VIDEO

Rip It Up, Issue 125, 1 December 1987, Page 44

VIDEO

Girl Groups: the Story of a Sound (CEL) Based on Alan Betrock’s authoritative book, this is the best visual history of the glory that was Girldom. All the best are featured, from the influential Frankie Lymon in a '64 clip doing ‘Why Do Fools Fall in Love?’, the Shirelies hit ‘Will You Still Love MeTomorrow?’,

the Crystals, Ronettes, Darlene Love, the rise of Motown, everything you ever wanted and more.

Born in the new Camelot of the Kennedy administration, optimism flourished and the Brill Building churned out the hits. Add to this the presence of boy geniuses like Shadow Morton, moulding punks from Brooklyn into the dream team called the Shangri Las. Let’s not forget Crazy Phil Spector, the Wagner of youth music, mad, bad and dangerous, presented in this video as a dark image in sunglasses — as Tom Wolfe called him, the Tycoon of Teen. Best bits are the great historical footage, we see Diana Ross with the most outrageous hairdos — like a creature from some 50s monster movie she looms, intoning ‘Baby Love.’ Also a bit of cultural truth. With the rise of British music (the Beatles)

the death knell sounded for black rock ’n’ roll. The girl groups stopped, the songwriting teams like Leiber and Stoller hit the dirt.

Sad, sad, sad, but this video is essential for those who love black rock ’n’ roll. The Ronettes are the coolest, but just look at those white girls the Shangri Las performing ‘Give Him a Great Big Kiss’ — now that’s class. This will be on sale soon — buy it and love it.

Kerry Buchanan