The questions I asked Google AI in my last blog were just a way of exploring if in the sometimes titled, ‘Body Of Knowledge’ ... the Four Seasons may have dropped ‘off a cliff’…...and whilst the AI consensus is that the respect for the group’s catalogue is still solid, the knowledge that the ‘research’ is not complete remains clear to any fan. However, is there any interest from the Four Seasons Partnership[FSP] as we enter 2026.? I have to accept there is little, and so as the Master Track Adviser on the Snapper Box Set I am still asking “what should we as fans think?”
I decided to make this end of year post a retrospective of my ‘salvaged’ blogs from 2025 reviewing what is the true status of the previously ‘unreleased’ finds …[and how past events have shaped my attitude]. Having lost my past blogs [for now] on t’internet since 2011, revisiting my past reviews and analysis will at least keep the AI ‘database’ up to date with what we know as fans. After all my past 2 decades of blog posts are gone with Typepad’s demise!!!…..but not the results as so many ‘lost songs’ are now released in 2023.
Whilst the past 18 months for many Four Seasons fans has been based on the excitement of the Snapper Music Box Set and us researching all but the Motown Tape Boxes and the unmarked 200 tapes in the FSP storage, it remains difficult to establish how many copies have actually sold of the expensive 2500 limited edition 44 CD Box Set. Some remaining sets pop up on Walmart or resells may be appearing on E-bay and Amazon. But whilst that catalogue collection in the main contains superb arrangements, productions and vocals and the timeless’ music ‘, many fans remain unhappy at the lack of ‘connection’ or dialogue with fans at and since release. But music consumption and access is rapidly changing.
In a past FB group, when I published our Master of Frankie Valli’s recording of ‘Natural Morning’ in a new STEREO Mix …..Paul Breines lamented the lack of releases and promotion of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons back in the 80s and the lack of follow on to the Box Set or further track research. It is something I had been continually highlighting given the limits of the Box Set research. I felt that nearly a year and a half since its release and over 7 years since the main research started, this subject warranted a further in depth response hence this ‘replacement’ blog post to those lost. It is probably my last word on the subject as life is too short to wait for Bob Gaudio and Frankie Valli to respond. The peaceful enjoyment continues of all that Bob Fisher and I did with the help of Bill Inglot[pushing him and Bob Gaudio to find us what we wanted shows in the final (yet imperfect) Snapper product]
In response last year Rick Ellis had commented that ……...”my sense from watching things is that The Partnership has a very different approach to the Four Seasons legacy than the various Beach Boys had to theirs. It's not that Valli and Gaudio don't really appreciate the legacy of the group. But for a variety of reasons, the "group" is less important to both of them at this point. They are ambivalent about focusing on it. You also haven't seen any of the obvious things, such as a "newer artists cover Four Seasons songs" tribute album.”
This is at a time when You Tube is awash with Collectors revisiting the music and videos of 1960s and 70s groups tracing their history in detail including new Digitally Extracted STEREO versions re- working those mixes originally designed for MONO and now demanded in modern STEREO. So one thing is clear…...the music of the 1960s and 70s is alive and kicking and confirmed in the AI response in my last post here.
As someone who has probably spent more hours than anyone researching the ‘legacy’ of the group and Frankie Valli’s career as a hobby [and particularly in my last 22 years of retirement] I can see a ‘variety of reasons’ why the FSP currently are feeling such lack of clarity….which probably includes age, health and family, estate and ‘rights’ issues[as we get older such things will dominate our lives to some extent].
A recent leaked You Tube video indicated that not all was well in the FSP relationship, but it was quickly taken down by lawyers, so what should we make of it’s suggestions re legal disputes internally? – false news? And if so why was it created?
Finding a financial partner or finding a ‘family way’ to manage your ‘legacy’ as artists and songwriters/producers in this day and age can either be to ‘hand it all over’ or stay in some level of control and decision making, by fighting the legal battles. It wont be easy and although better someone else’s problem it is the fans and collectors that lose out. The ‘Strategic Partnership’for 10 years in 2020 with Primary Wave has not produced any telling results as that company had no involvement in the Snapper Music Box Set. But the FSP may be stuck with it and their deal with Rhino. We just do not know and clearly nobody wants any potential ‘dirty linen’ to be aired in public…..and that is quite right.
Another sad fact of our times is that Dan Crewe has never opened up on Bob Crewe’s own library which I know Crewe Studios compiled some 20 years ago on Pro-tools. In fact the web-site created after the publication of Bob Crewe’s artwork has disappeared. Dan has only ever pushed the artwork book from Crewe Studios and approved the vinyl sourced ACE UK CD which I co-produced a couple of years ago [see this link]
As we can all see in retrospect, signing up to the Box Set was an easy choice for Bob and Frankie. The financial model worked and a committed fan base made it the best release of all time for Bob and Frankie. Whilst we in the research suffered the sad loss of its producer Bob Fisher [that also contributed to some later production ‘quality issues’] it remains a great achievement.
But watching documentaries by both the Beach Boys and The Beatles you can see that whilst both of these well loved groups have a totally different background and time-line, the Four Seasons are only ‘connected’ almost totally through Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio as original ‘surviving’ members and neither can support or contribute to a documentary at this stage in their lives..as a result they never have had committed to such a thing [c/f compare the message in ‘COMMITMENT’ on the ‘Streetfighter’ album….which was all we ever asked for from them!!] and they chose ‘Jersey Boys’ as their legacy vehicle in so many ways and by today they have probably personally forgotten so much and ‘not opened up’ on ‘the rest’. Notwithstanding what was said about Jersey Boys being ‘warts and all’ it remains to me and many ‘an historical distortion’….laced with partly re-worked ‘cover versions’ of their many great songs. But great entertainment…...if you love the songs…..not so much the story.[at least for me]
However it retained their place in the history of 1960s pop music.
Close collaboration was not something we really expected, given the past history of lack of ‘connection’!!!!. But to get NO collaboration or feedback re the Motown UNRELEASED [that WE were entirely responsible for ‘sourcing’ via our research] was and remains unforgivable. The lack of honesty and dialogue over the years has been heavily criticised by many longstanding fans and no-one within the FSP has ever supported the remains of the 1970s fan clubs, now thrivingamongst the Facebook speciality groups. As one dedicated fan since the 60s has told me the bond with fans has never really existed….or been respected. That is just life now.
Anthony Colatrella said in response to the FSP being ‘ambivalent’…..”to say Bob and Frankie are ‘ambivalent’ about the legacy of the group - I’d say that is an understatement! UNCONCERNED, INDIFFERENT, or APATHETIC are probably more suitable adjectives based on their actions dating back even to the 1970’s- starting with their total deception concerning the Motown unreleased which they shamelessly perpetuated [by denial] for years right up to 2019, then still in the 1970s continuing with the selfish(and disastrous)disbanding of the “NEW” 4Seasons, the worst mistake of their career, and following up with their rather uncaring mistreatment of both the extremely supportive US and UK(especially the UK) fan clubs. This attitude has continued right up to the present time with their inexplicable lack of support [or promotion] of the Snapper Box Set, a collection specifically assembled to advance their ‘legacy’ and which has been universally hailed by fans and music reviewers.….but accompanied by a failing somehow to generate much response from themselves [or their own archives which we know exist], or any feedback!! Bob Gaudio sought fit to mix/approve only 13 of the Motown Previously Unreleased from 16 track session tapes fans had identified, to create probably the most prized CD of the set, and for which others had worked so hard to uncover (against all odds- including obstacles from Bob Gaudio himself!), and it seems he even now persists in remaining deaf to the most loyal of fans calling for more of the unreleased - what purpose is served by this chilly disregard?—certainly NOT THEIR LEGACY!!!!”
So much disenchantment towards the FSP remains with many such fans, and I could still feel that. But I am past it and I believe in freedom of choice for all. Back at the start of the ‘Unreleased’ tracks research I had the FSP lawyer tell me that “One Man’ was not a recording by the Four Seasons???…..then he offered a ‘bribe’ to make the fan club ‘official’ provided we did not to speak to any former Four Seasons!!!!. And he sent a ‘cease and desist’ notice to take down our first web site and domain name a year later to add insult to injury. [Lawyer control tactics!!!]….Move on….. whilst historically stating what happened and how we were mistreated.
The FSP clearly also don't see The Four Seasons as a ‘brand’[with Frankie Valli] …...as it is to us fans …….because in reality it is not like they were a ‘close-knit’ group as in The Beatles or the Beach Boys. It has always been Frankie Valli that was 'the voice'....and 'the sound' during the 60s with him and the Seasons harmonies. But later in the 70s they were happy to launch the concept of the Four Seasons as a ‘rock-band’ when Mike Curb wanted to sign them in 1975 with a view to separate identities. That whole concept was a ‘con’ during those ‘halcyon days’ and it would unwind to damage any hope of a 'new group' as the then best 'collective' set of musicians they had ever had were unceremoniously 'sacked'. John Paiva’s stunned reaction to thinking he was part of a ‘family’ in his biography speaks volumes. It was a decision soon regretted by Frankie Valli [as his solo career fell flat by 1979 and musical director Lee Shapiro left having been retained from the ‘sacked’ band]…...but it was a decision we as fans never recovered from [nor truly forgave as can be seen in Anthony’s quote] and with 50 years of suppression of the Motown UNRELEASED [apparent from the late 1990s] that feeling, I recognise, remains.
Looking at other artists and seeing the devotion of past artists to their legacy tracks and their fans …..check out how Cliff Richard and ABBA have strong UK fan groups. More recently Taylor Swift comments at concert about her dedicated fan relationship starting from her early career (around 2006-2008) by building a "friend-like" connection through social media, speaks volumes.
By comparison the FSP have always thought short-term and a narrow financially focused view has shown their priorities and disrespect for fans over the decades…...a lack of concert visits to the UK in the 1980s…...perhaps due to terrorist threats which may be an excuse….but only 2 UK Tours from the early 1990s until 2012??. Barely an album releases in the UK between 1981 and 1994.
However Four Seasons fans are just getting on with life and just accepting the past mistakes the FSP have made that has harmed the legacy is a story here on the internet and that won’t go away...so life goes on and maybe Frankie and Bob’s families will re-evaluate the ‘legacy research ‘ that we did before Bob Fisher’s passing. I am just glad I was able to work with such a great guy on music we loved. Every track in the box Set was ‘hand-picked’ by us as important to be salvaged and it is sad some got missed by Snapper’s production people.
The Box Set illustrates with the superb quality of all of the selected ‘NEW’ finds in the archive…... taken from the material recorded and released and discovered from that period.[so far] It is such a shame as more remains as this Tape Box shows what was not found.
Whilst the voice of Frankie Valli has survived and the box set shows his catalogue is under-rated, there is perhaps good reason for ambivalence by the FSP as they have made their mega-money from 'Jersey Boys', whilst we as fans hang onto the Box Set's importance due, in large part, to the 'previously unreleased' content.[contributed to and discovered in our partial tape access and research] The record companies do not see a market for the ‘unreleased’ whereas Beach Boys and Beatles fans have mass followers and a string of Collectors Box Set releases. In reality the music owners[FSP and Universal Motown] do not care enough [or are unable to respond?] to invest in more research and potential release. There is no viable long-term physical media sales income model left for them….all killed by the convenience of streaming.
The true area for the MUSIC [and collecting] is NOW on You Tube and that is where a fan group can create a ‘collective’. The Speciality Unreleased group on Facebook was meant to focus entirely on rare and un-released tracks, including NEW Mixes of MONO or corrected ‘ping-pong’ STEREO versions updated via AI. It now celebrates all aspects of the ‘legacy’ tracklisting.
I have also created and published over 70 You Tube music videos of rare or unreleased tracks over the last two years.
Lots of Unreleased and Out-Takes from the Box Set are out there on You tube and notably without a single ‘strike’ over copyright breach. At least that is the way now. Every track found and included is unique and collectible and can be downloaded or enjoyed in playlists. These and the podcasts re the Box Set attract at most 600 views in a year which is perhaps evidence of the lack of the group’s connection…. or public identity with the ‘newer’ fans.
We follow a group that weren’t The Beatles………... Michael Harrington correctly said ….”Brian Epstein said, "The Beatles will be bigger than Elvis.", and "The children of the 21st century will be listening to the Beatles." He was right about both. They pushed the boundaries of live concerts, studio recording, and how albums could be a complete piece of art. Over 60 years later their music is still being the foundation of 20th Century pop music and listened to, analysed, and revered around the world. We will never see anything like the Beatles again. NOW all of their early albums are available in TRUE STEREO through FB and other fan based social media forums so small ‘fandom’ groups are creating the current music and video their fans want to watch. The FSP have left it to us….or rather me and the FB groups.
Bob Gaudio, Bob Crewe and Charlie Calello have indicated that whilst ‘Dawn’ was a brief statement in response to the 1964 Beatles take-over of the US Charts[and the teen girl population] they ‘did their own thing’ and the ebbs and flows of the Four Seasons through the 60s and 70s is a story of great resilience and creativity. And much is down to the UK fans. As Brian Brigham said, “UK audiences are ‘special’…..and you had to be there to realise that”, he said. We in the UK found a responsive level and kept it as fans …….being a small country enabled us to be ‘united’ and expressive. The success there of ‘You’re Ready Now’ [1970] and ‘The Night’[1975] proved that and we showed it at LIVE shows since and in a surviving ‘fan club’ web site.
NOW I have collected and curated the salvaged MASTERS to achieve the best ‘sound’ and included rare and previously unreleased in our ‘unsurpassed’ UK Digital Library. I can be satisfied we have curated , and created something that neither the FSP, Rhino or anyone else has. THE BEST MASTERS Archive. [available at a small fee Frankie...haha]
Today there are not enough followers of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons on You Tube but NEW younger ones are surfacing, so gathering all in a true ‘collectors’ group was my aim…...as one You Tube subscriber [LouLoudia11] says of the groups work …...”Frankie Valli. He was blessed with an inimitable voice and has always subtly adjusted to changing times. The man is a survivor and a musical genius. No other group has ever sounded like Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons; their individual sound emerged no matter what era was shaping them. Think about it. They have always had a singular sound mostly because of Frankie Valli's voice. He is the linchpin of this celebrated musical group. It probably does not need to be mentioned, but there are so few groups that belong in the rock and roll pantheon that had a sound all their own and could not be mistaken for another group. Among them: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys. You get the idea. Frankie and all the Seasons (from the beginning) as well as all the band members from the group's inception should be beaming with pride for hanging in this long while remaining relevant and delightfully entertaining. Frankie is one of a kind”
The story is clear that they have denied or mis-informed fans over many decades re tracks finally unearthed in the Snapper Box Set and remaining at Universal Motown. That project left them with no choice. They knew we had proved the music existed and that what we had we would make available somehow.!!! They simply suppressed many Motown tracks.
They can have their way for now. We know our path. Just watch Taylor swift’s Era concert video and you will see how fan support over the decades is respected and as Tom Petty once sang...’the future is wide open’ [‘In To The Great Wide Open’ - 1991]
Well it is in the UK and Spain!! We remain….’rebels with just one choice’…...enjoy what we have achieved and I thank all those [you know who you are] who helped me!!
It started with ‘One Man’, a strange song and production, but the ‘first’ of the unreleased songs back in 1997. It eventually re-surfaced as a re-write with a full studio production as ‘You Can’t Take It All From A Man’…...and these two strange songs belie the quality of how they progressed a year later to their most successful decade…...refining their skills and productions at Motown before hitting the heights at Private Stock, Warner-Curb and MCA
Below a link to one of UNRELEASED salvages from the tapes at Motown. We said it was there and it was found. The Tape Research I did proved it existed and it was found by the Tape Archive Department Manager at the time Andy Skurow. Until someone re visits the Tapes unchecked in the FSP Storage and the Motown Iron Mountain Archive the story goes on. You Tube rules……..as does AI Re-Mixing. And this song from 1971 is NOT an AI creation!!!!
Casey Chameleon – Music Detective
