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The Righteous Brothers, who gave us those Phil Spector-produced wonders -- "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," "You're My Soul and Inspiration," "Unchained Melody" -- are back together after five years of separation. Their new song, "Rock and Roll Heaven," isn't a resurrection of their old style -- they're singing together instead of trading solos -- but it builds the same way.
Though some people might think the song a bit ghoulish, Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley disagree: "We thought it was done well; to us it was more of a tribute to some great artists," Medley said, referring to the names of dead recording artists (Otis Redding, Janis Jopun, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Jim Croce, Bobby Darin) in the song by J. Stevenson and Alan O'Day. "If it had got into how they died, then we wouldn't have considered it," Hatfield added.
This time around the "Blue-Eyed Soul Brothers" have signed with Haven Records, distributed by Capitol, and are produced by Haven honchos Brian Lambert and Dennis Potter (they did the Four Tops and Dusty Springfield recently). The first Righteous album for Haven will be released in mid-July. It's called Thanks For Waitin'. "No, it's called Hatfield and Friends," joked Hatfield. Medley groaned. "We both think it's the finest thing we've ever done," he said seriously.
It might also be the easiest -- at least compared to their Spector sessions. It took them just two weeks to record the new album, and when they sat down to sing "Rock and Roll Heaven," Lambert and Potter already had all tracks save the vocals on deck. With Spector it sometimes took two weeks to do one song. Medley: "I did 24 takes just on 'Whoah ho ho, baby' in 'Lovin' Feelin'."
"The nice thing about Brian and Dennis, we walk out of the studio with such a good feeling," Medley said. "Our years with Phil Spector, we had no idea when the record was coming out. Or when Phil was coming out. We both dug Phil, but we were in limbo." Hatfield: "Yeah, hanging around in limbo with Chubby Checker." Everyone groaned.
For the past five years they've had separate careers -- Medley as a solo with two albums on A&M, and Hatfield at first carrying on the Righteous Brothers' name with a new partner, Jimmy Walker. Hatfield did two albums for MGM, one with Walker and one solo. They both ended up in Las Vegas, soloing quite well, thank you, and last year started sitting in with each other. "The audience reaction was unbelievable," Hatfield said. "Bobby was sitting in so much I thought, 'Hell, we might as well get back together,'" Medley continued. Hatfield, joking: "I was saving him every night." Medley: "I was doing gangbusters on my own."
They'll go on the road in mid-July, a major concert tour, but they will definitely not be involved in rock & roll revival shows. "When we were separated we had offers to get together for oldies shows, but we said no, and that still goes."
"For this tour we'll start in Santa Ana and work our way to Garden Grove," Hatfield cracked. Medley: "Then we'll split up again." Pounding the table, head down, Medley moaned, "I know I can do it this time!" Everyone laughed.
[From Issue 166 — August 1, 1974]