Bob Crewe Generation?

**mixtape** · August 10th, 2005, 12:17 PM

Just saw this record in the store and picked it up. The artist is The Bob Crewe Generation and the LP title is Street Talk from 1976 on Elektra. It's a white album and says "advance pressing for disco djs only". Does anyone know anything about this album. Is this one worth money? I bought it for 10 bucks.

**BrunoRepublic** · August 10th, 2005, 03:41 PM

Originally Written by mixtape

Just saw this record in the store and picked it up. The artist is The Bob Crewe Generation and the LP title is Street Talk from 1976 on Elektra. It's a white album and says "advance pressing for disco djs only". Does anyone know anything about this album. Is this one worth money? I bought it for 10 bucks.

I quite like it. I have two copies, and I discovered that it was even issued on CD in Japan. It's old school disco with some rather surprising lyrics, especially coming from Bob Crewe. He previously was a master of MOR stuff and did an album called "music to watch girls to", so it's quite an about-face to hear lyrics about male prostitution.

This album contains the immortal lyric "your ass is your ticket to paradise". I mean, really, that pretty much says it all.

**efunk_adelic** · August 11th, 2005, 01:57 AM

STREET TALK

i play this song frequently.... i just dig the string arrangements on this cut.

**JussiK** · August 12th, 2005, 06:05 AM

BCG also contributed to the score of the cultissimo film Barbarella, and the reason I'm mentioning this is the uncanny fact that several orchestral passages/tunes therein would not have been out of sync in discos of say 1976, or a cool club playing ecletic grooves today. In fact the 1967 soundtrack album was re-realesed on dj-friendly vinyl some years ago due to dj demand. Roots of disco go deep. Check it out.

**thommy2458** · August 14th, 2005, 06:46 AM

Originally Written by JussiK

BCG also contributed to the score of the cultissimo film Barbarella, and the reason I'm mentioning this is the uncanny fact that several orchestral passages/tunes therein would not have been out of sync in discos of say 1976, or a cool club playing ecletic grooves today. In fact the 1967 soundtrack album was re-realesed on dj-friendly vinyl some years ago due to dj demand. Roots of disco go deep. Check it out.

Thanks for this tip jussiK-
I have to search this out.
I love BCG,and I saw that
import cd but didn't buy
it because I wasn't sure
if it had the full 12"
mix which is over 9 minutes.I also wish I could find his prior effort on a cd release-The
Eleventh Hour lp(with
Hollywood Hot)
Thom

**markydefad** · August 15th, 2005, 02:18 PM

Bob Crewe is sorta fascinating to me. He was a mainstream Pop producer/songwriter (mostly for Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons) throughout the Sixties...then he suddenly got into DISCO real heavily in 1974-1975 (Disco Tex & His Sex-O-Lettes, "Lady Marmalade," "Swearin' To God, "Hollywood Hot," Gerri Granger's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"...then his own ""Street Talk" LP......then sorta dropped out.

Also, I'm "curious" about the GAY content of his work with Disco Tex, "Hollywood Hot" and "Street Talk" (the latter two obsessed wtih "pickin' up chicken" prostitution). Where did that come from? And what ended it so abruptly? :-? :o :-? :o

**remicks** · August 15th, 2005, 04:16 PM

*****

But then you've already confessed to being a tad smitten about ol' Bobs looks , Mark :) ... ... are you sure you're not reading more into these lyrics ???

What do they say in "Hollywood Hot" and "Street Talk" ??? .... What's this about chicken prostitution???

And of course Disco Tex featuring Bob as a sex-o-lette !!! :D :D speaks for itself .... one of my all-time favorites .... the cover art ... the music ..... the upbeat vibe ... everything about it suggests it was a blast to make ...... you want "fun ' in your music ? ....this is one of those ....

*****

*****

**markydefad** · August 15th, 2005, 04:26 PM

Hey remix.... :P

The "pickin" up chicken/Hollywood & Vine" is a line from "Hollywood Hot" which I've come to realize has a great funky groove, an incredibly catchy chorus and lousy verses--seems like they made them up as the record was being recorded. "pickin' up chicken" indeed!!!! :P :P :P

So you think Bob Crewe was "one of us" (along with Kenny Nolan) as a member of the "Sex-O-Lettes"???? He sure was a handsome dude, eh? Check out his photo at AMG. It's Tab Hunter-time!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

**remicks** · August 15th, 2005, 05:00 PM

*****
I've got to relisten to that ..... and what is said on "Street Talk"....?
I don't know .. but I think it is time to sort through this ..... who was who ??? :P 8) It does seem like there was something going on 'tween Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan ... funny this period when they were together .. their music was so energetic , so happy and ......gay .....then after that ..... they parted and both fizzled ..... and Kenny was left melancholy - ly dreamin' :( ......
Also recently I was reading something about "FOXY" and they were referred to matter of factly as "a gay euro disco group " ..

I know they were based out of Miami and were a part of the TK family ..... so already the Euro description is screwy ....... but does anyone know more about them??

****

**thommy2458** · August 15th, 2005, 09:33 PM

Originally Written by "remicks"
Also recently I was reading something about [b

"FOXY"[/b] and they were referred to matter of factly as "a gay euro disco group " ..

I know they were based out of Miami and were a part of the TK family ..... so already the Euro description is screwy ....... but does anyone know more about them??

The only thing I remember
about the gay link with
Foxy was that in the mid break section of "party
boys" they used various
chatter supposedly recorded at a gay LA
leather bar(maybe "the Spike"?)but this was
only on the 10 min plus
Disconet version.Maybe
founder Ish was gay-I'm
not sure.Marky?
Thom

**swerzer** · August 15th, 2005, 09:55 PM

Originally Written by thommy2458

Originally Written by "remicks"
Also recently I was reading something about [b

"FOXY"[/b] and they were referred to matter of factly as "a gay euro disco group " ..

I know they were based out of Miami and were a part of the TK family ..... so already the Euro description is screwy ....... but does anyone know more about them??

The only thing I remember
about the gay link with
Foxy was that in the mid break section of "party
boys" they used various
chatter supposedly recorded at a gay LA
leather bar(maybe "the Spike"?)but this was
only on the 10 min plus
Disconet version.Maybe
founder Ish was gay-I'm
not sure.Marky?
Thom

I think the group was very gay friendly as they performed in every gay club in South Florida. Also regarding the DISCONET version, you are correct in that all those lyrics were added by the DISCONET staff. Does anyone remember the contest DISCONET had when this was released??? Whoever correctly identified all the lyrics won a prize!

swerzer

**Svend** · August 16th, 2005, 01:28 AM

I've got the Japanese CD of "Street Talk," which includes a lyric sheet and a dedication from Bob to "Russ, Eternally." I also have a vinyl "Music To Watch Girls By" LP showing Bob with the "band," all of whom are very good-looking California surfer types. Case closed?

And another thing...Bob Crewe is one of the interviewees in the DVD "Spinning the Story" (if you wanna see what he looks like now, Marky)!

**Mixmachine** · August 16th, 2005, 01:53 AM

Originally Written by remicks

Also recently I was reading something about "FOXY" and they were referred to matter of factly as "a gay euro disco group " ..

I know they were based out of Miami and were a part of the TK family ..... so already the Euro description is screwy ....... but does anyone know more about them??

Foxy was a local Miami band led by cuban Ish Ledesma with Richie Puente (tito's son) among the members playing percussion, they did lots of local clubs and parties, but were regular at a local straight club called "the 747" near the airport with a DJ booth in the shape of a 747 cotpit(sp) :P that later became Level III, Ish used to dress in weird skin tight outfits and makeup similar to David Bowie unisex period, they used to put a good show and were very popular, the first album AFAIK called Foxy (1976) was produced by Ray Martinez of Amant released on TK's 'Dash" sub and yielded the club hit "Get off your ahhh and dance" written by Ish and Ray,not as polished or complex as later Martinez productions but still this cut was huge locally, (don't remember if on 12") mainly instrumental with a wicked flute over blasting bongos to a disco beat, other songs here are nice blend of latin soul/jazz and disco. and then they did "Get off" and the rest is history :P

**markydefad** · August 16th, 2005, 02:39 PM

Originally Written by Svend

I've got the Japanese CD of "Street Talk," which includes a lyric sheet and a dedication from Bob to "Russ, Eternally." I also have a vinyl "Music To Watch Girls By" LP showing Bob with the "band," all of whom are very good-looking California surfer types. Case closed?

And another thing...Bob Crewe is one of the interviewees in the DVD "Spinning the Story" (if you wanna see what he looks like now, Marky)!

ah svend....

I shoulda known you'd have the 411 on Bob's "crew." Rollin' wit the surfer dudes, eh? Circa Tab Hunter & Troy Donahue....who knew? It just seemed a streeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch from "Big Girls Don't Cry/Walk Like a Man" to "pickin' up chicken at Hollywood & Vine". Or is it? Wait a minute...I think I see a hidden pattern..... :P :lol: :P :lol: Hmmmmmm...... :P :lol:

**remicks** · August 16th, 2005, 03:19 PM

*****

Marky ! :D I am listening to Hollywood Hot right now .... sho nuff ... Says : "Action! Hollywood & and Vine...piggin' out ...anytime ....pick-up ....pick up chicken ..getcha' to go chicken....if you want ..... tweety puffs?? :-? ? ... wanna go ? ....sho nuff ..... soak up, sweet stuff.....uh huh ....Senor (?) ..... "
I enjoy these records that get better the more you listen ...... It is a fun tune .... You can tell its reflecting the Hollywood good times going on then ....

****