Glenn Morrow is a Hoboken, N.J., music treasure. He owns the influential 31-year-old Bar/None label (Yo La Tengo, They Might Be Giants, Feelies, dB’s, Of Montreal). His bands, such as the Individuals and “a,” have helped put the Mile Square City on the indie-rock map for equally as long. His latest project is Glenn Morrow’s Cry For Help, which has a new self-titled album. Morrow will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week.
Morrow: NY Rocker was the office/clubhouse/rehearsal space for many people I am friends with to this day. It was started by Alan Betrock, then sold to, and operated for much of its duration by, Andy Schwartz. Alan hung around the office on occasion after he sold the business to start Shake Records (funding the first album by the dBs and other discs). He loved music from the 1960s, especially girl-group music on which he was an authority with a massive singles collection. One day I was hanging at his apartment scoring a cassette mix tape of Brian Wilson productions and Beach Boy rarities like “Guess I’m Dumb” by Glen Campbell and “You’re Welcome,” the b-Side to “Heroes And Villains” 45. (Second mention of Glen Campbell!)
“You want to hear my favorite girl group song?” he asked me before slipping on “You Don’t Know” by Ellie Greenwich. 30-plus years after hearing it for the first time I’m still knocked out by the recording. Brilliant Spector-like production but far sparer with a hint of the Shangrilas. It’s the tale of a teenage love triangle—a love that dare not speak its name—except through song. This YouTube clip adds a level of the surreal when the song is coupled with footage from Disney’s “The Gnome-Mobile.”
And while I’m talking about NY Rocker, I want to thank Andy Schwartz for giving me my start as well as turning me on to this performance by Gene Chandler … May the hair stand up on the back of your neck …
