Swingers and Humdingers

HANGIN’ AT HITSVILLE, GROOVIN’ AT GOLDEN WORLD

Ric-Tic rarities are seldom written about here, right?

Then again, one such recording which is set for U.K. release soon has Motown connections. The song’s co-writer played a part in the Supremes’ early days and subsequently joined Berry Gordy’s business, while its singer became one of Gordy’s artists when he bought the Golden World/Ric-Tic labels, decades ago.

The flipside of the forthcoming 45 also fraternises with Hitsville U.S.A. – it’s a tribute to the radio DJ who was one of Detroit’s most popular during the music revolution of the 1960s, as well as being one of Motown’s strongest supporters. He even earned a songwriting contract of his own with Jobete.

OK, so you’ve likely figured out that the record is Edwin Starr’s “Real Humdinger,” due to be out in a matter of weeks from starrt-up (sorry) West Grand Records, and which will be coupled with Starr’s promotional tribute to disc jockey Scott Regen, “Scott’s On Swingers (S.O.S.).”

According to West Grand consultant Paul Nixon, it marks the first time since the late 1960s that a previously-unissued Ric-Tic recording will be made available legally in the U.K., and it’s also the first commercial release of “Scott’s On Swingers (S.O.S.)” on this side of the Atlantic.

The birth of “Real Humdinger” is fully described in Custodians of the Hummingbird, the first-hand history of Golden World penned by one of its creative team, Al Kent. The song was originally cut by Starr, but set aside in favour of a version by labelmate J.J. Barnes; this became a Top 20 R&B success in early ’66, and a minor pop hit in Cash Box and Billboard. “Real Humdinger” was written by Kent, his brother Bob and Richard Morris.

It was Morris who had composed and produced the Supremes’ pre-Motown “Tears Of Sorrow” when the group was known as the Primettes. He later joined Motown itself and worked with a variety of acts, including Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, for whom he co-wrote and produced “Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone,” “Forget Me Not” and “Honey Chile.”

WHAT’S GOING ON?

Starr’s “Real Humdinger” is already creating a new buzz in Northern Soul circles, while “Scott’s On Swingers (S.O.S.)” is repolishing the credentials of Scott Regen. The air personality joined WKNR in 1965 when the station was a Top 40 powerhouse (“Keener 13”) and he had the coveted 7pm-10pm, Monday-Friday spot. “The way it all worked out,” Regen told me recently, “was when I would get off the air at ten o’clock, many nights I would just go over to either the Hitsville building, Studio A, and then when Berry bought the Golden World studios, I would go there, too. They really weren’t that far from one another on the freeway. I’d drive over to see what was going on.

“So I walked in one night, and there they were, Edwin and the Fantastic Four. They were recording something, I don’t know what, but ‘Stop Her On Sight (S.O.S.)’ had already been released. Edwin and I were friends – we didn’t hang out together every night and every day, but we knew each other from being around – so I said, ‘Boy, that ‘S.O.S.’ is great, why don’t we do a song for me which I can play on the radio and give away called ‘S.O.S.’? And how about giving it the name ‘Scott’s On Swingers’?’

“I regretted it years later because of the term ‘swingers,’ but it was the best I could think of at the time. They all said, ‘Hey, that’s a great idea, let’s do it.’ ” I think Edwin did his part first, then the Fantastic Four, separately, as the background voices. It was one or two takes, maybe three. I’m not sure how it actually became a record, but when it did, I played it on air and gave away copies. That was it, really – just spur of the moment, like so many things.”

Starr’s “Real Humdinger” was far from spur of the moment, and difficult, to boot. “We were in the studio late one night,” Al Kent recalls in Custodians of the Hummingbird, “overdubbing his voice on the track. However, the music track seemed to be overwhelming him. It was just a matter of laying in the pocket for a singer, the track had a tremendous groove and feel, but the track was all over Edwin and he was getting frustrated.”

Moreover, Starr seemed anxious to leave the studio as soon as possible for the airport, to fulfil a prior commitment. Kent writes that the singer’s reaction on being asked to do another take was, “ ‘Man, fuck this song!’ ” Starr stormed out. “We were left with a strong music track and no singer.” In the event, Kent and Richard Morris invited J.J. Barnes to record “Real Humdinger,” receiving an animated, positive response – and in time, a hit record.

Even so, Starr’s original recording is part of Golden World history, and West Grand is delighted that Universal Music was willing to license it (and “Scott’s On Swingers”) for release, drawn from the tapes which Motown acquired from Golden World owners Ed Wingate and Joanne Bratton in late 1966.

BOB THE HITMAKER

On another occasion, Edwin was better-disposed while at Golden World during a visit by Detroit Free Press “teen writer” Loraine Alterman to watch a recording session. “I try to do something that’s universal,” the singer explained. “Most of my records appeal to teens but that’s not intentional.” He also paid tribute to studio engineer Bob D’Orleans. “I cut no session without him,” Starr told Alterman. “That’s my hit maker.”

The newspaper article also offered readers a chance to witness a Golden World recording session in person: “Just tell Teen Beat on a postcard ‘Why I want to see a recording session.’ Six of the best cards will win.”

Scott Regen remembers another music contest, this one in the autumn of 1966 on WKNR: “Record A Record With The Supremes.” Listeners had to submit samples of their singing for the DJ and Motown’s Brian Holland to review and then pick three for broadcast, whereupon the Keener 13 audience would vote. “The different singers actually came to the ’KNR studio,” says Regen. “They’d sit with me in a room and would sing to the track. Then I played them on the air, and listeners voted.”

The track was that of the Supremes’ “Mother You, Smother You,” with each contestant’s voice laid over the original backing vocals of Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. The voice chosen by Regen’s audience was that of blind teenager Christine Schumacher; the result was pressed as a promotional single and given away by WKNR. Intriguingly, Paul Nixon says there exists a second Schumacher track, “I Hear A Symphony,” hitherto unheard (sorry). There’s also tape of another of the contest entrants, one Vickie Clark, singing that song.

For his part, Regen admits that hearing the Supremes’ backing track made him more curious about Motown’s recording process, so when visiting 2648 West Grand, he would drop into sessions in Studio A. He says, too, that he sat in on the weekly Quality Control meetings, valued because of his knowledge of current music and his popularity with Keener 13 listeners – that is, record buyers.

But that, perhaps, is a tale for another time. Meanwhile, “If you see Scott Regen/If anybody sees Scott Regen/Stop him on sight…”

Song notes: the Keener 13 DJ authored a number of copyrights for Jobete Music, including “Billy, Come On Back As Quick As You Can,” recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips, and “Magic Mary,” recorded by the Four Tops. In 2004, the latter was included on a two-track CD pressed as a souvenir of appreciation to Regen by a cabal of British Motown fans. Its other track? “Scott’s On Swingers (S.O.S.).” Try this WGB playlist for a rundown of the related recordings.

Liner notes: various Motown albums feature Regen’s prose, including The Supremes Sing Holland Dozier Holland, Temptations Live! and Four Tops Live! His notes for Stevie Wonder’s The Definitive Collection in 2002 were updated in the recent vinyl reissue of that hits package. He also wrote the personal introduction to the second 1971 volume of The Complete Motown Singles.

A&E notes: is it Scott Regen with an “e” or an “a”? It’s appeared both ways (including in the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News) for so long that the DJ doesn’t pay attention. And it’s not his real name – that’s Bob Bernstein – but one he created when joining WKNR Detroit from WHB Kansas City. At the latter, he was Rock Robbins, but because there was a prominent Motor City radio jock named Robin Seymour, Regen’s new employer in the Motor City apparently didn’t want two rob(b)ins.

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Swingers and Humdingers