That Thing You Do!......NTC

jvc · June 28th, 2003, 02:15 AM

Man, I've got a major problem or blessing. The movie and soundtrack of "That Thing You Do!" came out in 1996 and, since then, I've been hooked. I really don't know where to begin, I could ramble on about those tunes and the movie forever. Being a bit older (54) and not much wiser, I have loved the 60's music and all the good vibes (Hokey Hippie Jargon) , but that soundtrack, in my not so humble opinion, has some fantastic songs. I mean guitar parts, harmonies and the whole feeling sometimes takes me back to a half memory/half fantasy time of happiness and........sorry, I'm gettin corny and nostalgic here, but those tunes and that movie touch something deep inside of me. Man oh man, I be gettin too sentimental in my middle age! Oh, by the way, that "Del Paxton" piano number, "Time To Blow' is SOOOOOOOO COOOOOOL, and I am NOT a JAZZ fan! jvc

bruce t · June 28th, 2003, 02:33 AM

Chris Collingwood from "Fountains" lives here in town, and I get to see him do solo acoustic shows pretty regularly (actually, now that I mention it I haven't seen him in a few months). He had a band here for awhile with some other local folks called (drum roll) "The Gay Potatoes".... They were very good, and entertaining, when Chris wasn't trying to explain that he wasn't really gay.... (his wife Linda is a true sweetheart, too). But it was hard to walk away from a gig without humming those tunes. Cheers, bt

jvc · June 28th, 2003, 02:47 AM

Hey, Bruce, is Chris associated with those songs? I love all that stuff, but have no info on the musicians who actually wrote and played and sang those tunes. I will treasure any facts and trivia!!! Thanks! jvc

Tom P. · June 28th, 2003, 07:55 AM

Not sure if I'm gonna be able to help. Actually Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne wrote TTYD. The band has a new CD out, Welcome Interstate Managers - great power pop!
Tom Hanks did an unbelievable job w/ this project IMHO. He really captured that period just post Beatles when every neighborhood was forming a band. He also nailed the "look" of the era. The other tunes really get the others sounds of the era, girl groups, spy music, Beach movies, Sinatra clones, ect.
The whole Play-Tone label and "galaxy of stars" theme is maintained on the CD. Writers are given credits, but the performers are listed as the characters from the movie. There is even a write up of the history of The Wonders and each group as it would appear on a reissue box set - and it is written by Mr. A.M. White, Hanks movie character.
The detail knocks me out. Heres an example:"Theme from Mr. Downtown", tells the story of the 1957 television program. Detective Sgt. 'Shake' Lovell, so haunted by the murder of a good friend, has become an insomnia-riddled denizen of a big city's jazz club scene. Freddy Frederickson was riding high on the success of "Mama, Tell Me Mama", when he recorded this version at the Play-Tone East Studios in NYC, January, 1960."
You don't come up with "Play-Tone East" unless you really loved the era and the whole package reflects this.

Paul in Colorado · June 28th, 2003, 08:01 AM

I have one problem with TTTYD. When they meet the hot studio bass player, he starts playing slap and pop licks that weren't invented yet. Wasn't Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone credited with inventing that style (around '68 or '69)?
Other then that it's great movie. Probably the most historicly accurate music movie of all time.

bruce t · June 28th, 2003, 10:10 AM

Hey JVC; don't know how much this helps, but Cris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger co-founded the band (Fountains of Wayne) that played the music on the soundtrack. Chris does lead vocals and guitars, Adam plays bass, both write songs. On their last album, "Utopia Parkway" I think Chris wrote most of the songs, but I don't have it in front of me. Nor do I have the new one yet. Like Tom said, Adam wrote the theme song. I don't actually know much about the movie, only saw it once.... But I used to run into Chris pretty routinely, have done sound for him a few times, and he's talked about having me play pedal steel on some of his records (hasn't happened yet!). :) Cheers, bt

Tom P. · June 28th, 2003, 01:40 PM

Actually the guitar player in the Play-Tone tour band is playing a blonde tele. There's some cool vintage Fender stuff in the movie, some nice BF Bandmasters in the studio scene.

jvc · June 28th, 2003, 02:01 PM

That's right, I had forgotten about the tour band Tele guy! I hope that wasn't a vintage Dano that the bass player dropped in the talent show scene! It was cool when they got new Fenders and a Rickenbacker. Thanks to all you guys for the info! jvc

sticko · June 29th, 2003, 04:08 PM

I agree about the bass player.

They did a good job with the gear as far as being correct for the era. Makes me wonder if Hanks has had any experience with guitars, etc.

So when they got those brand new Fenders, do you think those were MIJ or MIA reissues?

June 28th, 2003, 02:15 AM	#1 (permalink)
jvc Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SOCAL Posts: 524	That Thing You Do!......NTC Man, I've got a major problem or blessing. The movie and soundtrack of "That Thing You Do!" came out in 1996 and, since then, I've been hooked. I really don't know where to begin, I could ramble on about those tunes and the movie forever. Being a bit older (54) and not much wiser, I have loved the 60's music and all the good vibes (Hokey Hippie Jargon) , but that soundtrack, in my not so humble opinion, has some fantastic songs. I mean guitar parts, harmonies and the whole feeling sometimes takes me back to a half memory/half fantasy time of happiness and........sorry, I'm gettin corny and nostalgic here, but those tunes and that movie touch something deep inside of me. Man oh man, I be gettin too sentimental in my middle age! Oh, by the way, that "Del Paxton" piano number, "Time To Blow' is SOOOOOOOO COOOOOOL, and I am NOT a JAZZ fan! jvc

June 28th, 2003, 02:33 AM	#2 (permalink)
bruce t Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 164	Yeah, those guys can write some hooky tunes... Chris Collingwood from "Fountains" lives here in town, and I get to see him do solo acoustic shows pretty regularly (actually, now that I mention it I haven't seen him in a few months). He had a band here for awhile with some other local folks called (drum roll) "The Gay Potatoes".... They were very good, and entertaining, when Chris wasn't trying to explain that he wasn't really gay.... (his wife Linda is a true sweetheart, too). But it was hard to walk away from a gig without humming those tunes. Cheers, bt

June 28th, 2003, 07:55 AM	#4 (permalink)
Tom P. Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Eastern Ct. Posts: 909	Great movie and soundtrack! Not sure if I'm gonna be able to help. Actually Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne wrote TTYD. The band has a new CD out, Welcome Interstate Managers - great power pop! Tom Hanks did an unbelievable job w/ this project IMHO. He really captured that period just post Beatles when every neighborhood was forming a band. He also nailed the "look" of the era. The other tunes really get the others sounds of the era, girl groups, spy music, Beach movies, Sinatra clones, ect. The whole Play-Tone label and "galaxy of stars" theme is maintained on the CD. Writers are given credits, but the performers are listed as the characters from the movie. There is even a write up of the history of The Wonders and each group as it would appear on a reissue box set - and it is written by Mr. A.M. White, Hanks movie character. The detail knocks me out. Heres an example:"Theme from Mr. Downtown", tells the story of the 1957 television program. Detective Sgt. 'Shake' Lovell, so haunted by the murder of a good friend, has become an insomnia-riddled denizen of a big city's jazz club scene. Freddy Frederickson was riding high on the success of "Mama, Tell Me Mama", when he recorded this version at the Play-Tone East Studios in NYC, January, 1960." You don't come up with "Play-Tone East" unless you really loved the era and the whole package reflects this. __________________ Just Pickin'

June 28th, 2003, 01:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tom P. Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Eastern Ct. Posts: 909	Tele content... Actually the guitar player in the Play-Tone tour band is playing a blonde tele. There's some cool vintage Fender stuff in the movie, some nice BF Bandmasters in the studio scene. __________________ Just Pickin'

June 28th, 2003, 02:47 AM	#3 (permalink)
jvc Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SOCAL Posts: 524	Hey, Bruce, is Chris associated with those songs? I love all that stuff, but have no info on the musicians who actually wrote and played and sang those tunes. I will treasure any facts and trivia!!! Thanks! jvc

June 28th, 2003, 08:01 AM	#5 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 55 Posts: 4,223 3 Photos	I have one problem with TTTYD. When they meet the hot studio bass player, he starts playing slap and pop licks that weren't invented yet. Wasn't Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone credited with inventing that style (around '68 or '69)? Other then that it's great movie. Probably the most historicly accurate music movie of all time.

June 28th, 2003, 10:10 AM	#6 (permalink)
bruce t Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 164	Hey JVC; don't know how much this helps, but Cris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger co-founded the band (Fountains of Wayne) that played the music on the soundtrack. Chris does lead vocals and guitars, Adam plays bass, both write songs. On their last album, "Utopia Parkway" I think Chris wrote most of the songs, but I don't have it in front of me. Nor do I have the new one yet. Like Tom said, Adam wrote the theme song. I don't actually know much about the movie, only saw it once.... But I used to run into Chris pretty routinely, have done sound for him a few times, and he's talked about having me play pedal steel on some of his records (hasn't happened yet!). :) Cheers, bt

June 28th, 2003, 02:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
jvc Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SOCAL Posts: 524	That's right, I had forgotten about the tour band Tele guy! I hope that wasn't a vintage Dano that the bass player dropped in the talent show scene! It was cool when they got new Fenders and a Rickenbacker. Thanks to all you guys for the info! jvc

June 29th, 2003, 04:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
sticko Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: They don't call it the Bluff City for nothin' Posts: 424	I agree about the bass player. They did a good job with the gear as far as being correct for the era. Makes me wonder if Hanks has had any experience with guitars, etc. So when they got those brand new Fenders, do you think those were MIJ or MIA reissues?