A Christmas present from 2011

[jdman]

Mary, I'm only referring to the recorded music when I say that Phase I is the most important era. Phase II was a blast. I saw them three times and enjoyed every time. The movie was extremely important for fans like me who were introduced to Jan & Dean, and Jan's comeback is amazing. But the recorded music that happened from 1958-1966 is what made Jan & Dean legends and pioneers, especially Jan as far as musical influence and talent.

[2dean2]

When I would see Jan & Dean in phase 2 . I would talk to families who had seen them the year before and the kids loved them and wanted to come back again . Lot of new preteen and teenage fans came from phase 2.

[maryw7]

Goooood EVEning all...

   JD, reading your latest post some how really got throough to me!  I hear what you say:  "Mary, I'm only referring to the recorded music when i say that Phase 1 is the most important era. " 

Maybe that's because you then followed that immediately with all your points regarding Phase II :  a.  a blast  b.  personally seeing them and enjoying every time   c.  Jan's comeback--amazing 

So what i heard in your words: 

Phase 1  -   Jan & Dean--recording artists  /  as such, were pioneers and legends in the music world and industry because of ALL they accomplished, breaking ground

Phase II - Jan & Dean--reinvented as mostly live musicians because of the unwelcomed death of their original act / and as such, brought back their partnership (which was very satisfying for those people who remembered and loved them in Phase 1)

AND, it brought aNOTHER legendary aspect - for Jan & Dean - and for the music industry: 
1st - Dean produces music as the driving force of Jan & Dean making great use of their goals, intentions and unfunished tracks and even pushing forward some unfulfilled dreams:  their own label, etc.  2nd - probably first artists to take the stage with handicap
PLUS 3rdly - grasping a whole new crop of Jan & Dean fans because of the movie, remakes (GO Ktel / is that meaning "Silver Summer"?)

In this vein, I'd like to pull back to Salzburg's words earlier which i gave agreement with, but didn't cite:

... We have all been so swept up in the incredibly moving story of Jan's journey to "recovery"

and to 2Dean2's now:

When I would see Jan & Dean in phase 2 . I would talk to families who had seen them the year before and the kids loved them and wanted to come back again . Lot of new preteen and teenage fans came from phase 2.

So, Yes!, i can agree with Mr. Moore and you, JDman, that Phase 1 is all that really matters regarding,
    Jan & Dean - RECORDING music legend -but here is my ISSUE: 

(to break it up i will make another post)

[maryw7]

Just voicing my heartfelt thoughts...please

What i cannot agree with...
   is the notion that ...
       Phase 1 is to be credited MOSTLY to Jan

...even THO Dean himself has always been Jan's greatest fan! and has given his partner the credit as being the energy and driving force that "Jan & Dean" exist

( RECALL ...total recall! ) :

ANTHOLOGY!!  ...included not only their hits and more:    a. their valuable ORIGINALLY intended "Filet of Soul," side 4    b. the coool list of their cars and girls!!      c.  photographs    d.  THE DEDICATION
   this ALL being Dean's work of art ...and remember that important appearance he made for them on Midnight Special 1972, and the special way he talked of this as he shared it

AND what about "Gotta Take that One Last Ride" he made happen for them in 1974....that piece is GREAT! and shares SOOO much original and WAY cool music!!

OK .........

Please understand my issue:

Phase I   -    totally THE foundation and THE introduction of:   Jan & Dean

But hear this:

...Lighten up dude, we're takin' about Jan and Dean the Laurel and Hardy of pop music.
LOL

and then Surfin Again made sure we didn't miss that important truth of a fact:

Jan and Dean the Laurel and Hardy of pop music

Exactly
....

Their songs were more "pow" than those polished gems of the BB

Jan & Dean songs were a lot more fun than the Beach 5

There always were little "weaknesses" and "slips" in their music

Why?

Jan didn't notice them?
He didn't care?
Maybe Dean's influence was bigger than some people would like to admit?

EXCELLENT point Surfin Again ...at least to me

In David Beard's interview with Dean "Jan & Dean's Alteration," May 28th, 2011

http://www.examiner.com/article/jan-dean-s-alteration

Dean remembers some important diddies that are KEY...absolute KEY, to THE Jan & Dean we all love and that BROKE the ground, as you all say: 

   "There was one time... I remember this pretty vividly.  Jan came to pick me up to go to a show that we were doing, and we would be meeting Lou there.  We had the suits that Lou made us buy, and I was looking for something... maybe a belt or something.  I saw my Dad's clothes.  I said to Jan, "Come here!  Check this out!"  We started cracking up.  There were big baggy suits that my Dad wore in the 1940s and 50s.  We decided to try the suits on and they were really, really funny.  We left those clothes on and put the clothes he wanted us to wear in the car just in case, but let's show up with these just to scare the crap out of him.  Lou's jaw just dropped... He had no clue of whether or not we were serious, and we played it really straight.
.......
We were kind of like the Andy Kaufmans of our day.  I was the ringleader with that type of humor, but Jan was more than a willing accomplice"

[maryw7]

No one who paid attention to the makings of Jan & Dean will argue that Jan is the  REASON they exist ... and that he is the base talent of their recordings ...

however, we can NOT, please!, we should not DOWN play the part that they, together delivering the music, first as doo whop (with their humor coming through EVEN then),  brought the duo to the heights of their groundbreaking accomplishments

I do not believe they would have had success if not for the combination...no matter how much talent Jan brought to the table.  It was only because of the combination of the two of them...Jan's mostly brilliant musical side AND his special sense of humor   ADDED WITH    Dean's mostly brilliant sense of irreverent humor AND his special, fantastic voice, which i believe he added even to the writings of some of those now famous songs (even if we do not have formal documentation)

Command Performance and Filet of Soul ..."On The Run" and soooo much more display and showcase the real Jan & Dean

[jdman]

Well said Mary! I'm a Jan & Dean fan, not just a Jan Berry fan. I hope my posts don't diminish that fact.

[maryw7]

...thanks much, JDman ...your post of that  ...last scene -- on Youtube has always been mighty special AND important for  the world of J and D ...i mean, regarding  their influence ...in my opinion

and i can't thank you enough for taking the chance on posting it.  And no ...

...I'm a Jan & Dean fan, not just a Jan Berry fan. I hope my posts don't diminish that fact.

...your posts don't diminish that      Especially not whenst you capp it off like that.  At least to me.

[maryw7]

The re-recordings hurt rather than helped, as they flooded the market with false advertising, and did little to steer casual fans to the original recordings.

....

Live performances were never Jan's first love, but they were all he had left on a consistent basis (aside from his occasional studio sessions and releases).

These are opinion, i believe.  And i don't agree.  Yes... through Jan's WHOLE life, it may be true that live performing wasn't his first love, but who can say that it wasn't in Phase II ?  He may have LOVED writing and recording music in Phase II, too ...but the man seemed to LOVE his live performances and connecting with the public almost more than anything when we knew him.  It seems off to say "...it was all he had" ...

Quite a few opinions here seem to think that the rerecordings did not hurt Jan & Dean

Are these thoughts okay to share, Mr. Moore.  Hope so. 

Phase 1 was SHORTER than Phase II, afterall ...and Jan performed ever so much

...yeah....he loved that

[maryw7]

Another thing, too ...this "over shadowing" thing:  a thought that Jan's fight back from the accident taking the forefront--

REALLY?

Isn't it more accurate that whenever we read overviews of "Jan & Dean", there's LOTS written in the article about how they got started, (met in high school), made music in a garage, Dean goes to service, Jan & Arnie, THEN exit Arnie, back comes Dean, hits -- THEN car crash!, followed by they make oldies circuit?  --just saying. 

That's the reality -- much more emphasis on Phase 1 in articles, and less on the comeback

[Mark A. Moore]

Mary . . . you entertain me . . . you really do