, but his recent material was the subject of my writeup and interview. The rest is self-explanatory.

Get your downloading fingers ready.

Artist: Matt Duke
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mattduke
Sounds like: Folk-rock singer/songwriter who employs unusual song structures and colorful lyrics. Known for dramatic vocals, but can sing in a subdued fashion when appropriate.
Key tracks: The radio-friendly single is "Oysters," which is excellent. However, "Don't Ask (For Too Much)" is more representative. For social commentary, go with "Tidal Waves" or "Yellow Lights." Signature song "Weeping Winds" is not currently available on iTunes.
Full feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2006/10/winter-child-for-all-seasons.html

Artist: Andrew James
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/andrewjamesmusic
Sounds like: Piano-and-guitar based rock with a pop-friendly sheen. Soulful vocals and dark, brooding lyrics complete the package.
Key tracks: The soaring "Safe As Houses" or the mysterious "I Can't Fight" should do the trick nicely.
Full feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2006/10/spotlight-on-andrew-james.html

Artist: Laura Cheadle
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/lauracheadle
Sounds like: A mix of old-school funky soul and contemporary singer/songwriter pop/rock. A songwriting and playing style all her own. Smoky voice.
Key tracks: "Bright and Beautiful" more than lives up to its title; the dreamy, sensual "Perfect Design" and the languid, bluesy "Midst Of Your Mystery" are also great choices.
Full feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2007/07/funky-fresh-jersey-girl.html

Artist: Andrew Lipke
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/andrewlipke
Sounds like: From low-key folk to high-energy rock, his foundation is always acoustic singer/songwriter music. Unusual voice, wide vocal range, and thought-provoking lyrics.
Key tracks: Only his second album, The Way Home..., is on iTunes at this time. "Untitled Song #1" and "Check Your Mirror" fit the bill for driving alt-rock; "My One And Only" is the acoustic coffeehouse tune; "Standing Over You" is a brilliant pop opus.
Full feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2007/02/album-review-lipke-goes-home.html

Artist: SuperJimenez
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/superjimenez
Sounds like: Smart, tight modern rock delivered by a band with a diverse array of influences and a knack for bending the rules of songcraft and arrangement.
Key tracks: "Helicopters" (the "radio edit" version) is exceptional, while the single version of "Somebody There" (on the "Beau" single) is a novel showcase for their quieter side. Look for their rockin' new single, "Faye," in November and an album next year.
Full feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2006/10/superjimenez-to-rescue.html

Artist: Downtown Harvest
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/downtownharvest
Sounds like: Somebody took rock, funk, hip-hop, dance, jazz, and a bunch of other genres, threw them into a blender, and made the world's most awesome smoothie.
Key tracks: Again, hard to choose just a few. Go with "Hurry Before Worry" and "B.O.B." from their self-titled first album. Pick up "Something Elephants," "Four Hundo," and/or "Clockwork Tangerines" from their latest release, Golden Dragon.
Full feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2007/07/spotlight-on-downtown-harvest.html

Stay tuned. You never know who or what will receive the One Note Ahead treatment next.

Copyright © 2007 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.

Spotlight On: Downtown Harvest

Cities like Philadelphia have wildly bustling music scenes in and around them, to the point that one can easily be tempted to look at a band like Downtown Harvest and, with nary a listen to their music, write them off as just another Philly band sweating it out in an overcrowded market. That, however, would be a colossal mistake. Here are four guys who know no boundaries. Across their two albums, they mix rock, funk, hip-hop, disco, R&B, jazz, rap, and electronica as if those genres are all one in the same. Electric guitars, keyboards, saxophones, and all sorts of percussive gimmicks drive most of the band’s arrangements. Each of DTH’s vocalists has his own distinctive sound, making for some attention-grabbing harmonies and vocal interplay. The band’s songs often employ sudden tempo changes, stops and starts, and other structural quirks, while their lyrics range from mysteriously poetic to downright unintelligible. In other words, if you’re looking for the next big thing in mainstream rock, keep looking. But if you’re looking for something truly different in a world of seemingly endless sameness, look no further.

Here’s the breakdown of DTH’s albums, both available from Malogna Records:

Downtown Harvest (2006): Impossible to categorize and quietly off-the-wall from start to finish. A subtle, fun album whose tracks tend to sound custom-made for a small houseparty. The presence of a continuous song sequence towards the end illustrates the point that this is more of a free-flowing, full-length statement than a collection of individual songs. Highlights of Downtown Harvest include the low key, mood-shifting “Rubber Band Song”; the funky “Hurry Before Worry”; “Hills of Beverly,” with its dreamlike new wave textures; the goofy quasi-electronica of “B.O.B”; and “Rattle On,” which has a lethargic, rootsy feel.

Golden Dragon (2007): Louder and more in-your-face than Downtown Harvest, Golden Dragon has more of a straight-ahead rock sound on its first several tracks, reserving its most daring experiments for its second half. Not as much of a cohesive statement as Downtown Harvest, but an entertaining collection with many strong tunes. Highlights include the kaleidoscopic “Full Circle”; “Something Elephants,” a bouncy, absurdist take on indie rock; the heavy New Orleans sound of “Four Hundo”; the psychedelic blues-rock of “MDK”; and “Clockwork Tangerines,” whose multi-movement construction is quite classical in nature. (No comments on the liner notes, which are said to resemble a Chinese food menu—this review is based on an advance press copy without full packaging.)

For music and more information: http://www.downtownharvest.com
http://www.myspace.com/downtownharvest

Copyright © 2007 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.

Funky Fresh Jersey Girl

How to describe the music of Laura Cheadle? It’s probably best understood as a rich stew—or, in the sweltering heat in which I am writing this, a summer salad—the recipe for which goes something like this: two cups of old-school soul; one and a half cups of acoustic singer/songwriter; one cup of classic pop; one tablespoon of rock ‘n’ roll; jazz and blues to taste. Best served funky.

The 21-year-old songstress grew up in a heavily musical family, which put her in a position to either love music or hate music. Fortunately, she took the former course: “Music is my life and is so natural and medicating to me,” she explains. “I need it just the same as I need air to breathe. I can't imagine living without it and I am thrilled to have grown up in such a musical environment.” Laura’s comments on the making of her current studio album, Falling In, reveal that music is still largely a family affair for this Jersey girl: “The main musicians [on Falling In] are myself on rhythm guitar and vocals, my father James S. Cheadle on keyboards, my brother Jimmy Lee Cheadle on lead guitar, Dave Sikorski on bass, Bill Grillo on drums and Justin Hirsch on percussion. […] I wrote all of the music originally on my acoustic guitar so it was a blast making this album with a live band.”

The songs on Falling In deal with the usual themes of love, lust, infatuation, and separation, but there is no mistaking this for a typical “been there, done that” affair by yet another pretty girl with a guitar. First off, there’s Laura’s smoky voice, which veers from a sultry, seductive whisper to an electrifying gospel-tinged shout. Then there’s her songcraft, based on ringing, textured guitar chords with jazzy chromatics, often employing tempo changes and slightly unorthodox chord sequences. “I taught myself how to play the guitar at age 15 and I don't really have a conventional way of writing or playing,” she says with some amusement. “I wrote all of these songs during different times of my life and just developed a style that felt like me.” Indeed, that style carries over to her lyrics, which often contain stream-of-consciousness musings related in a strangely poetic manner. For example, “Perfect Design” offers pairings like “I take you in my lips, devourin' every inch/Your charm and your mind, your whole perfect design”—phrases so pure and delicate I hesitate to apply such a stark label as “sexually explicit” to them. “Midst Of Your Mystery” is even more hauntingly down-to-earth: “It was kinda scary when the car said check engine/You just smiled and reassured we'd be just fine […] Deep down I wish we woulda got stranded, just to spend another moment with you.”

When combined with the musicianship of her band and her father’s production, Laura’s songs get transformed into intriguing sonic collages. “Bright and Beautiful” combines the funk of a vintage Stevie Wonder track with a summery breeziness reminiscent of Malo’s “Suavecito.” And that’s only part of the story. Laura: “For ‘Bright and Beautiful,’ we kept my music how it was written on the guitar but randomly decided to put a ‘jazz break’ in the middle of the song. I LOVE how it turned out.” The album’s title track starts off like the greatest ballad that Dionne Warwick never recorded, only to jump into a hip-swaying dance groove along the lines of War on happy juice. “Midst Of Your Mystery” marries the ethereal atmosphere of Rachael Yamagata’s gentler songs to the down-and-dirty sound of a bluesy bar band, while “Love Map” brings in a country flavor on its swinging choruses. According to Laura, “that was not intentional. My acoustic version of [“Love Map”] does not sound country at all. My brother Jimmy Lee enjoys country music and he was playing that guitar riff on the album.”

Two of the selections on Falling In differ so notably from the rest of the album that they deserve special mention. The ominous, minor-keyed “Replaying” is a quietly dramatic pop opus whose sound exists out of place and time, and Laura told me that it strikes a special chord with her: “I wrote ‘Replaying’ a few years ago and it's about a love that I had to let go of. I enjoy how this song came out because the music matches my emotion at the time. It's one of my favorite tracks on my CD because I was actually crying during the vocal.” Equally eerie is the acoustic “Surrounded,” whose lyrics are atypically abstract: “Affection takes over my world/All is surrounded by a single girl. Will she wander to an escape?/Cluttered with worries, there’s no steps to take.” Naturally, Laura can account for the singularity of this particular tune: “I wrote ‘Surrounded’ after my album was finished and about to be released. I went back in the studio to lay it down just to have it. I then decided to make it a bonus track. Many of my songs are love songs, but I wrote ‘Surrounded’ completely about life. I woke up with it in my head and wrote it down. It's really about figuring out different parts of your life and trying not to worry about what happens next.”

So that’s Laura Cheadle as an in-studio recording artist. But Laura Cheadle is more than just an in-studio recording artist; she’s a personality. For one thing, she is an eccentric free spirit. Friend her on MySpace and it’ll be just a matter of time before she fills your message center with random bulletins informing you of her latest road trip or the last Tower of Power concert she attended. She even poses all sorts of—you guessed it—random questions to her fans and shares photos and drawings in her bulletins and blogs. It’s clear that she believes strongly in being connected to her fans, which the internet allows her to do with some semblance of ease. However, it is in person that Laura gets to make the ultimate connection with her funky followers.

Whether you see Laura acoustically or with her live band (also featuring her dad and her bro), she is sure to get wrapped up in a world of her own, letting each song take her and propel her into a realm understandable only by those who truly feel the power of her music. In an acoustic setting, she lets the raw emotion of her songs do the talking. With a full band behind her, she takes control of the stage, shaking and swaying every inch of her dancer’s form to every single beat of the music. Either way, she banters freely with the audience, displaying a natural charm and a quirky sense of humor—both hard to resist. And in that moment when she looks out into the crowd and sees you dancing or singing along to her music and she engages your eyes, lingers for a moment, and winks, it is far beyond a mere connection. It is a genuine spiritual exchange. Or at least that’s my perspective as a fan. Happily, Laura’s perspective as the artist is similar: “Live performances are my favorite! The rush from the crowd is incredible and you get to be so spontaneous with the arrangements of music and performance. I live to perform. Acoustic shows are a great intimate setting where you can tell the crowd where [and] when each song was written. Full band shows are amazing because I get to dance and really stretch out vocally. I also love having that musical connection with all of my bandmates where we don't have to say a single word during a performance, yet we know exactly what each other is thinking.”

What’s next on the horizon for this rising young star? “I finished my brand new song ‘10 Weeks of Immortality’ and that is up on my MySpace page for a listen. I am working on a new album, which will probably be finished by next year or so. I have been writing like crazy and feel like I just keep growing and growing. I went away on vacation last week and wrote four more songs.” She adds, smiling, “It's hard to say how each song will turn out because I am getting inspired more and more every single day.”

In the meantime, Falling In is readily available in CD form and on iTunes, and Laura also has a fun(ky) live CD which you can order directly from her. At the time of this writing, there are also some highly entertaining videos on her MySpace profile (“The MySpace Funk” has to be seen to be believed). It is fortunate that Laura Cheadle’s music can be accessed so easily in this high-tech digital world, for she is an artist who has it all: the looks, the moves, the charisma, and the TALENT to back it all up.

Or, to put it more simply: Laura Cheadle is bright and beautiful.

For music and more information: http://www.lauracheadle.com
http://www.myspace.com/lauracheadle

Many thanks to Laura Cheadle for the interview.

Copyright © 2007 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.

Rambeau, Part II

Back in the 1960s, there was a young man who was making quite a lot of noise in the music industry, whether people realized it or not. If they danced and sang along to hits like Mark Valentino’s “The Push And Kick” or Diane Renay’s “Navy Blue” and “Kiss Me Sailor,” they were digging the songcraft of Eddie Rambeau and his frequent collaborator Bud Rehak. If they tuned in to a popular television series such as Shindig, they might have seen Mr. Rambeau swingin’ and swayin’ as he sang “My Name Is Mud,” “The Train,” and Unit 4+2’s “Concrete And Clay,” all of which brought Eddie a fair amount of success as a recording artist. This multi-talented lad with the well-groomed appearance and boy-next-door charm was simply made for teen idol status. The girls screamed at him on TV and ambushed him in person.

But now, Eddie Rambeau has grown up. And changed his name. To Ed Rambeau.

Ed Rambeau is no longer in the ‘60s—now, he’s in his 60s. Fortunately for him, he’s always looked younger than his actual age. And he’s no cute and cuddly boy-next-door type. He’s a hunky, swaggering ladies man who occasionally sings songs with naughty lyrics and has a tendency to pose topless—or just in a pair of short shorts. I personally could stand to see fewer such photos, but who’s to fault Ed for showing off what he’s got? After all, the females still love him, although it is a somewhat more mature crowd now. But they still scream at him and they leave him MySpace comments containing all sorts of come-ons and titillating graphics. You might say that Ed Rambeau is putting the “sex” in “sexagenarian.”

Please refrain from throwing rotten tomatoes at me.

Musically—and his music is what matters most, right?—Ed Rambeau has been recording in his own studio in New York and using the internet not only to promote his work but also to stay in close contact with his impressively loyal fan base. He records and releases new albums at a dizzying pace. Ed still knows how to write a good song and puts those skills to use every now and then. But more often, he covers other people’s material, tackling a mind-boggling variety of styles. Who else can swing a standard like “This Could Be The Start Of Something Big,” move on to a recent pop favorite such as “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” soul it up with “Wake Up Everybody,” then rock a bit on “Proud Mary,” and do it all convincingly? Ed adds his own signature style to each song he sings, and sometimes his interpretations are noteworthy for their arrangements and productions as well as his vocals. He took a minimalist approach to Cher’s “Believe” while retaining the basic feel, transformed Low Rawls’ “You’ll Never Find (Another Love Like Mine)” into a downbeat ballad (though he also did it in its original Philly soul style), gave Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By” a swanky uptown treatment, and recast The Bee Gees’ “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” as a heart-wrenching slab of pop-soul. He’s also known for taking many classics and revising the lyrics, often in a humorous fashion—lest you think that “The Lady Is A Tramp” originally contained the line “To get ahead, she would never kiss butt.” A former Broadway actor, Ed also records numerous songs from musicals, proving that showtunes often make great pop songs as well; I’m particularly fond of his reading of “Storybook” from The Scarlet Pimpernel, which I never even knew existed as a musical until Ed enlightened me.

My original game plan was to interview Ed and use a few quotes for an article, but he gave me such fascinating answers that I had to publish the interview in its entirety. Here is a recent e-mail correspondence between me and today’s Rambeau:

SJ: When did you resume your recording career?

Ed: Actually I left recording for a while to study acting and then played on Broadway and traveled with Jesus Christ Superstar for a while then returned to recording in the early ‘80s, I believe.

SJ: When did you start using the internet to distribute and promote your music?

Ed: I suppose I've been using the internet about 3 years now.

SJ: Have you been working consistently with Bud Rehak throughout the years?

Ed: Bud is a very dear friend and we work off and on together. He and I did a great deal of special tributes to various Stars and Personalities. Kind of like a “This Is Your Life” in song. We've done them for Bernadette Peters, Kaye Ballard and many many others.

SJ: How do people react to the new Rambeau versus the old Rambeau—specifically, the spunky sex symbol versus the clean-cut boy next door?

Ed: Well, it's almost hard to get them to listen to my music. Once they see the CD cover they always comment on that and very seldom say anything about my music until much much later. Perhaps I'm selling the wrong thing here. LOL. But the women seem to love it. Here's a funny story that just happened today. I went to Port Authority Bus Terminal to purchase a ticket to New Jersey and I asked for a Senior Citizen rate. This large black woman looked at me strangely so I said, "You wanna see my ID?" And she replied, "Hell, no! I wanna see your body!" So I just happened to have a few copies of the new CD with me and when I handed it to her she took one look and began fanning herself with the CD itself. So I gave her a copy.

SJ: What inspires you to perform such a wide variety of material?

Ed: All my life I've listened closely to fellow performers and discovered I had the ability to emulate their sound. So what I try to do in my cover recordings is kind of get the essence of the original performer with a slight Rambeau touch. People are used to the original sound and have a hard time accepting a change so I try to reproduce the original sound as closely as I can and then throw in some of my own style.

SJ: When and how did your love of showtunes begin?

Ed: As far back as I can remember. I suppose it's because a great showtune has a great lyric and a singer is a story teller. What better way to tell a story than with great set of lyrics? My very first Broadway show (that I saw as a high school student) was Bye Bye, Birdie. From that moment on I was hooked.

SJ: With covers, how do you decide whether to stick to the original arrangement or change it?

Ed: I prefer to change it unless the original arrangement is so identifiable with the song that it almost forces me to use it. I've often done many songs two different ways.

SJ: Why change the lyrics to some of the standards? How do people react?

Ed: Many standards are so old and have to be brought a little up to date. Sinatra did it in his time and many artists still do it. I think it also grabs the listener who is familiar with the original lyric because they're suddenly hearing something unfamiliar and it makes them listen. I've never had a bad reaction to any lyric changes that I've made...thus far anyway.

SJ: Describe a typical session at Studio Rambeau.

Ed: I make myself a hot cup of coffee and then turn on my equipment. Then I put the original version on two tracks with the original singer (because I'm terrible at reading lyrics). Then I put my instrumental track on two other tracks and set up my vocal track. I listen to the first few lines of the original singer and then record those lines. Then the next few and so on. But it isn't always done that way. Many times (as with standards) I know the lyrics so I just sing the entire song completely thru and then hone the lines I feel I can do better. Listening is very important because it inspires you to do other things so I listen over and over and over looking for that inspirational moment. It usually takes me anywhere from two to five hours to record a single song. Then it has to be mixed which usually takes another hour or so. Some songs I get in one take but I usually go back the next day or so and correct things that I don't like and know I can do better.

Many thanks to Ed Rambeau for the interview.

To hear literally hundreds of Ed’s songs, visit: http://www.musicforte.com/member/edrambeau

Also visit: http://www.edrambeau.com; http://www.myspace.com/edrambeau

And to learn more about Ed’s previous ventures, visit: http://www.redbirdent.com/rambeau.htm

[Have you read the article from Red Bird Entertainment? Okay, here’s why ABC put the kibosh on “Summertime Guy” and not “Palisades Park.” ABC had granted Chuck Barris permission to peddle “Palisades Park”—which was titled “Amusement Park” at the time—because ABC didn’t believe in the song. When it became a hit, ABC got egg on its face and was determined not to let that happen again. The rest, as they say…]

Copyright © 2007 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.