The Matadors v Sloan and Barri

[surferbee]

Not as provocative as it sounds!
I just wondered if anyone had a view or a preference for the back ground vocals of the Matadors as opposed to Sloan and Barri.
S and B were clearly important songwriters for Jan and his arrangements ofthier songs are superb. That said, listening to the Surf andDrag City albums there is depth - perhaps down to the three voices of the Matadors that I don't think is as obvious with S and B. Phil's falsetto is brilliant and makes Little Old lady, Anaheim and other tracks but I love the background voices on Drag City et al.

Contractural issues / money / S&B's songwriting and vocal talents perfectly explain the change.

Not a life changing question but I'd be interested in other views. From Linda onwards Jan and Dean became a harmony vocal group rather than two singers so Agues the background vocals are a key element of their sound.

[jdman]

yes, Jan & Dean became a massive group with second to none production from Jan. I like both teams. The Matadors had a rough raw sound and Sloan/Barri had a smoother sound. Perfect for the songs they did. Jan did a fantastic job of adjusting to what he had to work with. Although there was a transition on the DMC album, I think the Matadors did everything though DMC and NGIS single. You can hear Jan mess with Tony on the NGIS session. I think Jan & Dean's raw sound was very distinctive. When people say they thought Surf City was a BB song, I want to say Use your ears. The sound is so different from the BBs, even though Brian is in there. Jan's production was completely different from Brians.

[NateRuvin]

The Matadors rough sound became part of the J&D signature sound in my opinion. That rough sound is a great fit for songs like Surf City, Drag City, I Gotta Drive, Deadman's Curve, etc.... But I think Sloan and Barri were a better fit for the complex harmonies of songs like Anaheim and Little Old Lady.

[jdman]

I agree 100%. Little Old Lady, Anaheim, Sidewalk Surfin would not have sounded right with the Matadors. Just like the Surf City, Drag City, DMC were better suited for them.

[Mark A. Moore]

I would not characterize the Matadors as having a rough sound, vocally. They were a tight, self-contained combo with smooth leads and harmonies.

However, "Surf City" is not their best Jan & Dean track. Jan's production got so much better after "Surf City." "Honolulu Lulu" was much better, vocally, and the production was superior to "Surf City."

I think "Popsicle" from the Drag City LP epitomizes the Matadors on backing vocals, along with "Surfin' Hearse" and "The New Girl In School."

Their work on the non-single cuts from the Drag City and Dead Man's Curve LPs is strong.

[jdman]

I certainly didn’t mean rough raw sound in a bad way. I love their sound. Including their own records. I agree with the great Jan productions with the Matadors. But there is something about Surf City. The dual drums. Dual leads. And the matadors singing “Surf City here we come”