RONETTES-Presenting on Philles, best girl group LP VG++

$

183

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The Ronettes - "...Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica (Ronnie Spector)" in mono on Philles PHLP-4006. Perhaps the best girl group album ever made using Phil Spector's wall of sound to perfection. 12 great songs including Be My Baby, Do I Love You, Baby I Love ZYou, Walking in the Rain. These were not the first songs recorded by The Ronettes (the Colpix sessions were) but this was the first album to be released by the group (in 1964). A very nice copy.

Record Grade: VG++, the record retains almost all of its gloss, some minor surface marks and hairlines

Cover Grade: VG+, minor to average wear, no major defects

Labels: Yellow and red

About the Artist: by Steve Huey

The Ronettes weren't the most commercially successful girl group, but their music was some of the most groundbreaking in the field, thanks to their association with the legendary Wall of Sound producer Phil Spector. Their biggest hit, "Be My Baby," is widely regarded as one of the crowning achievements of Spector's oeuvre, and of girl-group pop in general. In fact, many critics have deemed it one of the most supremely romantic records of the rock & roll era; Spector's production frames the song's yearning lyrics and Ronnie Bennett's sweetly sultry vocals in a sweeping, near-symphonic level of emotion. Even though the Ronettes never managed another hit as big as "Be My Baby," many of their subsequent singles boasted the same kind of creative synergy between Spector and Bennett. It apparently carried over into real life as well, since the two were married in 1968, not long after Bennett went solo. Unfortunately, the union was an unhappy one, as Spector soon turned reclusive and controlling, largely preventing her from recording (or even leaving the house). After their divorce, she recorded sporadically without much success, but became something of a female rock icon when she published her survivor's-tale autobiography.The Ronettes were formed in the Washington Heights/Spanish Harlem area of New York City. Sisters Veronica (aka Ronnie) and Estelle Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley first started harmonizing together as teenagers in 1959, inspired by doo wop groups like Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers and Little Anthony & the Imperials. First calling themselves the Darling Sisters, the trio also worked on their dance moves, and won the famed amateur talent contest at the Apollo Theater; afterward, they began formal vocal training. In 1961, they were standing in line to get into the Peppermint Lounge — epicenter of the twist dance craze — when a manager mistook them for an act he'd booked. They performed to great response, and were quickly hired as regulars. Later that year, they appeared in the film Twist Around the Clock, and danced in shows staged by disc jockey Murray the K. They also got a record deal with the Colpix label, issuing their debut single "I Want a Boy" as Ronnie & the Relatives that year. Follow-up singles credited the group as the Ronettes, including "I'm on the Wagon," "Silhouettes," and "Good Girls," but none were anything more than regionally popular.The Ronettes caught their big break when they met Phil Spector, who saw in them talent he could mold to his specifications; he was already tiring of his association with the Crystals, substituting outside singer Darlene Love on several records credited to them. Spector signed the Ronettes to his Philles label, where they were given a more defined image than most female artists of the time. They were still sweet and feminine, to be sure, but they had hints of attitude — they were photographed with tall hairdos, heavy eyeliner, and tight skirts. Moreover, their songs dared to address the objects of their affection directly ("I love you" as opposed to "I love him"), even — on a subliminal level — seductively. Spector lavished all his attention on his new protégées, collaborating on material with some of the top Brill Building songwriting teams. Their first Philles single was "Be My Baby," a tune Spector co-wrote with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich especially as a showcase for Ronnie Bennett. Right from the often-imitated drum kick that opened the song, "Be My Baby" announced itself as a pop classic; Spector's lush arrangement seemed to echo into infinity, while Bennett's sweet vulnerability captured the hearts of enough teenage male listeners to send the song to number two on the pop charts and number four R&B. It also became the all-time favorite record of Beach Boy Brian Wilson, who was directly inspired to emulate Spector's arsenal of production innovations; he also penned "Don't Worry Baby" for the Ronettes in tribute, but when Spector refused the song, the Beach Boys recorded it themselves for a hit.None of the Ronettes' other singles even managed to make the Top 20, but they continued to turn out high-quality work over the next two years. Their next hit, 1964's "Baby, I Love You," featured Leon Russell as the session pianist, as well as backup vocal support from Darlene Love and a young Cher. Subsequent singles like "(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up," "Do I Love You?," "Walking in the Rain," and "Is This What I Get for Loving You?" still rank as all-time girl-group classics; "Walking in the Rain" went on to win a Grammy for Best Sound Effects, the only one Spector ever received. Meanwhile, Spector was testing the waters for Bennett as a solo artist; she recorded a song under the name Veronica, "So Young," which nonetheless included backup harmonies by the other two Ronettes (it was withdrawn not long after release).With his attention consumed by Tina Turner in early 1966, Spector put the Ronettes on the back burner; one of his final sides with the group, the lovely "I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine," was never even released. Jeff Barry produced the final Ronettes single for Philles, "I Can Hear Music," in late 1966. Shattered by the cool reception afforded his magnum opus, the Ike & Tina Turner single "River Deep-Mountain High," Spector soon shut down the Philles label, and the Ronettes disbanded. Spector left his wife to marry Bennett in 1968, and the two lived together in Spector's L.A. mansion. However, his behavior grew increasingly erratic and controlling. In spite of Ronnie's ambitions for a solo career, Spector took pains to ensure that she remained at home — not just refusing to book recording sessions, but not even allowing her to leave the house without his permission. He became psychologically abusive, allegedly threatening to kill her, monitoring her phone calls, and forbidding her to read books or see friends. When the couple failed to conceive children, Spector adopted three — the last two without even consulting his wife — which ensured that she was kept busy at home. Even amid all of this, two singles made their way to release — 1969's aptly titled "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered" (which was credited to the Ronettes Featuring the Voice of Veronica), and 1971's "Try Some, Buy Some," issued on the Beatles' Apple label.Ronnie left her husband in 1973, and their divorce was finalized the following year; reportedly, Spector made a substantial alimony payment by sending Ronnie a truckload of dimes. Nonetheless, Ronnie kept his last name, and formed a new version of the Ronettes with Denise Edwards and Chip Fields; they recorded a couple of singles for Buddah over 1973-1974, but none charted. Ronnie Spector released several solo records during the late '70s without much success; she did return to the spotlight as a guest vocalist on rocker Eddie Money's Top Five hit "Take Me Home Tonight" in 1986. Two years later, on the heels of a "Be My Baby" revival in the film Dirty Dancing, the three original Ronettes sued Spector for nonpayment of royalties; the case dragged on for years and years. In 1990, Ronnie published her autobiography Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness; the book was a sensation thanks to its detailed account of her bizarre relationship with Spector, though she maintained that she had been genuinely in love with him at the start, and that he was never physically abusive to her. In late 2001, a New York court announced a verdict in favor of the Ronettes, ordering Spector to pay nearly three million dollars in back royalties; the judgment was later overturned on appeal, but part of the case was sent back to a lower court, renewing the group's hopes.

MY GRADING SYSTEMS: I’ve been told that I grade conservatively. My NM (near mint) is my highest grade for opened records (which would also include unplayed records). It’s a 9 or 10 on a 1-10 scale. M- would be equivalent to an 8; VG++ to a 7; VG+ to a 6; VG to a 5; VG- to a 4; G to a 3; F to a 2 and P to a 1. The same scale applies when I grade covers (jackets). Significant defects are specifically noted and taken into consideration in the grade.

GRADING DESCRIPTIONS

• GRADING Grading is based on the following criteria
• Sealed = store stock new
• Near Mint = like new or near new with only one or two small insignificant defects, a 9 or better on a 1-10 scale
• Mint- = extremely nice. Would be Near Mint, except for a couple of light hairlines or scuffs, which do not affect play
• VG++ = still a very nice record with all or nearly all of its original gloss but may have a few more light, surface marks, hairlines, needle tracks or the like which should not materially effect play
• VG+ = a nice, but used record that may have a series of light scuffs or scratches. It probably plays with a few pops, but has no serious problems.
• VG = a well-used record that still should sound OK when played, but may have moderate surface noise, pops, etc.
• VG- = a very well-worn record that plays through without skipping, but will do until a better copy comes along.
• Good = not actually good at all but probably will play through but with much in the way of surface noise, pops, crackles, etc. Still, will have no cracks, chips or the like
• Fair = you’re getting this record just to own but not to play
• Poor = the sky’s the limit, generally I will discard a record this bad (and sell the cover, jacket or sleeve alone) unless the label holds some particular interest

  VISUAL GRADING: All records are visually graded only unless I state that they are play-graded. Some labels such as RCA, Capitol, Colpix, Atlantic, MGM were pressed on better quality vinyl and will sound better than a record which visually appears the same on labels such as Crown, Score or Design. Recording techniques also varied. The sound on live albums may be far inferior to studio recordings. There may also be defects in the pressing which are invisible. The point is that an album on RCA graded VG+ may sound far better than an album on Crown graded Near Mint. I have no problem issuing a refund if you are dissatisfied with the sound on a record as long as it’s requested as per my stated return policy below. But please don’t be shocked if a record visually graded Near Mint doesn’t sound state of the art. If I base my grade on a PLAY GRADE, I will state this specifically in my grading section.

  COVERS: There are really too many possible defects regarding covers to be as specific in my definitions as I had been with my record grades. But please keep in mind these general grading guidelines:

  • I will give greater weight to the condition of the front cover than back cover when assigning an overall grade
  • No cover with a cut out hole or saw mark will be graded Near Mint even if it is still in factory shrink and there is no other wear
  • I will not reduce the grade of a cover for stickers which are glued to the jacket by the record company (eg. Contains the hit song Expressway to Your Heart); but will reduce the grade for stickers glued on the cover by stores, previous owners, etc.
  • If I write that a cover has a bb hole, I’m talking about a small cut out hole
  • A saw mark is a narrow cut in the perimeter of the cover, could be anywhere and vary in length from 1/2” to 2” at the most.
  • The overall grade takes into consideration any stated defects. For example, if I grade a cover VG+ and then state it has 6” top and bottom seam splits - I’ve already reduced the grade because of the seam splits. If the seams weren’t split, the cover would be graded higher such as VG++ or Mint-.

    Shipping Costs: NEW SHIPPING RATES AS OF MAY 14, 2007.

    The buyer pays for shipping. For one or two (one disc) albums, the cost for priority mail in the United States is $7.50 ($9.00 if you live in zip codes beginning with '8' or '9'). For media rate postage within the U.S. the cost will be $4.50 for one or two albums. Double albums count as two.

    The cost for shipping a 7” record via 1st class is $3.25 and the cost for shipping a compact disc via 1st class is $3.50.

    Save money when I mail 2 or more records in the same package.

    Insurance is optional for purchases of $10.00 or more shipped within the U.S.but it is highly recommended for “high ticket” purchases. Insurance is available only on purchases of over $50.00. The cost for insurance is $1.30 for up to $50; $2.20 for up to $100; $3.20 for up to $200 and $1.00 additional for each additional $100 of insurance. Rates are quoted in my winning bid notices.

    The shipping charges for box sets, multi-record sets and other items of non-standard size and weight will be quoted.

    International Shipments: Overseas customers are welcome to bid. Postage WORLDWIDE (except Canada) for First-Class International is $14.00 for a one-record album. 7“ records (45's) are $6.50 for First-Class International anywhere in the world. CANADA- Postage for First-Class International for a one-record album is $7.50 and for a 45 r.p.m. record is $4.50. Surface mail is no longer available for overseas. Priority Mail International is available - rates are substantially higher and will be quoted for each purchase if buyer requests this service. Registered mail is available for "high end" purchases. Save on shipping cost per record when I mail two or more records in one package.

    SHIPPING - "HIGH END PURCHASES" - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY -

    As I'll be listing and shipping many highly collectible and valuable albums in the coming months, standard shipping rates do not apply to expensive purchases. This is both for your benefit and mine. Here are the changes and additions:
    1. All shipments within the U.S. over $500 must be insured (under $500, insurance is still optional).
    2. All shipments of records totalling over $1,000 sent overseas will be mailed REGISTERED; while the postage costs will be substantially higher, this should ensure safe delivery of these valuable items
    3. All packages where the purchase exceeds $1,000 will be double boxed. This applies to both domestic and foreign shipments. Shipments within the U.S. may be sent either via priority mail or media rate - the choice is up to the buyer. All overseas shipments must be sent via airmail.
    4. The postage charges for these "high end" shipments will be the actual cost plus an approximate 20% mark-up to cover the cost of packing supplies and handling.

       Please check out my other eBay auctions

       . I’ve been listing all types of records - mostly LP’s - including 50’s and 60’s rock ‘n’ roll, country, folk jazz, blues, personalities, new wave and punk, surf, psych, spoken word, comedy, etc., etc....... I try to list unusual, unique or obscure records, not the ones that you see all the time. While a majority of my listings are albums, you’ll often find a nice selection of 45’s, EP’s or picture sleeves...and an occasional 78 or two.

       My return policy: I don’t get many returns but customers are important to me so I like to offer a relatively hassle-free return policy. However, in order to return the record or other item, you must notify me by e-mail of your intent shortly after your receipt of the record or other item and within a reasonable time after the auction’s close. Also, the item must be returned in its original condition , i.e. the way it was shipped when it left my hands. While a very high percentage of my records arrive safe and sound (I use professional mailers and a filler or two, more for 78’s), they occasionally are damaged in transit. If that happens, I won’t accept the return of the record or other item - that’s why you have the option of obtaining insurance.

       My Feedback Policy: I'll be glad to return positive feedback if you would be so kind to leave me same.

       Any other questions? About anything? Please e-mail me at ibuyvinyl@nc.rr.com .