Camouflage Feat. Mysti?

[Videoskooter]

I've discovered this album 1 week ago. It's a Meco Monardo production but I can not remember that I ever heard or saw this BITD. Was it obscure or was it well know in the clubs?

Camouflage Disco Symphony (LP) DiscoMusic.com

[remicks]

******


I've been wondering when this album would ever get a mention here VS !

Here's another example of my love/hate relationship with Youtube .... is it selfish to think that some of life's hidden treasures shouldn't be made so readily accessible???

I always keep this album handy and play it whenever I want to remind myself of the innocence of disco at this period ...the experimenting with just how far can one take all this flashy splashy orchestration before it becomes as Bernie describes it :" OVER THE TOP" !! This is disco before the formula got too figured out ... but its the kind of production that paved the way . I think over-the-top is a fair description ... the full choir like vocals ... the frenzied percussion ...relentless harps ... resounding French Horns .... the s-t-r-i-n-g-s .... but for me its a good thing .... I never made the connection at the time of this being Meco as in Gloria Gaynor's NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE , but that explains the same chugging guitars , to me another plus.
Also this really is a symphony in that it isn't just a looping of a narrow concept to create a longer disco version .... making it enjoyable listening from beginning to end while experiencing its many changes.



I wasn't DJing then but I was making tapes for bars and yes this got included and I got quite a bit of feedback (inquiries) about the MACARTHUR PARK cut. Imagine my surprise when a year later Donna would run away with something sounding suspiciously similar !
My comment in the vault :

Giorgio Moroder had to have listened to this album before creating his version of MacArthur Park for Donna Summer. Play this version which came out first .... and then compare it to Donna's. It's Meco vs. Giorgio .... and an interesting study of the evolution of the disco sound.
Posted by: remicks on Mar 17, 05 | 3:54 pm

AND what about this little snippet of info .

Terrible, except for the final cut "Bee Sting," a Silver Convention/street w**** kinda record aflight with strings and a raunchy vocal that reminds you these producers also worked for...

MARLENA SHAW!!! Oh my GOD, don't tell me that the coyly-named Camouflage featuring "Mysti" isn't Marlena herself, slumming on Prelude for god knows what legal and financial considerations. Listen to this cut and decide. Yowsah!
Posted by: fred on Sep 21, 06 | 6:15 pm

Is the Mysti-ry singer Marlena in camouflage ???


******

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by Videoskooter

I've discovered this album 1 week ago. It's a Meco Monardo production but I can not remember that I ever heard or saw this BITD. Was it obscure or was it well know in the clubs?

Only regional club play, in the NY area. Mostly "Bee Sting" and "Take A Ride". Although the LP was also released in the UK, on STATE Records. (A much better pressing, btw.), where "Bee Sting" was a 12" release.

The main track failed because of the serious drop in tempo (and bpm) from "Disco Symphony" (a loosely-based medley of classical standards) into "Mac Arthur's Park". The only similarity I found to Giorgios' was the use of the horn refrain. But that's the standard melodic hook of the song. And it came from Jimmy Webb's original 1968 arrangement for Richard Harris, anyway.

I always loved how it sped back-up, going back into the grand finale for "Disco Symphony". And how Meco tacked-on the ending of Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue" for dramatic effect at the end. I love listening to it, but doubt I'd ever actually dance to it.

"Take A Ride" (one of my all time favourite tracks) survived for decades as an after-hours cult classic.

The follow-up was titled "Camoflage featuring Sampson". But I'd only seen the record once. And don't recall what it sounded like.

As for the identity of "Mysti"... I'd heard it was Gloria Gaynor. The whole writing & production team is the same as her first 3 LPs. And it ties in with the whole "Honey Bee Records" thing. But it really doesn't sound like her and I can't place the voice with any certainty at all.

I'd be interested in knowing then source of the Marlena Shaw suggestion. I'd, actually, never heard that before.

[remicks]

Originally Posted by STEPHEN L FREEMAN

The main track failed because of the serious drop in tempo (and bpm) from "Disco Symphony" (a loosely-based medley of classical standards) into "Mac Arthur's Park". The only similarity I found to Giorgios' was the use of the horn refrain. But that's the standard melodic hook of the song. And it came from Jimmy Webb's original 1968 arrangement for Richard Harris, anyway.

I agree ... I think much of this version of MacArthur Park is more Van McCoy in style .... and in some places downright sleepy ...but suddenly (& dramatically) towards the end it shifts speed and instrumentation (full on horns) and acquires that same energy and style that Giorgio applied to it.

I always loved how it sped back-up, going back into the grand finale for "Disco Symphony". And how Meco tacked-on the ending of Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue" for dramatic effect at the end. I love listening to it, but doubt I'd ever actually dance to it.

Ya too long ... & too varietal to hold a dance floor .... but so much fun to listen to.

I think a mistake was made to impart MacArthur Park as part of the symphony .... MP sort of interrupted the symphony concept and was long enough and strong enough to have held up as its own selection .

"Take A Ride" (one of my all time favourite tracks) survived for decades as an after-hours cult classic.

Glad to hear it Steven . I could see that ...soft breezy disco ...sultry ...

The follow-up was titled "Camoflage featuring Sampson". But I'd only seen the record once. And don't recall what it sounded like.

As for the identity of "Mysti"... I'd heard it was Gloria Gaynor. The whole writing & production team is the same as her first 3 LPs. And it ties in with the whole "Honey Bee Records" thing. But it really doesn't sound like her and I can't place the voice with any certainty at all.

I'd be interested in knowing then source of the Marlena Shaw suggestion. I'd, actually, never heard that before.

Interesting info. I sure don't hear Gloria Gaynor ...or Marlena Shaw ...the voice to me almost sounds white (whatever that means ! )

Ya suppose the whole thing was meant as a taunt ??? Maybe Polydor got word of this Meco work-in-progress and sent a warning "You better not be using our Miss Gloria Gaynor on your latest project !! "

There was a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo going on then which is why Meco's name isn't on DOCTOR'S ORDERS.



******

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

[quote=remicks;131874]I think a mistake was made to impart MacArthur Park as part of the symphony .... MP sort of interrupted the symphony concept and was long enough and strong enough to have held up as its own selection.

Remember that this was released in early '77 (probably recorded in late '76), prior to "Star Wars". Meco/Bongiovi/Wheeler/Ellis (aka DCA Productions) had a chance to have their own label, "Honey Bee Records", through Prelude. But after 2 fizzled releases, I'd imagine the funding dried-up. The DCA Productions "sound" was already "dated" by '77. And "Disco Symphony" was not an inexpensive recording to make. Somebody lost a lot of money on that. But, had it been released in 1975, I'll bet it would've done a lot better.

Ya suppose the whole thing was meant as a taunt ??? Maybe Polydor got word of this Meco work-in-progress and sent a warning "You better not be using our Miss Gloria Gaynor on your latest project !! "

I doubt it. Gloria was under exclusive contract to Polydor. I've worked with her, and spent some time talking to her. She's in no way foolish enough to have taken any risks on a contract with a label like Polydor. Her first LP with them, produced by DCA Productions ("I've Got You"), fizzled fast.(Though it contains "Be Mine", which is in my personal "Gloria Gaynor all-time top 5") And they'd already put her with Greg Diamond as Producer, for "Gloria Gaynor - Glorious", by the "Camoflage..." came out.

Also, the name "Camoflage featuring Mysti" lends itself to imaginative conjecture, but I doubt there was all that much behind it, outside of "Star Wars" being produced by Meco/Wheeler & Bongiovi around the same time. But for a different label, andnot under the DCA banner. The record labels really had little time, or patience for the drama that so many would like to imagine happened. It was about $, first. Now, the independents? (Casblanca, Salsoul, TK??? ) Many of the stories about them are true. A bit overblown, but true. But Millenium was a straightforward operation, that was picked-up by Casablanca. Not created by it.

Although, in the case of Meco, himself... Much like Jaques Morali... PHEW! A melodramatic, cinematic, technicolor event on two legs! I met him when he performed "Star Wars" in Boston and my b/f at the time was one of two guys in the northeast, who put-on lazer light shows. So I assisted in the Lazer Show. (Ugh! The night of the big blizzard of '77! It was a disaster on every level.) Now... I wasn't the butchest thing on the planet, by far! But Ms. Monardo??? All I could think was "Princess Mary Louise-Louise! Ease it down a notch!"

There was a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo going on then which is why Meco's name isn't on DOCTOR'S ORDERS.

Actually, if you read the credits it lists Doctor's Orders" as produced by "Ed O'Laughlin - DCA Productions", and the arranger was Lou Del Gatto. DCA was Meco/Bongiovi/Wheeler/Ellis' company. With Del Gatto as regularly used arranger. And Ed O'Laughlin was not really a "music" producer. He was the force behind Midland International (and later, Profile Records). Bob Reno was President, but Eddy O' was the Head Honcho. It could simply be that he financed the track, and in doing so, could take producer credit, over Meco/DCA. (Cerrone did this all the time.) And still be within legal guidelines by acknowledging DCA Productions. Finally, keep in mind this was 1975. DCA Productions only had Gloria Gaynor's 1st LP under their belt. "Meco" had not acquired any great notariety on his own, yet.

Also, Meco is listed as Arranger & Conducter on Side A, Track 3 - "Baby, Don't Let This Good Love Die"

[remicks]

******


Delicious details !! Great read.
Nice to hear the juice from folks who've been up close and personal such as you have .....

Meco/Bongiovi/Wheeler/Ellis (aka DCA Productions) had a chance to have their own label, "Honey Bee Records", through Prelude. But after 2 fizzled releases, I'd imagine the funding dried-up. The DCA Productions "sound" was already "dated" by '77.

What was the other release ???

*****

Here's another example of my love/hate relationship with Youtube .... is it selfish to think that some of life's hidden treasures shouldn't be made so readily accessible???

Guess it doesn't matter ......its already been taken away . Hope some of you got to hear it ...