On the Town with Buddy Beaverhausen: Matt Beckoff Brings Sixties Girls to NYC's Metropolitan Room

Me & La La Brooks of the original Crystals

What an awesome afternoon delight this Saturday when three of the great girl-group divas of the 1960s appeared together at the Metropolitan Room. I met with La La Brooks in the lobby, ahead of her being onstage. I've interviewed La La and also reviewed her album from late last year. I was so happy she remembered Buddy Beaverhausen and showed such love! "Buddy Beaverhausen! I really enjoy your little sarcasms and that your blog has an edge to it," La La said to me. I can die happy now.

My friend Ron Giles and I went inside and were seated at one of the comfy booths at the back of the room. Matt Beckoff was a wonderful host to Ms Brooks (original lead singer of Phil Spector's The Crystals), Barbara Harris (of The Toys) and Margaret Ross Williams (lead singer of The Cookies). All were native New Yorkers. The Chantels' Arlene Smith was to be part of this but had to cancel over purported safety issues. Ms Smith uses a motorized wheelchair and thunderstorms were predicted (though failed to develop, gratefully, until much, much later) that could possibly spell danger. May-aybe.

with Barbara Harris and Margaret Ross Williams

What incredible true recollections were discussed by the ladies who lived through it all, however. Racism and segregation -- especially when touring in the South -- was a major focus, most of it harrowing and tragic, as well as the conditions under which the girls had to change and do their make-up and hair during that era.

Influences for this trio? Frankie Lyman and Brenda Lee were cited. Gospel music was a huge part of these women's early foundations and singing. Of course, the backstage stories were especially fabulous. The ladies talked about Phil Spector, Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Sam Cooke, Dick Clark, Little Eva, the Mob, Tony Orlando, Eydie Gorme among others.

Am I a pygmy? Is Matt a giant?

La La was, if nothing else, very outspoken. Our Ms Brooks is from Brooklyn, after all, and has the attitude and outspokenness to prove it. She referred to Darlene Love as a "sicko" (i.e., pathological liar and phony). In my Q&A with La La on this blog, I intentionally avoided asking her about Ms. Love. But Matt was fearless; he went there! "If she were here," the soft-spoken Books added tersely, "I'd tell her that to her face." Thankfully, the fellow Phil Spector alumnus wasn't present.

But La La really brought down the house when she gossiped about being on tour with Diana Ross (then of the Supremes) and how Miss Ross' diva attitude and prissiness pissed the young singer of The Crystals off. She also mentioned how today's divas, like Beyonce and Rihanna, don't know what girls in the Sixties went through, paving the way. "If it weren't for us, there wouldn't be them."

Matt, thank you so much for getting these ladies to talk. Brilliant work! We all loved hearing these amazing backstage stories. When the three women sang "Da Doo Ron Ron" at finale, it brought down the house. Can the Metropolitan Room take any more authentic girl-group power? We shall see.

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Darlene Love's New Album

Love & Van Zandt (left) recording with horns

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame diva, Darlene Love, has long been a favorite of mine and I have followed her performances throughout New York for decades. I first became mesmerized by her powerful voice on the radio in the '60s and have been a fan since then for life.

It was wonderful news that broke in Rolling Stone earlier this week that Steve Van Zandt would be producing a new album featuring Ms Love. Van Zandt, original member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, told Rolling Stone, "Everybody I know that is a great songwriter, I'm talking to. We're hoping to have an all-star album for Darlene, which she deserves."

Release date is expected to be around Christmas. The songwriters are expected to include Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Carole King, Mike Stoller, Van Zandt himself, and Cynthia Weill/Barry Mann. This promises to be major, people! Absolutely first-class.

It was Springsteen, you might recall, who inducted Ms Love into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I suspect Darlene's central part in the Oscar-winning Twenty Feet from Stardom helped green-light this project.

Darlene's biopic is in the works right now from Oprah's Oxygen Network as well.

I have blogged about Darlene Love numerous times. My articles and reviews about her have appeared on her web site.

http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2012/05/darlene-love-at-joes-pub.html

Might an exclusive Q&A be in the offing to help promote the new cd?

RIP, Gerry Goffin

Another rock'n'roll icon (and Hall of Famer), Brooklyn's Gerald Goffin, has left us at age 75. The lyricist is best known for his work with ex-wife Carole King. Together, they had an amazing 59 Top 40 Billboard hits.

The King/Goffin songs from their Brill Building days include "The Loco-Motion" for Little Eva, "Chains" by The Cookies, "He Hit Me & It Felt Like a Kiss" recorded by The Crystals, "Take Good Care of My Baby" (Bobby Vee), "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (The Shirelles) and The Chiffon's "One Fine Day."

Later collaborations included hits by Diana Ross ("Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where Your'e Going To?)," and Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love for You").

Gerry Goffin was 75 and died at his home in L.A. of natural causes. Carol King stated that Goffin was "my first love. He had a profound impact on my life and the rest of the world. Gerry was a good man and a dynamic force, whose words and creative influence will resonate for generations to come." She added,  "His words expressed what so many people were feeling but didn't know how to say."

Carole King Awarded at the White House

President Obama called songwriter/singer Carole King a "living legend" last night when he presented her, at the White House, with the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, given by the U.S. Library of Congress.

The 71-year-old, four-time Grammy winner co-wrote her first number-one hit in 1960, at age 17, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," with Gerry Goffin, originally recorded by The Shirelles. Ms King is the first woman to be given this lifetime achievement award. She also was the first female solo artist to sell more than 10 million copies of a single album with her 1971 release, Tapestry.

"Two days after much of Moore, Okla., was flattened by a powerful tornado that killed 24 people, Obama pledged anew that the nation will assist with the town's recovery and rebuilding for as long as it takes," reported Billboard.

"'Eventually, life will go on and new memories will be made. New laughter will come. New songs will be sung,' [the President] said during a tribute concert for King in the East Room of the White House.

"'And that's often why we turn to music during trying times, for comfort and for inspiration, and sometimes just for a good diversion.'"