Linda Lewis Polydor Recording Session 1967

[Pete S]

Not trying to plug my sale honestly but I foundf an interview with Linda Lewis where she talks about getting the contract with Polydor at the age of 14 and recording You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet by listening to the Mary Love version, and that Jimmy Page played on it...well I thought it was dead interesting, start at about 4 minutes in if you want to skip the childhood memories

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N3ZcV4fzh0

[Roburt]

For a while around 1969, Linda was in Ferris Wheel.

Diane Ferraz and Mike Liston had formed Ferris Wheel with George Sweetnam also featuring on vocals for the group. Most of the other guys in the group had been members of singer Emile Ford's Checkmates.

The Ferris Wheel quickly became a popular club act in London and toured widely (I saw them play the Nite Owl allniter in 67). The group were soon signed to Pye Records by producer John Schroeder & they recorded & had tracks released in 1967.

The group continued to tour before Ferraz decided to leave the music business to raise a family. She was briefly replaced by Marsha Hunt (in 68) before she in turn left to be replaced by Linda Lewis (late 68 or 69). Linda Lewis was their lead singer on the group's 1970 recordings. Linda then quit the group & went to live in a 'commune' type house in London. Here she hung out with other musicians & this led to her being invited to perform at the 1st Glastonbury (the last bits of info she talks about in the above interview).

....... So what was Linda up to (musically) between cutting "Turned My Bitter Into Sweet" and her joining Ferris Wheel.

[Roburt]

Diane Ferraz and Ferris Wheel were on at the Nite Owl (Leicester) on Saturday / Sunday 26 / 27th August 1967.

A week later the Fabulous Temptations (really the Velours / Fantastics) were on at the Nite Owl niter on the Saturday night (well, early hours on Sunday morning really) and they then drove north to appear at the Mojo Alldayer on the Sunday afternoon / evening.

I caught them (Tempts) at both clubs & (I'm now getting to the point of this last bit) whilst at the Mojo was talking to the club's owner (Pete Stringfellow) & he said that he was about to restart the allniters (as well as keeping the alldayers he had already booked acts for going) and was desperate to get some good live acts. I told him that I had seen Ferris Wheel & that they were great. He then said that he'd been offered the group for one of the proposed upcoming allniters but (not knowing anything about them) had turned down the chance of booking the group.

When would the Ferris Wheel have been in a London studio for Pye in 67; anyone know.

It must have been not too long before I saw them live in Leicester ... AND ... at about the same time that Linda Lewis was in an EMI London studio cutting "Bitter Into Sweet".

Do written records exist for UK Record label (EMI, Pye, etc) recording session dates & which studios were utilised, etc. ???

Edited June 11, 2012 by Roburt

[Goldsoul]

Born Linda Fredericks, she also cut a version of Jackie Ross' Selfish One during the same session with Ian Samwell-Smith(didn't he give Cliff Richard his name?)

I produced Linda in 1984 on a Top 30 hit in Holland, cutting 2 sides on her sister Shirley the same year,one being a cover of Yvonne Baker's Didn't Say A Word.

Saw her recently at Corrine Drewery's birthday party. She looked well.

Edited June 12, 2012 by The Golden 101

[Pete S]

Diane Ferraz and Ferris Wheel were on at the Nite Owl (Leicester) on Saturday / Sunday 26 / 27th August 1967.

A week later the Fabulous Temptations (really the Velours / Fantastics) were on at the Nite Owl niter on the Saturday night (well, early hours on Sunday morning really) and they then drove north to appear at the Mojo Alldayer on the Sunday afternoon / evening.

I caught them (Tepts) at both clubs & (I'm now getting to the point of this last bit) whilst at the Mojo was talking to the club's owner (Pete Stringfellow) & he said that he was about to restart the allniters (as well as keeping the alldayers he had already booked acts for going) and was desperate to get some good live acts. I told him that I had seen Ferris Wheel & that they were great. He then said that he'd been offered the group for one of the proposed upcoming allniters but (not knowing anything about them) had turned down the chance of booking the group.

When would the Ferris Wheel have been in a London studio for Pye in 67; anyone know.

It must have been not too long before I saw them live in Leicester ... AND ... at about the same time that Linda Lewis was in an EMI London studio cutting "Bitter Into Sweet".

Do written records exist for UK Record label (EMI, Pye, etc) recording session dates & which studios were utilised, etc. ???

They do, occasionally they use them in liner notes etc. Though they're usually Beatles..