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THE SPARKY GROUP
The Sparky group started out with a bang. Four young
boys, who auditioned for parts in a singing group, were signed to record a
couple of songs for Gem Toby Organization, a management company from
England. The songs were SWEET LIES and I'LL NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN, Tommy
Oliver was the music director. The songs were distributed under the "ABC
Dunhill Records" label.
The single was recognized by Billboard and the boys were
featured in several teen magazines (Copies of those articles will soon be
posted on this site). They appeared on the Dinah Shore Show and on an ABC
Funshine Saturday with Lee Majors. It looked like their careers had taken
off, but something happened. I have to research some names before I tell
that story. It will be posted soon. It involves David Grey, the Hollywood
attorney, who advertises on TV.
(02/24/2009) The rest of the story:
Last night I went to a screening of a new film
"The Great Buck Howard," that will be released on March 20th 2009. We
arrived early, parked the car and walked up Sunset Blvd. to le Clafoutis
Restaurant for a glass of wine. On the way we passed a couple of sidewalk
cafes. Outside, at one of the tables, sat David Grey. I had only met him
briefly during the Sparky run, however, I recognized him because he
has been running a TV commercial that runs on a channel I often watch.
When ever his commercial came on, I would make a mental
note to call him, but as most of us do, I put it off. I walked up to him
and introduced myself. Of course we talked about the Sparky group. It
seems that, at the time of the breakup of "Sparky," David was separated
from his wife, Linda, who was Mickey le Clair's (one of the boys in the
group) sister. She worked for a publicity firm and was the one who started
the "conflict of interest" problem between the management company and the
Music Company. I remember her taking us to a large management company to
sign us with a manager. In the office sat this young man, who after my
questioning, it became very clear by his answers, that he had no clue as
to what he would do, or could do, for the Sparky Group.
I was impressed with the management company (Gem
Toby Productions) who started the group. They had brought the group a long
way in a short time. That is not easy to do in this business. I've worked
in this business long enough to know. The leClairs had been promoting a
movie career for Mickey and I guess they thought this would help further
his career in that area, plus his sister would benefit by bringing them to
this management company.
As I write this, it brings back the time when Torre's
mother, Paula Samonte, formed a group and I managed them. This was during
the early Beatles days, and they were dressed similar and had that sound.
I named them "The Monocles" and started getting them bookings in the Bay
area.
Everything was fine. They rehearsed and listened to my
instructions, and, of course, Paula's sound was great, as it still is
today. After a booking in Tiburon, across the bay from San Francisco, the
group’s parents started appearing with suggestions and questions about how
to manage the group. The group also started acting "big" and head strong.
I decided I had better have them sign a manager's contract before things
got out of hand.
A manager's contract is mainly to protect the managers
interest not the artist. It is a guarantee that the manager will receive
benefits for his time, expense and labor. It guarantees the artist that
the manager will work for their benefit. I got them the equipments;
amplifiers, speakers, cables, stands, etc. And they were starting to
become popular, due mostly to Paula’s performance, however, they still had
a long road ahead of them.
When they started acting like they knew it all, I
presented them with the contract. The parents and the group questioned it
and wanted things changed. This was a fair contract similar to the one I
signed for Torre with Gem Toby Productions. When they got really stubborn,
I saw that this was not the kind of people I wanted Paula to work with and
so I ended it. They were upset that I took back all of my equipment. Years
later I read an article in "the Hollywood Reporter' about "amnesia
manageritis" it brought "The Monocles" incident to mind.
I think there was more to it with the "Sparky" incident
than "amnesia manageritis," like unawareness to the opportunity this
management company offered those boys. The Sparky Group was disbanded and
that ended, what appeared to be, a great opportunity for these four young
boys. Tommy Oliver, David’s father and the Music director went on to be
the music director for the Osmonds and the rest of the group went their
own separate ways. Some years later I contacted Tommy Oliver and we met
for dinner one night. He and his wife were wonderful. I am really sorry,
for many reasons, that the group did not get the chance they deserved.
To end this, I was very happy to have finally met with
David Grey. It cleared the air for me and it was a pleasure to talk to
him. If I ever need an attorney, I will call David Grey.
AMNESIA
MANAGERITIS
An excerpt in The Holly wood Reporter
from an article by Dianne Bennett
VERY OFTEN AT THE FIRST GLIMMER OF REAL SUCCESS the
average rock star will experience the beginning of "amnesia manageritis,"
a disease that becomes progressively more manifest as the symptoms of
super-stardom actually take hold. Stated in even more non-medical terms,
most rock stars once established find it emotionally difficult to remember
what their managers ever did to help further their careers during their
struggle to the top, which makes it that much easier to rationalize
getting rid of the person who guided them, and very often, financed their
rise to fame.
The article goes on to explain a positive situation
where Elton John and his manager, John Reid, observe a heart-warming,
mutual appreciation and respect. At Reid’s chic 25th birthday
party, planned by Elton John, Elton gifted Reid with a race horse and
60-foot yacht and oil paintings of both, which were presented at the
party.
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